CH 74

I couldn’t look directly at the charming smile on Rin’s face, so I lowered my eyes. Then I asked a question that I suddenly remembered as if to cheat myself out of it.

“Come to think of it, when are Rin’s parents going to come back?”

Rin elegantly drank the tea she held in both hands.

She put the cup of tea on the table and huffed out a small sigh.

“When will they come back?”

“When is it? …… It’s been a week since …….”

“A week already, ……. Time flies by so fast, doesn’t it? Do I feel that way because I’m having a good time?”

” Good times, ……. I mean, Rin, being in someone else’s house can be tiring and uncomfortable, right? Don’t you ever feel like going home?”

“No, not at all.”

Rin tilted her head and pouted.

Don’t give me that ‘what are you talking about’ look. ……

Isn’t my common sense wrong? You’re thinking that…….

“I see. ……. Well, it’s okay if you’re not unhappy with this situation.”

It had been a week since Lisa had left Rin in my care.

How can you travel for a week and leave your child unattended? ……

Well, maybe that’s how parents are nowadays. The fact that they are buying gifts shows that they are at least caring about them. ……

I looked at the large box in front of me and sighed.

This box was a gift from Lisa, which arrived before dinner. It seems to contain a variety of specialties from the region.

Why did I make such a cloudy expression?

This was simply because I hadn’t seen the contents.

This is why I didn’t check the origin of the specialties, only what Rin told me.

This is because Rin said, “Let me take care of this,” and wouldn’t show me.

If I tried to sneak a peek, she would immediately stop me.

But if she won’t let me see it, I’ll be curious to see what’s inside.　 It’s a troubling nature of human beings that they become even more curious when they are told not to look.

Well, I’m not going to look.　

Ever since I saw that box, Rin’s tone has been weird, like earlier. ……

Somehow, I feel like I shouldn’t be looking at it.

“I’m not complaining. I’m glad you’re staying here and …… honestly, I’m thrilled.”

“Really? ……”

I was excited …….

Is that it? Is it like when elementary school kids get excited for nothing or something?

…… Either way, I don’t any of these.

I’m not excited or anything. ……

It’s just too bad for my heart every day.

“Uh, ……, but Rin. Staying out at a guy’s house is not a good thing for the world, right? Well, I feel like it’s a little late to be saying this, but ……”

“‘Sure, I guess you’re right …..”

“Right?”

It’s not good for a young man and woman who are still in their first year of high school to be ……. It’s easy to imagine how the world sees Rin and me. I’m sure they don’t look favorably upon us.

I rested my head on my hands and sighed.

Seeing me like this, Rin carefully placed her chopsticks on the table.

She then turned around and smiled gently while maintaining her beautiful posture.

“But, Towa-kun. I don’t mind.”

Her voice was as clear as ever.

There was no hint of hesitation in her voice.

“I mean it.”

Her voice was enough for me to understand that.

“As I told you before, I have made my own decision. I don’t intend to bend my will, no matter what the people around me say.”

“You did say that, didn’t you ……?”

“Of course, if Towa-kun says, “I don’t want to do that.” If you’re asking me to ‘stop,’ then I have room to think about it. ………… What do you say?”

“Not particularly, that is. I’m just grateful. ……”

“Fufu. I’m glad to hear you say that.”

When I said that, Rin stared at me with a satisfied expression and tilted her head to present it to me.

She looks like she wants to say, ‘Please pet me.”

To be honest, it’s …… cute.

But I couldn’t stand Rin’s cute gesture, so I took a mouthful of water and purposely choked on it.

I coughed painfully and Rin looked at me with a frown.

It was a bit too much of an act. ……

“Hey, Rin ……. Is Lisa-san always like this when she travels?”

Unable to bear the inexplicable atmosphere, I changed the subject.

Rin sighed and said, ” I guess so. It’s roughly like this,”, pouting a little.

“Well, um, you know. Do you ever get lonely being left behind?””

“No, I don’t. You’ve seen my mother, so you may have some idea of what I’m talking about. …… She’s very spontaneous and free spirited. ……”

“Oh, that’s right. So, you’ve gotten used to it. ……”

“I usually go with them, you know? However, when I see the two of them looking so happy together, it makes me feel happy too. …… This time, I thought I would take the opportunity to stretch my wings and come here. ……”

“I see. I’m sure your parents are very proud of you, Rin.”

“Thank you, …….

Free and unrestrained parents.

It may be because of these parents that Rin has become such a firm person.

It is also possible that it is her original personality. The environment in which she grew up is a major factor.

I’m not sure I can be this kind of person.

“But for that, I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused Towa-kun. …… I’m sorry. ……”

“You don’t have to worry about it. It’s not a problem. Besides, it’s a child’s fate to get caught up in their parent’s affairs, so it can’t be helped.”

“But this life is not going to be like this forever. I mean, I’ve been coming in and out of here for quite some time and it’s …… annoying, isn’t it?””

“No, not at all.”

She is a live-in tutor, with three meals a day, and she is capable of doing everything.

If I had hired her as a regular employee, my family would have gone bankrupt.

I would be wrong if I called her a nuisance.

“You can stay here as long as you like, Rin. Until you get bored with it.”

In response to my words, Rin’s big eyes widened and they seemed to sparkle.

“Is that okay ……?　If you say so, I’ll take your word for it, okay?”

“Ah, well, ……. But there’s a limit to how far you can go, you know?”

Rin furrowed her brow and showed signs of being troubled.

“Well, can’t we just say ‘during summer vacation’?”

“Yeah, I guess so. ……. Well, that’s about all I can do for you.”

“Thank you very much!”

When I see Rin as innocent and happy as a child, I feel as if I’ve been grabbed by the heart and I can’t breathe.

–I can’t decide the deadline by myself, it’s just naive.

But it’s easier this way.

It’s easier for me …… to leave the decision to the other person.　 That way there will be no regrets.

“This will make it easier for me to take care of Towa-kun.”

“Hey, wait a minute. Didn’t you just say something I didn’t want to hear?”

“It’s probably just your imagination.”

Rin makes a blank face, as if to say “I didn’t say anything.”.

This is a poker face …….

Seeing Rin like that, I couldn’t help but chuckle.