Volume 2 - CH 5.3

So, as friends.

Translated by 64990022

Chapter 5: So, as friends.

Part 3

From the plaza, it seemed that we could still go up.

Although we felt like we would have a really late lunch if we went any further. It was our consensus to turn back here.

“I’m hungry.”

It was something I could fully agree with. After all, I hadn’t eaten anything since the test ended. There must be plenty of places to eat, given how much entertainment there was around here. Hence, it shouldn’t matter where we go, everywhere is equally classy anyway.

“Where should we go…” grumbled Mikage.

“There’s too many, I can’t choose.”

But as we moved on, every place was just as appealing. Not just restaurants, but also countless cafes and snacks lined the street.

“Pasta… Hamburger… Japanese food…”

“Conveyor sushi looks cheap enough. Set meals also don’t sound so bad… Anything you want in particular?”

We read the signs as we walk past in low voices, as if chanting Buddhist prayers.

We staggered through the station. At this point, I wasn’t sure where we were. Were we still inside the station? Underground? Which way did we come from? I doubt Mikage knew the way better than me, but I let her lead.

I saw a Godiva cafe for the first time. We peeked into a small but atmospheric bookstore. I noticed a ramen shop that was featured on TV. We hurried through a Daiso store that is eight times bigger than the one in Shiga. I looked up at the Yodobashi Camera, which is also huge. There are so many places underground and above ground that you could spend hours just looking at them.

And yet, everyone was walking on quickly, with sure steps.

So this was Osaka…

“Never felt like a country bumpkin until now…”

“I thought we had it good in Shiga…”

Overwhelmed by the sights, we agreed to take a break. I slumped into an electric pole somewhere outside the station. Never had the sky seemed so blue.

“Huh.” Mikage looked to the right.

A woman with a guitar was singing in front of the railing by the side of the road. That was probably a street life.

“That’s Aiko’s song.” 

“Oh, you’re right.”

Not many people were listening. Perhaps that was how street lives were. The guitarist was singing happily nonetheless, though.

“Can’t figure out why her songs aren’t more popular.”

After all, she is said to be the queen of love songs. Well, her songs were mostly from a woman’s point of view, though.

“Old but gold,” she added.

“She’s still putting out new songs. Not that people listen to it, unfortunately.”

“Unfortunately.”

“The most unfortunate.”

After that, we silently agreed to listen to the live quietly for a while. The guitarist went through the chronological tracklist. If I remember correctly, the next song would be Melon Soda.

I was right.

I closed my eyes and hummed the song in my head.

“I like her melodies,” said Mikage, “but the lyrics? Can’t really relate. What’s love in the first place?”

“Hmm.” That’s another unexpected thing from her.

“Let’s not count Hibiki-kun, ‘kay?” she chuckled mockingly. “What ‘bout you?”

“…”

“You’re in love?”

I found myself unable to answer right away. Which answer wouldn’t be a lie?

Well, I knew which, I was only afraid to say it.

“I am, apparently.”

“Oh, guess so.”

“Don’t ‘guess so’ me.”

Although I wasn’t sure that mine actually counted.

◆　◆　◆

In the end, the more we thought, the more choices there were.

We ventured into the Hankyu Sanbangai underground restaurant district and entered a soba place right in front of us.

The waitress gave Mikage a second glance, and a suspicious one at me.

I could tell what she was thinking. Why would this girl be hanging out with a guy like me?

Excluded from the bustle of the outside world, we slurped the soba.

Zaru soba with tempura was just heavenly. 

After setting down the chopsticks and drinking some tea, Mikage whispered in awe, “This place is amazing.”

“Agreed. This was even larger than Kyoto station.”

No, I couldn’t be sure about that, but based on my judgment, Osaka is three times larger. And on that scale, way much easier to get lost.

“People call this place Umeda Dungeon, it seems.”

“Dungeon?”

“Well, it’s sooo big, even with everything cramped together. From what I heard, there’s several ‘Umeda Stations’ here. Umeda, Hankyu Umeda, West Umeda, East Umeda…”

“Ah, that one about ‘People never show up when asked to meet at Umeda Station’?”

Who thought about naming all these stations Umeda… the road is as confusing as it is.

“I also heard that the road changes every time you go in.”

“‘The road’?”

Wait, wait, isn’t that something in RPG games?

“Tons of renovation and construction work going on has that effect. The fact that these renovations take little time doesn’t help either. And so we have the dungeon,” she explained.

Let’s pray monsters don’t start appearing.

She lobbed the last piece of the tempura into her mouth.

“Coming without any plan’s another kind of fun, don’t cha think?” She said as we paid the bill.

I shrugged. 

Before we got out, she asked me, “Akashi-kun, why are you doing the Angel?”

“Hobby?” I scratched my cheek. That wasn’t a lie. It wasn’t the truth either.

“What might give you the idea to do this?”

“…”

“You don’t wake up one day and want to give love advice, at least not as seriously as yours. I don’t think the word ‘hobby’ suffices for your obsession.”

“…”

“Looks like you don’t want to talk about it.” She studied my face.

“Sorry.”

“Well, I don’t mind. That’s what being human is. Just so you know, I don’t want to talk about myself either.”

“I know.”

When put like that, no matter how I tried to justify myself, it still seemed unfair.

She chuckled, “A promise is a promise. I’d say your sheer dedication got the better of me.”

Whatever she said, guilt remained. Even though it was already too late to turn back.

“Although that might not be all to it.”

“Huh?”

“Not wanting to talk, and scared of telling someone. I’ve just realized the difference between these two.”

“I suppose.”

“I wonder which am I…”

Her eyes left me and watched the bustle beyond the window.

At least, at least I should do something for her…

“It might not be my place to say this, but I wish you wouldn’t regret talking it out to me.”

“Thanks.”