CH 8.1

Due to the school’s rule on bicycles, students who live within a 20-minute walking distance from the school are not allowed to ride their bicycle to school. Both Hinagata and I live within walking distance.

“Well, I’ll just have Sugiuchi pick it up.”

After some hesitation, I decided to leave my bicycle by the garage and went to  Hinagata’s house.

I woke up earlier than usual today so I was a little drowsy, but it all went away when I rang the doorbell. 

“It’s Tonomura.”

“Ryu-kun’s here!”

With a rustling noise, I was called out to, “Yes, Su-chan~, get on this~”, the melody of her rustling hairs with the smell of sunshine is felt.

I was greeted with an adorable voice that sounded several times louder than before.

“Good morning, Ryu-kun!”

“Good morning.”

“Wai—, why, why are you standing outside?”

“Because Shi-tan is late.”

“I was just getting ready. I’m not… late.”

“It’s okay. It’s just-”

I can hear the lively conversation of the sisters over the intercom in the morning.

“Ryu, Ryunosuke, I’ll be right there. Wait for me.”

After hanging up the call, Hinagata came out of the front door in about a minute.

I could see that Su-chan was waving from the window so I waved back at her.

“Sorry for making you wait.”

“No, it’s fine. I didn’t wait for long.”

Today, I am on duty as a member of the beautification committee.

I had to leave the house a little early because I had to water the flower beds in the morning.

….However, it didn’t have to be that early in the morning since it could be completed in ten minutes.

Yesterday, I suggested that we walk together since I was on duty.

Hinagata looked surprised, but she nodded her head in agreement.

“It was late last night, did your mom get mad at you?”

“No, she didn’t, since I’m always late because of club activities.”

“I see.”

But Hinagata said that since Ayahi saw me pedaling on my bike, she was questioned about what I was doing.

“‘Why only nee-chan, that’s unfair—!’, this is what she said.”

“I could see it in her eyes.”

When she was a little girl, the three of us often played together, so I could say that Ayahi was also my childhood friend.

“You can go along with basketball, but you can’t go along with karate.”

I’ve heard she’s pretty strong.

“Uhmm ….Ryunosuke …. This…”

After rummaging through her bag, Hinagata pulled out a bento box.

“Did your mom make this?”

…There was a pause as if she was lost for a moment, then Hinagata shook her head.

“I… I made it.”

She seemed to be extremely nervous, even though that was all she said.

“You’re not going to lie to me anymore, are you?”

“Because Kura-chan told you.”

My mom had already made me a bento box today, but I decided to accept it gracefully.

“Why did you come to my house today?”

“I thought this would be better than making you wait behind a vending machine.”

Hinagata’s cheeks flushed. She turned her face away to avoid being seen and mumbled.

“I was not waiting for you… It was just by chance…”

“Yeah let’s just put it that way.”

When we arrived at school, I took out two watering cans from the equipment storage and gave one to Hinagata.

We drew water from the tap.

It was a common water supply for the athletic club to drink from, and in the summer, they sometimes wet their heads to cool off.

“Good morning, Senpai.”

I turned to face the direction of the voice and saw Honma smiling at me.

“Yoo, Honma. Good morning.”

“Good morning, Honma-san.”

The other day, Hinagata seemed to be on the verge of killing me, but today, she returned my greeting in a good mood.

“Hinagata-senpai, did something good happen to you?”

The tightly knit mouth of Hinagata gradually loosened.

“Nope, nothing at all, no problem whatsoever..”

There was a person here who was not good at lying.

“Is that so?”

Hinagata said to Honma, who tilted her head curiously.

“I think I messed around too much with you yesterday. I’m sorry.”

No, no, Honma hurriedly waved her hands.

“Don’t worry about it. I was so happy to find senpai that I got excited…..”

“No, no, no.” “No, no, no.” The two of them bowed their heads.

There was a time when I had a sneaking suspicion that they didn’t actually get along. –I’m glad that my fears were unfounded.

As a senior member of the committee, I taught Honma a few things. Hinagata, a first-year member of the Beautification Committee, even started taking notes.

Stop it, I’m not teaching you anything that big.

In the meantime, more and more students began to arrive at school. Honma, who seemed to have quickly become popular, was called “Konatsu” or “Honma-san” by her classmates, who waved and exchanged greetings with her.

There were several times when I heard rumors that she liked me, and I thought there must be something behind it.

But I never heard anything bad about Honma’s rumors.

I’m sure she likes me, but she didn’t say she only likes me… I’ve decided to accept that it was probably just a coincidence.

“I’ve been thinking about it since middle school, but…”

Hmm? Both Hinagata and I stopped our work and looked at Honma.

“You two aren’t dating, are you?”

Hinagata stiffens with a click.

The only sound that could be heard was of the water being poured onto the flowerbed.

“N-no, no, we’re not dating. Why would I and Hinagata….”

Don’t ask me that straight out of the blue. It’s early in the morning.

“Naa,” She nodded vaguely with a subtle look on her face when I turned the conversation to Hinagata to seek her agreement.

…..What’s with that reaction?

I couldn’t stay here anymore, so I backed away from them as if to run away.

“Ehh—? Really—?”

Honma questioned me as I moved away.

“Why are you doing that~?”

“Why, you say…”

When I was at a loss for an answer, Hinagata’s face turned red and she raised her voice as if she had made up her mind.

“Ho-Honma-san!”

“Ahh yes?!?”

“Uhm… Aren’t you gonna be late?”

Hinagata, we still have about 20 minutes to spare. You’re not very good at deception, are you?

“That means Hinagata-senpai will be late too….”

The boomerang came back to Hinagata in an instant.

“So, senpai isn’t dating anyone right now?”

“T-That’s right.”

I’ve never been asked such a direct question by a girl, so I was unintentionally embarrassed.

“Ahh, well, Senpai is embarrassed, aren’t you?”

“I’m not embarrassed, hurry up and go to class!”

“Hahaha, scary!”

When she turned her head toward the exit, her skirt spread out like flower petals.

“I’ll see you later”, she said, waving adorably as she joined the line of students on their way to class.

What do you say… that’s what it is.

Muuu. The sound was spilling out of Hinagata as she was staring with resentment and jealousy at Honma leaving.

“….Cunning.”

Oh, yeah. It’s a bruise.