Volume 1 - CH 14

With luggage in hand, we return to the station where the boarding house is located.

Himekawa is silent the whole way and has not spoken a word since leaving the apartment.

Is she worried about what I said?　Or is she angry?

Considering her feelings, I was at a loss for words and could not speak to her.

I haven’t decided what to do about the man I saw earlier either.

Should I tell the police? A teacher? No, but the school has nothing to do with it.

And City Halls are not open on Saturdays and Sundays. Are they really the enemy in the first place?

I told Himekawa earlier that he might be an enemy, but I could be wrong.

I walk toward the shopping district, thinking alone about the inconclusive issue.

Himekawa follows me silently.

“Oh, Tsukasa! You’re with her today! How about this radish! I’ll give you a discount!”

The man who spoke to me, without thinking about me, was a grocery store owner.

I always buy vegetables from him, and his voice is the loudest in the shopping arcade.

Thanks to him, the people from the next store came out from the back and surrounded me in no time.

“No, no! She’s not my girlfriend! We’re not even dating yet!”

“What is it, Tsukasa? “Not yet’ means you’ll go out with her eventually!”

The lady at the butcher’s shop was the one who teased me.

The meat of this place is also excellent, but that’s not the point now.

“No, no! No, I don’t! We’re just classmates, and we have no plans to hook up!”

My shouts didn’t reach anyone, and everyone in the shopping district flocked to Himekawa who was behind me, as I was left somewhat unattended.

Ah, I can’t see Himekawa. I mean, where in the world did all these people come from?

“Tsukasa-chan is a little blunt, but he’s a good boy!　My auntie will vouch for me!”

“Yeah, yeah, he’s always haggling, and we’re always getting the short end of the stick, but he’s a good guy!”

“So, when are you going to start dating?”

While such endless talking was going on, no one was listening to me or my voice, but concentrated their fire on Himekawa.

Come on, listen to me!

“Himekawa!　Let’s get out of here!”

I grab Himekawa’s hand and lead her out of the crowd.

From the back of the room, people are yapping at me, saying things like, “It’s great to be young!

What a disaster. No menchi-katsu today!

As we hurried away, we were completely away from the shopping district and the area became a quiet residential area.

As I walk, I see a park.

“Himekawa, let’s take a break”

I entered the park and was about to sit down on a bench when Himekawa spoke up after a long time.

“My hand, how long are you going to hold it?”

Suddenly I realize and check my hand.

There is a slender girl’s hand there. Himekawa’s hand, firmly grasped, enters my eyes.

I think about it for a few seconds, and then I think, “I can’t just leave it like this”. I come to an answer.

I hastily let go of Himekawa’s hand.

I’ve done it. But girls’ hands are small and soft, aren’t they?

“I’m sorry about all the running around”

I put the bag on the bench and sit down.

Himekawa leaves the place in silence.

I guess she got mad at me.

I look up at the sky alone and stare at the clouds.

Relationships, lovers, it’s just a game between a man and a woman who are in love with each other, right?

I don’t know what kind of person would seriously devote their life to such a love. After all, love is a game.

Suddenly, Himekawa appears in front of me.

Then, she pressed something cold against my cheek.

“That’s cold!”

I was startled and looked in front of me.

There stood Himekawa, holding two cans of juice.

“I’m suddenly running as fast as I can, and I can’t even speak. Yes, let’s drink some of this and rest a little”

The juice offered to me was from the vending machines in the park.

Did you go to buy this?

“Thanks”

I say thank you to Himekawa.

“It’s no big deal. I just wanted a drink”

Himekawa speaks in a strange tone. What’s with that tone?

“Fufu~. Imitating Tendo-kun”

Himekawa, who is talking to me with a slight smile on her face, has a very different expression than she did a moment ago.

“What’s that?”

I open the lid of my drink and start drinking.

Sports drink is good after a run. [TLN: Raws said sports drinks even though lines before this one mentioned juice instead]

“I am the one who should thank you Thank you”

Himekawa also drinks her juice.

The way she drinks is strangely sexy and makes me nervous.

I see children playing on a slide in the park.

Next to them are their father and mother. The child innocently slides down the slide again and again.

The smiling child’s parents must be happy.

Can Himekawa be happy, let alone me?

Three years of high school, three years that will surely have an impact on your life, no doubt.

I have a home to go back to and parents to talk to.

My juices ran empty as I wished for Himekawa to have a place to return to and a happy family.

Is Himekawa’s heart empty now? Will that heart ever be filled someday?

I take my bags and hold out my hand to Himekawa.

“Come on, let’s get going”

I hit a problem for which I have no answer.

But we cannot stop in front of that wall.

We have to keep moving forward, searching, and coming up with answers.

Let’s move on. A little further.

“Yes, I do. Thanks to Tendo-kun, we don’t have enough daily necessities. I have to go shopping”

“I’m sorry about that”

“I’m sorry. So please come shopping with me”

Himekawa takes my hand and stands up.

I wondered if she had found her own path, or if she had grasped an opportunity to pursue something.

With some relief, I took Himekawa’s hand, helped her to her feet, and left the park.