Volume 9 - CH 1

Tapestry Incident 2

Around the time when Mishima and my friends started to warm up to each other.

The first long holiday of our high school life, the Golden Week, has finally begun.

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“Ahh! I have to make a list first.”

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It’s been my habit since my previous life to write down things I want to do during the holidays.

It just doesn’t feel like a holiday to me if I don’t do this.

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“Let’s see……[Love☆School ~ the One-month Romance], [The Sixth Girl], [The Shogun’s Ambition]……Ah! I was planning to do [Traffic Love] too right!”

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My plan for the Golden Week is to stay indoors for 7 days straight.

Fufu, I’ve already finished all my homework before the Golden Week begins.

Now my Introvert Calendar is completed.

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“Haa! This already looks like it’s going to be a great Golden Week! My goal this year is to capture 20 heroines straight!”

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If there are 4 heroines per game then I would need to finish 5 games within 7 days huh.

I should be able to do that if I don’t have to leave the house at all.

To start with, I immediately decided to begin my playthrough of the game I bought for only 250 yen, [Love☆School ~ the One-month Romance].

The game was rated at only 2 stars on A**zon and I heard that the main heroine’s delivery of her lines was pretty monotone.

Nonetheless, I’m quite excited to start playing it.

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“Ah, Hideyori. Do you have a minute……?”

“Oba-san?”

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As though to dump cold water on my excitement, my aunt knocked and entered the room.

Holding down my disappointment, I closed my laptop.

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“What’s wrong?”

“You know I went to Yokohama the other day right?”

“Yep.”

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Since my uncle is working during the Golden Week, they took early days off and went on a trip with just the two of them. In fact, they just got back yesterday.

As a souvenir from Yokohama, she made steamed dumplings for dinner yesterday.

Emi came over to cook for me when my aunt was away so my aunt also treated her to it yesterday as thanks. She was saying [Delicious, Delicious] last night so she probably liked it a lot.

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“I bought something for my little brother too, can you hand this to him for me?”

“For Master?”

“Yeah.”

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My aunt nods and hands me a paper bag.

My aunt and her husband are my guardians so I’m technically their son but I still feel like a freeloader so I find it difficult to turn down her request.

If she wants me to visit Master in her place then I have no choice but to go.

My 7 days gaming plan was rendered impossible in an instant.

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“What did you buy this time?”

“A Tapestry.”

“A Tapestry again…….?”

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I can see a large rolled tapestry inside the paper bag.

This is probably the 5th time she bought him something like this but I don’t think I’ve ever seen Master happy receiving any of them.

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“Does Master like this kind of thing…..?”

“He seems like the type that enjoys them right?”

“Really…..?”

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The interrogative conversation turned into a catch-ball-like back and forth.

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“I think Master would be happier if you give him some foodstuff though?”

“But the food is gone once you eat them right? I think my brother would be happier with something that lasts.”

“Hmm……? Would he? ……….how much did you spend on this anyway?”

“15,000 yen I think.”

“That much……..?”

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I can imagine Master’s awkward stare already.

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“By the way, Oba-san, you always call Master brother(Otouto) but have you always called him like that?”

“When we lived together I called him by his first name but at this age, it’s too embarrassing right? Using his first name I mean. That’s why I refer to him as brother or little brother.”

“Hmm.”

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In the first place, I don’t even know what Master’s first name is…….

I only know the name Tanikawa after all.

It’s not like there’s particularly any problem when I don’t know his name though……..

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“I will leave it to you, okay.”

“Yes, I’m off…….”

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My Galge playtime got cut down by an errand.

It’s not like I have to stay and chat with Master so I guess I can just hurry back huh……

After that, I walked the usual street and arrived at Master’s coffee shop.

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“Welcome, Akechi-kun.”

“Hey.”

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I put the paper bag on the table and head straight to the exit.

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“Bye.”

“Hey, wait? stop!”

“Eh?”

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Master stopped me from leaving.

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“What was that!? You usually stay and chat for hours right!? It hasn’t even been a minute yet, why are you trying to leave so quickly!?”

“I mean, it’s not like I have anything to do here……..”

“So distant……come on, I’ll make you some coffee, take a seat and relax.”

“Even if you say that……..”

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I usually chat with him for about 3 hours before I leave but I don’t have anything in particular I want to talk with him about today……..

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“It’s rude to just leave like that right……..I’m free so let’s chat.”

“I got it already, I will trouble you then.”

“You do that.”

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Before, he used to complain that I’m just freeloading on him but lately, Master has been urging me to stay even though I still don’t pay him for the coffee.

That said, my friends, Takeru and Eien-chan for example, do pay for their coffee.

Master doesn’t charge any fee when I’m with them so they sometimes invite me here when they are short on money though.

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“So? What’s that?”

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Asked Master with an awkward expression when he handed me a cup of espresso.

He probably guessed it already.

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“A souvenir from Oba-san.”

“Hmm……it’s probably a tapestry again right?”

“Don’t say that! It might be a box of premium meat buns or even castellas right!”

“I can see it protruding out of the bag you know.”

“…………”

“Don’t pretend to be mute now.”

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And thus, the Tapestry Incident has begun anew…….