My Friend Doesn't Hesitate 16

ACT 16     How to Reach That Height?


「Uuu, uuum...」


It was the middle of May, and the midterm exams were soon, so Mashiro and Akami decided to have a study session in the library after school today, but.

Akami was standing in front of a bookshelf that had a reference book she wanted, but it seemed it wasn't within her reach; she was struggling hard, stretching her hand as far as she could and hopping to try and get it.

That was incredibly cute and soothing, so Mashiro started feeling like she wanted to watch it forever, but as might be expected, it seemed best to give her a helping hand.


「Akami, don't push yourself, I'll get it. Here.」

「Ah... Uu～, I couldn't reach again.」


When Mashiro got the book she was aiming for, Akami looked very frustrated.

For Akami, who had a height that was likely less than 150 centimeters and had proportionally short limbs, the frustration of being unable to reach a high place was a feeling she had experienced many times.


「Uuu, even though I was one of the tallest in my class back in grade school.」

「Is that so?」

「That’s right. But I've been this same height since 5th grade... Haa, I won't go so far as to wish I was as tall as Kiri-yan, but I at least wanted to be around Shiro-chan's height.」

「Hmmm, even that would still feel out of place. I can't imagine a tall Akami.」

「... Shiro-chan, I'll get angry?」


Akami looked up at her with a pout and reproachful eyes. That was cute too.

However, she didn't want to be scolded, so Mashiro immediately followed up.


「It's okay. Although you're short, Akami is cute and charming. Besides...」

「? Besides?」


Facing Akami, who tilted her head.

Mashiro put her hand on the bookshelf and looked her straight in the eyes,


「Even if Akami's hand can't reach, I'll always help you, so don't worry.」

「!」


When she said that, Akami suddenly averted her eyes with a red face.


「Shiro-chan, again, unconsciously and without hesitation...!」

「Eh, what?」

「... N-nothing. I'm very happy about Shiro-chan's feelings, but there are places that even Shiro-chan can't reach, right?」

「? What do you mean?」

「That one.」


Akami pointed even higher, at the top shelf.

It seemed there was one more necessary reference book... but as expected, even Mashiro couldn't reach that place.

Their tallest acquaintance, Kizaki Kiriko, would probably be able to reach it, but she was currently in the middle of club activities.

I see, that place looks to be quite difficult, but,


「It's okay. I have an idea.」

「An idea?」

「Yeah. Akami, open your legs a bit.」

「Buu...!?」


When Mashiro made a request to carry out her idea, for some reason Akami blew out in shock as her face turned bright red.


「My le-le-le-legs......!?」

「That's right. If I put Akami on my shoulders, you'll be able reach even that height, right?」

「Ah... I, I see! A ride on your shoulders! I, I was surprised...」

「? What did you imagine that wasn't a shoulder ride?」

「N-nothing! It's nothing!」


Akami frantically waved her hands as she made excuses. They were moving so fast she looked like a thousand-armed Kannon. Amazing.

Setting that aside.

Although she was curious about what Akami had imagined, first of all, they should accomplish their objective.


「So then, let's start.」

「Uuu... but, it's a bit scary after all. I have no experience with this kind of thing.」

「Eh, you've never been on the receiving end of this before?」

「Strangely, it's never happened. So I might make a strange sound.」

「Well, it's never happened for me either. Neither the doing nor receiving.」

「Wi-will it be okay?」

「Mmm, I'll try and do it somehow. Please entrust everything to me, Akami.」

「Shiro-chan... yeah, understood. I'm scared, but I'll try my best.」

「That's the spirit.」

「But at first, slowly... and gently, okay?」

「Ok. I'll gradually raise you up... however, at the end, I'll absolutely bring Akami to that height.」

「Then... all right, Shiro-chan, come.」

「Yeah. Akami, take a deep breath and slowly spread your legs――」



「You two, could you please stop this public-inappropriate conversation already?」



When Mashiro and Akami were cheerfully preparing the shoulder ride, a voice called out to them.

When they turned around, there was a female student wearing glasses on a slender face framed by long, glossy black hair, and she was looking down on them with half-opened eyes.

The school emblem on her uniform was the color for third-year students, and on her arm was an armband with the words『Library Committee Chairman』.

Mashiro didn't know her, but Akami seemed to know her and was a little surprised.

　

「Ha-Haijima-senpai...?」

「Eh?...... If I remember right, didn't Midoriya-san become that person's apprentice? (See Act 11)」

「Akami-chan looked like she was having a hard time, so I brought a stepladder for her... but you’re having an amazingly racy conversation. You two are the center of attention in the room.」

「?」


As Haijima-senpai said, when Mashiro looked at his surroundings, students were surrounding them at a distance and looking at them with strange eyes. It seemed like she could even hear the sounds of them gulping and holding their breaths.

Eh, what? Did they do something questionable?


「Ah... aaah.........!!!」

「Eh, hey, Akami, what's wrong?」


The moment after Akami looked like she was recalling the content of their conversation just now, not only her face, but her entire body turned red, and she put both hands on her cheeks and sank to the floor on the spot.


「A-Akami, what in the world?」

「Sorry... right now, for a bit, don't look at me...!」

「What do you mean? I don't really understand, so can you tell me in detail?」

「Impossible... that's impossible...!」


Akami, unable to revive, was left utterly helpless.

While Mashiro just stood there bewildered, Haijima-senpai let out a big sigh and put the stepladder she was carrying on her shoulders in place, then said,


「Well, it looks like it was a misunderstanding this time, so there's no chance for me to act. Akami-chan, when the time comes that it's not a misunderstanding, come to me. ――I'll tell you about a good place.」

「――――!!!!!」

「Eh, Haijima-senpai, what do you... eh, Akami? Are you okay!? Pull yourself together!?」


Haijima-senpai waved as she went away while leaving those words behind. Akami looked like she had received additional damage, and while still holding her face, she started trembling.

Mashiro, unable to figure out why Akami was like that or what Haijima-senpai meant, was simply at a loss.


　　☆　　★　　☆　　★　　☆　　★


(Due to the embarrassment from the conversation a moment ago being doubled from mixing with the image that unconsciously came to mind for a moment, it seems likely Nishina Akami will be unable to recover for a while)