Chapter 236: Awkward Encounters [1].

The next morning, Noah Reed woke up with a rather particular concern, since Hikari Amatsuki had kissed him and he had not the slightest idea how he should act when he saw her again.

"..."

He remained lying there for several seconds, staring at the ceiling of his room.

’Why did she do it?’

He remembered what had happened in front of the station.

Hikari had approached to thank him for helping her with Stella, and after a few words of gratitude, she had suddenly kissed him and run off before he could ask her anything.

To make matters worse, the Golden Clover app had shown a message from the goddess.

[The first one fell, well done, stud.]

Noah closed his eyes.

’Damn goddess.’

That notification practically confirmed what he had started to suspect, which was that Hikari was developing romantic feelings toward him, but there was still something he didn’t understand.

’And Stella?’

As far as he knew, Hikari deeply admired the actress and had even gone to him because she thought Stella didn’t want to get involved with her.

Noah had managed to get them together and both had spent a pleasant afternoon, so everything seemed to be progressing correctly until that kiss.

’They’re supposed to end up together.’

He sighed, although, considering how the previous relationships had ended, maybe he shouldn’t be surprised.

After all, Yume, Luna, Iris, Aria, and Ren had also developed feelings toward him.

’Well, this time I’m not going to jump to conclusions.’

He sat up slowly.

’First I need to talk to Hikari.’

He took his phone and opened the conversation with her.

The last message was still the one they had exchanged before the meeting with Stella, and he hadn’t received anything after the kiss.

Noah thought about writing to her, but finally decided to wait until he ran into her at the high school.

’It’ll be better to talk about it in person.’

He left the phone on the bed and got up, but even though he had made that decision, he still had a concern.

’How will Hikari react when she sees me?’

The answer arrived much sooner than he expected.

Noah had just entered one of the high school buildings when he recognized a student walking down the hallway.

Carefully styled hair, impeccable uniform, a folder full of documents in her arms, and it was none other than Hikari Amatsuki.

’Ah.’

Noah stopped, but she still hadn’t seen him, since she was checking some notes while walking, so Noah raised a hand.

"Hikari!"

The girl immediately lifted her head and their eyes met.

"..."

Hikari froze while Noah smiled.

"Good morning."

She slightly opened her mouth.

"..."

She didn’t answer, at which Noah blinked.

"Hikari?"

The student reacted with a start.

"G-GOOD MORNING!"

Several people in the hallway turned around and Noah slightly opened his eyes.

"You don’t have to yell!"

Hikari turned completely red.

"S-Sorry!"

Then she quickly lowered her head.

"I have to go to class!"

Noah raised a hand.

"Wait, I wanted to..."

But Hikari had already started walking, at which Noah tried to follow her with his gaze.

The girl sped up, then turned down a hallway and disappeared.

"..."

Noah remained still.

’Did she just avoid me?’

He looked toward where she had left and then sighed.

’We definitely need to talk.’

Meanwhile, Hikari had stopped behind a corner and was completely red while clutching her folder against her chest, trying to regain her composure.

’I saw him!’

She took a deep breath.

’I just saw Noah!’

She brought a hand to her face.

’Why did I yell?’

She remembered her greeting, Noah’s smile, and then remembered what she had done the day before, so Hikari closed her eyes.

’Why did I do that?!’

It wasn’t that she regretted it, and that was precisely what worried her the most, since she had wanted to kiss him.

During the meeting with Stella she had had a very pleasant time.

Noah had helped her calm down, had managed to get her to talk naturally with the actress, and had stepped in when she started feeling too nervous.

So, when saying goodbye, Hikari had felt enormous gratitude, but also something more that she had been trying to ignore for a while.

’I like Noah.’

She slowly opened her eyes.

That conclusion no longer seemed so surprising to her, since after all, Noah had always been kind to her, listened to her, respected her tastes, and even knew some of her more embarrassing interests and had never tried to make fun of her.

’But that doesn’t mean I had to kiss him out of the blue.’

Hikari lowered her gaze.

’What if I made him uncomfortable?’

She remembered Noah’s surprised expression and then remembered how she had run away without giving him a chance to speak.

’I didn’t even apologize!’

She covered her face again.

"..."

A student who was passing by observed her.

"Amatsuki?"

Hikari immediately lifted her head.

"Yes!"

"Are you okay?"

"Perfectly!"

The student blinked.

"...All right."

Then she continued walking while Hikari sighed.

’I need to act normally.’

She straightened her back, adjusted her folder, and began walking toward her classroom.

’The next time I see Noah, I’m going to greet him like always.’

The next opportunity arrived during the break.

Noah was walking toward a vending machine when he saw Hikari at the other end of the hallway, who was talking with two classmates.

’Perfect.’

Noah decided to approach.

He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable in front of the other students, so he would simply greet her and then they could arrange a moment to talk.

However, Hikari saw him approaching and froze again, at which one of her classmates noticed the change.

"Hikari?"

"..."

"Is something wrong?"

Hikari looked at Noah, then at her classmates, and finally looked back at Noah.

’He’s coming!’

Her mind began searching for a solution.

’Act normally.’

Noah raised a hand.

"Hey, Hikari."

She smiled in a way that was far too stiff.

"H-Hi."

Noah stopped.

"How are your classes going?"

"Really well!"

"I’m glad."

"Thanks!"

"..."

Hikari’s two classmates watched the conversation with curiosity, and one of them smiled.

"Do you know him?"

Hikari nodded immediately.

"Yes!"

The other looked at Noah.

"Is he your boyfriend?!"

"..."

Hikari stopped breathing for an instant and Noah blinked.

"What?"

The first student started laughing.

"Just asking."

But Hikari was already completely red.

"N-NO!"

Her response was far too fast while Noah watched her and the second classmate raised an eyebrow.

"Then why did you get so nervous?"

"I’M NOT NERVOUS!"

There was silence.

The two students watched her, as did Noah, and finally one of them spoke.

"...Hikari."

"Yes?"

"You’re yelling again."

"..."

Hikari slowly lowered her head.

’I want to leave.’

Noah decided to intervene.

"Well, I just wanted to say hi."

Hikari lifted her gaze.

"R-Really?"

"Yes."

He smiled.

"See you later."

Hikari nodded quickly.

"See you!"

Noah walked away, at which the two classmates watched him leave and then slowly turned back toward Hikari.

"..."

She remained still and finally one asked.

"Hikari."

"Yes?"

"What’s going on between you two?"

Hikari closed her eyes.

’This is a disaster.’