Episode 19: A Kiss From Nursing Someone Is Just Too Convenient!
Culture festival prep continues.
Today’s after-school classroom is livelier than usual.
Interior decorating, menu testing, sign painting.
Laughter echoing from all directions.
“Got these from the class next door~! Someone’s souvenir, apparently. Let’s all share!”
Tachibana-san brings over a small box.
Couldn’t quite make it out, but probably some kind of assorted chocolates.
“Ooh, what’s this, so cute!”
Makina peers curiously into the box, part of the crowd gathering around it.
Ia joins in too.
“All these different colors… I wonder what flavors these are.”
“Oh, I think there’s something small written on the box about that…”
Right as Ia started to say it—
Makina had already picked one up and popped it straight into her mouth without checking.
“Mm, yeah, this is really delici— oh?”
Within seconds, Makina’s face started slowly turning red.
“Hm…? Ah~… my head’s feeling kind of, floaty…”
“Wait, Makina?”
I scramble to check the box.
Tiny text in the corner: “Contains liqueur.”
…Oh no! Makina got completely wasted off amazake once, back in elementary school.
I already knew — even a trace of alcohol is a no-go for her, ever since!
“H-hey, Makina, you okay?”
“Mm~… I’m fine, fine… probably~”
“No, no! You’re not looking fine at all!”
Her eyes glazed over almost instantly, her pale cheeks flushing crimson.
“S-sorry! It’s my fault for bringing weird chocolates…!”
Tachibana-san’s face drained of color fast.
“No, no, it’s not your fault, Tachibana! …It’s on Makina for not checking properly… so you don’t need to make that face.”
Trying to smile it off so Tachibana wouldn’t worry, I still couldn’t tear my eyes away from Makina’s glassy, flushed face inside.
My hand, propping up Makina’s unsteady shoulder, could feel her warmth seeping through, little by little.
“Sorry everyone! We’re heading home early!”
“Huhh~? I can sthill do more~…”
“There’s no way someone slurring like that can do anything!”
“…That’s what I was trying to say.”
Ia muttered that quietly, but nobody heard it.
◇◆◇◆◇
The walk back to the apartment.
Makina kept her head resting on my shoulder the whole way.
A faint, sweet, boozy smell clinging to her.
Her breath, hotter than usual, right by my ear. Her shoulder pressed against mine, her thigh brushing mine with every step — everything felt so different from normal that I could barely keep my composure.
“Yotsuka, thank youuu.”
Her voice, lower than usual, syrupy-sweet and slurred.
Frantically holding down my heart, which had jumped straight into my throat, I answer while keeping my eyes fixed forward.
“It’s fine, it’s fine, no big deal.”
“Hey, Yotsuka.”
“Hm?”
“I like you, Yotsuka.”
“…! Y-yeah, I know, as a childhood friend, right?”
“Nuh-uh.”
Makina shakes her head, her hair brushing ticklishly against my neck.
“Nuh-uh?!”
Makina’s grinning, all smiles.
Completely, unmistakably, drunk-face.
“Not as a childhood friend… ehehe, Yotsuka is just Yotsuka.”
Stringing together words with that unfairly loaded ring to them, like she’s enjoying watching me squirm.
She nuzzles her cheek against my shoulder, rubbing it there.
…Argh, I got worked up for nothing just now, what a waste!
“I like your eyes, Yotsuka.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“I like your nose too.”
“Uh-huh, thanks.”
“And also, um… I like all of you.”
“Okay, okay, we’re almost home.”
Supporting her unsteady steps, I somehow manage to get us home.
Just getting her shoes off at the entryway is a whole ordeal, and Makina, clinging to my clothes like she’ll collapse without them, has to be practically carried into the living room.
“Okay, sit on the sofa. I brought water, drink this.”
“Mmm~”
Collapsing onto the sofa, Makina obediently takes small sips of water.
Her pale skin, visible through her slightly loosened uniform collar, is faintly flushed with heat.
I can’t look directly at her reddened earlobes or her heat-glazed eyes — even in my own house, I feel like some kind of intruder.
“Feeling sick? How is it?”
“Feels a little better, maybe~”
“Might be good to cool your head down and sleep a bit. I’ll take you to your room.”
“Okay…”
Lending her my shoulder, we get up slowly.
That’s when Makina grabs the hem of my blazer, small and tight.
“Makina…?”
Looking down, Makina’s staring straight into my eyes.
“Yotsuka.”
“Hm? What now?”
The moment I ask—
Makina’s free hand drifts smoothly up to my cheek.
The faint heat from her fingertips against my skin makes my breath stop.
Our faces close the distance until our breath mingles, too fast for me to even manage closing my eyes.
And then.
Against my lips.
Something soft was pressed there.