Chapter 11 – Close Friends
It seems that there’s something special about Kawaue Aoi within me. For some reason, he tends to spoil me. All the guys I’ve been with before were always ones who wanted to be spoiled by me, so I don’t know how to handle Aoi-san’s desire to pamper me. Of course, I’m happy, but it’s a bit puzzling.
“… So, what kind of guy is the new one?”
“He’s a wild-looking handsome guy.”
“Do you have a photo?”
“Huh? Do I?”
“If you’re a woman in love, wouldn’t you set that handsome guy as your wallpaper?”
This straightforward woman is my best friend, Misato Ookuma.
We became close as colleagues at the same company. She’s a capable and cool woman on the path of an office lady. Her boyfriend seems to be a cute-type submissive guy. But that story can wait.
Right now, we’re in the cafeteria during our lunch break. I’m in the middle of reporting to Misato about my new boyfriend.
“Set it as wallpaper? Wouldn’t that be creepy?”
“Yeah, it’s creepy. But I want to see him! He’s handsome.”
“Isn’t Misato’s boyfriend handsome too?”
“Even when we’re together, he sometimes gets hit on. People always assume we’re a lesbian couple. And if I make him cross-dress, is he more cute than me, who is a handsome guy?”
“I don’t know!”
“See? That’s why show me the photo.”
I don’t quite understand, but it seems I have to show them the picture.
“Call and ask him to send it now!”
“Oh, okay…”
With no refusal rights, I took out my smartphone. After a brief call, Aoi-san answered the phone in a hurried tone.
“Hello, what’s up?”
“Oh, well, I wanted a photo of you, Aoi-san…”
“I see. I’ll send it now, so wait.”
Aoi-san said that and hung up. I waited for a while, sipping on soba noodles.
“Are you continuing the story?”
“… Aoi-san is different from the guys I’ve been with before, so I hope it continues…”
Misato was grinning at me, making the situation awkward.
At that moment, the sound of an incoming message, presumably with a photo, rang.
I opened the picture and froze.
The photo from Aoi-san was of him shirtless with a towel on his head and another towel wrapped around his waist.
Why is this happening?
Wild has become even wilder!
“Which one?… Wild~”
“He’s got six-pack abs. Who is this guy? He’s your boyfriend, right?”
“Yeah, uh, yeah.”
For now, I called Aoi-san.
“Hello?”
“Why are you sending a semi-nude picture?”
“I just got out of the bath.”
“…”
“You can set it as your wallpaper if you want.”
“I won’t do that. If I set this as my wallpaper, it’ll be too embarrassing! People might even think I’m sexually frustrated…”
“Send me a picture of yourself later. I’ll enjoy looking at it with happiness.”
“That’s creepy!”
“You hurt my feelings!”
“I couldn’t just stay silent!”
“If you don’t send me a candid photo later, I’ll take one next time we meet.”
“Okay, fine then.”
“I’ll take a sexy photo.”
“No way!”
Aoi-san hung up with a cheerful laughter.
He seems to have said something he shouldn’t have.
“So, you’ve been embraced by this wild guy.”
“He just hugged me tightly.”
“Huh? Why?”
“My stomach growled.”
“…Your appetite is something else, seriously.”
I think the same.
“But he’s a good guy, isn’t he? What about his job?”
“He’s a jewelry designer… Do you know ‘gunjo’?”
“You mean there’s a woman you don’t know?”
“I-Is it that famous?”
“Accessories with delicate craftsmanship inspired by nature that go well with any style? Even some princess is said to be a fan. But anyway… huh? The designer for gunjo?”
“Yeah…”
“Tell him to sell it cheaply for me.”
“I won’t! It’s not like I fell for him because he’s a jewelry designer!”
Misato said with a grin.
“Then, what made you fall for him?”
“He’s good at cooking!”
“…You… well, do your best.”
Misato took my smartphone and stared at Aoi-san’s photo intently.
Is it okay to seriously look at someone else’s boyfriend’s semi-nude photo?
Well, Aoi-san probably wouldn’t be embarrassed even if he’s seen.
“He has a good body.”
“Yeah…”
I couldn’t help but get close to him that morning.
His breakfast was so delicious that day…
“Senior Ookuma, what are you looking at~?”
“Huh?… Send it to my phone!”
“Who the hell are you? Go away.”
By the way, Misato doesn’t like Himekawa.
Misato handed my smartphone back to me.
“Well, it’s okay. Let him make you happy.”
“Yeah, I am. He’s making me happy.”
“No, really, you’re cute.”
Misato said that and started slurping her curry udon.
It’s only natural to want to say, “Stop splattering curry sauce in my direction.”