Aren't You Too Sweet Salt-God Sato-san?

That was the very best example of “being driven by fear . ”
After hearing Sato-san’s remarks about Mine, the whole cla.s.s started to get noisy .

「Eh? Mine… Sato-san is using Mine? So unexpected… But, why Oshio?」

「Were two of them close? But I’ve never seen Sato-san talk to anyone before . 」

「Didn’t she just say selfie? At home? Also…」

「Are they dating? Those two?」

As soon as I heard those words, as if my blood was boiling and rushing to my head, my face started to get hot .
This is really… I can’t stand!

「—-Sa, Sato-san! Do you want to get some drinks?」

I stood up from my chair as if there was a spring on it, and raised my voice .
But on the other hand, Sato-san leaned her head to the side in a cute way and asked… .

「……Eh? It’s not like I am thirsty or something? A, anyways, what about the Mine?」1

「I see! But I am parched! Why don’t we go get some juice!」

「Mine……」

「Let’s go!」

I pulled Sato-san who couldn’t understand my intention out of the cla.s.sroom as if intending to run away from everything .
Although everyone’s gazes were stabbing me in the back, it was not the time to think about that .

I rushed through the corridor, turned around the corner, I climbed up the stairs, and again pa.s.sed straight through another corridor, the one leading to the annex .
Then, when the presence of other people began to diminish, I took a deep breath .

「Haaaaaa… . . 」

My heart was still beating hard .
I guess it really is possible to die out of embarra.s.sment .
How will I explain this to Ren .

And then, that happened while I was thinking so .

「… . . Oshio-kun… . . 」

I heard a voice so small you wouldn’t think it came from a person .
When I turned around–

「Uwah!!?」

I screamed unintentionally .
The reason for that was because Sato-san got to a whole new level of blushing . Not to mention she was trembling really hard .

Wha, what happened here!?
Perhaps she finally realized what she were doing before!?

So I thought at first, but that wasn’t the case .
She pointed at her hand .

「I mean, my hand… . . 」

「Your hand……?」

I looked down, and just then I realized what was happening .
My right hand was holding strongly onto her left hand and it turned completely red .

「!? Ah, so, sorry!」

I released her hand in a hurry .
Thereafter, with a steam coming out from her head . Sato-san just kept on staring at her hand which had been strongly held by me .

Uhhh… . Although we were in the middle of something, isn’t creepy to get your hand held by someone so suddenly… . !?
Aaah, c.r.a.p, my hand wasn’t sweaty right!?

While I was struggling internally, this happened… . .

「Uuuu… . 」

What is this?
Sato-san’s face, which was completely red before was now starting to get pale as the time went by . Soon after that, it started to look like she was about to cry .
Those sudden changes made me confused .

「Eh, wait, Sato-san… What’s wrong?」

「Uuuu… . 」

Even if I asked her what was wrong, it looked like holding in her tears was already the best she could, and all her replies just sounded like cat noises .
Was I really creepy to the point she’d cry?
Sato-san continued to shudder as she tried to let her voice out .

「I’m sorry… . . So sorry Oshio-kun… . . I knew it . I guess you didn’t like me asking for your Mine so suddenly right… . ?」

… . Ah, so you’re on that page .

「N, no! I don’t dislike it!」

To Sato-san who was giving me an upturned look, I tried hard to appeal to her that “it’s not something that I dislike . ”

「But Oshio-kun, when I asked you to exchange IDs you tried to change the topic… I thought that you’re trying to reject me in a roundabout way . 」

「U~~~n」

I see, she seems to interpret it this way .

「No, what I mean about that is, I was just embarra.s.sed to exchange IDs in front of so many people… . . 」

「… . . ? But don’t all of our cla.s.smates exchange with each other in the cla.s.sroom?」

「U~~~~~n」

I groaned once again .
Looks like Sato-san can’t read the atmosphere, or maybe she is not really good at picking up things in a conversation?2
Well, that thing aside!

「— I don’t dislike it . Quite the opposite, I would love to . 」

I am really happy that I could get Sato-san’s contact information, that’s a true feeling that I have .
Well, to the point I could die of happiness!

「Really… . ?」

Sato-san asked me while looking like a wet puppy under the rain .
My answer will be the same even if I get asked so many times .

「Really . Let’s exchange IDs . 」

I said so while smiling .
Thereafter, she smiled like a flower that announces the start of spring .

「—-Un!」

She said that so innocently while nodding her head .

「……」

Such innocent smile started to develop a misunderstanding inside me .
… . Aah, why am I so naive .

Didn’t Sato-san herself just tell me the reason? It’s just so that she could send me the photo .
Not to mention almost all high school girls exchange Mine with other people .
Finally, Sato-san wanted to have a friend, and I was just picked to be her first friend .  3

That’s why, I might develop such misunderstanding .
Just because she smiled at me, or just because she wanted to exchange IDs with me… . .

—- Maybe Sato-san likes me or something, or so, that kind of misunderstanding is–

「… . This is my ID, could you register it?」

「Okay!」

Not knowing whether she realized what I was thinking, Sato-san started to operate her own smartphone very seriously to register information after exhaling *Funsu*4from her nose .
As I looked at her doing that, my heart started to ache, so I forcefully hardened my smile to avoid having that feeling show up on my face .

… . She’s known as “Salty Sato-san” and that kind of a person started to change herself by her own accord .
She’s trying to break her thick sh.e.l.l, and trying her best to make friends .
I was just picked as her first step, as her “first friend . ” There’s nothing more or less than that .

If I were to reveal my affection to her — I am pretty sure that she would be troubled . That’s why… .

*Pokon*

My smartphone rang, and the friend request from Sato-san came out from my screen .

「… . . I did it!」

Sato-san said so gleefully .
I smiled at her as a friend .

… . . It may not be possible right now .
To touch your beautiful hair, to embrace your delicate body, or to stare at your sunflower-like smile .  5

— That said, I won’t give up that easily .

That’s right! This is my only first love of my life, I won’t give up so easily . Don’t underestimate high school guys!
Someday, I will make you be conscious of me, I will make you look at me .

So that’s why, I will start as a friend .

「Let’s get along, Sato-san . 」

Saying so, I added her to my “friends” on my Mine account .

At that same time .
My smartphone rang, notifying me that a Mine message just came in .

“A new message from Koharu Sato has arrived . ”

「……？」

Confused by it, I opened Mine .
There was a Pomeranian Icon (maybe this is Sato-san’s dog?), and a speech balloon had shown up .

“Would you like to go to drink Tapioca Milk Tea after school?” 6

After reading the message, a stamp of a Pomeranian that’s covering its face with its paw was there .
I looked at the sender herself .

Sato-san– just like the Pomeranian on the stamp, was having her completely red face hidden by her smartphone .

「……」

…… In front of such a cute person, how long will I be able to stay only as a “friend?”7

TL: Tetpioooooca
ED: Filip