CH 19 (1/2)

“Hey.”

“What?”

“If I have to convey the feeling of ‘like’ to another person in a short time, what do you think I should do?”

“Huh?”

It’s a certain summer night.

While I’m about to head home during the summer vacation, I opened the window and chattered with the childhood friend living next door, only for him to suddenly pop that statement. Eh? What’s she saying now?”

“Wh-why’re you saying that out of a sudden?”

“It’s not really that sudden. I thought of that before.”

With a serious look, he stare far away.

This sudden topic causes me to fully understand the sensation of the heart racing.

This guy started studying at a certain college in Ōita beginning the prior Spring, and though the distance between us was suddenly extended, we’re always living next to each other, and we were always together since young. There were basically no secrets to be shared between us, as far as I know of, and because of this, I know that this guy doesn’t have any luck with women. If I have to mention any females around me, that will be me. Since young, he practically has zero encounters with the opposite gender. Now he’s actually thinking about confessing. Wait, does he plan to confess to…me?

“Ah, waaahhh…”

“? What now? Why are you flailing about out of a sudden?”

“N-no-no-no. It’s nothing.”

No no no, I got to calm down here. Calm down, take a deep breath. Right now, I don’t know how it’s like here, but I can’t let him find out that my head’s all hot here.

Taking a deep breath, I calm down, and turn towards him to hear what he has to say first. I’ll collect some information before deciding.

“Wh-why this out of a sudden…?”

“Well, it’s not much. You see, college summer vacations are usually very long, right? It’s a rare chance to get back to relax, and I’m wondering whether I should try it out for once.”

If it’s someone he’s going to confess to once he gets back home in summer vacation, can it be…?

Suppressing my racing heart, I pretend to remain calm, saying,

“Since you like her, you don’t have to confess in such a short time. You can tell her everything you want to say.”

“Really? That’s what I thought, but it won’t work.”

“??? Why? There’s a limit to that?”

“Yeah, probably about a minute or so.”

“A minute or so…”

Now that’s something new. He wants to confess to someone, but there’s a time limit; that’s something I never heard of. I gave him a little advice, and yet he said there’s a time limit. If he’s saying that, that means—”

“If you’re saying that, I guess this means that you don’t have a lot of time to talk, huh?”

“Hm…? Yeah, I guess.”

If this guy’s saying this, that means—he’s not intending to confess to me.

“…”

“Wh-what now? Why are you looking so gloomy? If you got something to say it, be clearer.”

“Nothing much…”

I felt a strong sense of something wilting away immediately in my heart.

Since it’s something to be done after he gets back home, and there’s a time limit, the one he’s planning to confess to isn’t me, and definitely not all those he met at Ōita college.

In that case, who can that person be. Thinking about it, I suddenly had a person in mind.

Until last year, I’ve been taking the public bus to school with this guy. Down the path, we would pa.s.s by a nearby girls high school before heading to our high school. The time from when we got on the bus, until the bus stop in front of that girls high school, now that’s about…

“One or two minutes, huh…?”

“Yeah, one or two minutes.”

I see. So that’s how it is.

Speaking of which, back then, on the way to school, I think there’s a cute girl giving pa.s.sionate looks to this guy. She looks younger than him, and since she never confessed to this guy until he graduated, I didn’t really mind…”

“Are you going to say it out…?”

“You knew?”

“Yeah, I did…”

Eh…is that so…I was feeling a little hopeful. Really, I’m an utter fool…

“I’m asking you how to convey this in a short time.”

“Ah, y-yes. Wait, let me think of it first.”

I force a smile to prevent him from realizing my thoughts. That person isn’t me, and it doesn’t matter at all. It’s especially because this guy has been my playmate since childhood that I should do my best to come up with a plan for him.

“If you only have a minute or so…why don’t you just confess to her directly instead of looking for those reasons?”

“Hm, leave aside things like why you like her or something like that. Just tell her how much you like her as best as you can.”

“How much I like…?”

“You really like her, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I really, really do?”

After hearing his words, my heart begin to ache…he actually told me so honestly that he likes me. Now I’m so envious of her.

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“What?”

“You just need to tell her those words directly. Surely that won’t take much more than a few minutes.”

“Is that so. So that’s how it is…”

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Got it. Thanks for your suggestion.”

“Don’t mind. It’s nothing.”

I’m already at my limit trying to talk with him normally.

And I turn my back on my childhood friend, waving my hand to indicate ‘the end of our conversation’, and closed the window backhanded.

Before I did so, I whispered softly and vaguely muttered, “Do your best in your confession.”

That night, I cried for a while.

“Hey!”

The next night.

I lied that I was feeling unwell, and did not go to the shop to help. That childhood friend of me still called out to me like he did the night prior.

I really don’t want to talk to him…

I don’t want to let him find out that I skipped work because I was shocked about what happened yesterday, and I don’t want to know the results of the confession.

…Since he’s so honest with his feelings for that person, I think he probably won’t fail.

“Hey, what’s with you? Still not feeling well?”

That guy’s concerned voice reached me.