To Be the Perfect Childhood Friend - Chapter 29

In this situation, even jokes came out, and his voice was relaxed. However, Anita no longer trembled. No, there was no need for that.

“Can ghosts have physical strength? It seems like a person to me.”

The body that was shaking until just now surprisingly calmed down. Somehow, it felt like he might know whose doing it.

“I’ve thought about it.”

While Anita was checking behind her with a shiver, he seemed to be leisurely lost in thought.

“What is it?”

“You don’t seem to fit well with that student council president.”

Anita’s thought process, which had been formulating hypotheses in her mind, was instantly blocked. Her heartbeat quickened as she remembered that they were still holding hands.

“So, who do I fit in with then?”

She tried to appear casual, but there was no way to control the trembling voice towards the end.

“You? You seem to fit well alone.”

Of course, a small possibility is just that, a small possibility.

It was fortunate that the room was dark. If he had seen Anita’s expression, it would have been an awkward situation for both of them.

“Oh, really? I didn’t know.”

Anita tried to put on a playful tone, but the words that came out were cold.

Even though she knew Rutger couldn’t see her, Anita turned away and bit her lip hard. Of course, she couldn’t take back what she’d already said.

“You’re not mad, are you?”

He didn’t expect to ask so openly. Although Rootger likely knew Anita had feelings for him, he had never directly mentioned it and that’s why their ambiguous relationship, neither friends nor lovers, had lasted so long. It was okay, because they knew what each other felt, but they didn’t say it out loud.

“Why would I be mad?”

“Well, people often get upset when they hear that they’re better off alone. It sounds like a bad thing.”

Anita’s tense shoulders relaxed. Her heartbeat, which had been beating so hard she feared he might hear it, gradually slowed down and returned to normal.

While getting out of the immediate crisis was commendable, Anita felt strangely uneasy.

It was like being a child waiting for a spanking.

Even if you glue together already broken pieces of glass, can it last a lifetime?

Anita wondered how long such a fragile relationship could endure.

At least today didn’t seem like the day it would break.

“Oh, the lights are back on.”

His voice was so optimistic that Anita slipped her hand out of his grasp. She had no desire to hold hands in the middle of a brightly lit hallway.

“Let’s go.”

“But you said we have to go to class.”

Anita replied coolly.

“The weather’s not great either. Can’t we just skip?”

“Why are you asking me?”

Anita asked with a bewildered tone, and Rutger took a step toward her with a meaningful smile. Anita took a step back. Then he took a step forward again. A strange standoff ensued for a while. In the end, Anita was the one who gave in.

Her back hit a rigid wall. Anita closed her eyes and, when she opened them again, she was face to face with him.

“There’s no one else here but us.”

“… So?”

Her rolling eyes, looking for an escape, met his gaze head-on.

“So, you’re the only one with the authority to push me into the classroom.”

“…Where does it hurt?”

“Surely you’re not going to push me into that boring and dreadful class, right? Hmm?”

Anita squeezed her eyes shut. His pleading tone sent shivers down her arms.

“Let’s just go have some fun.”

“Your face…”

Although her eyes were closed, Anita wasn’t in her right mind because of his presence. There was a pleasant scent that hadn’t been noticeable before, perhaps because her view was blocked.

In embarrassment, she reached out to push him away, but the sensation on her fingertips felt strange. She pushed where his shoulder should be, but due to him lowering his head, Anita’s fingers landed on his lips.

Feeling the gentle warmth at her fingertips was unfamiliar, and when she opened her eyes, froze like a statue. Rutger, whose lips were unexpectedly sealed, was staring at Anita.

A long silence hung in the air.

Though Anita’s lips trembled, no words came out. There was no trace of laughter in Rutger’s eyes, which had once held the faintest hint of a smile.

“S-Sorry. I-It’s okay… No, it can’t be okay.”

For the first time in a while, his open mouth couldn’t form a coherent sentence. Anita acknowledged her inability to come up with a better excuse and settled for removing her finger from his lips.

Rutger straightened up from his previously leaning posture toward Anita.  Anita’s head snapped up from where she was facing forward. She didn’t like Rutger’s height, which was much taller than her. It was because, he could easily see her expression, which was not easy for Anita.

“It hurts.”

“Huh?”

“It hurts because you poked me.”

“…I didn’t poked you.”

After Anita’s blunt words, a low laughter followed. She couldn’t understand what was so funny. Her expression involuntarily became puzzled.

“So, what should we do about it?”