I Accidentally Sent a Love Letter to the School's Most Prestigious Young Lady Instead of My Childhood Friend, and Now She's Bowing to Me, Asking, "Please Date Me—On the Premise of Marriage!" - 17

The three of them continued down the hallway, climbed the stairs, and emerged onto the rooftop.

No one else was around. Shion led Airi to the edge and tried to calm her down.

Airi, looking through the fence at the after-school club activities taking place on the school grounds, began to speak haltingly.

“I’m the eldest of three sisters…”

“……”

Shion and Haru remained silent, listening to Airi’s words as they began to flow.

“Our family isn’t wealthy, so we couldn’t afford to buy new clothes for all three of us. It was always my sisters first, and I was told to endure it because I’m the big sister. They got everything they wanted, while I got nothing. So…”

Shion looked at Airi’s hands resting on the fence, then at her ears, her profile.

Despite being a gyaru, her nails were bare, with no polish or anything. Her accessories—rings, bracelets, earrings—were all cheap imitations. Her skin was a beautiful porcelain white, but she wore no makeup.

It wasn’t that she was following school rules. The school had a relaxed atmosphere, and there were plenty of gyaru on campus who paid no mind to the nominal regulations.

Airi could be called a beautiful girl with well-defined features, but to Shion, her natural face seemed modest.

“I wanted it,”

Airi continued.

“I was jealous—of you, Shion-senpai, and Haru-buchou. Shion-senpai is the school’s young lady, revered as ‘Princess.’ Haru-buchou is bright, cheerful, and popular. I have nothing, while everyone else has so much… It made me bitter and miserable…”

“……”

As the two continued to listen in silence, Airi went on.

“I started imagining what it would feel like to have boyfriends like theirs. And then I couldn’t stop. I knew I was greedy and twisted, but I couldn’t help myself anymore…”

Airi hung her head, tears trickling down once more. Shion spoke to her gently.

“I think I understand that feeling—just a little. Because there was something I wanted for a long time, too. So, if it’s just ‘a little’… I can share it with you.”

Airi, though still looking down, stopped crying and opened her eyes wide.

“You mean…?”

Airi raised her face and stared at Shion.

“Yes. It doesn’t have to be Kisaragi-san for you, right? But if you strongly wish to feel prioritized yourself, I thought I could share a little with you.”

“Really…?”

Airi stared at Shion with wide eyes.

“However, no kissing. Light physical touch only. On the premise of being friends, or close club seniors and juniors. Even I can’t agree to you becoming equal to me or Haru-san. Just a boyfriend-like senior. If Haru-san is willing, it would only be sharing a bit of the emotional aspect…”

When Airi turned her face the other way, Haru continued reluctantly, shaking her head.

“I’d like to ask what you think you’re doing, pushing this forward on your own… But fine. I owe you, Airi, since the Literature Club didn’t get disbanded thanks to you joining. But just as specified—no kissing, just a slightly closer senior. If that’s okay, I can pretend not to see a little.”

Airi’s face lit up brightly.

“I can have… Kisaragi-senpai as my boyfriend…?”

“He’s not your boyfriend! And someone like you could get as many boyfriends as you want, Airi.”

“But having a taste of what belongs to Shion-senpai and Haru-buchou, like I’m stealing him, feels really satisfying. I don’t want other guys who are only interested in my body.”

“Yuu’s the same, you know.”

“Kisaragi-senpai as my boyfriend… huh.”

“She’s not listening.”

Whether the matter was settled or not… Regardless, the three exchanged smiles. As if blessing them, or perhaps foretelling future turmoil, their hair danced in the wind.

◇◇◇◇◇◇

After Airi went down the stairs with a light step, the opposite of how she had arrived.

Haru, next to Shion, asked quietly.

“What are you really up to?”

“Well…”

Shion, gazing into the distance, answered Haru.

“Honestly, there’s pity and compassion, too. You could say I’m superimposing Airi-san onto my past self.”

“Is that all?”

“No…”

After a pause, Shion declared.

“There’s also the part where I wanted to disrupt the calm relationship between you, me, and Kisaragi-san. To determine whether I have the resolve to seriously confront ‘the two of you,’ staking my life on it.”

“You mean…”

“Yes. I, too, am confused and wavering. So, to reflect on myself, I’d like to join the Literature Club as well.”

Shion, mischievous despite her appearance. But at that moment, her jet-black eyes were so profound they betrayed not a hint of jest.

“…You need my approval, you know.”

“You won’t refuse, Haru-san.”

Haru didn’t understand the reason, but Shion’s voice carried a calm certainty.

“…Yuu has no idea what we’re talking about here, does he?”

“That’s right. Here, without Kisaragi-san, it’s just us—his women—talking.”

“……”

“Is it a woman’s privilege?”

Shion let out a soft laugh for the first time here, but Haru didn’t smile back in agreement.