Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu

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23, Confession


　My muttering flustered Hasaki.
　Then she looked troubled or distressed, then slowly stood up.

　Then, without saying a word, she ran.

"……Ha?"

　I'm confused by Hasaki's actions.
　Why did she run away without saying anything?
　If she had misspoken, she should have said so.
　The fact that she doesn't do that means, really...

　It's no use thinking about it.
　I got up and decided to follow her, carrying the racket bag that Hasaki had left behind.


☆


　Hasaki has been training on a regular basis and as expected is fast on her feet.
　I follow her as fast as I can.

　Hasaki runs while checking me from behind, glancing back and forth. Her face was somewhat frightened.
　The distance is getting closer and closer, and it's almost catching up... at that time.

"W-What are you doiing !?"

"Is he the stalker of Hasaki!?"

"Anyway, stop right here!"

　Old men in jerseys appeared to block my way.
　By the looks of it, it could be a tennis school coach or a school teacher?
　They apparently thought I was some kind of stalker of Hasaki.

　Certainly, it is not surprising that I would be misunderstood that way if I saw from the other side the image of Hasaki running away from me with a frightened expression on her face.

　However, I cannot let Hasaki go on like this.

"I'm her friend!"

　That's all I said and tried to get through, but...

"Eei, I can't believe that lie!"

"No way I believe it when you say it in such a frightening face!"

　With that said, the old men were frightened of me, but were determined not to let me go to Hasaki.

　...... It is difficult.
　These old men are in the way, but they are there to help because they think that Hasaki is involved with some bad guys.
　They are good adults with a sense of responsibility and justice.

　It is ...... difficult to forcibly push such people to continue.

　Damn, how troublesome, I thought inwardly.

"...T-That person is! My friend!"

　The one who helped me was Hasaki, who was unable to see the situation for what it was.

　The old men are dismayed by Hasaki's words.
　They look at me and Hasaki alternately.

"It's true. I was playing a little prank ... I'm sorry for troubling you."

　When Hasaki bowed her head and said, the old men looked at each other and then,

"That's fine then..."

　They awkwardly said, and then walked away from us.
　After watching their backs, I turned to Hasaki and said.

"My bad, you saved me"

　Then Hasaki apologetically cowered her shoulders before replying.

"It's my fault for running away and don't apologize..."

　To her words, I reply, "That's true too."
　Hasaki muttered "Uuh" and looked down.

"...I mean, Tomoki-kun, you are fast. I had confidence in my foot speed, too, but I didn't think you could catch up to me with the handicap of a tennis bag."

　She said, and I say to her in a blunt manner.

"Natsuo"

　In response to my voice, Hasaki's shoulders jolted and her expression became tense.
　If she shows me this kind of reaction, I will understand.

"I see. I knew Hasaki was ... Natsuo, right."

　I no longer doubted that my first friends Natsuo and Hasaki were the same person.

　Well-formed face, chestnut hair.
　And ―― The pathetic expression on her face as she held back tears reminded me of Natsuo.
　Ah, surely this person was Natsuo, I thought. I was convinced in my heart.

　At my words, Hasaki's moist eyes go down and then she fidgetily grips the hem of her skort.
　Then, after taking one deep breath, she slowly raised her head and made eye contact with me.

"... I'm sorry. I won't run away again. I'll talk properly. Let's move to a place where we can talk calmly, okay?"

　I nod to Hasaki's words.
　Then I followed her lead and we moved on.

☆

　A short distance away from the tennis courts, and with no major athletic fields nearby, it certainly seemed like a calm place to talk.
　I and Hasaki sit side by side on an empty bench.

　Then, after a short pause, Hasaki looked into my eyes and told me.

"Once again, I'm Natsuo. ... It's been a long time, Yuu-kun."

　Hasaki smiles calmly.
　"It's been a long time," she said, her expression somewhat sad.

"Yes, it is. Long time no see, Natsuo."

　I replied so.
　Then,

"... Um, can I still call you Hasaki as usual? I'm kind of tickled or embarrassed. I'm going to stop being in Natsuo mode now, too."

"You are right. I, too, feel a bit uncomfortable calling Hasaki Natsuo."

　Hasaki nodded to my words.
　And ... Then the conversation stopped.
　Because neither I nor Hasaki knows what to say.　

"... Don't you want to ask?"

　Then Hasaki asked me anxiously.

"About what?"

"……A lot of things"

　With a hint of self-mockery, Hasaki said.

"A lot of things, huh. I don't know where to start. ... I'm pretty confused."

　Natsuo, whom I thought was a man, is actually a woman.
　Moreover, it was Hasaki Kana from the same class.
　To be honest ... I don't understand.

　……However.
　I was still happy to see Natsuo again in this way.

"You don’t seem to be confused at all?"

"I'm not very good at showing my emotions."

　At my answer, Hasaki laughed softly.

"I see... I, you know, there's something I've been meaning to tell you?"

　When I hear those words, I look at Hasaki.
　She looked distressed, then opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry, even though it was my fault that Yuu-kun was being scared and avoided by everyone. But I couldn't talk to Yuu-kun. I couldn't help you ... I'm really sorry."

　Hasaki bows her head.
　I couldn't see her expression, but her slender shoulders and voice were shaking.

"You said, ‘It's my fault’. Are you talking about this scar?"

　At my words, Hasaki gave a small nod.
　Seeing this, I can't help but let out a sigh, "Haa"

"Eh?"

　She raised her head impatiently, and Hasaki looked at me.

"Even if I didn't have this scar, I'd still have a bad eye, to begin with, and I've had my share of incidents. Of course they were scared of me and avoided me. ... And I can kind of understand why Hasaki couldn't talk to me. "

　I don't know the reason, but it must take a lot of courage to confess to someone you became friends with as a man that you were actually a girl.
　The things she couldn't say, considering how she felt, I thought it couldn't be helped.

"But……"

　Hasaki mutters as if she is not convinced by my words.
　She was about to continue her words, but I didn't wait for her to continue and opened my mouth.

"Sure, there were times when I thought the scar made me look bad, too. But, as ever since that time, this scar is a proof that I was able to protect my friend... I'm proud of it."

　Hasaki looks at me.
　Our gazes collide straight into each other's.
　Her eyes seemed to be filled with tears.
　Even now, a few years after that, she is still a crybaby.

"So don't apologize anymore."

　I said so to Hasaki.
　Her face was bright red from the setting sun.
　After nodding.

"After all, I am ..."

　She muttered, as if to tell herself.
　But there were no words that followed.
　What in the world was "After all", I didn't know.

　…… However, this made a lot of sense to me.
　The lonely look that Hasaki sometimes showed when talking to me.

　Perhaps Hasaki felt lonely that I could not notice that she was Natsuo.
　If you ask me, even though there is a trace of him... I've made Hasaki feel lonely.

　And so I think back on all that we've done so far,

"Hey, did you notice that? I've... been lying to Yuu-kun all the time."

　Hasaki said this with a serious expression on her face.

"Is that so?"

　After nodding slowly, she began to speak.

"And the first thing I did was lie about being a boy. And the summer of sixth grade, I broke my promise and didn't go to see you. ... Just the other day, behind the gym, I lied about wanting to be friends with Yuu-kun."

"Ha!? That thing about wanting to be friends was a lie? ...Ah. Since we're already friends and you said that, so you call it a 'lie', huh."

　I said this as I recalled that day when I was summoned by the letter, and Hasaki put on a calm expression and then shook her head.

"No, you're wrong. ... What I'm about to say is not a lie."

　So after making a preface, she went on to say.











"I actually wanted to be your girlfriend, not your friend, you know?"













"Ha?"





　As expected, I must have misheard it or something.
　That's what I thought, and I was going to ask her back what she said to me...


　I couldn't continue to speak when I saw Hasaki looking at me wistfully.


"More gentle and stronger than anyone else. ... When I am in trouble, you are there for me, and I like that about you. ...I love you."











　She is so beautiful to behold ――.
　But with a somewhat fragile smile, she told me.
















"Please make me your girlfriend, Yuu-kun"