CH 101

Today is a holiday.

Unusually, I didn’t have a part-time work, and I was relaxing at home.

Well, even though I’m relaxing, I’m still studying for the upcoming regular test…….

But the fact that the regular test is coming up is a trivial matter, and I had more important things to think about.

“Hey, Rin.”

“What is it, Towa-kun?”

Beautiful posture as usual.

Rin is sitting on the floor with her eyes lowered, sipping tea.

She looked cool, but she seemed to know what I was going to say by her gesture.

“It’s already been a week…….”

Yes, it had been a week since that Rin had burst into my home.

Rin, who had said, ‘I’m going to go talk to him,’ didn’t seem to have made any move, and was still staying in my apartment.

In other words, it’s the same living together life as during the summer vacation.

It would be horrible if the people at school found out about this…….

A storm of jealousy and bullying …… could easily develop out of this.

I don’t mind if it gets me in trouble, but I don’t want it to get Rin in trouble.

That’s why I want to keep it a secret ………….

Rin had no intention of hiding it, and rumors were already spreading. She answers honestly when asked, and makes no attempt to deny the rumors.

The least she could do was to add the “We’ve known each other since we were kids” to the mix.

Thanks to this, there are a few people who are talking about it as if it can’t be helped if we’ve known each other since we were little.

But it’s a small number…….

I glanced at Rin’s face.

Rin notices my gaze and smiles at me.

“Time flies, doesn’t it?”

“It’s true, it’s fast, but… That’s not what I meant.”

“It’s fun time, so I can’t help it. As far as I’m concerned, I’m fine with it going the way it is.”

“Hey, listen to me….”

Rin took another sip of tea and exhaled with a huff.

Then she gave a charming giggle and a teasing smile.

“I’m listening to what you have to say. I’m just waiting to hear from you.”

“Yeah? So you tried to talk to him?”

“Of course. And since Towa-kun said he would stay with me, how could I not act?”

“Oh, oh……, that’s right.”

“Oh,…… yes…….”

We both remembered that night and our faces turned red.

…… You know, it’s embarrassing to me too when you react like that.

Talking to calm Rin down.

There is no doubt that that had an effect on Rin.

The distance Rin has always been close, but now she’s even less hesitant.

Before, she used to argue with me and take action.

I would successfully return my quibbles and words, and Rin would take me in the direction she wanted me to go – and that was often the case.

But now…

The struggle between reason and instinct of the past week is replaying in my brain…….

“Towa-kun. Shall we take a bath together?”

“No, I will not.”

“Well, Towa-kun. I can’t take off my clothes, so please help me.”

“I’m suspicious when you say ‘Well’.”

“Well, Towa-kun, after the bath, put some body cream on me…”

“Calm down.”

“Nyah!? Towa-kun, you’re hurting me.”

“It’s Rin’s fault for not calming down.”

“… Please take responsibility for hurting me.”

“You’re not so tough…..”

And well, this is just a part of the story……

The mental grinding is not what it used to be.

But when this exchange happens every time, it’s like a shouting match, and it’s fun.

But when a girl like Rin does this to me day after day, night after night, even though I’ve gotten used to it, there’s a limit to how much I can take.

At this point, my mentality is that of a monk…….

Incidentally, when I talked to Kenichi about it, he said, ‘Was Towa really incapable of putting up with that?’ He was very rude to me.

No, his point is valid.

I think I’m normal. …… Probably.

The redness has gone down and Rin coughed a little.

“Let’s see, Towa-kun. My family seems to be having a rough time right now…….”

“Ah, so that incident is the reason why your parents are quarreling?”

“No, it was more like a defensive battle than a quarrel……. I think Kotone-chan was talking about it a little while ago…….”

“The …… we were talking about? Oh, maybe her mother?”

“Yes, ……. Apparently, her mother is also involved.”

Fuji-san’s mother, who is like a delinquent.

I was so scared of her eyes and the way she looked at me, like she was going to kill someone…….

Just remembering it makes me shiver.

“But I’m not impressed with violence. Just because an argument broke out doesn’t mean it’s okay to hurt someone.”

“No, Towa-kun.”

“What do you mean? I think Rin’s father is being beaten to a pulp by that Miss.”

“The idea is disturbing. …… You can’t judge someone by how they look, can you? Sure there will be a shot or two.”

“I knew there would be.”

“But I think most of it has been debunked. In other words, beaten to a pulp with arguments.”

“Really~.”

I let out a sigh of admiration.

From the looks of it, it looks like he’s going to get it soon…….

So people are not what they seem.

I’m curious as to why someone would talk like that, but it’s not a good idea to pry into …… people, so I’m not going to do it.

There are some things nobody wants to be dug up.

“So, they’re supposed to call me when they get the house settled. Mom said she would pick me up.”

“I see. So we’ll just have to wait and see.”

“That’s right. I personally wouldn’t mind staying here.”

“…… That’s a last resort.”

I chuckled and cowered.

“What’s wrong?”

“I had a thought.”

“Yeah?”

“Towa-kun doesn’t complain much these days, do you? I’d say you’re very honest, or you’re not very committed ……”

Rin looked at me with suspicious eyes. Her clear eyes, which seemed to see through everything, seemed to be trying to expose me.

I laughed at Rin’s attitude.

“I’m sorry to worry you. Well, people change. Besides, being different from before is not a bad thing, right?”

“Well ……, you’re absolutely right, but…”

“I don’t understand.”

“The reason is that ……. In Towa-kun’s case, I’m worried that you might be thinking about something else…….”

“You don’t trust me.”

“I can’t help but have an image of you from before……. Are you sure you are alright?”

“I’m serious, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

“I wouldn’t forgive you if you lie, okay?”

‘You worry a lot, Rin.”

“In Towa-kun’s case, there’s a precedent for accumulating ……. It makes me have strange intuitions…….”

She puts her hand on my chest and looks at me with concern.

……I’m making you worry too much, I think.

I’m filled with a sense of apology when I think about what I’ve done on a daily basis and what I’ve done so far.

So I gently stroke Rin’s head until the color of anxiety disappears from her eyes.

Then Rin puts her hands around my waist and hugs me tightly, pressing her body against mine.

“Sorry to worry you. But I’m really okay and I’m …… looking ahead …… now……”

“…… That face is foul. It’s not fair…….”

I continued to stroke Rin who whispered to me.

Before long, Rin finally took her face away from me and looked up at me with moist eyes.

“Rin-chan~! I’m here~!”

The door opens with a bang, instantly breaking the atmosphere.

A strangely prolonged voice reached my ears, and Rin and I looked at each other, smiled bitterly, and then peeked toward the front door.

I caught sight of a sparkling woman wearing an outfit that emphasized her chest, and next to her …. a man in a suit with his right cheek swollen bright red.