Volume 1 - CH 3.1

Chapter 3 - Turning Point (Part 1)

"Thank you for everything, Kuromine-kun. Well, you know, I don't need you ...... to stay in my house anymore."

"What are you talking about? The stalker is still ............"

"I haven't had a stalker for three weeks, right? I guess I was wrong."

Two days after the case with Yono was over. Saturday morning. I felt a strange vibe from Hoshimiya, who had changed in some way, when she cut me off without any context.

No, Hoshimiya was a bit absent-minded these days, or as if she was thinking about something.

She wakes up later than me, drops and breaks dishes ...... and so on.

I was worried that she might be in a slump, and then this happened.

"......But you really think you might have a stalker, don't you? Shouldn't we wait a little longer?"

"How long are you going to keep looking? All the time? Until you graduate from high school?"

"Maybe ...... until Hoshimiya's parents come home?"

"I don't know when that will be, okay?"

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

I wonder if I made a mistake?

Until a while ago, until Yono came to this house, Hoshimiya seemed to enjoy his life with me.

But now she trying to reject me. I don't understand this change in Hoshimiya.

"Well, that's ...... Hoshimiya's parents, won't they be back in a year?"

"Oh, uh, ...... yes. That's right."

It was very unclear. I thought it was an unusual reaction for a Hoshimiya who dotes on his parents.

"Anyway, I'll stay in this house a little longer."

"That's not good. I think Kuromine-kun should go back to his own house now."

"Why do you want me to go home?"

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

"Hoshimiya?"

"I've been thinking about it, and I wonder if this is a good thing? A man and a woman who aren't even in a relationship, but living under the same roof..."

"I think it's too late for that...."

"Oh my God! I'm the one who said it's okay! If there were no stalkers, Kuromine-kun wouldn't have to be in this house!"

"────"

Unusually, Hoshimiya showed her emotions and raised her voice. I panicked a little.

"You still don't know if the stalker exists or not, do you?"

"No, the fact that he hasn't appeared on ...... even once is proof enough. I guess I wasn't interesting enough to be stalked in the first place... ...."

"Heh, that's a useless triviality ....... As long as you're not sure there's no stalker, I'll continue to live in this house."

"......Why do you care about me so much?"

"Because I care about you."

"......So. .......But don't you care about Harukaze-san?"

"Yono? Well, Yono has nothing to do with this, right?"

"You guys met ...... the other day, right? So I thought ...... you guys were already dating ......?"

Hoshimiya's voice trailed off, but I managed to catch the end of it.

......That's right, so that's what you're saying. Hoshimiya is worried about me and Yono.

"I told you, Yono and I are not dating."

"......You're not dating? Even though we love each other?"

I hadn't explained to Hoshimiya what I had talked to Yono about.

But still, she seemed to know that Yono and I had feelings for each other.

"Ah ...... well, we're not dating ............"

"Why not?"

Hoshimiya asked me, looking into my eyes, but I didn't know how to answer him.

The reason why Yono and I don't date...

The reason is - Kuromine Riku also likes Hoshimiya Ayana....

........... But I can't say that.

"Because of me, right?"

"Huh?"

"I think the reason you don't go out with Harukaze-san is because you live in ...... this house, right?"

"Hmm, that's not entirely true."

"Then why? I'm sure Kuromine-kun likes Harukaze-san, right? In that case, I don't think you should live with another girl..."

"I'm really worried about Hoshimiya."

"...... By any chance, do you like me, Kuromine-kun?"

"Eh?"

Hoshimiya said with a flushed face and trembling lips.

I was startled and my eyes widened. What an unexpected answer.

"I guess it's okay if you like me ...... but you like Harukaze-san too, right?"

"Well, it's .... if that's the case, I'll tell you ......"

"What?"

"Who do you like, Hoshimiya?"

"That has nothing to do with me!"

"It's none of my business! It's not fair that I'm the only one being asked so many questions! You have to tell me who you like too, right?"

"I don't understand! I still don't get you, Kuromine-kun!"

"I'll ask you now, Hoshimiya, you like ...... me, right?"

"What?! No, no, no!"

Hoshimiya, who had been shouting loudly, shook her head impatiently.

If the person Hoshimiya likes is me, it means I'm loved by both girls.

"Actually, I'm not that sensitive. But honestly, do you like me?"

"What are you talking about, Kuromine-kun?! You have too much imagination!"

"It's because you're so good to me, Hoshimiya! You're so good to me compared to other guys!"

"You misunderstood! You misunderstood when I was nice to you! You're an unattractive guy!"

"I'm an unattractive guy?!"

Boom! I felt like I had been hit by an atomic bomb.

No, but you know what? Picking up my eraser, lending me a handkerchief, greeting me ...... doesn't that mean she has feelings for me?

"Hoshimiya, don't you like me?"

"I don't like ......., so don't worry about me and go to ....... Harukaze-san's place."

"............Hoshimiya saved my life and ...... is ......."

"It might be a little annoying if you stay for this."

Annoying?!

There are a lot of complaints about me....

Probably ...... Hoshimiya doesn't like me, but rather the other way around....

"Actually, I hate ...... Kuromine-kun, I hate ...... Kuro ...... mine......!"

"────!"

Hate......

I'm not a fan of Hoshimiya.

But I was so shocked that I almost vomited blood.

Ahh... But still....

"It's okay if you don't like me."

"......?"

"It doesn't matter if you don't like me. I'm just worried about Hoshimiya."

"Kuromine-kun......."

"I don't care if you hate me, I just want to protect Hoshimiya."

"Ah."

I don't care who she likes or anything like that. I just care about her.

If Hoshimiya's safety is guaranteed when I'm not here, I will do whatever she asks without hesitation.

"Kuromine-kun ...... you care about me so much............"

Hoshimiya, who gave the impression of being moved, nudged the mini table. At that moment, Hoshimiya's hand phone, which had been placed on the edge of the mini table, fell over - it bounced so well on the carpet that it landed under the BED ROOM? !!!!!

"I did it, I have to get it!"

Hoshimiya looked down at the floor to explore under his bed....No good! Under the bed was... bad!

"Hoshimiya! Wait! That's..."

"......Huh? There's something else besides my hand phone. ............Books?"

"Be careful, Hoshimiya! It's not a book, it's a cockroach!"

"Kya! ...... That can't be it, can it?! Is that Kuromine-kun's book?!"

Saying this, Hoshimiya took out the hand phone and the book from under his bed.

Then she frowned at the cover of the book - and his face turned bright red when she saw it!

"This, this, this ...... p*rno book!"

"Yes! Yes, it's a p*rno book!"

"And that girl looks like ...... me!"

"Yes! She looks like Hoshimiya!"

"How can you be so shameless?! You pervert!"

"Wait a minute! It was given to me by Mondo-san! It's not my fault!"

"Then why don't you just throw it away or put it in Chiharu-san's mailbox?"

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

"Why are you silent?! Why did you hide it under my bed?!"

"I hid it under your bed ...... because that's the rule."

"That's not right! Kuromine-kun, you're crazy! How can you hide a p*rno book under a girl's bed!"

Hoshimiya was desperate, but she seemed to be interested in the book.

She looked at the cover of the book.

For Hoshimiya's sake, I coughed to clarify the situation.

"Nnnn! Well, that's why I'm here ........ I'll be happy to help you from now on."

"Then ......"

"M-Hm?"

"──── get out of my house!"

Why is ................... like this?