Chapter 38Place Where I Belong to
"...What?"
The sudden development of the story left me dumbfounded for a moment.
It almost sounded like she had positive affection for me. Impossible, that's impossible. After all, everything I had done to Natsukawa was constantly imposing myself on her, so it must have bothered her a lot.
"Look, okay, Sajocchi, I don't know the details myself, but I heard directly from Aichi. Since this morning, it seems like the 'Sajocchi meets Ai-chan' plan has been decided by Aichi. That's why she's been treating you so rudely all day. I mean, Sajocchi, today you really made Aichi nervous. Also, you haven't come to talk to her at all lately."
"Eh...?"
I didn't understand. I need to digest the meaning of the words that reached my ears, for some reason.
Alright, calm down, right now I need to analyze the situation. Natsukawa wants me to meet with Airi-chan. I don't know the exact reason, but it's something she decided, that's why she came to talk to me while at school today.
But, wait a minute... ...pulled during lunch break, and she strangled me on the roof, why is that? Is it because she can't forgive me for saying something vulgar with Murata and Koga? But, wait a minute... ...First of all, why does she care about me so much...?
"Eh? Natsukawa, what is this...?"
"─Going home."
"Eh?"
"I'm going home!!!"
"Eh?! Oh! Wait! Natsukawa! Your bag!"
Natsukawa suddenly stood up from her seat. With a flushed face, she walked out of the family restaurant, and left her bag behind. Yeah, since she left for school on foot, her family should be at home at this time, so I don't have to worry about being locked out of her house, but...
"..."
"..."
...I stood up to grab her arm in an attempt to stop her and fell silent like that.
Isn't this so bad? From an outsider's perspective, right now, I must look like a lousy boy who got dumped by his girlfriend, right? No, wait a minute, with Ashida here, it would be a bit different, wouldn't it...? Don't you think they might think, 'There's no way this boy would two-timing them? He's the worst!'.
"...Um, dear customer?"
"Oh, we're leaving. Sajocchi, the money."
"...Okay."
Shocked by this situation and unable to say anything, Ashida just took my wallet from me, and together with the wallet she went to the cashier to pay. I on the other hand carried everyone's bags like a doll and followed her while still dumbfounded. I tried to understand what had just happened, but failed. Apparently, I could only accept it for what it was. I mean, my head was already spinning.
I just recalled my memories of the moment we left the family restaurant, walking down the street with no one else around.
"...All I remember is that Natsukawa was so cute..."
"Yeah, you will eventually remember everything, even if you don't want too."
"...Right."
It was getting dark outside, so I offered to take her home, but she replied, 'Then until the street light, okay'. Yeah, what I did was something a handsome boy would do, it really wasn't like 'me', but maybe my body was moving on its own to forget the depression and bad feelings in my heart.
However. Right now I realized this... ...Excuse me, but do I really have to carry all this? Especially Ashida's big gym bag. There must be volleyballs in there, right? I mean, for every step I take, it hits my butt and bounces... ...but still, do you usually bring a volleyball home from school?
"─You must have figured it out, right? Sajocchi."
"Figured out what...?"
"That Aichi doesn't really find you disgusting. Being told that all this time, even though it's for you Sajocchi, it's starting to become something like a welcome, isn't it? Don't you think so?"
"Being told that all this time, I started to think, 'Oh, so she was serious all this time'. And also, this isn't proof that Natsukawa doesn't hate me."
"Exactlyー, But, Aichi must feel the same way. Like 'Hmm? Hmm?'."
"What's wrong with that...?"
"You're probably okay with that, Sajocchi. At least you said what you wanted to say. But, you really can't forget this, no matter what."
"...?"
"─Yeah, I did say this before, but Sajocchi, for Aichi, you are already a member of our group."
"..."
I already saw the streetlight. Ashida took her own bag and also Natsukawa's. Ashida slammed her gym bag at me, who had just been released.
"What's that for?"
"It's not about whether you feel comfortable enough or not. As long as there is someone who will like you, you will be happy. Even if the person who likes you is disgusting, and annoying, it's still enough to be a support in maintaining your confidence."
"I guess, in the end, I am disgusting, right?"
"─Even if that's true, if someone suddenly loses their place of origin, they will be shocked, and anxious."
"..."
Ashida abandoned these words, slammed the bag at me again, and ran away. She must have been upset too, but as we parted, she grinned to herself for some reason.
What bothered me the most was that she never denied when I asked her if I was disgusting or not. It's that part of you that's annoying, Ashida.
"...I think I should buy some buns on the way."
It was indeed a crisp summer night. The widget on my smartphone screen said that the temperature was 27°C. It should have been hot, but instead my body felt cold without sweat.
♦
At the entrance, my family's shoes were lined up. In the center were even Dad's shoes, which hadn't been cleaned in a long time. I took the shoe-cleaning cream out of the shoe box, and placed it next to his leather shoes... ...What? I should clean them? No, I just don't want to touch them.
As I opened the living room door, I passed the kitchen and dining room on my left, while on the right there was a television and two sofas. Inside my head was still blank to the degree that I couldn't remember what I usually did after school.
"What are you doing? At least say something like 'I'm home' to let us know."
"Oh, yeah, I'm home..."
Mom was busy washing dishes, so I headed to the living room. Yeah, usually I just throw my school bag, flop onto the sofa, and─
"...Big Sis, you don't have to re-enact what you said this afternoon, you know."
"...Shut up."
On the sofa that was facing the entrance, there was already someone who acquired it. The acquirer was rolling around on it, while playing with her smartphone. One sock was already off, while the other sock was still on her foot.
If I had to guess, 'K4' would be jealous of my current position because she was helpless... ...Me? I felt nothing.
Looking at the tyrant like that, I realized something was missing to the point that I couldn't help but grin.
"─Sorry about before, Big Sis. I said too much."
"Huh...? You..."
I gave her a plastic bag, and after seeing the buns inside, Big Sis showed a complicated expression.
What? You don't want to eat them, Big Sis? You really like buns, don't you? Fill your cheeks with your favorite buns, bought by your little bro, and play with your smartphone again... ...Look at this, look, look.
"D-Don't want to eat these buns, huh?"
"...Hmm."
Come to think of it, she's already eaten so much, and if she accept these buns, she'll definitely get fatter. I don't want to see her getting angry and yelling at the scale. Fine, then I'll just eat it myself.
"─In fact, you're the one who went too far."
"No, that's..."
Hey, why are you giving me that guilty look, Big Sis. I always do what you tell me, don't I?! Why are you suddenly acting like 'you don't usually do it'? Hey! Don't throw your socks here!
"So, what did you do with those girls?"
"Can you not make it sound like something's going on?"
"You're just daydreaming. There must be something going on, right?"
Ugh...! Big Sis, you apologized, just to interrogate me after that. And you told me to give an answer just like that? Yeah, after worrying about my youth so much, it's really hard to answer, you know...
"...I don't know. There are too many things, it's like being possessed by a demon. Oh, I'm going to bed early."
"Hmm, is that so? I don't really care about it."
Stop saying such nonsense. You must be curious, right? You're just like this... ...I mean, you're not talking like you usually do, it's suspicious... ...But still, just thinking that you're worried about me, but not being able to say so directly, I felt itchy all over my body. Aren't you being too clumsy...?
"...Right, I have something to say directly."
"Wh-What is it...?"
"Before you worry about others, how about you worry about yourself first? I mean, is this too much? There are four Student Council Officials? Really? As your little bro, I don't know how to react."
"What...?! It's not like that! They're not really...!"
"...Yeah, knowing you, you will definitely choose someone at the right time, but I know a boy who stopped distinguishing between 'reality' and 'dream'. That's why you should probably handle this matter while you're still in the right mindset."
I didn't want to do anything troublesome, but things changed when it came to my family. I don't want the atmosphere in my house to become very tense. I'll use this opportunity to say everything I want.
"...Nom!!!"
"Oh...?!"
Big Sis leaned forward to take a bite of the bun I was holding. Surprised, I let go of the bun, which instantly disappeared in Big Sis' mouth.
This Big Sis... ...that tyrannical b*tch... ...Whatー How can your mouth fit all that, Hey...!?
"Hmm... Nomnomnom!"
"What are you saying, I don't understand at all!!?"
"Mmm?!"
Just as a bun was about to come out of your mouth, I snapped a series of photos with my smartphone. Big Sis panicked and hid her face, fleeing from the living room... ...I vowed to sell those photos to 'K4' in the near future.
Moments after that, when I saw Big Sis returning to the living room while swinging a metal baseball bat slowly, I really thought that I was going to die.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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