Chapter 324: Run Ino-chan, Run Renka #2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 324: Run Ino-chan, Run Renka #2
A slightly purplish sweatshirt, dark-wash jeans, and white sneakers.
Looking at Renka's outfit, I thought it was quite a refreshing style for her, and locked the passenger door.
As she approached the car and tried to open the door, she said, "What the...?"
She stuck her hand into the door handle recess and pulled a few times before glaring at me, smirking in the driver's seat.
"Hey...! You wanna die? Open it, now!"
This was already fun. So much so that I felt like dancing in my seat.
I chuckled and unlocked the door. Renka opened it and spoke, dumbfounded.
"What kind of stupid prank is this? You think this is funny?"
"Sorry. Hurry up and get in."
"Unbelievable..."
Muttering, Renka got into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt.
Watching her, I asked.
"Isn't this pretty much the first time you've agreed to meet me so readily, Captain?"
"...If it's the first time, it's the first time. What's with the 'pretty much'?"
"I wasn't sure."
"Shut up. Just drive."
"Why are you so angry?"
"I'm not angry, I'm annoyed."
"Aren't they the same thing?"
"Don't talk back."
"Alright. What movie do you want to see?"
"Whatever's starting soonest."
"Okay, then."
Agreeing readily, I started the car.
The atmosphere was nice, driving quietly under the darkening sky.
I was feeling pretty good about it, but Renka was probably a different story, right?
She must be incredibly anxious right now.
I glanced at her in the rearview mirror and, just as I expected, she was fidgeting restlessly.
She was trying not to show it, but it was written all over her face and in her eyes.
The fact that she was completely tense.
It's about time for her to take the bait...
Just as I was thinking that, Renka cleared her throat as we parked in the movie theater lot and got out. I cheered inwardly.
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"So, why did you suddenly ask to meet?"
"You said you were bored, Captain. I was too."
"Just because you were bored?"
"Yep."
"What were you doing at home that was so boring?"
She's gotten pretty good at probing for information.
My, my, Renka... you've improved so much.
"Just watching TV, browsing some anime communities, that kind of thing."
"Anime communities?"
"You like anime too, right, Captain? Do you know AniShare?"
"That place...? Yeah, I know it. It's a huge community. Come to think of it, you mentioned it before, right? That you're active there."
"Not active, really. I just lurk."
"Ah... lurking..."
"What about you, Captain? Do you post there?"
"No. I don't. Didn't I tell you I don't?"
Such a firm and immediate answer. It just makes you more suspicious, doesn't it?
I just praised you for improving, and now you go and drop the ball like this.
I debated whether to play along with Renka's clumsy attempt or not, but decided to toss out a little bait.
"I don't remember... but well, it's a relief to hear you don't. You shouldn't start, either. That place is weird."
"I wasn't planning on it, but... what's weird about it?"
She took the bait. It's hard to hold back my laughter.
"There's this one peculiar person."
"A peculiar person?"
"There's someone who posts anime reviews... I exchange private messages with them pretty often, you see?"
"Uh-huh."
"And when we talk, I get the feeling they're a bit of a psycho."
"A p-psycho?"
For a moment, Renka's eyes turned fierce.
She's identifying herself with Ino-chan, so she got angry at the criticism.
Well, it's less 'identifying with' and more 'is the same person,' but you know what I mean.
"Come to think of it, they kind of resemble you, Captain."
At my follow-up, Renka's eyes darted around for a second before settling.
"Resemble me?"
"Yep. I get that kind of feeling."
Did she think she couldn't leave a long pause? She immediately gave a slow nod.
"Ah~ is that so?"
I whipped my head away from her and bit my lower lip.
How am I supposed to hold it in when she's dragging out her words so unnaturally, sounding like she's reading from a script?
If you want to figure out what I'm thinking, at least try to act.
You're going to get caught at this rate.
"That's right."
"I see. So what about it?"
Mm-hmm. The tone is much better than before.
She should have done that from the start... Renka always has to mess up once before she gets her head on straight.
"That's no way to talk. I was just answering because you seemed curious, Captain."
"...I wasn't particularly curious. It was just awkward walking in silence, so I said whatever."
"I don't think it was a quiet atmosphere, was it?"
"Shut up and just tell me what movie we're watching."
"You said we'd see whatever's starting soonest."
"Oh, right."
Her mind must be a mess; she's even forgetting what she just said.
She must be worried sick, right? I should probably ease the pressure a little for now.
Pat.
I gave Renka's butt a light pat from behind as she quickened her pace. She whipped her head around, annoyed.
"Ugh, come on...! Stop doing trashy things like that...!"
"Why? I do it because I like it."
"....."
Renka blushed as I subtly revealed my feelings.
It's probably because of that honest side of hers that she can't handle this incredibly awkward Ino-chan situation naturally.
And that's why I like it even more.
The earliest movie we could see was an action romance with a somewhat mature rating.
I bought the tickets while Renka complained about why this was the only thing left, and then I asked.
"We're getting popcorn, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then let's go to the concession stand."
"Okay. But... hey."
"Go on."
"That gift you mentioned... did you bring it today?"
Even in the midst of your turmoil, you were curious about that?
I'm not going to use it until Ino-chan's identity is exposed, you know.
"I didn't bring it today. Why? Are you excited?"
"Excited, my ass...! It's obviously going to be something crappy, so I'm just anxious."
"I told you you'd like it."
"That's what you think...! Anyway, I don't want any gifts, so don't bring it next time either."
"Why are you rambling so much today?"
"What do you mean...!"
"You're so testy, too. Did you do something wrong to me, by any chance?"
"If I'd done something wrong, do you think I'd be acting like this?"
"You say that as if you know there's a problem with your attitude."
"Just shut up and let's go buy popcorn."
It feels like I'm seeing the Renka from the early days.
But my mindset in dealing with her is completely different from back then.
How should I put it? No matter what she does, it doesn't faze me at all.
It just looks like she's struggling desperately because she doesn't want her identity as Ino-chan to be discovered.
"You're cute."
A compliment that came out of nowhere.
At that, Renka's eyes grew twice as wide.
"W-w-w-what...?"
It wasn't just empty words; her flustered expression was genuinely cute.
Coming from me, someone who's stingy with compliments, the sharp atmosphere that had surrounded Renka vanished without a trace, replaced by a soft, gentle mood.
"Let's go."
Enjoying her reaction, I patted her on the back and gestured toward the concession stand with my chin.
Her face turned bright red, and her head drooped toward the floor.
Is it because she's been spending so much time with Chinami? The Renka right now felt a little similar to her.
This isn't bad either.
With that thought, I headed to the concession stand with Renka, who was now walking as slowly as a turtle.
* * *
-Aaargh...! Too easy...!
The main character looks at the extras sprawled around him, their faces covered in blood.
Suddenly, a woman in a ninja costume appears before him.
-Ugh!?
-I love you.
She confesses out of the blue, but far from being interesting, it's just ridiculous because it doesn't fit the situation at all.
It's got impact, though. Still a shitty movie, but yeah.
Renka seemed to be thinking the same thing. She wasn't focused on the screen, just picking at her popcorn.
"It's boring, isn't it?"
"Yeah. It's just the kind of movie you'd pick."
"Who was the one who said to watch whatever's starting soonest?"
"There was another movie starting ten minutes later."
"Then you should have said so. Why are you blaming me?"
"Just because."
"Just because? For no reason?"
"That's right. You hit me for no reason, too."
"That's not hitting, it's an expression of affection."
"That kind of 'expression of affection' doesn't exist in this world."
Seeing Renka bickering like this, it seemed a lot of the tension from mentioning Ino-chan had dissipated.
I decided it was time to throw out some more bait and leaned toward Renka's seat.
"Captain."
"What."
"....."
I called her name and then just stared at her without saying anything. Her expression became a little... just a tiny bit puzzled.
She had sensed something suspicious.
"Why aren't you saying anything...? Did you just call my name for no reason...?"
She raised her voice, but just enough not to disturb the others in the theater.
After drawing it out a little longer, I suddenly leaned my head close to Renka.
And as she jerked her chin back, I muttered in a suspicious tone.
"No matter how I think about it, the way you two act is so similar..."
"W-what's similar?"
"It's not you, right?"
"What are you talking about...?!"
A hint of an instinctive, coquettish whine crept into her voice.
I guess I'm being mean, constantly testing her like this.
Judging by her reaction, I could tell Renka knew exactly what my intentions were with this line of questioning.
I decided it was time to stop testing the waters and said quietly.
"Ino-chan."
"...Who's that?"
I'd only said there was a peculiar person, not their username. I was planning to press her the moment she denied it... but she dodged it pretty well.
Should I praise her? Or should I scold her for constantly feigning ignorance?
"That peculiar person."
"The one you called a psycho? Are you insulting me right now?"
She's much more composed than before.
But her pupils are shaking.
It would be easier if she just gave up... Does she really hate the idea of getting caught that much?
If she keeps playing innocent and gets caught, how is she planning to handle the aftermath...?
I mean, it's fun for me, but I'm a little worried.
"No. That's not it."
"Stop talking... nonsense and just watch the movie...!"
"How am I supposed to watch something so boring?"
"Then just leave... Hyak—!?"
Renka was in the middle of grumbling when she let out a small shriek.
Because I had placed my hand on her thigh.
Leaving when we can have this kind of skinship in a relatively private place... Unthinkable.
"Why do you always do things without any warning..."
Ignoring Renka's complaints, I kept a deadpan expression and began stroking her leg.