I Ended Up Cross-Dressing, My Secret Relationship with a Handsome Guy (BL) - Chapter 10

“Ah! Kiryu!”

At that moment, it felt as if my heart, which had been pounding so loudly, had suddenly stopped.

My shoulders jerked in an exaggerated reaction as I froze in place, sensing someone approaching from behind. But I didn’t even need to think about who it was—I already knew.

“You said you weren’t coming, but here you are.”

“I said I wasn’t coming with Tanaka, not that I wasn’t coming to the festival at all.”

“Wow, what a technicality. Oh yeah, this guy here is Kiryu. Pretty damn good-looking, right?”

I never really liked Tanaka, one of the so-called top-tier guys like Kiryu. He was the epitome of an extrovert—loud, boisterous, and yet somehow impossible to hate. Even the teachers gave him special treatment, though I had no idea why. He had an inexplicable charisma, always surrounded by people, regardless of gender.

Just as Tanaka turned his attention to the people he had come with, Kiryu subtly positioned himself in front of me, shielding me from view. It was such a small gesture, yet I instinctively exhaled the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, allowing some of the tension in my body to ease.

“Aaaaaaaah!”

A piercingly loud voice made me jump again, while at the same time, Kiryu muttered in a low voice, “Too loud.”

“You—You—!?”

I could feel Tanaka stomping toward us, radiating an overwhelming presence like the sun closing in on me. The sheer impossibility of it sent cold sweat trickling down my back. Whether Kiryu noticed my distress or not, he quietly tightened his grip on my hand.

“Since when did you get a girlfriend!? Why didn’t you tell me?! Also—wait a second—I totally get the feeling she’s super cute! Hey, why are you wearing a mask? Oh, it’s a cat! That’s adorable. Did Kiryu buy it for you? C’mon, let me see your face!”

“Ta-na-ka.”

I was utterly overwhelmed by the force of his extroverted energy. Social interactions weren’t my strong suit to begin with, and guys like Tanaka—who burned as brightly as the sun—were the worst for me. I always felt like I was going to be scorched alive.

“They’re shy, so don’t get all up in their face.”

“Shy…?”

“What, did you forget the meaning of the word?”

“No! I’m just surprised that you’re dating someone shy! I mean, I didn’t think you had it in you to close that kind of distance with someone!”

“What the hell do you even think of me?”

“A pretty but useless idiot.”

Useless? That was probably the least fitting word to describe Kiryu. I instinctively raised my head in protest, despite still wearing the mask. Tanaka, sharp-eyed as ever, immediately caught on and let out an amused “Oh!”

“Don’t look. It’ll wear me out.”

Just before I could fully see Tanaka’s face, a hand gently pressed against my back and pulled me closer. Suddenly, Kiryu’s scent was overwhelming, his warmth palpable. I realized I was in his arms.

“Whaaaaat!? Since when did you start acting like this, Kiryu!? I never thought you were the type!”

“Well, I am now. If you stick around, this one’s going to bolt, so hurry up and get lost.”

His voice carried a mix of exasperation and sincerity. I knew he had a point, yet my body felt paralyzed. My heart was pounding so loudly, I was afraid it would be overheard, but I couldn’t move a single finger, as if my body no longer belonged to me.

“Alright, alright, I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone. Sorry to keep you waiting, let’s go.”

I had no idea what kind of expression Tanaka was making, but from his tone, it was clear he was entertained. Still, at least he was finally leaving. I silently urged him to hurry up.

“Hey, girlfriend, Kiryu might be useless, but he’s a good guy. Be nice to him, okay?”

“Mind your own business.”

Kiryu responded with an exasperated sigh, brushing him off. Gradually, Tanaka and his group’s lively chatter faded into the background, blending with the distant festival music and the buzz of the crowd.

As the noise disappeared, the arm wrapped around my back loosened, and a natural half-step of distance formed between us.

“Sorry, that must’ve been hot, right?”

“N-No, I-I’m fine.”

“You’re talking weird, Yukihō. Wait—are you embarrassed?”

Before he could finish his irritating remark, I stomped on his foot with my geta.

“Buy me shaved ice. Actually, buy me everything at the stalls tonight.”

“Huh? That was the plan from the start.”

“Annoying.”

“Unfair!”

I tried to stomp on him again, but Kiryu, having learned his lesson, quickly stepped away. Clicking my tongue, I finally lowered my hand from my mask, shifting it slightly. Even though the summer night was humid, the moment I was freed from its cover, the cool air felt shockingly refreshing, and I let out a breath.

“Hey, Yukihō.”

“What?”

“I’ll buy you everything, so let’s get shaved ice last. We can grab some takoyaki and other stuff first, then find a quieter place to eat.”

“…Fine, but why?”

“If someone like Tanaka comes by again, it’ll be a hassle.”

“Good point. I agree. Okay, then, takoyaki, yakisoba, and cucumber.”

“Got it.”

I never liked how Kiryu acted when he was around Tanaka. When it was just the two of us, I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. But whenever he was with Tanaka and the rest of those extroverted types, he felt distant, like I couldn’t read him at all. I hated that.

Even now, I had no idea what he was thinking. But as he held my hand and led the way, his face looked genuinely happy. Holding hands with someone cross-dressing at a festival and looking so pleased about it—he must be a total weirdo.

But… this version of Kiryu was much easier for me to be around.

The sound of our geta clacking against the ground followed us as we made our way through the stalls, gathering food. Anything stackable was put into bags, and at some point, the cucumber was replaced by grilled beef skewers.

Kiryu carried most of the bags, while the only thing in my hands was a melon-flavored shaved ice drizzled with condensed milk. In his hands was a strawberry one, also topped with condensed milk.

As he pulled me along, we gradually drifted away from the bustling crowd, heading toward a secluded path near the shrine’s main hall. The route was unlit, the only illumination coming from the festival lights behind us and the faint moonlight filtering through the trees.

“I-I can’t see a thing…!”

“I’m walking slowly, so you’ll be fine. But yeah, I guess yukatas really do make it harder to move.”

“If you let go of my hand, I could lift the hem.”

“Yeah, but then you’d be walking alone in the dark.”

Faced with the choice between struggling a little or walking alone in the dark, I opted to stay as I was, letting him lead the way.

Eventually, the trees parted, revealing a small shrine—a hidden spot, according to Kiryu.

We sat down on a rock big enough for both of us, finally able to catch our breath.

“Ugh, so hot…”

“Well, you’re wearing a wig on top of that yukata.”

“And you’re acting all cool. So annoying.”

As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Kiryu reached out to adjust my hair. I wanted to say I was used to this kind of casual contact by now—but that would be a lie. Suppressing any embarrassing noises, I focused on my shaved ice, hoping to cool down in more ways than one.

“Huh? Shaved ice before a meal?”

“It’s hot. I don’t really care about the order I eat things in. But you, Kiryu… I feel like you’d be the type to care about that kind of table manners. You probably had them drilled into you.”

“I don’t think that’s true, though.”

Saying that, Kiryu set his shaved ice down on the empty space of the rock and pulled out the takoyaki from the bag. He wiped his hands neatly with a wet napkin, split the disposable chopsticks perfectly down the middle, clasped his hands together, and murmured “Itadakimasu” before picking up a takoyaki with elegant precision.

Maybe because some time had passed, it didn’t seem too hot anymore.

“Mmm, this is good.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“Yeah. Here, Yukihō, say ‘ahh’.”

“I can eat by myself.”

“But both your hands are full with the shaved ice right now.”

Kiryu always had a counter for anything I said—I could never win against him.

Reluctantly, I opened my mouth, and he popped a decent-sized takoyaki into it. I could tell he was a little surprised, but I didn’t pay it any mind.

“…Wow, I didn’t think you could open your mouth that wide.”

“I don’t know what kind of weird assumptions you’re making, but I am a guy. This much is nothing—I can eat takoyaki in one bite, slurp down ramen, too.”

“…That’s a total gap moe moment.”

“Kiryu, you never change, do you?”

The strong flavors of the sauce and mayonnaise were balanced out by the cool sweetness of the shaved ice. It didn’t seem weird to me at all, but Kiryu looked at me like he’d just seen something shocking. I had assumed that his extroverted friends ate the same way I did, but maybe I was wrong.

We ate the takoyaki, then the yakisoba, then the beef skewers. Normally, I could easily finish this much food, but the tightness of the obi pressing against my stomach made it hard to eat. Most of the food ended up in Kiryu’s stomach instead.

Still, the summer festival atmosphere kept hunger from being a concern. Instead, I found myself enjoying the experience—it felt like a break from reality.

Thanks to the yukata, makeup, and wig, no one would recognize me anyway. And right now, it was just the two of us here. The distant echoes of the festival reached our ears, but the chirping of summer insects was far more distinct.

“Look up.”

I glanced up at Kiryu after he checked the time on his phone, without questioning him.

The moon wasn’t full, but it was round and bright, and Venus gleamed beside it. I rarely paid attention to the night sky, so just seeing this was refreshing.

Then, suddenly—

A deep, resonant boom vibrated through my chest.

The sound was like a cannon. A fraction of a second later, a brilliant burst of color bloomed across the night sky.

“See? Told you this was a good spot.”

Still in a daze, I heard Kiryu’s voice, laced with satisfaction.

He was right. This really was a hidden gem.

Just as the glow from the first firework began to fade, another shot up with a sharp whistling sound. Then, another thunderous explosion followed, scattering a cascade of smaller fireworks in all directions, filling the sky.

“…Beautiful.”

How long had it been since I last saw a sight like this?

I was so mesmerized by the fireworks painting the summer night sky that I didn’t notice—

“Yeah, really beautiful.”

—how close Kiryu’s voice suddenly sounded.

Or the way his face was inching toward mine, as if to block my view.

“…Huh?”

Another firework bloomed in a brilliant display of color.

“Pretty, isn’t it?”

Before the lingering sweetness of his voice could fade, my entire field of vision was filled with nothing but Kiryu.