After I said that, Yokota who seems to be startled at what I said, spoke first, "W-Wait, I've got another question for you..."

 

"Yes?", I responded with a content expression because I thought the dilemma was done.

 

"...If you are not Hatsumi-san's boyfriend, then why did she gave you a hickey?", Yokota said with a puzzled expression on her face.

 

"Eh? Hickey?", Maeda-senpai looked at Yokota dumbfounded.

 

Then it got followed by Oishi-senpai and Kanemoto-senpai's shout.

 

"Hickey?!" "What?!"

 

I coughed as I choked on my own spit, "*Cough* *Cough* *Cough*"

 

Naoki supported me as she rubbed my back.

 

The hickey that Yokota mentioned was the one I got from Yuki earlier at her home, and the one she mischievously mentioned earlier at our lunch break in front of everyone. But, the hickey that she planted on me gradually healed as time goes by which is why I didn't bother covering it when we're walking toward here.

 

Because of that, people speculated that I'm going out with Yuki but as for Naoki there were some conjectures that I'm going out with her too, that's why I've gotten some hateful comments about me being a two-timer.

 

Does that mean, all the explaining that we did are all for naught? No. People in my school still don't have any concrete evidence of us dating. I could still save this. Think.

 

Then one word came up in my mind— mischievous.

 

"That's a prank!", I exclaimed to them as my sweat are pouring down on my face.

 

"""Prank?""", all of them asked with puzzled faces.

 

"Y-yeah, Yuki likes pranking me, she's very mischievous, t-that's why she gave me that hickey when I fell asleep earlier in her car. Ha-haha-ha.", I anxiously said.

 

I looked at Naoki straight in her eyes.

 

Naoki got what I was trying to do and joined.

 

"Yeah, Yuki likes to mess with Tatsu a lot, that's why.", Naoki added.

 

All of them fell on a deep thought on whether to believe what we said is true or not.

 

Meanwhile, Yokota, who seems to be believed our earlier explanation about our so-called 'French kiss greetings', her expression turned back to her doubtful face once again.

 

"Are you sure?", Yokota asked me with full of doubt about what I said.

 

"Of course! We are childhood friends a little skinship is nothing for us.", I said confidently as I was sweating ferociously; I could probably fill a bucket.

 

"A-are you not believing us, Yokota?", Naoki said while looking at Yokota with her signature puppy eyes.

 

Show em' what you got Naoki!

 

"E-Eh? No, it's not like I believe you, I just find it hard to fathom your skinship with one another. S-Sorry.", Yokota who got troubled responding because of Naoki's cutesy.

 

But, as soon after that, my phone vibrated. I got a message from someone. Taking out my phone, I saw the message which belongs to none other than my mother. I opened the message.

 

'Tatsuya, we're on the administrative building, come here and take Nao-chan with you.'

 

I stared at the message.

 

Nao-chan... I'm not even surprised.

 

Why are they here, and mostly at the administrative building? Did someone call them because of the accident that had happened earlier?

 

While I'm thinking all of that, I'm getting a bad feeling and can't help myself but feel nervous. There's something that will happen that I'm not gonna like.

 

I leaned my head towards Naoki and whispered, "Naoki, my parents are here and they told me to go in the administrative building."

 

"They're here? Then, I'll go home by myself.", Naoki whispered back.

 

"No, they told me to bring you as well."

 

"Oh, okay.", Naoki nodded.

 

Then, I turned my head towards them and said, "Sorry, but my parents are in the administrative building and called me and Naoki to go there."

 

"Oh, uh, o-okay.", Yokota responded.

 

"Sorry, for the trouble but Naoki and I will still consider this club.", I apologized.

 

Naoki and I picked up our bags and went outside the door.

 

I peeked inside again, and said, "Real sorry for the trouble."

 

"N-No i-it's okay. B-Bye.", Yokota said.

 

The three who snapped out of their confused state also said goodbye to us.

 

"Bye.", I waved then went out.

 

"Let's go?", I asked Naoki.

 

"Y-Yeah.", Naoki responded in a dejected tone.

 

I looked at her confused.

 

After a while, we had gotten out of the club building and now walking towards the administrative building where my parents are waiting. But, during our walk, Naoki stayed silent all this time and looked dejected. I don't know why she's looking like that.

 

So, I asked her worriedly, "Are you okay, Naoki?"

 

She then looked at me with her sorrowed eyes, "Sorry... I didn't know that you hated being with us.", her eyes started getting teary.

 

I was flabbergasted at what she said to me.

 

"Why did you say that? I didn't hate you guys, though?", I said with a worried tone.

 

"But, you hate us...", Naoki caster her head down.

 

Wait. Is she talking about the thing earlier at the clubroom?

 

"Wait, are you talking about what happened, earlier?", I asked.

 

Naoki didn't respond, she didn't even flinch.

 

I sighed, "Haa..."

 

I scanned our surroundings and there are no people near us, right now, then I saw a fountain. I grabbed Naoki's hand and took her there.

 

When I grabbed her hand she looked at me surprised and followed me to the fountain.

 

I sat on the side of the fountain but the girl who's holding my hand didn't. Naoki was just standing there with her head down.

 

I sighed again, "Haa... Naoki let's take a sit first."

 

Naoki nodded and sat beside me.

 

This girl... I just realized that she's the one who firmly disagreed with what I said earlier in the car. I don't know why they're so adamant about showing their affections and their relationship with me in public. I really don't get that part of them, no matter how hard I try to think about it.

 

With all the stuff that had happened earlier. I didn't realize that she got hurt by my actions but what I did was for the better.

 

"Naoki.", I called her.

 

"Hm?", Naoki finally looked at me.

 

"Do you know why I denied our relationship to them?"

 

"Because you hate us?"

 

Haa... Why Naoki and Yuki's common sense is unbelievably abnormal, I don't know if it's really common sense or maybe because of me...

 

Every time that would involve me in the picture, Naoki will become weird, every single time.

 

I flicked her forehead.

 

"Ouch!", she exclaimed while holding her forehead to ease the pain.

 

"No, I only did that because once people found out about your plan to have a polygamous relationship with me, they will start criticizing you and Yuki. And, I don't want that to happen. One more thing, polygamy is illegal here in this country, right?"

 

"Eh? But, Yuki said it's okay.", Naoki said while having teary eyes.

 

Did I flick her forehead that hard?

 

"Haa... That too. Even though Yuki is from a prestigious family, you can't just disobey the law and do whatever you want. Just think of it, if I told everyone about our circumstance what would happen? People would just leave us alone because of Yuki, right?"

 

Naoki nodded.

 

So that's why. Why do I get the feeling that Yuki is the root of Naoki's common sense being disarray?

 

"That will not happen, there's no world where people will just leave us alone just because you're from a noble family. Adding, the worst part of it. People will always look at us, most importantly Yuki, because she's the heir, plus their family would have enemies too. They could use this immoral polygamous relationship against Yuki, and I don't want that to happen."

 

Naoki's eyes widen as she thought of the possibility of that coming true.

 

"I'm not against the polygamous relationship that you guys wanted but the thing is, I still don't know whether my feelings is love or just familial love because I knew for a fact that we have a close relationship before I lost some fragments of my memories, even though it sounds bullshit but it's the truth, I trust my guts and feelings."

 

I continued, "Now, if we ever dated the three of us and announced it. What would happen, Naoki?"

 

Naoki hesitated and said, "We'll be bombarded by hate and they will condemn us? And, it may lead to us destroying our high school life? Adding, where it could also affect Yuki because she will be the one who will be affected the most because there's no way telling what kind of situation she will get stuck on?"

 

I widen my eyes at Naoki, I didn't expect her to get the point of what I'm trying to say.

 

"Yeah, that's correct. I still want you guys and me to have a better high school life since being a teenager is only a phase in our life, and that phase is only limited, at any given moment we will just realize that time goes by quicker than we anticipated.", I said.

 

That last part felt pretty good, I feel like a wise old man who's guiding the protagonist in a shounen anime. I felt goosebumps when I said that. My lip is twitching as I was forcing myself to not let out a smile because it could ruin the moment we have, right now.

 

Naoki contemplated for a while, before responding, "Okay, I get it now. I'm very sorry about me being selfish, I didn't think of the consequence of my actions. I guess that I'm so narrow-minded that I can't think of anything else, other than making you realize your feelings to us."

 

Yeah, they did say that. But, I can't really believe that someone would go through such heights that they will go blind to their surroundings just to reach that goal that they're looking for.

 

Sometimes, Naoki's lack of knowledge in terms of this kind of stuff makes me worry. I know that she's smart because she aced the entrance exam but at the same time she's dumb.

 

Now, there's only one person left—Yuki. I need to talk to her about this.

 

I let out a relieved sigh, "Haa... I'm glad you understood."

 

"I don't know what Yuki will do about the law or what she said to you. But first, we need to lay low for a while. And, I want you guys to have friends too like every other high school student. I want you guys to live your life to the fullest.", I added.

 

Damn, I'm on fire with my speeches today.

 

Naoki nodded, and her expression turned into a cheerful one.

 

"Okay, I understand it now, Tatsu.", Naoki then smiled at me, the smile that could kill a guy.

 

Seeing her expression, I felt relieved because I thought it will take some time to make her realized it.

 

"Okay, I'm glad, so shall we head our way to the administrative building."

 

"Yep.", she responded happily.

 

Since we are sitting near the fountain, when Naoki stood up she lost balance making her about to fall in the fountain but I was quick and supported her, despite me saving her. I was the one who fell on the fountain as my one foot got stuck into something and lost balance but when I was about to fall I threw my bag instinctively.

 

A water splash could be heard in an area where there's seems to be no students walking by.

 

"*Splash*"