Read The Girl Behind the Perfect Smile :: Chapter 10: A Day by the Sea

They had been walking in silence for a few minutes.The more Hiro walked beside Waguri, the lighter his chest felt. His body no longer felt as heavy as before.— Hey, Waguri …— Yes?— Would you like to go on an outing… the three of us? I mean… if you’re free.Waguri murmured softly, her lips slightly parted:— An outing… the three of us?One week later.The day of the outing finally arrived. The sun was shining brightly, and the sky was clear and blue. They had agreed to meet at a restaurant near the sea.Hiro arrived first. Sora came shortly after. Waguri was a little late.When she arrived, Sora smiled politely.— Nice to meet you.— Nice to meet you too, she replied.— I’m Sora. I assume Hiro has already told you about me.Sora then leaned toward Hiro and whispered in his ear:— Hey Hiro… looks like you found yourself a cute girl.— Stop saying random things, Hiro answered quietly. We’re just friends.Sora smiled and continued talking with Waguri. They seemed to get along well. Watching them, Hiro felt a strange warmth in his chest.After a while, Sora asked casually:— Hey Waguri, can I ask you something?— Uh… sure.— Are you and Hiro dating?A heavy silence fell.Waguri’s face turned red. Her hands tightened slightly around the strap of her bag.— We… we are not dating!Sora laughed.— Haha, okay, I got it.After the meal, Sora stood up to go to the restroom. As he left, he glanced at Waguri’s still-red face and smiled quietly.Hiro turned to her.— Should we walk a bit… to digest?Waguri nodded without saying much.They walked along the beach. The sun reflected on the waves, making them sparkle. Hiro glanced at Waguri. Under this light, she looked even cuter than usual.She noticed.— Dis Hiro… why were you looking at me earlier?Hiro quickly looked away. His cheeks felt warm.— No… it’s nothing. I was just thinking that… you looked cute. With the sun and the waves.Waguri’s face turned even redder. She lightly clenched her hands.— Dis Hiro… can I ask you something?Before he could answer, her foot slipped slightly on the wet sand.— Kya—!She lost her balance.Out of reflex, Hiro reached out and caught her. One of his hands rested on her back, the other held her arm.Their faces ended up very close.Much too close.Waguri’s breath almost mixed with his. Her eyes were wide, and a deep blush covered her cheeks. Hiro could feel his heart pounding hard in his chest. The sound of the waves suddenly felt distant.For a second, neither of them moved.Waguri whispered, her voice trembling:— …Hiro—