Chapter 58

“Come to think of it, we’re wearing the same outfit.”

Of course, I’m not talking about the nun’s habit but the clothes we threw over it.

While I was stammering, Ria just paid with her own money and draped it over my shoulders. I put my arms back in, though.

Ria and I were both wearing jumpers that college students might wear as their school jackets, but they didn’t feel very thick. They were fine for spring wear.

It seemed like she picked a fairly dark color to match the nun’s outfit, but the design was entirely the same.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

As I walked in silence, Ria asked that.

“Um, no, I wasn’t thinking anything weird or anything.”

“……Is it really necessary to let me know you weren’t thinking anything weird?”

Ria said that with a look of disbelief at my answer, making me feel even more embarrassed.

In fact, I was a little worried about something.

Ria often took my wrist and pulled me along. It wasn’t like she was forcing me to do something, and I never remembered it being painful, but sometimes it felt a bit awkward to think back on it later.

In the convent, even same-gender physical contact is treated with caution. It’s a place where children have been together since young, and the moment they realize their sexuality, there are always kids who go in unexpected directions.

I’ve actually heard various rumors while growing up. I don’t even know if those things really happened or if they were just silly stories among excited kids.

Hmm, yeah. It’s definitely having an effect.

Staying in the church, I probably would have just kept thinking about the original novel—

“Hey.”

“——!?”

Ria suddenly poked my arm, startling me even more than I was already conscious of. However, I managed to hold back a scream, probably because I had somewhat adjusted to the situation.

“Uh….”

Seeing my reaction, Ria hesitated for a moment.

“S-sorry?”

“Ah, no.”

I quickly shook my head.

“I was just lost in thought.”

I was just a bit surprised when I suddenly started talking.

“So, what’s up?”

“I mean, there’s a bubble tea place over there.”

She pointed to a café nearby.

“Have you ever tried it?”

Not in this world.

To be honest, I didn’t get it that often in my past life either. I had nothing against it, but I didn’t really like it enough to buy it regularly, so I had only tried it a few times.

When I shook my head, Ria’s expression immediately turned a bit boastful.

“Then let’s go eat!”

She said that and lightly pulled my wrist again.

“Ah.”

I couldn’t refuse and ended up following her again.

Or maybe I didn’t really want to refuse.

This was the first time I was out like this in this world, free to play around.

There wasn’t anyone I’d really call close in the church. The Sister Warden and the priest would listen to me, but I couldn’t exactly hang out with them like this.

Seeing the eyes from the surroundings on us made me a little flustered, but in the end, I went into the café with Ria and chose a drink.

This time, Ria paid. I was so flustered that I didn’t even manage to say I’d pay first.

Handing me my drink, Ria gave me a little smirk, and I thought that even if I had pulled out my wallet, she would have ended up paying anyway.

Both of our drinks were probably tea-based, but we bought different ones.

I had a drink that was somehow a purple-colored bubble tea with a strong sweet potato flavor, while Ria had a super sweet-looking brown sugar bubble tea.

Walking side by side with our drinks and sipping through our straws, I wondered if my concerns meant anything at all.

Hmm, this feels closer to a temple than a church, but whatever.

The sky was blue, and delicate cherry blossom petals, which I could barely tell whether they were white or pink, were falling gently. A few landed in my hair.

Ria nonchalantly picked a blossom off my head and let it fall.

Why is she being like this today?

Actually, saying “today” might be a bit off.

Ria’s attitude had softened a little over the time we’ve been together. Of course, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t still tease me sometimes, and we’d occasionally bicker…

But somehow, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Ria might see me as a bit pitiful.

Having lived my whole life in the church, I hadn’t gotten to experience what other kids my age usually do. I didn’t even have a family to speak of.

Add in my position, which made me oddly isolated.

Maybe it did seem a bit pathetic to her.

“……”

If it were just a month ago, I might have felt a bit upset at Ria acting like this. The character Lee Chae-eun I’d read about in books always seemed really fierce.

She had huge fights with the Saintess over the same guy.

If I had been clueless at the time, I might have thought Ria was just bringing me along to tease me in a new way.

But no matter how I thought about it, the Ria who would make sure I had something to eat whenever I was worn out didn’t seem like she’d just bring me out here to tease me.

So, it felt even more embarrassing. I didn’t know what to say to Ria.

If I had to say anything, it would be “thank you.” But that wasn’t easy to say.

I knew that expressing anything more than that was rare when it came to logically and reasonably maintaining a relationship.

Thump.

This time, I wasn’t surprised.

Turning my gaze, I saw Ria holding out her cup towards me. Half of it was still left.

“You’ve drunk about half, so let’s switch drinks.”

“……”

At that, I unconsciously swapped cups.

And as I naturally brought the straw to my lips—

Wait a minute, this.

I thought of the term “indirect kiss” and turned to look, and Ria was already sipping from the drink I had handed her. With the straw in her mouth.

Um…

Is this normal between girls? I’m not sure. This was my first time living as a girl, and I never had such a close friend before.

Plus, even if I had friends, I was in a position where I couldn’t just hang out like this.

“Why? Is it bad?”

“Ah, no, it’s not that.”

Ria tilted her head and asked, and I looked back at the cup in my hand.

…….

Well, it shouldn’t matter, right? After all, she didn’t care either.

As I tried to move, wondering if I was thinking too much like an elementary schooler—

“Huh?”

Hearing that from Ria, I quickly raised my head.

But I had nothing to explain or justify.

What Ria was looking at wasn’t the drink I held but over there, in the distance.

It wasn’t that far, just across a street over there.

There, I.S.Yoon stood.

And he wasn’t alone; he had a girl with him.

Fortunately, the girl wasn’t Glaria. It was Han Yu-ri, looking shy in a proper outfit, her face flushed.

I reflexively grabbed Ria’s wrist.

“Hey, let’s go.”

Even though I could have just toughened it out if I wanted, Ria didn’t resist as I pulled her along. I led Ria away towards the crowd, hiding behind it.

There were people looking at us with confusion because of our sudden appearance, but just walking away, they didn’t react any further.

…It was definitely eye-catching clothing, so they did glance over, though.

“……”

Ria looked at me with a slightly astonished expression, but I kept holding her wrist until I saw I.S.Yoon and Han Yu-ri disappear from view.

Han Yu-ri looked very cheerful. I.S.Yoon had a happy expression as well, but Han Yu-ri’s face was particularly that of a girl in love, all flushed and radiant.

I see. With the cherry blossoms blooming, it was only natural for such an event to happen. We hadn’t even reached the main story yet.

……Once again, I felt certain in my heart.

There is no way to sever the relationships that had developed to that extent even before the real story begins.

They hadn’t held hands or anything, but with Han Yu-ri’s hands clasped together demurely, looking up at I.S.Yoon, and I.S.Yoon occasionally stealing glances at her, somewhat flustered as if he was inexperienced.

Anyone could see that was a scene of pure love.

Yeah. The very first heroine must be the main heroine, and the main heroine rightfully deserves to be the true heroine.

If not, it would just either be BSS or NTR, wouldn’t it?

After they had completely passed by, I felt oddly relieved, and I sighed deeply, taking a sip from the straw of the drink I was holding.

It was only after gulping down a couple of sips that I suddenly remembered the straw I was using had just been in Ria’s mouth, and I hurriedly pulled it away.

And I also remembered that I was still tightly holding Ria’s wrist.

Ria looked at me, eyes wide as if she were shocked.

“……”

I gently released my hand and turned my gaze away.

Ugh.

This is a bit embarrassing.

The distinct sweetness from the brown sugar lingered in my mouth for quite some time.