Chapter 19: Interlude

After that, without any particularly hard-to-understand conversations and with some light chatter, I escorted Satou (and Maaya-san) to their home.

Despite the unexpected encounter, I finally feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

Being the only boy in the group, I’ve been on edge the whole time, but now that the shopping trip ended without anyone getting hurt, my tension eases a bit.

「…I’m really glad.」

Partly due to my lack of experience with girls, but the reason I’ve been so on edge today was to protect Satou and Miu, just as I vowed to myself before going out. Especially with Satou, needless to say, it wouldn’t even be a laughing matter if something happened to her.

For example, just as it’s said that a second bee sting is more dangerous than the first, Satou, who has already been a victim of molestation once, could react unpredictably if it happened again. She might feel even more anxiety and fear the second time, possibly never being able to ride a train again. In the worst case, she might even become unable to accept any men, including me.

…But I don’t want that.

I absolutely refuse to lose a friend I’ve just gotten close to because of such circumstances.

That’s why, at least when I’m by her side, I will never let anyone hurt Satou.

The same goes for our daily commutes to and from school.

「Ahh, sorry, wait upー.」

As I’m lost in thought, a voice calls out from behind.

The owner of the voice passes by my side, breathing heavily, and stands in my way.

「Iyaa, I shouldn’t have run with sore musclesー. My legs are stiffー.」

「Maaya-san…?」

We parted ways just a few minutes ago, but it seems Maaya-san has followed me. She rests one hand on her knee, waving the other tiredly.

「Yahhoー, Hinata-kun.」

「H-Hello.」

I return a slight bow, and she smiles cheerfully.

「You’re making a face that says, “Why are you here?”」

「Of course I am. …Why are you here?」

I repeat, but I had just said goodbye to Maaya-san at her house.

「I forgot something at the station.」

「Ahh, I see.」

If that’s the case, it makes sense… or so I thought, but it creates a contradiction with her running here and talking to me now.

If it were something important, she should be running to the station without worrying about me, and if it wasn’t that important, there was no need to run in the first place. Especially if she has sore muscles.

「…That’s the excuse I gave Ayane-chan when I left the house. The truth is, I wanted to talk to you a bit moreー.」

「With me?」

「Yeah. No other reason, I just want to talk with you.」

Even if she says that, I have no idea why she’d be so interested in me. The only common acquaintance or topic we have is Satou, probably.

「For now, let’s talk while walking. Your little sister is waiting at home, right?」

「I appreciate it.」

I think Miu will be fine, but if she’s asleep when I get home, I shouldn’t let it get too late before waking her up and getting her into the bath.

I’ll take her up on her offer.

「You don’t have to walk on the roadside.」

「No, I can’t do that.」

「You’re so kind, Hinata-kun. But you’re the child here, so there’s no need for such consideration. Come on, move closer.」

She pushes my shoulder, making me take a step to the side, and then she naturally slips into the space and links arms with me.

It’s the same close distance Satou warned her about.

Whether I want to or not, a softness I’m not supposed to be conscious of envelops my upper arm.

「…Are you drunk?」

「Don’t be sillyー, I’m only nineteen, you know?」

I knew this from what Satou had told me before, but this sense of distance without being drunk is, well…

「Ahh, but I did have to eat a few liquor-filled chocolates towards the end of work, so maybe that’s it? Ah, do I smell like alcohol?」

「I don’t think so.」

「Really? Smell me closer.」

「Eh…」

「Here, my hand, or my neck, or near my mouth…」

…W-What’s with this person?

She tries to entwine herself around my body, so I have to stop her, but since she’s on the roadside, I can’t push her away forcefully. I’m in a situation where I have no choice but to allow her to lean her body against my arm.

She’s definitely drunk…

Even so, I don’t smell any alcohol, only a citrus scent tickling my nostrils.

「You don’t watch much TV, do you?」

A forced change of topic.

She doesn’t seem to have any intention of moving away.

「I definitely spend more time on my smartphone.」

「Ahaha, what a roundabout way to say itー.」

Maaya-san laughs as if she’s having fun.

However, I can’t see her true intentions.

She didn’t run after me just to have this kind of small talk, did she?

「……」

「……」

I prepared for silence, waiting for the main topic, and Maaya-san suddenly stopped.

「…Hey.」

Then, I can feel her whole body tense up through my arm.

Maybe it’s because they’re sisters or something else.

Looking at Maaya-san’s face as she timidly looks up at me, I remember the first time I met Satou.

「…It was you, right? The one who saved that girl from the molester.」

With that one sentence, I understand her purpose.

The fact that she probably chose a time when Satou wasn’t around.

The thing she wanted to convey so badly that she chased after me.

「Well… I just happened to be nearby, that’s all.」

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I answer as gently as possible.

Maaya-san reacts with a slight twitch, quietly steps back from me, and bows deeply.

「…Thank you. Really, really, thank you.」

Sniffling a few times, Maaya-san repeated her thanks.

Words filled with warmth, unimaginable from her usual relaxed tone, convey how much she cares for her little sister.

「I just happened to help a classmate who was on the same train. I didn’t get into a fight with the culprit or anything, I really just spoke up, that’s all.」

Besides, I’ve already received more than enough thanks from Satou, so any more would be an overdose.

「…But.」

But that’s just my opinion.

I don’t mean to be conceited, but I can understand why the person who was helped would be filled with gratitude.

「…I’m always so busy with work that… I haven’t been able to do anything sisterly for her.」

She regrets her past.

「…So when I heard from our mom that Ayane-chan had been molested, my mind went blank, and I couldn’t think of anything.」

Maaya-san continues, still bowing her head.

「It was like time had stopped. “Ahh… it’s over”, that’s all I could think. Just when she was starting to recover, I thought now she would really close off her heart…」

「Eh…?」

「……」

I meet Maaya-san’s eyes as she looks up with a face that says she slipped up.

However, she averts her gaze as if to avoid further questioning.

「…Um, in other words… when I heard that someone had saved her before anything serious happened, I was truly happy from the bottom of my heart. So much that I almost collapsed on the spot.」

She mutters that she wants to express her gratitude.

「I should have come to see you myself, I’m sorry.」

「I don’t mind. I didn’t help her because I wanted to be thanked.」

「That may be true, but… Geez, maybe that’s what she likes about you.」

Maaya-san sighs as if she has come to some understanding.

However, her eyes still waver a little.

「I owe Hinata-kun a debt I can’t repay. So, please let me repay it little by little from now on.」

It would have been easy to say it wasn’t necessary, but there was the example of Satou who was stubborn about repaying debts. If we ended up in a battle of endurance, I couldn’t be sure it wouldn’t somehow end up with cash being involved… so I decided to silently nod.

「…Thank you.」

「Likewise, thank you for chasing after me just to tell me this. …Well then, I…」

There were words that piqued my interest.

Still, it’s probably not right to hear such things without Satou herself being present. If I’m still curious later, I can ask Satou directly.

「…Wait.」

Thinking the conversation was over, I bow my head slightly, but Maaya-san says it’s not and closes the distance again.

She holds my hand.

Though she’s older, it’s only by three years. Maaya-san, who was still very much a “girl” physically, had hands that were just a little bigger than Satou’s and slightly damp with sweat.

「You’ve already helped that girl. So I know I have no right to ask you this. …And what I’m about to say is probably… something an older sister shouldn’t say about her little sister.」

The grip on my hand tightens.

She seems to be choosing her words carefully, as her speech is periodically interrupted.

I can see the anguish of someone who would rather not say what they’re about to say.

Still, Maaya-san seems to have made up her mind and opens her mouth.

「That girl… Ayane-chan can’t change on her own. Even if she does change, she can’t maintain it. If left alone, she’ll quickly go back to how she was.」

「…What do you mean?」

「……」

I ask, but no answer comes.

Instead, I’m met with a fragile smile that looks like it could disappear at any moment, and I unconsciously hold my breath.

「Sorry. For saying something strange and not being able to explain it properly.」

「…No.」

「I don’t know how much I should say. Honestly, I’d rather not tell anything to someone I just met, but Ayane-chan seemed to trust you…」

It’s not a bad thing not to blindly trust someone you’ve just met.

If anything, being cautious often leads to good outcomes.

Then, why did she try to tell me about it?

If it was all about her trust in her sister, she could have checked with Satou directly before chasing after me, or had this conversation with Satou present from the start, but she didn’t.

There was something she wanted to convey, even if indirectly.

I get that, but I don’t understand anything beyond that.

「…That girl isn’t suited to be an idol.」

「Idol?」

I reflexively ask back at the unexpected word, but of course, no answer comes.

Knowing Satou’s potential, I wouldn’t be surprised if she said she was actually an idol, but it’s not that kind of statement.

「…Sorry. I really can’t say any more.」

Maaya-san smiles wryly, clasps her hands behind her back, and takes two or three steps back.

The distance increases, and I can see her entire body.

A slender line. A beautiful silhouette.

Her short bob black hair fluttered in a breeze from nowhere, and as Maaya-san held it down with her hand, she looked like an idol who could grace the cover of a magazine.

「…What should I do?」

I ask her to tell me what she wants me to do, without needing details, so that Maaya-san can answer easily.

「…You’re really smart.」

Maaya-san smiled, looking somewhat relieved.

And then, she takes off the glasses she’s been wearing all this time.

「Just stay by that girl’s side. That alone should make everything go in the right direction.」

「Understood.」

I had no plans to leave her side anyway, but for now, I nod firmly.

As expected, or perhaps not, Maaya-san without glasses was undeniably beautiful.

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