I really do like him... Aoko thought.
"Does Shirou hate me?"
"How could I?"
"I knew you'd say that."
Aoko smiled happily, then suppressed her slightly quickening heartbeat and asked,
"Then... do you like me?"
"I don't know," Shirou answered honestly.
"What kind of answer is that?! You're the worst!" Aoko shouted angrily.
"No... It was too sudden, so I didn't have time to think. I'll consider it carefully afterward—"
"Forget it."
Aoko spoke with a look of relief.
I see... So it seems I misunderstood.
Shirou isn't my future lover after all.
Though I had already vaguely realized that.
The reason Shirou treats me so well is probably because that's simply the kind of person he is.
If anyone else ran into trouble, Shirou would also step forward without hesitation.
I just got the wrong idea... Damn it, I like him even more now!
"Aoko."
Shirou had just begun to say something when Aoko interrupted him.
"Anyway, I never expected an answer from you.
"So, Shirou, you don't need to feel any psychological burden."
That was Aoko's view of love.
As long as her own feelings were certain, she didn't need a response from the other person.
"Don't worry. I won't ask Shirou to have any deeper relationship with me, and I won't ask you to date me."
Thinking she had said something incredibly cool and carefree, Aoko turned around, giving Shirou her back.
"Ah~~ It's gotten a little cold. I'll soak a bit longer!"
As she spoke, the girl in a bikini jumped into the hot spring, sending up a huge splash.
"Once everything is over, I'll give you an answer."
After muttering that, the boy returned to the hot spring as well. As he immersed himself in the hot water, he raised his head and gazed up