ch21-ch40 · 038-ch37
Chapter 37: Please!
Coming to school after taking a day off somehow feels weirdly tense.
Especially since this time, I didn't take off because I was sick or anything, so that makes it even worse.
But still, I'm not in elementary school anymore, so it's not like any classmates are gonna call me out for playing hooky. This tension is purely a personal problem, really.
So it's not like I feel guilty or anything when I see my classmates while walking from the bike rack to the school building—I can just say a normal "morning" and be done with it.
I just didn't expect the first person I'd see would be Yamanai-kun. His tall back figure, walking toward the school entrance.
Hmm, ignoring him is an option... but no, this might actually be a chance. There's something I need to tell him when we're alone.
With a different kind of tension than before, I quickly approach Yamanai-kun.
"Yamanai-kun, morning!"
"Huh? Ah, Shirakawa!"
Yamanai-kun, who turned around, had a super surprised look on his face. Sorry for suddenly calling out to you.
"The day before yesterday, thanks for helping carry my dad. We couldn't have managed on our own, so you really saved us."
"Ah, no..."
Yamanai-kun scratches his head and goes silent. Hmm, awkward.
Of course he wouldn't want anything to do with someone like me who was basically the cause of all that trouble.
But there's something I absolutely have to tell him.
I get close to Yamanai-kun and speak in a whispering voice while looking up at him.
"Hey, have you told anyone about my dad?"
"Whoa!?"
Yamanai-kun jerks back and takes a step back. What's with that, you don't have to act so grossed out.
When I give him a bit of a deadpan stare, Yamanai-kun returns to his normal posture while looking away and scratching his head again. Do you even shampoo properly?
"I, I haven't told anyone. Not anyone"
"Good. If possible, I'd like you to keep not telling anyone from now on too. Please!"
I put my hands together in a praying pose.
Honestly, this is something I just have to trust him with.
"...I won't tell. Who'd believe me anyway if I said I chased a car on a bike and caught someone who jumped out?"
Well, I guess that's true.
I guess that's one silver lining in all this—Yamanai-kun didn't see my dad in his Black Knight form, so this should probably be okay.
"Thanks, that helps a lot. As thanks, I'll tell Sumi for you that Yamanai-kun isn't such a bad guy. Bye!"
"Ah, hey..."
I quickly make my escape and dash toward the school entrance. I'm just bad at dealing with long, awkward moments.
He looked like he was trying to say something at the end... but well, if he has something to say, he can tell me in the classroom.
― ◆ ―
"Ai-chan!"
Running down the hallway toward me as I was about to enter the classroom is the raging torrent that is Mikato-san, or rather, Rei-chan.
"Morning, Rei-chan"
"Gahaha, this destructive power first thing in the morning...!"
Rei-chan collapses before me, clutching her chest. She's the one who said it, so she should hurry up and get used to me calling her by name.
"Oh, right, good timing. Here's the money back for that bread the other day. I didn't have any money on me then."
"Huh?... No, I couldn't possibly accept this. I'm the one who arbitrarily bought it."
Rei-chan vigorously shakes her head like a wrist fan, firmly refusing. Maybe rich people don't care about things like this, but I can't relax when I keep getting treated to things.
"Hmm... then, I'll give you this."
I take a ticket out of my wallet and hand it to Rei-chan.
"This is... Rock Kitchen?"
"It's a ticket for a panini from my dad's food truck business. If you'd like, come eat..."
"I'm comingg!!"
Rei-chan answers with foodie enthusiasm, gripping my hand along with the ticket. Why are her eyes watery?
"To think that Ai-chan herself would introduce me to your father! I must go buy a new dress so I'll be able to greet him properly!"
"Ah, um, it's just a regular food truck though..."
You're not mistaking it for some high-end restaurant or something, are you?
Well, I'm happy she's pleased about it.