I'm a Shy Loner and I Was Confessed to by a Beautiful Girl Who Has All the Boys in School Smitten, but It Turned Out to Be a 'Fake Confession,' So I Politely Declined. As a Result, I Ended Up Learning About Her Hidden Side and She Started to Cling to Me - Chapter 40

“…”

“…”

On Sunday, when I opened the front door, I found Nene Kuroki, a girl who captivates male high school students, standing there with her arms crossed, for some reason.

And she was carrying a carry-on bag.

Silence. We stared at each other.

There was no sweet atmosphere, just a kind of tension.

Just yesterday, I was resting in my “Holiday Room” to recover from the amusement park, and now this.

“…Um, Nene-san? What brings you here today? And that luggage?”

“…I have a favor to ask.”

Home, carry-on bag, a favor. The elements led me to only one conclusion.

“Let me stay at your house for a while.”

I felt like holding my head in my hands. Is this what they call running away from home? Why on earth did she choose my place… there are others like Kise-san or Hana.

And why a sudden runaway… no, that’s not the issue right now.

“…Is it no good?”

No, it’s not okay… by any normal standards.

Even though we’re friends, I’m a boy, and Nene is a girl. To spend a night, or worse, more time under the same roof…

“Please. Ju-bei. You’re the only one I can rely on…”

“No… I can’t, even if you say that.”

“Uuu…!! If you don’t let me stay… I’ll end up homeless…!!”

“Wait…!! Why does it come to that…!!”

“…If you turn me down, I guess I have no choice but to become a ‘God-waiting gal,’ sucking on candy on the streets…”

“No, no!! Even if you look at me with those puppy dog eyes, I can’t do it!!”

5 minutes later.

“There’s a spare towel blanket, but for sleeping…”

In the end, Nene Kuroki ended up staying at my house for a while.

I couldn’t help it… I feel satisfied when someone relies on me…

“You can use this room for now…”

“Really? Is this someone else’s room? Honestly, I’m totally fine sleeping on the living room floor.”

“It’s fine. This room belongs to my seldom-returning stepsister. If I’m going to let you stay, I want you to sleep somewhere proper.”

“…Okay. I’ll take you up on your kindness.”

She hesitated a bit but then nodded her head. After a quick introduction to my house’s layout, I left the room and waited in the living room until Nene was ready.

“…This is the first time someone has stayed over.”

Is this what they call a sleepover?

While idly playing with my smartphone for several minutes, Nene came to the living room.

“…Oh, are you done?”

“Yes, more or less.”

So, that’s all the preparation done.

Which means…

From now until school, it’s just Nene and me.

“…”

“…”

Awkward.

I knew it but…

No matter the reason, a high school boy and girl living together under one roof is bound to be different from before.

Even Nene seemed unsettled by this situation. Honestly, it’s impossible not to be conscious of each other.

In such a situation…

“Ah… Nene-san.”

“What?”

“Since there’s nothing to do here, how about we move to a different room? There’s a room like an entertainment room.”

“That’s fine with me…”

And so, we went to the usual holiday room.

A room filled with decadent tools: a huge LCD TV, an oversized high-performance two-seater electric reclining sofa, bookshelves filled with more manga and light novels than in my own room, a fridge for juices, and so on.

Even Kise-san, who comes over from time to time, highly approves of its comfort.

“Wow, this is the room you mentioned…”

Nene looked around with interest.

“Wow, an electric sofa!”

Yep, glad she’s enjoying it.

“Want something to drink? I’ve got cola, orange juice, lemon tea…”

Oh, there’s pudding that Kise-san left in the fridge. There are about four; maybe I’ll have two.

I can always buy more to replace what I eat.

“…So, Ju-bei-kun, you bring various girls here, huh?”

Eh? Why is she speaking so formally?

“No, I don’t bring anyone… unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of person in my life.”

“Eh? Then what about this nail polish and hair tie?”

Turning around, Nene showed me the nail polish and hair tie that Kise-san had left behind.

“Whose are they? You’ll explain, won’t you, Ju-bei-kun?”

…Kise-san!! Please take your things with you when you leave!!

This is bad… Nene talks like this,

with her formal tone and expression, when she’s pretty angry.

It seems better to be honest here. Lying might just make things worse.

Explaining that Kise-san often comes to the house… or rather, the holiday room, and trying to get her to understand is going to take some time and effort.

I felt a bit overwhelmed.