Chapter 90: Two Years Apart [side Nozomi Tachibana]
A prize request work for @to18's weight-guessing contest event.
The story of Kousuke and Nozomi begins, begins—.
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I, Nozomi Tachibana, despite appearances,
am a fairly decent tennis player in the prefecture.
I'm in middle school second year, but I made it to the top 4 in the prefecture at the sumr tournant, and even reached the top 8 at the regional tournant.
Next year, to aim for nationals, I'm currently focusing on building up my physical strength.
...In cold regions, it's a common thing that courts can't be used in winter, so training becos mostly physical, though, right?
The other day, my older brother bought a tennis racket and other stuff, you know?
Refer to Main Story: My Story of Falling for the Class President, Chapter 256 - Big Brother, Crepes, and a Racket.
And Kousuke-kun praised , right?
Refer to Chapter 71 - Things That Don't Change.
My motivation is through the roof.
Next sumr will be my last tournant in middle school, my culmination. I want to perfect a lot of things by then!
By the way, Kousuke-kun's house is right in front of my middle school.
Being a bit playful, I threw a tennis ball at his window to call him out, and the other day he got super mad at .
I think, co on, there's no need to get so angry about it!
He treats like a child and keeps treating like a wild beast.
Even though I, you know, am a well-known player in the prefectural middle school tennis scene? Like Kashii-senpai back in the day? ...Not quite on her level, but... I've been called cute, you know?
※Rena Kashii appeared on the evening news during entrance exams, and suspicious people sward in front of the school lol
As expected of Senpai! Since I'm cute too, could sothing like that happen to ?
Or so I thought, right?
Recently, there's been this weird guy waiting for outside...
Look.
Guy "You're here, huh? Nozomi-chan? I've been waiting for you?"
I ignore him and walk past.
The guy persistently talks about adult charm and financial power, and honestly, it's creepy.
Apparently, the guy is a 20-year-old university student.
I'm 14. A 20-year-old is an adult, but... honestly, it's scary.
Why is this adult trying to hit on a second-year middle school girl?
My best friend, the class president, said,
Class President "Soone like that, a university student seriously hitting on an naive middle schooler, no matter how you look at it, is just trash who wants to trick you and sleep with you, right?"
"...Should we take him out?"
Friends ""No, you can't do that—!""
All my friends try to stop her.
It's a joke, but since she's done stuff like this before, everyone's eyes are sharp and scary.
On such a Sunday morning, before final exams, there's no club activity, but I felt an urge to move my body, so I ca to the middle school.
I opened the familiar clubroom lock, did so running, practiced swings, returned the key without getting caught, and as I left the school gate around 11 to head ho, soone grabbed my arm.
"...!!"
I was so shocked I couldn't even make a sound!
I reached for my high socks...!
Guy "Nozomi-chan, wanna go on a date?"
Huh? This person again!
Half scared! Half angry!
"No way! Why would I?"
Guy "You probably don't get it since you're a kid, but I'll teach you about an adult date!"
Seriously, being popular with soone like this is pointless!
I reached into my high socks for...
Kousuke "That's enough. Hey, hey. She's a wild beast, you know—don't touch her."
His tone was gentle, but Kousuke-kun roughly twisted the arm of the guy grabbing .
Kousuke-kun!
Since his house is right nearby, he must have noticed!
Guy "Ouch! Ouch! What are you doing, brat!"
Kousuke "Hey, hey, I don't wanna hear that from soone more childish than this brat, hitting on kids."
Kousuke-kun pushed the guy away and said to him,
"This is for your own good, alright? This person is a wild beast, you know? Nozomi? Stay!"
Ugh, I wanna punch him so bad. Kousuke-kun is stopping , though...
The weapon I had hidden in my high socks, which I borrowed from the class president, is my little slapper!
It's a self-defense tool, about 30cm of black leather with a flat spring inside, looking like a shoehorn at first glance. When you snap it with force, it's incredibly powerful!
Hearing the thunderous sound of my tennis-trained swing, the guy was seriously freaked out.
I was scared too, you know? So I have the right to hit hard, don't I?
The guy looked frustrated, glancing between and Kousuke-kun...
!!
Kousuke-kun! Lend your ear?
Please! Just for today! Pretend to be my boyfriend to make this weird guy give up!
Kousuke-kun reluctantly nodded,
"I was so scared—? Thank you♪ My reliable boyfriend♪"
Kousuke "..."
"...Co on, play along?"
Kousuke "...Of course, since you're my girlfriend, right?"
I made him say it, but... it feels so good!
The guy is staring at us with a shocked expression.
Nice! Let's do this!
"So? Let's go, Kousuke-kun♪"
While thoroughly enjoying this fake boyfriend-girlfriend act, I cling to his arm!
My chest ends up pressing against Kousuke-kun's arm, but... that's a reward, right? A perk for Kousuke-kun!
Kousuke "...? You don't even have a chest, do you?"
"Hey, watch it!"
A maiden's pride! Even if I'm flat-chested, that's just rude!
I cling to his arm while throwing insults at him.
I'll have him walk ho like this.
Kousuke-kun is so cold.
He'd probably only help if I were his girlfriend, right?
He must think I'm a boy!
I keep nagging and blaming him.
...I'm such a child, aren't I?
I'm just a brat taking out my frustration on Kousuke-kun because he doesn't see as a girl.
But, you know,
Kousuke "...I don't actually think you're a boy. You've grown out your hair, and you've beco more girlish. (Though you're still a wild beast.)"
※I couldn't quite hear the part in parentheses.
There he goes, teasing again.
I lightly hit Kousuke-kun while clinging to his arm.
I'm so happy.
I'm so happy that I can't help but press him further.
"But you wouldn't help if I weren't your girlfriend, right?"
Kousuke "...I'd help you. Even if you're not my girlfriend, you're Nozomi. I've known you since you were this tiny, you know?"
Kousuke-kun said, looking into the distance.
My cheeks feel hot, and my body is burning.
I can't even look at Kousuke-kun straight, and I'm sure he doesn't realize it.
I started growing my hair out because I found out that Kousuke-kun likes long black hair.
He probably doesn't even know.
He has no idea about the feelings of a girl who's like a little sister, admiring a guy who's like another older brother, soone who's doted on her since childhood when she followed her older brother around.
"At our house, my dad and mom are just two years apart, you know."
Kousuke "Huh? And what about it?"
"Hehe! Nothing at all!"
In romance gas and manga, isn't the rate of protagonists and heroines being classmates ridiculously high?
What's up with heroines only being within a year older or younger?
Just two years. That's the wall between and Kousuke-kun.
If it's 26 and 24, there's no problem at all.
But at 16 and 14, it's high schooler and middle schooler. A three-year gap is just unthinkable, right...?
Will I always be just a little sister? Or will I step up as the true heroine?
(First... I've got to make him notice , or I won't even stand a chance, right?)
I clung to Kousuke-kun's arm with all my strength.
Soday, to turn this lie into truth.
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From the request by @to18-san,
Kousuke and Nozomi. It was a winter day right before final exams.
Thank you always for your comnts!
Sho's little sister, Nozomi, is an energetic girl but quite attached to her older brother.
While she's close to her brother's best friend, Kousuke, she isn't seen as a girl by him.
How will she grow from here on out?
For Nozomi's wild antics, please check out the main story!
※This is a promotion.
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