Hoshino Miru wrote for a while but didn't finish, because doing this during class wasn't good.
Of course, not being able to think of anything for the moment was also the main reason.
During break time, Hoshino Miru hid his notebook, wanting to go out for a walk. He glanced at Yukinoshita Yukino and found she was reading Russian literature again.
Yukinoshita Yukino had noticed his movements early on. They made eye contact briefly, then she continued reading her novel.
This ice queen was a bit cold—she didn't even have any sarcastic remarks lately.
Hoshino Miru similarly had no intention of making conversation. Walking out of the classroom, he was still thinking about how to ask Eriri out, when he suddenly saw Eriri with her friends.
They had been chatting originally, but when one of them saw Hoshino Miru, their voices immediately got much quieter.
"Hi there, could I borrow Eriri for a moment?" Hoshino Miru proactively greeted them.
As soon as the words fell, Eriri, who had just noticed him, immediately blushed. But before she could say anything, her friends pushed her out.
"No problem at all! Don't say 'borrow'—today Eriri is Hoshino-kun's property!"
They showed those kinds of ambiguous smiles, clearly looking like they were eating popcorn and watching a show, making Eriri blush all the way to her neck.
"Don't talk nonsense! Who's this guy's property!" Eriri seemed to be covering up her embarrassment as she hastily refuted them, crossing her arms, her twin tails swaying back and forth.
However, they still had teasing smiles, waving at Eriri.
"We'll be waiting in the classroom for your good news!"
Eriri blushed even more. Finding that they had run off, she could only glare huffily at Hoshino Miru.
"What are you suddenly coming over for? You're making everyone misunderstand our relationship." Eriri felt she needed to make this clear to prevent Hoshino Miru from misunderstanding. "Kiyomi and the others will definitely ask again if something's going to happen between you and me. Every time I have to work hard to clarify. It's very tiring."
"Aren't we childhood friends?" Hoshino Miru asked strangely. "It's very normal for childhood friends to be together, right?"
Eriri was instantly struck down, stammering for a long time.
"I-it is normal, what I mean is... anyway, it's too high-profile!"
Rather than explaining, it was more like finding herself a way out. She herself was blushing.
"I think the more high-profile the better. Having such a beautiful girl as Eriri as my childhood friend—anyone would want to tell the whole world." Hoshino Miru said matter-of-factly. "If people misunderstand, just let them keep misunderstanding."
This guy was simply talking nonsense. Eriri was both angry and embarrassed. However, he had elevated Eriri so much that she was too embarrassed to be angry with him, so only embarrassment remained.
"Hmph, good that you know!" Eriri spoke stiffly, then felt something was wrong. Didn't this mean she was tacitly allowing such ambiguous misunderstandings between them?
But if she continued to refute it, wouldn't it seem like she didn't want such misunderstandings?
Eriri could only... could only pretend she hadn't heard the last sentence.
Hoshino Miru's lips curved slightly upward. He felt this childhood friend's most entertaining aspect was precisely this.
...
There was a place at school called the garden. Some flowers and trees were planted here, the shade was dense, and a small pavilion had been built, making many students like to rest here.
However, when summer came, the cicadas in the garden would be particularly noisy.
Hoshino Miru sat on a chair. Before him was a world full of greenery. Not far away was the gardening club's territory, with several students researching the flowers and plants they were raising.
Beside him, Eriri was a bit nervous. Kasugano Sora not being here made her feel like they were on a secret date. But on second thought, she could openly be with Hoshino Miru—why should she hide from Kasugano Sora?
In fact, Kasugano Sora was the latecomer, always preventing her from spending time alone with Hoshino Miru lately.
Thinking of this, Eriri became confident and upright, secretly moving a little bit closer to Hoshino Miru's shoulder while also looking at Hoshino Miru's hand.
"Did you two have fun yesterday?" Hoshino Miru asked.
Eriri jumped in fright. Fortunately, she hadn't been thinking about interlocking fingers—just wanting to hold hands, at most blushing a bit.
"Shouldn't you ask her that question directly?" Eriri thought of yesterday's experience and couldn't help wanting to laugh. "However, seeing her expression, I was quite happy. How about letting me take her out for a walk every day!"
Hoshino Miru felt she was somewhat treating this like walking a dog. The two of them would definitely bicker on the road.
"I want to agree with this suggestion, but if we do it a few more times, she'll kill both of us." Hoshino Miru remembered that this morning when he got up, Kasugano Sora was still complaining about walking too much yesterday.
"You spoil her too much." Eriri pursed her lips. "You can't take care of her for a lifetime either. In the future when she grows up, are you still going to let her lie around at your house?"
"Who told me I got stuck with this sister? Can I really kick her out?" Hoshino Miru was somewhat helpless. "Not just Sora—if you were to freeload at my house, I'd have no choice either."
Eriri hadn't expected him to turn the topic to her, a flash of panic and shame in her eyes.
"W-who wants to freeload at your house! Shameless!" Eriri quickly denied it, but her heart was pounding. She didn't know why Hoshino Miru would suddenly say this.
Was he hinting that she could also freeload at his house like Kasugano Sora?
Or was Hoshino Miru hinting that the two of them would also have cohabitation life in the future?
Eriri couldn't help overthinking, then felt bashful all by herself. She wasn't a little kid from before—she'd long since learned a lot of strange knowledge.
Like what would happen when boys and girls live together—if they accidentally got carried away, her little belly would soon have a little baby.
As for whether Kasugano Sora, who was currently cohabiting, had a little baby, Eriri decided not to think about it for now, or else she'd lose too thoroughly.
"I'm just saying. After all, Eriri is different from Sora—she doesn't need to be taken care of." Hoshino Miru smiled. "I've always felt Eriri is very suitable to be an older sister."
Although it sounded like a compliment, Eriri didn't feel very happy—rather, she felt somewhat displeased.
"Honestly, being able to meet a childhood friend like Eriri makes me very satisfied."
This was more like it. Eriri felt somewhat comfortable.
However, on the surface she had to put on an act.
"Even if you praise me like this, I won't be happy." Eriri hummed a few times. "Only now realizing this point is a bit too late."
"I'm not praising you. I'm stating facts." Hoshino Miru was somewhat embarrassed. "I wish we could never be separated."
Eriri wasn't used to this. When he was this sincere, it made her too embarrassed to continue being tsundere.
"Why suddenly say this?"
"Because Eriri is very beautiful. If someone likes you, I wouldn't find it strange."
Eriri raised her chin. Good, this guy finally realized this point. She was a blonde twin-tailed beautiful girl—very popular outside!
"Looks like your eyesight isn't bad. From first year until now, I've received five love letters." Eriri put on an act, not knowing if she was reminding someone that they should make their move on her early.
"Yeah, so many people like you." Hoshino Miru seemed somewhat heavy. "If one day you get together with someone, that would be very normal, right?"
"Good that you know." Eriri carried the unique reserve of a girl, though her smugness was almost overflowing. "However, for a beautiful girl like me, a boyfriend definitely can't be found randomly—at least has to be taller and more handsome than you."
No matter what Hoshino Miru was thinking, anyway she was now acting like if he didn't make his move on her quickly, she'd get together with someone else.
"Definitely no problem. I believe in Eriri's ability." Hoshino Miru looked at the sky. "At that time, I should also find a cute girlfriend."
Eh?
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