My Overly Anxious and Devoted Girlfriend Never Gives Up on Me - Chapter 2.1

“Sakuraba-kun.”

“…What?”

It was Monday, the start of a new week.

After school that day too, I had been summoned by Yunagi-san.

The moment she entered the classroom, she looked straight at me with an extremely serious expression.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“…So, what is it?”

A favor from Yunagi-san.

Probably nothing good, I bet.

Thinking that, I waited for her next words.

“…So, I really can’t tell everyone?”

“No.”

See?

“Pleeeeeease! I want to tell them!”

“No way. That was our agreement, right?”

“B-but…”

“Alright, understood. Then this is the end of our relationship.”

“Waaaaaah! Wait! Not that! Anything but that!”

“…”

I couldn’t help but sigh.

This was bound to happen, so why can’t she just give up?

“Sakuraba-kuuun…”

“…I’ll ask anyway, but why? I don’t think there’s any benefit to telling people.”

If you ask me, it’s all downsides – standing out, being questioned, getting envied.

Maybe she’s used to all that, but still, it wouldn’t be advantageous for her either.

“…There is one.”

“Like what?”

“…We could spend more time together.”

Yunagi-san said this while slightly bowing her head, her cheeks faintly reddened as she looked embarrassed.

I quickly averted my gaze from her face to avoid looking at it too much.

Yunagi-san really is incredibly cute.

Even though I don’t have romantic feelings for her, I almost found myself saying something sweet to her.

But that couldn’t happen.

“I really like you! I want to talk more and be with you more. But if we have to hide it from everyone, I can’t even do that…”

“Ah, well, but you’ll just have to endure that.”

“Muuuu. I am enduring it.”

Yunagi-san, sitting in her chair, shook her head fretfully.

If I put myself in her position, I suppose it’s natural for her to feel that way.

After all, our current communication is limited to just talking a little after school like this or exchanging messages on chat apps.

“…Got it! Then how about friends? Let’s say we became friends!”

“…What do you mean?”

“So, if we say that you and I became friends, then it should be fine for us to be together at school, right? Plus, this way it wouldn’t count as revealing our secret.”

“…I see.”

“See! It’s a good idea, isn’t it? Let’s do it!”

“…No, still no. I don’t want to.”

“Why?!”

Yunagi-san’s bright expression immediately turned into a sad, tearful face.

I understand she’s trying to come up with something creative, but this still has problems.

“We have no connection. You and I have different positions in school, and we’re in different classes. Suddenly becoming friends would be unnatural.”

“It’s fine! I get along with everyone, and I’m friends with lots of people!”

“Even so, you’d probably come to see me frequently, right? If you’re suddenly talking repeatedly with a guy you supposedly just became close to despite having no apparent connection, people would definitely get suspicious.”

“It’s okay! I don’t think people pay that much attention to others!”

“Normally, yes. But you’re not normal.”

When I said that much, Yunagi-san’s eyes welled up again, and she pressed her lips into a straight line and fell silent.

I feel bad for her, but this time my reasoning should be correct.

I have to refuse with firm resolve.

“…”

“…What?”

“Please! Then I’ll only come see you once a day! Just let me say we’re friends! Th-that should be fine, right?”

Is she still persisting…?

Yunagi-san is usually like this, but today she’s especially stubborn.

“But then you wouldn’t achieve your original goal, would you?”

“Ugh… w-well, maybe not.”

“Then there’s even less benefit in it.”

“B-but… um…”

Yunagi-san suddenly became hesitant, mumbling something incoherently.

…Something’s suspicious.

“Are you hiding something?”

“Wha?! Wh-what do you mean?!”

“Your story doesn’t add up. Maybe there’s some other reason you want us to be ‘friends’?”

“Ugghh…”

Yunagi-san noticeably recoiled.

So, she was plotting something after all.

“Tell me.”

“I-it’s nothing.”

“No. Tell me.”

“U, uu…”

I looked straight into Yunagi-san’s eyes and spoke with a slightly firmer tone.

Yunagi-san’s face turned red, and her mouth twisted slightly.

Her weakness is definitely me.

Though I feel bad about it, I’ll use that position to my advantage for now.

“…B-because”

“Because?”

“…Because! If I don’t make my presence known to everyone, other girls might start going after Sakuraba-kun again!”

“…”

Yunagi-san peeked at me through the gaps between the fingers covering her face.

I couldn’t help but scratch my head.

Somehow, I felt like I’d done something really terrible to her.

“So that’s the real reason.”

“I-it’s true that I want to spend more time with you too! But this might be the main reason.”

“…I see.”

“Because! If it ends up like with Naruse-san again. I…”

She buried her face in her desk with a thud and spoke in a voice so faint it seemed to disappear.

I quickly used my other hand to stop myself from reaching out to pat her head.

That was close.

I, of all people, almost slipped up.

“Sigh… I said it.”

“…You don’t need to worry, that won’t happen.”

“It will!”

“Will it, though…”

Yunagi-san raised her head and glared at me with extremely resentful eyes.

I wanted to argue back more, but somehow I decided to stop for now.

“Please, Sakuraba-kun! It’s okay, right? Huh?”

“…Hmm”

Yunagi-san closed her eyes and pressed her hands together as if praying.

Yunagi-san really is a beautiful girl.

But more than that, she was incredibly adorable.

Seeing her so troubled and flustered, desperately trying not to let the person she likes be taken by someone else – in the end, it really got to me.

“…Ah! Then, how about this!”

Holding up her index finger triumphantly, Yunagi-san began talking enthusiastically.

I’ll probably end up giving in to her.

As I listened to her talk, I couldn’t help but think that.