Chapter 22 Understanding Each Other

Understanding Each Other

“Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

One day after work.

While checking my schedule in my planner, I asked Kanade.

Work had settled down, and the move was complete.

Thanks to Kanade, my personal affairs were all sorted out smoothly.

Now that I had a little leeway, I thought of taking her somewhere to show my gratitude.

That’s what I decided.

In response to my question, Kanade sat down beside me with a cheerful smile.

“Ahaha! That’s such a vague question, isn’t it?”

“So, what do you think?”

“Hmm. Wherever Ariga-cchi is, that’s where I want to go.”

“…!?”

Her straightforward words caught me completely off guard.

My heart raced, and I was sure my face turned red.

She always manages to make my heart race…

Kanade placed her hand on my thigh and gave me a sly grin.

Then, she started poking my cheek repeatedly, as if to tease my flustered reaction.

“Oh~, oh~, what’s this~? Are you embarrassed~?”

“…Shut up. Anyone would be embarrassed if they were told that so directly.”

“Fufufu. You say such sweet things~. It just makes teasing you even more fun.”

All I could do was give a wry smile.

While teasing me with words like, “Come on, come on~”, she traced her finger along mine.

Her naturally close proximity, combined with her sweet scent and playful provocations, messed with all my senses and nerves.

If I ever reached my limit, things could get dangerous…

That’s exactly how her behavior made me feel.

“Don’t overdo it, okay? You’ve never been good at holding back…”

“I think I’ll be fine this time.”

“Oh? Does that mean you’ve grown?”

“As long as Ariga-cchi doesn’t complain, ‘I’ve been attacked!’ there’s no problem.”

“What exactly are you planning to do!?”

“Just kidding… kya!”

Hey…

Why are you suddenly blushing and covering your chest?

And why are you glancing at me like that…?

Could it be you’re planning something for tonight…?

A cold sweat ran down my back, and I swallowed nervously.

“This is the evidence photo… Ariga-cchi?”

Her face still red, she handed me her phone and showed me a photo—

“Ugh… is this… my sleeping face?”

“Look how peaceful and cute you are when you sleep~! I couldn’t resist capturing it~. Honestly, I think it’s an amazing shot~! This has been my new hobby.”

“…Delete it.”

“Eh!? What are you doing, Ariga-cchi!”

She stared at her phone, tears welling up.

If I didn’t know her better, I might have felt terribly guilty.

But…

“That act of yours… This isn’t the only photo, is it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re not even trying to hide it.”

Her crocodile tears dried up immediately, and her face stiffened.

Looks like I hit the mark.

Seriously, what a schemer…

“Let me guess: your plan was something like, ‘Ariga-cchi will eventually find out, so I’ll let him delete one to make him feel secure while keeping the real ones hidden,’ right?”

“…”

“You’re making such an awkward face.”

“Moo… Ariga-cchi, how did you know? I’m usually pretty good at lying, you know.”

“Don’t brag about being good at lying. We’ve known each other for a long time, and you’ve used that trick too many times to count.”

“So frustrating~!”

“Haha!”

As she pouted and puffed out her cheeks, I ruffled her hair.

Even though she looked frustrated, the way she glanced up at me brought back a wave of nostalgia, like I was remembering the old days.

“You always see through my lies, Ariga-cchi~. You don’t miss even the smallest things.”

“Maybe it’s my specialty. Though sometimes, I notice and don’t say anything. It’s not like I have to call out every ‘lie!’ I catch.”

“Fufu, that’s true.”

She scratched her cheek, looking a little embarrassed.

She was probably reminiscing about the past.

So was I.

—Back then, she used to lie all the time.

Stubborn, headstrong, and always trying to hide her vulnerabilities… That’s the kind of girl she was.

Even when her mock exam results were bad, she’d pretend it didn’t bother her, saying, “It’s not like failing is the end of the world.”

But in reality, she’d cry in secret…

I still remember searching for her when she went missing, feeling a pang of nostalgia.

…She’s changed so much since then.

While I was lost in thought, Kanade leaned her head on my shoulder.

When I looked at her, she smiled at me.

“Because you always see through my lies, Ariga-cchi, I can be honest with myself.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. I don’t have to hide anything… You let me be myself. That’s why I always feel like staying by your side.”

“…You’re really straightforward.”

“Nishishi~ That’s something that’ll never change, no matter how many years pass.”

Kanade gave a carefree smile and nudged my waist with her elbow. Even as she expressed her feelings, she didn’t push further, only smiling.

She was probably being considerate in her own way.

Words won’t reach someone unless you say them.

That’s why she hasn’t stopped expressing herself.

She’s waiting for me to recover, to give her an answer or a conclusion.

It might seem self-centered to think this way, but…

I’m sure that’s what she’s doing.

“I’m an understanding woman, right?”

“Don’t say that about yourself. You’d be perfect if you didn’t say that.”

“Fufu~ Don’t flatter me!”

“I wasn’t flattering you… But—”

“Hmm?”

“Thanks… for everything, always.”

I said, patting her head as she teased me.