CH 9

…… I really want to die.

I have been thinking about it so earnestly.

In Japan, where the suicide rate is so high, I think it’s really unscruplous, but for this one time, please forgive me.

Currently we were sitting in a stylish cafe. In the background soothing music was being played which was extremely pleasant to the ears, looking around I noticed that nearly 90% of the customers are past the age of 40.

I was sipping on cream soda through a straw on a table which was located in the middle of the cafe, and with me was Sakuramiya-sensei and Shi-chan. 

Naturally, I was getting a lot of stares from the people around me. They would say things like, ‘You did it well’, ‘I was the same in the past’, ‘It’s refreshing’. In the end there were many people who mistook us as couples.

Sakuramiya-sensei was taking pictures with trembling hands. Even though my face was bright red due to embarrassment I still awkwardly laughed while pointing my face at the camera lens.

And so, after a hellishly long minute (it took so long because Sensei’s hands were shaking so much that most of the pictures were blurry), I sighed heavily. I never want to do this again.

“Hmm, the pictures are not bad at all, you will be able to deceive them properly with this.”

Shi-chan was holding Sakuramiya-sensei’s phone with both hands and looking at the pictures with a satisfied and happy expression on her face, right now she was grading them on her own.

“I’m sorry, Segawa-kun……”

“Don’t worry about it now. I can handle this much.”

“Well, Segawa, you seem to have a lot of experience in love.”

“No, I don’t.”

I was contemplating what part of me justified that I was experienced in love life.

“Ah, that’s right…… Shi-chan would you like to take another drink.”

“Is it really okay?”

“Of course. Because we drank half of the drink you ordered.”

Sakuramiya-sensei called the waiter and ordered another set of drinks. I was relieved that I had finished taking pictures for the time being, but I also felt a heavy weight on my shoulders, thinking that this was not the end.

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When I tried to pay for the bill, Sakuramiya-sensei denied saying that it was her treat and in the first place she was the one who got me in all the mess she created. But that sounded more of an excuse.

Perhaps she was feeling a little bit guilty about today’s date. Students are not allowed to get much allowance these days so they can certainly not pay such costly bills on a regular basis. Thinking so, I also wanted to indulge in the good intentions of Adults.

After that we took various pictures in different places, such as holding hands, sometimes snuggling close to each other, and trying different poses. Each time, Shi-chan gave us guidance on how to pose and make expressions… I think we might have ended up with closer to a degree of high perfection.

It was really hard and mentally taxing work. We took dozens of pictures, so I’m sure Sakuramiya-sensei’s mother will be satisfied now. No, she will definitely be convinced now.

Thus, the date finally came to an end.

Forgetting about the pictures for the moment, we were in the children’s clothing department.

It seems that Sensei’s desire to pay tribute to Shi-chan had been stirred up throughout the day, so she decided to buy her some cute clothes.

Now, the two of them are getting along well and having fun picking out clothes.

I’m not interested in fashion, so I didn’t participate in the clothing selection, but instead sat on a bench nearby to relax after a long day of walking.

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Ah, I’m really tired….

My body was aching all over due to pain because I carried Shi-chan on my shoulders all the way to the home. 

While feeling the hellish pain coursing through my body I was leaning on the sofa and tapping on my phone.

And after spending about an hour on the Internet…

“Look at this. Minato-nii, Yumi-nee brought me all of this.”

She showed me a bag of clothes in which there were clothes which Sensei bought for her. Seeing her adorable gestures I patted her head

“Ah, didn’t you buy too much?”

“Haha……. Well Yumi-nee said I looked good in all of them, so she bought all of it for me.”

“Well, that’s certainly true, but that is a little too much. We can’t even return it back.”

I think she must have spent tens of thousands of Yen. She bought too many clothes for her. 

I was certainly taken aback because at first I thought she would buy her only one or two, but their buying spree didn’t stop until Sensei was satisfied. As expected from someone of a wealthy family, she certainly has lots of money to spend.

When I questioned her about it she only replied…

“I’m fine. This is my way of thanking Shi-chan. In fact, she was a really big help for me. Without her, we wouldn’t have succeeded in our true purpose of coming on this date.”

I have to admit it. Without Shi-chan, we would have just taken a picture of the two of us without any emotions in it. It would have been impossible to make it look like we are certainly lovers.

“If that’s the case then we will gladly receive it.”

“Thank you.”

“No, well, it’s the opposite, thank you very much.”

I received paper bags of clothes from Sakuramiya-sensei.

Shi-chan also handed me the ones she was carrying. In the end it looks like I will have to carry all the luggage.

“Ah, listen to me more than that, the clerk misunderstood that I am Shi-chan’s mother.”

“Is that so?”

Considering the age of Sakuramiya-sensei she can certainly be mistaken as Shi-chan’s mother.

If I had been there, I wonder how it would have been interpreted. I was a little concerned.

Sometimes I’m reminded that I’ve already reached that age before I knew it. I guess you could call it a feeling of being late.

“Can you please stop saying things that make it hard for me to react?”

“It’s self-deprecation, so smile. You can’t be like me, can you?”

“I’m not really interested in getting married. I’m probably going to be single for the rest of my life.”

“You sometimes say such cold words.”

‘I think there are quite a lot of people like me who think that marriages are not at all beneficial.”

“Haha~ You’re quite realistic aren’t you?”

“Aren’t you the same as me, Sakuramiya-sensei?”

“Eh, me?”

It was a little surprising for Sensei.

She is currently under the pressure of her family to get married as soon as possible. Even though she has very little desire to get married to someone.

“Someone whom I would like to marry, huh…. Well, that is certainly right.”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to find someone you like. You still have a deadline, so do your best.”

“Un, that’s right… I’ll do my best.”

If I continue as Sakuramiya-sensei fiancée, she will have ten months to find a marriage partner.  And if she fails this task, then this cooperation will be meaningless.

“Hey, hey Yumi-nee, let’s go eat takoyaki.”

(TL/N : Takoyaki = a Japanese snack of savory ball-shaped cakes containing chopped octopus, made from wheat batter cooked on a specially shaped griddle.)

When the conversation was over, Shi-chan tugged on Sakuramiya-sensei’s sleeve in an excited voice.

“Sure. Let’s go eat some.”

Sakuramiya-sensei smiled softly and agreed, then looked at the store map pasted on the nearby wall. She is really spoiling Shi-chan too much…. Well, if she has her own child someday, she will surely dote on it too much.

And while I was pondering my thoughts, Shi-chan came near me and gestured to lend her my ear.

“Shiina thinks Minato-nii and Yumi-nee are in love….”

“W–Wh–……What are you saying?”

Instinctively, I let out a bewildered voice..

What is this little girl saying all of a sudden? And there is no basis for it at all.

“It looks like the shop is on the first floor. Let’s go, Shi-chan. Segawa-kun, too.”

Sakuramiya-sensi, who had found the takoyaki stand, led us the way to the destination. 

Shi-chan followed her while jumping excitedly.

Sensei and I are a good match, huh… No no what am I even thinking!

I tried to imagine it for a little, but I immediately shook my head. I’m not sure if Sakuramiya-sensei would see me as a romantic interest. It would be troublesome if that happened.

Damn, I’m kind of out of my mind.

While scratching my cheeks and contemplating my thoughts, I followed a few steps behind the pair.