Gui Gui? (Yukiya’s Perspective)
So this is what confessions and heartbreak feel like, because lately my mood has been swinging wildly without pause.
On top of that, my childhood friend and the one who rejected me, Kanae, has been acting in mysterious ways that keep me bewildered.
Even this morning, following Kanae’s recommendation, I went to wash my face and, just like yesterday, she lent me a towel scented with her fragrance, and in the end she herself wiped my face for me as if it were a special service.
Moreover, as she left she said, “I’ll take responsibility…” and that implication was so loaded that I couldn’t think of anything but Kanae from the moment I woke up.
In my mind now there’s nothing but a Kanae festival, overflowing with images of Kanae everywhere, Kanae all over the place.
I can even hear an auditory hallucination of Kanae whispering “Yuki-kun~” next to my ear, and I’m completely and utterly at the end of my rope.
Even though I got rejected, I’m slipping into a severe Kanae addiction, a Kanae dependency, a hellish situation, but a savior has appeared to rescue me.
“Well, Kanae seems to have someone she’s interested in, so I doubt there was any other intent.”
That savior is Souta, Kanae’s crush.
When Souta said those words, considering his position they had tremendous persuasive power, and they simultaneously reduced my foolish, inflated hopes to dust.
“Yeah… you’re right.”
I muttered as if gasping, and a defeated smile must have spread across my face.
What was I getting so worked up about all on my own? I was absurdly out of line; Kanae has someone she likes, Souta, after all.
Slapping myself awake with that cold reality, I headed into the classroom just in time, alongside Souta.
Then once again I locked eyes with Kanae, who was seated far away.
If this had been my mood just moments earlier, I would’ve shown off my pointless positivity and gotten cocky again.
So I quickly averted my gaze and, trying to play it cool, struck up a conversation with the student sitting next to me.
“Hey, is it our row’s turn to translate English today?”
“Uh, ah, I’m not sure. I don’t think it’s us today… but the teacher might still pick only you, Yukiya.”
My neighbor smirked maliciously as she said that.
“Huh? What the heck, Yukiya’s getting called on in English today?”
“Ah, that English teacher definitely likes Yuki, right?”
A boy diagonally in front of me and a girl in the seat ahead joined in the conversation.
Even as we chatted about trivial things, I couldn’t help but think about Kanae. Out of habit I found my body and eyes naturally following her movements.
Of course, I was determined to suppress that. I kept reminding myself that Kanae has Souta, and I distracted myself by talking with my friends, using every trick I could to quell my cravings and habit of focusing on Kanae.
Oh, right. When I first decided to “keep my distance from Kanae,” I planned to spend break times in the restroom, chat with friends, or stay in the clubroom during lunch.
Looking back, ironically this situation is unfolding exactly as I planned.
I don’t know if it’s the best method, but maybe following my plan a bit longer wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Besides, if I get back to that morning mood, I feel like I’d confess to Kanae every second. I remember hearing that a senior in the soccer club confessed twenty times to the same person, and now I totally get how he felt.
That’s exactly why, so I won’t lose control and for the sake of my revenge and Kanae’s love actually coming true, keeping my distance and calming down cannot be a bad thing.
I’m not planning to treat Kanae harshly. I’ll just return to how things were before the confession. And even if something happens to Kanae, regrettably… Souta will handle it smoothly. So there’s absolutely no problem.
How naive I was to think that so simply.
“Yuki-kun!”
As soon as the first break began, Kanae let out a voice that echoed through the entire classroom and ran straight toward me.
Yes, I’d overlooked the possibility that I might not be allowed to keep my distance in the first place.
Nothing had even started yet, and from the very beginning I sensed my plan was doomed to fail.
Everyone turned to stare at me. My neighbor nudged me with her elbow, grinning, the boy diagonally in front raised his middle finger, and the girl in the seat ahead silently aimed her phone’s camera at me…
“Yuki-kun… um, can I have a moment?”
Hearing that, I allowed Kanae to tug at my sleeve as she led me to a less crowded landing on the staircase.
Kanae pushed me into the corner by the wall and then, looking a bit more formal, began to speak.
“Um… I’m sorry about this morning. Is your cheek okay?”
Kanae reached out and gently touched my cheek. The ticklish sensation sent chills down my spine, my face grew hot, and her gentle whisper was melting my brain.
Even my calm, steely resolve, which Souta had reinforced, seemed to melt into goo the moment Kanae put a little effort into it.
This is bad. Kanae is too strong…
At this point, to keep my distance from Kanae, I might have to kneel and beg her personally, explaining things in painstaking detail.
But Kanae, unaware of my inner turmoil, kept tickling my cheek and whispered,
“Wow, your face is all red…”
My cheeks were red for a completely different reason, but I didn’t have the presence of mind to explain it.
All I could do was stare at Kanae in front of me, my entire body stiff with tension and excitement, my temperature rising as if I were about to steam.
“Ah, right.”
Kanae seemed to think of something and her voice brightened like a small child’s.
“Yuki-kun, could you bend down a little?”
Kanae tilted her head modestly and I bent down as she asked.
Then Kanae’s small hand was gently pressed against my face—
“Huu~, huu~…”
As if she were cooling off hot tea, Kanae began to blow softly on my cheek.
Her warm, soft breath caressing my cheek was ticklish; no, wait, this is seriously going to make me have a nosebleed…!
In my dazed mind I felt a sting deep in my nose.
W-What is Kanae doing…?
When I stole a glance at my childhood friend committing such a brazen act, Kanae had her eyelids squeezed shut, her face flushed red, her whole body trembling as she did her best to blow on me.
Until just now, Kanae had seemed completely composed in my eyes, but it appears she was embarrassed after all. Somehow that made me feel a little relieved.
I know that at this point I should question Kanae about her true intentions behind this bold gesture, but unfortunately I no longer have that kind of mental strength.
I was completely intoxicated by Kanae’s cuteness and allure, my head spinning, and with the continuous tension and excitement I was already groggy all over.
And then the bell for the next class started to ring—
“Fuu~, fuu~… huh? Ehehe, let’s head back to class.”
Kanae seemed to come to her senses and, her face still bright red, she giggled.
“Oh, right, Yuki-kun.”
This time Kanae continued, laughing mischievously.
“Let’s eat lunch together today, just like we promised, okay?”
Kanae, looking cheerful, began walking ahead as if leading me.
“Fuwaaah…!”
I let out a deep, secret sigh as if exhaling all the heat that had built up inside me.
Somehow, it felt like my heart had been shot through.
Or rather, this is what happens when I tried to distance myself from Kanae: I ended up suffering an overwhelming counterattack, discovered a side of her and her charm I’d never known, and I have absolutely no idea how I could ever keep my distance again.
The only path left may truly be to kneel and beg.
I watched the back of Kanae’s walking form and shivered a little.
Lunch break is going to be kind of terrifying.