Volume 1 - CH 11.3

Chapter 11 - Light in the Night Sky (Part 3)

The opening of the event is about to begin.

"Yoo... it's time to attract customers."

Masashi stood at the bar.

The male host also quickly finished his cocktail and left his seat.

"Yoru-chan. I meant what I said earlier. Wait here after the program ends. I'll really take you back to the hotel. We'll go swimming together later."

"I said I don't want to."

"Come on..."

Then Masashi brought his face close to mine and whispered.

"You owe me, right? It's okay if you don't want to have sex with him. Just come first for me for now, okay?"

Masashi patted my shoulder and left with the male host with a horrible smile.

There's no way I'm going to a hotel with a guy I don't even like.

No matter how much you reject them, you can see what they'll do.

But I can't break up my relationship with Masashi, and just in case I can survive this emergency night──.

"It's just a matter of time, isn't it..."

Sooner or later I'm going to end up in a relationship with a man I don't like.

It's all because of me. I know that.

I understand that, but...

"Tsk..."

My tears flowed without me noticing.

Ever since the day I was so fascinated by the evil of love and became so thirsty for love.

I ran until nothing could stop me.

The love that turned my older sister, whom I loved and was kind to, into a jealous tiger.

The love that made Totchi-niichan disappear from my sight, leaving me alone.

Such a hateful and unavoidable love, I just want to understand it.

And as a result of my reckless self, I ended up being picked up by a dangerous man like Masashi and fell into a dark abyss.

Even though I tried to disappear from Masashi's presence and entered my current high school.

But I never learned from my past and continued to pursue love.

Even though I thought I was a calmer girl.

But when I was in a class with Seiran-kun, who looked very mature, I leaned closer to him to see if I could fall in love with him.

Seiran-kun is in Koga-kun's group, which is always loud and puts friendship before love.

Koga-kun is always attached to Seiran-kun and he's really annoying.

He was loud, bratty, and annoying. I hated him and we fought a lot.

But... It was fun.

Even though Koga-kun had heard my dirty talk, he still called me his friend. He also took me into his group.

The time I spent with them... was so much fun.

I once thought it would be nice if I never had to worry about love.

But just when I thought that, I met Masashi again.

I guess my past environment won't allow me to go to a sunny place again.

Maybe this was my punishment for bothering Koga-kun's friends with my half-heartedness.

I'm sure that before I understand love, my purity will be broken by a man I don't love at all.

So I will accept all of this as my punishment.

To understand what love is, I've been with many men, so I think this is a fitting end for me.

Narushima-san is a perfect rabbit.

I remember Koga-kun telling me that once.

I was really lonely because my older sister, who was usually with me, suddenly disappeared.

But I guess Koga-kun didn't know that.

They say that rabbits die when they're alone. But that's not true. They're used to hiding even when they're weak, and if you don't take good care of them, they'll die before you know it.

So it is true what she said, that I am a rabbit.

Hiding my weakness, I quietly disappeared from Koga-kun's presence and tried to die quietly.

We were supposed to go see the fireworks together today.

But for me, it was just a dream that would never come true.

But even so...

Although I was reluctant, I couldn't hold back my tears as I said:

"...I want to go see fireflies with them...tsk...tsk"

And at that time,

"Narushima-san! Where are you?"

As soon as the doors opened, people began to enter the venue.

In the middle of the bar, I heard a voice that sounded familiar.

"Hey, Narushima Yoru-san! Narushima-san who is still in high school!!!"

The person shouted in a loud voice, emphasizing the word 'high school'.

I rubbed my eyes, which were blurred with tears.

"Lie──...?"

In the middle of the crowd of visitors entering,

Koga-kun was there.

Honoko-chan is also there.

Seiran-kun is also there.

Tanaka-kun is here.

Everyone came here.

Koga-kun, whose eyes met mine, waved his hand.

"Oi, it's her! Oi, Narushima-san who is still in high school! We came, you know!"

Of course, Masashi saw that and came back here.

"Wait, customer, what are you──?"

"Oh, are you the owner? I'm sorry, that part-time worker over there is actually a freshman in high school. If I'm not mistaken, you don't allow high school students to work here, do you?"

"No, that..."

Seiran pulled out his hand phone.

"It says so on this webpage. Well, normally the club wouldn't hire a schoolgirl, right?"

Honoko-chan smiled mischievously.

"Wouldn't it be bad if it was reported? After all, Yoru is pretty and popular with the customers, and if you think about it, hiring her at the bar counter is a little..."

"So basically, we're taking her home. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Koga-kun stepped into the bar and took my hand.

Masashi extended his hand to me as well.

"Wa-wait Yoru! Where are you going?! You're already attracting customers! Damn it, don't mess with me!"

Koga-kun dismissed him hand and glared at him with a sharp look.

"Don't touch our friend!"

Since my age was already known to the customers, Masashi didn't insist on holding me back.

They pulled my hand out of the dark basement bar and into a brighter place.

I was confused about what was happening.

"Why are you all here?"

That was the first thing that came out of my mouth.

"Why did you all come here? You had to do all that to force me out."

Then Koga-kun shyly scratched his nose.

"The thing is, I want to see fireflies with everyone."

"Huh?

Then everyone hurriedly unlocked their bikes, which were parked by the side of the road.

"Ahaha... I'm sorry, Yoru. I had suggested that we go as a foursome without you, but Koga-kun insisted that we go as a foursome."

"Yoru, it may be inconvenient for you, but I don't think it's good for a high school student to work in a place like this."

"Don't get angry, Narushima. You're the one to blame this time."

"No, wait a minute.

"Instead, we've been waiting under your apartment for a while now."

Koga-kun said while sulking.

"Actually, I wanted to take Narushima-san before she left for work, but it seems like you left early this time, right? So I followed you all the way to your place of work."

It's true that I left the apartment early today and spent my time outside until my work time arrived.

The problem is that otherwise, Koga-kun would really come to my apartment, and he would definitely force me to come with him.

But who would have thought he would do something like that?

I didn't expect him to follow me all the way to my workplace, which is far from my home, and then force me to go with him.

It's true that it's a job I shouldn't be doing, but what if I'm at work?

Besides, the reason you took me away from my job,

is because you want us to watch fireflies together? That reason of yours──is really childish.

"Hey, hurry up, Narushima-san! We're running out of time. If you want to hit me, hit me later!"

"But... those fireflies... even if it's not today..."

"If we don't go today, the next day when we can all go together is too long! And by then the fireflies will be gone!"

Even though she said that, it's already 7 p.m.

The fireflies will be out by 9 p.m. at the latest. Even if we leave now, we won't make it.

You see, to get there, you have to climb the mountain by bicycle.

"I didn't bring my bike..."

Actually, I was going to borrow my father's bike, but now I don't have time to take it with me.

Then Koga-kun proudly patted the hood of his bike.

"That's right, Narushima-san. You'll ride the bike with me. I'll pedal as hard as I can!"

"Huh? That's too crazy! There's no way we can climb a mountain together..."

"Don't worry."

Koga-kun laughed proudly.

"My Extra Neo Junya is already equipped with gear teeth."