Chapter 1177 - Disposition and Domain
It was almost time for dinner at the in-park restaurant we had reserved.
"Should we hit up one more attraction?" "Are you still planning to play, what is wrong with your stamina, you bastard?"—just as Shoko & Toshiki were about to start their incorrigible childhood friend comedy routine—
"Whoops...?"
Inside my pocket. My smartphone vibrated, and when I pulled it out, what was displayed on the LCD screen was the two characters Sora. Ah, in short, that kind of thing...
"Sorry, a call. Go on ahead."
"Ah, okay!"
There was no option such as putting it off.
That said, we were in the middle of moving through the crowd toward the restaurant. Just because the atmosphere had changed compared to the time of day when the sun was working hard, the decibels of the surrounding bustle itself hadn't changed much.
Namely,
—, ——
"Sorry! I'm moving a bit, so wait a moment!"
Even if I pressed it to my ear, there was no way I could clearly hear the graceful girl's voice. No, if I tried hard I could pick up the words, but a calm conversation was impossible.
I left the other three with Kaede, who waved to send me off, and walked quickly, aiming for the edge of the bustle.
And then, after a short while. At the timing when the waves of lively sound finally faded.
"—Hey, are you alone, miss?"
"You're super cute, I thought you were an idol!"
On the opposite side of where I kept holding the speaker to my ear for some reason, even though I couldn't hear due to the bustle and the sound of my own running. Threading through the waves of sound still flowing from afar, a voice that was a mix of seems like a good person and seems frivolous reached my open ear, belonging to two people.
When I looked over reflexively, it was a corner of a rest space where several long benches were placed.
When I examined the people there... oh my, what do you know. Even in the darkness, those well-featured faces, still shining in their own way, belonged to the pickup artist duo whose heroic figures I had witnessed a few hours ago.
If so, then behind them. My eyes naturally turned toward the "other person" sitting on the long bench—and before I knew it, I had let out a small breath.
Half admiration, half surprise.
But where on earth that admiration and surprise came from, for some reason I couldn't clearly express...—there was the figure of a girl who possessed such a mysterious yet certain presence.
Her age was probably around high school.
She wore a thin white coat, and on her head was a similarly white marine cap. No luggage of any kind could be seen, and her white, delicate hands were placed politely on her neatly aligned knees.
Medium-length hair of a cold color (silver-gray) that shone clearly in my vision even in the darkness of the night. And beautiful hazel eyes that made one feel a contrasting warmth... and,
those beautiful eyes were now beginning to be colored with confusion and annoyance—
Haru...?
"Oops."
By no means was I captivated. My eyes were simply, truly drawn to her unspeakable presence. Since it wasn't even to the extent of being attracted, my guilt count would probably remain unchanged.
But well, as a general theory.
While harboring the impression of She's a very beautiful girl strictly as a general theory...
"The two of us came here together, you see—"
"If you'd like, maybe dinner or something—"
"......"
In any case, I gave top priority to my partner's voice tickling my ear.
With the fact that I couldn't perceive any color of fear in the girl's expression from my brief glance as one of my excuses, I cut off my gaze and interest and passed by, continuing to aim for the corner of the rest area.
◇◆◇◆◇
Sora-san's call was nothing more than one of those I wanted to hear your voice (lonely person) things.
Apparently, since it was right before dinner, she had called after gauging a timing when I seemed to have some free time. It goes without saying that I, having been bludgeoned by her sweetness and loveliness, seriously considered returning home immediately, but the crucial Sora-san herself seemed to have become satisfied in just dozens of seconds.
Well, it was extremely easy to guess that it was just an act, but if I didn't step on the brakes here and started spoiling her, the recent Sora would pout, saying, Don't treat me like a child.
Therefore, while readily responding to her good-girl greeting of wanting to hear travel stories later or something. While I, rather than Sora who was being a good girl and holding back, was the one feeling reluctant to part, I fully recharged my heart with healing and comfort through that very brief exchange of voices—... on my way back.
"......Oh......"
They're still here. My reaction of being slightly put off by that was probably normal.
The place hadn't changed, one of the benches in a corner of the rest area.
It was completely obvious that things weren't going well, but the fact that it was continuing meant they apparently hadn't reached the line of being utterly rejected yet.
Glances were being directed from a distance by people other than me as well, but... they were a lineup of curiosity, or indifference, or minor discomfort not worth complaining about.
With the current times helping, there was no one who would go out of way to take on trouble and step in to help.
"............"
Whether she was still doing so... was unknown since I didn't know what happened in the interim, but the girl, who kept listening to the pickup artists' sweet talk with a troubled face without opening her mouth, was also the cause of this dragging scene. A mysteriousness where her thoughts couldn't be read was now added to her eye-catching presence.
—In any case,
"And so this guy, he's all fired up about wanting to fall in love with a cute girl for sure this time—"
"Don't laugh, idiot, they say you should aim high, don't they—"
"......"
I thought, at this rate, if someone doesn't step in to stop them, won't everyone be beyond saving?
Even while thinking so, once again.
Without realizing that I was unconsciously, arbitrarily imposing the kind of trust I held toward Shoko and the others onto the girl's expression, which still didn't look frightened—
I tried to pass by the place, making a round trip combined with earlier.
At that moment.
"Well... anyway! How should I put it, standing around talking forever is kind of—"
He must have grown impatient and rushed.
Toward the girl's white hand that had been placed on her own knee all this time. Just as one half of the heroes abruptly, slowly reached out his hand. Her slender shoulders, which hadn't moved until then,
shuddered faintly, at that exact moment.
I won't make excuses like it was unconscious, or reflexive, or that my body moved on its own.
Unable to just watch, by my own will—
"Excuse me, do you have a moment?"
Stepping in to meddle, I called out with a smile.
To be continued.