Episode 21 – Want to Kiss

“So? How do you usually spend your time?”
“What do you mean?”

It was lunchtime, when I was having dinner with Tomohito for the first time in a while.
Since we started dating, Kasumi and I always had lunch together, and we decided to have lunch with each other’s friends once in a while, as we had done before.

Glancing at me, Kasumi was looking at me from a seat away from her, and every time she did so, Asahina and her friends made fun of her. I smiled at her and was glad that she cared about me.

Now, how do we usually spend our time?……

“You mean with Kasumi right?”
“Of course. So, you do what you do as a lover?””

I can’t really imagine what it is that we do as lovers, but in this case, that’s what the question is about, isn’t it?

“I don’t owe you an answer.”
“Well, I’m sure you’re right, but …… I’m still curious.”

I understand how you feel, but why do I have to tell you all that?
I mean, Kasumi nor I have been dating for less than two months. So we haven’t done that much …… yet, of course.

‘Well, it’s okay. I’m going to predict it by looking at you guys’ usual lovey-doveyness. I’ll just have to guess what you guys usually do when I see you lovebirds.”

“Well, it’s okay. I’m going to predict it by looking at you guys’ usual lovey-doveyness. I’ll just have to guess what you guys usually do when I see you lovebirds.”
“…… What’s with lovey-dovey?”

Not only Tomohito, but also Kasumi’s friends had similar things to say.
Kasumi and I get along well, and I think it’s because we are able to say things to each other without hesitation. I think the time we spent together as childhood friends has, in a sense, broken down the barrier of reserve, and we can say whatever we want to say to each other without fear.

“……Something to do huh?”

I blurted.
Just being with Kasumi like this now makes me happy and happy every day. But as Kasumi once said, I am a man. If there was a wonderful woman named Kasumi in front of me in a defenseless state, of course I would be conscious of her.

[….Kazuki?]

Sometimes I look at those soft lips, but that’s it.
I had a feeling that I wanted to at least try kissing her, though I was not ready for the s*x act. But I’m not actually able to act on it,……, so I guess I’m a bit of a slacker.

As I was thinking this, Tomohito opened his mouth with an apologetic look on his face.

“Hey, don’t even think that far ahead. It was my fault for asking.”
“…… Ah no, there’s nothing to apologize for.”

………It’s not something Tomohito Asked, but I did.

“Hey, Tomohito”
“What?”
“I wonder what it’s like the moment you kiss your lover.”
“Why would you ask me that if I don’t have a girlfriend?”

Yes, I’m sorry.
But Tomohito is a fun guy to talk to and a very kind friend who is very considerate of his friends. He’s not afraid to talk to Kasumi and the others, and I think he’d be popular with them if he just kept things normal.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll get a girlfriend eventually.”
“I hope so……. Haaaa”

No, I’m pretty sure you can do it.
After tapping Tomohito on the shoulder, I looked at Kasumi again. It seemed that Kasumi had been looking at me too, and our gazes crossed as if we were intertwined. I was a little embarrassed, but Kasumi didn’t seem to be.

“…..Haha”

I raised my hand a little and Kasumi raised hers in response.
Then Asahina san and the others are grinning and talking to Kasumi about something. Just as I have Tomohito and other friends, I have friends by Kasumi’s side that I can rely on……. What the heck, friends are still essential to student life, as are lovers.

Then time passed and it was after school.
As usual, I left the classroom with Kasumi, headed for the shoe box, changed into my shoes, and went outside. It had been a little while since then, and the senpai had not gotten involved with us since then. And there were no more letters left in Kasumi’s shoe box.

“I think he finally understood that I belonged to Kazuki. It’s good and quiet.”
“I hope so.”
“Yeah. But I’m worried about whether Kazuki will get confessed to.”

You don’t have to worry about that. I’ve never had a confession of love from anyone, and there’s no way I’d be attracted to anyone with a wonderful woman like Kasumi by my side. I think I’ve said something similar before, but that’s how big Kasumi is in my mind.

“Kasumi”

I reached out my arm, placed my hand on Kasumi’s shoulder, and pulled her straight to me.
Kasumi didn’t get surprised, but when she looked up to see what was wrong, I told her exactly what I was thinking.

“Can you imagine me leaving Kasumi? I can’t”
“….Fufu, Yes, I can’t do it. I can’t do it at all. Kazuki is crazy about me.”

….Kasumi really doesn’t mind saying things like that.
Kasumi chuckled at my quietness, but did not ask me anything in particular. Kasumi and I continued to cuddle as we headed home.

“Here, juice.”
“Thanks”
“Yeah”

The temperatures are getting much warmer as summer approaches.
I put my mouth in the cup I received from Kasumi, and the cool sensation of the poured orange juice down my throat is very soothing.

“Aaaa so nice”

Kasumi looked at me and muttered, “can’t help it,” and drank her juice with a smile.
My eyes were still drawn to the way she gulped down her delicious drink and to the way her lips parted from the cup. It is because we are so close to each other that our shoulders touch each other that I am conscious of her.

“……………”
“Kazuki?”

Once you start being aware of it, it doesn’t leave your head for a long time.
It’s at times like this that my lack of experience with women becomes apparent. …… Well, I can’t imagine having any experience with women other than Kasumi in the first place, but still, it’s not good to be aware of it.

“Hey Kazuki, what’s bothering you?”
“….You noticed?”
“Yeah. Of course.”

She’s a childhood friend who really notices me a lot.
I moved away from Kasumi, who was moving closer to me as if to say, “I want you to listen to me.”

“Aah….”

And, of course, when I do so, Kasumi lets out a sad sound.
I’m tempted to complain to myself about what I’m doing and call out to her, meaning that I’m not going to reject Kasumi, but …… I completely missed the choice.

“I want to kiss you, but I don’t know when to do it. …… ha?!”
“……….Kiss?”

I stopped in the middle, but it’s like I said it all!
Apart from my panicked reaction, Kasumi was mumbling the word “kiss”. I was wondering what to do about this atmosphere, and then Kasumi said something like this.

“Let’s kiss. It’s easy, just put our lips on each other’s.”
“O-Ouu….”
“……………Hmmm”

Kasumi closed her eyes and pouted her lips.
This is ……can’t get away now can it? I blackmailed myself for trying to escape at this stage, saying that would not be it. It would be too pathetic to run away after all that Kasumi has done for me.

“……….?”
“…………”

But that’s when I came to my senses.
That Kasumi is also red-faced and shaking with a pull. Kasumi is embarrassed too, but if she’s done this much ……, she can’t run away now, can she?

“…… really, I’m being pulled in from everything.”

I chuckled because I felt like my position was reversed from the past.
Well, in a case like this, it’s probably not a good idea to make her wait too long. I slowly approach Kasumi’s face, feeling the noisy beating of her heart.

“Ts……..”
“………Hnnn”

Kissing just to touch each other, I felt Kasumi’s soft lips on the tip of my lips.
Hot …… whole body is incredibly hot. But I felt so comfortable in this moment as if time had stopped.

After ten seconds or so, me and Kasumi separated our faces.

“…… we kissed”
“Ah, …… well”
“What is it?”
“I was happy.”
“Yes, …… I was very happy.”

Then Kasumi would bring her face close again and kiss me.

“…… now I’m used to it, and I can kiss you anytime I want.”
“I-is that so?”
“Yeah. Kazuki, let’s kiss again.”
“…..Yeah”

We kissed one more time.
Are we both looking away from each other and …… Kasumi? Are your eyes rolling?

“……oh …… my vision is going numb!!”
“Kasumi!?”

….After that, I kept holding Kasumi in my arms until she turned her eyes and regained her tone.