Chapter 1: Reunion 5
Chapter 1: Reunion 5
"I've come again..." I mutter as I sees Hoshimiya's rundown apartment. There are no security guards or even surveillance camera's. It's understandable to feel uneasy about stalkers in this situation.
"...Here goes nothing."
Ascending the rusty staircase, just like last night, I make my way to Hoshimiya's door.
The backpack on my back feels unusually heavy. I went home earlier to prepare the things needed overnight stay.
With slight nervousness, I firmly press the intercom.
"Hello?"
"It's me, Kuromine."
"I'll be right there."
Such a cheerful voice. It doesn't seem like the attitude of a girl inviting a guy over.
Is this what they call a 'gal'? Or perhaps she completely trusts me...
The door opens slowly, revealing Hoshimiya, dressed in a relaxed outfit that clearly resembles loungewear.
Moreover, she has switched from gal mode to plain girl mode (with messy hair and glasses). It feels like she has a bit of a dual personality.
"Thanks for coming, Kuromine-kun. Come in," Hoshimiya says, guiding me into her house. We pass through a clean and tidy kitchen space and step into the living area.
"Oh, Riku-kun, welcome!" And Monmon was there.
Monmon was sitting by a small table, relaxing, and holding a can of beer.
Her face and voice seemed unnecessarily cheerful.
"Oh, would it have been a problem if I were here? Don't think you can easily pass me to do something with Ayana-chan." Monmon says.
"Hey, Hoshimiya. Can I kick this guy out of the house?" I asked.
"N-No, you can't. Um, should I have mentioned that Chiharu-san was here?" Hoshimiya replies.
"I probably wouldn't have come if you had mentioned it,"
"You really don't get along with Chiharu-san..."
It's not that we don't get along; we're more like natural enemies. Well, it's more like I'm totally freaked out of this girl.
"I heard about it from Ayana-chan. The runaway boy is here to protect you, right?"
"Well, it sort of turned out that way," I respond.
It seems Hoshimiya told her about it. However, Monmon still thinks I'm a runaway boy.
It seems Hoshimiya also synchronized the story.
"Oh, it's about time for work," Hoshimiya says and hurriedly heads to the bathroom.
Oh sh*t, I'm left alone with this girl.
Being with her puts me in a position where I'm easily manipulated, so I'm not fond of it.
"Riku-kun, it seems like you dislike me, huh?"
"It's not just 'seems', I definitely dislike you," I reply.
"I see, I see. Well then, as a token of friendship, I'll give you this. Let's get along," Monmon says with a smirk, taking out a book from her bag.
I naturally accept the book that was offered to me. I glance at the cover and immediately regret it.
"What is this?"
"Hehe, no need to thank me. Make good use of it,"(TL: What do you mean 'use'?)
"Use this...? Isn't it an erotic book? And the heroine is, A Gal."(TL: Thankfully, he's innocent.)
The book depicts a blond-haired gal in provocative clothing with a speech bubble saying, "Shall we engage in some naughty play...?"
It's just awful. Instead of a token of friendship, it's more like the start of a world war.
And it even resembles Hoshimiya in gal mode.
"Well then, I'm off," Hoshimiya said.
Hoshimiya peeks into the room before she goes out and in a moment of panic, I quickly hide the erotic book inside my clothes.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Kuromine-kun?" she asks.
"It's nothing. But I see, you only become plain when you go to work,"
"Plain... Well, I think it's better to dress modestly for work. Some customers don't like flashy outfits... Well then, I'm off," Hoshimiya says with a bright smile. She waves lightly at us before leaving.
"Ayana-chan is a good girl, isn't she?"
"She is."
"So, you're going to make a move on her after all?"
"Shut-up."
Just to make sure, let me clarify. I treat people with respect when they are older than me, but not on Monmon.
Although this is our second meeting, her position in my mind is already fixed.
"Riku-kun, this is a serious matter. Please don't make Ayana-chan sad."
"...Monmon-san?"
She's not in her usual lighthearted mood. Monmon has a serious look in her eyes.
"I know you're going through a lot, but Ayana-chan is going through a difficult time too," she said.
"It seems so. With the part-time job and the stalker..."
"That's not what I mean."
"Huh?"
I didn't understand the meaning behind her words. What else could there be?
"Well then, I guess I should go home too. Oh, and... don't go rummaging through Ayana-chan's underwear just because she's not here,"
"Don't worry, I will not do that."
In the end, Monmon remained Monmon until the very end.
After seeing Monmon off and closing the front door, I sigh and return to my room.
"Now, what should I do? And what about this erotic book I have in my hands!"
I considered throwing the erotic book from the balcony, but it would be a waste to throw it away.
For now... for now, I'll keep it stored. I'll hide it under Hoshimiya's bed for the time being.
"Mmm..."
After finishing hiding the erotic book, I receive a phone call from a certain person on my smartphone.
"...Haruno?"
What could be the reason for this? I thought there was nothing between Haruno and me anymore.
There's no use being hesitant, so I answer the call.
"...Haruno?"
"*Sob...* *sniff...* Riku-chan...?"
Haruno was crying.
"What's wrong?"
"I-I'm sorry... Riku-chan. About today..."
"..."
"I don't even know why I got so upset... To be separated from you like this... I don't want that... *sniff*"
"..."
"Can't we reconcile?"
"That's..."
My remaining speck of reason tells me to refuse without hesitation. But emotionally...
"Riku-chan...?"
"If you says so..."
"Really? Then as childhood friends, we'll continue to be together... right?"
"Yeah."
This morning, I had hoped to distance myself from Haruno... Haha, how things have changed in just one day.
If she begs me with tears to stay together, there's no way I can refuse.
"...There's nothing going on between you and Ayana-chan, right?"
"Ah... Well, we're not even dating. I also didn't confessed to Hoshimiya either."
"Are you still... lying to me?"
"It's not a lie. Believe me."
"...Then why did you say that in front of everyone?"
"It was to protect Hoshimiya's reputation."
"...But staying at Ayana-chan's house, that was true, right?"
"..." I stayed in silence.
"I knew it. Why did you stay at Ayana-chan's house if you're not dating?"
"That... I can't tell you."
I got rejected and I attempted to commit suicide in the mountains.
There's no way I can say that.
"If you don't explain, I won't understand..."
"I'm sorry. But it's true that there's nothing between me and Hoshimiya."
After I said that, Haruno remained silent for a few seconds before speaking again.
"...I don't know the details, but I believe you, Riku-chan."
"Haruno..."
"There's nothing going on between you and Ayana-chan, right?"
"There isn't."
"...Okay."
It seems she has finished confirming what she wanted to know. She didn't ask any further questions.
"Hey, Riku-chan, come to my house now. Let's spend some time together like we used to."
"...I'm sorry. Let's not do that today."
"Oh... Yeah, you're right... Well, see you later..."
With those words, the call ended.
And so, Haruno and I easily returned to our previous relationship.
"...sigh."
I can't help but think I'm hopeless.
I'm glad we made up. I'm happy to be by Haruno's side again.
I might find it difficult to look at Haruno... But even so, I feel happy and relieved.
◇◇◇
After walking on a dimly lit mountain road for a while, I finally arrived at a convenience store standing in the darkness.
A while ago, I contacted Hoshimiya and came to pick her up on foot.
I have a spare key in my pocket. Of course, I received permission from Hoshimiya.
Or rather, it seems like she intended to give it to me... Is this what they call trust?
Regarding the stalker incident, Hoshimiya has been sensing someone's presence, especially during the night-time hours.
Hoshimiya's part-time job usually ends at 10 PM.
When she goes home, she has to ride her bicycle down a dark mountain road, and she occasionally feels someone's bike light shining from behind. Moreover, it might be the same person every time... That's what Hoshimiya suspects.
Unfortunately, she hasn't been able to see the person's face, but judging by the physique, they might be in their thirties... That's Hoshimiya's guess. Additionally, she feels someone's gaze when entering her house. Scary.
I arrived at the convenience store and passed through the automatic doors to enter the store. As usual, there were no customers inside.
At the cash register was not Hoshimiya... but a muscular, sturdy middle-aged man.
However, his lips were trembling, and his stern face had minimal makeup applied.
"Welcome... Hm? Aren't you the one from the robbery?" the man noticed me and his eyes sparkled. Scary.
"You have quite an adorable face. How about working here?" he asked.
"Are you recruiting for a night scout or something?" I replied. "I came to pick up Hoshimiya."
"I see. Recently, there have been suspicious individuals bothering Ayana-chan. So, you're here to be her bodyguard,"
"Yes."
He had a peculiar way of speaking. It felt strange hearing a man's voice speaking like a woman.
"Thank you for protecting Ayana-chan."
"It's more like a coincidence." I responded.
"As the owner, let me express my gratitude. Thank you very much."
He's the owner? That means he's higher up than the store manager!
"Ayana-chan is in the back yard right now. She should be coming out soon."
"Understood. I'll wait."
"Your name is Kuromine Riku-chan, right?"
"Um, if possible, please refrain from using the '-chan'. It's scary."
"Hehe, it's such a cute name. It suits your adorable face," the owner said with a playful expression. Wait, am I being targeted?
"Would you like to work here?" he asked again.
"Even if you say that..."
"I'm just worried about leaving Ayana-chan alone. We had a robbery here recently..."
"This place seems prone to being targeted."
It's secluded and not many customers come here.
"That's true. That's why I started working at night and managed to repel the robbers so far... but Ayana-chan was targeted when she was alone."
"This is like a haunted place. You're saying it so casually, but it's a really dangerous story."
Based on what he said earlier, it seems like this owner has fought off robbers multiple times.
Perhaps he's some sort of monster.
"We want to reduce the number of staff since there are few customers... but we can't replace the lives of our important employees. Everyone working here is a woman," the owner explained.
"Huh, everyone is a woman?"
"Yes, everyone is a woman."
.........
Come to think of it, the store manager was also looks like a woman. I haven't seen other staff members, but they seem to be women too.
"What do you think?"
"Well, um..."
"Isn't it like a dream to work together with your lover?"
"Well, we're not lovers."
"Even though you're not lovers, you're willing to protect her from robbers and stalkers?"
"Well, yes."
He seemed impressed, unaware of our circumstances.
Suddenly, he slammed the counter, wide-eyed and let out a deep, loud voice.
"Marvelous! That's what a true Japanese man should be! The blood of a sleeping samurai!"
"Um, excuse me, but I'm not even close to being like that."
He was a seriously intense middle-aged man. He gave off the vibe of someone who would swing a giant spear on a battlefield.
As I stood there dumbfounded in front of the owner, I felt someone's presence behind me.
"Oh, Kuromine-kun, you came to pick me up. Thank you," Hoshimiya came.
"...I appreciate you come early."
"Huh?" Ayana tilted her head in confusion. Well, being alone with the owner was mentally exhausting in every way. I was on the verge of tears.
"Thank you for your hard work, owner."
"Good job, Ayana-chan. Make sure your boyfriend protects you well," the owner said.
(Note: The term "オネエ" in this context is a Japanese slang term used to refer to flamboyant or effeminate gay men.)
"I-I-I told you, we're not lover!" Ayana blurted out, her face turning red, and she shook her head so vigorously that her glasses almost flew off.
...Being denied to that extent made me feel a little empty. But whatever, it's fine.
And so we left the convenience store and headed towards the parking lot. Naturally, there was only one bicycle available.
"Well, Kuromine-kun, how about we ride together?" Hoshimiya suggested
"Yeah, I don't feel like walking anymore."
"Alright, hop on."
Ayana confidently mounted the bicycle, gesturing for me to sit behind her.
"Hey, are you the one who's going to pedal?"
"Hmm?, yeah. Leave it to me."
"No, I can... Well, whatever."
I sat behind her without giving it much thought. Ayana exclaimed, "Nnngh!" as she tried to pedal the bicycle, but she couldn't maintain her balance and ended up putting her feet on the ground.
"...Seems impossible, huh? Want to change spots?"
"I'm fine! I'm pretty confident with my athletic abilities!" Hoshimiya insisted.
"Even so..."
She was making an effort to pedal without touching the ground, but the bicycle was wobbling.
Out of fear, I instinctively grabbed onto Ayana's waist. It was soft...
However, I didn't want to go down a mountain road with such dangerous ride.
"I'm sorry, Hoshimiya, I don't want to risk my life on a bicycle."
"...I'm sorry. I didn't want to inconvenience you too much, Kuromine-kun."
"It's not about inconveniencing me. I just don't want anything bad to happen to either of us," I reassured her.
Hoshimiya nodded, understanding my concern.
"Yeah, you're right. Safety should come first."
And so, we exchange spots. I pedaled down the mountain road effortlessly with Hoshimiya riding on the back. There's something nice about riding a bicycle on a night-time mountain road with a girl. Especially if Hoshimiya were actually Haruno...
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Hoshimiya suddenly asked.
"What?"
"Even when I was working, I couldn't stop thinking about you, Kuromine-kun."
...Wait, does she mean...?
"Kuromine-kun, when you're feeling down... you never ask anyone for help, do you?" Hoshimiya's words struck a chord.
I hesitated for a moment before answering, "Yeah, that's true. I tend to keep things to myself."
Hoshimiya nodded understandingly. "I thought so. You don't have to bear everything on your own, you know? It's okay to rely on others sometimes."
Her words resonated with me, and I realized that Hoshimiya had noticed my tendency to shoulder my burdens alone. It was a surprising and comforting at the same time.
"I wonder though."
"I mean, when you deceive yourself like that, you'll eventually run out of steam. My dad was like that too, bottling everything up. It feels like you're doing the same thing, Kuromine-kun."
I remained silent, focusing on steering the handlebars and looking ahead into the darkness.
"When you're feeling down, it's okay to admit it. No, I want you to say it."
Her slender arms wrapped around my waist, and I could feel the warmth and softness of her pressed against my back.
I understood that she was gently embracing me.
"I understand. It might be difficult to do it right away, but I'll try it."
"Yeah. Take it at your own pace, Kuromine-kun..."
Strangely enough, Hashimiya's words settled in my heart.
Perhaps it was because I could feel her kindness even on my back.
Until now, as long as Haruno was by my side, I was fine with anything.
But now...
"By the way, let's go out and have some fun tomorrow." I suggested.
"Go out...?"
"Yeah! Let's liberate ourselves and have a blast! What do you think?"
"...Sure. Let's go out and have fun. I'm looking forward to it."
Hehe, I faintly heard her delightful and adorable voice, as if she were bouncing with joy.
I'm sure she's wearing a captivating smile right now.
With that thought in mind, I accidentally blurted out my true feelings.
"Hoshimiya... you're really a great girl, you know?"
"Eh, wha-what!? What's with the suddenness!?"
"No, I just spoke my mind. I'm not joking or anything."
Are there any other girls who can empathize with someone's heart as much as she does?
I feel overwhelmingly fulfilled, more than if someone were to confess their love to me.
...Hoshimiya and I only started talking yesterday, right?
I've felt as if I've known Hoshimiya for a long time.
We must have spent such intense and meaningful time together.
"Sto-stop it! Don't say weird things! Besides, Kuromine-kun, you're..."
"H-hey! Don't thrash around!"
Whether it was her attempt to hide her embarrassment or not, Hoshimiya sitting behind me was shaking vigorously. Oh sh*t!
This truly is a nightmarish cycling experience.
From now on, I should refrain from saying anything too awkward...
Chapter 1 Part 5 End
-Support Me-
https://ko-fi.com/animestuff85370-Visit my epub-pdf website-
https://animestuff.me/Join on my Telegram:
https://t.me/animestuff2023
