CH 22

“I challenge you to a match!”

Translated by Dawn

“I challenge you to a match!”

We were sitting at a hamburger chain restaurant, at a table for four.

I didn’t order anything.

The burgers and fries on the table in front of me were all ordered by Satomi.

Satomi was sitting across from me, enjoying her food to her heart’s content.

By the way, I paid for it. I had no more money left in my pocket.

I was literally penniless. I would probably not be able to catch the train back home.

I would have to walk one station to get home.

…But that’s okay for now.

I had one more question I wanted to ask this girl.

“Hey, Satomi.”

Satomi, who was sipping a Max Shake, turned her face toward me.

“What kind of relationship…do you and Yamamoto have to begin with?”

“…What’s with that all of a sudden? What’s it got to do with you?”

“It does have something to do with me. Satomi, you harassed Mizutani because of your love affair.”

“Love affair…I told you that I didn’t harass her. Even if I did, it has something to do with that thieving cat, but nothing to do with you.”

“What are you talking about? I’m Mizutani’s boyfriend. If that’s the case, harassing Mizutani means that you indirectly harassed me as well.”

“Gross. You guys weren’t even dating at that time.”

“…how would you know. We might have been dating then.”

“No, I know. You two weren’t like a couple at all.”

“….”

Someone noticed it as expected.

It was only a little more than a month since I started talking to Mizutani.

I literally never talked to Mizutani when I was just starting school.

Satomi sighed in front of me in silence.

“Well, fine. I’m just going to tell you something to pass the time. You already know how I feel about him anyway.”

Then Satomi told me roughly the following story.

Satomi and Yamamoto were childhood friends who lived next door to each other.

Yamamoto had been like that since he was little, and Satomi was a quiet kid who followed him around.

Satomi gradually became aware of Yamamoto as the opposite sex.

On the other hand, Yamamoto fell in love only with bright girls who were the center of the class.

So Satomi gradually changed herself.

She wanted to get as close as possible to Yamamoto’s tastes and to make him aware of her.

“…But as soon as he entered high school, he suddenly started chasing after that thieving cat…and I really don’t get it. What about all my efforts up until now!”

Satomi gripped the paper cup containing the Max Shake tightly as if she had become agitated while we were talking. I heard the paper cup make a dent in the cup. There was probably still some left in there.

“I don’t know how you feel, but it’s wrong to hold a grudge against Mizutani for that. You should resent Yamamoto, not Mizutani.”

“Even if you say that I like…Tsuyoshi, and…”

Satomi blushed and turned her head down, muttering to herself.

Such a pain in the ass, this girl.

“Hey, aren’t you being a little harsh!? I really have a lot on my mind, and you don’t have anything to say!?”

Ah, now that she said that. Sorry,  sorry.

*****

The sun was already setting when we left the hamburger chain restaurant.

I spent more than five hours with this girl today.

I’d done my best.

I should buy a Ramune on the way home today. Not a drink, but a snack.

I thought about it, but then I remembered that I was broke…

“…Thanks for today, Aizawa.”

As we were walking toward the station, Satomi muttered something to me.

I thought for a moment that I had misheard her and asked her again just to be sure.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“I said thanks, don’t make me say it twice.”

“…Why?”

“…You listened to my stuff. I feel a little better now.”

“…Ahh, so that’s what you mean.”

I didn’t mean to make me look like I was listening to her.

Well, I was glad to hear she felt better.

My wallet was clean, too, so it was a win-win situation, I guess? (+)

If we had parted at the ticket gate, today’s outcome would have ended well.

However, that was not the case.

Just before I parted from Satomi, I heard a loud voice from the side.

“Wh…why are you with Ayaka…!?”

I had a bad premonition and turned toward the voice, and sure enough, there was a guy with a shaved head.

He was Tsuyoshi Yamamoto. He was the man Satomi had a crush on, and Mizutani’s stalker.

“…why are you here, Tsuyoshi?”

Satomi said, puzzled.

Apparently, Yamamoto’s appearance was unexpected even for her.

“Why…it’s because I had a practice game today at a high school near here…”

After answering in a daze, Yamamoto’s eyes widened as if he had noticed something.

He looked at me and Satomi, alternately comparing our faces.

“No way, does this mean that you…?”

“Wait, wait, wait, it’s not like that. We’re not—”

“If I say it is, what are you going to do about it?”

“….!?!?!?”

Suddenly, Satomi hugged my right arm.

I was so surprised that I could not speak.

“That’s…no way…”

Yamamoto’s face rapidly paled and he took a step or two back.

His lips trembled.

This wasn’t good. If I didn’t clear up the misunderstanding soon, I felt it would be irreversible.

I tried to shake Satomi loose, but she tightened her grip on me like a vise.

Instead, I said, “It’s a misunderstanding! Yamamoto, calm down and listen to me!” I shouted, but it seemed to be in vain.

“Aizawa, you…You are not satisfied with just Mizutani, even Ayaka…”

I thought he clenched his fist, but he immediately loosened it and pointed at me.

“I challenge you to a match! If I win, let Mizutani and Satomi go!” (+)