Chapter 4: School Life After We Started Dating

School Life After We Started Dating

“Yo! Long time no see!”

As always, I met up with Hitomi-chan to walk to school together, and partway through, Kouta-kun joined us.

Back in the first semester, Kouta-kun and I walked to school separately, but after we started dating, I got Hitomi-chan’s permission, and now we walk together.

And so, as the three of us walked to school together for the first time, we suddenly heard Satoshi-kun’s voice from behind.

“Hey, long time no see. …Though we literally just saw each other last week.”

“Still, once school starts, we see each other almost every day. A whole week apart does feel like a long time, doesn’t it?”

“Hmm… I guess you’re right?”

“Leaving Kouta aside, it really has been a while since I last saw Yamane-san.”

“Yeah. I go back to my dad’s family home during summer break, so I’m only around at the very beginning and end of vacation.”

“Even so, we met up quite a lot, didn’t we? Seeing Hitomi-chan so often is a best friend privilege, after all.”

As I said that, I clung tightly to Hitomi-chan’s arm, making it clear that she was mine.

Hitomi-chan, blushing at my antics, glanced around and tried to pull away. “Geez, everyone’s watching. This is embarrassing,” she muttered. But I didn’t care. “Come on, let’s just walk like this to school!” I insisted, pulling her closer.

I knew the truth.

When I acted clingy like this, Hitomi-chan could never say no.

I absolutely adored how she always let me be spoiled.

“Hey, don’t leave me behind!”

From behind us, Kouta-kun called out.

In response, Hitomi-chan teased him, saying, “Sorry, I borrowed Yayoi for a bit.”

She had a playful grin on her face, and for some reason, at that moment, she looked incredibly charming.

I just hoped Kouta-kun didn’t get too captivated by that smile.

Nervously, I stole a glance at him… but he looked the same as always. I let out a small sigh of relief.

Seriously.

Hitomi-chan could effortlessly make boys fall for her without even realizing it.

As her best friend, I had to admit—she’d grown into a dangerously enchanting girl.

School life didn’t change much, even after I started dating Kouta-kun.

After all, even before we were together, we always talked, and we spent breaks with Hitomi-chan, Satoshi-kun, and the others.

So from an outsider’s perspective, there was nothing different about us.

Not that we were trying to hide it or anything.

The fact that Kouta-kun and I were dating finally came to light about a month into the second semester.

A group of girls from my class approached me and asked, “Yayoi-chan, are you dating Hamasaki-kun?”

Since I never intended to keep it a secret, I answered honestly, “Yeah. We started going out around the beginning of summer break.”

The moment I said that, the girls let out excited squeals. “Kyaa!”

They bombarded me with questions, but what really caught my attention was how they found out in the first place.

When I asked, it turned out that I had unconsciously started touching Kouta-kun more often.

Thinking back, I had plenty of moments that fit the description.

And once I became aware of it, I suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed.

Seeing my bright red face, the girls giggled. “Yayoi-chan, you’re so adorably lovestruck!~” they teased. But strangely, I didn’t mind it.

“Hey, so today, my classmates found out we’re dating.”

On the way home from school.

Kouta-kun and I were walking together, just the two of us.

Satoshi-kun had club activities every day, and Hitomi-chan had practice twice a week, so Kouta-kun and I often walked home together.

“Oh? Really? We weren’t trying to hide it, but I’m surprised no one noticed until now.”

“I think it’s because we were always together even before we started dating.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. But then, how did they figure it out?”

“Uh… It’s kinda embarrassing, but apparently, I touch you a lot.”

“Ah… Yeah, that makes sense.”

Kouta-kun must have realized it too.

Over summer break, we had kissed and hugged plenty of times, so I guess we’d become a little desensitized.

“Well, it’s not like we were hiding it, and as long as we don’t go overboard, there’s no need to change how we act, right?”

“Yeah. I think so too. Let’s just keep being ourselves.”

“Yeah. …Yayoi, I love you.”

Saying that, Kouta-kun reached out his hand to me.

We didn’t hold hands much on the way to and from school, but since I was already getting teased for my affectionate habits, I figured, why not?

I intertwined my fingers with his, doing what’s commonly called a “lover’s hold.”

Hugging felt nice too, but there was something incredibly comforting about holding hands like this. It made me feel so happy.

As we walked, lost in our little bubble of romance, we soon reached my house.

Ugh… today’s goodbye is coming up again.

Just as I started feeling a little lonely, a loud voice called from behind us. “Ah! It’s Onii-chan!”

I turned around and scolded the source of the voice. “Mutsuki! Don’t shout so loud, you’ll scare Kouta-kun!”

Mutsuki quickly walked over to Kouta-kun’s side and, in a sweet voice, said, “That’s not true, right, Onii-chan?”

Does she even realize he’s my boyfriend?!

I was about to get annoyed, but then Mutsuki said, “You’re leaving already? You should come in for a bit!”

And just like that, my irritation vanished. Inside, I was cheering, “Nice one, Mutsuki!”

I’m so easy to please, aren’t I?

Kouta-kun hesitated for a second, glancing at me, so I softly said, “I’d like you to come in too.”

“Alright, just for a little while,” he agreed.

Mutsuki cheered, “Yay!” But honestly, I was even happier than she was. I squeezed his hand a little tighter and whispered in his ear, “Thank you. That makes me really happy.”

In the end, Kouta-kun stayed for dinner that night.

He had actually come over a lot during summer break, so he was already close with Mutsuki and my mom.

Even my dad had met him and once said, “He seems like a really good kid.” That made me really happy.

I remember hearing once that my parents had wanted a son too.

Not that they ever neglected us or anything—I could always feel how much they loved us, so I never felt bad about it.

But maybe, in a way, they saw Kouta-kun as the son they never had.

It made me really happy to see how loved my boyfriend was.

But more than anything, what made me happiest was when Kouta-kun smiled and said, “Your family is full of wonderful people. I love them all.”