Volume 1 - CH 37

Sitting on the sofa, looking at Himekawa, I told her clearly.

I will take responsibility for Himekawa and let her stay at the boarding house.

I may be inexperienced and unreliable, but I will take responsibility as a caretaker and support Himekawa.

My grades dropped because I stayed at the boarding house! I won’t let that happen

And the food is the most important thing.

I need to think about well-balanced meals that are enjoyable to eat.

Since I have been on my own up until now, I have tended to be somewhat careless, but I will be more careful now.

Himekawa is a girl, so if she eats the same menu as I do, the balance will probably be bad.

We have to be careful about vegetables, fruits, and the oil we use.

There may be more to do than you think.

But I have to do it for my own sake as well as to have Yuzo-san take it back.

“Don’t worry. Even if anything happens, I’ll take full responsibility for it.”

With a serious face, I tell Himekawa my intention.

As usual, Himekawa remains frozen and refuses to move. What’s wrong? Sasakama doesn’t taste good?

“I, I am…!”

As soon as she shouted, the sofa sank down with a mighty thud, as if her legs were straining.

Himekawa, who was sitting next to me, jumped into my chest. With a sasakama in one hand.

Calm down, me. This is an accident.

But I see Himekawa’s face in my chest. The scent of soap wafting from her hair hits me.

And above all, I feel a soft touch on my stomach. This is that, isn’t it?

Himekawa looks up in a panic.

Her face is redder than before, and even her ears are red.

“I’m sorry!”

I was shocked, but I felt the urge to do something in response.

I have to get out of this situation as soon as possible. I have to get away from Himekawa somehow.

It’s late, I’m going to take a bath soon and go to bed for the rest of the day. I’m tired of everything.

I grab Himekawa’s shoulder with one hand and raise her body.

It is lighter than I thought. Himekawa got up and sat back down on the sofa.

“Oh, thanks. Sorry, did it hurt?”

“I’m fine. But be careful. You almost dropped the sasakama.”

I put on the mask of a gentleman to camouflage my upset.

My heart is beating fast and maybe my back is even sweating a little bit.

Himekawa gets up and is about to leave the room.

“I’m going to take a bath and go to bed. I’m a little tired.”

“Yes, I’m tired, too. Let me know when you get out of the bath. I’m going to take a bath and go to bed.”

Himekawa opened the living room door and left the room.

“Please take responsibility.”

It was a small voice and somewhat through the door, but it certainly sounded that way.

Shortly thereafter, the door was closed and the sound of someone running up the stairs could be heard.

Responsibility. ……. I don’t know how much I can do.

I’m not even sure what I have to do now.

The plan was to prepare for about a year and then look for someone to stay with me, but the schedule has shifted a bit.

Well, it’s an advantage to be early and to have found a tenant, but I’m not prepared enough myself.

However, I am overwhelmingly lacking in preparation. Let’s have Himekawa put up with it and rely on her parents.

The promise to my father. I’ll clear it before I graduate from high school, and no matter what it takes, I’ll make it…

Lying on the sofa with a sasakama in my hand, I think about the future.

It’s painful. Something is in my mouth.

What is this feeling? I can’t breathe. What in the world is happening…

My blurry vision gradually became clearer.

In front of me is Himekawa in her pajamas with a towel wrapped around her head.

She is looking into my face at a very close distance.

Oh, I can smell the scent of soap…

Then my brain gradually awakens and I begin to assess the situation.

Me lying on the sofa. Himekawa after taking a bath.

And the sasakama in my mouth. Why the sasakama?

“Did you wake up?”

Himekawa holds out her hand to me.

I take her hand, get up from the sofa, and start eating the fish paste in my mouth.

“I’m awake.”

The sasakama passed down my throat. Finally, I am able to breathe normally and my pronunciation is back to normal.

“What are you doing?”

Himekawa sits next to me, holding a glass of milk in her hand.

“I just got out of the bath and came to call for you, but you didn’t respond. I found Tendo-kun sleeping on the sofa, so I put a piece of sasakama I had in my hand in his mouth.”

Himekawa replies with a smile. I was thrilled to see Himekawa after taking a bath and drinking milk, but gradually I have developed a tolerance for it.

I am not as upset as I was on the first day. I’m growing up.

“Wake me up normally. You’ll suffocate me.”

“Don’t worry. The sasakama won’t kill you. Your bath is ready.”

“Thanks. I’m going to take a bath, too.”

Leaving Himekawa on the sofa, he headed for the bathroom.

Finally, the day is over. It was a long day.

In the past few days, I met my father, whom I hadn’t seen for a while and Himekawa’s father.

And now we have a new resident in our house. This is an opportunity for me.

A chance to do what I can’t do, to know what I don’t know.

Let’s gain experience and raise the bar.

The next morning, we get up as usual and run together before preparing breakfast.

Today’s breakfast is sasakama.

After a simple cooking and eating session, it is time for Himekawa to leave for school.

“I’ll leave first, then. I’m off.”

“Oh. Take care. See you later.”

A casual conversation. But it is the kind of conversation that makes me feel fresh and smiling.

If every day was like this, would it become the norm?

Thinking about this, I get ready for school.

I think I’m going to school too.

All right, let’s go for another day!

I suddenly think. I have never left home with such a thought in my mind before.

I am sure this change is due to Himekawa’s influence.

I am sure I will change in the future.

I am sure I will grow.

I closed the front door and started walking toward the station.