Chapter 12

"There seems to be something in your hair, Naoko." Before she could finish her words, Amemiya interrupted her lightly, "It's a leaf."

He showed her the leaf that had been stuck to her hair at some unknown time, his tone sounding intimate and ambiguous.

With this interruption, she missed the best opportunity to explain.

Suzuki-kun's sharp eyes carefully examined the two of them through his thick and long bangs. She could see his hands, which were gradually clenched on the back of the chair.

After a while, his low and dull voice sounded: "Excuse me, Amemiya-kun, are you...in love?"

"Yes..." Amemiya had a carefree smile on his lips, and in her frightened eyes, he slowly continued the rest of the words, "...?"

"No! Of course not. Amemiya-kun and I are just good friends."

Naoko was embarrassed and anxious, and her face turned red.

Suzuki leaned his face out a little over half a meter, almost touching hers, and spoke each word with measured emphasis: "Is that so?" "

Of course. Amamiya-kun, what do you think?" Guilty, she poked the soft flesh of Amamiya's waist, earning him a sidelong, cold glance. She

didn't know why, but she had a feeling that if word of her relationship with Amamiya-kun got out, something irreversible would happen.

Furthermore, deep down, she saw this as just a game of house with Amamiya-kun, essentially no different from when she'd dressed up as a bride and married him as a child.

"Amamiya-kun?" Seeing no reaction, she gently poked his waist again, only for him to impatiently grab her finger.

"Oh."

...What did "oh" mean?

Suzuki-kun probably didn't believe it, because the air pressure around him was getting lower and lower, making her wince in the cold.

Fortunately, the bell rang soon, forcing him to turn his head away in frustration, otherwise Naoko would have surrendered.

This little episode was just the tip of the iceberg of Amamiya-kun's illness, because he then intensified his efforts, trying to create an atmosphere of passionate love with her in the eyes of everyone.

This week it was Naoko's turn to clean the blackboard and tidy up the podium.

Some teachers always like to write on the blackboard very high, and she was just a high school girl of average build, so she had to stand on tiptoe with difficulty, trying to wipe the chalk stain on her head.

As she was waving her arms with sweat dripping down her face, a warm body suddenly came up from behind her, and the eraser was gently grasped by another hand and taken away.

"Let me help you, Naoko."

"..."

Although she didn't turn around, she could imagine that everyone in the class was staring at them.

Amamiya Tomie, he must be crazy.

It would be strange if no one noticed the strangeness between them after a day like this. She began to regret having this crappy relationship.

At lunchtime on the rooftop, Naoko finally couldn't help but complain, "Amemiya-kun, you're really being too deliberate...!"

"Ah, really? I thought you couldn't tell, Naoko."

"Huh?"

Was she a fool in his eyes?

"This is to warn those who are ready to make a move. It's enough for Naoko to have Tomie Amemiya by her side."

Even if he didn't do something unnecessary, he would be the only one by her side.

What was he trying to do, treating her like an enemy?

"Anyway, you'd better tone it down, Amemiya-kun."

"Now I'm the victim."

Amemiya's gaze fell on her lips, and he paused.

She deeply regretted agreeing to such a foolish thing.

"Amemiya-kun, I actually..."

Amemiya seemed to have anticipated what she would say, and coldly interrupted her, "Naoko, if you dare say anything I don't want to hear, you'll definitely regret it."

Meeting his cold gaze, she closed her mouth again in frustration.

"But where's the love letter we promised you?" he asked. "Naoko, haven't you finished writing it yet?"

There was no way something like that could be written.

"I'm hungry, Amemiya-kun,"

Naoko tried to get away with it, but Amemiya pinched her face and whispered a warning, "Give it to me by tonight, or else..." "

...Got it. Amemiya-kun, you're really annoying."

All afternoon, Amemiya had been staring at her, constantly urging her, "Haven't you started yet, Naoko? I've been waiting for a long time."

"Writing something like that requires emotion and inspiration, okay? How can you just write it whenever you want?"

"So, Naoko, you don't have any feelings for me?"

He leaned in too close, his warm breath tickling her ear, making her slap him backhanded.

"I'm working on it. Don't you have to go play basketball?"

From outside, Umino-kun and the others called out to Amemiya. She pushed him, urging, "You'd better go quickly."

He reluctantly agreed, and before leaving, he stroked her hand lightly and flirtatiously.

Naoko got goose bumps all over her body.

She hadn't been to the library these past few days.

She had other intentions in the first place, and since she couldn't meet Senior Irie, that place had lost its meaning.

After racking her brains for a long time, she couldn't think of what kind of love letter she could write to Amemiya-kun.

"Dear Amemiya-kun..."

"Thank you for taking care of me all the time..."

But could this be considered a love letter?

It was more like a thank-you letter.

Thinking that it was almost time, Naoko packed her backpack and prepared to go to the basketball court to find Amemiya-kun.

As soon as she walked downstairs, she heard a mournful pleading voice:

"Amemiya-kun, Amemiya-kun...you know, I can never leave you..."

"Go away," Amemiya kicked the man away coldly, but not long after, Irie crawled forward again, crawled at his feet, and tried to hug his calves.

"Amemiya-kun, didn't you say... that I'm still useful, right?"

Amemiya then lowered her eyes and gave him a straight look: "That's right, what exactly is it about you that caught her eye?"

The warm hands lifted Irie's face roughly, and looked at it over and over again, and finally pushed him away in disgust, rubbing her hands on the clothes on his shoulders.

Finally, Amemiya commented in a cold voice: "Disgusting rat."

Perhaps because Naoko's eyes were too naked, he turned his head lightly and met her eyes.

Discovered!

She subconsciously hid behind the wall, but this was completely a case of trying to cover up one's mistake.

Irie crawled two steps with saliva dripping from his mouth, and he didn't even look back, leaving him far behind. Instead, he walked over and calmly took Naoko's hand.

"Stop looking, let's go."

"But Senior Irie..." She glanced behind her and was startled by Irie's sinister and resentful gaze.