Toriyabe Ouka: High school sophomore, male. Average-looking, but fairly popular.

Hananoji Asuka: High school sophomore, female. A beautiful girl, wildly popular. She's fine with dirty jokes, but only with Ouka.

The two are next-door neighbors, childhood friends since kindergarten.

"Hey, Ouka."

"What is it, Asuka?"

"Someone confessed to me today."

"Seriously? Who was it?"

"Noda-senpai from the soccer club. He's the captain."

"What, a confession? Did he say something like, 'Actually, I'm the one who hid your shoes'?"

"Why would it be that? It was a love confession. He said he liked me."

"If it's 'like' and not 'love,' isn't that just a confession of affection?"

"Don't nitpick me! I'm wondering what I should do. Maybe I should go out with him?"

"Do you like him?"

"I don't particularly like him, but I've never gone out with a guy before."

"Then don't bother. That senpai has a bad reputation."

"What's so bad about him?"

"...He's good-looking."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"And also, you know, he's good at soccer."

"That's a compliment too!"

"..."

"You don't like the idea of me dating Senpai?"

"...Not really."

"Oh, okay. Then I won't go out with him."

"...I didn't say anything."

"Geez, I wonder when Ouka will finally grow out of being 'just' childhood friends."

"Asuka, *you* should talk. When are *you* going to stop coming straight to my room after school?"

"You'd be lonely if I didn't come, wouldn't you?"

"Same goes for you."

...This is a story that simply chronicles the everyday conversations of a male and female childhood friend duo. To any observer, they are clearly dating, yet they stubbornly insist they are not. From an outsider's perspective, their interactions appear as nothing more than playful flirting.

※Also posted on Kakuyomu.