Chapter 14: CH 14

Chapter 14: - June 13 (Saturday): Conversation On The Bench

When we moved to a large park next to the outlet mall, Otozui suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!”

“What’s wrong?”

“No. … Well, … I forgot something at … I’m sorry. I’ll be right back.”

“Oh.”

After bowing her head, Otozui hurriedly returned to the outlet mall.

In the meantime, I sat down on a bench nearby and put my arm on the backrest.

So far, so good, I think. …

What do you think? I don’t know.

It was when I sighed, another woman sat down next to me and started drinking juice from a plastic bottle.

“…”

“…”

I glanced at the person next to me and pulled my gaze away.

The other person was trying not to look at me.

After a period of silence, I couldn’t help but call out to the woman sitting next to me.

“Yuika Yuibana, … …W-Why are you here?”

Yes …. Sitting there was Yuika in her casual clothes.

A white T-shirt with wide cuffs and a short flared skirt.

It was a casual yet elegant look, very different from the usual school uniform.

“That’s my line, though.”

“As I told you, I came to see a movie with my junior.”

“Soka, good luck with that. I was brought here by my senpai. He said he wanted to go shopping at the outlet mall.”

“I don’t see any initiative in your reasoning.”

“She’s so pushy.”

I didn’t know what to say, and the atmosphere was delicate.

""

I wanted her to talk to me the way she used to, but she was not talking much today.

When I was thinking of something to talk about, Yuika initiated the conversation.

“Are things going well?”

“Our struggle is just beginning.”

“Yeah. I think I understand.”

I felt as if my true intentions had been discovered. Moreover, when I looked at her, she was also looking at me.

“Talk … I’ll listen to you for a bit.”

The light in her eyes seemed to be inviting me, saying – ‘Come on, tell me your concerns.’

I felt as if I were dancing in the palm of her hands, but now I certainly wanted her to listen to me.

“Honestly … Otozui is so cheerful with everyone that it’s hard to grasp her true feelings.”

“You’re a boy in love.”

“I’m telling you, I’m not.”

“But you’re aware of it a little, aren’t you?”

Normally, I would say differently here, but I couldn’t be bothered to put on a good front for her anymore.

I answered while playing with the fringe of my hair.

“…, Not exactly, but she’s a junior in the same company.”

“Is there an internal dating ban?”

“It’s not prohibited…, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for a trainer.”

“I think it’s fine.”

That’s right. It’s certainly not a big deal to the rest of us.

Even if it was an in-house romance, you wouldn’t be blamed if you behaved properly and responsibly. (T/N: In-house= In-Office)

But I couldn’t accept it.

But then again, it was funny that I was talking about this to a high school girl who was younger than me.

Moreover, I even felt a slight lightness in my heart.

It’s a strange feeling.

Yuika didn’t react in any particular way, she was just as calm as usual.

I wonder if this was what high school girls were like nowadays.

Yuika murmured.

“Senpai, you’re late.”

“Is that your senior? Your … boyfriend?”

Yuika was a high school girl in the prime of her youth.

It wouldn’t be surprising if she had a boyfriend.

But the fact that the cocky Yuika I talked to every day had a boyfriend didn’t amuse me one bit.

Then she glanced at me.

“Are you curious?”

Yuika looked as if she was not interested in my question.

But the fact that she didn’t tell me here meant that he was most likely her boyfriend.

It was not my place to say anything about it, but I was worried about her attitude of not telling me clearly.

“Oh, here he is.”

Yuika looked up quickly and stood up.

“See you, Onii-San.”

“Ah.”

Yuika waved at me and walked towards the outlet mall.

When I looked to see what kind of man he was, I saw a woman with long hair next to Yuika.

What?! You’re a woman after all. You’re confusing me.

After all, I was being played by Yuika.

I clicked my tongue in my mind, but at the same time, I felt relieved.

If she ever got a boyfriend, I wonder how I would feel about supporting her.

Just as I was thinking that this might be the feeling of a father with a daughter, I felt something cold on my neck.

“Whoa!”

When I turned around in surprise, Otozui was there.

“Sasamiya-san, here’s some tea as an apology.”

“You took the trouble to buy it for me? Thank you.”

“No, no, you’re welcome. So I actually went to … to get this.”

Otozui, who sat next to me, opened her bag and took out something.

It was a small lunch box.

There were five of them, and each one seemed to have a dish in it.

She must have left them in the locker. They would be in the way if she brought them into the movie theater.

There was also an ice-pack in the box.

But this is a … homemade… bento, right?

■–Afterword–■

Next time, it’s Otozui’s turn to fight back!