After that, we indulged in small talk during the meal.
Conversations from our friend days, conversations after things got good between us, conversations right after we became distant, and——conversations since becoming lovers.
The content of our small talk is mostly the same, but surely some kind of change will come.
I found myself looking forward to that while talking with her.
“Thank you. It was delicious.”
When Hanazono finished eating, she put her hands together with polite movements.
Following her example, I also muttered “Thank you for the meal” and continued:
“You don’t need to thank me. Cooking must be tough, so I’m glad you could take a break. That must be really hard work.”
Hanazono nodded modestly.
“Yeah, it’s really hard for me. I think it would be different if I were doing it for someone else, but when it’s for myself, I can’t get motivated.”
“Ah, I get that. That’s exactly like studying.”
“Right? Why did I even come to high school! is what I’m thinking.”
“Ahaha, that hurts to hear.”
“Fufu.”
The reason I met Hanazono was through written conversation on our desks.
As I knew from the beginning, Hanazono’s personality is surprisingly relatable.
Hanazono muttered quietly:
“Having someone to talk about these things with is really helpful.”
“Is, is that so? You can talk to me anytime about anything.”
“Thanks. I’ll be careful not to make you disillusioned.”
“I won’t get disillusioned.”
“……Really?”
Hanazono smiled softly and faced me directly.
I hesitated whether to repeat what I said when I confessed.
——I’ll try not to want to see the parts of Hanazono that she wants to hide. It’s nice when my embarrassing parts are accepted, but I won’t demand the reverse. I’m fine with that.
It’s fine with Hanazono just as I can see her now.
But it’s only been a few days since then.
It feels a bit too soon to say it again.
Besides, the desire to know new sides of her does exist. I’m just holding back.
I want to avoid repeating the declaration and making it harder for Hanazono to show her hidden self.
If Hanazono shows me new sides of herself, that would be the ultimate boyfriend privilege.
While I was deliberating, Hanazono continued:
“But since you listen to my complaints, I want to do what I can for you.”
“What you can do……”
“Huh……isn’t there anything? I’ll try my best.”
Hanazono said something, perhaps interpreting my echo in some way.
I hurriedly shook my head in denial.
For me, with my first girlfriend, there’s no way there’s nothing.
“Yosshi?”
“Then……when you have time someday, I’d like you to make me a lunch.”
The moment I said it, I thought, “Oh no.”
I had just heard that cooking was hard for her, yet what am I saying?
However, Hanazono’s response was immediate.
“Okay, I’ll make one next time.”
“Really!?”
“If it’s for making something for Yosshi, I might be able to work hard at cooking. Yeah, I think I can work hard!”
“Hanazono’s cooking……Hanazono’s cooking……!?”
“You’re being too dramatic, don’t raise the bar.”
Hanazono smiled with a slightly troubled look.
“Also, I think I’m lacking in a lot of areas. If there’s anything, please tell me.”
“We both have areas we’re lacking in. I’m not used to this either.”
According to Yuzuha, I’m probably a beginner among beginners.
I understand that a girl like Hanazono Yuuka is beyond what I deserve.
I don’t intend to be conceited, and I can’t afford to be.
To me like that, Hanazono emphasized:
“Even so.”
“……Yeah. I understand.”
At my response, Hanazono’s eyes drooped.
“Right now, do I really not have any lacking areas?”
……At this rate, Hanazono would probably try most things.
Impure thoughts crossed my mind, and I desperately pushed them away.
Then I remembered something.
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, she hasn’t said she likes me yet.
……I want to hear it.
This isn’t an impure thought, but a pure emotion.
In that case, wouldn’t it be okay to ask?
That feeling welled up, but I shook my head.
This kind of thing has value because it comes from the other person voluntarily, not because you prompt it.
Especially if it’s the first time hearing it.
“Yosshi? Was there something after all?”
“No……um, well.”
“Say anything?”
“Anything……?”
“Yeah. Anything.”
……I think Hanazono probably doesn’t properly understand the meaning of “anything.”
Anything means, well, anything.
That said, I feel reluctant to really take advantage of those words.
It’s not that, but right now I’m wondering if she could tell me her feelings——
“Huh? What is it?”
Seeing her blank expression, I gave up on everything.
If I were to make any requests now, I felt like my entire day would end with just that.
If there happened to be a quiz or something, I had no confidence I could solve all the problems, prioritizing basking in happiness instead.
Instead, I decided to ask about something else.
“Hanazono, do you love eating?”
“Eh? I love it.”
Love, Love Love
After letting it replay in my head three full times, I responded energetically.
“…Right!”
“Fufu, what’s wrong? You’re being weird, Yosshi.”
This disgusting inner monologue probably wouldn’t get me in trouble even if it were exposed.
Because Hanazono is my lover, my girlfriend.
They say there should be courtesy even between close friends, but between lovers, there are probably fewer restrictions on behavior.
…When I think about it that way, it’s amazing.
What a wonderful thing a girlfriend is.
Then, I had another thought.
A desire that welled up from within this happiness.
Am I going to keep calling Hanazono by her surname forever?
Someday, the day will come when we call each other by our first names.
Maybe that day is today.
After holding back on so many things, I want to call her by her first name now.
It should be okay to call her that.
With determination, I opened my mouth.
“Hey. When we’re alone, what should I call you?”
“Eh.”
Hanazono’s eyes widened.
“Eh?”
Her reaction was unexpected, and I unconsciously echoed her.
Hanazono blinked several times before giving a small reply.
“Staying like this… would that be… no good?”
“S-staying like this…”
When I was at a loss for words, Hanazono apologetically explained her reason.
“Sorry. Um, I… I’m not good with people calling me by my name.”
“…I see. That’s disappointing, but then it can’t be helped.”
Hanazono looked relieved as she curved her lips into a smile.
“Thank you.”
“…Yeah.”
Just having her thank me is enough for me right now.
Becoming close enough to call each other by our first names is ideal, but that can wait for someday.
We don’t need to rush; we can take our time moving forward.
“But it’s surprising.”
“What is?”
“Yosshi, you tried to call me by my name.”
“Well… you’re my g-girlfriend and all…”
Hanazono blinked.
Then she softly relaxed her cheeks.
“Yeah. I’m Yosshi’s girlfriend.”
A wave of happiness washed over me.
Today I couldn’t call her by her first name, and she didn’t say she liked me, but those seemed like trivial matters.
Yesterday’s events really weren’t a dream.
Hanazono’s response proved that to me.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
“HAA!? Onii-chan, you got a girlfriend!?”
One week after I started dating Hanazono, on the weekend.
My little sister Seira jumped up from her bed in astonishment.
“Who is it? Do I know her!? Could it be Remi-nee!?”
When I was getting along well with her in middle school, I had told Seira about it several times.
While I was hesitating whether to tell her, Seira suddenly lost interest and lay back down.
“Oh, it’s a lie…”
“It’s not a lie!”
At her outrageous conclusion, I raised my voice.
However, Seira replied without seeming to care.
“Yeah, but from that reaction, it’s not Remi-nee, right? Then it’s impossible – onii-chan having a girlfriend or whatever. It’s gotta be a lie.”
“Wait, aren’t you saying way too much?”
At being looked down on so much, I was driven by the urge to introduce Hanazono right away.
If Hanazono met her, what kind of reaction would this sister give me? What kind of reaction would I make her give?
“Ah, I can already picture Seira being unable to say anything when faced with that cute appearance…”
“Ew, gross. Since I’m the cute one, that’s impossible.”
“You’re cute even though you’re my sister?”
“Well yeah, being onii-chan’s sister is probably my only flaw.”
“That counter is so sharp I’m about to cry.”
“Wasn’t that self-deprecating from the start?”
Satisfied with her barrage of insults, Seira shrugged and continued.
“But you know, if you really did have a girlfriend, this situation would be pretty bad.”
“How so? This isn’t going to turn into some cliché about you and me being a man and woman under the same roof, is it?”
“That’s seriously gross. No, I’m meeting with Remi-nee now.”
“Ah, I see.”
She shouldn’t know her cell phone number, so she must have called the house phone.
With this personality, Seira is surprisingly shy around people, so she generally dislikes using the house phone.
She must have really wanted to see Remi to overcome that.
“But I don’t understand what’s bad about that.”
“Ugh, you’re so dense. Remi-nee is coming to our house. I invited her.”
“What!?”
At my reaction, Seira pouted.
“It’s not like I plan to hang out with onii-chan or anything. Rather, I want you to leave the house while I’m playing with her.”
“Damn… so that’s it.”
Just as I told Seira, I now have a girlfriend.
Since this is my first time, I only know it theoretically, but I understand that having another girl over to the same house would be problematic.
“You’re right, it’s not good to meet with girls other than my girlfriend inside the house. …But this time Seira invited her, so would it be safe if I don’t leave my room?”
“Well, probably… if you don’t take a single step out. But seriously, how long are you going to keep up this act? The show-off onii-chan who lies about having a girlfriend because he got rejected by Remi-nee should just stay in his room playing games!”
“I told you it’s not a lie! And stop with those insults that sound a little too realistic!!”
Seira laughed heartily as she chased me out of the room.
In the end, she never believed me.
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