Why Not Make Both Twins 'Girlfriends'?-Chapter 5Volume 1 .3 - An Unexpected Invitation......?
An Unexpected Invitation……? 3
Under a clear sky that everyone wished would continue until July, Sakuto finished his preparations to go home and headed to the school courtyard.
A pleasant breeze was still blowing.
It was the perfect day for a meeting up after school.
He almost thought Usami had intentionally chosen a day like this.
In the courtyard, there were about six benches, and Usami was sitting on one of them.
With nervous anticipation, Sakuto took a deep breath and approached her.
“Usami-san, sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Takayashiki-kun… No, I just came here a few minutes ago. Please, sit next to me──”
Invited to sit, Sakuto sat down next to Usami.
It was somewhat awkward to be side by side, but perhaps it was better than facing each other.
“…Thank you for coming.”
“Sure… So, what did you want to talk about?”
“Yes…”
Usami seemed to need a moment to prepare herself, still blushing and looking down.
Maybe it was because they were in the school courtyard.
The atmosphere was completely different from yesterday at the arcade and the station.
Perhaps it was her hesitation to speak while maintaining her ‘honor student’ image. Or simply, it was just hard to start.
As he waited while thinking about these things, she finally spoke up.
“T-Takayashiki-kun…”
“Yes?”
“Are you free this Saturday, Takayashiki-kun…?”
“Oh, I guess I’m free…”
“Th-then, would you like to go out with me…?”
“Uh, your Japanese sounds a bit off… well, never mind that.”
Realizing what she was implying, his heartbeat quickened even more.
“…You mean, you want us to go out together?”
“It’s definitely not a date!”
Usami turned bright red and flustered.
“Ah, yeah… I didn’t say it’s a date…but why?”
“That’s because, well, there are things that are hard to talk about at school, and since we’ve gotten to know each other, I thought it would be nice to become friends!”
Seeing someone more flustered than himself somehow made him feel calm.
Looking at her, he found it rather endearing.
“Yeah, sure. Let’s go out.”
“What!? Really!?”
“Yeah. But are you sure, Usami-san?”
“Yes? About what?”
Usami’s happy face suddenly turned puzzled.
“You know, if we go out together, people might think it’s a date and get the wrong idea. I thought you didn’t want that.”
“I don’t mind!”
“You don’t mind?”
Usami looked around like a small animal peeking out of a hole, cautious of her surroundings.
“Takayashiki-kun, are you okay with it? Even if people misunderstand and think we’re a couple…”
Her voice trailed off, but he listened to the end and replied, “Yeah.”
“…Well, to be honest, I don’t really like rumors or standing out.”
“I see…”
“No, I mean, not like that.”
Seeing Usami’s disappointment, he hurried to correct himself.
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“Lately, thanks to Usami-san, I’ve started to think that what matters is how I feel about things.”
“How I feel about things?”
“Remember what you said before? About being afraid of what people think of you.”
Sakuto clasped his hands as if praying.
“I thought that sometimes you have to have the courage to face things. I don’t really like rumors or standing out, but… a nail that sticks out doesn’t ‘always’ get hammered down. You taught me that it’s okay not to be afraid.”
While saying this, Sakuto smiled warmly.
Usami’s cheeks turned crimson, and she gazed back at Sakuto directly.
At that moment, her expression seemed even more beautiful.
He really thinks Usami is beautiful.
Being rumored about with such a beautiful person might be interesting in its own way.
If she’s not bothered by it, then going out together should be fine.
Going out with her, talking a lot, getting to know each other better——
Even if they’re not a couple, even if people misunderstand them as one, he wants to take that step forward and know more about her.
He’s not sure if he can do it, but I want to unravel her──
“I also want to go out with Usami-san. Because I want to know more about you.”
So, he decided to follow my heart.
“Ha… hauuu〜”
“What’s wrong?”
“I-it’s nothing…”
Usami, covering her mouth, turned so red it seemed steam might come out of her head, her eyes moist as if she might cry any moment.
Sakuto felt somewhat embarrassed too.
He hadn’t expected her to be so happy, but now he hoped this would lead to a more natural and conversational relationship.
It might be difficult for a while, though.
Afterward, they exchanged phone numbers and LIME IDs.
‘Chikage’ appeared on the ‘friends’ screen, and a cute cat stamp with 『Nice to meet you』 was pasted on the chat screen.
“So, I’ll contact you later about the time and place?”
“Okay. Oh, by the way…”
“Yes?”
Sakuto, feeling a bit shy, shoved his hand with the phone into his pocket.
“Do you want to walk to the station together..?”
“Y-yes…”
They walked together to the station, about a ten-minute walk, but Sakuto hardly remembered what they talked about.
He felt they might have talked about school, their junior school tutoring days, but honestly, he was so nervous that he hardly took any of it in.
Walking side by side. Making small talk. Occasionally stopping. Then walking again——
Just these simple things, yet being together made the world seem so different.
The streets during the bothersome rush hour that usually was just a nuisance seemed lively and colorful today.
