Regarding Rika’s dark history, the story ended with me promising not to tell anyone, but there was still an awkward atmosphere in the room.
Currently, Rika has been unilaterally exposed to her dark history, so she has less talk than usual.
What would be the best way to get her back to her original vibrancy?
After struggling alone in an uncomfortable atmosphere, I soon found a solution.
If it was embarrassing because I unilaterally knew the black history, I could just open the dark history that I kept to Rika.
“That… don’t be too embarrassed. Secondary disease usually comes to everyone at least once. I was pretty serious when I was in middle school.”
“…really?”
Rika, who was burying her face in the teddy bear, took the bait.
I nodded and showed the middle school photo on my smartphone as proof.
This is Kim Yu-seong (3rd grade) at the time when he grew up with long bangs because he was fascinated with urban fantasy cartoons.
It was a picture I took before I took possession, so I had eyes like a rebellious child.
Kim Yoo-sung Others seem to think this is cool.
“Eh? Is this Ryu-chan? A lie!”
Saying that, Rika leaned her face in and widened her eyes.
Then, looking at the old photos in my smartphone and the current self, I looked like a child who knew the truth about Santa Claus.
“When I was in middle school, I was so small and cute, but how did it turn out to be sloppy?”
‘No, the surprising point is strange.’
While muttering inwardly at her reaction, which was completely different from what I had intended, I defended myself as faithfully as possible.
“When I was in middle school, I thought I was too sloppy and unmanly, so I started exercising in spring break before I entered high school.
I was 167cm tall when I first possessed it.
In that state, when I started exercising with Director Nakayama, I started to grow explosively, and in my freshman year of high school, I was 180cm tall and now I am 186cm.
What’s even more surprising is that he’s still growing taller.
After hearing my explanation, Rika looked at me in the picture as if it was a waste.
“If I had transferred two years earlier, would I have been able to see Ryu-chan at this time? It’s a waste.”
“Then you’re saying I’m not that good now?”
“Ah, of course, Ryu-chan is fine now too! Still, it’s because her face doesn’t match her usual appearance at all!”
Rika waved her hands and said so in a hurry, and whether it was an excuse that was too boring even if she thought about it, she said with a red face and bowed her head.
Now that the tense atmosphere seemed to have loosened, I smiled softly and said to her.
“Everyone has times of shame. So you don’t have to suffer too much.”
“Ugh… If I could only erase one picture from my life, I would definitely choose that picture.”
Rika said that as if grumbling, biting the Pocky, a snack she had brought from the first floor earlier.
Still, I felt a lot better than before.
After all, it seemed more comfortable to share the black history with both sides.
It’s like you’re holding the other person’s secret.
The atmosphere had barely been able to have a normal conversation, so I bowed my head and thanked Rika.
“Thank you for inviting me to your house today. Thanks to you, I was able to meet and get autographs with Mr. Kishimoto whom I respected. Perhaps today’s event will be a memory I will never forget for the rest of my life.”
Then Rika said, scratching the back of her head as if embarrassed.
“Don’t let it float like that. All I did was ask Papa. On the contrary, if I can repay Ryu-chan for the help from the first day of transfer, I will invite Ryu-chan to my house as many times as I want.”
Being able to meet Kishimoto-sensei at any time, as a fan, there was nothing more heartbreaking than that.
“Won’t it be a problem if I come here too often?”
“If that’s the case, that’s fine. When I was in middle school, my friends always came to play once a month and had a pajama party!”
It seemed that same-s*x friends often come to hang out and opposite-s*x friends often come to hang out with, but it seemed like a different story, but I decided not to point it out for the sake of Rika’s innocence.
“Then I’ll take care of you again next time I have a chance.”
“Hey, you’re welcome to come and play.”
When the conversation between the two of them was finished to some extent, there was silence in the room.
But it wasn’t awkward like before, it was just a comfortable silence, which made me feel at ease.
I couldn’t think of anything to talk about, so I got up, wanting to read the manga piled up on the bookshelf.
As I approached the bookshelf occupying one side of the room and began to look intently, Rika, who was sitting on her bed instead of a cushion on the floor, eating sweets in a comfortable position, asked.
“By the way, what made Ryu-chan fall in love with comic books?”
I answered by scanning the title of the comic book.
“When I was young, I was often alone at home. My parents are dual-income, so I’m not at home, so I think I naturally read comic books.”
I picked a book that looked moderately interesting and sat down on the cushion again and asked Rika in reverse.
“So, Rika, what motivated you to like comic books?”
Then Rika, who was holding a cushion and watching a humor video on her smartphone, huh? and turned his head.
“Me? What am I… My father is a cartoonist, so I read naturally. My mom always showed me comic books when my mom went out and dad saw me alone. Well, is this the power of early education?”
I opened the first page of the comic book and said teasingly.
“Now we don’t call them Papa and Mama.”
Then Rika said: and blushed.
“You don’t always call me Papa and Mama?!”
“Wow, calm down, because nobody said it was wrong.”
As we chatted and read the comic book that Rika recommended, two hours passed.
***
In fact, the original cause of the cause was already resolved immediately, and even though it was a friend’s house, it was rude for guests to stay for too long, so I closed the book at the right time and got up.
Then Rika, who was reading a comic book like me, tilted her head and asked.
“Are you going?”
“Yeah. It’s been a while. You should go home and eat dinner.”
As I said this and pointed to the clock on the wall, Rika muttered, “It’s already time.”
I arrived at 12 o’clock, so 4 hours have already passed.
“Then I’ll see you off.”
Saying that, Rika got up from the bed.
I asked because something came to mind while I was packing the bag I had left on the floor.
“By the way, did you say that you are going on an overseas trip with your family starting tomorrow? Where are you going?”
Then Rika said proudly, drawing a V with her finger.
“Hawaii.”
“Come back after having a good time. Make sure to apply sunscreen.”
“Heehee, sometimes, Ryu-chan acts like a father.”
In reality, it felt like I was seeing a younger sister with a little age difference, but I didn’t bother to correct it.
After saying goodbye to Mr. Kishimoto in the study and Maria watching the drama in the living room, Rika said with a cat-like smile as she put her shoes on in front of the front door.
“Then we won’t see each other for a week. Ryu-chan, can’t you cry because you miss me?”
I stared at Rika who was making such a joke like a joke, then made the shape of a receiver with my right hand.
“Call me if there’s anything. I’ll come to help if there’s anything.”
“Are you going to swim to Hawaii?”
“…I’m going to go by plane as usual. I break my pocket money account, huh?”
Upon hearing that, Rika giggled and nodded her head.
“Yeah. See you at school then. Ryu-chan.”
“okay.”
I said as I opened the front door.
“See you at school.”
***
Kishimoto Rika grabbed her trembling heart as she looked at the back of Kim Yoo-sung as she moved away.
‘Call me if there’s anything. I’ll go help you if you can.’
To be honest, I think it’s a foul.
I was careless because I thought it was the end, but suddenly saying something like that.
The reason she had a crush on Kim Yoo-seong was obviously because of her appearance like a boy cartoon character.
However, it wasn’t like it was love at first sight.
At first, I thought we would just be comfortable friends.
But as we walked together laughing and chatting next to him, at some point, her gaze naturally followed Kim Yoo-sung’s back.
I liked that gap that looked blunt on the outside, but cared deeply on the inside.
It was as big as a bear, but I liked the reassurance that it was never scary.
There are countless people who have confessed to Rika Kishimoto during their 17 years of life going through elementary school, middle school, and high school.
However, he didn’t like the insidious gaze towards his body, which was more developed than his peers, so he rejected all of them and pushed them away.
On the other hand, when talking to her, Kim Yoo-sung looked into her eyes first.
There were times when his gaze would look down, but he was shy enough to turn his gaze away.
If so, it wasn’t scary.
On the contrary, I was a little happy to be paying attention to myself.
‘I like you.’
He muttered silently as he looked at his back face as he moved away.
I’ve practiced by myself over and over at home, but the words don’t come out when I’m standing in front of him.
Fortunately, there was still plenty of time until graduation.
‘Someday for sure.’
As she vowed to do so, she rubbed the nape of Taro’s neck, which clings to his feet and shows his aegyo.