Chapter 318: She's a Good Kid on the Inside #2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 318: She's a Good Kid on the Inside #2
“.....”
“.....”
“Can you please stop staring?”
Miyuki said, embarrassed, as she sipped her strawberry milk through a straw.
I, who had been gazing at her with my elbows propped on the desk, answered firmly.
“No.”
“It’s a bit much.”
“It’s not like this is the first time. Why so suddenly?”
“You’re just staring so intently. Anyway, your hair’s gotten long, hasn’t it?”
As she said that, Miyuki started fiddling with the hair on the back of my head.
Her fingers weaving through my hair.
A smile touched my lips as I thought the sensation wasn’t half bad.
“I should get it cut.”
“Can I try cutting it? Just the back?”
“Go ahead.”
“What? Really?”
“Yeah.”
“What will you do if I mess it up?”
“Then I’ll just have a weird haircut, I guess.”
Was she dumbfounded by my nonchalant reply?
The corners of Miyuki’s mouth stretched up into a wide grin.
On second thought, she didn’t look dumbfounded, but happy. Probably because I gave off the impression that I trusted her completely.
“Just go to a hair salon and get it cut.”
“Why? Is it a bother?”
“What are you talking about...! I’m just scared I’ll ruin your hair...!”
Miyuki tapped my arm with an affectionate tone.
The vice class president, sitting in front of us, saw the exchange and clicked her tongue, as if the sight was sickeningly sweet.
If you’re jealous, just say so.
Swallowing those words, I gestured with my chin toward Bread Girl, who was munching on some bread.
“Let me have one of those.”
“Cough...?”
“I’ll buy you a new one later.”
“Cough.”
After her characteristic affirmative cough, Bread Girl handed me a new bun, and Miyuki shook her head as if to say I was hopeless...
It was a very peaceful day. Except for the incident with Hiyori this morning.
And so, after all the classes ended, it was time for club activities.
Miyuki left, saying she was busy with student council work again today, and I leisurely made my way to the kendo club room.
I saw Tetsuya walking ahead of me, but I didn’t try to catch up to him.
There was no need to.
By the way, his physique has definitely improved.
It’s subtle, but his back has gotten broader. But can’t he do something about that signature messy mop of hair?
He works out so hard, but with that hair, he looks like a serial killer.
I wonder if busy Miyuki thinks Tetsuya and I have grown distant?
Tetsuya calls Miyuki often, but she hasn’t asked me about my relationship with him lately.
Maybe Tetsuya only makes small talk with her, leaving out this kind of stuff.
Lost in thought, I arrived at the club room before I knew it.
I greeted the club members chatting in front of the room and opened the door.
“Welcome to the Yebonie Academy Kendo Club!”
I saw Chinami standing by the door, bowing deeply.
“Ah, it’s you, Junior.”
I was momentarily stunned by her eccentric welcome, which was different from yesterday’s, but the sweet scent of peaches wafting from her brought me back to my senses.
“What are you doing here?”
“What does it look like? I’m greeting potential new members to give them a good impression of the club.”
Getting a greeting like that from someone standing right in your face would probably be more intimidating than welcoming.
Then again, Chinami is such a bright person, maybe they’d like it, just as she hopes.
“Did you change your strategy?”
“Yes. I thought sitting at the desk might seem arrogant.”
“I don’t think so.”
“You think so? In any case, I think it’s better to greet people while making eye contact.”
“Did the coach approve this?”
“Of course. He’s entrusted me with everything related to new member applications. Now, you should change into your uniform, Junior, and stand next to me and follow my lead.”
“Understood.”
“Welcome to the Yebonie Academy Kendo Club!”
I let out a chuckle watching Chinami give an energetic greeting to an existing member who had just walked in. Thinking that being around her somehow made me feel like a kid again, I headed into the changing room.
* * *
Drip, drop.
‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’
After club activities, which had been ordinary as usual.
I was driving downtown alone to buy some school supplies Miyuki had asked for—she was still at the student council—when I clicked my tongue at the sudden downpour.
I like the rain, but three days in a row is a bit much.
Is this a divine revelation that my future is bleak? This is just too much.
I looked for an empty spot near the stationery store, but there was nothing.
I didn’t have an umbrella either, so it looked like I’d have to buy one.
With it raining so unpredictably, I should probably just keep one in the car starting tomorrow.
I parked in a public parking lot quite a distance from the stationery store.
I could have just pulled over on the side of the road with my hazard lights on, but today I felt like I should follow the traffic laws.
I didn’t know why. I just felt like it.
Maybe it was because I remembered Hiyori saying this morning that she’d be hanging out downtown today, and I was hoping I might run into her.
I put on the windbreaker I had in the car, ran to a nearby convenience store to buy an umbrella, and then headed for the stationery store.
And inside, I ran into someone I’d rather not have.
“Huh?”
Tetsuya was there.
What rotten luck. It’s a small world.
Brushing the raindrops from my shoulders, I stuck my umbrella in the stand and approached Tetsuya, whose eyes widened when he saw me.
“Miura? What are you doing here?”
“Me...? I came to buy a mechanical pencil and some other stuff. You?”
“Miyuki asked me to buy her some notebooks and things.”
“Miyuki did?”
“Seems like she needs them for student council work.”
“Ah... really? She was telling me yesterday that their student council supplies were getting old.”
Why did he feel the need to tell me that?
Was he trying to emphasize that he knew first?
Or was he subtly hinting that the things he was buying were for Miyuki?
No. Let’s not think negatively.
I feel like I’m being influenced by that gloomy bastard.
If he starts something, I’ll beat him up. If not, it’s best to just ignore him.
My luck is shit today. Got caught in the rain, and ran into Tetsuya.
But if you look at it another way, good things always happen after a string of bad luck.
I have a feeling something lucky is going to happen to me today.
It’s completely illogical, I know, but I decided to think that way anyway.
You have to think positively to enjoy each day.
“Is that so? Well, see you.”
“Yeah. You too.”
I had no intention of continuing the conversation, so I walked past him and picked out the items Miyuki had asked for.
After paying, I immediately left the stuffy-smelling stationery store and started walking back to the public parking lot.
Drip, drop, drip, drop.
The sound of the rain hitting the fabric of the umbrella is nice.
The problem is that the downpour is getting heavier, but the resonance isn’t half bad.
As I walked through the rapidly darkening city, I saw the signs of restaurants in the alleyways flicker on.
Seeing them light up just as I walked by made me feel like the main character in a music video.
As I was walking, lost in the atmosphere and my own dramatic thoughts,
“Hello?”
I came to a halt when a familiar voice called out from the alley I had just passed.
The rain was quite loud, but her gentle tone cut right through it and reached my ears clearly.
‘It’s Hiyori.’
I’d been hoping something like this would happen since I came downtown. This is great.
I feel like the foul mood from running into Tetsuya is being washed away.
Why didn’t I see her?
It might be because the entrance to that alley was really dark.
I feel a sense of guilt for not noticing the heroine who will be my final puzzle piece.
But who was Hiyori greeting?
I’ll find out soon enough. If it’s a guy, I’ll have to split his head in two.
Hiding my curiosity, I turned back into the alley.
“Want to try this? It’s delicious.”
I saw Hiyori crouching down, holding something out toward the ground.
She was even tilting her umbrella forward, though there was no one there.
Wondering what on earth she was doing, I narrowed my eyes and saw a small, black-and-white figure in the corner of the alley.
‘A cat?’
The figure was a cat.
It was too big to be a kitten, but too small to be an adult... a cat that seemed to be in its growth phase was sitting there blankly, looking back and forth between the can Hiyori was offering and her face.
It looked like a stray. Given Hiyori’s kind heart, she probably couldn’t just walk past it.
But Hiyori... why haven’t you opened the can?
If you want to feed it, don’t you need to at least let it smell the food to lure it over?
If someone just shoved a lump of metal at me, I’d react the same way.
Our Hiyori... she’s not quite on Chinami’s level, but she’s certainly full of that ditzy charm.
I can overlook the skirt, but when did she get those sandals? Amazing.
The cat sitting there doesn’t seem too wary, but I have a feeling it’ll bolt the moment I call out to Hiyori.
But I can’t just stand here and watch; I’m worried about Hiyori getting soaked.
After thinking hard for a moment about what to do, I decided on a compromise.
“Asahina.”
I peeked just my head around the corner of the alley, like Chinami, and called her name in a whisper, but she must not have heard me. She was still just staring at the cat, shaking the can.
“Asahina...!”
“Hm?”
When I raised my voice slightly, Hiyori’s head finally turned in my direction.
Her eyes darted around, as if searching for the source of the sound.
After spotting my face, half-hidden under my umbrella at the corner, she tilted her head and asked.
“Matsuda-senpai? What are you doing over there?”
“Open the lid...!”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“I said, open the lid...!”
“The lid? Ah...”
Realizing her mistake, she gave a sheepish grin.
Then, she carefully opened the can.
Worried the cat might hurt itself while eating, she removed the lid completely. When the cat moved slightly, showing interest, her face lit up as she set the can down.
At the same time, the cat slowly lifted a paw and hesitantly approached the can.
It sniffed at the can for a moment before burying its face inside and eating quickly.
It must have been starving.
Hiyori was still holding her umbrella over the cat, not moving an inch.
Confident that the cat, engrossed in its meal, wouldn’t run away, I carefully approached Hiyori and stood behind her.
Then I bent my knees to lower my umbrella, shielding her from the rain.
“Thank you.”
Her uniform was wet, and just like that time under the tree, her skin was visible through the fabric as she glanced at me over her shoulder to thank me.
It felt similar to that time, yet different. It seems special things happen with Hiyori on rainy days.
Pretending not to see the bra strap peeking out on her back, I scratched my nose and asked.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to a cafe with a nice atmosphere with my friends.”
“There’s a cafe like that around here?”
“Yeah. It’s just a little further in. They say it’s a great place to take pictures with that old-alley vibe.”
“Why are you out here?”
“The cafe was a bit cramped, so I came out for some fresh air. Senpai, what’s that you’re holding?”
So she came outside, saw the cat shivering in the rain, and quickly went to buy it some food.
“This? Pens, notebooks... just some stuff. Anyway, aren’t you cold?”
“I’m cooold. Give me your jacket.”
She demanded the jacket I was wearing as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
I let out a dry laugh, took off my windbreaker, and placed the hood over Hiyori’s head.
Without a second thought, Hiyori draped the arms of the windbreaker over her shoulders and turned her gaze back to the cat.
It feels kind of awkward now that the little devil has gone quiet.
It’s to the point where I wonder if she’s already been tamed.
Hoping the cat would hurry up and return to its home, I stood there quietly, passing the time by staring at the back of Hiyori’s small head, which looked rounder with her hair pressed down by the hood.