Stroke

Hayashi spoke haltingly.

I want you to stroke my head.

I tilted my head.

I understood the meaning of her words. What she wanted, what I needed to do—it was clear.

Still, I couldn’t help but tilt my head.

What kind of emotions was Hayashi feeling when she asked me to do this?

Hayashi’s cheeks flushed as she looked down, seeming embarrassed. It didn’t seem like she was going to explain her reasons.

With no other choice, I decided to think it over on my own.

As I mulled it over, I started to piece things together.

…Maybe.

Maybe…

Hayashi’s an only child, so she probably craved someone she could rely on to pamper her (idiot).

Back when she lived at home, Hayashi was under strict discipline from her father.

After moving to the city, she was treated cruelly by her ex, leaving her heart and body scarred.

That’s why, surely, Hayashi unconsciously yearns for someone like that even more (big idiot).

“Got it.”

“Huh?”

Hayashi looked at me with a surprised expression.

“I-Is that okay…?”

“If that’s what you want, I’m not gonna say no.”

“Huh?”

…Why’s she glaring at me?

Just so you know, this is the reward you asked for.

“No way I’d refuse.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not something I can’t do.”

Hayashi fell silent.

From my perspective, there wasn’t a shred of deceit in what I just said.

To begin with, the moment I decided to give her a reward, I was ready to toss my pride out the window.

Compared to the kind of rewards I imagined Hayashi might ask for, stroking her head was a piece of cake.

“You’re such a pushovor, you know that?”

“If you’re saying I should do something I can’t, then maybe. But I’m just doing what I can do. That’s all. So, this doesn’t make me a pushover.”

“That’s exactly why you… don’t get any girls.”

“Okay, I don’t get it.”

It’s not that I don’t understand why I’m not popular—it’s more that I don’t know what part of me Hayashi’s pointing at when she says that. It’s vague.

So, if I wanted to become popular, what exactly should I fix? The way Hayashi said it, I couldn’t quite figure it out.

Well, too bad for her, I’m not exactly dying to get a girlfriend right now. Even if Hayashi’s hitting me with the truth, I’m not about to change, and I’m not interested in digging deeper.

Still, she said something similar the day I let her stay at my place.

I gave a wry smile.

“…You know,”

“Hm?”

“You don’t need to be popular. No, you shouldn’t be popular.”

“Uh, why not?”

“…Just, no way, okay?”

Why not? Give me a reason.

I wanted to say that, but I decided to let it slide for now.

“You should just stay here in this room, looking after me.”

“You’re the one looking after me, and I’m the one being looked after, right?”

“…Whatever.”

If she’s gonna play dumb, guess there’s no helping it.

We fell silent for a while.

Still, going with the flow of the conversation, it seems like from now on, every time Hayashi achieves something, I’ll have to stroke her head.

Well, I agreed to it, so it’s not a problem at all.

In that case, I guess my goal for today has been safely accomplished. That’s how it works, right?

“Hey?”

Hayashi called out to me, looking my way.

“What’s up?”

Her eyes had a slightly provocative glint.

“…I wanna test it out.”

“…Test what?”

“How your hand feels.”

Hayashi lightly tapped her head with her hand.

Test it out.

In other words… she’s saying to stroke her head right here, right now.

“Got it.”

No reason to refuse.

Heck, I already blow-dry her hair once a week at her request.

I leaned closer to Hayashi.

But then, Hayashi pulled away from me.

“Why’re you dodging?”

“…Force of habit.”

“You sure you’re not actually against this?”

“No way!”

“Oh, okay…”

I didn’t expect her to yell.

I tried to compose myself and leaned toward Hayashi again… but she kept pulling away.

“Stop dodging.”

“Sh-Shut up.”

Looking closer, Hayashi’s face was red for some reason.

Does she have a fever or something?

For a while, we went back and forth, me closing in, her pulling away—a pointless tug-of-war.

I couldn’t help but think to myself.

This is such a waste of time.

“Enough already…!”

Without thinking, I closed the distance in one go and grabbed Hayashi’s arm firmly.

A small yelp escaped her as I did…

Thud.

Losing her balance, Hayashi fell, and I toppled over her.

“…Sorry.”

Before I knew it, I’d pinned Hayashi down.

She turned her face away, avoiding my gaze.

As I reached out with my right hand, Hayashi closed her eyes, looking scared.

For a moment, a wicked impulse surged through me.

I thought, just a little.

Maybe it’d be okay to let myself get carried away in this situation.

The hand meant for her head shifted course, heading toward her cheek.

I’d tried not to notice before, but I couldn’t help thinking it—Hayashi’s skin is beautiful.

…I know I should stop, but it’s strange.

I don’t think I can.

Ding-dong.

The chime snapped me back to reality.

“…My bad.”

I pulled away from Hayashi.

After my apology, I caught a glimpse of her teary eyes at the edge of my vision.

“Delivery!”

A young man’s voice echoed through the room as I answered the intercom.

I suddenly remembered the bookkeeping exam setting that everyone forgot about and threw it in.

Why is it that even though the title is “Stroke,” he tries to do more than just stroke?

The moment you look away, this happens.

I was thinking it’s about time to write about the Hayashi family too.

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