My Friend Doesn't Hesitate 23

ACT 23     How Do We Look to an Outsider?



「............」


Lunch break.

Today, both of them were having the cafeteria food instead of bringing bentos, and as Mashiro and Akami sat next to each other, they were eating their meals stiffly.

The trend of today's set menu was Western-style food: carbonara and salad with a jelly cup for dessert, which seemingly should have been a good topic to discuss, but.

...... What should friends maintaining their distance from each other talk about?

Mashiro had her hands full thinking about that, so she had no idea how her lunch tasted.


「...........」


Akami sitting next to her also hadn't said a word since she sat down.

She was cutting the pasta into small pieces, bringing them to her mouth, and silently chewing. She was cute like a small animal.

She was cute, but it was difficult to start a conversation with her.

What in the world should I do?

... First of all, I'll quickly finish my meal.

Making up her mind, Mashiro tried to pick up the dressing in the center of the table,


「Ah.」

「Ah.」


Akami had reached for the dressing at the same timing, and their hands overlapped.

After being surprised for a moment, both of them immediately drew back their hands.

 ...... What was this?

Even though they only overlapped for a moment, Akami's hand felt incredibly warm, and Mashiro could feel her face heat up from just that.


「Umm... Nogi-san, go ahead.」

「Eh?」


When she looked, Akami's face was also a little red, and she was holding the hand that had been touched with her other hand.

That gesture was also cute... no, now wasn't the time to freeze up.


「It's fine, I'll yield to Nishina-san.」

「No, Nogi-san should go first.」

「No, no, Nishina-san should.」

「No, no, Nogi-san should.」


While they were arguing back and forth like that,


「... What are you two doing?」


A voice came from a seat on the other side of the long table.

When Mashiro and Akami simultaneously looked in that direction,


「Acchan-senpai.」

「Aisa-senpai.」


A female student with a petite build, shoulder-length hair, and trademark blue star hairpin, Mashiro's senior from junior high school, Inui Aisa, was looking at them with a puzzled expression.

Meeting the senior she respected in this atmosphere made her feel relieved, but also mixed feelings.

Setting that aside.


「Acchan-senpai, you're using the cafeteria today?」

「Yes. At the beginning of lunch break, I had a little errand. So, when I came here for a late lunch, I saw you two and called out to you, but... the atmosphere between the two of you seems a little different from usual.」

『Uu......』


They groaned at the same time.

As expected, it seemed that even from a third party's perspective, the atmosphere between Mashiro and Akami looked dicey.

The plan was to take one step back from their friendship, but maybe the distance between them had become too large?

Their intention was to become even closer, but did it actually have the opposite effect and make things visibly worse?

It couldn't be... are we unable to overcome this trial?

When Mashiro was harboring distressed feelings like that,



「You're just like a dog and kitty cat that have crossed the species boundary and started becoming close; it was heartwarming.」



『...... Heeh?』


Aisa looked slightly excited as she said that with a gentle smile, and both Mashiro and Akami let out stupefied noises in response.

　

「So, so, what is it? Have you two started going out?」

「N-no, Aisa-senpai, that's absolutely not the case...!」

「? Going out...?」

「Is that so? But your atmosphere was strangely pure and innocent, so I thought surely...」

「There is a reason for that! We discussed trying out distancing ourselves just a little, but...!」

「Eh? From my point of view, it didn't look like a gap had opened at all? If anything, it felt more like it had shortened too much, so you were conversely feeling troubled about the sense of distance. It's common for couples that have just started dating.」

「A-Aisa-senpai......!」

「I'm joking. But if you're ever actually troubled about that, please come to me anytime. I'm quite used to such consultations, and not just between opposite sexes; I don't think it's strange.」

「I'm telling you, you're mistaken!」


Akami was blushing as she got worked up and denied it, while Aisa responded by chuckling lightly, showing the composure of her older age.

Unable to keep up with their conversation, Mashiro had just been watching them absentmindedly, but.

There was one thing that came to Mashiro's mind once again.


「Um... Acchan-senpai.」

「Hmm? What is it, Mashiro-chan?」

「We... even like this, do we properly look close?」

「!」


To confirm what she thought about, Mashiro asked Aisa, and for some reason, Akami next to her (who was still bright red) was surprised.

She didn't know the reason for that, so setting that aside, she waited for Aisa's response to her question,


「Of course.」


And she replied with a wink.

The distressed feelings inside Mashiro started to lighten, and once again, she started feeling the desire to show her respect for Aisa.

　

「Acchan-senpai......!」

「In the future as well, you two should always stay close and grow even closer. I'm rooting for you.」

「Thank you very much!」

「U-um, you two, don't move the conversation forward without me...!?」


She was relieved to receive the approval of her respected senior.

It was okay.

She could get closer with Akami.

She could have confidence.

With that thought alone, Mashiro felt that the future had suddenly become brighter.


　　☆　　★　　☆　　★　　☆　　★


... I've thought this before, but.

I'm a little uncomfortable with Aisa-senpai.

But.


――This person's support is very reassuring.


I can't help but feel that way.

It's a little frustrating, and comfortable. It makes me think I'm no match for her as well.

For that reason.

I also want to become a wonderful older sister type like Aisa-senpai.