Kaiwa mo shinai tsurekko no imouto ga, naganen issho ni baka yatte-kita Netoge no friend datta

“Are you okay there?”

“Ah, thanks…”

“Let’s go then.”

“Un.”

I was self-conscious and also blunt about the situation. She was also completely embarrassed and self-aware of her situation. But even then, it was kind of hard for me to let go of her hand that I took hold earlier. I made an excuse to myself that it would be quicker for me to pull her to the station than to let her run alone.

We managed to catch the train in time.

As long as you can get into this train, you won’t be late even if you were to walk slowly afterwards. But there was one problem that surfaced.

“Are you okay?”

“……yes”

As few trains were later than usual, the commuters of those trains had overlapped into this one during the commuter’s rush hour.

[TL notes: commuter here simply means ‘people who depend on trains as their daily mode of transport.’]

Keeping me aside, the petite Shiyori was already buried and almost drowning in that situation.

Luckily, I was able to secure the side at the door, so I took a position in front of Shiyori, in order to protect her from them.

“Phew… Phew…”

Shiyori’s breathing faster than normal, which was probably because she was running until a while ago. Even though it’s not like we were hugging each other, the distance between me and Shiyori was indeed really close. Every time I try to normalize my own breath, a rather hot breath hits my chest, which makes me feel uncomfortable.

As I looked down, I could very well see some of Shiyori’s hairs whorled up.

A scent that was a mixture of slightly sweaty shampoo tickles my nostrils. The combination of sweet and sour smell, with the visible difference in physique that can fit perfectly in my arms, makes me again realize that Shiyori is indeed a girl.

I Instinctively, squeeze her free hand. Since I started feeling that my hands were a little lonely when I let go of her hand at the station.

My heart has been pounding since the morning. Even now, I am really worried that the sound of my heart beating loudly would be easily heard by Shiyori or not. I start having illusions which led me to a thought that whether this situation was perhaps a torture designed for me. That’s was all because Shiyori was just that attractive as a girl.

Recently I have seen Shiyori working hard. She was trying really hard to change herself. I’ve certainly seen such a changing figure of Shiyori up close. —Really, how incredible she is, Shiyori.

Contrarily, looking at myself who was unable to change even a bit for years, I started feeling ashamed and embarrassed of myself.

「………ru,……ra」

“……eh?”

『―――― Station, ―――― Station』

The mutter is drowned out by the voice of the announcement.

It seemed that we had arrived at our station.

“uhh!”

“A~h……”

As soon as the door opens, Shiyori jumps out as if being pushed out with a momentum. Her face was already bright red.

… Well, she had always escaped any situation easily. That should be it.

“Shiyori!”

“Fueh!?”

But I had inadvertently grabbed her hand tightly. Looking at that unexpected behavior of mine, Shiyori blinks her eyes in surprise. Even I was surprised at myself.

There is no reason behind it whatsoever. It was just that, I felt like if I had not reached out to her there, I was surely going to regret it. It was just that feeling alone which was the main reason for me going ahead of my conscience and conducting that action.

“Ah…this umm.”

“Eh, ah …”

That’s why no words came out in response. In the first place, my emotions were not yet settled. A strange air flows between us as we continue facing each other with troubled looks on our faces.

“Yo, Subaru! That’s unusual, did you perhaps oversleep?”

“…!?”

“Ko—Koutora!”

At that moment, I heard Koutora calling out to me from afar.

I reflexively let go of her hand, as the freed Shiyori was then swallowed up by the crowd of people wearing the same uniform.

I started feeling a little lonely after that though, so I started resenting Koutora who arrived there laughing, not even reading the mood whatsoever.

“Ouch! What are you doing all of a sudden, Subaru!?”

“… anything.”

Out of complete anger, I poked Koutora’s back as hard as I could.

◇◇◇

“Haaah…”

I was letting out an indescribable sigh.

Even though it was just the morning class itself, I was already holding my head. I was well aware that my face was red hot.

She must have been surprised when I suddenly grabbed hold of her hand. It was completely an emotional outburst. But the thing I did, I was only able to do it and did it because I had already found out that Shiyori was in fact Philia-san.

That alone was clear.

I started remembering what happened in the game till now.

“Okay~, I’ve reached LV50!”

“Eh!? Already!? Unfair! I’ll do my best in leveling too, so help me out on the hunt!”

“That’s fine, but Fie-san’s equipment is also better than me.”

“Then let’s go to Trehan later after this!”

While thinking of playing together, we have helped each other in gathering equipment and even raising levels. We both worked hard together supporting each other.

That’s why, even in real life, I feel perplexed when I see that I was being left behind by Shiyori, who was now trying to change herself. In fact, all of the recent changes that have occurred till now were all triggered by Shiyori.

However, I had no idea on what to do specifically around this.

“Subaru, something terrible just happened.!”

“Koutora?”

As I was busy thinking about such things, a flustered Koutora rushed in. His complexion was blue, somehow a sign that he was already exhausted. There was no hint of his usual frivolous expression anymore.

To think he was in this much panic, something terrible must have happened. I straighten my back and face Koutora straight.

“There’s a beautiful girl in my class that I’ve never seen before!”

“…Haah?”