"Does the matcha ice cream taste good?"
"There is a slight bitterness, but it suits the sweet well."
While they ordered the same anmitsu, their choice of ice cream was different.
"Can I get a taste of it?"
Ishigami looked at Onodera, who looked at him with a cute face. As she asked such a request, she put her small spoon on her cherry-colored lips, lightly licking her spoon with her small tongue.
"No."
"Why?!" Onedera appeared unconvinced and didn't give up. "I treated you, right? Shouldn't you share some of your ice cream with me?"
"Your saliva is all over your spoon."
"...isn't a guy supposed to be happy to have an indirect kiss with a cute girl?"
"Where is the cute girl?"
Onodera pouted, then lightly kicked his shin.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!"
Ishigami reacted exaggeratedly, causing her to complain lightly. "I didn't kick you that hard."
"My shin is sensitive."
"Oh, right, you joined a football club in middle school, right? Did you quit due to the injury? Are you fine?"
Ishigami didn't expect Onodera to react so exaggeratedly, and she even crouched down to rub his shin as if wishing to ease the pain on his shin. At the same time, he only remembered that the original Ishigami joined football until middle school before he became a loner. Still, it surprised him to know that she knew he had joined a football club, but he remembered that they had been classmates from elementary school till high school.
After all, Shuchi'in Academy was an escalator school, so it was normal.
Moreover, he didn't have a stigma in the beginning, and he was quite popular before he became like this.
"I was just joking. It's fine. Stop touching my feet like that. Your hand will get dirty."
"Geez, don't make such a joke, okay? I thought that you were hurt or something."
"I never expected you to react this way, after all."
Still, as he tried to stop her, he held her hand.
Onodera also noticed how Ishigami held her hand firmly, trying to stop her, but she couldn't help but blush, feeling the difference in the hand between a man and a woman. His hand might not be muscular and even slender, yet she could tell that it was different from hers, and it was the hand of a man.
On the other hand, Ishigami could feel his face slightly hot, feeling helpless due to his puberty. While he was calm, his body couldn't, especially when he held Ononedera's hand. Her hand was soft and warm. When he held her, it felt sticky, making him reluctantly let her hand go, but he knew that he had to let her go, so he squeezed her hand twice and then said, "Let's eat. The ice cream is going to melt."
"...um."
Unlike his calm expression, Onodera wasn't sure how her expression would be, but she could tell that her face was so hot. At the same time, she looked at him resentfully, thinking that he was a tsundere. He might act like he didn't feel anything towards her, yet he squeezed her hand twice, clearly showing his interest.
'Act calm all you want.'
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing~!"
Hearing that spoiled yet annoying voice calmed him down somehow, yet Ishigami had to say that it was so strange, especially when Onodera mocked him this morning, saying mean things, yet now?
"...so, what's your plan? How do you plan to change?"
"...you want to know?"
"If possible, I want to help you! Ah, that's the gaze again! Are you looking down on me?"
"No, I'm just surprised that you acted this way toward me."
"...is it weird?"
"Yeah."
"....." Onodera.
"But I don't hate it."
Onedera blinked her eyes, then looked at him curiously, thinking that he appeared better than she had thought.
"What's with those eyes?"
Hearing this question from him, Onodera chuckled and asked, "Have someone told you that you are a tsundere?"
"No, I think that I am pretty honest."
"..."
Onodera felt helpless by his shamelessness, but then she asked once again, "So how do you plan to change? Don't try to change the conversation by something else. I know that it might be hard for you to believe me, especially after I told you such mean words, but... I really want to help you..."
She didn't want to feel this heavy and depressed thought anymore, and at the same time, she sincerely wished to help him. Yet, she knew that she had no experience and that supporting him in her own way might bring him trouble instead of helping him. Nevertheless, if there was something that she could do to help, then she would do it.
Ishigami looked at Onodera and said, "First, I will study hard."
"Oh, that's basic."
"I am a student, after all."
Onodera nodded, thinking that as a student, their first role was to study; at least Ishigami couldn't be stupid anymore. "I will help! Oh, before you look at me with doubt, I am still ranking within the top 50, you know?"
"Really?" Ishigami was genuinely surprised.
"...it hurts me if you really show such a surprised expression."
"No, it's great if you really can help me study. Thank you."
"N-No, it's okay." Onodera felt a little shy when Ishigami thanked her sincerely. "But is that all? Are you just going to study? Isn't there something that you want to do?"
"I am not in a hurry. I will live a long life anyway."
"...what about your rumor?"
"It's fine. A high school is only three years, so it is nothing."
"It's not fine!"
"...why did you get so angry?" Ishigami looked at Onodera strangely.
"It hurt you, so I don't think it is fine."
When Onodera thought that she was in Ishigami's place, being mocked and told those mean things every day, she just felt... like it was too much. Frankly, when she saw many of her classmates and friends come to her, asking her why she became so close to Ishigami and then talked badly about him, she felt angry inwardly and told them that he tried to change, yet watching their expressions, she knew that they wouldn't change their opinion toward him.
His stigma was still there, and it was impossible for them to change their opinion so easily.
Yet, even so, if possible, she wanted his stigma to be erased and let everyone know that he had changed.
More importantly, those who were involved in his incident all lived well. They appeared okay and happy and even made new relationships with others.
Yet, here he was, still haunted by the past.
Even when he tried to change, no one was supportive and even alienated him.
Frankly, she knew that staying with him would make others alienate her, but at this moment, she didn't care. She had seen what kind of a man Ishigami was, and somehow, she just couldn't leave him.
Even if she was alone, she would do her best to help him!
"....."
Only Ishigami wondered why this girl had become like this, but anyway, he had to thank her. "Thank you, Onodera."
"....."
Watching his eyes, he gazed right into her eyes and sincerely thanked her.
Onedera blushed, looking away slightly before she timidly looked at him and nodded. "Um, it's fine."
"But calm yourselves. I am fine now, and everything that is done in a hurry won't result in anything. Let's do it slowly."
"Okay, but I will help you."
Onedera had made up her mind, and it was impossible for her to change unless Ishigami pushed her away, yet even if he pushed her away, he believed that she would stick to him.
Her feelings weren't love, but probably curiosity that was mixed with something.
Yet, every love started with curiosity.
He (she) was different, and you would slowly notice their every action, then before you even realized it, you had completely fallen.
Love.
What a troublesome feeling.
While Ishigami didn't plan to fall in love, he wanted a girlfriend because he wondered what kind of reward the system might give him.
"Oh, besides studying, I have decided to do something else."
"What is it? Tell me! Hurry!"
"I want to cut my hair."
Like a girl with a broken heart, they would cut their hair so everyone would notice what had happened to them.
Ishigami might not like that, but to make a fresh start, a haircut was important, and frankly, long hair was annoying.
"....."
Onodera blinked her eyes and said, "Then, let's go! I will pay for it!"
"..."
Ishigami blinked his eyes and thought that it was great to be with a rich girl.
---
I hope that you guys won't be disappointed since some of you are probably expecting pure love, but there are some of you who wish for my usual style.
However, the story of 'I am that male friend in the harem story' will start off with pure love, okay?
Thank you.