Apparently the Gal who Bullies me Likes me

Chapter 8.5 (Chapter 8 Part 4)

True Feelings (Kyoko Tachibana's POV)

Note: I put chapter 8 part 4 there so that I can put it on Novel Updates.

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The two of us are sitting on a swing in a nearby park.

It really feels that the mood in the park at night is really good.

"I'm sorry if I stopped you from getting off the train."

"It's okay, I had fun."

"I'm glad to hear that."

After that our conversation stopped.

I was talking so much happily a while ago I wonder why I can't speak so well now that we are alone.

Kato then asked me "Why did you ask me to go out with you?"

"It's just I thought that if we switched seats, we wouldn't have as many chances to talk."

I really believe that if our seats are changed, I wouldn't get to see Kato much anymore.

"You are really kind." Kato mutters to himself.

"No you're wrong!"

I'm not kind at all.

"Eh?"

Kato looks surprised

"...I'm not a kind person."

"Remember I used to bully you, right?"

Yes, the truth that I bullied Kato will not change no matter what.

No matter how well I got along with Kato, it would never change.

"But I thought that you were different from them."

"But I still bullied you together with Rina and the others."

"It's only for a while, and I don't really care about that."

"I do care. Short as it may be, it doesn't change the fact that I was bullying you."

Kato says he doesn't care now, but it must have been painful when I was bullying him.

There's something that I really want to ask to Kato.

"Also why are you going with my selfishness? 

I always wanted to ask him that.

Why are you hanging out with the person who bullied you? Because normally you would hate that person.

"It's because we're friends."

"Friends..."

I see he is considering me as his friend but I don't like that.

It's selfish of me but I really want to get closer to Kato.

I look at Kato with a determined face.

"I enjoy being with Kato that's why I want to spend more time with you."

I've said it.

"I'm starting to wonder if this feeling comes from guilt but I want to believe that it's not, and that I really mean those words."

Those words came out of me naturally.

"What am I to you? Am I your friend? Your bully? Or am I..."

I've said those words while I'm holding my tears back.

"You're my..."

What would Kato say?

Kato's movements feels so slow, as if time has slowed down.

"Oh, it's raining..."

Why is it raining at such an important time.

Maybe now it's not the time to answer that question.

"We already talk too much, shall we go home?"


...


On the train, I acted as usual as much as possible.

It was as if what had happened earlier had never happened.

The station where I'm getting off the train is approaching.

"Hey, did you have fun today?"

"Yeah, it was really fun."

"Then that's good."

​I'm happy that Kato had fun together with me. 

"Here, take this."

Kato is holding out his umbrella to me.

That's right I don't have an umbrella and it's still raining outside.

"Are you sure you're giving this to me?"

"Yeah, our house is close to the station so I would be fine."

"... Thank you. After all you are really kind."

Why are you so kind to me?

Then the door opened.

"See you tomorrow, Tachibana."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."
 
I got off the train.

I can hear the sound of the train moving.

Ah, in the end I didn't hear Kato's true feelings for me.

But I'm still glad as I felt like I was getting a little bit closer to Kato.