Yamashiro Rina’s pov
"Ne~, won't we stop this?"
"What are you talking about, Rina. Hayato-kun is coming today! It's a chance!"
"Even if I have psychic power, that place is still dangerous."
It was after school today that this courage test was decided.
After finishing basketball practice, my best friend Akina made such a suggestion.
"Why don't we go to the abandoned building to do courage test tonight?"
"Courage test?"
It's when we change clothes in the changing room after club activities are over.
Akina told me such story.
Akina is a big horror lover, and she went to haunted house to do courage test. She loves that kind of thing.
I don't hate it, but I don't like it either. Something like that.
It seems there is a lot of psychic in my mother's family, so I also can sense supernatural thing.
That's why I was told not to go to such places.
Sometimes you can be possessed, and sometimes it makes the spirits in that place angry.
That's why I was repeatedly told that I couldn't go there for fun.
"You should stop. I was told nothing will end well even if we go there for fun..."
"But actually, I was invited by Hayato-kun. 'Let's do courage test with Rina together', he said"
Shibutani Hayato (Written as Shibuya Hayato? The Kanji and Hiragana sounds different)
He is basketball club's ace and a handsome boy.
He dyed his hair blond, so he had that hard to approach aura. I dont understand why there is people that think that was charming.
Many girls are aiming to be his girlfriend. By the way, Akina is one of them.
I'm not good with that type. I don't like people who are flirting.
"Hayato-kun and the other one is Yuuta! See, he's pretty handsome!"
"We haven't talked that much though..."
Although we are in the same club, there are many girls and boys, so the gymnasium is also separated. There is no opportunity to talk except for joint practice that is done by chance.
Well, most of the girls joined just to see Shibutani's practice and play.
"Yuuta is always looking at Rina, so I'm sure he is aiming you"
"I don't like it. Koyama is always looking at my chest, and his gaze is creepy..."
Growing up with my classmate's gaze, I am sensitive with boys' eyes
Playing basketball needs to run, jump etc. If I don't wear a fairly large sport bra, my chest will shake and hurt.
And when feeling the boys' gaze looking at it, I always feel uncomfortable.
Because of that, I can feel the same kind of gaze from Shibuya, who Akina like.
"Soo~? I think he suits you. Isn't it okay to go out with him even only for trial?"
"I absolutely hate it. Can I go home now?"
"Eh~!? Please! I told Hayato that it's OK! Hey! Go along with it for me!"
"... really... why did you say OK?"
Akina seems to have changed recently.
In the past, I can proudly say she is my best friend and we are close.
But lately, something is wrong with her.
She's trying to stick me with the boys.
Last month, the captain of the soccer club confessed and I rejected him. Somehow she is in bad mood after that.
I don't know how, but there was a rumor flying around that I like that soccer club's captain. And I can't confess to him because I'm not good at it.
I don't remember any of that.
Fist of all, I don't even know him name because our class is different.
The culprit was Akina.
When I complained about that confession, 'Did Rina not like that person?' she told me.
The moment I denied it, she said, 'You are watching him practice, so I thought you like him. But he is a handsome guy, so why not go out with him?'. I heard it and stunned.
Even if I don't like him, I will watch something like practice match. When he talks, I respond it normally.
However, Akina tried to stick me with the boys I talked to or glanced.
Why don't you go out with him?
I think he suits you quite well.
I think it's okay to go out as a trial test, and so on.
These days it's just such conversations.
But even I, who is insensitive, is beginning to notice.
Akina doesn't want me to steal Shibutani.
That's why she wants to stick me to someone soon.
Akina is pushing even a single male teacher who talked to me, but she never gives the name of Shibutani, the one who is on the same club.
Even though there is no need to worry about, I will not go out with Shibutani.
Even if I explain that I am not good with Shibuya, she doesn't want to understand it.
I wonder if I have to say it more directly.
"Ne~ Akina"
"... What's wrong? Creating a scary face like that"
"I'll tell you the truth, I'm not going to go out with anyone. Its the same with Koyama and Shibutani. So, don't try to forcefully make me go out with anyone."
I looked at Akina's eyes and said clearly.
Can I convey what my thought?
"I'm worried"
Looking away from me, Akina muttered.
"I like Hayato-kun. I want to go out with him. I want to fulfill any of Hayato's request."
Akina murmured with a low, heavy voice.
Akina is holding my hand with both hands.
"But Hayato-kun didn't see me yet. He’s only looking at Rina! Hey, don't steal him! I really like him!"
"It... It hurt"
Her grasping hands are getting stronger and stronger.
The blood has stopped circulated and my hand getting whiter.
"I won't steal him! I don't like him in the first place."
"If so, you wouldn't go out with him even if he told you!? Absolutely!?"
"I won't go out with him! Let go of my hand!"
I desperately tried to freed my hand.
I am exhausted after club activities, but why should I be so tired again?
Akina also has her long hair a little unkempt and looks at me with hollow eyes.
"If so, please cooperate, isn't it alright!? Because we are friends afterall!"
Friend.
Yes, my friend. I even thought you were my best friend.
But Akina. Real friends wouldn't force their friend to go out with someone they don't like or meddle with their love affairs.
If we like the same person, there may be some leg pulling between rivals.
But I think it's different to forcibly involve someone who they said don't like and for them to go out for your own convenience.
I take a sudden breath when I see Akina's crazy eyes.
To love a person that much, I am envious and also scared.
"... This is the last. Really the last. I won't cooperate anymore after this. But don't get me wrong, it's not that I want to get along with Shibuya, but that I won't involved with the matter of Akina and Shibutani anymore."
"Why..."
"Because what Akina means as cooperation is that I'm going out with someone. Why do I have to go out with someone I don't like for Akina?"
"You said that, but Hayato-kun... I think he like Rina. That's the only way for him to give up."
Shibutani, with me?
Just imagining it make my spine cold.
Absolutely impossible.
"If so, then say I have a boyfriend outside of school to him. Isn't that good?"
"I can't. Rina didn't have a part-time job, and no one will be convinced that for Rina to suddenly have a boyfriend outside."
"No, let's go with that. I'll casually say it at courage test later."
"But……"
"But but, no but. Let's go with that, so when and where we do it?"
Let's make a boyfriend image appropriately.
What should I do with the settings?
I like tall people, so naturally I want him to be taller.
Then, he helps me from 'nampa' and I fall in love at first sight.
If only I have part-time job at time like this, I can just say I met him at part-time jobs and be done with it.
"A love hotel about 20 minutes walk from Kitaguma station at 21:00 today. It seems to be abandoned now, but you can enter through a broken window."
"... Haa~"
Two pair of young men and women in a love hotel that was abandoned at midnight...
That’s absolutely dangerous.
You have to protect yourself not only from ghosts, but from human as well.
"Ne~, do you know?"
"What?"
I feel like sighing when I see Akina tilting her head.
Love is said to be blind, but this is too much.
"Hey, really only four people?"
"Yeah, I hear that."
"… Just in case, I should be prepared in advance."
It's okay if only a bad feeling.
However, abandoned love hotel with no one around at late night.
It’s matched too perfectly.
Love is said to be blind, but I feel its more abandoning thoughts rather than being blind.
(It's only me that can help her)
