Tsun'na Megami-sama to Darenimoienai Himitsu no Kankei Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Feeling Close to My Neighbor

 

It’s been a week since I started spending time with Yukimiya, and today is our first Saturday together.

This afternoon, I came over to Yukimiya’s apartment. We cleaned the place and did a study session together.

Even though we called it cleaning, like Yukimiya said yesterday, her room was already pretty clean, so we didn’t have much to do. We just vacuumed, mopped, and did a few simple things.

But since we hadn’t cleaned in a week, there was still quite a bit of dust and dirt. I’ll help her learn to keep the room clean on her own next time.

When Yukimiya finished mopping the floor and hallway, she stood up and wiped the light sweat on her forehead with her sleeve.

“Phew… I thought I kept it clean, but it was still kind of dirty.”

“Well, as long as people live in a place, it’ll naturally get dirty. But it feels much better to stay in a clean room, right?”

“Yeah. After staying in a clean place like this for a week, I don’t want to go back to how it was before. I really don’t know how I lived like that...”

Yukimiya made a face, probably remembering how messy her room used to be. Looks like she’s starting to change a bit.

Feeling happy about Yukimiya’s progress, I finished cleaning the windows and went into the living room. But for some reason, I felt the same strange feeling I had before. How should I put it… the room felt empty. There was barely any furniture. Just a table and two chairs. A wardrobe and a few small items.

Even in the bedroom, there was only a desk, a bookshelf, and a bed.

The room didn’t feel cozy at all. The books on the shelf all looked serious and hard to read. There were no manga or light novels—not even regular novels.

“Looking around a girl’s room like that… you’re kind of gross. Want me to call the police?"

“If the room had some girly charm, maybe I’d understand. But with a room this empty, it just creeps me out.”

“As long as I can live with the basics, I’m fine.”

“But don’t you have anything you like? Collecting cute stuff can be fun. And if you decorate your room with them, it’ll feel a lot nicer, you know?”

“Something I like…”

Yukimiya tilted her head and stared off into space, like she really couldn’t think of anything.

“Like… Purikuma. You’re a girl, so you must’ve watched it when you were little, right?”

“Purikuma…?”

…Wait, seriously? She doesn’t even know that super popular kids’ anime? Even I watched it every week, and I’m a guy. And she’s a girl, but she doesn’t know it? Really?

“Ahem. Forget that. Um… what about cats? You like cats, right, Yukimiya?”

“Nyanko…? Yeah. I like nyanko.”

Wait—did she just call them ‘nyanko’?

Yukimiya looked around the room and started counting on her fingers while muttering to herself.

“Cat figures, cat clocks… maybe a cat-shaped flower pot too.”

“Cat-themed kitchen stuff would be nice too. Like cat bowls or chopsticks.”

“Cat bowls…?! Cat chopsticks…!?”

Her eyes sparkled. At first, her face was hard to read, but now, from her bright eyes and mood, I could tell she was excited.

After spending every day together for a week, we were starting to understand each other better.

This was the first time I saw Yukimiya get this excited.

“Then how about we go shopping this afternoon? I can help carry your stuff.”

“Really?”

“But you have to help with my shopping too. Otherwise, there won’t be anything in the fridge for dinner.”

“Okay. I’m done cleaning, so I’ll go to your place in an hour.”

“Eh? Let’s just go now. If we take too long, dinner will be late.”

For some reason, Yukimiya gave me a blank stare. What’s going on…?

“You’re seriously going out while still all sweaty?”

“Huh? I’m sweaty?”

“You stink.”

“Can’t you say that a little nicer!?”

Was it really that bad? Am I actually that smelly?

As a high school guy, I actually care about my smell and appearance. Unlike the other boys from Kuroba who don’t care at all—they still act like we’re at an all-boys school—I’ve been trying to improve myself.

“Alright, go take a shower.”

“Okay…”

I quickly left Yukimiya’s apartment and went back to mine.

Then it hit me—I'm going shopping with Yukimiya. I can’t wear something sloppy. That means I need to shave and look a little better… wait, do I even have time for that?

I checked the time. It was already 2:00 PM. That means I only had an hour… not much time at all.

Dang it, I need to hurry and take a shower or I won’t even have time to pick clothes.

I quickly took off my clothes and jumped into the bathroom.

 

◈⟡◈

 

"Phew... I made it just in time."

I took a shower and changed into proper clothes for going out, fixing up my appearance a little.

I even used some hair wax to style my hair, but I realized that doing something I'm not used to wasn’t a good idea. It took way more time than I thought.

Now, it was five minutes before 3:00 PM.

I walked around the living room, feeling a bit nervous. Then, right at 3:00, the doorbell rang. Just like I expected from Yukimiya—she was exactly on time.

Without even checking the intercom screen, I went straight to open the door.

"I’ve been waiti—"

"...? What is it?"

The person standing at the door was definitely Yukimiya.

But she wasn’t wearing her usual simple and casual clothes.

She had on a white dress with frills, a light blue cardigan to protect her from the sun, a shoulder bag with a chain strap, and pumps. She was fully dressed up for going out.

She looked completely different from the girl who used to live in a messy room. She was so fashionable, like a princess from a rich family—her outfit and beauty were perfectly matched.

I had never seen Yukimiya like this before—but that wasn’t the only thing that surprised me.

Her long, straight hair was now tied into a loose braid that hung over her shoulder. She also wore clear-framed glasses, which I had never seen her wear before. The thin frames looked really good on her and gave her a very different look. Instead of looking like the class rep type, she looked more like a quiet library girl.

I couldn’t help but stare. Just by changing her hairstyle and wearing glasses, how could she look so different?

“Uhh! I-I mean… you look really different today…”

“Oh, these glasses? They don’t have lenses. It’s just a disguise, just in case.”

“A disguise?”

“If people at school see us together, both you and I could get in trouble, right? So I’m using a disguise. I really don’t like strange rumors or gossip.”

“Ah, I get it now.”

It’s true—Yukimiya looked so different that people probably wouldn’t recognize her right away. She really thought this through.

...Wait a second. Yukimiya is wearing a disguise—but I’m not. If someone sees us, won’t it just look like I’m walking with some girl I don’t know?

While I was still thinking if I should wear a disguise too, Yukimiya turned around and started walking down the hallway.

“What are you doing just standing there? Let’s go.”

“O-Oh, right...”

We were short on time, so it was probably fine... I just hoped we didn’t run into anyone. Luckily, there weren’t many male students living around here. As far as I knew, you could count the ones living alone on one hand.

I locked my door and quickly ran to catch up with Yukimiya, who was already ahead of me.

Since this was a quiet neighborhood, there weren’t many people around at this time. The only ones we saw were some elementary and middle school kids going home, and housewives coming back from shopping.

Other than the sound of kids laughing, we could hear cars and distant construction noise. It really was a peaceful and nice place to live.

“This place is really nice.”

“Yeah. I chose it because I like how quiet it is.”

“Is your house noisy?”

“...No, my house is quiet too. ...Actually, it’s too quiet.”

Yukimiya’s face turned a little sad. Ah—I must’ve said something wrong. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked about that.

“I see... then we’re the same. My house is quiet too because my parents are rarely home.”

“...Don’t you feel lonely?”

“You know, when I was a kid, I did feel lonely. But I stopped thinking about it around fourth grade. As long as the present is fun and full of life, I don’t really care about the past.”

“Does that include the time you spend with me too?”

“Of course. You’re the person I’ve spent the most time with lately.”

Even though Junya is my best friend, we haven’t hung out much recently. I only just reconnected with Kurotsuki, and we’re not that close yet.

I didn’t really hang out with Yukimiya either. We just happened to spend time together. But after a week of doing that, I guess I got used to it.

And honestly... lately, sometimes I really enjoy it. But I’d never say that out loud.

“Hmm… I see.”

“Hey, give me more of a reaction. If you don’t, I’m the only one feeling embarrassed here.”

“I hope you suffer from the embarrassment.”

“...I hate that part of you.”

“Oh? That’s too bad. I actually kind of like that part of me.”

I couldn’t say anything. My voice got stuck in my throat when I saw her gentle smile—soft like an angel.

I knew she was joking, just teasing me like usual.

But... that smile felt real.

I wonder... is she enjoying this time too? I hope she is. Even if I won’t say it out loud.

 

◈⟡◈

 

After a calm twenty-minute train ride, we arrived at the biggest department store nearby.

Kurotsuki had told me there were nice stores here. I thought, if this includes places that sell cute stuff, then Yukimiya will find her cat-themed items easily.

I’m not familiar with this area, so I’m glad Kurotsuki helped me. I’ll thank her later.

“So, which floor has the home and cute goods?”

“Looks like the third floor has home items. Lots of stores and choices.”

“Third floor it is. Let’s go!”

Yukimiya hurried through the store with excitement. She looked like a child about to get a gift.

I followed her so she wouldn’t get far ahead.

Everyone was staring at her. Even men with their wives or girlfriends turned heads when she passed. Some even got their ears pulled by their partner for staring too much.

Well, she’s really beautiful. If I saw someone that pretty on the street, I’d stare too.

She moves so gracefully—like a model in a drama. She’s slim and tall, and everything she does looks elegant. From any angle, she looks photogenic. It’s like she has a soft glow around her.

Even though she doesn’t have a large chest, it only makes her natural beauty stand out more. Really... how did I get to go shopping with such a pretty girl? Life is full of surprises.

Yukimiya turned around and glared at me.

“Yatsuhashi-kun, you were staring in a rude way.”

“You’re just imagining that.”

“You’re so easy to read.”

“I already said it’s your imagination.”

“Hmm.”

She’s pretty, but not sweet. Also a little annoying.

I kept walking behind her.

Even from behind, Yukimiya is stunning. I never get tired of looking at her.

Her beauty is like an ice flower—cold but beautiful.

People say beauty gets boring after three days, but that’s not true. I think that's only about married couples.

We took the escalator to the second floor, then to the third.

“We’re here. Third floor.”

“Wow… so many cute shops.”

There were stores full of household items and character goods. We could find plenty of things to decorate Yukimiya’s room.

Yukimiya looked around excitedly. New things are fun, after all.

We walked through the shops one by one. Then Yukimiya stopped at one store.

“Yukimiya?”

“...Nyanko.”

“Huh? Oh, they have a cat-themed fair here.”

We were lucky to show up just when this event was happening.

Yukimiya’s eyes lit up when she saw all the cat-themed goods displayed outside the shop.

There were cat-shaped clocks, cat soap holders, towels with cat prints, water bottles with cat characters—pens, notebooks, erasers, all cat-themed.

Cats everywhere.

Some cats were drawn in cute chibi style, others looked realistic. Some items were even shaped like cats.

It was adorable. But there were so many... it felt a bit crazy. Of course, I couldn’t say that in front of Yukimiya.

She seemed thrilled, though. These were exactly the kinds of things she loves. If she buys all of this, it’ll cost a lot.

“Yukimiya, do you have enough money? You were worried about food money before.”

“I’m not stingy about things I love.”

She sounded like a big fan in front of her idol.

“Well, I’ll ask you to pay for dinner tonight too.”

“Yes, I know... I’ll try not to use it all... maybe.”

She whispered 'maybe.' If she starts using living expenses, that’s a problem. Maybe I should limit how much she buys.

Yukimiya happily put every item she liked into her basket.

The basket got full quickly. Even the store staff stared in surprise.

“Hey, who’s gonna carry all that if you buy too much?”

“Lucky for me, I have someone helping today.”

That’s me, of course.

“Okay, I’ll help. But if you buy too much, it’ll be hard to carry. Remember we still have grocery shopping.”

“Understood... thank you.”

Even as she said that, Yukimiya kept filling her basket. When one was full, she got another. She ended up with three full baskets.

The store staff looked stunned. I’m sorry—she really can’t hold back.

The clerk said checkout would take a while, so we had to wait. But now what...? We’re not the type to hang around an arcade.

When you’re with a girl with time to kill but no plans, what do next? Go to a ramen shop? No way—that’s a terrible idea.

I decided to just ask her.

“Yukimiya, what do you want to do now?”

“Let’s see... I saw a café on the first floor with a parfait that looked delicious. Let’s go there.”

“Sounds good.”

So there was a café downstairs... Yukimiya really has good instincts.

We went down and she walked straight to the café. She remembered it well.

I ordered black coffee and Mont Blanc cake. Yukimiya got tea, a strawberry parfait, and a plate of strawberries.

Now that I think, she ate strawberries with her lunch yesterday too. She must really love them.

We barely knew each other a week ago… and now here we are.

Our orders arrived. Yukimiya—looked at her parfait with sparkling eyes, just like with the cat items.

“You like parfaits?”

“Yes!”

“That was fast.”

“I love them. They’re like treasure boxes to me.”

She seemed like a child again.

I understood. Parfaits do look like they’re full of gems. And with strawberries—her favorite—it makes sense.

“Let’s eat. Mmm... it’s so good~!”

She took a bite and smiled so happily. Since she usually eats simple meals, she must be overjoyed right now.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. I just think you’re really enjoying it.”

“I’m not sharing. It’s all mine.”

“That’s okay. I wasn’t planning to take any.”

“Good~”

Yukimiya gave me a playful glare like a cat protecting its food, and I started eating my Mont Blanc.

Wow, it’s amazing! This Mont Blanc is really good. No wonder it’s the most popular on the menu. Now I understand.

I relaxed as I ate more and sipped my coffee. Wow—it’s good! If this café was nearby, I’d come often... even if it cost more.

“...You can make that face too, huh.”

“Huh? What face?”

“Like a kid getting a present. Turns out you’re cute too.”

“You looked like that eating your parfait too. Want a mirror?”

“Maybe not that cute... uh... mnn…”

Yes, you were very cute. You looked like a happy kid.

She caught my gaze and gave a shy look from the corner of her eye. Now I know... that’s her shy face.

“It’s rude to stare at someone eating so seriously, you know?”

“Sorry! But I love seeing you so happy when you eat.”

“Hmph!”

She’s embarrassed again. Her reactions are easy to read—but because she often looks cold, it’s hard to notice.

After that, we relaxed at the café for about an hour without talking much. Then we went back to the store from earlier.

The total cost was over 60,000 yen.

For three baskets, it was cheaper than I expected. Still, I’ve never seen anyone spend that much on shopping. This must be how rich people shop… Yukimiya, you’re kind of scary.

She even paid with a platinum credit card. That’s something a high school student shouldn't normally have.

After she paid, I carried four of the five shopping bags. Yukimiya took one.

Ugh… this is heavy. Much heavier than I thought. Even though the items were small, many of them were ceramic. There’s no way Yukimiya could carry this all by herself.

Maybe she felt a little bad, because she looked at me with a worried face.

"Yatsuhashi-kun, are you okay?"

"O-oh. Yeah, I’m fine."

"If you drop them, I’ll never forgive you. You’ll have to pay me back."

So that’s what she’s worried about…? Can’t she worry about my arms too?

It really was heavy, but I couldn’t complain. My pride as a guy was at stake here.

Since it was rush hour, the train was super crowded. We had no choice but to squeeze in. It was especially hard with all these bags.

I actually wanted to sit, but with this many people, that was impossible.

"It’s so crowded... Yukimiya, don’t get lost."

"Uh, okay."

I guided her to stand near the train wall, and I stood in front of her to shield her from the crowd. There wasn’t much space, but Yukimiya’s small frame fit just fine.

If the train suddenly stopped or shook, she could get squished. ...Not that I’m trying anything weird, so don’t give me that look, okay?

Also, with how she looked today, she might catch unwanted attention. I had to protect her no matter what.

But… this was way closer than I expected. Our bodies were almost touching. Her face was also really close to mine.

"E-Eh, Yatsuhashi-kun... don’t come so close...!"

"Shhh. I can’t help it. I can’t lift my arms because of these bags...!"

I was trying to keep my balance with my legs, but the train shook and the crowd pushed, so I ended up leaning toward Yukimiya.

I reached my arm around her waist and used the wall for support. I couldn’t use much strength, and I felt like I could fall at any moment. One big jolt, and I’d fall right into her.

Yukimiya seemed to realize I was trying to protect her. She leaned in and whispered into my ear.

"You don’t have to try so hard to protect me..."

Her cute voice and breath brushed against my ear.

I’ve heard the ear is full of nerves, and I could really feel that. Her voice tickled something deep inside me.

"No matter the situation, it’s a guy’s job to protect others in times like this."

"...Really?"

"That’s just how I am."

I could’ve moved to a more comfortable spot. But if that meant leaving her alone in this crowd, I’d never forgive myself. I wanted to protect her, and my own pride. That’s why I stayed where I was.

Maybe she felt that, because Yukimiya gave a small, gentle smile.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome—whoa!?"

The train shook hard, and the crowd pushed forward—!

Oh crap!

I pressed against the wall, even using my forehead to hold steady, doing everything I could so Yukimiya wouldn’t get squashed.

But because of that... her hair was pressed right up to my nose, and I accidentally breathed it in.

The scent was sweet—shampoo, perfume, and something uniquely Yukimiya. It filled my nose, and honestly, it messed with my head a little.

People say that we tend to dislike the smell of someone with similar DNA.

But Yukimiya and I are total strangers. So genetically speaking, we could—wait, what the heck am I thinking!?

"Y-Yatsuhashi-kun...!?"

"S-s-sorry! I didn’t mean to!"

"...Ah. I know. If that position is easier for you, you can stay like that for now."

"Th-thanks."

"But once the train clears out, you better move away, or I’ll report you for harassment."

"G-got it."

As expected, Yukimiya is still Yukimiya. She really hasn’t changed. I couldn’t see her face, but I just knew she was making an annoyed expression. I was the only one overthinking this… and that kind of annoyed me.

Still, even though I ended up like this because of the train, honestly… this position was more stable. I wasn’t just using my arms, I could support myself with my whole body.

The only problem was—I had to keep smelling Yukimiya the whole time.

Breathing through my mouth was also an option, but if I did that, it would sound like I was panting near Yukimiya’s ear. That would seriously make me look like a creep, so I had to avoid that.

I held my breath as best I could and tried to endure the situation.

My heart was pounding so fast. I was worried Yukimiya might hear it.

After a few minutes of silence, Yukimiya suddenly spoke up.

“It feels kind of strange... being like this with you.”

“You think so too, Yukimiya?”

“Yeah. I mean, we’re really different people.”

She was right.

“You’re always honest and serious.”

“And you’re lazy and sloppy.”

“You don’t have to say it so directly...”

“But when it comes to your personal life, Yatsuhashi-kun, you’re actually pretty organized, right?”

...Now that she mentions it, maybe we’re not so different after all?

No, wait. That can’t be. Me and Yukimiya, similar? That’s just rude to her.

“But still, you’ve helped me a lot.”

“Only because it was crowded. Don’t think too much about it.”

“Not just that. You cleaned my apartment and taught me how to cook too.”

“That was just because your place was a disaster. I didn’t want bugs coming over to mine. It was mutual benefit.”

“Even if you say that, it really meant a lot to me.”

Hmm... I see.

I don’t think people need to do everything alone.

I’m bad at studying, but Yukimiya helps me. Of course, I’m thankful. But if I say 'thank you' too much, it feels awkward.

Maybe she felt the same way, because after that, we stayed quiet until we reached our stop.

It was a busy residential area, so a lot of people got off with us.

We followed the crowd and stepped off the packed train together.

“Phew... we made it.”

“So, what now? Should we go home and drop off the stuff first?”

“Yeah, we bought more than I expected... Let’s go back first.”

“Sorry about that. Let’s do that then.”

Yukimiya looked a bit guilty.

She probably realized she bought too much... I just hope she thinks a bit more next time—for the sake of my arms too.

...Wait. Am I already assuming I’ll be helping again next time? I should be careful. We're not that close, right?

We returned to the apartment, dropped the bags off in Yukimiya’s room, then headed to the supermarket again.

This was the biggest one in the area—cheap, lots of stock, and sometimes they had flash sales. Super useful. But during flash sales, the place turns into a battlefield with tons of housewives.

Right now, a flash sale was happening. As expected, it was crowded.

“Yukimiya, from here on, it’s a battlefield.”

“Huh? Why are you acting so serious?”

“This is where skilled shoppers gather to fight for deals. It’s war.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Nope. I’m serious.”

I’ve experienced flash sales before too.

I thought I could win since I’m a strong high school guy… but that was naive.

The ladies here don’t care how young or fit you are. They’re flash sale veterans.

You get shoved around constantly. It’s seriously hard to grab anything.

But today, they were selling potatoes and carrots super cheap.

Ten potatoes for ten yen. Eight carrots for fifteen yen.

I had to get them, no matter what.

“Let’s go. Our enemies await!”

“You’re way too into this...”

She didn’t get it.

We grabbed a basket and went past the veggies into the meat section.

Wow, beef—two kilos for 700 yen. That’s a steal.

We also bought pork and chicken to freeze.

“Wow... so this is how meat’s sold?”

“You’ve never seen this before?”

“Nope. I only ever go to the pre-cooked food section or canned stuff.”

Ah, that made sense. The prepared meals here are cheap too. Sometimes 300-yen bentos drop to half price.

I tried one before... kinda bland. Or too salty. Not very healthy either.

And Yukimiya eats that every day? I’m amazed she’s not sick.

“Want to check the fish section? They sell whole fish there.”

“Really? I’ve never seen a fish before it’s cooked.”

“...Never been to an aquarium?”

“My parents told me to spend time studying, not having fun.”

Figures... Her family is super strict.

...Maybe I should take her to an aquarium sometime. Not that she’d probably want to go with me.

We reached the fresh fish corner, and Yukimiya’s eyes sparkled.

“Eh, is this... a bream?”

“Yeah. It is.”

“It’s huge... Books and pictures don’t show how big they are.”

She looked a bit nervous but also excited. Her eyes lit up.

Pre-cooked food is already chopped and cooked, after all.

If she never went to an aquarium or saw raw fish, this must feel new.

“Look over there. They’re cutting fish.”

“Huh?”

Behind a glass wall, a guy was cutting up a fish.

He removed the scales, chopped off the head, pulled out the insides… and in seconds, the fish was in three pieces.

I know how to cut fish too, but pros are on another level. Well, they do it every day.

“Kind of gross...”

“Yeah. But this is how fish ends up on our plates.”

“I used to eat without thinking... You’re right. I should be grateful.”

Yukimiya looked thoughtful as she watched the fish getting cleaned.

Bringing her here… yeah, I’m glad I did. It felt right.

“Now I want to eat fish...”

“But we’re making nikujaga, remember?”

“Nikujaga...!? But fish...”

“...Want some sashimi?”

“Yes! Let’s get it!”

Quick answer. That’s so Yukimiya.

We added a sashimi pack to our basket. Yukimiya looked really happy just staring at the fish. I think she’s excited for dinner.

“Hey, look at that huge crab, Yatsuhashi-kun.”

“Yeah, I see it.”

“I want to eat crab too.”

“No way.”

Nikujaga, sashimi, and crab? We don’t have that kind of money.

Besides, those crabs look big, but there’s not much meat inside. I tried once and it wasn’t worth it.

“Aww... but I want to try crab someday.”

“Yeah, someday.”

We can’t afford it now… but maybe someday we can go to a crab restaurant. I like crab too.

After looking at the meat and fish, we also added shirataki noodles and onions to our basket.

Then suddenly, the store got noisy.

It was time.

“Yukimiya, let’s go.”

“Huh? Go where?”

“To the battlefield.”

“You’re being dramatic…”

Huh… Is she still thinking like that after seeing this huge crowd? I was already worried if we’d make it in time.

We both headed to the vegetable section.

Just then, a store worker came out and put a sale sign on the cart of potatoes and carrots.

“The limited-time sale is starting! One pack per customer only, so please follow the rules!”

Here it comes…!

I jumped into the battlefield—but since I was a bit late, I got pushed back right away.

Ugh! These experienced shoppers are scary…!

I tried to grab some potatoes and carrots, but someone in front of me shoved me, and I got pushed out of the crowd.

“Y-Yatsuhashi-kun, are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. No big deal.”

But the longer I waited, the faster the potatoes and carrots disappeared. If I got pushed out again, it would be over. I didn’t have time to try again.

Ugh, if this keeps up, I’ll have to make nikujaga without potatoes and carrots…!

As I stood there feeling hopeless, watching the food disappear, Yukimiya stepped forward.

“Wait, Yukimiya. What are you doing?”

“I’m going to get them. If we both carry two bags, that should be enough, right?”

“Y-Yeah, but that’s impossible. You’re smaller than me and not very strong…”

“We won’t know unless I try. Besides, this is a life lesson too. I’m going.”

Without hesitation, Yukimiya walked right into the crowd.

And then… she vanished from sight.

Huh? Where did she go?

She didn’t get pushed out. She really disappeared into the crowd.

Can someone that small really get through? With that tiny body?

Wow… she really went into the crowd. I couldn’t even squeeze in properly.

After a few seconds, the crowd slowly started to break apart. The sale was over.

But… where was Yukimiya?

I looked around. I didn’t see her anywhere.

No way, where did she go?

“What are you looking at?”

“Whoa!?”

She was right behind me.

Wait, how did she get behind me? She was over there just now!

But she looked totally normal. Her hair wasn’t messy, her clothes were neat.

She looked cute as always, and was holding four packs in her hands.

“You… actually got them? Even in that mess?”

“Yep. It was pretty easy.”

“Easy, huh…”

“I’m short, so I could sneak through the gaps. I got them just in time.”

“I see…”

Maybe because she didn’t have curves like other girls, it was easier to move through the crowd. Now I get it…

“You just thought something weird, didn’t you?”

“It’s just your imagination… Thanks for the help.”

“No problem. Next time if there’s a sale, leave it to me.”

I didn’t know what to say.

But honestly, I was surprised. Yukimiya, who had never done a flash sale before, beat me.

After getting the potatoes and carrots from her, I added the other missing ingredients to our basket.

Now then, what else…?

“Yukimiya, want to get a snack?”

“I do, but I can get it later.”

“It’s my thank-you gift for the potatoes and carrots."

“Then I’ll take you up on that.”

We went to the snack section, and Yukimiya started choosing seriously.

“The family pack is nice… Maybe Ramune for study time sugar… or maybe chocolate. But gummies are cheaper… hmm…”

She’s really into this.

When I cleaned her apartment, I noticed she liked snacks. But I didn’t think she took them this seriously.

While watching her think hard, I put some beef jerky into the basket.

A few minutes later…

She finally picked a family pack full of different chocolates.

“You sure about that one?”

“Yep. Thanks a lot.”

“No problem. Let’s go pay and head home. I’m hungry.”

“Nikujaga and sashimi, right? Should I make the miso soup?”

“That’d be nice. Consider it practice.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Yukimiya happily walked to the register.

She really is like a kid sometimes. Is this what it’s like to be a parent? …Not that I’d know—my own parents are still a mystery to me.

I quietly sighed and followed her.

After paying, we finally left the supermarket.

It was getting dark, and the house lights were turning on. Even though it wasn’t winter, the lights felt cheerful, like an illumination.

It was still a little chilly, even though April had already passed.

“Yukimiya, let’s go home quickly.”

“Yeah. I want to eat nikujaga soon, so let’s hurry.”

Her words and expression showed how excited she was. She really looked like a happy kid.

As we left the supermarket together, Yukimiya looked a little worried and glanced at me.

"Yatsuhashi-kun, let me carry one of the bags. It must be heavy to carry everything by yourself."

"No, I’m fine. It’s not that heavy."

Honestly, it was heavy. But I didn’t want to look weak in front of a girl. Besides, what I carried earlier in the day was even heavier.

While I tried to act calm, Yukimiya reached out and grabbed one of the bags from me.

"Hey, Yukimiya."

"What? I can carry it with both hands."

"...To be honest, that really helps. Thanks."

"No problem."

With the load lighter, we walked side by side toward our apartment building.

Walking together with Yukimiya like this... If anyone from school saw us, they might get the wrong idea.

Especially the boys from Kuroba. Lately, they’ve been treating me like their enemy. Maybe they should just try talking to girls instead. I’ve never even seen them say hi.

As I thought about that, Yukimiya started talking.

"By the way, I think that stalker is gone now."

"Huh? Oh yeah, now that you mention it, I haven’t seen him since that time."

"Maybe he gave up?"

"Who knows... I don’t really get how stalkers think."

Maybe because I always walked near her, the stalker didn’t get a chance to do anything.

...Though honestly, it kind of felt like I was the one doing the stalking.

No, no, no. That’s not it at all. If something bad happened to Yukimiya, I’d never forgive myself.

"Really... ever since you moved in next door, I’ve been relying on you a lot."

"Not really. It just so happens I can do things you can’t."

"You mean like studying? You're not good at that~"

"It’s not that I’m bad. Shiramine just teaches way too fast."

"Really? I’m used to that speed, so it doesn’t seem weird to me."

Of course. People judge things based on what they’re used to.

But that school really is something else. As expected from the best school in the area.

"Well, I guess this setup will end once you can handle housework on your own."

"...You think so?"

"Yeah. If there’s nothing I can help you with anymore, it means you’ve learned how to take care of yourself."

Still, maybe I’ll need to check her apartment now and then. If it gets messy again, that would be a waste of everything we've done.

"I see... So until then, I’ll be counting on you."

"Yeah. ...Though I don’t know when that’ll be."

"I pick things up quickly, you know."

"Even if you learn fast, if you can’t use it, what’s the point?"

"Someone who can’t use what they’ve learned, like you, has no right to say that."

"Ouch, that came right back at me."

That one hit hard. Yukimiya really knows how to throw painful words, doesn’t she?

She sighed softly and gave me a small smile, like saying she had no choice.

"Looks like we’ll be doing this for a while longer."

"Yeah... you’re right."

A week ago, I never imagined this would happen. But now, it feels kind of nice. Yukimiya doesn’t seem to dislike it either.

Really... life is full of surprises.

Just like how the distance between me and Yukimiya feels like it’s shrinking.

As I was thinking that, a ringtone suddenly went off. A phone call? But it wasn’t mine. And the only one here is Yukimiya.

So... it’s her phone… Huh!?

"Y-Y-Yukimiya!? Your face is totally pale!?"

"...Eh. Ah, u-uh…!"

What’s going on? Even in this dim light, I could tell she wasn’t okay.

I quickly took the bag from her hands and gave her my handkerchief.

"Are you alright? Want to sit down for a bit?"

"No, I’m fine. Really, don’t worry about me."

"How can I not worry...?"

What happened? She was acting normal just now, but suddenly she looks like this… It can’t be from just being tired.

Then... wait, is it because of the call?

Feeling a bit guilty, I opened Yukimiya’s bag and took out her phone. I ended the call and put it on airplane mode.

Now, no more calls would come in.

But... as I ended the call, I saw the caller’s name.

I only saw it for a second, but it said: 'Stepmom.'

Stepmom… That means her dad remarried.

It’s not that unusual nowadays.

Yukimiya always talked about memories with her mom. That must’ve been her real mom.

And judging by her reaction, it’s safe to say she doesn’t get along with her stepmom.

"Sorry, Yukimiya. I turned off your call without asking."

"It’s okay... Thank you."

Digging into someone’s bag and ending a call meant for them—anyone would be mad about that. But instead, she thanked me.

In the end, there was nothing I could really do. All I could do was stay close to her until she felt better.