Volume 1 - CH 1.9

Chapter 1 - Reunion (Part 9)

"And it happened again......"

I visited the wooden apartment where Hoshimiya lived, and I remembered how shabby it was. Not only was there no security guard, but there were no security cameras either. Wouldn't it be natural for him to feel uncomfortable with a stalker?

"Let's go......."

I climbed the rusty stairs like I did last night and walked to the front of Hoshimiya's room.

The backpack on my back felt very heavy. I had gone home to prepare for my stay, and came here by train.

I pushed the intercom a little nervously.

"Yes?"

"It's me. Kuromine."

"I'm coming!"

She had a cheerful voice. It was hard to believe that she was the kind of girl who invited boys now.

Is this because she's gyaru? Or does she trust me completely.......

The door slowly opened to reveal Hoshimiya, who was wearing loose clothing like casual wear.

What's more, she had canceled her gal mode and returned to plain girl mode (megane-chan with disheveled hair). It feels a bit like a split personality.

"Thank you for coming, Kuromine-kun. Come in."

Guided by Hoshimiya, I entered the house. Passing through the clean and beautiful kitchen space, and stepping into the room that would become our living space.

"Oh, Riku-kun, welcome."

"............"

Chiharu Mondo──alias Monmon was there.

She was relaxing near the mini table, with a can of beer in his hand.

His face and voice sounded like she was enjoying himself just the way he was.

"Oh, is it bad that I'm here? Don't think you can do that with Ayana-chan easily, Dad!"

"Hey, Hoshimiya. Can I kick this guy out of your house?"

"No, you can't! Well, I should have told you that Chiharu-san is also here."

"But if you told me, maybe I wouldn't have come."

"You're too mean to Chiharu-san, aren't you......?"

I'm not that mean, but she's my natural enemy. I mean, I don't like her.

"I've heard about her situation from Ayana-chan. Runaway home-kun will protect her, right?"

"Well, I guess it will be like that."

Apparently she heard the story from Hoshimiya. But Monmon thought I was a runaway.

It seems that Hoshimiya has set the record straight.

"Oh, it's almost time for my part-time job."

Saying this, Hoshimiya ran to the room.

Wow, seriously. I was left alone with Monmon.

I don't get along with her because I'm the one who gets swayed when I'm with her.

"Riku-kun. Maybe I'm not good at this."

"Even if you're not, I'm not good at it either."

"Oh, I see. I'll give you this as a token of our friendship. Let's be friends."

Monmon grinned and took out a book from his bag, which he kept by his side.

I accepted the book as it came naturally to me. I looked at the cover and regretted it.

"What is this?"

"Heh, don't thank me. Make good use of it."

"What do you mean, 'make good use of it'?" "It's a ...... porn book, right? Especially since the cover has a picture of a girl who is the heroine."

A brown-haired girl wearing lewd clothes has a speech balloon that says, "Do you want to play ...... with me?"

This is the worst. Not just as a sign of friendship, but at the level of starting a world war!

Moreover, her face looked like Hoshimiya in gal mode.

"Well, I'll leave first then."

Hoshimiya came out of his room. I immediately hid the porn book under my clothes.

"Hm? What's wrong, Kuromine-kun?"

"Nothing. It's more like you turned into an innocent girl when you went to your part-time job."

"Plain girl ....... I know that, because I have to dress more mature for work. Some customers don't like flashy clothes, so ....... ah, I'm leaving first."

Hoshimiya smiled cheerfully and lightly waved to us once before leaving.

"Ayana-chan's a good girl, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"Do you still want to do it?"

"Go home!"

Let me tell you guys something for the record. I treat older people with respect.

The only reason I made such a rude statement even though she was older was because this was the second time we met, and I already knew where he stood in my mind.

"Riku-kun. But seriously, don't make Ayana-chan sad."

"......Mondo-san?"

It wasn't the light flirtation I'd seen before. Mondo-san had very serious eyes.

"I know you're going through a lot, but Ayana-chan is also going through a lot."

"It sounds like it. Part-time job, stalker, and......"

"That's not what I meant."

"Eh?"

I didn't understand what she meant. What else could it be?

"Well, I guess I'm going home too. Oh, and ...... you can't play with opening my panties just because Ayana-chan isn't here, okay~"

"I won't!"

In the end, Monmon was Monmon until the end.

After seeing Monmon leave the house, I closed the front door and returned to my room with a sigh.

"......Now, what should I do? And what should I do with this obscene book in my hand?!"

I thought about throwing it off the balcony, but it would be a pity to throw it away. So, I'll hide it under Hoshimiya's bed for now.

"Hmm."

After finishing hiding the book, I received a call from a certain person on my cell phone.

"......Yono."

About what? I thought that a rift must have developed between me and Yono. .......

I won't be embarrassed about it, so I'll answer her question.

"............Yono?"

"Gusu ..... nnnn ...... Riku-chan......?"

Yono was crying. His voice was very hoarse.

"What's wrong?"

"Sorry, I'm sorry ...... Riku-chan. About today...."

"Oh......"

"I don't know why I'm so ...... upset. I don't want to part from ...... Riku-chan ............. Gusu......"

"............"

"......Can't we just make up?"

"A---......"

The little reason I had told me that I should say no without hesitation. But emotionally, I.....

"Riku-chan, ......?"

"If Yono says so, then....."

"Really? Then, we'll continue to be together ...... as childhood friends, right?"

"Yes."

Starting this morning, I hope to get away from Yono. I wasn't sure how I was going to get away from him. ......But after trying, this is how it turned out.

How could I refuse him if she asked me to stay with him while crying?

"......You and Ayana-chan dated, but nothing happened, right?"

"Oh ...... we weren't dating in the first place. I didn't even confess to Hoshimiya."

"Are you still going to lie to me?"

"I'm not lying. Believe me."

"...... Then why did you say that in front of everyone?"

"To protect his reputation."

"......But it's true that you're staying at Ayana-chan's house, right?"

"............"

"I know that. Why are you staying at Ayana-chan's house if you're not in a relationship?"

"I can't ...... tell you that."

The trigger was because I went to the mountain to kill myself after being dumped by Yono.

But I can't say that. I didn't want to say it.

"If you won't explain, I won't understand...."

"Sorry. But it's true that there's nothing between me and Hoshimiya."

I said this, and after a few seconds of silence, Yono said,

"I don't know ...... what happened, but I believe you, Riku-chan."

"Yono......"

"Nothing happened with Ayana-chan, right?"

"No."

"......I understand."

She said this as the end of what she wanted to check. She did not ask any more questions.

"Hey Riku-chan, come to my house now. It's been a while, I want to spend some time alone with you."

"......Sorry. But not today."

"Oh ...... yes, well ....... okay, see you......."

With those words, she ended the call.

Thus, Yono and I easily returned to our previous relationship.

"............Haa."

I couldn't help sighing.

I'm glad we made up. I was glad to be by Yono's side.

I know it must have been hard for me to see Yono, but....

Even so, I'm happy and relieved.

* * *

After walking along an unlit mountain road for a while, we finally arrived at a convenience store that stood in the dark.

A few dozen minutes earlier, I had called Hoshimiya, who had come to pick me up on foot.

In my pants pocket was a duplicate key. Of course, I had Hoshimiya's permission.

She gave it to me just like that. ...... Isn't this called living together?

About the stalker, she said she felt his presence especially at night.

Hoshimiya's part-time job basically ended at 10pm.

On his way home, she has to pedal his bicycle down the dark mountain roads, and she said he sometimes gets illuminated from behind by the bicycle lights. And it's probably from the same person every time it happens.......

Unfortunately, his face could not be confirmed, and Hoshimiya's guess is that it was probably a man in his 30s, given his physique. ......She also said that she felt the gaze of his eyes when she entered the house. Scary.

Arriving at the convenience store, I passed through the automatic doors and entered the store. As usual, there were no customers.

The cashier wasn't Hoshimiya, but a muscular man with a lot of muscles.

However, his lips were colored like a woman's, and his stern face was covered with a touch of makeup.

"Welcome to ...... hmm? You're the one from the time of the ...... robbery, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

This person who was watching me blinked his eyes.

"You have a pretty face, don't you? What if you work for us?"

"You're on the night shift, right? I'm here to pick up Hoshimiya."

"I see. I heard that a suspicious person has been following Ayana-chan lately. I understand why you became her bodyguard."

"Yes."

He has a habit of speaking in a strange way. He spoke like a woman with an old man's voice, which made me feel very uncomfortable.

"Thank you for protecting Ayana-chan."

"It's just a coincidence, but..."

"As the owner, I would like to say thank you. Thank you very much."

Owner? That means you're above the manager?!

"Ayana-chan is in the back right now. I'm sure she'll be out soon."

"Okay, I'll wait."

"I think your name is ...... Riku Kuromine-chan, right?"

"Oh, um ...... please don't call me 'chan' if you can. It's scary."

"Hmm, that's a pretty name. It matches your pretty face."

The owner's mouth relaxed in amusement as he said it. ......Have I been marked by her?

"Do you want to work here?"

"Even if you say so....."

"I'm afraid to leave Ayana-chan alone. There was a robbery the other day...."

"This is an easy place to be targeted, isn't it?"

It's secluded and doesn't get many visitors.

"That's right. That's why I try to keep a night watch, and I've fought off many robbers so far, but ...... in the end, it was Ayana-chan who was targeted when she was alone."

"Is this the world of magic? I know it sounds normal, but that's a really horrible story."

He just said it, this owner has fought robbers many times!

Is he some kind of monster?

"We don't have many customers, so I want to reduce the number of staff as much as possible, but ...... I can't replace the precious lives of my staff. Everyone who works here is a woman."

"Oh, they're all women?"

"Yes, all women."

.............

Come to think of it, the manager is also a woman. I haven't seen the other staff, but it looks like they're all women.

"What do you think?"

"......Yes......"

"Isn't it a dream come true to work with your boyfriend?"

"No, I'm not his boyfriend."

"Even though you're not her boyfriend, you have to protect her from robbers and stalkers, right?"

"Okay."

Well, she was my benefactor. But the owner, who was unaware of our situation, seemed impressed.

Shit! She slammed his counter, his eyes wide open, and his voice rising wildly...!

"Awesome! That's what I call a Japanese boy! The blood of the sleeping samurai!"

"Hey, I'm not even anyone."

She was a really stern old man. She looked like she was wielding a huge spear on the battlefield.

As I stood shocked in front of the owner, I felt the presence of someone behind me.

"Ah, Kuromine-kun. You came to pick me up. Thank you."

"......Thank you for coming to help me."

"Huh?"

Hoshimiya tilted his head. Yes, being alone with the owner is a tremendous mental burden in every way. I almost cried.

"Thank you for your hard work, Owner."

"Good job, Ayana-chan. Make sure your boyfriend protects you."

"No, no, he's not my boyfriend!"

Hoshimiya's face turned red and she shook his head as if his glasses were about to come off.

......It makes me feel hollow to be in denial that much. But it's okay.

Hoshimiya and I left the convenience store and headed for the parking lot. Naturally, there was only one bicycle there.

"That's my bike, Kuromine-kun. How about we ride together?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I don't want to walk anymore."

"Come on, get on."

Hoshimiya, who was riding his bike, urged me to sit in the back.

"Uh, what about the pedals, Hoshimiya?"

"Well, yes. I'll take care of it."

"No ...... well, alright."

I sat back down, not really caring. Hoshimiya tried to pedal his bike while shouting, "Nn~!" but he couldn't keep his balance well and put his foot on the ground.

"......What can't you do? Here, let me pedal."

"I'm fine! I'm still a good athlete!"

"Even so....."

She tried his best to pedal to keep his feet off the ground, but the bike swayed.

I was so scared that I held on to Hoshimiya's waist as fast as I could. It was soft....

But I didn't want to go down the mountain road with his dangerous driving.

"Sorry, Hoshimiya, but I don't want to die on a bicycle."

"......Sorry. I don't want to trouble you too much, Kuromine-kun. ......"

"If it's only this much, it's not troublesome for me."

With Hoshimiya in tow, I cycled down the mountain road with ease.

This is good, isn't it? Riding on a mountain road at night with a girl.

If only Hoshimiya was Yono......

"This may be sudden, but what are you guys talking about?"

"Eh?"

It was natural for Him to ask.

"When I was working part-time, I kept thinking about Kuromine-kun."

......Eh, I didn't expect it to be about me.

"Kuromine-kun doesn't ask anyone for help when having a hard time ........... right?"

"Yes."

"If you lie about your feelings like that, you'll end up like a flat tire. My father is the same. He kept everything. I feel that way about Kuromine-kun now."

"............"

I did not reply, but continued to look at the darkness in front of me while operating the handlebar.

"It's okay to say it's hard when it is. No, I want you to tell me."

His thin arm wrapped around my stomach. A warm, soft feeling pressed against my back.

I understood that I was being hugged by him gently.

"......I understand. I know it's impossible now, but I'll ...... do my best."

"Yes. I'm fine with your move, Kuromine-kun......"

Surprisingly, Hoshimiya's words went straight into my heart.

Perhaps because I felt his kindness behind me.

As of now, I will be happy with anything as long as Yono is by my side.

But now, I.....

"Oh yeah, let's go play tomorrow."

"Play?"

"Yes! We'll let ourselves have fun, and we'll play as much as we can. How about that?"

"...... Sounds good. Let's play."

"Okay. I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

I heard a cute, bouncy voice in my ear.

I'm sure Hoshimiya is smiling right now, a smile that could make me fall in love.

It was probably because of this thought that I revealed my true feelings.

"Hoshimiya ...... is a good woman, isn't she?"

"What?"

"No, I'm just saying what I think. I wasn't joking or anything."

I wonder if there are other girls who can get so close to other people's hearts?

I feel like my heart is much more fulfilled than when someone just tells me that they like me.

It was only yesterday ...... that Hoshimiya and I started talking, right?

I feel like I've known Hoshimiya for a long time.

Have I spent a lot of intense time with Hoshimiya?

"Mouuuu! Don't say such strange things! First of all, what was that, Kuromine-kun?"

"Hey, hey! Don't shake!"

I don't know if it was because of embarrassing nerves, but Hoshinomiya, who was sitting behind me, was trembling violently. Oh no!

This really was a great nighttime cycling trip.

From now on, I won't say anything careless anymore....