A Story About a Handsome Girl Having Her First Kiss Stolen by an Equally Handsome Classmate - Episode 19

May 16 (Monday)

“Hey, Hanakaede-chan. Let’s pair up.”

My opportunities to interact with Wakumura Chisato have increased dramatically.

She is also good friends with Ariyoshi and Masuda, who Wakamatsu has been hanging out with since their first year of high school, so they naturally end up doing things together. In addition, if they take part in optional pair and group activities together, they will be together at school forever.

“Oh, seriously, I’m sorry if it gets weird.”

“Ufufu, it’s okay.”

Each student can choose from three elective art subjects: music, art, and calligraphy. Wakamatsu, like Wakumura, chose art. A few weeks ago, he moved to a drawing class, and today he will be drawing the person he is paired with.

They sat on the mysterious rectangular wooden chairs that only exist in the art and craft rooms, facing each other from a short distance away.

Wakamatsu simply has no talent for drawing.

A girl with a well-proportioned face like Wakumura’s could easily turn out tragic in Wakamatsu’s paintings. Having warned him, Wakamatsu began to work seriously.

Art classes are allotted two consecutive hours. Wakamatsu continued working on his assignments, even during a 10-minute break, trial and error galore.

“Hanakaede has a pretty face, so it’s easy to draw.”

“Ugh, don’t say that, Wakumura.”

If someone says that to me, I’ll have to put all the effort into the finished piece. If I draw something that looks messed up, it might seem like it’s because your face is messed up.

“Yes, that’s enough!”

With a signal from the teacher, drawing time was over. The teacher walked around looking around while everyone remained in their seats.

“By the way, I’m going to hang out with Masuda and the others soon. Is Wakumura coming too?”

“Yeah, I’d like to go.”

“Then I’ll let Masuda know. Possible dates are this weekend or next week’s national holiday.”

While the teacher went to check out the other groups’ drawings, we killed time by chatting about trivial things.

“When I see something beautiful, I can’t stop drawing.”

“I paint what I think is beautiful, just as I and only I think it is beautiful.”

“Oh, beautiful, beautiful, so beautiful. So I will paint you, and I alone will paint you.”

The eccentric art teacher speaks out loud about his opinions.

In summary, it is “a strong feeling for beautiful things and a strong joy and specialness in turning them into a work of art.” No, maybe I’m a little off the mark. What artists say is sometimes difficult for ordinary people to understand.

“See you tomorrow then.”

“Good luck with your club activities.”

After parting ways with Wakumura, who heads straight to the badminton club, Wakamatsu returns to the classroom.

After the arts electives, everyone disperses to their classrooms. Most students either head straight to their clubs or pack their things and head home.

When I opened the door to the classroom, there was a familiar figure there.

“Eh, it’s Mizuhara!”

The excitement in his voice soared. After making sure that there was no one else in the classroom except Mizuhara, Wakamatsu went inside.

“Good job.”

“Wow, that’s unusual. It feels strange to be talking to Mizuhara in the classroom.”

“Hehe, we did kiss, though.”

“I-Is that necessary given the current conversation?”

Wakamatsu hesitates for a moment and blushes.

“Oh, my shoulders are so stiff,” Mizuhara said, stretching his arms out on the desk and pressing his upper body tightly against the desk, straightening his back. He looked like a cat basking in the sun, and Wakamatsu couldn’t help but smile.

Wakamatsu moves to his seat and packs his belongings in a drawer, while Mizuhara Shizuku remains in the classroom.

“Is someone waiting, like Itohara-san?”

“I was waiting for Wakamatsu.”

Mizuhara Shizuku stretched out and turned to face me.

“Huh?” he said out loud without thinking. Wakamatsu was so happy to receive such words from Mizuhara Shizuku that his smile grew wider and wider.

“Seriously, I’m so happy.”

“I mean, I just sent you a LINE message. I told you to turn on notifications the other day, right?”

“Oh, you’re right. Sorry, I didn’t notice.”

While being scolded by Mizuhara Shizuku, Wakamatsu checks his smartphone.

“So, is it okay for the executive team not to go?”

“Oh, today is fine. Let’s go home.”

During periods when there are no school events, the Student Council Executive Committee only collects waste paper, organizes the budget, and makes copies as requested. There are no meetings that I have to attend, so it’s not a problem. Wakamatsu quickly packed his things and left the school building with Mizuhara Shizuku.

This might be the first time we’ve walked home from school together.

“I feel kind of happy.”

“What?”

“This is how I go home with Mizuhara.”

We would often meet at Mizuhara’s house every Friday. We would meet at the station closest to our houses, but this was the first time we’d walked together from school like this.

“I want to hold hands.”

Mizuhara Shizuku leaned her shoulders together and wrapped her arm around Wakamatsu’s.

The way she poked her hand was so cute that Wakamatsu intertwined his fingers. When he tried to shake hands with her, she stopped him, saying, “We’re lovers, aren’t we?” They intertwined their fingers, like the so-called lovers’ hand-holding, and pressed their palms together.

“Let’s go home together on Fridays from now on.”

“If you want Wakamatsu, that’s fine.”

Wakamatsu was happy with Mizuhara Shizuku’s reply and squeezed her hand tightly.

Holding hands with friends is a normal thing. And yet, for some reason, I never knew holding hands with Mizuhara Shizuku would be so fulfilling.

Looking at Mizuhara Shizuku’s profile, her cheeks are slightly flushed, and I am captivated by her beauty.

“I paint what I think is beautiful, just as I and only I think it is beautiful.”

“Oh, you’re so beautiful, so beautiful, so beautiful. So I’ll paint you, and I alone will paint you.”

The quirky voice of the art teacher is played.

Wakamatsu thought, something uncharacteristic of him, that if he were to be given a sketch next, he would like to draw Mizuhara Shizuku.