Volume 1 - CH 22

“Yeah. I’m sorry, Meg. I didn’t mean to tease you.”

“…Then don’t say such cruel things.”

“But if I don’t say them, you might end up in the same situation again, right? You’re so kind, Meg. Sometimes you need to harden your heart and protect yourself.”

Neither Kasahara nor I can protect Hayashi all the time, everywhere. Kasahara already has a past where she couldn’t protect Hayashi, and as for me, from Hayashi’s perspective, who has a wide circle of friends, I’m barely a blip on her radar.

That’s why Kasahara said that Hayashi should learn to protect herself, because she can’t always rely on us.

The only surprising comment was… perhaps that Kasahara called Hayashi kind. I don’t want to deny that Hayashi is a kind woman.

However, knowing her from high school, I’d never thought of her as kind. Perhaps because she had seen her up close, Kasahara was able to perceive Hayashi’s kindness.

I wonder how many of her friends from high school were able to perceive her kindness. It’s impossible to know now, but I have a feeling that it was only a few.

“I’m getting hungry. Should we go eat?”

“I’m good. I’ll cook.”

“Eh, you can cook, Meg?”

“Totally. Yamamoto’s cooking is rather rough around the edges.”

“…Well, it just happened that way.”

“Hee. I want to eat, I want to eat.”

“…Ah, but there’s almost nothing in the fridge.”

“Then let’s go shopping.”

“Shall we?”

“There’s a man here, I’ll go too.”

I got up, following the two girls who had just risen from their seats.

At that moment, I noticed Hayashi giving me a strange look again.

“What is it?”

“…Nothing.”

Hayashi turned away from me with a huff. I wonder what that was about. I have no idea. However, we soon left the room to go shopping, the three of us together.

“Come to think of it, we didn’t see each other much before summer vacation, did we?”

“That’s true.”

Well, her major and mine are different, so we didn’t get many chances to meet, but while walking around the large campus, I did see her now and then. It’s not like I never saw her.

However, I intentionally didn’t greet her.

The reason why… I’d rather not discuss if I can help it.

“…Hm. I see.”

If this was Hayashi from high school, she would have poked her head in and stirred things up if it seemed like an interesting story, but this time, she didn’t. I appreciate her consideration now.

It’s been a few weeks since Hayashi started staying in my room. Our encounter was in the early part of summer vacation, and the long holiday is about to end. We’ve spent so much time together that I thought we’d gotten quite comfortable with each other.

But sure enough, the two walking ahead of me have a longer history. From inside jokes to risky remarks, they continued their pleasant conversation as if making up for the nearly half a year they’d been apart. There was no room for me to get involved. Well, it’s more comfortable and better to just watch rather than interfere and ruin the mood.

“Hey, since it’s a special occasion, why don’t we have a takoyaki party for lunch today?”

The one who suggested this as soon as we arrived at the supermarket was Kasahara.

A takoyaki party. In summary, it’s a game and meal that so-called extroverts do to deepen their friendship. I wonder why they do such a thing that seems like a hassle to clean up, even though their friendship deepens without doing such things. Additionally, if they’re going to have a party, they should do it more lavishly. Don’t call it a party just by lining up takoyaki.

“That sounds good. What do you think, Yamamoto?”

“Eh?”

However, the only people around me right now are in favor of a takoyaki party… If we had a vote, the result would have been clear.

“…We don’t have a takoyaki grill, do we?”

Well, I had a legitimate reason to decline, so I said it.

“Ah, I don’t really feel like buying the equipment. Let’s drop the idea then.”

“Oh, then I’ll go get mine from home. It’s close from here.”

“Then, let’s stop by after buying the ingredients.”

“Ah, that’s a good idea! …How about we do it at my place?”

“That’s it.”

“No, which is it?”

I couldn’t help but retort.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s not right, right? To let a guy into your room.”

“…Really?”

“…So, you often let guys into your house?”

“What do you think?”

I stayed silent. She’s an adorable person. It’s hard to imagine that such a person, who has been living alone for the first half of her university life, doesn’t have any close male friends yet. To begin with, the fact that she has a takoyaki grill suggests that she’s undoubtedly inviting someone over to her place.

Anyway, I kept quiet because I felt a bit creepy questioning Kasahara.

“…Hehe.”

Kasahara smiled seductively.

“I haven’t. The only people I let in are my female friends.”

“…I see.”

…I was teased again. I wonder why I felt relieved upon hearing Kasahara’s words, even though I was just thinking how creepy I was.

“Let’s finish shopping quickly.”

I suggested, feeling extremely tired.

“That sounds good. So, we’re doing the party at my place, right?”

“Do as you please.”

I grabbed a shopping basket and entered the supermarket.