Chapter 22: Souta Shibuya Confesses
Akane: “Sochan, I was waiting for you.” That’s what Akane said.
But the only one who calls me that is Yukina.
Again, Akane’s expression overlapped with Yukina’s.
Souta: “Akane…….?”
Akane: “Thank you for letting me come overー”
Akane tugs my hand and walks into my house naturally.
As soon as she held my hand, I felt my heart skip a beat.
Natsuki: “Welcome home, brother. You’re home early……….”
Akane: “Oh, Natsuki. Good evening.”
Natsuki: “Uh, yes?! Good evening…”
My little sister who came to greet me at the door was startled.
My sister looked from me to Akane back and forth with a curious expression.
Of course she would.
This is her <first time> meeting Akane.
If someone you don’t know called your name, you would be surprised too.
While Akane and I were heading upstairs to where my room was, my little sister grabbed my arm.
Natsuki: (Who is that?)
She whispers quietly into my ear.
Souta: (Akane Akabane. She’s from my class.)
Natuski: (A new girlfriend?)
Souta: (No)
Natsuki: (Really? Hmmm….she’s quite cute.)
But she didn’t ask me any further questions.
Although she looked like she really wanted to, I was pulled up the stairs by Akane.
I turn on the light to my room, and sit in the chair at my desk.
Akane sits on my bed.
She swings her legs against the side of the bed.
That was the same habit Yukina had.
But as she did so, her skirt drew up slightly, and I could see her thighs.
Souta: “What’s going on? You had something you wanted to talk to me about, right?” I did my best to keep my eyes on Akane and not look downwards towards her legs.
Akane: “Well～ I just really wanted to talk with you.”
Akane looks up and smiles genuinely at me.
Her words startled me.
ーーI just really wanted to talk with you.
That was what Yukina told me over the phone when she called me.
Then….am I really speaking to…..
Akane: “What’s wrong, Sochan? Your face is turning red.”
Akane gets up from the bed and comes to stand right next to me.
With Akane’s height, we’re about eye to eye as I’m sitting down.
Akane’s large, round eyes look into mine.
Her face is too close.
This is way too close to have a casual conversation.
I can almost feel her breath on my face.
Akane: “Sochan”
Souta: “Akane…….”
Akane and I almost had our noses touching and continued to hold the gaze.
If we only moved 5 cm (2 in), we would kiss from this distance.
Akane didn’t move and neither did I.
Souta: “........”
Akane: “..........hehe, Sochan, you’re getting nervous.”
Souta: “OーOf course I would…”
Akane: “Sochan, you’re such a gentlemanー even though a girl this cute is hitting on you.”
Souta: “YーYou were hitting on me…?” Akane: “Wellー maybeー? I’m not sureー”
And Akane chuckles quietly to herself.
And the way she laughed just now was just like Yukina.
And the way she called herself cute was similar to how Yukina would talk.
And the way she gazed into my eyes and spoke was identical to Yukina.
And with a light <thonk>, our foreheads touch - just like we would do to check if someone had a fever or not.
Akane: “Your temperature is pretty high, Sochan.”
Souta: “Who’s fault do you think that is…..?”
I felt lightheaded from everything that went on, but I managed a retort.
Once more, I try to understand the situation.
Right now, in front of me is Akane Akabane.
She’s Yukina’s best friend and also my friend.
Currently, we are in my room with just the two of us, and we’re speaking to each other so close that we could kiss.
We are way too close right now for being just friends.
But didn’t Akane just say that she was “hitting on me”?
So does that mean that Akane “likes” me?
She didn’t say that explicitly though……...does this mean that I have to make a decision between whether I will [go out] or [not go out] with Akane?
And as I think about this, I think of a completely [odd possibility].
ーーThe possibility that my girlfriend, Yukina Shinonome is possessing Akane Akabane.
But…...wouldn’t that be strange?
Yukina is possessing me.
But today, Mr. Leo told me that Yukina wasn’t around me……
This isn’t good.
I can’t stop my thoughts from spinning.
Just then.
Natsuki: “Brotherー, got you and your friend some juice and……”
“ “ ?!?! ” ”
My sister comes through the door without knocking.
And an awkward silence fills the room.
From my sister’s point of view, it would have looked like Akane and I were kissing.
Natsuki: “SーSorry!! I’ll leave this here!”
Natsuki leaves the OJ and cookies on a tray in the room and immediately exits and runs down the stairs.
Oh great….I’m going to get interrogated laterー yayー
Akane separates from me.
Souta: “.......oh, umー, sorry. I think she misunderstood.”
I scratch my head as I place the tray on a small table in my room.
Akane: “................”
Akane looks down and remains quiet.
I think her cheeks are getting red.
Souta: “Akane?”
I called out to her, but received no response.
I wonder what’s wrong? She seems different than a moment ago.
Akane: “.....................Yukina, you idiot.”
I thought I heard her say something.
Souta: “Oh, Akane. Do you want some juice?” Akane: “........................yes.”
I sit across from Akane around the small table and look at her.
It’s hard to find a conversation topic.
Just a second before, she was talking to me nonstop.
It's as if <her personality just changed> all of a sudden.
I……..I should say something…..
Souta: “Oh yeah. Today, I went to the Café again.”
Akane: “Huh?”
I couldn’t stand the awkward silence and decided to share about my day.
Akane raised her head and looked at me surprised.
Akane: “I didn’t make any reservations today. Did you actually find the café?”
Souta: “? I did get a little lost, but Mr. Leo guided me to it, so I was okay.” Akane: “The Deputy Manager guided <Souta>.....?” The way Akane addressed me changed.
The atmosphere around her changed too from a moment before.
Souta: “And the Café Owner gave me her business card.”
Akane: “WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?! You met the Café Owner?!”
Akane accidentally kicked the table with her leg, but without hesitating, grabbed my shoulders.
Souta: “Is it that surprising?”
Akane: “Of course I’m surprised! Because….she..! She…….! Souta, you said you got her business card?” Souta: “Yeah, it’s this.”
Akane: “Let me see!”
Akane takes the business card from me and looks at it very closely.
Akane: “IーIt’s real……...it’s a direct contact with the Lady Witch of Wisteria…...why did she…….to Souta who’s a commoner…….”
Souta: “Is this really a rare thing?” Akane: “Souta, don’t EVER lose this business card. There are plenty of people who will pay you $10,000 dollars in exchange for that information on the card.”
Souta: “Oh, okay…….I’ll keep it safe.”
I nod as Akane presses the point into me.
I’m sure she’s exaggerating about the $10,000, but apparently, this is a very rare thing to have.
And because of that exchange, Akane and I are close together again.
I’m sitting on the ground cross legged, and Akane has her face very close to mine.
We gaze at each other again with our faces almost touching.
Akane: “!!”
Akane hurriedly turns her face away.
Akane: “I……..I should probably go. Thank you for the snack and drink.”
Akane gets up and walks towards the door.
Souta: “Hey, hold on a sec.”
I grab Akane’s arm without thinking.
Akane: “SーSouta?”
Akane looks a little surprised and concerned as she looks up to me with her eyes.
She does remind me of a small animal.
Why did I stop her just now? I probably….wanted to talk to her some more.
Souta: “...........”
Akane: “.........”
After staring at each other for a while, Akane laughs and says, “Oh, hahaha, sorry for my weird behavior earlier.”
But I didn’t laugh with her and just stared at Akane’s face.
I didn’t see Yukina’s shadow any more.
Akane also stopped smiling and with a serious expression, looked into my eyes.
Akane: “Souta, you like Yukina, right?” Souta: “Yeah.”
I answered her.
Akane: “So, you wouldn’t be interested in going out with any other girls, right?”
Souta: “...........”
Akane: “Souta?” I couldn’t answer that question.
Souta: “Akane, is there someone you like?”
Without answering her question, I asked her a question.
Akane: “.......I have someone I’m interested in.”
But she looks right back at me and answers my question.
Souta: “I also…..have a girl I’m interested in.”
I look at Akane’s eyes to answer her question.
My heart is pounding and it’s hard to hear anything else.
Wait...how did things end up this way?
Akane: “Can I ask…….who?”
Souta: “..........”
Akane was curious and asked me directly.
Can I really say it?
Since when did I become curious about Akane?
Was it when I hugged her at that park?
Or was it when we ate lunch together during our break?
I can’t be sure but…..
Souta: “I think…..I like you, Akane.”
I said it.
And after I said that, I realized something.
Is….Yukina watching us right now?
Is Yukina’s ghost that’s possessing me seeing all of this?
But if that’s the case, Akane would tell me something.
Akane is able to see ghosts after all.
Akane doesn’t say anything, and continues to look into my eyes.
Souta: “Akane, who is it that you’re interested in?”
What if she says a name of a person that’s completely different…….?
Then I would just be the goof.
Without saying another word, Akane takes a step towards me.
She wraps her arms around my neck, pulls my face towards he and stands on her toes as she places her face near mine.
ーーShe kissed me.
Akane: “I guess your sister didn’t have a misunderstanding after all.”
Souta: “.......yeah...that’s true.”
I didn’t understand what she meant at first, but I realized that she was referring to before when I said, “she misunderstood.”
I guess in the end, she witnessed the truth after all.
Akane: “Okay, I think it’s time for me to go now.”
And Akane separates from me.
Souta: “I’ll walk you home.”
Akane: “Don’t worryー Don’t worry. It’s still light outside.”
Souta: “You sure?”
I wanted to be with her more.
Akane: “But Souta, I guess this means that I’m now your girlfriend, right?” Souta: “Oh, yーyeah, that’s right…”
I felt something stir in my chest when I heard the word, “girlfriend.”
Akane leaves the room and walks down the stairs.
I see her to the door and arrive on the 1st floor.
Akane: “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” Souta: “See you tomorrow.”
And I watch Akane leave my house through the front door.
For a while, I couldn’t think straight and just stood there.
During dinner, my sister tried to ask me questions, but I couldn’t reply to most of it.
I don’t remember what we watched on the news.
I tried to study, but I couldn’t focus, and I couldn’t fall asleep.
It was about 1 AM when I finally fell asleep.
That day, I didn’t see Yukina in my dreams.
When I arrived at school in the morning, I met Akane’s eyes.
She smiled, and I smiled back.
Something isn’t settling right.
I need to talk with someone about this.
The only person that came to mind was Touru.
But Touru’s desk was empty.
According to the teacher, “He’s not feeling well, so he’ll be absent for a while.” is what Touru’s parents told them.
Souta: (I guess I’ll go see how he’s doing and maybe bring up the topic…..)
That afternoon, I decided to go to Touru’s house.
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CREDITS
Spirit Girlfriend ~ Seems Like I Am the Only One Who Doesn’t Realize That I Have Been Possessed by My Dead Girlfriend~
Written by: Isle Osaki (Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isle_Osaki)
Translated by: ChonkyTranslator
Japanese Title:
ユーレイな彼女 ～どうやら死んだ恋人が取り憑いてることに、俺だけ気付いてないらしい～
作者: 大崎 アイル (オオサキ アイル)
Original Source Link:
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4912fy/22/