Chapter 108
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Stalker (1)
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Now, just as the sunset was beginning to fade.
Momiji was parting ways with her friends.
"See you tomorrow, Momiji."
"Y-Yeah, see you, Takuya-kun..."
"Am I invisible or something, Momiji~?"
"S-Sorry! See you too, Souta-kun!"
Takuya and Souta chuckled at Momiji's words, waving as they headed home.
Momiji waved energetically back at them too.
And so, Momiji slowly, very slowly made her way home today as well.
Momiji hated going home.
More precisely, she was scared of it.
Because when she got home, there was her mom staring coldly at her with an exhausted face, saying nothing... and her dad coming home furious after losing all his money at pachinko and getting hounded by loan collectors.
So to Momiji, home wasn't a nest—it was a painful space.
But if she came home too late, her mom would scold her. That's why she was walking as slowly as possible.
Momiji was trudging along like a slug, slower and slower toward home.
—Tap.
Suddenly, Momiji stopped dead in the middle of the road and glanced back.
Behind her was just an empty street, no one in sight.
Momiji turned her gaze forward again and resumed walking.
As if nothing had happened, just like before.
But inside, things were completely different for her.
Thump— Thump— Thump—
'Again... it's happening again.'
Momiji clutched her pounding heart, thinking.
'Someone's watching me again...'
For the past few days, on her way home from school, Momiji had kept feeling like someone was watching her.
At first, she naturally thought it was just her imagination.
But after a day or two, with it happening over and over, she couldn't think anything else—someone was definitely staring at her.
It might sound like paranoia, but having become hyper-sensitive to others' gazes to avoid bullying and violence before, Momiji knew for sure.
This was someone's gaze on her.
And moreover...
'It feels... so gross...'
A sticky, unmistakably malicious stare.
Because of that, Momiji had been heading home these past few days filled with fear and disgust.
Honestly, she wanted to report it somewhere, but since nothing had actually happened yet, it'd just bother the police, and if word got back to her parents, she'd get an earful... and besides...
Anyway, for these reasons, Momiji just kept her head down and walked.
'It'll... it'll be okay.'
Brainwashing herself like that.
For a moment, as Momiji quickened her steps a bit.
She suddenly recalled what Takuya had said back when he saved her from bullying.
[Momiji, why didn't you say anything back then? Your homeroom teacher isn't a bad person; they would've helped.]
[I-It would've just caused trouble for everyone...]
[No one thinks that way. Next time, ask for help.]
[B-But my parents say it's a bother...]
Momiji hadn't kept her bullying a secret from everyone.
She had told her mom and dad about it.
[What, should I go beat them up?]
[Kids wouldn't do that for no reason, right? Just be more careful.]
They weren't interested at all.
In fact, she just got scolded for not causing a scene at school.
And from that day on, Momiji stopped telling anyone she was being bullied.
Hearing her story, Takuya stayed silent for a bit, then gently patted her head and said,
[Then tell me.]
[Huh?]
At that gentle touch and voice, Momiji found herself asking back, and Takuya replied,
[I'll definitely help you in tough situations.]
With a mischievous yet reliable smile.
[If it's hard, make sure to tell me.]
Why was she thinking of that now?
Momiji pondered for a moment, but surprisingly, the answer was simple.
'Th-This can't go on.'
If she kept this up, the same thing that happened with the bullying could happen again.
So Momiji made up her mind.
'I need to talk to Takuya-kun.'
Ask Takuya-kun for help.
Remembering how Takuya-kun had told her to always speak up when she needed help, Momiji decided to ask him tomorrow.
At the same time, Momiji had no idea.
That her thoughts...
"Haa... Mi-Momiji, so pretty again today... haa... *pant*..."
—Click.
—Click.
Would change her life. And...
"Mi-Momiji is mine... I can't give her to anyone else... so."
Click
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Clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick─
"We'll definitely be together forever, Mi-Momiji? Heh heh..."
The next day, while I was scrubbing my back at the faucet to cool off after demolishing an ultra-intense soccer game.
"T-Takuya-kun, do you have a minute— Eek?!"
For some reason, Momiji approached me cautiously.
Her face was a bit red, probably from seeing a guy's bare upper body, but anyway.
I was half-naked from the waist up and said to the suddenly approaching Momiji,
"I can check the time, but why? Something wrong? Those girls bothering you again?"
Momiji shook her head vigorously at my rapid-fire questions.
"N-No, I'm getting along fine with Hime's group now."
"Hime's group?"
"Yeah, the girl who bullied me is called Hime."
'Hime, huh...'
Seeing her princess-like, spoiled attitude back then, the name Hime (especially with her tomboyish side) suited her well.
Anyway, if it wasn't that Hime girl or whoever, then what was it?
"So, what's up?"
As I asked with a face full of curiosity, Momiji hesitated a moment before explaining what was happening to her.
"...Th-That's what happened. Could you... help me...?"
Hearing that, I naturally...
"Of course. I offered to help in the first place."
Accepted Momiji's request.
I told her to tell me if she was struggling, so if I didn't follow through, what kind of guy would I be?
That's why I accepted.
Momiji smiled happily once I did.
Seeing her like that warmed my heart, so I patted her head and said,
"You said it feels like you're being stalked, right? Let's go to and from school together from now on. What time do you head out in the morning?"
"Y-Yeah, around 7?"
"Huh? Don't you usually get to school past 8, Momiji?"
"I-I hate staying home, so I leave early."
"Got it. I'll come pick you up then. Wait in front of your house and don't wander off."
"Okay!"
After roughly settling the schedule with Momiji like that, we chatted as we headed back to class.
Once in class, I sat next to my desk mate—Souta, who no longer even bothered hiding how pretty he was.
"Takuya, you're a bit late. What'd you talk about with Momiji?"
"Yeah, seems like some creep's latched onto Momiji."
"What do you mean?"
I gave Souta the rough rundown on Momiji, and he took it seriously too.
"Shouldn't we tell the police?"
"We haven't even spotted anyone yet, so logically, probably not."
"Yeah, probably."
Anyway, after finishing my chat with Souta, I endured the boring classes until it was time to go home.
Normally, we'd split up midway, but today was different.
Me, Momiji, and Souta were all heading home together.
For reference, Souta was coming along for a simple reason.
"Me too?"
"You're a guy, but you're too pretty. Just in case. I'll walk you home."
"O-Oh. Thanks♡"
This guy's not even a girl, but he's so dainty and cute. Better safe than sorry, so we're going together.
After walking a bit, we reached Momiji's house, and I said,
"Momiji, from now on, contact me whenever you're going anywhere."
"Y-Yeah, but... I don't have a phone..."
"Really? Hold on."
I handed Momiji my spare flip phone (I keep two as backups).
"Our family numbers and Souta's should be in there. Call if you're heading out anywhere. Oh, and this is a loan, not a gift. Use it carefully."
"Okay! Got it!"
I watched Momiji nod vigorously with a bright smile as she went inside, then said to Souta,
"Alright, let's go, Souta."
"Yeah."
Souta stuck right behind me as we walked.
Honestly, creepily close.
'If his face wasn't so pretty, I'd have decked him for acting gay.'
Anyway, after walking toward Souta's house for a bit.
"But purely out of curiosity... why are you so nice to Momiji, Takuya?"
Souta suddenly asked that.
I thought about his question for a moment.
Why was I helping her?
There were many answers.
Because she's a kid. Because she's pitiful. Because she's a friend.
Vague reasons, but real ones too.
And my answer was similar.
More precisely, not just because she's a pitiful kid.
[Uncle, you'll save our village, right, Uncle?]
[I'm not Uncle, I'm big brother... And I'm a soldier, not a hero...]
[Liar! You have a beard! And wrinkles! How are you not an uncle? And you flew through the sky earlier!]
[That was a jump, and my face... damn it.]
Just...
[Hee hee! See you again, Uncle!]
I didn't like seeing kids' faces full of despair.
But what about Souta, anyway.
I glanced at him for a second.
"Why?"
"Nothing."
Well, he doesn't realize it himself. Anyway, it's fine, right?
That's what I decided.