Chapter 06
Mitsuyu Begins to Realize
“…So basically, you’re asking if it’s okay to have romantic feelings toward a friend, right?”
I tried to summarize what Mitsuyu just said in a clearer way—or at least, I thought I did. But for some reason, she suddenly grew flustered.
“R–romantic feelings…!? N–no! It’s not like that! It’s not about romance at all, so don’t get the wrong idea!”
“W–why are you getting so worked up over a simple example?”
“I’m not worked up!!”
No matter how I looked at it, she clearly was. But if I pointed that out, she’d only get more defensive and the conversation wouldn’t move forward. So I decided to back down for now and answer her question directly.
“So basically, what you’re asking is whether wanting to do things like hold hands or hug with a friend—like you just said—is considered impure, right?”
When I rephrased it without using the word romantic feelings, Mitsuyu calmed down a little.
“Yeah… Just so we’re clear, I mean a friend of the opposite sex.”
“Got it.”
…So the question was whether it’s impure to want to hold hands or hug an opposite-sex friend.
It’s a tricky issue, but there’s one thing I can say with certainty.
“Well, compared to wanting to do that kind of stuff with a sibling, it’s a lot more innocent.”
“Okay, but what if you just look at it on its own, without comparing it to anything else?”
“…Honestly, I kinda doubt anyone would want to do that with a friend of the opposite sex without romantic feelings being involved, but… I don’t think simply wanting to hold hands or hug is impure. Of course, if you mean going further than that, it depends.”
“‘Depends,’ huh? When I say ‘further,’ I mean kissing or… sex. What else would it be?”
“K–kissing…!? And… s–sex!?”
I never imagined I’d hear those words coming out of Mitsuyu’s mouth, so I was honestly just shocked.
She looked at me and gave a small laugh.
“You’re overreacting. But judging from that reaction, Ichito, you don’t have any experience, do you?”
“E–experience? With which one?”
“Obviously I mean sex in this case. Though from what I can tell, you don’t have either.”
“…Sorry for being inexperienced.”
When I said that, Mitsuyu’s lips curved into a small smile, almost like she was happy.
“Not at all. Honestly, it suits you better this way. I can’t even picture you having that kind of experience, so it’s actually nice—it matches the image I had of you.”
“…That sounds like an insult. It is an insult, right?”
“It’s not an insult… If anything, I feel kind of happy about it. Maybe even… relieved.”
Her voice grew faint at the end, so I couldn’t catch what she said exactly. But at least I understood it wasn’t meant as an insult, so I let it go. Still… there was something I’d been curious about, so I decided to ask.
“Mitsuyu, do you have experience?”
“You mean kissing? Or sex?”
“Both.”
“What do you think, Ichito? Do I seem like I’d have experience?”
…Mitsuyu and I had started spending most of our time together since the second semester of my first year of high school. But before that, she belonged to a group that you’d probably describe as gyaru-type or the outgoing crowd.
Even now, she sometimes talks and hangs out with them. So in that sense, it wouldn’t be strange if she did have some experience. Plus, Mitsuyu herself often gives off a mature air that doesn’t feel like it belongs to someone our age. So if she told me she did, I wouldn’t be surprised.
“…If I had to guess, I’d say you probably do.”
“Hmm, so you’re complimenting me?”
“Yeah. Considering your looks, your personality, and the kind of people around you, I wouldn’t be shocked if you had.”
“Heh… that actually makes me happy.”
“…So, do you?”
“That’s a secret.”
“…Eh? …Wha—!?”
I couldn’t help raising my voice. After all that talk, and that’s her conclusion!?
“Because, isn’t it better if some things stay a mystery? But if you really want to know… I’ll tell you when the time comes.”
“When the time comes? When’s that supposed to be?”
“When it happens, it happens.”
She stood up from her seat as she said that.
“Anyway, I should get back to my own desk. See you later.”
“…Alright. See you.”
It was obvious she wouldn’t give me a straight answer no matter how much I pressed, so I gave up. It was surprising that after all that she’d just end with “secret,” but it wasn’t something I could force out of her. I’d just have to let it go… and forget about it for now.
“…In the end, I didn’t get to ask whether wanting to kiss or even have sex with an opposite-sex friend is considered impure. But that’s fine. I can ask her again when the time comes… Still, these feelings I have for Ichito… could they really be… that kind of thing?”
