Ordinary Days Of Taking Shelter From the Rain With A Gatekeeper Girl

Chapter 5 Bad Communication After SchoolInterludeChapter 4 Amamori-Style Quiz On Exciting Movie Theater Dates (Plan Failed) And Kusano's True IntentionChapter 3 Amamori-senpai's TRIAL (Priceless)Chapter 2 Evasion-Specialized Character Aoki-kunChapter 1 A Gatekeeper Girl And Her Delinquent LunchmateChapter 0 Illustrations

Friday morning.

My mood is at rock bottom. I know it’s partly because of yesterday’s attempted accident, but I simply don’t feel upbeat on Fridays. It’s because I have a weekend coming up right next to me.

There is no place for a poor student who is all alone when he goes to the city on his days off. On the other hand, I don’t have any indoor hobbies that I can immerse myself in by staying in my room. In other words, I have a bad time. I’m just very bored.

Relatively speaking, weekdays are easy. You can kill the daytime with classes that have substance.

However, only on the eve of such a dull day, my insomniac body was able to fall asleep easily. It’s a good thing that getting up early is not worth the trouble.

I was playing with my phone in a classroom where there were only a few students here. I can’t listen to music because I’m on a limited connection, so I’ll just spend my time looking at the dictionary app I’ve just installed.

“G-Good morning!”

Mantis… Heh, I didn’t know that mantis was written in this way. It’s cool that it has so many strokes. It’s just a mantis, but isn’t it a bit cheeky? (I’ve always had a tendency to look down on insects.)

But then I thought, well, they’re bugs, but they have sickles. Wow, they have weapons. No wonder they have more strokes. They’re insects, but they have weapons.

“Go…Good morning?”

Insects that have weapons are usually dangerous. For example, wasps. If you get stung twice, you die almost instantly. They’re like little people flying around with knives strapped to their bodies. The police should arrest them as soon as they see them—

“Oh, it’s so nice when people ignore you in the morning~, isn’t it, Aoki-kun!?”

“Whoa.”

A weak shake of my shoulder pulled my consciousness back to the classroom. I turned around and saw Kusano Marika again. The suspicious class president has been calling out to me a lot lately.

She was standing beside me with a nervous look on her face — not the soft smile she usually wears, but a straight face.

“Eh, the greetings earlier, was it all directed to me?”

“Isn’t that what happens? Since Aoki-kun is the only one in the classroom right now, it’s inevitable, right? If that doesn’t happen, I’ll be the lonely girl who greets the void, right?”

The next thing I knew, there was no one else in the classroom but us. It was a scene of déjà vu.

I think there were a few other girls who were making a lot of noise earlier, but they might… have gone to check out with their friendship. It is also known as peeing with a companion.

“Didn’t Kusano follow them, the girls that were here earlier.”

“Ahaha… Well, I didn’t want to miss the chance to talk with Aoki-kun, so I left them.”

Kusano looked uncomfortable, fidgeting with the fingers of her hands and glancing at the blackboard. If she was holding out for the bathroom that long, she should have just gone with them.

“Kusano, why don’t you start chasing after them now?”

I said to her, trying to be kind. I’m sure she has better things to do than talk to me. Picking flowers or checking her makeup while she’s at it.

“Why would I?”

But Kusano put her palm on her cheek and mockingly denied it. I didn’t know that she could endure a toilet because she didn’t want to use it. That’s a new discovery.

“Yeah, well, if you don’t want to…. that’s fine, it’s your choice… but that. What do you want?”

“Ah, yeah. Well, you know. I wonder if Aoki-kun would be free on the weekend.”

“Weekend?”

Even with my rusty interpersonal skills, I could predict what Kusano was aiming for this time.

I’m being invited. Maybe I’m being invited to something. A delicious bait was dangled in front of me, before the weekend, when I was locked in the prison of boredom.

No… but this is no good. It’s too suspicious to close the distance without warning.

I have a feeling that this is some kind of trap. It’s not that easy to bite the hand that feeds you, but small fry have their own pride, and so I decided to be strong.

“Ah. The weekend. I’m sorry, but I don’t have any free time at all. I have a lot of plans.”

“R-Really.”

“That’s it. It’s all over the place. I can’t read my schedule book because it’s black.”

“That plan… Umm, is it with Hatoda-san?”

“Ah? Why Hatoda?”

How did she know the name of the acting student council? I was thinking, but then I remembered that she came to my class yesterday. I knew I was being misunderstood about my relationship with Hatoda.

When I tried to deny it, Kusano immediately succeeded with the next phrase.

“Or the senpai-san… or whoever the other person is, it doesn’t matter! It’s just that, well, I’d like you to make some time for me, too. I’m not sure if that’s too much to ask.”

Kusano crouched down and looked up at me from an even lower position from where I sat down.

The calculating look in her eyes, as if she knew exactly how to look attractive. I quickly averted my face.

“I-I can’t do it. I don’t even know what this means… frankly, it smells fishy.”

At last, the real feeling came out. Then, out of the corner of my eye, Kusano slumped her shoulders and pretended to be disappointed.

“Mmm… I see…”

“Well, yeah, so”

Whether the reaction was an act or not, it would be bad if she got depressed…

It’s okay. Let’s just get this conversation over with. I pointed sluggishly at the classroom doorway.

“Don’t hold back, go to the bathroom. I heard that you can’t get rid of cystitis after you have it. At your age, a trip to the urologist is rather conspicuous—”

“Come to think of it, I’m in possession of Aoki-kun’s secret.”

“Hah?”

As if remembering, she spat out a threatening, blank line.

I looked again at Kusano, who was crouching down. Kusano’s mouth was hidden by the sleeve of her uniform. I can’t read her expression. She tilted her head like an owl.

“Fufu. Even the dry Aoki-kun seems to be curious about this shocking fact, right?”

“…”

“Y-You’re curious, aren’t you, Aoki-kun? I mean, you’ve got to be curious!”

When I didn’t say anything, she started to panic on her own.

“I don’t have any secrets. But I might be curious.”

“I know, right? You’re curious, aren’t you? The plot is that the unexpected attack of the bad girl will make Aoki-kun so anxious that he won’t be able to sleep at night.”

Kusano nodded her head in agreement with herself. Oh, she’s probably like that. She’s not that good at secret tricks. The caution in me was rather relaxed.

“So you’re keeping secrets, huh? Is Kusano acquainted with me from the past? Is it like an old friend that I don’t remember?”

“Fufufu… Is it an old friend, or is it an estranged sister? …There’s a good chance that the rest will be revealed this coming weekend, right?”

“I don’t know if it’s possible. It’s up to you whether you want to reveal it or not.”

“So, Aoki-kun, are you free this coming weekend? I mean, you’re free, right? Say you’re free?”

“Eh. Uh-huh, well, if it’s… Saturday afternoon or something, it should be fine.”

Finally, I broke down. I had to nod if she was this desperate. Besides, I might be able to uncover the true reason for the frequent contact.

“Eh? It’s really fine. Well, it looks like I pushed it too far… Are you sure you don’t want to go back to your original plan?”

“It’s fine.”

I didn’t have any plans to begin with. I was 97% sure that I could say no to my plan.

“Really? Ahaha, yes! Then how about a movie theater on Saturday at noon!”

Seeing her happy face, I was not sure why I had been so stubborn.

Lunch break has arrived. But I kept thinking back to the events of this morning.

I wonder if the appointment to meet at the movie theater is, as they say… a date.

No, it’s not confirmed yet. If I go to the meeting place on the day of the meeting, there’s a possibility that I would be surrounded by middle-aged people in a friendly atmosphere and taken to a suspicious religious meeting—

No, but it’s a date, isn’t it? I put those nagging doubts out of my mind. It’s okay. Don’t think about it. Let’s just leave it at that.

More importantly, I wonder if the gatekeeper is in good shape. The pale expression on her face yesterday was quite a sight. Even after yesterday’s lunch break, it kept coming back to me.

I’m worried. I hurriedly walked up the stairs leading to the front of the roof.

“Mmm… You’re here early today, Aoki-kun. It’s great of you to arrive early.”

Thank God, she was there as usual. Amamori looked up at me with a cool, blank expression on her face.

Her complexion was not as bad as yesterday. I guess I was worrying too much. I leaned my head forward a little to greet her.

“Hello, paisen. Uh, well, how do I say it? You look rather healthy.”

“Yes, I apologize for the inconvenience. I’m used to being a role model for the whole school and a trusted senpai, but I’ve shown a lot of my embarrassing side.”

“I’m not familiar with you, and you’re not my role model. You’ve been skipping class a lot, haven’t you? Oh well, I hope you’re well. All right. All right.”

Amamori was eating an ear of bread in a fixed position with her back against the doorway. I sat down at the top of the stairs where I usually sit. After all, this quiet space is many times more relaxing than the classroom.

“Muu, Aoki-kun, points are deducted for that throwaway attitude. In fact, there is no senior who is as dependable as me, you know? In my hometown, I was even called the dependable Amamori.”

“Haaa.”

I love it when she talks out of turn. If she can say that much, it might be a good idea to ask her about the Kusano case I’m having trouble with.

“Then, I’m going to start asking you for help. I’ve got something I want to talk to you about.”

“Eh? What is it? As an Amamori who isn’t accustomed to taking problems from juniors, I can only feel ‘mendacious’ when I’m actually approached for help.”

“You’re saying the exact opposite of what you said earlier. Well, if you don’t want to, that’s fine. It’s not like I want to talk about it.”

I roughly opened the bag of bean jam and chomped down on it. The sweetness of the cheesy red bean paste spread in my mouth. As I was tasting it, Amamori leaned forward with her hands on the ground.

“I’m suddenly curious if I can pull it off. Well, well, you can tell me. if it’s something serious, I’d like to hear about it before it’s too late.”

“Is that okay?”

She is a difficult but kind senior. I can honestly respect this part of her.

“Ah. Then…”

I tried to explain the situation in detail, but then I felt a twinge of anxiety.

If Amamori judges that Kusano’s contact with me is “fitting in the class” — Then I’m in a weak position, I’ll probably be kicked off the roof immediately.

“? You’re not going to tell me?”

“Ah, my bad. You’re right. Well, this is just a hypothetical. Hypothetically, this is really hypothetical. I’m just saying that you should keep that in mind, you know?”

“It’s a long preamble. Just get on with it.”

“Ah, yeah. You know, if the cutest girl in my class, who I don’t have much contact with, asks me to go to the movies, I wonder what I should do in that situation.”

“…Are you talking about delusions? I’d recommend writing those things on the back of a flyer to vent them out.”

In an instant, Amamori lost interest and leaned her back against the doorway again.

“Umm… Yeah, it is fine if I’m talking about my imagination. It’s hypothetical.”

I had become the hard-*ss junior who really discussed my fantasies with her.

“Hypothetical, huh? Aoki-kun is alone in a movie theater with a pretty girl…”

Amamori was picking her chin and rubbing it. It’s the kind of gesture a detective of yesteryear would make. The girl with the straight face pondered something and then began to speak while easily putting away the bag of bread ears.

“It’s a ridiculous assumption, given the current situation we’ve heard about before…well, there’s one thing I can do. Shall we change the content of today’s ‘trial’ to something more in line with Aoki-kun’s fantasy?”

“Seriously? I didn’t know you were that flexible about the ‘trial’.”

“Of course. It is the duty of the master to respond to the positive attitude of the disciple. But today, I’ll make an exception and give you a ‘special trial’, the Amamori-style quiz on an exciting date at the movie theater!”

“Wow, I’ve already gotten a ‘special’ from the second time. It’s too fast!”

It was a project that I would change the channel if it was on TV in the late afternoon.

“Today, I would like to ask Aoki-kun to think about a movie date. By the way, we were originally going to have a ‘General Greeting Practice — Good Morning’ today.”

“That sounds like a terrible idea. Then I bet there’s the ‘Hello’ and ‘Good evening’ versions.”

It’s not the kind of thing you can do three times in a row. I’m really glad it was changed.

Amamori ignored my point of view and coughed, then let out a low voice like a big presenter.

“So let’s start with the easy part, question one! Ding ding! When meeting someone for a date, how many minutes before the date is preferable to arrive?”

“Ah? 10 minutes.”

“Boo boo, you’re off.”

“Hah?”

I got caught in a cross chop position. Don’t be silly, it’s important to be there 10 minutes in advance. When I was in elementary school, Okazaki-sensei told me that.

“The correct answer was two hours ago~”

She was kind of smug about it, but she was probably wrong about this one.

“What’s in your mind? If you get to the meeting place that fast, you won’t have anything to do, will you?”

“Oh dear… Aoki-kun… We’re not talking about such a low level!!!”

“Paisen, your voice is really loud.”

“Who can get there first? In other words, who can make a good impression on the other person – it’s a game of two halves. So, assuming that the other person would arrive an hour and a half before you, the right answer was to wait at the meeting place two hours in advance to make sure you win the point.”

“Ah, you’re confusing me. Who the hell am I competing against?”

“If you really want to arrive before your opponent, you can pitch a tent and stay in the field!”

“You have to pack up the tent later…”

When I complained about the whole thing, Amamori gave me a bitter look. (That was not a misguided joke, but a simple suggestion. How much of an airhead can you be?)

“I-I never asked for your opinion. Heh, next, the second question. Ding ding!”

Amamori pounded on the wall in time with the self-sound effect. She’s using the momentum to skip this topic.

“Well. The most popular snack at the movie theater is popcorn!　Aoki-kun, how many things of popcorn is the right amount to buy on a date? Please answer!”

“We each buy our own food, so why don’t we buy one of each?”

“Yes~it’s off. Booooo~ Boooooo~ Booooo~.”

I was booed loudly as if to take revenge for what I did earlier. Wow, the bean jam is delicious.

“The correct answer was — five!”

She was kind of smug about it, but she was definitely not right for this one either.

“This is because I like men who eat a lot. If he could eat five of them, I would be impressed. I’m a food fighter.”

“That’s totally your style.”

Is that what the Amamori style is? I don’t know. It’s not even a quiz about the basics anymore.

“Come to think of it, Aoki-kun doesn’t eat very much for a man of his stout physique. No, you shouldn’t do that. You should try to eat more. Nutrition is important, it connects to health!”

“Coming from Paisen who is only eating bread ears… I mean, this month is hard for me. I’m on a tight budget until the end of the month.”

With the daily cost of food and the small amount of money I spend after school, I’m already on a tight budget.

My parents, with whom I have a cold relationship, gave me permission to take the entrance exam, which was an opportunity for me to reform, but they did not give me permission to take a part-time job, which turns into money for nightlife. Aoki Teru, in their minds, is still the same person he was when he was in junior high school, hanging out with delinquents. It’s only natural that we don’t even talk to each other properly.

“On a tight budget… I see. …Well, get yourself together and let’s move on!”

Her voice dropped for a moment with the topic of money. It must be Amamori’s sensitive side. I tried not to worry about it and waited for the quiz to resume.

“Eh, now then! The movie date is in full swing. When it comes to movies, there are so many genres. Documentaries, romantic comedies, horror, battles, suspense. So here’s the question, which genre is the most effective to watch on a first date?”

“That sounds like a good question.”

Looking at the trend so far, the correct answer is probably defined based on Amamori’s tastes.

What kind of genre would please this senpai with misaligned tastes? I tried to turn my brain in all seriousness.

Well, if you think about it in general, romantic comedy would be the right answer. …Would such a naive answer work for this senpai? The answer is no.

So I made a hypothesis. Amamori-senpai is very different. If that’s the case, the more I deviate from the kind of movie you’d watch on a first date, the closer I’ll get to the right answer, don’t you think?

“Okay. I’m winning easily. It’s one of those difficult films by a French master. You know, the kind of movie where the message is so strong that the audience is turned off by it.”

“…Hah? That’s not a genre, so it’s incorrect. …If I was made to watch such a movie at the beginning, I would be turned off by my date. Are you serious about that, Aoki-kun?”

“Ah? It’s a funny joke, of course.”

As I turned away and faked it, there was no way I could understand this quiz.

“So? What’s the right answer?”

“It’s a horror. It’s a good way to get the suspension bridge effect.”

“So this is the only question with a serious answer!”

And I’m not particularly good at horror, so I didn’t find it particularly helpful. Don’t be silly, this is an Amamori-style quiz on exciting movie theater dates. I mean, what is the suspension bridge effect?

“…. No…yesterday’s heart beating is a no-brainer…”

She said something in a whisper, but I couldn’t make out what she meant. The girl coughed deliberately, perhaps embarrassed by the content.

“Ugh! Y-You know, I don’t really like horror movies.”

“Is that so? Are you afraid of horror movies by any chance, paisen?”

“No, I’m not afraid. Next time you ask me that annoying question, I’ll give you a kick in the midsection.”

I thought I had found a fellow horror-phobe, but I hadn’t. What is it about this girl that makes her a pacifist?

“Well, I just hate the idea… of bringing the dead back to life in a distorted way. I don’t like the idea of zombies or vengeful spirits. The dead don’t come back to life anyway, so why not let them rest in peace, even in fiction?”

Amamori squeezed the lid of the energy drink and said in a boring manner.

It was a bright tone, but there was another shadow on her face.

What’s with Amamori today? She looks okay yet a little dark, she’s out of tune.

Maybe she is still feeling out from yesterday’s accident. It’s always better to be confident anyway, of course.

So I decided to casually switch to everyday chit-chat like a junior should do in this case.

“Well, I guess so. So, do you usually watch movies, Paisen? You seem like you know a lot about that kind of stuff.”

“Gu. That’s a good question. If it’s an old movie, I’ve watched it with my father when he rented it. Old movies are cheap on weekends, so it’s a good deal.”

Amamori didn’t break off the conversation, but rambled on about her favorite movies. She seemed to like “Kramer Kramer” in particular (about a guy who keeps calling stores).

Since she recommended it, I told her about the music I listen to as well.

While we were chatting, the bell rang, and in ten minutes, class would begin.

“…is lunchtime over already?”

Amamori, who had been talking about the profundity of film music, shut her mouth as if she had been splashed with cold water. She took a breath as if she had come back to herself and put on a familiar blank expression on her face.

“I guess so. See you next week, Aoki-kun. I’ll listen to the songs you recommended during the weekend.”

“Yeah. I’ll watch the movie when I get a chance. I’ll see you next lunchtime.”

“Yes, I’ve gone off on a tangent this time, but from next time I’m going to give you a guidepost to help you get used to the class again. I hope you’ll do the trials and tribulations and get off the roof as soon as possible.”

“I’m not sure what to say about that, haha…”

I walked down the stairs one step ahead of her. School isn’t so bad when you can have such a fun time chatting every day. I could honestly believe that.

—Oh, by the way.

This was the first lunch break that Amamori hadn’t been on her phone or playing games.

It’s Saturday morning. There was nothing to do but stay at home. I ended up arriving in the vicinity of the meeting place less than two hours ago, just as Master had said.

“…”

As I lean against the wall of the station concourse and watch the passersby, I am reminded of the days when I was not attending school. The days when I was wasting my time for nothing (which is still the same).

I wonder if the self-proclaimed bad girl class president called my failed experience on the prowl my secret. It’s not like I’m hiding it.

Out of habit, I turned on my phone. Less than 20 minutes remained until the appointment. I finally started to move to the square in front of the station where we were to meet. …Are you really coming, Kusano? I’ve got a feeling she’s not coming.

Then, roughly ten minutes later.

“Sorry for the wait…! Waa, I’m not late am I? Good afternoon.”

Contrary to my expectation, Kusano came properly. She was a little breathless.

“You’re right on time. You’re not late.”

“I-I see. It took me a while to get ready and move around. Haha, I was really supposed to be here earlier.”

It was a weekend, so it was natural, but Kusano was in plain clothes, not uniform.

A girly dress in a color like coffee milk. The frills on the chest were not too overbearing. When I looked at her feet, I saw that there was a small black ribbon.

“Ugh. I feel like I’m being checked for fashion… So, what do you think?”

While fumbling with the strap of a shoulder bag that looked like a glove compartment, Kusano pinched her skirt and looked up. It’s an overly targeted move, but I can’t help but think it’s cute.

“Ah… Well, it’s like, it looks very good on you, and…”

As I said this, I looked down at the floor of the plaza, feeling instantly less confident.

Then I saw my clothes. A mostly plain downy T-shirt and a pair of chinos that the clerk had recommended. A pair of worn-out sneakers. A thin necklace left behind by my brother who ran away from home. The lack of enthusiasm is amazing. The difference in fashion sense is also amazing.

“Really? I did it. I’m so happy. I like your casual clothes too, Aoki-kun.”

“Ah, leave it… That kind of consolation is a dime a dozen. I don’t need social graces or anything.”

“What? I-I mean it!”

Kusano waved her hand quickly, expressing her disbelief.

“Then, was Aoki-kun’s praise of me just a social grace?”

“That’s… Well, I meant what I said, but…”

“Then you’re just like me. That’s fine, isn’t it? Besides, I’m glad to know what kind of casual clothes you wear, Aoki-kun.”

Finally, she smiled at me firmly. I was embarrassed. I silently squeezed my chin. What’s with this girl and her kindness? Don’t mess with me lightly. Screw you, umm, screw you, misanthropy.

“Well, we’ve agreed that it looks good on you. Let’s go to the cinema! There’s still plenty of time for the movie, though.”

“Y-Yeah… I didn’t hear you say that, but why do we need to go to the cinema? I thought you were going to tell me about my secret.”

“Let’s talk about it later! I’ve been wanting to see the movie that’s coming out today with you, Aoki-kun, since we talked about it before.”

“We talked about it before…”

I don’t know why. I had a very bad feeling about this.

“Yeah. That’s when I got out of gym class. I want to watch a horror movie today, but it’s supposed to be really tense! I heard that it’s already been well-received overseas. So today, I’m going to prove that I’m not bad at horror movies—Hey, Aoki-kun, what’s wrong? You’re suddenly sweating a lot.”

“Hmm? Well, yeah. Summer will be here soon, and the humidity is really high right now. That’s probably why. It’s a common sense thing.”

I knew it was a trap, I thought as I shoved my hands into my pockets with a cool face.

I was so scared just from the synopsis spoken on the way that I also wondered what I would do if I became incarcerated during the movie.

“Wow. It’s so crowded.”

It was a weekend movie theater. The place was packed with people of all ages, men and women.

Loud chattering from all directions. A flashy trailer of an action movie is playing loudly. Well, I don’t mind being a part of such a local crowd.

“This, yeah, may take some time. …What should we do? Should we split up?”

“Two ways, the one to buy food and the other to wait in line for tickets?”

“That’s right. I really wanted to line up with you, but I thought it would be too crowded. Which do you prefer, Aoki-kun?”

“Either is fine.”

I answered in no time.

“Ehhh. I could’ve done either way too!”

Kusano was giggling at this unimportant exchange. My defensive instincts kicked in and I reflexively turned away and looked towards the ticket booth.

There was a long line, but the circulation rate was high. Movie theaters these days are very high-tech, with automatic ticket vending machines lined up in a row. But I’m not very good with unfamiliar machines like that.

“Then Kusano, can you help me with the tickets? I’ll buy some popcorn and drinks.”

“Mmm, I’ll leave it to you! In return, I’ll leave it to your taste to decide which one to buy, okay?”

“Sure. Don’t get your hopes up like that.”

“Ehhh. I just might.”

“Just don’t…”

“Fufu, I won’t, I won’t. I’ll pretend I do, okay?　I’ll see you later!”

Leaving Kusano at the end of the line, I headed towards the food counter.

“…”

Well… it is fun. It’s a lot more fun than being alone (it would have been a lot more fun if it wasn’t for the horror movie I’m going to watch later.)

I wonder if it’s okay, though, that I’m having fun like this. If I’m not careful, I feel like I’m going to lose my footing altogether. A creepy feeling — somehow, my mind was uneased.

The smell of popcorn wafting from the area. I remembered the baby face of the gatekeeper in front of the rooftop.

I stood in the waiting line for a while, then disobeyed my master’s instruction and bought enough popcorn and Coke for both of us. Of course, I don’t have enough money to buy five things.

The mission is now complete. Let’s go back quickly—

“Yahoo Teru-chan. It’s like destiny that we were to meet in a place like this.”

As I was about to return to Kusano, I heard a bright voice calling my name.

“Haaa…?”

Hatoda was there. I scrubbed at my eyes while I had the tray in one hand, but the figure didn’t disappear. Apparently, it was neither an auditory hallucination nor a visual hallucination.

“You, what? You just pop out of nowhere. Why are you here?”

“Well, it’s a movie theater, so there’s no reason for me to be here other than to see a movie, right? Ah, not if you’re suspecting stalking. No, no, no, no, no…”

The tall woman in casual style said in her annoying fake Kansai dialect and bit into her hot dog.

Her legs, stretching out from her denim shorts, are long enough to catch the attention of passersby. Her hips are too different from the normal person.

“I’m actually waiting for my sister over there. Teru-chan is tall, so you stand out, right? I found you, so I left my sister there!”

I gave my attention to the one Hatoda had given the thumbs up to. Another beautiful college-aged woman with a good figure was looking at her phone, looking bored. The sense of luxury that emanated from what she wore, she could be a model of some kind.

“Don’t come to me. Or rather, don’t talk to me in a friendly way. You should be having fun with your sister.”

“Huh? That’s terrible. I want to have fun not only with Ama-senpai, but with Teru-chan too. Hey, are you free after this? If you want, I can introduce you to my sister. I guess she’s a little salty about high school kids with no financial means~.”

“Don’t do this. Why does she have to jump into the salt… My heart’s blood pressure will rise. What would you do if I went into shock and ended up in an ambulance?”

“Ahaha, that’s awesome! That’s right, Teru-chan lacks a challenging spirit!”

“Don’t make assumptions. It’s none of your business.”

“Ma… Surely you have a friend with you here? I’ll give up playing with you then~”

From the two snacks on the tray, Hatoda guessed the presence of my unseen companion.

“So…so…so who are you with, Teru-chan? Are you on a date, by any chance~?”

“It’s different… Maybe. Also, it’s none of your business.”

“So cold. Scary. I am confident it’s a synergistic effect after seeing yourself acting out as a cute girl.”

It seems that Amamori’s loose-fitting character strategy was having a solid effect. Dull.

I clicked my tongue lightly, and Hatoda laughed in response. Dull, dull, dull.

“Hahaha. Well, I don’t really care who Teru-chan is hanging out with~ But…Are you with Ama-senpai, by any chance?”

“Nope.”

“Ara ara, That’s a shame. If we could have met on our day off, I would have thought we could have gone out together…”

She was discouraged. What should I do?

“Well, I guess you’re right. If Ama-senpai’s problem could be solved in a short period of time, it wouldn’t be a hardship for me and Kaicho-san.”

“Huh? Who’s Kaicho-san? Which foreigner… ah, you mean the student council president.”

As soon as I said it, I noticed it myself. What’s with the frequent mention of his name? I wonder if our student council president has some sort of connection with that gatekeeper in front of the rooftop.

Student council president and Amamori-senpai. A role model for the students and a delinquent in the broadest sense of the word. I thought I saw an unpleasant composition.

“Hey. That President is behind all this, right? You know, like confiscating the game console.”

“Well, right? That person, he’s also obsessed with Ama-senpai… Oh no, my sister is mad at me for leaving her behind!”

The girl in question was giving me an icy stare from afar. Her mouth opened in the shape of a “hurry up.” I’m a timid person, so I was scared. The power of a beautiful girl’s eyes can be very scary.

“Hey, my sister was dumped by her jerk of a boyfriend the other day. She’s been in a bad mood lately because of it. So I have to go with her to digest the getting over it.”

“You don’t need to explain the details of the situation, but… well, just have fun today.”

“Oh, that’s a good one. I’m going to enjoy myself with all my might! I’ll see you next time~!”

“It’s okay to get me once in a while, but don’t come to class. You’ll bring all kinds of trouble.”

“Oops haha! Sorry for being annoying. Forgive me~…Ah, yeah.”

Hatoda approached me while saying auspicious things. She stretched a little bit, put her face close to the distance, and then whispered as if she were talking in private.

“I’m not going to tell Ama-senpai about today.”

“Whaa…? That’s like saying you’re going to tell on me, it makes I feel like I’m doing something wrong.”

“Maybe it’s bad to be unaware of your privileged nature. Well, I’ll see you around, if you want to chat~”

Hatoda waved her hand in the air and ran off to her sister. The lively atmosphere that surrounded me faded at once. It was a long talk for a chance meeting.

By the way, I wonder how the ticket line is doing.

I turned my eyes and saw Kusano standing vaguely nearby.

“Whooaaaa!? Ku-Kusano? How long have you been there?”

She had downcast eyes — maybe it was the angle — she didn’t have any highlights in her eyeballs. It was a horror performance even before the show. It’s scary.

“I’ve been here for a while now… By the way, now that’s what I call double-booking. I understand. I’m the one who put the plan in after the fact. Don’t say anything, just don’t say anything…”

“No, no, no! You’ve got it all wrong. Hatoda’s just a coincidence, I swear!”

“Ha-ha-ha. It’s okay, you don’t have to mend it. It’s fine, I was prepared for it. It’s okay. …I’m always at the starting line… I can always start over…”

Kusano’s words were difficult to understand in places. Did she just say “starting line”? Who? Me? I wonder if she really got the message. …Or maybe I’m just trying too hard.

A few seconds later, after an awkward blank.

“—Mmm. Aoki-kun, it’s almost time for the movie to start. Shall we go?”

Kusano lifted her face from her prone position. The atmosphere was the same as it was before we split up.

“Oh, ohh…?”

I took a step away. For some reason, she was closing the distance to the point of almost sticking to me, so I took a crabby step away. And then Kusano came even closer.

“We should go.”

“R-Roger.”

A beautiful honorific came out on its own.

I was exhausted, and Kusano took me to a family restaurant chain in the city.

At first, Kusano wanted to go into an ostentatious (dead language) café, but I desperately tried to stop her. I knew that the coffee in such places was expensive, even though it was made with bitter water.

“Hmm. What would you like, Aoki-kun?”

“Ah… I can’t afford it this month. I’ll have a salad.”

“Eh? You have to eat properly. If you want, I’ll buy you a drink. Okay?”

“It’s okay. It’s not good for a girl to buy me a drink.”

“Nope. It’s on me. You’d be lame not to eat here. You can choose from this lunch menu. Ah, don’t you think the set with fried shrimp sounds good? What do you think?”

“Ahh. Well, yeah…”

“Then let’s go with this. I’ll do the same. I’m sorry to interrupt.”

Kusano quickly gave the order to the waiter who she called over. At my age, I felt like a pimp. I can’t stand it. I’ll definitely pay her back when I get my allowance.

I’ve been with her for a while now, and I think she’s strong all around. She really didn’t seem to be intimidated during the movie. I was pretending to be asleep during the movie (small fry).

“That movie was much better than I was expecting. It was great work. What does Aoki-kun think?”

“It’s uh. It was so good that I fainted. It’s one of the best movies anyone has done in their life.”

I was emboldened, but chugged the cold water that the waiter brought me.

I’ve been nervous since this morning, and my thirst won’t go away.

“I-Is that it? That’s better than nothing. It’s true around the middle part of the movie, right? The cursed Tutankhamun breakdancing while breaking the toilet bowl in the prison was amazing.”

What kind of development is that? Damn it, I should have tried my best to watch it even if I was scared. This is like throwing the contents that I paid with my wallet into a ditch. I can’t do this without getting my money back.

“I don’t care if it’s a cursed ramen or curry, but can we please get down to business?”

“Eh, business?”

“So, don’t you know my secret, Kusano?”

“A-Ah, that… Yeah. So that is what it is about, huh?”

“Hey.”

The girl forgot the original purpose. She lifted up the glass of water and held still, then smiled deceptively.

“That’s right. Let’s talk. First of all, I went to the same junior high school as Aoki-kun, so you know?”

“I should have known that we were in the same junior high.”

Maybe my memory is just a little faulty and I knew Kusano. No, there was something more I wanted to ask her.

“So of course you know about the incident at the basketball team.”

“Well, yeah. On the other hand, I wondered if there was anyone in our junior high school who didn’t know about the brawl. Even in my current class, people talk about it like it’s common knowledge.”

It sounded like an incident or a brawl, but in reality it was just a lame domestic dispute. It was just a case of me taking a stand against my seniors. It was a black history that left me with several weeks of injuries.

“You know the old me, so why did you suddenly approach me? You could have just left it at that.”

“Eh, ah… umm, well, …I was looking for the right time to talk to you, but… lately, Aoki-kun’s behavior has been all over the place…”

A glimpse. Kusano, who had been looking down into the glass, turned her somewhat dark eyes toward me. The conversation paused. Kusano Marika seemed to be unsure of what to say.

The BGM in the store was an instrumental soundtrack with a calm tempo. On the contrary, the BPM of my heart was maintained at a relatively high level. What’s going to be said about this?

Kusano pondered for a full minute before saying

“You know what? I think I know Aoki-kun better than other people do—”

“Eh, why are you suddenly talking about this? And what’s that? What do you mean?”

“Yeah. I used to be in the newspaper club and on the library committee… by the way, do you remember me?”

“Ahh? No, I don’t remember you from the past. I didn’t even know you until now.”

“I see. It’s nothing. Well, so… When the newspaper club was investigating the brawl incident, we found out that Aoki-kun had been helping an underclassman who had just joined the basketball team.”

“…I wasn’t trying to help. You all over thought it.”

The reason I got into a brawl was to vent my frustration at the wrong means. I was not doing it for the sake of that scared kouhai, by any means. Aoki Teru is not on the side of justice or anything.

“But you know what? Listen, listen, listen. The person who was interviewed by me… ah, a big tall Kouhai. He said with tears in his eyes, ‘I want to thank Aoki-senpai’. When I interviewed him, he seemed to be enjoying being surrounded by his fellow members of the handicraft club.”

“That was, well, that was good for him.”

I honestly thought so. That shy freshman was able to find his place in the world. There may have been a positive side to the ugly thing I did.

“However, the article was rejected by a senior who wanted to write badly about the incident. So after that, I went around asking about Aoki-kun personally.”

“Ha. Ah, yes. You’re full of the spirit of journalism. It’s admirable.”

I said sarcastically. It wasn’t a secret, but it wasn’t exactly the same as being actively probed. Kusano waved her hand in front of her chest as if she was terribly flustered.

“I-I’m sorry…? But, yes, I was curious… There are sightings in many places. Some people saw you going in and out of dangerous stores, while others saw you volunteering. No one knew what exactly you were doing… so I was very surprised and happy when we were in the same class in high school. It was like an imaginary creature had descended into this world. Oh, my. Hahaha.”

She was embarrassed by her choice of vocabulary, and was playing with her lustrous hair restlessly. Call me an imaginary creature… But Aoki Teru is neither a Pegasus nor a dragon.

I was about to swear again, but Kusano said with a determined look on her face.

“Well, I, you know? I don’t like the fact that everyone in my class thinks badly of Aoki-kun… I’m the one who holds Aoki-kun’s secret.”

“I already know that. When are you going to reveal the core of the secret to me?”

“Then now! I guess that means that Aoki-kun, who stares at me with a scary face, isn’t actually that scary!”

She gave a devilishly mischievous smile. A wondrous smile that changed to seven different colors. Kusano held out her right hand on the table. Five neatly arranged fingers, I was being asked to shake her hand.

“Hey, Aoki-kun. I was wondering if you’d let me help you.”

“Ah? Help me…?”

“I want to clear up everyone’s misunderstandings. Also, I’d like to ask you to join the group that I’m friends with, if you’d like. That’s what I’m trying to suggest… H-How does it sound?”

I looked at the outstretched hand and thought.

I wonder… If I would be able to trust Kusano and what she said.

No, sure it’s good, of course. The fact that her behavior smells fishy is probably just my personality.

I could clearly see Kusano’s true intentions. She was probably making this suggestion out of the goodness of her heart.

And yet I… I didn’t take Kusano’s hand, I couldn’t.

Was it simply that I was too shy to shake hands? Or maybe it was because I already had a master… I didn’t know why myself.

“Ah-Ahaha. I see, I’m not it… I guess I’m not the girl you want.”

“No. Umm… sorry.”

There was no excuse. Her hand that was not taken retracted and hid under the table.

“Y-You don’t have to apologize. …I started late to see what was going on, and I didn’t make it…”

The mood was over. I wanted to go home. Or rather, I want to run away. I looked out the window at the cloudy sky. I’ll pay for the fried shrimp with an advance from my allowance…

“Even if Aoki-kun says he doesn’t need it, I’ll take the liberty of helping you.”

“Haa.”

“Can I? Even if it’s not good, I’m still going to keep talking to you! May I!?”

She looked angry, or rather, Kusano looked very angry. She even puffed up one of her cheeks to clearly show that she was angry.

“Y-Yes, sure…”

When I nodded respectfully due to her pressure, Kusano immediately stopped being angry and smiled like a sunflower, saying, “Then that’s fine.”

My gaze was drawn back to the window and then fixed on it. Don’t f*ck around, me.

Afterwards, we had dinner and talked about the movie and our class.

As I had said I had some business to attend to, I decided to leave Kusano as soon as we left the restaurant.

“Yeah. Today was fun. See you at school, okay? From now on, talk to everyone around me without worrying about them!”

Kusano’s smile never faltered until the end.

Kusano Marika is a good person. And I’m pretty sure I wasn’t a good guy (She paid the entire bill for the meal, too).

I want to get better, too. I don’t want to walk around aimlessly, I want to move in the right direction.

I hoped so, but what could I even do in the first place?

I didn’t know a single option for change other than to be a loose, cute character.