Volume 4, Chapter 5: To The Beach! Part 3

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...

"..."

"..."

...well...this is kinda awkward...

Hoshizawa and I headed off to the place where Maria said people become couples. Hoshizawa wanted to go with me after she heard that from Maria...

...not that I want to assume but, I've been thinking about Hoshizawa's actions after our meeting at the dock...

I was so confused with her actions up until now, but now that I was able to get calm and think logically...

...is what's happening to Hoshizawa right now was because of what I just said?

...

...if that's true...then..."that" possibility can't be crossed off...

That possibility...that I'm the one that Hoshizawa likes...

...then again, I don't want to assume about it, but everything that she did up until now...

...and even wanting to go with me to that particular place...

...

AAAGGHH! Call me dense and all, but there's no way she'll like someone like me, right?! She just wants to check out the place with me, right?!

...

...but then...what she's doing right now might be a hint for me...and I've been oblivious to it...

...

...Do I...even like Hoshizawa...?

...

...or is this just admiration that I'm feeling towards her...?

...

...I looked at Hoshizawa, who seemingly was looking forward to the said place. Noticing that I was looking at her, she looked at me afterwards...

...I looked away in embarrassment instantly

...

...even if I'm right...

...

...After a few minutes of walking, we eventually reached the place. The place that Maria was talking about was the place after the forest/jungle part of the beach. It looked like a small shed with vines wrapped onto it. The place was also surrounded with seashells. 

In front of it, was a campfire set up...although it looks like its just for decoration...

...seriously...just how many things this place has to offer?

...

The sign that Maria was talking about was near the shed. Without hesitation, Hoshizawa went to it and read its contents...

...

Curious like Hoshizawa was, I also read the contents of the sign...

...

..."It is not the place who grants your wishes, its the place where you can muster up the courage"...huh?

...

So basically, this is a spot for confessions...

...

...I got a question...

...how, in the world, did Maria got the wrong interpretation of this sign?! She literally twisted what the sign had meant! That girl literally just wanted to prank Hoshizawa! *Sigh*...

...

I looked at Hoshizawa, who's apparently deep in thoughts...

"..."

...

...Did she also thought that based on Maria said, it'll be a magical place?

...

Can't blame her, I also thought the same thing...

...

...I'm gonna smack a good one to Maria once we go back...

I walked over to Hoshizawa san, who was apparently still comprehending the sign...

"Well it seems that Maria didn't fully read the sign Hoshizawa san. Apparently, this place is a confession spot for people who wanted to be a couple"

"Yes..."

"So basically...this place doesn't grant your wish...it acts as a way for you to grant your own wish..."

"...Yes..."

"...You didn't expected it to be that kind of place, huh?"

"...Yes..."

"..."

...

Um...is it just me?

...

...or is Hoshizawa looks like she's about to do something here...

...

...but what else is there for us to do here? I mean, we only came here because Hoshizawa wanted to come here...

...

"..."

"..."

...

...No...DON'T TELL ME...!

I quickly looked at Hoshizawa, who also turned herself in front of me while keeping her head down

"...Amagasa kun..."

"Y-Yeah? H-Hoshizawa san?"

Its not what I think it is, Its not what I think it is, Its not what I think it is!

...I said to myself as she continued to talk

"There's something I want to tell you..."

It isn't what I think it is...right...?

"...You probably noticed it now by then, considering that we came here, in this place...I don't think I have any more excuse for me to hide it from you now..."

"..."

...ITS NOT WHAT I THINK IT IS, RIGHT?!

"Up until now...I've kept it within me...I've tried to suppress it, these intense feelings deep inside me..."

IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?! IS IT REALLY WHAT I THINK IT IS?!

"But you said earlier...that even you, yourself would love a girl like me...I was happy, very happy..."

"U-Um...with the way you're saying that...I-It sounds like you're-"

"Yes...I am..."

"-!"

Hoshizawa then took a deep breath and said the following words-

"I love you Amagasa kun! I love you very much!"

"...ha..."

...

...

...

...I...I don't know what to say...

...

...I was right...

...I was right the whole time...

...

...All of her actions earlier...

...her wanting me to go to this place with her...

...her asking me what type of girl that I like...

...all of it...because she likes me...

...yet I kept oblivious to all of it...because I just don't wanted to assume...

"At first, I was scared that you'll hate me, hate me because you might not like this overflowing emotions of mine...but after what you just said, I was convinced...you told me that you could be the happiest guy in the world if something like that were to happen...and it is indeed happening...I'm that girl that I'm talking about...and you're the one that I truly love..."

"..."

I couldn't help but kept silent as I felt my face getting red all of a sudden after I heard those words from Hoshizawa...

...my heart suddenly beat so fast that at that moment, I already knew...

...

...I see...so this wasn't really a simple admiration after all...

...

...It was then that I was sure...

...

...this feelings of mine for Hoshizawa...

...was love...

...

...no wonder I go through such lengths for Hoshizawa...

...

...I'm not like this to other girls at all...I could even care less...

...but I care that much...about her...

...

"When I saw you and Maria san earlier at the dock in that situation, my heart froze...it felt like the person that I've been loving all this time had been taken by another girl...It hurt me...it left a pain..."

"H-Hoshizawa san, Maria and I aren't like that-"

"I know!...I know that it was also an accident! And I know that you had nothing going on with each other...but can't you blame me?! I don't like it! I don't want you to get close to other girls! I don't want you to think of any other girl! I don't want you to like any other girls!...and..."

"...?"

"I want you to like me! Only me! I want you all to myself! I don't want any of the other girls to come around you! I want to show them that you're mine! And only mine!"

"Hoshizawa san..."

"I love you, Amagasa kun, I want you, Amagasa kun, I want to be with you, Amagasa kun, I want you to be my boyfriend, Amagasa kun, and...I want to be your girlfriend, Amagasa kun! I want us to be a couple!"

"...!"

"Amagasa kun...would you...go out with me...?"

"Hoshizawa...san..."

...

I heard it...I heard everything loud and clear...

...at first, I tried my best to not assume about it...

...but this time, everything was apparent...

...Hoshizawa likes me...

...that's the truth...

...and will always will be...

...

...how funny...if Hoshizawa didn't confess to me right now, I would be oblivious about it again, and wouldn't notice about my feelings for her at the same time...

...it was thanks to Hoshizawa that I was able to realize what she is to me...and what I am to her...

...I'm lucky...I'm such a lucky guy...truly I am...

...to have Hoshizawa to like me...of all the guy who she could have ended up with...she chose me...

...I'm happy...I truly am...

...

...but...

...

I smiled at Hoshizawa san as I gave my reply

"...Thank you, Hoshizawa san, thank you for telling me your true feelings towards me"

"Then!-"

"But...I don't think I deserve someone like you..."

"-W...what...?"

"..."

Hoshizawa looked at me in a daze...

...but I continued on with my reasoning...

"Its not that I don't like you, Hoshizawa san. Its quite the opposite of that...I also do like you!...its just that..."

"Just...?"

"...I'm a commoner...and you're a daughter of the ChokoChoko Company...we have different standing in the society...what would people think of you if you go out with someone like me?"

"..."

Hoshizawa's hurt...

...of course she would be...what am I even thinking...

"And there's this rumor about us at our school...everyone might see you in a different light if you were to date someone like me...to the eyes of other people, I'm just a nobody, Hoshizawa san..."

"..."

...

...I know that what I'm doing right now hurts her a lot...

...But it hurts even more for me to reject her!

"...I'm sure there's other guys out there who'll take good care of you...even better than I would..."

"..."

Because...

"...I think we should head back now...our friends might get worry if we don't show up anytime soon..."

...I like her!

"...!"

...

...I held on to my decision, clenching my fists as I turned my back from Hoshizawa...

...

...when suddenly...

"...?! Hoshizawa san?!"

"..."

...she hugged me from behind...

"No! I don't want this at all! I don't wanna lose you! I will never find someone like you again!"

She said as she's on the verge of crying...

"B-But H-Hoshizawa san, we can't-"

"You love me, I love you! Other people's opinions of us don't matter as long as we love each other!"

"-I get what you're saying, Hoshizawa san, but-"

"No is no! I want to go out with you, Amagasa kun! I don't want anyone else! I want you! I'm not going to let go until you say yes!"

"H-Hoshizawa san..."

"..."

Hoshizawa san cried silently while hugging me tight from behind...

...

...how could I possibly say no to her? She's basically melting my heart away with what she's doing to me right now!

...

...and...it also hurts me to see her crying like this...especially that I, myself, want to also go out with her...

...

...I guess loving someone, really means that you can't just let go of that person that easily...huh...?

...

...I calmed myself down and talked to her about it thoroughly while grabbing both of her shoulders...

"Hoshizawa san...please stop crying..."

"B-Because...you don't want to go out with me..."

...

...I'm sorry but...a crying Hoshizawa...so cute!- wait, this isn't the time for that!

...

...I tried to make Hoshizawa calm down for a bit...

...

...and a few minutes after, I explained everything to her

"Look, Hoshizawa san, I'll say this to you again, but I can't go out with you"

"But why?!"

"I'm doing this for you. I don't want other people think negatively about you"

"What do you mean...?"

"Like I said earlier, its uncommon for rich people to date commoners in our society, who knows what the others might think if they saw us dating! This could even severe your company's relations with other companies!"

"I don't think that'll be a problem..."

"Look, we can't be that carefree, Hoshizawa san. I don't want to cause any trouble for Ban san either, who knows how your father will react if he knew we're dating?"

"Oh that? Father already knows that I love you"

I got a bit taken aback from how she just casually said "I love you" to me...

...I didn't let it show and instead continued

"Eh? He knows?"

"Yes, He's happy that it was you too"

"O-Oh...I see..."

Ban san! You really trust me that much?! Thank you!

...but even though Ban san and I are good friends, that doesn't mean I get to do what I want with her daughter...

"But still, I don't want to cause Ban san any more trouble...he already did this much for us, and the other times too"

"...I see..."

...

I'm glad that Hoshizawa's getting it now...

...I'm a bit sad that we couldn't be together, but I felt like this was the right decision...

...Just like not wanting to cause trouble for Ban san, I don't want to cause any problems for the girl I like either...

...plus...hearing Hoshizawa san saying that she loves me, was probably the best thing I've heard in my entire life...

...so even if I can't go out with her...

...I'm glad that the first girl I loved was also in love with me...

"...T-Then..."

"...?"

"How about we secretly go out...?"

"I told you, Hoshizawa san, we can't-"

...

...Wait, did she said "secretly" ?

"Um...what do you meant by that?"

"Exactly what I said, We'll date in secret. There'll be no problems if no one sees us going out in public, right?"

"That's true..."

...

...wow...I actually didn't thought of that...but...

"..."

"You don't...like it?"

"It's not that I don't like it...rather I was thinking about you, if you'll be okay with it..."

"You're really too kind *chuckles*"

"..."

"Thanks for worrying about me, but I'm fine with that kind of set up Amagasa kun...I love you"

"Ack?!"

"...?"

...

...I got surprised to her sudden "I love you" quote that I didn't even know what to respond...

I cleared my throat as I regain my composure...

"*A-Ahem*...I know this is irrelevant now, but are you sure you're okay with someone like me?"

"..."

"...?"

...

...Hoshizawa came closer and looked at me with a red face...

...while she said the following words

"Not 'someone like you', but it has to be you, Amagasa kun"

"...!"

...

...AAGGGH! SHE'S TOO CLOSE! I CAN ALMOST FEEL HER WARM BREATH!

SUCH A GIRL LIKE HER WILL BE MY GIRLFRIEND?! IT STILL FEELS LIKE A DREAM MAN!

"Amagasa kun...you might not get used to the 'me' right now...but..."

"?!"

She grabbed my hand as she lay down her head to my shoulders

"This is the 'me' that I wanted you to see...the 'me' who loves you so much...the 'me' that will do anything for you...I love you..."

"..."

...

...If this is the real Hoshizawa ,then I'd be damned! She's even more assertive than before! 

"...Is this...the other side of you that you thought I'll hate...?"

"...Yes..."

"Well...I'm glad you're wrong...because I also like this side of you"

"*Chuckles*...That's why I love you, Amagasa kun...because you accept me for who I truly am..."

Hoshizawa then hugged me tight...

...while feeling warm and embarrassed, I also hugged her back in response...

...

"...So...I guess this means...?"

"Yes! We're dating now!"

"Y-Yeah...I thought so..."

"*Chuckles*"

...

Everything's still feel like its a dream to me...

...who knew that one of the most beautiful girl in our school, Miu Hoshizawa, would date someone like me?

...Looks like fate already had it set in store for us since the beginning...

...from sharing a yakisoba bread...meeting her at the rooftop...at the hot spring...and even getting her MILE ID...

...to now us...dating...secretly...

...it was full of unexpected twists and turns...

...but at the end...we still fell for each other...

...

"Secretly dating is fine and all, but when will you guys gonna announce it publicly?"

"We're not that far ahead into the future, but- wait...RYU?!"

"?!"

Hoshizawa quickly let go of me and sat herself down properly in front of Ryu

"SINCE WHEN DID YOU GOT HERE?!"

"Hm...probably around where Hoshizawa started confessing"

"T-THAT LONG?!"

I quickly looked at Hoshizawa, who was getting redder and redder all of a sudden

"I-I-Ito kun, y-you heard...everything...?"

"Hm? Yeah, loud and clear too"

"Ah-Eh-Um-Uhh..."

...

Hoshizawa then turned pale and dropped dead on the sand

"H-HOSHIZAWA SAN?!"

...

I tried to get her senses back...

...but the shock that she got was too much that I think she won't be able to wake up anytime soon...

"Looks like she's not gonna wake up anytime soon...still, I can't believe it! I was on the edge of my seat too you know! You got me worried man! What the heck are you thinking when you almost rejected her?!"

"SAYS THE ONE WHO MADE THE RUMORS!"

"Okay, okay! You got a fair point, but I still can't believe it...that Hoshizawa san likes you..."

"...Yeah...me too..."

"and I definitely wasn't wrong that you like her as well! Hehe!"

"..."

I didn't gave any comment to the teasing Ryu at hand...

...

"So? You're not gonna tell anyone about us dating in secret, right?"

"Of course not! What do you take me for?!"

"Someone who spread the rumors shouldn't be talking highly about themselves"

"Why are you still going on about that?! I'm sorry okay?!"

"*Sigh*..."

...

Ryu sat down next to my right, suggesting something else...

"You know, we should let Yuu and the others know about this"

"...Why?"

"If they also knew, they wouldn't make any fuss about it, right? And they could even help you in desperate times when I'm not around..."

"Ryu...you're scaring me right now, you're usually aren't this smart at all..."

"What do I looked like to you all this time?!"

"A chocolate obsessed idiot guy who only makes devious plans for chocolates for his dream of endless chocolates"

"Hey! You didn't even hesitated on that one! You make it sound like I only think about chocolates all day and night!"

"*Sigh*...but you're right tho, Hoshizawa san and I should talk about it to Yuu and the others"

"Yeah, the more friends you can talk about it to keep your secret safe, the better"

"Yeah...did all of that swimming made you smarter somehow?"

"Huh? If anything, it made me exhausted! But I was happy to know that Hoshizawa san likes you though"

"Eh? Why?"

"Because I can just use you to get free chocolates, its a win for me! I don't even have to do my plan at all! I already have the best weapon! She can't say no to you! Plus, you're close to her father too!"

"Uwa- you treat me as if I was your tool or something"

"I'm not! If anything, you're making everything easier for me! Thanks for being my best friend, Shun!"

"I felt like your definition of 'Best Friend' differs from mine..."

It was just then that Hoshizawa woke up again...

"...I...passed...out...?"

"Oh, glad you're awake now, Hoshizawa san"

"Hoshizawa san, congratulations to you and to Shun!"

"Huh...?"

She got up, looked at her surroundings...then to us after...

...

"...Uh!- Um!- Ah!-"

After realizing where she was and what just happened, Hoshizawa dropped dead again afterwards

"..."

"..."

...

"...I-I didn't do that! You saw it just now, Shun!"

"*Sigh*..."

...

She seemed to be tired with all that walking we just took...and probably shocked about Ryu knowing our secret...

...I guess I'll let her take a nap for now...

While I let her take a nap from my lap, Ryu and I waited again for Hoshizawa to wake up as Ryu kept rambling more and more about his obsession to chocolate and other stuff...

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End of Chapter 5