Chapter 27: Don’t Ring Anymore (Kanae’s Point of View)
[It’s been a while, Kanae. This is sudden, but I’m in trouble. Even at this school, girls have started sticking to me, and it seems like they like me. I tell them it’s a misunderstanding, but they keep coming on strong, and it’s a hassle. At this rate, I might end up with a girlfriend, you know?]
I was genuinely surprised by the sudden email with an image attached.
It was the first time Souta-kun had contacted me since he went abroad, and on top of that, it was about him possibly getting a girlfriend, so it shocked me even more.
But Souta-kun helped push things forward between me and Yuki-kun, so as his childhood friend, I couldn’t help but feel happy for him.
“Ah, I need to tell Yuki-kun too!”
I’d been cleaning the second floor of our house, and I hurried down the stairs to where Yuki-kun was in the living room.
He looked like he was dusting the furniture with a handheld mop. Being able to do housework like this with the person I love really makes my imagination run wild.
A week ago, Yuki-kun and I ended up glaring at each other over whether we’d live together while my parents were away or whether he’d just check in on me often. After begging, getting mad, sulking, and finally clinging to him with teary eyes, I pushed it through with everything I had.
So now, Yuki-kun and I are living together.
During this time, I’m not letting Yuki-kun go home.
Thinking that, I walked straight up to him and hugged him tightly.
“Oh, huh? You’re already done upstairs?”
“Yeah. Thanks for cleaning too, Yuki-kun. You really helped.”
I pressed my face into Yuki-kun’s chest and rubbed against him.
Since we’ve been together constantly for the past week, this kind of closeness has started to feel pretty natural.
Of course, there’s still a bit of nervousness, but there’s even more happiness and reassurance than that.
While I was enjoying Yuki-kun’s scent and warmth, he asked,
“You came down from upstairs in a hurry. Did something happen?”
Oh right.
“Yeah, um, Souta-kun says he might be getting a girlfriend!”
I’d completely forgotten for a moment, but I said it while pulling out my phone.
“What, Souta has a girlfriend? He’s only been over there for about a month, right?”
“Yeah, it’s amazing. She’s like a Hollywood actress!”
Taking advantage of the moment, I snuggled up to Yuki-kun again, this time leaning back against him and guiding him into a position where he could peek at my phone from behind.
I really like this feeling, like I’m being held from behind.
“Wow, she really does look like a model or actress.”
A beautiful blonde woman smiled while Souta-kun had his arm around her. Long limbs, a small face, and an impressive figure.
Seeing someone that amazing made me feel a little sorry toward Yuki-kun, since I’m so average in comparison.
But just then, I saw Yuki-kun quietly mutter, “Heh… but Kanae’s cuter,” with a slightly mischievous face reflected on the phone screen. I felt so happy and embarrassed that I wanted to argue back just to hide it, but… ah, Yuki-kun, Yuki-kun, Yuki-kun…!
I turned around and hugged him tightly from the front.
“Oof… ah, right, shouldn’t you let his sister know?”
That one comment helped me calm down a little.
That’s right. Yuki-kun and I had been told by Chris-chan to let her know if we heard from Souta-kun.
Should I tell her now? While rubbing my cheek lightly against Yuki-kun, I used one hand to work my phone.
Then I thought of a good idea.
“Oh, hey, Yuki-kun. Why don’t we take a photo too and reply to Souta-kun?”
I wanted to let Souta-kun know that thanks to him, we were getting along well. I also kind of wanted to brag to someone that I was living together with Yuki-kun now.
At my suggestion, Yuki-kun nodded shyly.
Then we did a bit of preparation together.
“O-okay, here goes.”
“O-okay…”
With one arm around my shoulders, Yuki-kun stretched out the arm holding the phone and took the picture.
Taking photos like this while sticking so close together was still a little embarrassing.
But between Yuki-kun saying, “Whoa, my face is blurry,” and me saying, “I closed my eyes,” we ended up taking a lot of pictures.
“Do you think this one’s good?”
“Yeah, I think this one came out really nice.”
After confirming it with Yuki-kun, I attached the image.
[She’s really beautiful. I think she suits you well, Souta-kun. Thanks to you, Yuki-kun and I are getting along great too. With our parents’ permission, Yuki-kun and I are living together right now, and it’s been fun.]
I sent that reply to Souta-kun, with Chris-chan included as well.
“We really took a lot of photos.”
Sitting side by side on the living room sofa, I looked through them again with Yuki-kun.
On my phone screen were so many images of Yuki-kun and me leaning close together, our faces red and smiling shyly.
“Hehe, I’m really happy…”
My face felt hot and loose, and I’m sure I looked pretty silly, but I turned from the phone toward Yuki-kun.
“Yuki-kun, thank you.”
Before I realized it, all my happiness had turned into words of gratitude.
At that moment, Yuki-kun suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me closer.
Caught by his big, solid hand, I felt like there was no escaping, and my heart tightened as it started pounding hard.
Yuki-kun looked straight at me, never letting his gaze waver, and just that look sent a shiver through me.
Slowly, his face came closer. I understood what was about to happen, so I closed my eyes.
At the gentle warmth near my lips, my body heated up and my thoughts grew hazy.
Like this… with Yuki-kun…
Just as my heart raced with a mix of anticipation and nerves about what might come next, my phone rang.
My phone, which I’d dropped onto the floor without noticing, started buzzing loudly.
…Oh, come on!
Both Yuki-kun and I were startled and stared at each other.
I didn’t want to pick it up, and Yuki-kun clearly didn’t want me to either.
I wanted to continue, and even though I’d been a little scared earlier, being interrupted made both my body and my feelings ache for what was next.
Even though we both knew we wanted the same thing, the atmosphere somehow forced us to deal with the phone.
Still clinging tightly to each other’s clothes and arms, I picked it up and looked at the screen.
“Ah… a baby?”
On the screen was a picture of a baby sleeping in an incubator.
It was my sister’s baby, born much earlier than expected, but according to my mom’s message, everything went fine.
Relief washed over me, and my heart softened at the sight of the baby.
Then Yuki-kun leaned in to look too, and for a moment, I had to resist the urge to nuzzle his cheek.
“Whoa… so small.”
Hearing Yuki-kun speak so gently made me think he’d be really kind to children someday, and my heart fluttered.
“H-hey, Yuki-kun…”
Whispering softly, I leaned against him, my breath a little unsteady.
“Babies are cute, aren’t they…?”
Through our clothes, Yuki-kun’s body felt strong and reassuring, and I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to cling to him.
“Yuki-kun… babies really are cute…”
When I whispered again at a distance where our noses almost touched, it seemed like he understood what I meant.
Yuki-kun gently guided me down onto the carpet, holding me carefully as if to calm both of us.
Happy that Yuki-kun felt the same way, I suddenly realized I was still holding my phone.
Today really felt like a day where messages kept nudging things along, so I turned off my phone and set it aside on the carpet.
In front of me, Yuki-kun leaned closer.
So from here on out, it can’t ring anymore.