322 Could You… Call Me by Name? (1/2)
Natsuya knew he would accept. With Haruta-kun's personality, he would never refuse such a request, even if he knew that he would be placed in danger.
Although she felt apologetic to him about this, she was also delighted that he was willing to protect her.
She really did need protection.
She could withstand taunts or laughter, but she was truly unable to bear even the thought of that person attempting to get closer to her.
”Thank you, Haruta-kun.”
”No need to be so polite, President.”
Natsuya felt warm inside, but she still felt one small dissatisfaction, or perhaps desire.
”Could I make one more request?” she asked softly.
”Sure.”
”Don't call me 'President' anymore. From now on, could you… call me by name?” The scion felt her heart thump loudly immediately after saying this, and she couldn't help but feel nervous.
Seiji fell silent for a moment. ”Okay… Natsuya.”
Seiji had wanted to say it in a calm voice, but he failed as he was a little embarrassed.
Unbeknownst to Seiji, when the scion on the other end of the phone heard him address her by name, her face flushed a cute shade of red, and her eyes became watery. Even her lips were tugged into a smile that seemed somewhat foolish.
Her smile right now was incredibly moving! It was a pity that nobody was around to see it.
”I still have one more request,” Natsuya said quietly. ”Is it alright if I call you by name as well?”
”Of course.”
”Thank you… Seiji.”
Seiji received a heavy cannonball to his chest! The impact surpassed his imagination!!
For Natsuya to shyly say his name like that… the attack power far surpassed what he'd anticipated.
Seiji's face was rather flushed, his heart itchy, and he felt rather awkward. Fine then, he was simply unable to calm down!
Despite it being a phone call, the attack power was unbelievable.
'If it were face to face…' Seiji reflexively imagined that scenario, causing his blush to deepen.
”It… it's fine, just calling each other by name. There's no need to say something like thanks… Natsuya.”
*Plop!* The student council president collapsed on her sofa as if some invisible force had just knocked her over.
Her face was red-hot lava, and a boulder was pressing down on her chest. She couldn't help but hug herself and roll around and around on her sofa.
She felt so embarrassed to hear him call her name!
But she really wanted to hear it… she wanted to always hear him calling her by name…
A moment of silence fell between them.
Natsuya made a herculean effort to calm herself down and said, ”Let's do it one day before the party, so that you can get used to that condition again.”
”Alright then,” Seiji said. ”Let's talk again at that time.”
Seiji was about to hang up when he suddenly recalled the original purpose of his call.
”Oh, right, what time does this party begin and end, by the way?”
”It's scheduled to begin at 10:00 A.M. on the Winter Snow Festival and continue until 3:00 P.M.”
”Oh, that's good, then.”
Natsuya felt strangely nervous. ”…Do you have another date?”
”I'd like to spend the evening together with Shika-chan and Reo-chan,” Seiji explained. ”I called in order to tell you about this.”
”I see…” Natsuya could feel the complex emotions swirling about in her heart.
”Is that alright?” Seiji asked.
”Eh?”
”I promised before to accompany you for the entire day, but now I want to accompany Shika-chan and Reo-chan on that night… is that alright?”
”Of course.”
She couldn't possibly refuse.
Even if there wasn't the matter of the party, accompanying one's family members in the evening—er, people that were living together with him—was a reasonable request. Besides, he had agreed to accompany her to that troublesome party.
She felt like it would be way too much to take up his entire day, including the evening.
'Yes, but still… if it's possible—no, that isn't good.' Natsuya stopped herself from being too greedy.
”I'm already very grateful that you're willing to attend the party together with me, Seiji,” Natsuya told him in a gentle tone. ”After that party ends, go back home and do a good job accompanying them.”