Volume 1 - CH 60

With Himekawa’s photo in front of me, I was a bit annoyed.

Hoping to somehow retrieve the photo, I asked Takayama in the ear if I could get a hold of it.

Takayama looked at me with a grin and winked silently.

I thought it was a little creepy, but I decided to keep quiet about it.

“Okay, I won’t join your fan club, but I’ll take the picture. Then I’ll give you a little information about Nadeshiko, what do you want to know?”

“What do we want to know? I’d like to know what she likes to cook!”

“I want to know what type of man she likes!”

“I want to know her birthday!”

“I want to know her three sizes!” 

Let’s pretend I didn’t hear the last one.

“I’ll give you as much information as I can. In exchange, You’ll give me that picture.”

“Very well. I will give you all these photos.”

Smiling, the man handed the photos to Takayama.

Is it really okay to hand over all of those photographs?

“Is it okay if I give them to you so easily?”

“It’s okay, We still have the original data.”

I screwed up! Even if I get the photos here, what’s the point if the original data is still there?

“I guess we have a deal. And, if possible, please don’t show these revealing photos. The person in question will be hurt.”

Takayama-san. Did you read my mind, by any chance?

Like the handwriting thing, it’s a little scary, isn’t it?

“I understand. I will consider it.”

“Then I’m going home. I’ll call you when I have more information.”

“Yes. Just as you say.”

The club members kept their heads down. They kept their heads down until we left.

Maybe he’s quite a gentleman?

“All right, Tendo. Let’s go home.”

“Yeah, sure. Let’s go home.”

We went out the main gate and walked back to the station together.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I’m going home with Takayama.

“I’m leaving now. I’ll give you this.”

Takayama puts something in my pocket. I touched it and found it was a photograph.

“I didn’t think Tendo would want a picture of the Nadeshiko. It was a bit unexpected, wasn’t it?”

“I don’t really want it. I’m just curious to see a photo of my classmate circulating around.”

“Oh, really? I’ll leave it at that, then. Let’s ask him about Nadeshiko later.”

“I guess so. Well, it doesn’t have to be right now, right?”

“Ah, we have a mission to accomplish right now. We’ll ask him after that mission is accomplished.”

We left the ticket gate to go home with each other, exchanging such conversation.

It was a little late on the way home. I feel like I’ve been busy these days.

—

I should be the first to arrive home, but somehow the door is already unlocked and the lights are on at home.

Himekawa is probably still working part-time. Who is it? Is it my father? But when I look at my phone, there is no sign of any contact.

I slowly open the front door and check inside.

There are no shoes. But there is a sound coming from the kitchen.

Is it a thief? I start walking slowly toward the kitchen, armed with an umbrella so as not to make a sound.

And when I opened the kitchen door, I saw a woman wearing an apron standing there.

I remember seeing something about thieves these days cooking meals in the house they enter to fill their bellies.

“Who is it?”

I fearfully call out to the woman in the kitchen.

When I looked back at the woman’s face, I dropped the umbrella in my hand to the floor.

Then, the woman comes running toward me and hugs me.

She is a little shorter than me. I know this woman well.

“Tsukasa! You’re late! What are you doing here so late! I’ve been waiting for you for a long time!

A woman hugs me and rubs my face.

“What are you doing here?”

I tried to treat her coldly, but she quickly pulled away from me and went back into the kitchen.

“Oh my, you’re so cold. I haven’t seen you for a long time.”

“I’ve always been like this. What are you doing here?”

“Don’t be so angry. I came here to cook for you.”

The way she puffed up her cheeks made her look a lot younger than she really is.

I’m old enough to know better, so don’t act like that.

“I can cook for myself. What are you really doing here?”

“Well, well, don’t be in such a hurry. I was just trying to help you eat all the cabbage in the fridge. Don’t overbuy.”

“I’m tired. Please do as you please.”

I put my umbrella back in the doorway, threw my bag in my room, and changed my clothes while stunned by the winking look on her face.

“Oh, I’ll dry your uniforms, take them to the laundry room! You haven’t washed them in a while anyway.”

Oh, it’s so noisy. Why do you always do this?

“Okay, okay. I’ll take it now.”

I threw the uniforms I had taken off into the basket in the laundry room.

I cooked in the kitchen while humming a tune, and after a while, I heard the sound of the washing machine spinning.

As usual, she works fast. It was running smoothly and without waste.

—rattle—rattle—rattle

“I’m home.”

I heard the front door open. It seemed that Himekawa had returned home, though a little earlier than usual.

When I went to pick him up at the door, he was already standing in the kitchen, but he was gone. What a quick movement.

“Welcome home.”

“Who are you?”

“Oh, it’s nice to meet you!”

I ran toward the front door in a hurry.

They had never met each other before. It was better for me to step in between the two of them.

The two were already facing each other at the entrance.

For some reason, I thought I saw a dark aura behind Himekawa. And as soon as her eyes met mine, she glared at me.

Her face is still smiling, but her eyes are not. This is a pretty dangerous situation, isn’t it?

“Tendo kun. Who is this cute lady over here?”

Himekawa’s statement is scary.

“Oh, I’m cute. I’m so embarrassed.”

A smiling woman and a girl with a Hannya mask on. [TLN: It’s a devil mask]

The two people with opposite expressions are right in front of me.

Perhaps I picked the wrong time to leave?

“I’m not sure, but since we’re at the entrance, why don’t we go to the living room? Ladies and gentlemen.”

I’m not sure why I’m not sitting down, now that I’ve taken on a more polite tone.

And even on the way to the living room, the look in Himekawa’s eyes that was creeping up my back hurt me.

I’ll explain everything properly!