Chapter 3: Daily Life 5
Chapter 3: Daily Life 5
So we borrowed Seoda-san's spare bike, which is only one. I pedaled with Kana on the back. Never thought we'd ride together.
Riding with Kana brought back memories of Hoshimiya when we rode the bike middle of the night in a mountain path.
As we reached the convenience store, which is about 15 minutes. Countryside, but not deserted. Regular store, big parking lot, surrounded by rice fields.
No cars or bikes around; maybe no customers. I parked the bike, went in through the automatic doors. A cheerful melody played.
Then a female clerk organizing something in the back turn on us.
"Welcome────!" and it's Hoshimiya's plain mode.
Our eyes met, and she choked up. Surprise spread across her face.
Looking at Hoshimiya, felt both nostalgia and sweetness. Same plain look as before.
Her simple clerk outfit had a soothing cuteness. Last time, I just thought "plain," but now...undeniably adorable.
Now, I can only see her as cute.
"Eh, Kuromine-kun, Kana. Why are you here!?"
"Well, we came because we wanted to."
"I told you not to come!"
While Hoshimiya angrily shouted mixed with a scream, Kana was unfazed, acting she didn't care.
"It's fine, it's fine. We came as customers."
"Ugh, having Kuromine-kun here too...!"
"Kana." I called. "Hoshimiya seems really upset. Maybe it's a bad idea for me to come?" I said as I speak quietly.
"It's fine, really. She's not seriously mad, just shy."
"Is that so..."
"Well, you're Hoshimiya's best friend, so it must be true." For now, I decide to believe her.
Kana and I walked down the store aisle and approached Hoshimiya.
"Ah..."
"Hoshimiya, about last night..."
"...Welcome──── Y-yes..."
This is bad. Hoshimiya looks awkward, staring at the floor, and won't meet my eyes. She didn't even let me apologize for the cheek-patting incident. Desperate to change the atmosphere, I blurt out without much thought.
"Any recommendations?"
"Recommendations in this store..."
Kana, next to me, looks astonished, but it's the best I can do.
Hoshimiya seems serious about it and started to think hard and mumbles her suggestion.
"Pumpkin Pudding..."
"Pumpkin Pudding? Oh, right, you liked that, Hoshimiya."
"...Yeah. You knew?"
"Yeah, Kana told me. Got it, I'll buy it later."
Back when we were living in her apartment, Hoshimiya would buy Pumpkin Pudding several times. She always eat it with happy expression...
I'll get not just one but maybe four, just in case. Sharing with everyone wouldn't be a bad idea.
I guess having a little conversation might help to close the distance a bit, I take another step toward Hoshimiya. However, she subtly steps back the same distance I closed.
"Eh, Hoshimiya...? Why are you...?"
"But Kuromine-kun... says and does weird things."
As she says this, Hoshimiya twirls her hair with her index finger. I feel a shock as if I've been hit with a thunder. Am I being treated as a pervert now?
I've been told various things like 'You're different, Kuromine-kun' or 'Kuromine-kun!? Why do you always do weird things?'
I never expected to still hear those things even after losing her memory.
"Hoshimiya, I really don't intend to do anything bad..."
"I know. Kuromine-kun is a kind boy... just has some weird parts."
"Weird parts──!"
"Okay, Riku. Let's check out the products over here."
Being pulled by Kana, we head towards the shelves near the entrance. It's an emergency retreat.
"I'm already being treated as a pervert..."
"It's not like she hates you, so it's fine."
"Yeah... not being hated is the only relief."
"Ayana is just embarrassed. She doesn't show that shy attitude to other guys."
"Oh, is she embarrassed..."
...Am I just worrying too excessively? Regardless, I want to apologize properly.
"Uh, Riku. Your arm, it got a scratch."
As Kana points it out, I realize there's a light scratch on my right arm.
It started to sting suddenly once I noticed the injury. It stings and kinda bothering me.
Where did I get injured? No idea at all.
"You're so clumsy. Let's use a bandage. Where is it..."
She's acting like a caring mother, picks up a small box from a nearby shelf. Influenced by the atmosphere, I join her.
"Hm, Kana?"
"..."
I wonder what's wrong; she stares at the small box she picked up, not moving. Her hand is even trembling. What's so surprising her about a box of band-aids?
Curiously, I glance at the box that Kana's holding. It's not a band-aid.
"Ultra-thin... 0.01...? Oh, a condom." I nonchalantly said.
"Hey, Riku!? How the heck you can say it so casually...!" Blushing Kana panics intensely, tears wells up in both eyes.
'....Seriously?'
"Kana, you're surprisingly innocent like Hoshimiya."
"Innocent, you say... huh!?"
"Your voice is loud. It might bother other customers."
"There's no one else here except us!"
"Sorry, it's a pretty quiet shop..."
From beyond the shelves, a voice filled with sadness can be heard. Kana, with a resolute apology, raises her voice, saying, "Sorry!" and puts the condom box she still held back in its place.
"You really mistook that, huh?"
"...The boxes kinda look similar, don't they?"
"They're not completely different, but..."
"Anyway, I never see this stuff normally. And it's the first time I've looked at it so closely."
"Is that so."
We speak in hushed tones. Hoshimiya probably can't hear us.
"You're surprisingly calm about it. Riku, is that your usual self?"
"If it looks that way, then I guess so. I don't really know... Oh here it is, band-aids."
I pick up the band-aids right next to the condoms.
"Geez... have you... experienced it?"
"Experienced what?"
Creating an air of embarrassment, Kana looks at the band-aids I'm holding.
"You... it's just too normal? Like, are you used to it or something?"
"Used to what?"
"I said... it's obvious what happened!"
"I don't get it. You brought it up out of nowhere."
"Ugh... that... "
Still looking down, Kana points to the location where the condoms are.
"Oh... I see. No, I haven't." Her fingers are trembling.
"But you were dating Harukaze, right?"
"Yeah, but..."
"But what?"
"We decided to wait until after high school for that kind of thing, and I declined."
"You declined... even when Harukaze asked?"
"Well, yeah..."
Feeling embarrassed, I scratch my cheek. Kana looks surprised, perhaps more than expected.
"You know, you're just like a dog in a lot of ways but, surprisingly you have your boundaries."
"I wonder... It just felt wrong somehow."
"Toward Harukaze?"
"Yeah..."
I can't quite explain what felt wrong to myself.
I just had an intuitive sense that there might be a line not to be crossed. Even though it doesn't make much sense to me...
"Sorry, Kana. I need to use the restroom."
"Okay."
Feeling the urge to pee, I put the band-aids back on the shelf and rush into the nearby restroom.
After relieving myself, I find this place comforting. As I sat on the toilet, feeling nostalgia wells up, making me want to calm down.
"Ah... I wonder how Haruno is doing."
We haven't been in contact since I left. I expected her to say something at least, but she hasn't contacted me.
...Well, maybe it's for the best.
Feeling Haruno's presence would make me want to rely on her again.
The kind girl who accepted all of me...
"Now, it's about Hoshimiya."
I need to face her properly, apologize, and remove the awkwardness on us.
I should also exercise self-restraint and let the relationship with Hoshimiya progress at her pace...
Even thinking that, a sudden question arises, "Why am I struggling so much despite having same feelings with Haruno?"
Our unconventional relationship, combined with Hoshimiya's amnesia...
Various factors intertwine, leading us to where we are now.
The issue of contact information is no exception.
On the way to this convenience store, Kana told me something. 'Ayana deleted my contact information...'
...Something dark and demotivating creeps into my heart.
"Don't be discouraged, me."
I encourage myself with a mutter. Before I realize it, I've spent quite some time in the restroom. I'm undoubtedly keeping Kana and Hoshimiya waiting. I might get scolded by Kana again.
I hurry out of the restroom, wash my hands, and return to the store.
"What the hell, you idiot!!"
Suddenly, a scream filled with male anger echoes through the store.
Feeling a sense of unease, I lower my posture and cautiously make my way toward the cash register.
Hearing the commotion from the aisle near the register, I hide behind the shelves and discreetly peek out to assess the situation. There, I saw...
"Let go of Ayana, you bastard!!"
"Shut up! It's because of you... It's your fault for doing unnecessary things!!"
A man arguing with Kana. He wears a black knit hat and is dressed entirely in black, but his attire is the least of my concerns. In his right hand, has a knife, and he's using it to hold Hoshimiya as hostage.
"............"
A knife emitting a dull light is pressed against Hoshimiya's neck as she's restrained from behind.
If that knife is drawn sideways, blood will surely gush out.
The most unbearable and unpleasant thoughts flood my mind, causing a shiver to run down my spine.
My fingertips go cold, and the back of my head feels frozen.
Hoshimiya... Hoshimiya is the one I can't afford to lose.
"If you really want a hostage... I'll be the one instead!"
"Shut up, you damn woman!!"
Amidst the convenience store robbery and the argument with Kana, Hoshimiya's face freezes, unable to say anything. She must be feeling the terrible being a hostage, knowing that any movement she will do, will lead to her death.
Indeed, the convenience store robber's emotional behavior is quite noticeable. It's unpredictable what he might do when cornered. The reckless atmosphere reminds me of my past self when Haruno rejected me... Whether it's directed at others or oneself, the meaning might be the same, with only the target of emotions being different.
"Kana, you haven't done anything wrong!"
"I don't careee!!"
Driven by intense emotions, the hand holding the knife of the convenience store robber tightens. Even if just slightly, the blade digs into Hoshimiya's neck.
"Stop it!"
I instinctively leap out from behind the shelves, pleading. The convenience store robber, noticing me, widens his eyes but quickly contorts his face in anger.
"What!? Who the hell are you!!"
"Please, just... Hoshimiya, please...!"
"Why were you in the toilet!"
"Toilet... the toilet, yeah!"
"Toilet... the toilet!? Why, why the hell!"
Faced with another sudden burst of rage, I'm left dumbfounded. The convenience store robber begins to speak without paying attention to me.
"I've been researching the times when no customers show up for the past three days...! And on the day I come, customers suddenly appear!! Always, always, I'm just unlucky!!"
"Don't spout such childish complaints! Release Ayana now, you damn bastard!"
"Shut up! What does a happy-go-lucky girl like you understand!? My... my struggles!!"
"I don't give a damn about that! It has nothing to do with Ayana!!"
"Shut uuuup!"
"Listen? Try moving that knife even a bit... If you go to prison, I'll chase you down and kill you without fail."
Even the threatening expression of the robber falters, facing Kana's earnest words, who shows no sign of fear. He clears his throat and does his best to conceal himself, using Hoshimiya as a shield.
"Do you not care at all about what happens to her!? D-do it...? If I decide to do it... I'll do it?"
"......"
Looking at Hoshimiya with a knife pressed against her throat, Kana clenches her teeth with a frustrated expression.
Unlike Kana, who doesn't hide her anger, I'm paralyzed with fear, unable to move.
Just pure fear... The fear of losing Hoshimiya. There's no room for anger.
"Please. I beg you not to hurt Hoshimiya."
I bow my head with earnest intent, but the enraged convenience store robber remains unmoved.
"Ar-are you dating, you damn... damn...! Everyone's just fooling around!"
"...We're not dating."
"What!?"
"But he's the person I want to be happiest with."
"Kuromine-kun────" I said faintly but I can't afford to react. I lower my head once again and appeal to the convenience store robber.
"So... Please release Hoshimiya. I beg you..."
Misfortunes keep appearing in one after another. I don't want Hoshimiya to suffer any more. The pain of having to erase her memories just to live, and even after erasing them, misfortune still appears...
It's just too much.
"............"
As I bow my head, I feel a strange silence that raises discomfort.
Somehow, the convenience store robber remained silent. Did my feelings get through to him? I hold onto that hope.
Then, strangely composed, the robber says, "Kneel."
"...Eh?"
"Kneel."
"Why..."
"A brat like you who knows nothing about hardship. My life is full of injustice. Getting scolded by those damn company people every single day... surrounded by idiots who don't appreciate my worth. Even when I was a kid, it was the same! There were only idiots, so I stood out..."
What is he talking about?
"Just kneel already!"
"If kneeling will save Hoshimiya... I'll do anything." With that thought, I drop to my knees and place my hands on the ground.
However...
"Are you an idiot!? Kneeling won't make me release this girl! That's why clueless brats who don't know hardship are like this!"
Silence fills the air. What does this person want? There's a vibe reminiscent of Hoshimiya's stalker in him.
"Fine! Bring money! I won't do anything... So release Ayana!"
"Shut up! This is why I hate those happy girls! They think everything... everything will go their way!"
"What do you want me to do then!?"
"...Take off your clothes."
"What!?"
Like ripples spreading on the surface of water, the robber's words echoed throughout the store.
"Take off your clothes."
"What the hell...!"
"Experience the hardships and failures I've been through! You damn happy people!!"
It's not just unreasonable; it's more like venting frustration.
As I knelt down, I pondered on the robber arguing with Kana. It's different from recklessness; the robber still has rationality left compared to the stalker who attacked Hoshimiya in the past.
It's more like taking it out on others or perhaps resentment...?
In this situation, unrelated to this, I can sense that he has reached his mental limit, just like me.
It's not excusable. His actions harming Hoshimiya are absolutely unforgivable.
Beneath the fear, a bubbling emotion of anger begins to transform into a simmering intent to kill.
However, the calm side of me realizes something.
The convenience store robber fundamentally might be scared, right?
That trembling angry voice and the actions of using someone weaker as a shield... perhaps it's not just a show of strength.
He perceives everyone around him as an enemy.
He believes there's no ally who understands and accepts him.
I was the same.
When rejected by Hono, I became self-destructive.
But there was still a faint trace of rationality left.
If I genuinely intended to commit suicide, I could have done it at home instead of going to the mountains.
Even so, fueled by overwhelming emotions, I acted impulsively, and in the end, Hoshimiya saved my heart.
And this guy believe no one will save him.
At least, he believes there isn't, and everyone he sees appears as an enemy.
So, what should be done?
What can I do to prove we have no hostility to him?
My thoughts race, digging up all memories to find the optimal solution.
In order to achieve the goal of saving Hoshimiya, one answer emerged.
"Fine."
I should take off my clothes.
"If... if I undress, will you really release Hoshimiya?"
"Shut up! Hurry up and strip!" The robber glances at me.
Just as I discard my shirt and start removing my pants.
"Why the hell are you undressing!?"
"Don't worry, I have no hostility."
"No hostility? That's scarier!"
"Eh... Riku? What are you doing!?"
I pay no mind to the reactions around me.
Discarding both pants and underwear, I stand there completely naked.
"Are you insane!?"
"I am."
"No way!!"
"Kuromine-kun...! Ahhh!"
"Hey, stop it! What are you...!?"
Chaos ensues. People, other than me, blush, perplexed, and scream.
The only one left with sanity intact was me.
The tense atmosphere shattered into pieces, and now I held the reins of control.
If I were to liken this situation, it would be like flipping a chessboard on the verge of defeat and directly attacking the opponent.
Taking a step forward, I approached the robber.
"Don't come any closer, you freak!"
"Which one of you is the criminal?"
"Well, both of you are heading to jail, aren't you?"
For some reason, it had turned into a three-against-one confrontation. That was fine.
To save Hoshimiya, I needed to eliminate the robber's fear.
So, how could I remove that fear?
The only way was to prove that I held no hostility.
The actions I was taking might seem insane, but would conventional actions save Hoshimiya's life? Probably not.
I would do anything to save her. Discarding common sense, let me become even crazier for Hoshimiya's sake!
Making up my mind, I advanced, observing the robber.
"What's wrong? Your hands are shaking... scared? It's okay, as you can see, I'm not carrying anything."
"You're not carrying anything, and you're not wearing anything either! You're a total pervert!"
"What? I'm wearing socks though."
"That makes you even more of a pervert!"
The robber screamed, and his mental thinking, reversed. If the robber is genuinely enraged, I wouldn't have caused much disturbance by undressing. It was the unexpected actions of someone acting irrationally with a trace of remaining sanity that surprised me. The first convenience store robber I encountered was the same.
Those truly furious would, like Hoshimiya's stalker, unhesitatingly attack without any warning. They wouldn't threaten first.
"First, release Hoshimiya... and put down the knife."
Approaching cautiously and slowly.
Then, the convenience store robber...
"W-Waaah! You're a pervert! Help meeee!"
Threw away the knife, stumbled in a panic, and rushed out of the store.
As the automatic doors closed, a cheerful melody echoed in the store.
At this moronic situation, Kana muttered softly, "What on earth was that..."
Uhhh... The January 22 thing might be not true. But I'll at least try to finish this. My users in my website really wanted to read it. Oh BTW I don't have volume 3 of this, I'll try asking a friend if he has one. Give me motivation. Ko-Fi below.
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