236 Ive Never... Heard of This (1/2)

”Brother Seiji, if you would like to be alone together with Uehara-san, you should've just said it directly,” Shika said with a calm expression. ”I’ll go back to my room.”

It was even more awkward now that his adopted sister had seen through his small trick!

Seiji wanted to cover his face.

He peeked at Mika and saw that she was blushing furiously with her head hanging down. She was acting like a shy little girl.

This atmosphere was really…

He didn’t care anymore! Just let it be.

”Shika-chan, please allow me to be alone with Mika for a little while,” he said directly.

”Okay, Brother.” Shika stood up, walked back to her room, and closed the door.

Seiji looked back towards Mika again. Mika was still looking at the ground.

He felt it was really difficult to speak… but he had to say something.

”Mika… I… said before that I currently don’t have any intentions of getting a girlfriend. This intention of mine… still hasn’t changed yet, so… to your feelings…”

Seiji felt his words weighing heavily upon him as he spoke.

Was this type of answer really okay?

He wasn’t facing just anyone. This was Mika Uehara—the first friend he made after reincarnating in this world. Was using such words to answer her feelings really alright?

Her face was still lowered.

Seiji could tell that she was nervous and disappointed.

This was no good!

He stopped himself from saying anything else and took a deep breath.

”Mika!” he shouted her name loudly and clearly.

Mika was so stunned that she trembled and reflexively raised her head.

Suddenly, she discovered that Seiji was enveloping her in a bear hug!

Hugging…

She could feel the warmth from his body, as well as the comfort of his chest and arms.

Mika was unable to react to this. Her brain felt as if it had frozen just like how a computer would. But her body could feel things clearly.

This was the first time she had been hugged by him.

Warmth, touch, smell… all of these sensations etched themselves into her heart and gave her a lasting memory.

”You're really important to me,” Seiji told her in a serious voice. ”I’m really happy about how you feel about me. Whoever gets to be together with you will surely be fortunate.”

”But I don’t want to lie to you… Currently, I don’t have any romantic feelings towards you. You’re my important friend, my very important friend, but I don’t have any feelings on top of that…”

”That’s why I'm sorry!”

He didn’t give any excuses, and he didn’t leave anything unclear as he told her his sincere feelings.

He hugged her tightly and told her his true feelings.

Mika received all of this from him. Her brain still wasn’t working quite yet, but her body and heart received the feelings from him.

”Seiji…” Mika slowly lifted her hands and hugged him as well. ”I knew… I knew that this would be the result.”

She had hesitated about this and considered whether or not to force herself to hide her true feelings and continue with the status quo.

But… Kaede Juumonji and Yukari Asamiya… such outstanding girls were able to honestly express their feelings.

Then why was she still beating around the bush?

Even though she was clearly beside him, even though she clearly liked him so much, she wasn’t expressing her feelings clearly… she felt that she was so foolish.

That was why she decided to say it.

She did her best to pretend to be calm and made an effort to say it.

Even if she knew what the result would be.

”I resolved myself… for pain…” They hugged each other tightly. ”But right now… it’s so strange; I feel like…”

The feeling of warmth and bliss was actually stronger than pain?

”It feels like… just this is enough…”

This was fine.

She didn’t know how else to express it.

She could only hug him, cry, and take in the situation.

Being rejected wasn’t the end.

Instead, it was a beginning. A chance for her to work hard and get closer to him…