I’m fine with being the second girlfriend - Volume 3

After school, I headed home as I walked along with Tachibana-san.

It was very cold in the air, and after every exhale, her breath could be seen in the air with a faint white color. She was wearing a gray coat, and a white plaid scarf. But all was not well.

—I see you’re angry.

—What a good observer you are. — She replied as she continued to stare straight ahead with an angry expression. —We’re sweethearts, we should hold hands Shirou-kun.

For a while now, Tachibana-san has been trying to bring her hand close to mine, her trick was obvious, placing her hand in her coat pocket and tapping mine with the back of her hand from inside.

—We’re still close to the school.

—I don’t mind.

—You want me to put my hand inside your pocket? It’s too small.

—It’s to keep warm.

—And shouldn’t that be prioritized for girls?

—Shirou-kun, you’re not wearing a coat.

—Then I’ll do it myself when I have a coat.

—Unacceptable.

In her nonconformism, Tachibana-san raises an eyebrow and crashes her body against me helplessly. It’s clear that she didn’t like my answer at all, she’s becoming a lot more expressive than before.

—I want us to walk home holding hands.

—Wait, don’t be hasty.

—Your hands are cold.

—It’s all right. I have surprisingly good blood circulation.

—I hate it every time you try to rationalize your way out of things.

—But… What are we going to do about them? — I asked as I looked back.

A group of first year girls walking behind us were watching us very intently, in turn having very loud conversations with each other, they kept pointing out the things we were doing or loudly expressing how cute Tachibana-san was.

Tachibana-san’s passionate kiss that she gave me on the festival stage after winning the couples’ contest had quite a strong repercussion, and even now, the mere fact that the two of us are walking together causes a lot of commotion and attracts everyone’s attention.

—It would be embarrassing for us to hold hands here.

—Don’t worry about that now.

—Easier said than done… Let’s go to the convenience store.

Her mood deteriorated further when she realized I had no intention of holding her hand.

I went into the store, and bought her favorite ice cream, Yukimi Daifuku, I hope this can lift her spirits. When we left the store, she started to walk away from me, I tried to give it to her, but she kept her hand in her pockets and refused to accept it.

Then, with an angry face, she opened her little mouth.

—No, that’s more embarrassing than walking hand in hand.

I looked back again, and the group of freshman girls had also stopped at the convenience store. They continued to watch us expectantly.

—The only thing you care about is what others think of you. — Tachibana-san exclaimed as she turned around.

—I’m sorry…

—I wish you would be clearer with your feelings.

She is right, from her point of view, these kind of actions wouldn’t be pleasant for anyone. She knows what she wants, and what she wants with me, instead I keep making things complicated.

—It’s true, I should be more honest.

I pondered a bit at Tachibana-san’s words, after that, I made a decision. I grabbed the plastic stick, and pressed it against the Yukimi Daifuku, and then brought it towards Tachibana-san,

—Are you sure? — Tachibana-san asked when she saw that I put the ice cream near her mouth.

—Yes, thanks to you, I realized that it’s absurd to limit myself just because of the fear that someone will see me or think something about what I do. Besides, I want you to be happy.

—In that case…

Tachibana-san proceeded to open her mouth, and her cheeks blushed a little. After that, I brought the ice cream even closer to her mouth, until she ate it with much joy.

Because of this loving situation, the group of girls who were following us shouted with much excitement.

—So, does it mean that we can walk hand in hand? — Tachibana-san asked with a satisfied smile on her face.

I proceeded to put my hand in Tachibana-san’s pocket, and in turn, she was surprised that I did so. At this fact, she immediately took my hand, and gripped it very tightly.

—Shirou-kun, there’s something else that I want…

—And what’s that?

—This…

The next moment, Tachibana-san pulled my tie with her other hand, making our faces close in to each other, and then kissed me.

Her lips, which were icy cold from the winter air, pressed very hard on mine. Tachibana-san’s glassy eyes told me that this act was pure and natural.

Behind us, the group of girls who were still watching us, shouted with much excitement and expressed words of encouragement and happiness at our romantic scene.

When Tachibana-san stopped kissing me, she smiled and opened her lips slowly.

—Shirou-kun, let’s run.

A very unexpected and confusing request from her, I was obviously curious at such a sudden request.

—Huh? Why?

—Because that’s what I want now.

And without waiting for my answer, Tachibana-san took our hands out of her pocket, and started to run at her voice pulling my hand. I had no choice but to run too. And for some strange reason, the freshman girls who were behind us started to keep up with us.

A rather surreal situation that I’m not used to.

From that day on, Tachibana-san was no longer that reserved and expressionless girl everyone knew. Now she was the kind of girlfriend any high school boy would wish to have for themselves.

She would wait for me at the school gate when school started, and after school ended. During recess she comes to my classroom and sits next to me at the empty desk to keep me company. And during physical education, she puts on the jacket I wear to exercise.

—Everyone looks at me like I’m a fool.

—Like you’re my dumb girlfriend?

—Yes. — she replied energetically.

—They think I’m madly in love with Shirou-kun.

—Whose tie are you’re wearing, Tachibana-san?

—Yours.

—And that jacket of yours?

—Yours.

—And what are you thinking about now?

—Kissing you.

Tachibana-san takes the Yukimi Daifuku from my mouth with her finger, and eats it while smiling with satisfaction.

After we left the group of girls following us, we did a lot of things, we went into a photo booth, bought matching bracelets, visited a coffee shop, drank coffee with lots of cream which looked like a parfait, and even went to a second-hand bookstore…

And so, it went on for many days. Dates to Karaoke, where she surprisingly did very well. There were also escapes from her house during the night in order to see meteor showers together.

Tachibana-san had become the most romantic and cute girlfriend of all time. And in turn, making her also become a very popular figure among the girls at school.

Her cold and unattainable goddess personality was nowhere to be found. She is now a normal girl who is in love. Since that festival day, everyone has seen Tachibana-san in a different light.

Also, the teasing came quite soon after. The girls’ commonly known description for her was; “the girlfriend who is madly in love with her boyfriend”.

—[ don’t like it] — Tachibana-san said over the phone.

It was night-time, and I was in bed talking to her. She had developed a need to want to fall asleep listening to my voice and breathing.

—[Everyone says I’m a possessive girlfriend. I’m not like that at all].

—[Sakai told me that it was difficult to talk to me now because Tachibana-san was making scary eyes].

—[….]

There was no response from her, but there was the sound of her body moving under the comforter. She must have been balled up.

—[…It’s Shirou-kun’s fault that I get jealous]

—[It’s my fault?]

—[Today I saw you talking happily with other girls].

Certainly, the girls in my class have been teasing me a lot.

—[That’s because they were looking forward to seeing Tachibana-san’s reaction.]

What happened today was not something that was caused by me. A group of girls had approached me because they could see from afar that Tachibana-san was on her way. After seeing me and the other girls together, Tachibana-san approached us in a violent manner claiming me as her property, they all shouted in joy and saying that it was something cute.

In the end, they left while telling her that those words were accurate, and patting her on the head.

—[Everyone was making fun of me.]

—[I don’t think so, they hold you in high esteem.]

Despite my answer, Tachibana-san still had her doubts.

—[Well, you can talk to them, but you have to promise me one thing.]

—[What?]

—[Don’t let other girls touch you, okay? When that happens… I feel a strong pain in my chest… And it makes me want to cry…].

The way Tachibana-san said it, it’s one of the sincerest things I’ve ever heard from her, and it makes me feel a pain in my chest too…

—[Okay, I’ll do it.]

—[Well, I’m going to sleep.]

—[Good night.]

—[Wait, don’t hang up… Let me do it tonight.]

Judging from Tachibana-san’s voice, her happy personality atmosphere vanished, and she had returned to being the same old Tachibana-san.

—[She’s there with you now… Right?]

Why was I talking to Tachibana-san while lying in the same bed with Hayasaka-san? Well… The reason for this event goes back to that afternoon after school.

—Today it’s my turn. Well, actually, today is Tachibana-san’s day, but she was busy with her piano lessons due to her piano competition coming up. So, I asked her to give up this day to me. I’m sorry that this was all very sudden, I made this decision on my own.

—I see. So, did you discuss all this with her afterwards?

—Yes, I did. What do you say, Kirishima-kun? Are you okay with it?

—Absolutely.

Those were the words I said that night at the train station when Tachibana-san and Hayasaka-san agreed to share me between the two of them.

From the outside it’s a perfect situation, right? But to be honest, I don’t know how the two of them must really feel about all this. Still, both girls set up four rules to be followed in the face of this strange relationship the three of us have.

Rule number one; Kirishima Shirou must obey whatever Hayasaka Akane and Tachibana Hikari say.

Rule number two; Hayasaka Akane and Tachibana Hikari must share Kirishima Shirou equally.

Rule number three; Hayasaka Akane and Tachibana Hikari must not do anything without the other knowing, no actions behind the other’s backs.

Rule number four; there will be a penalty if the set time with Kirishima Shirou is exceeded.

Since that night I have been boyfriends with these two girls on the days specified. But today there was this unexpected change of plans.

—What do you want us to do today? — Hayasaka-san asked.

—Well, we should first decide which places to go.

Everyone at school recognizes me and Tachibana-san as official lovers, so, every time I do something with Hayasaka-san, I have to make sure no one sees us. That’s why our dates are always in places far away where students of this school don’t go near to. However, Hayasaka-san decided she wanted to take a chance today…

—Today at school is fine with me. I want to make the most of this day and I don’t want to waste time travelling long distances. I want to spend as much time with you as possible.

—Well, let’s say this will be the right place for a date, what do you want to do Hayasaka-san?

—Let’s have a little game.

—What kind of game?

—Walk around the building holding hands.

—No no no no, that’s a bad idea. Even if it’s after school, there are still a lot of students left.

—That’s true. If anyone sees us, I’ll be a bad girl who’s doing improper things with a boy who has a girlfriend. And lately Tachibana-san is very popular with girls, if you’re seen, you’re going to get hurt.

That’s not the only thing I’m worried about, I’ll be branded as an unfaithful man.

—And that’s why it will be a game — said Hayasaka-san cheerfully with a childish expression. — We’ll do our best to make sure no one finds us, we’ll be scouring the building constantly.

—But…

—Don’t worry, if we run into someone, I’ll take my hands off of you.

That could work as a security measure. While imagining that situation in my head, Hayasaka-san smiled mischievously.

—Hey… What do you say, Kirishima-kun? Are you okay with it?

—Absolutely

—Hehehehe. I like that about Kirishima-kun.

This chapter will continue in part 2…