A Popular Girl Confessed to Me, the Loner—Thinking It Was a Prank, I Tried to Scare Her Off... But She Was Actually Serious. - Chapter 4: Wrapped in Warmth
—A week had passed since then.
Nothing major had happened… well, nothing bad at least. Despite the fact that Hiyori Amano and I were now “dating,” no one was giving us grief out of jealousy or anything like that. Life went on smoothly, for the most part.
Maybe that was thanks to Amano’s radiant shield of popularity.
Sure, people stared out of curiosity, but I could live with that.
Today, I decided to head to school about thirty minutes earlier than usual—just felt like it. I wanted to be seated before the classroom got too crowded.
In the corner of the room, I sat at my desk with my head down, practically holding my breath.
I laid out my textbooks and opened my notebook to give off that ultra-serious student vibe.
The perfect aura of “please don’t talk to me” introvert energy.
Last time, I went too far.
Talking about my middle school “dark fantasy” notebook—the demon blade Black Fang of Judgment and the ultimate move Unlimited Death Catastrophe of Shadow Annihilation Waltz—was just too much.
Amano didn’t laugh—she was practically moved.
She was too kind. She accepted it all too easily. It made me feel like my heart was soaking in warm water. Relaxing… but also kind of terrifying.
So, this time, I was going to make her back off.
I’d show her the reality of dating someone like me.
No eye contacts. No talking. Keeping my distance. Time to go full-on introvert mode.
***
“Good morning, Masato-kun!”
She showed up.
Of course, she did. I was 100% sure she would from the moment I left the house.
Still, my heart gave a jolt the second I heard her voice.
“…Morning.”
I replied in a barely audible voice, still staring at my notebook.
Ideally, I should’ve ignored her completely… but I couldn’t bring myself to. I always ended up replying somehow. Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. Well, I guess greeting someone isn’t exactly a sin.
Then I pretended to turn a page in my notebook—classic “I’m not ignoring you, but I’m definitely not interested” move.
Amano sat down in the seat next to me and placed her bag on the desk.
I thought she’d start chatting right away, but surprisingly, she didn’t say anything.
I glanced to the side.
She was smiling quietly, but it was a genuinely happy smile.
“…You’re kinda like a cat, Masato-kun.”
Huh? A cat?
“You act cold, but I still wanna be near you.”
How does that even make sense?
Apparently, not being openly rude or openly friendly creates a kind of “tempting” distance.
People’s tastes are… weird.
“…I’m not a cat,” I muttered, barely loud enough for even me to hear.
But Amano caught it, giggled softly, and replied,
“I didn’t think you were a dog either. But yep, definitely a cat.”
(I’m not a cat… and since when are cats considered attractive?)
But I couldn’t bring myself to argue. Denying it felt like it would somehow ruin the moment.
***
Lunchtime.
As usual, I was eating bread at my desk alone… or that was the plan. But Amano sat next to me like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Up until yesterday, I told myself it was just because her seat was next to mine. But today, it felt different.
Even when I tried to keep my distance, Amano adapted to my rhythm without missing a beat.
She didn’t push conversation. She just smiled, checking her phone or opening her drink.
Even without me saying a word, she turned the silence into something calm instead of awkward.
She was matching my pace—completely.
***
After school.
Just as I was getting up and throwing my bag over my shoulder, Amano spoke softly.
“Can I walk home with you again today?”
It was Wednesday—her usual day off from club activities.
After a short pause, I answered quietly.
“…You don’t have to force yourself to hang out with me, you know.”
My voice came out hoarser than I expected.
I meant it as a half-joke. But somewhere in there, the truth bled through.
Amano looked a little surprised… then smiled gently.
“I’m not forcing myself. Just walking home with you makes me happy.”
I couldn’t respond to that.
It felt like something warm had gently brushed against my heart.
***
On the walk home, we walked side by side again.
Amano was slightly ahead, and I walked just a step behind her.
The silence stretched between us—but this time, I didn’t mind.
Maybe I was even… enjoying it.
Believing someone—trusting them—is scary.
But every time Amano spoke, the fear melted just a little.
(…Why do you look at me like that…? I’m just a nobody… a total loner.)
This thing between us was no longer just a prank or some extrovert joke.
Something real was starting to grow in the space between us.