Volume 1 - CH 9

Volume 1, Chapter 9: Is It Possible To Fix A Bike Chain In A Cool Manner?

Stop by the supermarket

Proceed with club activities

→ Go straight home

After mother finally released me, I wanted to stop by the supermarket to buy stuff for dinner, so Koudzuki-san drove me there on our way home.

It seemed that all that was just because my mother wanted to see how I was doing, and after that kabe-don practice, we left after some small talk.

But it really was a good thing for me to tell my mother about my plans. I didn't even have a part-time job, so when I did need to spend in the future...I would have to ask mother for help.

Well, it wasn't that my living allowances wasn't enough...but if my girlfriend ever asked me out to go to an amusement park, I'd have to take her there at any cost.

"What am I even thinking about when I don't even have a girlfriend..."

I didn't have a girlfriend, or even a female friend for that matter. There were girls I met recently, those who were interested in me, and those who took notice of my changes, but none of them had a deeper relationship with me.

In the first place, I didn't know why, but I found myself having thoughts like, "I'm not ready for a relationship, yet.”

I should think about this matter after I do get a girlfriend. While having such thoughts, I bought dinner and snacks then left the supermarket.

It was when I was leaving and passed by the bicycle parking lot on the side.

I saw a girl with a familiar hair color crouching down to check on her bicycle.

Her flaxen hair glistened beautifully under the light from the street lamps. When I secretly peeked at her from a distance, I recognized that it was Azumi Reika.

Azumi was still tinkering with her bicycle with a somewhat resigned look on her face. Her bicycle's basket seemed to contain a shopping bag, so it looked like she bought stuff at the same supermarket as me.

"What's wrong Azumi, is everything okay?"

"Eh..."

To avoid startling her, I purposely made my footsteps loud and called out to her a bit farther away.

I stared at Azumi who turned around at my voice, made eye contact, and slowly approached her.

"...Jimichi, right? Same class with Susumu."

"Yeah. How did you know my name?"

It was a bit depressing to say it myself, but how many girls even knew of my name?

"I found out today, from all that fuss earlier."

"So only recently..."

In other words, she didn't even know my name until a while ago. Well, maybe some of my classmates didn't know me, either.

”So, what's up? Do you have a stomach ache? I've got some medicine for that, also for headaches, colds, along with compresses and bandages..."

"It's not that! My bike chain came off! What are you, some kind of walking pharmacy?!"

Her strong tone was perfect for the sharp-eyed Azumi.

Either way, even if I was like this, I was still the next president of Earth Road Pharmaceuticals. In my backpack, rather than textbooks, I had a variety of medicine instead.

I had been told to use it in case something happened to me or my friends, but I rarely had the chance to do so.

When I was in junior high, I used to distribute over-the-counter drugs as some sort of marketing promotion, and it earned me the nicknames "Mad Scientist" and "Drug Kid".

"I'm just joking. Here."

"W-what's this? A compress..?"

"Wet wipes. You've got grease on your face, don't you? It's ruining your cute face."

"...You say a lot of outrageous things."

With an exasperated look on her face, Azumi took the wet wipes and began wiping down her face and hands.

She was used to being called cute, so she didn't seem particularly upset nor embarrassed.

I decided to take a look at her bike while she was cleaning up.

"This...why can't all problems just be solved by medicine..."

"Medicines don't work on bikes..."

"A certain senpai believes it works on computers, you know?"

"H-huh? What are you talking about?"

It would be nice if I could fix this chain and exit off in a cool way right after, but a repair like this usually took a long time.

I brought this on to myself. I guess girls would get attracted to guys who were good at this kind of thing. Although I did regret learning this.

"...There. It's fixed now."

"Thanks. It took you a while, though...pfft."

What was with this girl, laughing at me who was working hard all this time.

Still, this was too much for me. That smirking face, it was too cute.

"Pfft...ahahaha! You, take a look at your face."

I looked at the hand mirror Azumi held out to me, and I saw a handsome guy wrinkling his eyebrows, with bike grease all over his face.

Apparently, Azumi was laughing because of this. This silly, greasy and greasy appearance was wildly different from Azumi's cute expression..

"...I'll take this as a scar of honor."

"I've never seen such a dumb battle scar. Jeez~, stop making me laugh."

I seemed to have hit her funny bone. She continued laughing until I was done wiping my face.

Soon after, Azumi was finally done laughing and I finished tidying up my face and hands, and then we introduced ourselves again.

"I know it's late, but I'm Azumi Reika. You know me, right?"

"Of course? Especially someone this cute."

"...Really, you're so pretentious! Completely different from that guy."

I had a pretty good guess as to who might that guy be, but I didn't dare point it out.

"I'm Jimichi Ikuto. You know me, right? From earlier."

"The way you talk is so unbearable..."

Azumi glared at me, but it was payback for her laughing at me.

"But really, thanks! I was saved thanks to you."

"You're welcome —— leaving already? Would you like me to take you home?"

"I'm fine, I live close. Thanks."

"I see —— see you later then, Azumi."

"Yeah. Bye, Jimichi."

We waved goodbye to each other and I parted with Azumi.

I kept staring at Azumi until I couldn't anymore at the turn, then I thought to myself again.

"She's really cute, isn't she."

My hands smelled of grease and it was uncomfortable, but I was feeling satisfied right now, and I headed home, too.