Chapter 46: Ichinose Minami Is Going To Confess (1)

[Ichinose Minami's POV]

I was in my room, just gazing up at the ceiling. My phone had been ringing multiple times, but I was too lost in thought to bother checking it. It was probably my manager from my modeling gig or Hondou-kun, who seemed to text me endlessly.

I couldn't be bothered with those messages right now, given my state of mind. And what had my mind fixated on, you ask? Well, it wasn't a "what" but a "who." It was Kurogane Tsubasa-kun.

At first, I thought of him as a quirky classmate. The guy could nap through class and still ace every test. Plus, he was pretty easy on the eyes, even though he didn't have the same fame as Nakajima-kun or Hiratsuka-kun. And he was always hanging out with Morikawa-san and Matsushita-san. Well, the latter was a given, considering they were childhood friends.

You know, when you think about it, there was nothing particularly strange about him. Everything I mentioned about him was pretty normal, I guess. But that didn't change how I felt about him. To me, he was just... weird.

And that feeling only grew stronger after what happened with Hondou-kun. Even though Kurogane-kun seemed harmless, he effortlessly brought Hondou-kun under control. Despite Hondou-kun's size, Kurogane-kun fought and won against him.

That was the moment I realized I needed Kurogane-kun in my life. I needed someone like him to protect me from guys like Hondou-kun. I felt guilty for thinking this, especially since he seemed to have something special with Morikawa-san and Matsushita-san, but I didn't know what else to do. It seemed like my only option.

×××

It was morning of Wednesday. I was with Shiina-san and Sunohara-san. They were my friends. I supposed calling them that was the right thing to do, considering that I was comfortable with them.

Shiina Chitose-san was this attractive teenage girl in our class, with waist-length blue hair framing her face, orange eyes, and a visible mole beneath her left eye. She had a well-endowed figure and an average height. While she wore the school uniform, her shirt's upper button was undone, and her tie was casually loosened.

On the other hand, Sunohara Satsuki-san was of average height, with long brown hair, bangs swept to the right, and blue eyes. She mostly sported our school's vest but ditched the necktie or ribbon.

We found ourselves outside the school building, near the chairs designated for third-year students having lunch. Since we had no assignments or other pressing matters, we decided to hang out here.

Out of nowhere, Sunohara-san suddenly muttered, "I want a damn boyfriend!"

Both Shiina-san and I turned to her, puzzled. "Where did that come from?" I asked.

"Come on, Minami-chan. You know what I'm talking about!"

"No, I don't think I do."

"Seriously? Don't you also want a boyfriend, Minami-chan?"

Well, I did want one, but not right now. Besides, I haven't found Mr. Right yet. The only guys showing interest are the likes of Hondou-kun.

Sunohara-san leaned back in her chair, a pout forming on her lips. "You're way too picky, Minami-chan. I mean, sure, Hondou-kun might not be everyone's cup of tea, but you can't just wait around forever for Mr. Perfect to come along."

Shiina-san chimed in, "I agree with Satsuki. You never know who might surprise you, Minami. Sometimes, it's the unexpected people who make the best partners."

"How do you know about me and Hondou-kun?"

"Everyone in our class knows he's been pursuing you. He's made it quite clear and even warned other guys to back off," Sunohara-san explained.

"Honestly, it's a bit gross that he's staking his claim like that. But I guess I understand where he's coming from. You're pretty popular, Minami, and there might be a lot of guys vying for your attention. Maybe that's why Hondou-kun is trying to secure his position," Shiina-san added.

I sighed, my gaze drifting off. "I get it, guys, but it's just... It's Hondou-kun. He's, you know, a delinquent. His reputation around school isn't the best. I'm not disgusted by him or anything, but I can't help but feel like giving him the time of day might not be the best idea."

Sunohara-san chuckled. "Well, it's true, he's a bit of a delinquent, but you can't deny he's got the looks and the physique to match."

Shiina-san nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you and Hondou-kun do have a certain visual compatibility."

"It's not like I'm seeking someone super hot or handsome. Love just happens, even if the person is a bit problematic, you know?"

"You're pretty innocent, despite your appearance. Are you still a virgin, Minami-chan?" Sunohara-san asked.

"W-Why are you asking that? Of course, I am. I haven't had a boyfriend since birth, you know?"

"Wait, really? I thought you'd had some boyfriends before," Sunohara-san was genuinely surprised.

Shiina-san looked equally shocked and said, "Wow, Minami-chan, I always thought that with your looks and popularity, you'd have some experience with this kind of stuff."

I shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious. "I guess it's just never really happened for me. I've been so focused on school and modeling that I haven't had much time for dating."

Sunohara-san chimed in, "Speaking of experience, I've been with my boyfriend for quite a while now, and we're in our third year together."

Both Shiina and I exchanged surprised glances. "Wow, that's impressive. You've been together for three years?" I exclaimed.

She grinned proudly. "Yeah, it's been a while, but it's been great. We've grown a lot together."

I leaned in, genuinely curious. "So, when did you two, you know, get intimate?"

Sunohara-san blushed a little but didn't seem too shy to answer. "Hmm, I think it was about six months into our relationship. We were both ready, and it just felt right."

Shiina nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. It's all about being comfortable and feeling the timing is right."

So Sunohara-san wasn't a virgin anymore, huh? Honestly, it made me feel a bit left out. We were all the same age, but they'd already experienced that kind of thing. I did want to experience it someday, but it felt too early for me right now. Plus, I wanted to share something precious with someone special, not just anyone.

As they chatted away, I capped my milk carton with the straw, took a sip, and tried to focus on something else.

"How about you, Chitose-chan? Are you still a virgin?" Sunohara-san asked.

"Well, I'm curious about those things, but I'm still a virgin. I haven't had a boyfriend yet, so..."

Sunohara-san continued, "You should catch one then. There are plenty of good-looking guys in our class. Like Yoshimura-kun, Tendo-kun, or oh, right, Kurogane-kun."

At that mention, I nearly choked on my milk. I hadn't expected Kurogane-kun to come up in this conversation.

Both of them looked at me, puzzled, but then realization dawned, and they both grinned from ear to ear.

When I choked, both of them looked at me with a puzzled expression, then realization seemed to set in in them and they grinned from ear to ear.

"Minami-chan, are you perhaps, interested in Kurogane-kun?"

I quickly shook my head, flustered. "N-No way! It's not like that at all!"

Sunohara-san and Shiina-san exchanged knowing glances, their grins growing wider.

Shiina-san teased, "Come on, Minami-chan, we've seen how you stare at him during class. You practically have your eyes glued to him."

Sunohara-san chimed in, "Yeah, it's not just 'sometimes.' It's like you're keeping a close watch on him."

I could feel my face turning as red as a tomato. How embarrassing it was to be caught in the act of watching your classmate like that. I stammered, "Th-that's just a coincidence! I-I can't help if he's in my line of sight. It's not like I'm actively trying to watch him."

Sunohara-san playfully poked me in the side. "Oh, come on. We're your friends. You can tell us if you have a crush on him. We won't judge."

I protested, "I really don't! I'm not thinking about that kind of stuff right now."

Shiina-san leaned closer, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Minami, it's okay to have a crush. It's natural. And Kurogane is a catch, I have to admit."

"L-Like I said!"

"But wow, Minami-chan, you've got yourself some competition. There are like three contenders vying for his attention."

"Huh?"

Three?

"You see, his childhood friends, Matsushita-san and Morikawa-san, and there's also a girl from the second year."

"Huh? Someone from the second year is interested in Kurogane-kun?" I exclaimed, my curiosity piqued despite myself.

"Yeah, it's Tachibana-san. Tachibana Kaori-san from the second year."