舞が玲奈さんに話し掛ける前に先手を取ってその腕を掴む......危ない危ない、もう少し遅れてたら普通に『一緒に帰りましょ!』とか多分言ってた。
驚きに目を白黒させながら僕の顔と掴まれた自分の腕を見比べる舞の様子にハッとして手を離す。
「......っ、じ、じゃあ私は玲奈さんを呼んで来る──」
「──あ、いや! 出来れば二人っきり、で......」
「あ、えっと......その、デート......とかではないです、一応」
舞に膝裏を蹴られながらも鞄を背負って二人で教室から出て、学校を後にする。
「本当にぃ〜?」
「本当だよ。......ほら、今日ってホワイトデーじゃないか」
「ははぁ、有り難き幸せ」
あぁもう、本当に......本当に距離が近すぎるんだよなぁ......僕だけが身体と心の成長と共に意識してしまっているみたいで、何だか敗北感が凄い。
自分の心臓の音が煩くて、店内が静かになってしまったと錯覚しそうになる。
店のBGMも、店員や客の声すら聞こえない状態で舞の方を向けるはずもなく......視線を向けなくていい口実として紅茶を口に含む。
「......ぅあ、えっ、あっ......て、ぅえ?」
水分を口に含み、いくらか落ち着いて来たところで舞の様子がおかしい事に気が付く......少しのインターバルを置いて、舞の顔を見る勇気を絞り出したところで顔を上げ──
「......ゆ、ゆぅのくせに......なまい、き......」
「......そろそろ私帰るね? 今日は親が居ないから夕飯作らないとだし」
何となく気まずい雰囲気のまま......先にケーキを食べ終えた舞が、適当な理由をつけて帰り支度を始める。
そのまま荷物を持って僕の背後にある出入口へと向かう舞を直視できなくて、斜め下を見詰め続けるしかできない。
そんな情けない僕の横を通り過ぎる直前──舞が耳元まで口を寄せて囁く。
"Wait, Mai!" I hurriedly grabbed Mai's hand before she got too close to Reina... This was close. She was about to invite Reina to go home together with us.
Mai was surprised by me suddenly grabbing her hand, so I let go of it, "Ah, sorry!" and apologized.
"Oh? Alright." Mai's expression broke into a smile, "Then, I'll just call Reina and-"
"Ah, no! I mean... I'd rather have just the two of us..." I stopped her again.
After yet another small while of silence, I remembered to point out something important, "Ah, this is not a date, okay...? Like uhn... It's just..."
Then, we got our bags and left the classroom together.
"Really...?" She asked.
"It's true... It's just that... Well, today is White Day, you know?" I told her honestly.
"Ah... Thank you, I appreciate it." I somehow managed to reply.
She really got way too close this time. It feels hard to think properly... Though I'm also happy. It's nice that we can still talk like this even after so many years passed since our first meeting.
My heart was beating way too loudly right now, and I felt as if all sound had disappeared from the store... Can she hear how fast it is beating?
In order to not look at her face, I drank a bit of tea, but I couldn't even taste it.
"Ah... Eh... Ah... Te... Eh?" Mai murmured this incomprehensible thing.
Is she alright? I was a bit worried... Taking another sip of the tea to get some courage, I stole a glance at her face.
"Y-Y-Yuu... D-did you just...?" Mai muttered this while covering her lips with the back of her hand.
"Ah... I need to go home soon. My parents won't be home today, so I need to cook dinner." Mai suddenly told me.
While still in this awkward mood, Mai slowly started packing her things, since she had already finished eating.
I couldn't even look at her as she got up and started leaving...
But then, just as she was moving past me, she stopped for a second and whispered on my ear, "Your ears are quite red, you know?"
Genocide Online ~Playtime Diary of an Evil Young Girl~
ジェノサイド・オンライン 〜極悪令嬢のプレイ日記〜
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/genocide-online-playtime-diary-of-an-evil-young-girl/
Action Adventure Fantasy Psychological
Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Assassins Beautiful Female Lead Cold Protagonist Cruel Characters Dark Depictions of Cruelty Evil Organizations Evil Protagonist Famous Protagonist Fearless Protagonist Female Protagonist Gamers Gods Gore Lack of Common Sense Level System MMORPG Modern Day Murders Overpowered Protagonist Psychopaths R-15 Royalty Ruthless Protagonist Sadistic Characters Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Wars
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7796fc/
たけのこ