Volume 2 - CH 1.3

‘I’m off to buy dinner.’

On the way home, I received another message from Tachibana.

Since she said she wanted to have dinner with me, she would probably cook for the both of us.

‘I’ll help you. Where are you?’

‘Thank you very much. I’ll be at the usual supermarket soon.’

‘Then, I’ll see you there.’

After texting her, I headed to the meeting place.

I thought to myself that I was being simple, as I was naturally walking fast.

Tachibana did not go inside, but stood in front of the store with a good posture.

She was wearing her school uniform and had her bag slung over her shoulder.

When she noticed me, Tachibana’s shoulders jumped and her dignified face seemed to break slightly.

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry that I had you come all this way. You left the school late, didn’t you?”

“I had a meeting for the school trip committee.”

As we talked, we went into the store and picked up our baskets separately.

We could buy food for dinner just fine if we split it up.

“You’re on the school trip committee?”

“Yeah. I picked it out because I thought it would be easy, but apparently it didn’t work out.”

“Well, it’s good to try.”

After saying something honorary, Tachibana put a pack of eggs in the basket.

“I guess I’ll make an omelette today.”

“Oh, I like that.”

“Do you have ketchup at home?”

“No, I don’t have any.”

“I thought so. Welp that can’t be helped, let’s buy ketchup too…”

“You don’t have any ketchup either, do you?

‘I’m just out of ketchup. Please don’t put us in the same group.”

Tachibana turned away from me with a sullen look on her face.

Her slightly puffed cheeks looked soft to the touch.

No, refrain from gross observations, me.

“But Guam, this year?”

“Speaking of which, which location did Tachibana vote for?”

Well, probably Kyoto.

I thought, but Tachibana did not answer the question and remained silent with a sulky expression on her face.

Her jittery, narrowed eyes looked at me disapprovingly.

“What?”

“You called me by my last name.”

“…… Oh.”

That’s right, …….

“Oh, God, you forget easily, Ren.”

“No, …… sorry.”

There was no room for excuses, so I decided to apologize honestly.

I was not used to it, or embarrassed, or anything like that, it was mutual.

Outside of school and in public, we use our first names.

Since we both decided to do this, we have to make an effort.

“…… Rika.”

“Yes, Ren-san.”

Nodding with satisfaction, Rika looked forward again.

“Where did you vote for, Rika?”

“Kyoto. The food looked delicious.”

“Right. Well, we lost to Guam.”

“Well, that’s another thing to look forward to.”

“…… I guess so.”

Swimsuits and …….

“But a school trip during summer vacation is kind of unusual, isn’t it?”

“Right. Well, I hear there are fewer assignments in the summer of the second year because of that.”

“Please make sure to submit your reports on the school trip.”

“What a pain in the ass. ……”

I don’t know why high schools like reports so much.

“I hope you’ll make more friends on the trip.”

“I hope so”

“Don’t start making empty wishes by saying ‘I hope so’. You have to actually try too.”

“H-Hey…”

I said, but the sad part is that I can’t deny it strongly enough.

Well, my situation won’t change, probably.

“I can’t speak for others either, but you should expand your relationships little by little, Ren-san.”

“Whenever I feel like it.”

“Huh? Oh dear.”

She sighed.

Of course, Rika might be right. But to be honest, I was more than satisfied with my current fr.

We finished shopping and headed back to the apartment.

I carried the two eco-bags in both hands.

I should do this much as long as she cooks dinner for me.

Rika is coming to my room today.

The state of my kitchen is a lot better than it used to be, since this kind of thing happens a lot these days.

“By the way, Chitose also said that there is a meeting for the school trip today.”

“Oh. Susami was there too.”

That made me more tired than I assumed.

“The student council is a lot of work. After the summer break is over, we’ll have the cultural festival this time.”

“She likes being a part of these sorts of things though, doesn’t she?”

They have many times more energy than I do, and they do things I can’t.

I was partly impressed, but I honestly couldn’t understand it.

Well, I guess they do it because they like it.

“I heard that Chitose was invited to join the student council by the person who is now the vice president.”

“…… Hmm.”

In other words, that Oki guy brought Susami in?

I’m not sure if it’s fair to say that he has an eye for seeing things.

“…… Oh, that’s…”

“Hmm?”

Rika suddenly stopped and I followed her gaze a little later.

Then I saw a girl walking across the driveway wearing a uniform that looked familiar, or rather the same as Rika’s.

Instantly, my heart beat a little faster.

We both ducked behind a parked car.

I looked through the window at the girl.

She rounded the corner and quickly disappeared from sight.

“Do you know her?”

“No. But she’s a girl in the same class as Ren-san. Didn’t you notice?”

“…… Ah. I think she might have been there. Though I can’t really recall…”

“She was. You’re still the same …… as always.”

Even if you say that, I can’t help what I can’t remember.

But all I’m doing today is testing my memory.

“……You’ve gone into hiding, haven’t you?”

After saying that uncomfortably, Rika returned to the middle of the sidewalk again.

I followed suit, walking side by side with her again.

“I thought I didn’t care if people around me knew, but when it comes down to it, I’m embarrassed. ……”

“That’s ……. I don’t care if it spreads on its own, but when it comes to it, it still feels discomforting when we almost get discovered……”

The other thing is that, well, I’m not comfortable with the idea of being seen returning from shopping together at this place at this time.

It seems like a pretty unusual situation, even for a normal couple. (TN: I think he’s thinking that it would look like they were living together)

“But if you think about it, no one other than Kyoya and the others have found out yet?”

“If Satsuki and the others haven’t told anyone, then, yes, I guess so. I still don’t have much to do with them at school.”

“……When will others find out?”

“If we keep it natural, I’m sure people will find out sooner or later. Like if we run into someone coincidentally while we are usually together, like just now.”

“It’s kind of …… soppy, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is ……. But I guess we’ll just have to let ourselves go.”

“…… I guess so.”

The two of us nodded to each other, and then we headed back to the apartment with a somewhat awkward gait.

I guess that since we became lovers, we can’t avoid this kind of thing.

I know that, but I couldn’t help but think that the couples of the world are amazing.

“…… Ren-san?”

We were almost home when Rika called out to me in a reserved manner as we entered a completely residential area.

“What’s wrong?”

“…… Groceries, I’ll carry one side after all.”

“Eh, no, it’s fine. It’s not heavy, and we’re already there, right?”

“……Mmm.”

Rika glared at me and groned.

What the hell is this ……?

“…… Rika?”

“……Muuu! I’m not sure what to do with you!”

Rika forcibly took one side of my own eco-bag from me.

With our groceries now held by the both of us, Rika’s right hand and my left hand swayed between us.

Then Rika looked at me with a downcast look on her face and smiled faintly, her cheeks slightly tinted.

“Ah-!”

The next moment, my left hand was loosely gripped by Rika’s slender, smooth hand.

“……If you don’t do this, we can’t hold hands, can we?”

“Eh, uh …… so suddenly.”

That was the first time she had done such a thing!

To be honest, I had been aware of it a few times when we walked together.

But I never thought that she would hold my hand so easily from the other side,…….

“It’s …… nice, isn’t it? We’ve already hugged, too.”

“Well, that’s, well, how can I say …… it’s momentum.”

“Well, then, this is momentum, too. …… hehe.”

Rika laughed as if she was whispering and spilling out, and her grip on my hand tightened a little.

Through her hand, I could feel Rika’s body temperature, her quickened heartbeat, her excited emotions, and everything else.

And maybe she could feel my feelings, too.

If so, that’s a very bad idea. ……

“You can’t run away. I’m going to stay like this until we get home.”

“I’m not going to …… run away, not really.”

“Heh. That’s a good attitude.”

Pulled by our joined hands, our strides naturally aligned.

This way, we can match each other’s speed even when we are looking forward.

I didn’t know before what advantages there were to holding hands.

“Oh, today is the day for an interesting drama on TV!　I forgot about it!”

“Oh, really? What time does it start?”

“Nineteen o’clock!　I have to make dinner before then!”

Rika said and ran out.

Pulled by her hand, I ran with her.

If I can understand the other person’s stride and feelings like this.

I hope I can continue to hold hands like this with Rika.