CH 21

The train is swaying with a clatter. I’m looking at a beautiful girl with pure white hair.

She looks as if God took years to create her. Her beautiful face attracts everyone…….and her icy gaze. Everyone is getting pierce.

I’ve been looking forward to seeing her in the morning for a while now. But now–

◆◆◆

“Ah, fish is cheap today…….shall I make Fish soup?”

A beautiful girl next to me who’s examining fish. ……Shinonome Nagi.

I saved her from being assaulted by a pervert and cured her from her phobia of men……and we became friends because she said she could trust me more than other men.

Friends. ……Maybe.

“Shall we have Japanese food today? Vinegar salad, boiled fish and soup. Will that be enough?”

Saying that, Shinonome looked into my face. A soft, sweet smell drifted through the air, and her eyes, as blue as the deepest ocean, stared at me.

As I mentioned earlier. She’s a beautiful girl. Or rather, she’s a perfect type.

Her hair is pure white and silky smooth. Her eyelashes are long and so is her nose. The sound produced by her plump lips is pleasant to the ear, and just by listening to it, you feel as if your brain is under her control.

“Y-yeah. That’s fine.”

“I understand. I have confidence in my cooking skills, so please look forward to it.”

Shinonome put the fish in the basket and relaxed her cheeks happily. The expression on her face is completely different from that time.

The nickname [Ice Princess] seems like a lie.

“Next is… is there anything else you’d like to buy?”

“I guess so….. Ah.”

When I stopped, Shinonome also stopped and tilted her head at me.

“What happened?”

“Since we’re here. Let’s go buy some snacks. Is there anything you want to buy, Shinonome?”

“U-um. Dorayaki. I like yokan jelly.”

“Japanese sweets. …..No, it’s good that you like Japanese sweets.”

I look at Shinonome, thinking, ‘No way’.

“……You’ve never eaten ordinary sweets, that’s not true, right?”

“U-um, well, if it’s just milk chocolate.”

“That’s it?”

No, there is nothing wrong with not eating sweets at all. It’s a good thing.

“I’ve always had Japanese sweets at home. So I naturally like Japanese sweets too. When I go to the sweets shop, I only buy the same things. Or I would just eat at a regular sweet shop.”

“Suddenly you’re talking like a lady.”

The sweet shop, huh? On the contrary, I’ve never been to a sweet shop.

“But……that would be hard on your future, wouldn’t it? If you don’t have a good grasp of calories and nutrition when you have children of your own, it will be too much. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you might overfeed them. On the other hand, if you don’t give them enough, it might affect their growth.”

We’re talking about Shinonome. I’m sure she’ll be with a man with high standards someday. ….It’s not like I don’t think about anything, but I think as I listen. 

“It’ll be fine. At that time, Minori can teach me and my child.”

Shinonome replied.

“I guess so.”

……Hm?

Now, Shinonome. What did you say?

I stopped. I looked at Shinonome. Shinonome was also looking at me.

Her pure white cheeks turned red like apples. Eventually, it spreaded to her ears and neck.

Her eyes became moist, and her mouth was open like a goldfish.

……And then.

“N-no, um. My mouth just slipped. No, it’s not that. Uh, um.”

“C-calm down, Shinonome. I know, I know.”

It’s normal that you want to get along in the future, as friends. So Shinonome probably just chose the wrong words.

……That should be it.

“A-ah,…….”

However, my words were in vain. Shinonome turned away.

“S-sweets. Minori kun, please recommend something for me.”

“I understand.”

It took some time for Shinonome to recover.

I went to the cash register and paid. I realized that I had forgotten to buy an umbrella again.

“Sorry, Shinonome. I’m going to buy an umbrella, please wait here for a while.”

“…..? I have mine.”

Saying that, Shinonome took off the plastic that was attached to the umbrella to prevent water from dripping from it.

“Come on, let’s go. It’s a waste of money to buy an umbrella.”

“….Okay. I understand.”

Shinonome has a point. Money shouldn’t be wasted. I had a shopping bag and when I tried to take Shinonome’s umbrella….

“Shinonome?”

“Minori kun has the bag. So I’ll hold the umbrella.”

“No, but…”

“Geez, I can do this much. …………Please come closer so that you don’t get wet, okay?”

Saying that, Shinonome held up her umbrella. It can’t be helped. I got under her umbrella..

I won’t get as close……as before. So as not to hit it, somehow.

Shinonome. She looked a little angry.

“……Minori kun, if you walk in a strange position, you’re going to dislocate your bone.”

“No, but..”

“I-I’m fine. ……Or should I go first?”

My cheeks twitched at those words. ……If that’s the case. I lowered my slightly raised arm.

…..It’s hitting.

Calm down. It’s okay, don’t worry. Keep your head straight.

But–

“Shinonome?”

“Hyah !”

Shinonome hasn’t started walking for a while. When I called out to her, I heard a panicked voice. Her shoulder jumped.

……At the same time, it hit me again—calm down.

When I looked at Shinonome, her face turned bright red. But there was no place to turn her face away……so she’s looking at me with her eyes upward.

Shinonome appeared in my field of vision, from a perspective I’d never seen before. I was so excited that my heart was pounding loudly and……I can’t help but stare at her.

Our gazes overlapped. One or two seconds have passed. No, I don’t know. In fact, a dozen seconds. ……It might have been a minute.

Ahem, I heard a cough from behind. Shinonome and I were about to raise our voices unintentionally. I looked and saw a woman behind us looking at us as if to say that we were in her way.

“I-I’m sorry. Shinonome, let’s go.”

“Y-yes !”

I said to Shinonome and hurried home.

◆◆◆

“It was so delicious. Shinonome, thank you for the food.”

After finishing dinner. I let out a long breath.

The simmered dishes, the soup, and the salad. Everything tasted good that my chopsticks didn’t stop.

I don’t really like fish that much. But I like sushi.

I’m sure it’s because I haven’t had this kind of meal very often.

However,……,I almost asked for more. The food was delicious.

“Apologies for the crude food​. You ate so deliciously, it made me happy.”

Then, Shinonome tried to clear the plate. I was about to get up to do it but Shinonome stopped me……

“Minori kun, please wait. ……Um. I’m doing this to get a reward.”

At those words. My heart was pounding again.

Oh that’s right.

……Reward. The one that Shinonome asked me for before. This time, I’m going to add one more thing to it.

I closed my eyes tightly.

“…..Okay, don’t worry.”

I calmed down my beating heart and waited for Shinonome.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Minori kun.”

“Thank you, Shinonome.”

I said so and stood up.

“Shinonome, I’ll give you a reward, please follow me.”

“……? I understand.”

Then, I took Shinonome to my bedroom.

◆◆◆

“Well, Shinonome.”

My bedroom……it’s rather simple.

A study desk and bed. And a closet for my school uniforms and personal clothes.

As I sit on the bed, I looked at Shinonome and saw her fidgeting…….

“……Shinonome?”

“H-hya ! I, um. M-Minori kun ! T-that kind of thing is still too early for us. Right !”

“Reward. Don’t you want it?”

The first thing to do is to make sure that you have a good idea of what you’re doing.

I don’t mind if she doesn’t like it. Thinking that, I asked…..Shinonome slowly approached. She sat next to me

“Come on. Lie down here.”

When I said that, my knees….or rather my thighs hit her. Shinonome made a dumbfounded face for a moment.

She let out a deep breath.

“S-so that’s what it is.”

“…? What are you talking about… Ah”

That’s when I realized.

Sitting on the bed and rushing the opposite sex to come quickly. …I even asked if she wanted a reward.

…..This. That sounded like.

“S-sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I didn’t mean it in a misleading way.:

When I said that, Shinonome’s face turned red….. She put her head on my lap.

“No, I don’t mind. I knew that Minori kun is not that type of person.”

Shinonome said so while covering her face with her hands.

I’m glad she trusts me. I must not betray this trust.

“Yeah. I haven’t fallen so far as to approach someone who is still afraid of men.”

Saying that, I tried to put my hand on her head…..

“……Minori kun. I’m not afraid of you.”

Shinonome said so. My cheeks unintentionally loosened up and I put my hand on her head again. Shinonome accepted my hand, but…her face remained hidden.

“Thank you Shinonome. You’ve helped me today.”

I then thanked her for today. Shinonome doesn’t reply, but I’m sure she’s……listening.

“I was surprised because you suddenly appeared. ,…….But I was happy. Now I don’t have anything to hide from Eiji.”

When I said so, Shinonome’s ears twitched.

“……Minori kun.”

“Hm?”

Shinonome spoke in a quiet voice.

“Yesterday, you went with  that person. What did you talk about?”

I was a little surprised by those words. …..I thought that she wouldn’t ask me.

However, if she asks, of course I’ll tell her.

“It’s about Shinonome.”

“—Eh?”

Shinonome was surprised and finally let go of her hand. I could see her beautiful face clearly now.

“I didn’t tell her your name, Shinonome, I just said that you were my new friend. I didn’t go into much detail. I didn’t tell her what kind of girl you are. We had a lot of fun talking about that kind of thing.”

“……I see.”

Shinonome let out a sigh of relief…and looked at me.

“Minori kun.”

“What is it?”

“Wake me up in 10 minutes.”

“Eh?”

Saying so. Shinonome closed her eyes. I wondered what happened suddenly, but…..maybe she was tired.

She said she was consulting with a friend. Was it a lack of sleep?

I stroked Shinonome’s silky smooth white hair. Feeling the warmth of my hands and knees. My cheeks began to relax slowly.

And then–I wonder if it had been nearly ten minutes. I kept stroking Shinonome’s head during that time. I looked at her sleeping face defenselessly.

“Shinonome is really …… cute.”

I just blurted it out. The next moment. The next moment.

While in a daze, Shinonome’s face turned bright red as if she caught on fire.

“……Were you awake?”

“……zzzzz–“

“What the heck, so you’re sleeping.”

I almost laughed at her deliberate sleepy breath. Somehow managed to push the words out.

And then… another five minutes. I put Shinonome to sleep.