Chapter 18
The visit to the Arai household had been quiet, yet eventful.
A few days had passed since then.
―Me : It's raining hard.
―Me : (rabbit soaked to the skin emoji)
I left a message in the LINE group chat.
Bzzzt!
A moment later, someone's message appeared on the screen with a vibration.
―Yuki : You brought an umbrella, right, big sis? [Read]
―Yuki : (worried pre-transformation Hina-chan emoji) [Read]
It was a message from Yuki, Arai's little sister.
―Me : Don't worry. I always keep an umbrella in my bag.
“Heh.”
After replying to the message, a groan slipped out. I realized that this group chat was an achievement I'd managed to earn through days of hard work.
Kaede, you hopeless girl.
Memories of Kaede's actions over the past few days came to mind.
Right, they came to mind.
Whenever I tried to push her into talking to Arai, Kaede would say something absurd or do something bizarre and alarm me.
…Sigh, I was so worried.
‘Good grief.’
Of course, compared to before, when she couldn't even speak to him, I wanted to praise her for somehow managing to have a conversation. It was a huge improvement.
But still……!!
She'd already imagined them with grandchildren, and yet the moment she actually talked to him, her intelligence regressed like an idiot? How does that make sense?
Kaede! Please, just talk to him normally! You used to do it just fine!
Gritting my teeth, I bit my lip as I remembered how frustrating that day had been.
‘…Could this be the influence of the rom-com world?’
Hmm. That's possible.
In rom-coms, the relationship between the male lead and the heroine tends to progress rather slowly.
This is a kind of rule that applies to most rom-coms, arising from a… relatively realistic reason.
The plot has to move slowly so the conflict can continue, allowing the story to stay alive.
Anyway, putting that aside,
I ignored this rule and made Kaede realize that she was in love with Arai.
I thought that would help me reach the outcome I wanted more quickly.
……That's what I thought.
But contrary to my intentions, Kaede became a fool whenever Arai was involved. It was so bewildering that even I, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help being flustered.
“Tsk.”
At first, it could be dismissed as a fluke, but if it kept going, it was hard to see it that way. Especially considering Kaede's original personality.
At this point, it seemed only right to start considering the possibility.
The rules or laws of the rom-com world, or even the intervention of some higher power… The possibility that there was some force or entity interfering with my will.
“This isn't easy…….”
My complaint slipped through my lips amid my frustration, mingling with the sound of the rain.
Whooosh―.
Now that I'd noticed it, the rain sounded even louder. I raised my head and gazed at the downpour.
The rain pounded the ground hard, as if echoing my worries. I quite liked the scene before me, so I watched the falling rain, lost in thought.
“♪”
Without realizing it, I even hummed.
And after standing like that in front of the main gate for about ten minutes,
“Should I head back soon―――Huh?”
……I don't have an umbrella?
Startled, I frantically rummaged through my bag, looking for the umbrella that should have been there.
“It's not here.”
No matter how much I searched, I couldn't find it. I felt around with my hands and looked through the bag, but there was no sign of an umbrella.
…Why isn't it here?
I was starting to feel embarrassed about how I'd just been enjoying the scenery.
“Ugh.”
Flustered, I tried to figure out why the umbrella that should've been there was missing. No, I started to, then stopped.
Because I realized it was pointless.
Whatever the reason, what mattered now was that I was stuck without an umbrella in the middle of a downpour.
“This is a problem.”
Who knew an obstacle like this was waiting for me?
Hmm. Maybe if I waited a little, the rain would stop. With that thought, I looked up at the sky.
Whooosh―.
“This won't work.”
It was raining as if a hole had opened in the sky. Judging by the sight, it seemed the rain wouldn't let up any time soon.
‘What should I do?’
I had to get back to the mansion and resume work, so I couldn't just wait for the rain to stop.
I'd have to find some other decent solution…….
‘Should I wait until Kaede's club activities are over?’
If my only concern was getting back without getting rained on, that was one option. But then my return would be delayed, leaving me short on work hours.
In other words, there was a good chance I'd have to work overtime.
‘Overtime.’
I hate it.
Absolutely anything but that.
I want to get some sleep at night like everyone else. I already don't get enough sleep as it is.
‘……But it's not like there's another way.”
Maybe I should just give up and go back with Kaede―――
“Takamine?”
As I stood there at a loss, shifting restlessly, someone called out to me. That familiar ring to the voice—its owner was surely――
“A-Arai-kun.”
It was Arai.
I turned my head and saw Arai looking at me from a little distance away. The moment I realized it was him, I froze like a stone statue.
“………….”
Partly because his appearance was so sudden, but also because the incident with him from a few days ago came to mind.
Right, it came to mind.
The memory of that mortifying moment when I'd done something so embarrassing through an absurd mistake.
‘Ugh.’
I must've been out of my mind.
To get so distracted by cake that I did something so ridiculous.
Sigh.
“……What about club activities?”
Maybe it was the cold. Arai's face was slightly flushed as he waited for my answer. Worried he might find me strange, I somehow managed to squeeze out a reply.
“I had something to take care of today, so I ended up heading home early.”
“I see.”
“……….”
“……….”
For some reason, silence settled over the space after that exchange.
The oppressive, awkward atmosphere was unbearable, so I stole a glance at Arai.
Mmm.
Arai probably felt the same way. Looking at his face, he seemed troubled by the awkwardness hanging between us.
Arai.
That day, you must've been flustered by what I did, right?
You must've felt uncomfortable, too.
I'm sure of it. After that incident, whenever our eyes met, we were both too busy blushing to do anything else.
Watching Arai as he mulled over the awkwardness brought back that cringe-worthy memory, along with a faint sense of self-loathing.
‘I'm sorry.’
I apologized to Arai in my heart. I didn't say it out loud. The shame still lingering in my heart was too strong for that.
“…Takamine. What were you doing here?”
While I was lost in thought, Arai spoke to me.
His words finally broke the silence.
I didn't like the atmosphere as it was, so I hurried to answer him.
“……Because it was raining.”
“Rain? ……Oh.”
At my vague answer, Arai looked up at the sky, then turned his gaze toward me.
I saw where Arai's gaze had landed—he was staring intently at my hand.
He must have realized I didn't have an umbrella.
“You didn't bring an umbrella?”
…As I thought.
‘Ugh.’
For some reason, whenever Arai was involved, I seemed to keep showing him my less capable side without meaning to.
Why, though?
Could this be the rom-com effect too? Something like that…?
Hmm.
I don't know.
Could it really be?
It's not like I'm the heroine like Kaede.
Anyway,
“…Yeah. I think I left it behind.”
I answered Arai, who had been waiting for my response.
“I thought I'd packed it carefully, but I guess not. ……Huh?”
“Here. Take it.”
After muttering to himself, Arai handed me something from his bag. Looking closer, it was an umbrella.
Why was he giving it to me?
I looked back and forth between the umbrella and Arai's face, then blinked blankly.
“You have to go home, right? Use mine.”
“……What about you, Arai-kun?”
Hmm.
I understood that he wanted to do me a kindness. We weren't strangers, and since I was in trouble, he probably wanted to help.
But you only have one umbrella.
What are you going to do if you give it to me?
Are you planning to walk home alone in the rain?
“…My house is close. I'll be home in no time――”
“That's a lie. Did you forget I went to your house the other day?”
“…Haha. I guess you did.”
Maybe embarrassed at getting caught in a lie, Arai scratched his cheek. Watching him, I continued thinking.
‘What if you catch a cold walking home in the rain?’
If you got sick or something happened to you, my life would go wrong right along with yours.
“…Still, take it. I can't just let you go like that in good conscience.”
“I don't mind.”
“I do.”
Even after I refused, Arai held the umbrella out to me again. He looked quite serious. Hmm. Looking at him, I understood. This guy was determined to put the umbrella in my hands no matter what.
……Sigh.
I didn't like this situation. But I couldn't keep arguing with him like this, either.
I guess I have no choice.
“Arai-kun. You know there's a convenience store if you keep going, right?”
“I do. But why?”
Arai asked in return.
Before answering him,
“Takamine?”
I took the umbrella he was holding out.
Snap――!
I pushed it up, and with a loud snap, the wide canopy spread open. I glanced at the open umbrella, then handed it back to Arai.
“Arai-kun.”
“……Huh?”
Arai answered my call in a somewhat trembling voice. I met his eyes, then quietly parted my tightly pressed lips.
“Walk me as far as the convenience store.”