Episode 22: Kaede Wants to Hold Hands
My body was tired because I had put in more effort than usual in the red and white game, but I still did not miss my daily shooting practice.
The world’s best forwards, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, were strikers and also great specialists. That’s why I always stay alone after club activities and keep kicking the ball every day.
Exhausted to the point of not wanting to do anything for the first time in a long time, I was just leaving the school gate to go home when someone tapped on the shoulder. When I turned around, I found a beautiful finger like a cool white bream poking my cheek. Kaede’s face was full of joy.
“Great job, Yuya. You were very cool again today.”
Her breath was white, but her cheeks were flushed, and her voice laced with excitement. I wonder if the excitement of the red and white game had yet to cool down. Was she waiting in the cold weather? Her hands might be getting cold.
“I might be late making dinner, but I really wanted to come home with Yuya-kun. Was that a bad idea?”
“…Okay, not really. But you didn’t have to wait outside, did you? You could have waited for me in the classroom. You could have sent me a message and I would have come and picked you up…”
I wrapped my hands gently around Kaede’s hand in disbelief. I felt guilty for making the girl wait alone on a February night when spring is still far away, and as a way to at least make amends, I gave her hands some warmth.
“Oh, um…. Yuya-kun, is, is that you? So suddenly, what’s going on…?”
“Shut up. You’re so cold. It’s your punishment for forcing yourself to wait for me outside in the cold.”
That’s right. Even if it is in front of the school gate, it is still dangerous for a beautiful girl like Kaede to be waiting alone at night. And even if she has a coat on, she’s still wearing a skirt and it’s bound to be cold if you stay still. What if she catches a cold?
Kaede groaned as she slumped over, but her protests went unheeded. I won’t let go of this hand until it reaches the normal temperature.
“If… If I catch a cold. Then… will Yuya-kun take care of me?”
“Of course, I will. If Kaede caught a cold because of me, I would have to take responsibility for it. But if at all possible, I’d prefer you won’t catch a cold.”
Yes, I would be worried. If I left Kaede alone at school while she was sick in bed, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on class or even club activities because I would be worried about what she was doing at home.
“Here. Use this. Let’s go home early and have a hot meal today. Let’s stop by the supermarket, buy some vegetables and meat, and have a hot pot. Then, tomorrow we’ll have the rest of it and rice porridge. What do you think?”
As we talked about the menu for dinner, I took off my own gloves and handed them to her. I could feel the cold air stinging my skin and the loss of feeling on my fingertips. I sheltered my hands in my coat, but it didn’t really make any difference. I couldn’t wait to get home and soak in a warm bath.
“Wait a minute, Yuya-kun! It’s nice of you to lend me your gloves, but this is not going to help your hands!”
“I’ll be fine. I can use my pockets and it won’t be a problem. Let’s go home sooner before we have to talk about it. I don’t want to skip dinner, okay?”
“Hmm… fine. Then let’s do this.”
Kaede quickly grabbed my hand and shoved it straight into her coat pocket. Her fingers intertwined with mine in a so-called lover’s connection. Her cheeks were changing color like autumn leaves. Of course, not only Kaede, but me as well.
“This way, Yuya’s hands won’t get cold, right? I think it’s good that others can’t see us from the outside that we’re holding hands, what do you think?”
‘What do you think?’ Don’t stare at me with sparkling eyes! I feel like I’m about to overheat just by holding your hand, and now you want to put our hands in your coat pocket? You can’t see it from the outside, but it’s obvious that we’re holding hands, and I think it rather shows off how close we are!
“… It was Yuya-kun who was holding my hand until just a moment ago. You can’t convince me that you’re panicking now, can you?”
“That’s true, but… indeed, this is a bit… embarrassing, or rather…“
“Or is it that you hate holding hands with me, Yuya? Do you have a problem with someone seeing us?”
If you were to ask me if I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t actually mind. The only way to intertwine your fingers and hold hands like this was if you’re lovers, and if it’s Kaede, you should be crying for joy. Heh, it’s funny. I feel like I’m already smitten by the bond with her.
“Come on, we have to go, or the supermarket will be closed. Let’s hurry up!”
I kept pace with Kaede as she started to run off.
In the cold weather. We arrived home, feeling the warmth of each other’s hands.
Episode 22: Kaede Wants to Hold Hands
My body was tired because I had put in more effort than usual in the red and white game, but I still did not miss my daily shooting practice.
The world’s best forwards, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, were strikers and also great specialists. That’s why I always stay alone after club activities and keep kicking the ball every day.
Exhausted to the point of not wanting to do anything for the first time in a long time, I was just leaving the school gate to go home when someone tapped on the shoulder. When I turned around, I found a beautiful finger like a cool white bream poking my cheek. Kaede’s face was full of joy.
“Great job, Yuya. You were very cool again today.”
Her breath was white, but her cheeks were flushed, and her voice laced with excitement. I wonder if the excitement of the red and white game had yet to cool down. Was she waiting in the cold weather? Her hands might be getting cold.
“I might be late making dinner, but I really wanted to come home with Yuya-kun. Was that a bad idea?”
“…Okay, not really. But you didn’t have to wait outside, did you? You could have waited for me in the classroom. You could have sent me a message and I would have come and picked you up…”
I wrapped my hands gently around Kaede’s hand in disbelief. I felt guilty for making the girl wait alone on a February night when spring is still far away, and as a way to at least make amends, I gave her hands some warmth.
“Oh, um…. Yuya-kun, is, is that you? So suddenly, what’s going on…?”
“Shut up. You’re so cold. It’s your punishment for forcing yourself to wait for me outside in the cold.”
That’s right. Even if it is in front of the school gate, it is still dangerous for a beautiful girl like Kaede to be waiting alone at night. And even if she has a coat on, she’s still wearing a skirt and it’s bound to be cold if you stay still. What if she catches a cold?
Kaede groaned as she slumped over, but her protests went unheeded. I won’t let go of this hand until it reaches the normal temperature.
“If… If I catch a cold. Then… will Yuya-kun take care of me?”
“Of course, I will. If Kaede caught a cold because of me, I would have to take responsibility for it. But if at all possible, I’d prefer you won’t catch a cold.”
Yes, I would be worried. If I left Kaede alone at school while she was sick in bed, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on class or even club activities because I would be worried about what she was doing at home.
“Here. Use this. Let’s go home early and have a hot meal today. Let’s stop by the supermarket, buy some vegetables and meat, and have a hot pot. Then, tomorrow we’ll have the rest of it and rice porridge. What do you think?”
As we talked about the menu for dinner, I took off my own gloves and handed them to her. I could feel the cold air stinging my skin and the loss of feeling on my fingertips. I sheltered my hands in my coat, but it didn’t really make any difference. I couldn’t wait to get home and soak in a warm bath.
“Wait a minute, Yuya-kun! It’s nice of you to lend me your gloves, but this is not going to help your hands!”
“I’ll be fine. I can use my pockets and it won’t be a problem. Let’s go home sooner before we have to talk about it. I don’t want to skip dinner, okay?”
“Hmm… fine. Then let’s do this.”
Kaede quickly grabbed my hand and shoved it straight into her coat pocket. Her fingers intertwined with mine in a so-called lover’s connection. Her cheeks were changing color like autumn leaves. Of course, not only Kaede, but me as well.
“This way, Yuya’s hands won’t get cold, right? I think it’s good that others can’t see us from the outside that we’re holding hands, what do you think?”
‘What do you think?’ Don’t stare at me with sparkling eyes! I feel like I’m about to overheat just by holding your hand, and now you want to put our hands in your coat pocket? You can’t see it from the outside, but it’s obvious that we’re holding hands, and I think it rather shows off how close we are!
“… It was Yuya-kun who was holding my hand until just a moment ago. You can’t convince me that you’re panicking now, can you?”
“That’s true, but… indeed, this is a bit… embarrassing, or rather…“
“Or is it that you hate holding hands with me, Yuya? Do you have a problem with someone seeing us?”
If you were to ask me if I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t actually mind. The only way to intertwine your fingers and hold hands like this was if you’re lovers, and if it’s Kaede, you should be crying for joy. Heh, it’s funny. I feel like I’m already smitten by the bond with her.
“Come on, we have to go, or the supermarket will be closed. Let’s hurry up!”
I kept pace with Kaede as she started to run off.
In the cold weather. We arrived home, feeling the warmth of each other’s hands.
