I ended up in a group I didn't get along with 

Extra Story — Never Let Your Guard Down

Spring of our third year of high school. Watarai's fears had come true spectacularly. I could still vividly remember the look of despair on his face as he stared at the class lists that had separated us.

 

Of course, I was sad too. But just as I'd told him on the last day of our second year, I was confident my feelings for him wouldn't change. And that was why I'd let my guard down.

 

I'd underestimated just how jealous he could be.

 

The ten-minute break between lessons.

 

“Who's the king?”

 

A loud voice rang out as though to release all the stress of our lessons. Tsujitani, who was in my class this year, dramatically unfolded one of the homemade lots he'd made simply by tearing up a notebook. Several classmates gathered around the desk and looked at their slips too.

 

When we were in primary school, we'd spent every short break playing dodgeball. Apparently, that instinct hadn't changed even now that we were in high school. For some reason, a group of us who were still eager to play were currently playing King's Game.

 

Looking at the number three written on my slip, I nibbled on a chocolate snack to replenish the sugar I'd lost during lessons.

 

“Yes! I'm the king! Right, then…”

 

The classmate holding the king's slip let his gaze wander before it stopped on my hand.

 

“Numbers one and three have to play the Pocky game!”

 

Cheers and groans rose at his command. The Pocky game involved two people eating a single stick-shaped chocolate snack from opposite ends. The shorter the remaining piece, the more exciting everyone found it.

 

As far as I was concerned, it was practically a punishment. The scrap of paper in my palm bore the number three. I crumpled it up and threw it out of the window.

 

“Oh, Hioki! You're number three!”

 

Tsujitani snatched the slip from my stunned hand and burst out laughing. He seemed to be having a wonderful time, probably because he was safely out of danger. Somehow, that annoyed me.

 

“Hey, couldn't we do something like that forehead-flick punishment from earlier instead—”

 

“No!”

 

My suggestion was immediately shot down by everyone. More importantly, was number one really all right with this? I looked around for the other participant, hoping for someone who'd agree with me. The person holding the number one slip was the boy from the judo club who'd made such an impression dressed as a miniskirt police officer at last year's cultural festival.

 

It was over. He was such an outgoing, enthusiastic type that he'd happily gone along with the cross-dressing contest. There was no chance he'd refuse the Pocky game.

 

I could practically hear my heart shattering into pieces. As if he'd heard it too, Tsujitani swiftly pulled out a chocolate stick and shoved it into my mouth. At the same time, the judo club boy's large hands settled on my shoulders.

 

The others started cheering and teasing us. His healthy, tanned face, with its sharply defined features, drew closer. At this point, I'd just have to snap the stick. I'd wait until the very last moment before it spoiled everyone's fun.

 

“Hioki.”

 

Snap. The chocolate stick broke with a considerably longer piece remaining than I'd intended. The voice from the doorway belonged to Watarai.

 

“I'm returning some equipment to the chemistry room. Come with me.”

 

Smiling, he shifted the cardboard box he was carrying. Saved. It looked as though I'd escaped the punishment.

 

“Right, I'm off, then.”

 

Without waiting for my classmates to answer, I fled into the corridor. Once I was beside my saviour, I thanked him.

 

“Thanks. You saved me from having to do that punishment.”

 

“…I'm glad I made it in time too.”

 

“Huh? What?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

He abruptly looked away. All I could do at his curt response was tilt my head in confusion. The moment we reached the chemistry room, Watarai headed straight for the adjoining preparation room.

 

“Hioki, hold this.”

 

“Okay.”

 

I took the cardboard box and peered inside. Test tubes and beakers lay inside it. At the sound of a key turning, I looked up. Watarai was holding the door open, urging me inside.

 

“Where should I put this?”

 

I stepped into the cramped room, which was crammed with paperwork and equipment. As I stood holding the box, what I heard behind me wasn't an answer from Watarai. It was the sound of the door being locked.

 

The unexpected action made me spin around, rattling the contents of the box.

 

“Why did you lock—”

 

“Because I don't want anyone interrupting us.”

 

“Interrupting us… Who?”

 

“You can put the box there.”

 

“R-right.”

 

I shoved it into an empty space on a shelf as instructed.

 

“What were you doing just now?”

 

It was a question I'd heard countless times before. Watarai sat on a conference table that had become little more than a storage surface and pulled me towards him by the hand. Then his arm closed firmly around my waist, trapping me against him.

 

There wasn't much of our break left, but he didn't seem concerned.

 

“We were playing King's Game. Tsujitani said he was bored and suggested it…”

 

“Hmmm.”

 

His suspicious gaze told me that wasn't the part he was asking about.

 

“The Pocky game… Um, sorry. But we didn't kiss.”

 

Only now did I realise I'd hurt Watarai, my boyfriend. Even if it had just been messing about with friends, I shouldn't have done that.

 

“Are you… angry?”

 

I cautiously searched his face. He merely stared back at me.

 

“S-sorry.”

 

All I could do was apologise. The bell signalling the start of lessons sounded muffled through the closed door. We needed to go back, yet my thoughts were entirely focused on making up with him.

 

I didn't want us to argue over something like this. I put my brain, which was rarely any use during lessons, to work harder than it had all day. What was I supposed to do to make up with someone?

 

If our positions were reversed, what would Watarai do? I thought back over everything he'd done before and drew a small breath.

 

“Um… C-can I hug you?”

 

My voice was tense. Watarai smiled faintly and stood up from the table. I was too nervous to pay much attention to his reaction. I wrapped my arms around his broad back.

 

My heart pounded deafeningly as I slowly raised my head.

 

“Can I… kiss you?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

He tilted his head to make up for the difference in our heights. I brushed aside the soft strands of hair falling across his face and cupped his cheek with trembling hands. Before his lowered eyelids could rise, I pressed my lips against his smooth, porcelain-like skin.

 

It was a childish little peck, barely enough to count as a kiss. Come to think of it, this was the first time I'd ever kissed him of my own accord. My face grew hot with embarrassment.

 

I stepped backwards, trying to put some distance between us, but a shelf immediately blocked my escape. Clatter. At the sound, his lowered eyelids lifted, revealing eyes gleaming with excitement.

 

“I love how cute you are when you do things like that, Hioki, but…”

 

His long, slender fingers brushed over my lips.

 

“That sort of kiss would only have satisfied me before we started dating.”

 

The corners of his eyes softened affectionately. At the same moment, I felt something soft against my lips. A faint kissing sound escaped between our slightly parted mouths. In the quiet room, it sounded impossibly loud.

 

It was nothing like the simple touch of lips I'd given him. It was a kiss that made my head spin, as though he might swallow me whole. My mind, already on the verge of short-circuiting, grew even hotter.

 

Overwhelmed by a sensation I'd never experienced before, I twisted away and pushed at Watarai's shoulders.

 

“W-wait… Just a second…”

 

“I can't wait.”

 

He caught my wrist and kissed me forcefully again. An involuntary sound escaped through my nose.

 

No. Seriously. My brain was going to melt at this rate.

 

My knees, no longer doing what I wanted, buckled and I collapsed to the floor. I drew a quick breath, desperately taking in some oxygen.

 

“Sorry. Did you hate it?”

 

Watarai crouched down beside me. He tucked the hair damp with sweat behind my ear and chuckled softly.

 

“I-I didn't… hate it.”

 

I shook my head weakly without lifting my face. Of course I hadn't hated it. It was just my first time experiencing anything like that, and I hadn't known what to do.

 

Apparently pleased with my response, he stroked my head with his large, gentle hand. The ease with which he did it made my own inexperience feel all the more obvious. Come to think of it, why had I kissed him in the first place?

 

Oh, right.

 

“…Will you forgive me about the Pocky game?”

 

I murmured the question while staring at the grain of the wooden floor. He seemed to be in a good mood now, so surely he'd forgive me.

 

“There's nothing to forgive. I wasn't angry.”

 

Watarai's voice was completely casual. I immediately looked up, and he gave me an innocent smile.

 

“Besides, I never once said I was angry.”

 

“…Oh.”

 

Only now did I realise I'd misunderstood the whole thing.

 

“Sorry. I thought you were angry, so I panicked and ended up kissing you…”

 

“We're dating. You don't have to apologise for that. Kiss me whenever you want.”

 

“Whenever I want…?”

 

A dry laugh escaped me. We were classmates and the same age, yet he seemed several times more mature than I was. I couldn't help envying him.

 

It looked as though I needed a little more training before I could become a cool boyfriend. Perhaps sensing what I was thinking, or perhaps by coincidence, Watarai spoke again.

 

“But…”

 

“I'm nowhere near as composed as you think, Hioki. I just pretend to be.”

 

“Really?”

 

Even though he always seemed as calm as someone living his second life? When I said as much, he turned his face away. This time, though, he didn't seem to be sulking.

 

“…If I were really that composed, I wouldn't have taken over someone's errand just to come and get you. And I wouldn't have kissed you so forcefully.”

 

His ears turned red. I smiled at the sudden change from his usual mature demeanour. I loved all of him, including those adorable moments and his jealous streak.

 

— The End —