My Japanese Childhood Friend Is Too Flirty

14. At 14, Slowly Realizing Our Feelings for Each Other (5)

A little bit is okay.

The moment I heard those words, a question immediately arose.

…A little bit, what does that even mean?

Literally a little, just barely touching hands and then letting go, or doing more but in moderation. I couldn’t understand Aki’s true intentions, so for about three seconds, I seriously pondered the definition of the word ‘a little.’

‘Usually, when you say a little, it means a short time…’

Aki’s words probably leaned more towards the latter meaning.

So, touching is possible, but in moderation, that’s what she meant by a little bit is okay.

Or maybe, like, she didn’t mind me touching her a lot, but was just embarrassed.

“……”

My brain’s just going wild, running on all the happy circuits.

My mouth feels all dry, and I can’t keep my hands and feet still, so I just clench and unclench my fists.

If anyone else saw me right now, they’d probably think I was a total moron.

But I couldn’t help it. I mean, this is my first time touching Akki, no, a girl’s body, ever.

Sure, I held hands and kissed people when I was little, but that was when I was too young to know anything, so that doesn’t count, right?

The point is, this is the first time I’m touching Akki’s body since I actually know what’s going on.

Saying it like that, it sounds like I’m doing this with some really impure intentions, but anyway…

“……”

Akki is looking up at me, her face bright red, without saying a word.

I stand there in front of Akki, thinking, ‘Is it really okay to touch her…?’

‘…But she did say I could, so I guess it’s okay, right?’

I made the kind of decision a hormone-raging, 14-year-old boy would, surrendering to pure instinct.

“…Akki.”

“Yeah…?”

Yeah, let’s do it.

When else would I ever get to touch her…!

“You said I could, so, I’m gonna touch you, okay?”

Having made up my mind, I said, looking down at Akki.

“……!”

Aki, startled, her already large eyes widened even more, making her flinch.

“U-Uju~chan…! Y-you’re serious…?”

“Yeah, I’m serious.”

“Eh, uh, ah….”

Aki, unable to hide her fluster, made strange noises.

Judging by her reaction, it seemed she hadn’t dreamed I’d actually try to touch her, but if that were truly the case, Aki severely underestimated the curiosity of a 14-year-old boy.

Any guy would understand, an adolescent boy who has just stumbled upon a secret, his mind is bound to be swirling with all kinds of fantasies.

An opportunity had arisen to possibly bring those fantasies into reality, and there wasn’t a boy in the world who would pass that up. If someone did, it would mean one of two things: they weren’t actually a guy, or that function wasn’t working.

I was neither of those things, so I flopped down next to Aki, whose face had become bright red.

“Aki.”

“Y-yeah…?”

“How far can I touch you?”

I asked, staring straight into Aki’s face.

She had told me to touch her, but I felt like I needed to get permission beforehand.

Aki’s face, already red, heated up to the limit.

“……Eh, eh?!”

“……”

I didn’t press her, just waited quietly.

I knew instinctively that this wasn’t something you could rush.

“……”

“……”

My gaze locked with Aki’s in the air.

The space between us was maybe two fists wide.

Sitting side-by-side, neither too far nor too close.

If Aki just said the word, I could reach out and touch them anywhere.

“……”

“……”

“Um… Aki?”

“Na…”

“Huh? What was that…?”

Aki clenched their fist tight.

Then, shouted loudly.

“なかったことに…!”

“……Huh?”

I thought I must have misheard.

What Aki had just said to me, in Korean, would mean ‘Let’s pretend it didn’t happen…!’

“Cancel it! …T-take back everything I just said! Void!”

Startled by the word cancel, I looked at them, Aki shaking their head wildly, face flushed a bright red like an apple.

“Uh? Ah, no…”

“What the hell, a sudden cancellation…?”

Like a bolt from the blue.

I was so hyped, waiting with bated breath to see where I’d get to touch, and now, out of nowhere, she’s saying let’s forget it, canceling it just like that. Felt like a punch to the back of the head.

“U-Uju~chan, pervert! Honto ni pervert…! S-Surely, just because Aki said you could touch doesn’t mean you should’ve actually tried…!”

“….You were the one who said I could touch, weren’t you?”

“D-Don’t know! Anyway, canceled, it’s canceled…!”

“….”

Canceled.

Touch canceled.

Two words, nothing special when separated, but together, they hammered deep into my brain.

I instantly felt like all my energy was drained, and before I knew it, a sigh escaped, a heavy exhale.

“…Aw, man.”

Seemed too good to be true.

If I knew it’d end up like this, I should’ve just touched first without asking.

Hindsight’s a b*tch, though. I was lost in these perverted thoughts and suddenly felt pathetic, so I jumped up from my spot.

“U-Uju~chan…! Where are you going…?”

“Nowhere, just getting up to spread the futon.”

Maybe it was the crushing disappointment, but I couldn’t help but answer with a bit of a snap.

But Aki, oblivious to my mood, placed her palm on the spot I had been sitting, leaning in close.

“Uju~chan, not sleeping in the bed…?”

“I was gonna sleep in the bed if you let me touch, but Aki wouldn’t let me.”

“Ah, uh…”

Aki went completely sulky at my curt response.

Aki, having nothing to say, just mumbled with their lips and fidgeted with the bedsheets.

“S-sorry…”

“It’s fine. You don’t need to apologize to me, just from today we’ll sleep separately.”

“……Um, Woo-joo~chan.”

They came a little closer and grabbed the hem of my pajamas.

“Can’t we just sleep together…?”

“Aki, didn’t you hear what I just said?”

“B-but…”

*Squeeze*-.

“Aki, wants to sleep with Woo-joo~chan…”

“Aki, you…”

I tried to coldly reject them, pulling away Aki’s hand, but.

“……Can’t we?”

“……”

Aki’s gaze followed.

That is, meeting those slightly wet, glistening eyes.

‘…Ah.’

It became impossible to do so.

“Uju~chan….”

“……Ah, alright. Let’s sleep together, together.”

“Ah, really…? Thank you, Uju~chan~!”

So, reluctantly, I agreed to sleep together, and immediately, as if she had never been on the verge of tears, Aki’s face regained its vitality.

“I’ll get everything ready, Uju~chan, you just come over!”

“…….”

Seeing Aki’s expression change in an instant, I realized, ‘I’ve been tricked again….’ but since I had already said we would sleep together, I couldn’t take it back. Otherwise, it would be a lie.

Four years ago, I made a promise with Aki that I would never lie, so even though it’s really unfair, Aki can lie to me, but I can’t lie to Aki.

Well, that being said, Aki has never blatantly lied to me. Except in these special cases.

“Uju~chan, Uju~chan! Everything’s ready, come lie down here!”

While I was lost in thought, Aki had finished preparing the bed and was patting the spot next to her.

Pretending to be reluctant, pretending to be embarrassed, I hesitantly went over and lay down next to Aki.

“It’s not even bedtime yet….”

“It’s okay, if we lie down and talk, it’ll be bedtime soon!”

Summer is slowly approaching, but the nights are still cold.

I pulled the blanket up to my chest, and Aki also pulled the blanket up to cover her chest.

“Uju~chan, turn over and face the wall!”

“Turn over? Why?”

“Come on, quickly…!”

“…What are you trying to do?”

As instructed, I lay on my side with my back to Aki.

Poof-.

I was embraced.

“……!”

The sudden, soft sensation made my whole body tense up.

But Aki, who was holding me, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the situation, as I could hear her giggling behind me.

“……Aki, what are you doing?”

“Dakimakura (hugging pillow), don’t you know?”

“I know what that is, but….”

I’m not a dakimakura, so why is she hugging me from behind?

Just as I was about to ask, Aki, seeming uncomfortable, squirmed and pressed even closer.

Naturally, Aki’s curves fit perfectly against my body, and I felt a strange sensation I had never experienced before, causing me to gasp.

‘……Wow, that was dangerous.’

Exactly how and why it was dangerous……. I won’t say.

“Hmm, that’s better. Now I’m comfortable…”

“I’m uncomfortable though…….”

“Oh, really? Then, would you like to hug me, Uju~chan?”

“……No, let’s just stay like this.”

Hugging Aki in this state would be a complete disaster.

I calmed my mind with the heart of a monk in training, internally chanting, like a mantra, “If I mess up here, everything’s over-.”

“Hey, Woo-joo~chan…?”

No sooner had I calmed down than Aki launched her attack.

It seems she really thought of me as some sort of hug pillow, because she wrapped her arms tightly around my waist and whispered in my ear.

“Just now, not letting you touch… I’m really sorry about that. Actually, Aki originally was going to let you…?”

“……Oh, but?”

“But, the way Woo-joo~chan was looking at Aki was so scary, that’s why I said no. Sorry, Woo-joo~chan….”

“…….”

Just how did my eyes look to have scared Aki like that?

That question lingered for a moment, but was instantly wiped clean from my mind by Aki’s soft apologies and the way she snuggled closer.

“So, it’s not really in exchange, but…”

*Squish-*

“Later, much later…”

*Squish, Squish-*

‘……Ah, I’m going crazy.’

“When Aki and Woo-joo~chan are a little older. Hmm, maybe around high school age…. I’ll grant one wish that Woo-joo~chan has. ……How’s that?”

“…….”

I was focusing so hard on other things that, honestly, I didn’t really hear what she was saying.

All I could tell was that Aki had asked me some kind of question.

So, I did my best not to move and just gave a vague nod.

“……Uh, yeah. Let’s do that.”

“Ah, really…? Then, Uju~chan, you’re forgiving Aki…?”

“Yeah, I’ll forgive you…. So, um….”

*Could you back off a little*, was what I was about to say.

“Okay, I understand…! *Suki da yo, Uju~chan*…!”

Aki, with a voice full of joy, whispered something and then wriggled her body, sticking right up against me.

And I, ultimately.

‘……Ah.’

A massive disaster, something I couldn’t possibly tell Aki about, happened.

And I had to hide it and wait until Aki fell asleep, it was a nightmare to get through…….

* * *

“Uju~chan, are you asleep…?”

“…No, why?”

“*Watashi* has something I’m curious about…. Can I ask?”

“What is it….”

“So, in the end, who was that girl you hung out with after school?”

“……”

“Uju~chan…?”

“……Wasn’t that story over and done with?”