Volume 1 - CH 1.3

Shino grinned at the meekly apologizing Sandai.

“Whoah you apologized? Could this be my win?”

“I don’t think it’s about winning or losing… but right, let’s say it’s your win.”

“Fufuh… But well, the impression you’ve got isn’t actually that wrong, though. There are lots of girls who can’t do houseworks as a whole like this, you know? I guess you can figure it out pretty easily if you look at their fingernails.”

“Nails…?”

“My nails. They’re normal, right?” Shino’s nails were indeed normal, but not quite getting its connection with houseworks, Sandai tilted his head. “Have you ever seen a girl with flashy nails? Like drawing flowers, sparkles, and stuff.”

“…Now that you mentioned it, I think some are like that.”

“Manicures do look pretty, but like the color or lamé might get transferred when cooking or doing laundry. That’s why I guess girls who do housework tend to be more reserved. Well I guess there are also girls who do it without caring, and not having manicures doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t do housework… but it’s the tendency, I think?”

“I see.” Sandai nodded as he could understand Shino’s explanation.

“So… My home doesn’t have a lot of money, and I help out with houseworks including taking care of my little sister when I have time, and I also have a part-time job so that I can have some money to use freely on my own, but my workplace is a cafe with foods and drinks, so I can’t and don’t do anything with my nails.”

“…Hearing that kind of story sure is changing my impression of you.”

“Oh really?”

“You’re starting to look like a girl who got it together.”

“Thanks! When I’m talking to you, somehow it’s becoming fun for me. It’s strange,” said Shino— the next moment, a prickling pain ran through Sandai’s chest.

Sandai suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed for having arbitrarily distanced himself from her, thinking not interacting was only natural in their relationship.

Shino must have wanted to have a conversation exactly like this now; in short, she had just wanted to interact with him normally.

He’d been refusing such a simple thing.

Once he realized it, he felt guilty.

“…What’s wrong, Fujiwara? You look like you’re in a lot of pain. Your belly hurts or something?”

“Nah, nothing like that. Right, I’ll help with the washing. Please let me do it, too.”

That was an offer that, in Sandai’s own way, was also meant as atonement.

However, Shino’s face turned bright red, and she waved both her hands exaggeratedly telling him no.

“It-It’s fine, you don’t need to help. It’s all right!”

“C’mon, don’t be so reserved. Just maybe, but hand-washing takes quite a bit of strength, right? As a man I can be of—”

“—I’m saying it’s fine!” Shino roared. Sandai took a step back with a start. He hadn’t expected to be refused so adamantly.

“T-The heck… So you don’t like me so much…?”

“I don’t… mean that.”

“Eh?”

“I mean…I’m also washing my… wear, too.”

“…I can’t hear you clearly, though.”

“I-I was also washing underwear along with it, so… no…”

On a closer look at the inside of the bucket, he could see something reddish under the bubbles. The uniform wasn’t that color, so in other words: underwear.

Speaking of which, Shino had been drenched when she’d shown up. Of course her underwear would’ve been wet, too.

Not realizing that a little thinking would’ve been enough to figure it out, Sandai’s face turned as red as Shino’s in embarrassment at having seen her underwear, albeit accidentally.

“I-I see… So you’ve been washing underwear, too…”

“Yep… I was washing it…”

Unable to fully endure the strange, awfully hard to describe mood, Sandai turned around, hurriedly left to scurry away into the living room, sat on the sofa, and distracted himself by watching the continuation of the typhoon coverage coming from the TV.

‘…The typhoon has made landfall as it remains to move slowly, and the rainstorm is expected to continue until early morning. The Meteorological Agency and the electric power company in charge has issued advice to take extra precaution against power outages and so forth as lightning strikes have been confirmed in some areas.’

Listening to the news presenter giving information about the current typhoon was gradually making his bashfulness fading. When hearing a serious talk, his excitement was surprisingly subsiding.

However, while Sandai had calmed down, Shino was still blushing when she came back after finishing washing a little while later.

“Done with the washing?”

“…Yeah.”

“I see.”

“…This is gonna be an after-the-fact report, but I found a drying machine so I used it. Sorry.”

“Drying machine? Oh sure, you can just use it.”

“Thanks… I mean, it’s amazing to have a drying machine at home. That’s gotta be expensive, right?”

“I wonder about that. I don’t know if it’s expensive or cheap. It was something that had been fitted out since the beginning. More importantly, what did you do with the uniform after drying it?”

“I straightened it out so it doesn’t lose its shape, and then hung it there.” Shino pointed towards a slightly protruding edge in the corner of the room. It was hung there with the hanger smoothly hooked to it.

There was an indoor drying space, so there was no need to hang it in such a place, however…

“You don’t have to hang it—”

And there Sandai noticed Shino was hanging her head down and bashfully pouting her lips, and guessed the reason why she’d gone out of her way to hang it in the corner.

Because there was also underwear, Shino had purposefully chosen a place where it wouldn’t come into Sandai’s view as much as possible. That’s how it was.

“—Actually, right, that might be the best place instead. It’s unexpectedly near the AC. It’s possible it could still be a little wet no matter how much you used the drying machine. Machines aren’t flawless either sometimes. But if you hang it there and put the AC to dehumidify, it will be reassuring in case of something happening.”

Sandai made use of his tact to change the subject and operated the AC. Then Shino patted her chest looking relieved.

Not that he was especially conscious of it, but the conversation stopped there. Only the sound coming from the TV continued to echo in the silent room.

The one who couldn’t stand this somewhat suffocating mood first was Shino. “We’ve got nothing to do and all,” she muttered softly. “Don’t you have anything to play with?”

Sandai lifted an eyebrow and responded. “…I hear you, but it sure is sudden.”

“Anything is fine really. Please.”

“Guess I’ve got no choice… I’m gonna go look for something so just wait.”

Sandai went to rummage through the wardrobe and closet, and found an old game console and games from his childhood. He was looking at it completely covered with dust, and somehow some unpleasant memories were coming back.

It was something he had bought with a vague feeling of wanting to play it together with friends someday, however… he couldn’t make friends.

Since he had always been alone and got no one to play with, he couldn’t get so into video games, and had got more and more into late-night animes, mangas, light novels and such where the content could be enjoyed even alone.

Well, it’s also a waste of time to look back on your own sad past. The past is, after all, the past. No other choice but to come to terms with it, and Sandai did so.

For the time being, Sandai went back to Shino with the game console and a board party video game of his choosing that seemed to be playable with two people.

“I’ve found a video game here.”

“Nice! Then let’s get right to it.”

“For the record, this is a pretty old game console, okay? It doesn’t have pretty visual images or smooth motions like newer ones. Don’t complain, alright?”

“I won’t. So let’s go.”

Sandai was slightly anxious whether she really wouldn’t make a complaint, but that was a groundless fear. When they actually started up the game and began playing, Shino was enjoying it just fine.

The game board continued to progress along with time, and they were approaching the midpoint.

“Hold on, Fujiwara… don’t use the item to steal that you just picked, okay? Looks like it’s stealing at random, but I don’t want to get to be the target.”

“Then just when will it be okay for me to use this item?”

“C’mon, you can just not use it at all.”

“Eeeh…?”

“By the way, aren’t the NPCs kinda too tough?”

“It’s set to the weakest setting just in case, but right, somehow they sure are tough, huh.”

The setting was set to be ‘Easy’ so that even two beginners could enjoy the game, but for some reason, the NPCs were blasting away and taking over the top spot. The NPCs were always in first place even in the mini-games played along the way.

“C’mon, let’s restart from the beginning.”

“…Right. Then let’s restart.”

Since it certainly wouldn’t be fun to continue as it was, Sandai decided to restart from the beginning like Shino was telling him.

Then, this time, the NPCs became dramatically weaker.

The earlier one probably had been a bug or something, and when the game progressed to the midpoint again, Shino was first place this time. And Sandai was in third place and normal placement.

“We’re about to enter the second half, and I’m already so far ahead. I guess this is my win~.”

“Next is my turn, huh…”

“Isn’t it a bit tough for a comeback from there? How unfortunate of you~.”

Despite being riled up by the triumphant Shino, Sandai calmly rolled the dice and picked up a strange box on the tile he’d advanced to. He pressed ‘Yes’ on the ‘Do you want to open it?’ popup, and an item that would allow fellow players to swap places appeared.

“Whoa this one is…”

He checked on Shino with a glance, and her composed expression was making a 180. She seemed to be shuddering at the unforeseen item; going “Awawawa” with both hands on her mouth.

“Y-You won’t use it… right?”

“Ah… Well, I don’t really care about winning or losing anyway.”

“Thank god…”

“Though, now that I’ve got it it’s a waste to not use it, isn’t it? You’re telling me not to use the item, but y’know, it’s no fun for me if I just accept it as is.” With that said, Sandai pressed the button and used the item. The result: he swapped places with Shino and jumped to first place.

“Y-You liar~!”

“I never lied.”

“But you said you wouldn’t use it! You don’t care about winning or losing, don’t you?”

“I certainly said ‘I don’t care about winning or losing,’ but I never said ‘I won’t use it,’ not even once. Don’t just wilfully go make any weird interpretation.”

Now on the verge of tears, Shino was hitting his shoulder, pomf pomf. Sandai couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her being so serious about a mere game.

And then—

A lightning struck nearby in the next instant, and all electricity was cut. Both Sandai and Shino opened their eyes wide in surprise at the sudden event.

“A lightning struck… and it got all dark.”

“Must be a power outage.”

“I just hope it gets restored soon.”

“I do think ‘soon’ is far-fetched. The storm was crazy, and I suppose it wouldn’t be easy to do repair work.”

“…Even though we were in the middle of a game.”

They were only able to see faintly in the total darkness, nevertheless, Sandai could still somehow tell that Shino was puffing up her cheeks.

Shino seemed to want to play a bit longer, but a power outage was an accident beyond his control. He would have to have her give up.

“It was getting pretty late anyway, and it’s time to call it a day even if there wasn’t a power outage. It’s time for most people to hit the bed.”

“I guess it can’t be helped. Aye aye, sir! And so… where do I sleep?”

“You can go ahead and use the bed in my room.”

Sandai didn’t have any reluctance to lend his own room to Shino, a girl. Luckily, he had disposed of all of the physical naughty books, and all he got in his room was the bed, study materials, and then mangas and light novels after all.

And as for the naughty stuff stored in his PC, the PC itself couldn’t be used in the first place because of the power outage. Even if it was normal times, it would always be locked.

To sum it up: as long as no one was not standing behind him while he was in the middle of appreciating lewd stuff, he was usually in a position to be able to stand tall.