Volume 5 - CH 29

Miyamura Towa’s Cry

After that, Eien-chan barely spoke and we eventually left the department store.

In contrast to her good mood in the morning, we almost have no interaction with each other when we leave.

In the end, I came face to face with the limit of an antagonist character.

“It’s about time to go home huh……..”

For some reason, I feel like I won’t be able to get together with Eien-chan again if we part here.

That’s how awkward it is between us right now.

“W, Wait, Hideyori-san……. I want to thank you for today……..I recently found a coffee shop I like so do you want to visit it together? …….it’s my treat so would you bear with me for a little longer……..?”

“If it’s your wish then I’ll gladly go anywhere with you.”

“Hideyori-san, you really are a saint.”

“Haha, you’re funny Eien-chan.”

Perhaps she doesn’t want to say goodbye yet, Eien-chan is now guiding me to her favorite coffee shop. This time it’s my turn to follow her.

“……..I’m sorry for today, Hideyori-san. Hanging out with me…….it must have been boring right…….”

“Eh?”

She suddenly said that as we walked.

Boring?

What’s she talking about…..?

“I wanted to get Hideyori-san’s attention so I tried to be more outgoing today……..but it doesn’t seem I can be like Emi or Juumonji-san………I’m so sorry for being such a boring person………”

“What are you saying, Eien-chan…….? I’m not bored at all!! Today’s been a lot of fun, you know?”

“……., for a while now, it felt like Hideyori-san’s mind was somewhere else. Since you were so silent, I thought that you were bored because of me……..”

“!?”

She got worried because of me.

It was my fault…….

Seriously, I’m such a failure……..

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel that way………Haha, but seriously, I truly think that you are a funny person, Eien-chan.”

“………really?”

“That’s why I want to say this to you.”

I will save Eien-chan.

Even if she comes to hate me for it, I still want to straightforwardly be there for her rather than idly waiting for the problem to get resolved on its own.

So I’m going to be direct with her.

“I want you to tell me about your worries.”

“Eh……? My, worries…….?”

“I don’t know if I will be of any use to you……..but you are in pain right? ………it must be suffocating for you to live inside a birdcage like that isn’t it? ……….I, I want to help you.”

“…….you’re amazing, Hideyori-san.”

All of a sudden, Eien-chan leaped to my chest.

“It’s painful at home…….I want to make more friends not just study, I want to freely experience more things in my life! ………….I want, my life to be more normal……. It’s so suffocating to stay at home……..I don’t want my father to hit me anymore. ……and, I want to try experiencing love with the person I like.”

She broke down on my chest.

I stroke her head and pat her back.

“Sorry, Eien-chan. I can’t show you the way out……….but I can listen to you. You can talk to me about anything. ………I will be there for you.”

“Hide, yori-san……… Thank you…… It’s been painful, all the time………. Until Hideyori-san called out to me in the hallway, I was so lonely I couldn’t bear it…….I was so happy when you found me………Hideyori-san, …please save me…….”

“I will. ………I will definitely rescue you from your birdcage, you have my word…….”

I won’t touch Eien-chan’s parents with my Gift.

All that is left is to save her from her birdcage.

But I can’t find the solution to that by myself.

.

.

.

Even so, I have Emi, Takeru, Risa, and Tsugaru.

Sakuya too.

I have so many reliable friends.

If I can’t do it alone.

Then I just have to do it together with everyone.

.

.

.

“So, don’t look so sad anymore. It was your smile that saved me, Eien-chan.”

“……my smile…….?”

“Yeah. When everything was so dull and I almost gave up on everything, I found you……”

Because of my father, I had 3 near-death experiences in my previous life. By the time I was about to start middle school, I was lost. It was then that I discovered [Breaking the Chain of Sadness].

I didn’t have any hobbies, and my life was so dull. At the time, I hadn’t even picked up kendo yet, and basically, I was a closet otaku.

Back then, if I hadn’t fallen for Eien-chan when I saw her on the poster, I might not even known that Galge is a thing.

To be honest, it was her who taught me that there are various ways to enjoy my life.

.

.

.

.

.

“I am grateful to you………..so let me help………it will be okay, you don’t have to worry by yourself anymore Eien-chan.”

“Yes, thank you, Hideyori-san. I’m really happy……..when you said that.”

For the second time today.

I lent her my handkerchief to wipe her tears.

“I’m glad I transferred to our school. Meeting you truly saved me, Hideyori-san.”

“Haha, glad to hear that……”

“Ah, we’ve to take the next right.”

Eien-chan stopped crying and continued guiding me to her favorite coffee shop.

………Still, this neighborhood feels strangely familiar to me.

I think Master’s shop is right around the corner.

I’m so looking forward to seeing what kind of place Eien-chan’s favorite coffee shop is.

“Now we turn right at the intersection. There it is. We’re almost there.”

“…………Eh?”

Eien-chan’s favorite coffee shop is in this neighborhood?

I think Master’s shop is the only coffee shop around here though?

“It’s that two-story building! It’s so stylish isn’t it!”

“……………”

In front of me stands a coffee shop that barely has any customers all year long.

The coffee shop runs by my aunt’s younger brother…………

TLN: Well, the serious stuff just went out of the way…….time for shenanigans.