Arawi Kenji:

   Our town is a weird one. On one side, it has big schools, university, factories, shopping markets, etc. On the other side, it also has so many areas like paddy fields, river banks, villages, temples.

   There is one bridge over a river that separates the rural area and urban area. When we reached that point I said,

   "Did you ever visit the village on that side, Amano-san?"

   "Umm... no. Is there any interesting thing there?"

   "Let's go and check out."

   As we crossed the bridge, the difference between the two areas were clear. I continued pedaling while Amano-san was sitting behind, enjoying the beauty of the scenery. 

   "It's so.... beautiful!", she exclaimed.

   At left side of the road, there was a gentle river flowing and at the right side, there was the small village. Children were playing on the vast field. Many of them were returning from school. We were also passing by various food shops.

   On the other side of the river, there happened to be a festival going on. A large crowd were parading there.

   "Do you want to see the parade, Amano-san?" 

   "We can watch it from here."

   "Okay."

   I put my bicycle on stand and sit down on the river bank. In this way we could easily see the festival on the other side.

   There was not many people on the river bank. However, Amano-san sat down right next to me. Our shoulders were almost touching. 

   "I remember my grandfather bringing me to such festivals when he was alive." 

   She was emotional when she said that. She was adopted by her grandfather. And since when he died, the family always tortured her. She misses her grandfather. 

   Before I realised it, I already started patting her head. She was surprised by that. I immediately tried to take back my hand but she caught my hand.

   "C-Can you continue doing that?"

   "O-Okay."

   It was a little bit awkward but I guess she liked that. I continued gently stroking her head. I could see her blushing a little. 

   "Arawi-san..."

   "Yes?"

   "Say... if you really got a love letter from a girl, what would you have done?"

   "I?"

   "Yeah... you... would have gone out with that girl right?"

   She looked at me with an anxious face. I was now troubled by her question. But I knew my answer. 

   "No.... I wouldn't have."

   "You would've rejected her?"

   "Yes...."

   "Why?"

   Because I love you.... But how could I say this to you?

   "Because... I'm not interested right now... I think my life is going really good with Amano-san cooking for me everyday..."

   Her cheeks turned red after hearing that. However she kept her composure and said,

   "So you won't want any girlfriend because you love my cooking?"

   "Yeah...."

   "Suppose... That girl is the prettiest girl you have ever seen! Even then... you would have rejected her?"

   She asked me with sparkling eyes.

   I thought for a moment and said,

  "I... might not reject her then..."

  She looked a bit sad after hearing my answer. 

   "S-See... I knew it..."

   "But.... isn't the prettiest girl I've ever seen... is Amano-san?"

    ".............."

    I immediately regretted it. Trust me, I didn't say it on purpose... my tongue just slipped and I said what I was thinking... 

   "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

    Amano-san started poking my cheeks out of embarrassment. While it was painful for me, I was still blessed to see her another cute side.

   "Do Arawi-san always hit on other girls too... just like that?"

   "I never hit on any girl."

   "I don't believe it... And also... I'm not that beautiful. Rin, Remon and others are way more beautiful than me."

   "I don't think so..."

   "You are again hitting on me? Arawi-san is a playboy."

   "I'm not!"

                                 ♤

   At night I was feeling very dizzy. It was only 9 P.M. but it seemed as if I didn't have any energy left. Probably because of too much cycling in the afternoon. 

   We also ate dinner outside in a ramen shop. It was the first experience for Amano-san there. Needless to say she loved it.

    "Are you okay, Arawi-san?"

    She placed a hand on my forehead to check if I was sick or not. 

    "Nah I'm okay... but just a little bit dizzy."

    "Is that so? Me too."

    She was doing her homework at that time. But she left those and sat down right next to me on the sofa. She eventually rested her head on my shoulders which made my heart beating fast.

    "Aren't you just too defenseless?"

    "Why?"

    "Nah... I mean if you stay so close... I might..."

    "You might what?"

   Your face is too close....

    "I might... look at you in a pervert's eyes..."

    "P-Pervert...."

    Amano-san immediately covered her chest with her hands. Hey, you don't need to be so cautious now.

   "I was just joking."

   "I'm still angry with you. Hmph!"

   She pouted but she didn't move away. Rather than that, she buried her face on my chest. The warmth was driving me crazy. 

   She probably didn't see my weak state. She then murmured to my ears,

   "I don't really mind if Arawi-san is a pervert."

    It was now my turn to get full reddened. I looked at her, she was peacefully lying on my shoulders with her eyes closed- like a cute child. My mind was not in peace though...

    "What are you staring at me?"

   "No... nothing. Umm... are you going to sleep this way?"

   "Does Arawi-san hate it?"

   "Not really... I don't mind it at all."

   "Then goodnight..."

    Goodnight? So you are really going to sleep here on my shoulders? Do you know how hard I'm trying to control myself?

    Does she... like me perhaps?

    I would be over the moon if it is. But I don't have the courage to ask her out again. Maybe she just finds me harmless, and that's why she likes to get spoiled by me. I looked at her sleeping face once again before closing my eyes.

   "Please have mercy to me."

Amano Suiren:

    I was lying on his shoulders but I didn't fall asleep immediately. In fact, it was him who fell asleep after just 5 minutes. 

   I looked at his sleeping face and poked his cheeks.

  "Stupid Arawi-san."

  For a moment at least I thought there was a 1% chance that he would try to take advantage of me. But it's Arawi-san after all. Harmless as always.

   I moved closer... and eventually landed a soft kiss on his cheeks. He didn't realise it while sleeping. 

   It took me a long time to realise... but now I know this...

   I love him so much....

   I again buried my face in his chest and said,

   "And I'm not letting anyone else take you..."

 [To be continued]