When I reunited with my arrogant childhood friend, she had become a talented and beautiful girl - Even though she has probably forgotten about me and I don't want to be toyed with, for some reason she keeps getting involved with me!? - Chapter 53 - FINAL CHAPTER

Date with a Childhood Friend. (This was the official title)

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What does ‘childhood friend’ mean to everyone?

A close friend from early childhood?

A familiar face since one became aware of the world?

For me, a childhood friend is an unpredictable entity.

Today, I’m supposed to go out and have fun with that childhood friend.

I arrived in front of the house of my childhood friend, Shinjo Akane, but…

“Ahh, I wanna go home~”

I found myself muttering that just a second after arriving.

Why it came to this is because…

“Itsuki, you’ve helped me with the election campaign and recruiting student council members, right? So, I was thinking I should thank you somehow? Oh, and remember, I still haven’t paid you back for the cake the other day! So, let’s hang out this Saturday. I want to treat you as a thank you! Okay! It’s decided!! Make sure to keep your schedule open!!”

I was unilaterally committed to this.

For me, I’d rather be excused, but I was afraid of what would happen if I stood her up, so I found myself here.

Haah, where are we going? A mountain somewhere?

“Hello there~ Good morning, Itsuki.”

The one who came out when I rang the doorbell was Akane’s sister, Aoi.

“Wait inside. Akane isn’t ready yet.”

I’m visiting the Shinjo house after a long time.

From the entrance to the living room. There are things that have changed and things that haven’t.

“Sorry~ I think it’ll be a bit longer. I’ve been getting ready since about two hours ago.”

“(I wasn’t expecting anything) That’s fine.”

While I was chatting with Aoi, I heard a loud thumping noise as someone came running down the stairs.

“I’m sorry!! I, I’m late!!”

“I’ll forgive you because Aoi’s homemade cookies were delicious.”

Aoi laughed in a troubled way at the sight of me patting the deeply bowing Akane’s shoulder while eating a cookie.

“Shall we go then?”

“Y-Yes, big sis, we’ll be going!!”

We bowed to Aoi and left the Shinjo house.

“By the way, why were you late getting ready? Aoi said you started preparing two hours ago.”

“That’s… um… I was wondering what clothes to wear… I ended up being late because I couldn’t decide.”

“Haa~”

“Hey!? Stop with the massive sigh, okay!?”

“Well, I thought that might be the case.”

“Ugh!! Stop making that “Haa~ That’s a stupidly trivial reason” face!”

“But it really is trivial. No matter what you wear, you’re cute.”

This girl is so frustratingly beautiful. To the point where everyone thinks she’s a beautiful girl.

“Huh!? W-What are you… What are you saying all of a sudden!?”

“What do you mean… What I’m thinking? The truth?”

“Are… Are you not embarrassed?”

“Huh? Isn’t it more embarrassing not to be able to express what you’re thinking?”

“…Well, you’re quite a smooth talker. I thought my heart was about to explode.”

“Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about… Anyway, where are we going?”

“Hehe! I’m glad you asked! We’re going to have pancakes today! This shop is super popular right now!”

Looking at the smartphone she showed me with a proud face, the pancakes indeed looked delicious. The atmosphere of the shop doesn’t seem bad either, I’m starting to look forward to it.

It’s about 30-40 minutes away from here.

“It’s so popular that you can’t get in on weekends unless you reserve a table!!”

“So, you’ve made a reservation for us? Thanks.”

“Uh, y-yeah… Well, yeah!?”

“By the way, what time did you reserve for?”

“Let me see, umm… 1 PM!!”

The current time is 12:30 PM.

“…………”

“We…we have to run!”

“I figured as much!”

Somehow we managed to make it in time for our reservation and finish ordering pancakes.

As I excitedly waited, I noticed Akane looking at me with a stern expression.

“What’s up?”

“It’s just… you don’t seem… experienced?”

“Experienced?”

“You know, like… you’re not used to handling girls or going out.”

“Really?”

“You are experienced!! You always stand on the side of the car lane! You even open doors for me! You naturally guide me to the sofa!! You even let me choose the menu! You’re not doing this with anyone else, are you!?”

“Why are you angry? Are you my girlfriend or something?”

“Wha!? I am your childhood friend, you know!?”

Is she mistaking her childhood friend for a lover or something?

“Sorry to keep you waiting! Here are your matcha ogura butter pancakes and chocolate banana pancakes.”

The matcha ogura pancakes were placed in front of me.

The pleasant aroma of matcha wafted up, and they were surprisingly large, or rather, thick.

“This is the kind you should douse in black syrup all at once, right!?”

“Mmm, I guess it’s okay? You seem unusually excited.”

“Of course I’m excited with such delicious-looking pancakes in front of me.”

…Mmm!

Delicious! I thought I had soaked it quite a bit in the black syrup, but it’s a refined sweetness that’s not cloying!! The matcha flavor is also good, and the texture is fluffy and moist!!

“You really do eat so deliciously.”

“Do I? Well, I love sweets.”

“Hmm… So, if I made pancakes next time, would you eat them?”

“Eh, huh?”

“Hey!? What’s with that reaction!?”

As we chatted like this, we ate our pancakes.

And as the day grew late, on our way home.

“Today was surprisingly… fun…”

“Why are you so surprised!?”

After eating the pancakes, we went shopping and played at the sports center, and before we knew it, the day was over.

“Well, as long as you had fun, that’s all that matters.”

We arrived at Akane’s house, and I glanced at her profile.

“Do you have something you want to say to me?”

“Eh!?”

“You’ve been fidgety and restless since a while ago. Your voice is tense. You have something you want to say but can’t, right?”

“…Yes… I do.”

Akane said this, looking at me.

“Itsuki. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for giving a supporting speech. And…”

“…Thank you for making me the student council president.”

“…………”

“I finally managed to say it.”

Akane laughed as she said this.

“I didn’t do it to be thanked. Besides, those words… they were from after you became the student council president.”

Ah, yes, I did say something like that.

“…You’re welcome.”

“I’ll be counting on you from now on, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Akane and I bumped fists lightly.

“Oh, wait a sec.”

Saying that, Akane pressed the intercom of her house.

“Oh, you two are back! Everyone’s all ready and waiting!”

The one who appeared from Akane’s house was Futaba.

Huh? Why is Futaba at Akane’s house?

“Come on, let’s go.”

“Eh? Wait.”

As Akane pushed my back, I looked into the Shinjo’s living room to find Aoi, Hiyori, and Shion there.

It’s a full gathering of the student council members.

The table was laden with a lavish spread of dishes. It looked just like a party.

“Oh, you’re back. Shall we start then?”

Aoi produced some party poppers from somewhere.

“Um… What is this?”

“It seems to be a founding party for the student council members.”

I was astonished at Hiyori’s words.

…Eh? I didn’t hear anything about this…

“We prepared it in secret because we wanted to see your surprised face,” Shion explained, giggling.

“By the way, I also cooked.”

Futaba announced, puffing out her chest as if asking for praise.

“Futaba too…!? What did you make!?”

“The fruit platter over there.”

“Don’t underestimate cooking.”

“But everyone didn’t let me do anything else…!!”

“Well, that can’t be helped. It was too dangerous to let you handle anything else,” Hiyori bluntly remarked, shocking Futaba. The living room was filled with lively chatter.

I watched the scene from the hallway.

“Let’s get started, shall we? Come on, Itsuki, hurry over here!”

“…Yes, yes.”

Despite my words, I started walking towards everyone with a smile on my face.

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[This was the author’s note at the end]:

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Thank you for reading my work!

I will conclude this story for the time being!　

(First part completed)

Thank you very much for reading to the end!