A Pretty Girl Has Her First Kiss Stolen By an Equally Handsome Classmate - Episode 1.12

Friday, March 11

“I’m going to school starting in April.”

Shizuku Mizuhara declared.

Hearing her words, I exaggerated my reaction, clapping my hands in excitement.

It had been two weeks since I last saw Mizuhara. Last week, I couldn’t visit because of the end-of-year exams. Sitting on the floor with my back against the bed, I looked at Mizuhara, who was seated across from me.

“I already told the teacher.”

“Told them what?”

“That I’ll attend school if I’m in the same class as you, Wakamatsu.”

“That’s great! Sounds fun.”

Since a truant student had made such a request, there was a high chance she would end up in my class.

“So, I won’t need to bring you handouts anymore?”

“That’s right. Thank you for everything so far.”

Mizuhara going to school meant one thing—the reason that connected us was disappearing. I leaned back against the bed and let out a sigh.

“It feels kind of lonely, not meeting like this after school anymore.”

Every Friday at 4:30 PM.

Losing this special time with Mizuhara felt strangely disappointing.

She looked down at me and suddenly spoke.

“Then, from April, let’s go on a date every Friday after school.”

“A d-d-date!?”

“Of course. You’re going to be my boyfriend, right?”

That confession at the beach… was she serious about it? The shock had been so great that I could barely remember anything after she confessed.

“Is it… because you like me?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“U-Until when?”

“Until the unusual becomes usual.”

Even after everything that had happened, I still knew so little about what Mizuhara had gone through.

Last year, something happened to her.

That “something” turned her ordinary life into something unusual and caused her a great deal of pain.

And even now, that “unusual” state continued.

But Mizuhara was preparing to return to normal life.

Her declaration, “I’m going to school in April,” was proof of that.

For her, making the unusual into the usual meant integrating that experience into her everyday life.

For students like us, “everyday life” meant going to school. School occupied most of our daily lives.

So Mizuhara returning to school was a huge step toward making the unusual into something normal.

“So, until then, I just have to stay by your side like this?”

“That’s right.”

“Oh, so that’s what ‘dating’ means, huh?”

It was a surprisingly simple arrangement.

Mizuhara promised to go to school. My task from Mr. Yamabe was now complete.

If she started attending school regularly and made new friends she could truly open up to, this casual “dating” relationship would probably disappear in no time.

I smiled to myself.

Then, I met Mizuhara’s gaze. Unlike me, she didn’t look cheerful.

She seemed deep in thought, and seeing her like that made me uneasy, too. Her clouded feelings somehow cast a shadow over my heart as well.

“Hey, Mizuhara, at least drop by the nurse’s office sometimes, okay?”

“Huh?”

I spoke while zipping up my bag.

I tried to choose words that wouldn’t feel like a burden to her.

“I mean, your boyfriend will be waiting for you, after all.”

“…Okay.”

For a moment, I thought her expression changed slightly, but I pretended not to notice.

I reached for the door handle.

“Well, that’s settled, right?”

I was just confirming things, but as I recalled my own words, embarrassment flooded over me. I wanted to leave before she could even reply.

I gripped the handle, took a step forward—
And then—
Mizuhara suddenly grabbed my shoulder with surprising force.

My world flipped upside down.

I found myself staring at an unfamiliar white ceiling—with Mizuhara’s face right above me.

When I tried to sit up, she held my arms down, keeping me pinned in place.

She had pulled me onto the bed.

Now, I was trapped under her, completely overpowered by a girl with an undeniably beautiful face.

Her slender fingers brushed against my cheek.

Tracing my eyebrows, my jawline—her touch was light, almost ticklish.

I shivered and instinctively shut my eyes.

“You know, Wakamatsu, you’re really cute.”

“W-What? Are you teasing me…?”

Coming from her, it sounded like pure sarcasm.

I glared up at her as much as I could, despite my helpless position.

But Mizuhara didn’t seem to care—she just kept touching my face.

Clear double eyelids, a straight nose, smooth, chestnut-brown hair that reached her shoulders, pale skin, long limbs—Mizuhara had so many things I didn’t.

“Hehe, your forehead’s all scrunched up.”

She grinned as she pressed her fingers against my furrowed brow, smoothing it out.

I tried shaking my head to brush her hand away, but her fingers simply moved to my ear, tracing its edge.

Heat spread from my ears down my neck.

I suddenly regretted resisting—having my eyebrows messed with was way less embarrassing than this.

Then, Mizuhara spoke.

“Well… this is fine, right?”

Her tone was unreadable.

She smiled down at me, her face betraying no emotions.

Then, she leaned in—
And softly bit the corner of my lips.

The sudden ticklish sensation made me flinch.

“We’re dating, after all.”

Mizuhara hovered over me.

My eyes shut reflexively.

Her lips met mine—warm, soft, and gentle.

It only lasted a few seconds before she pulled away.

“…Ah.”

I stared up at her, completely stunned.

Wakamatsu Kaede, first-year high school student.

For sixteen years, I had protected my first kiss.

And now, it had been stolen—
By my truant classmate, Shizuku Mizuhara.