Volume 1 - CH 27

In the morning, Himekawa and I do our usual routine and have breakfast together.

This morning’s menu is centered around Himekawa’s shredded cabbage vegetable stir-fry.

“”Itadakimasu.””

While eating my meal, I talk to Himekawa to confirm what happened last night.

“Did you verify yesterday’s message?”

“About Imai-san and my father?”

“Yes. I heard they are coming this evening.”

For a while, Himekawa closed her eyes and began to worry about something.

“What’s the matter? Is there something wrong?”

“What should I wear?”

Yes? What should I wear? Anything will do, right?

I usually choose between school uniforms and jerseys for home wear.

“I’m sure anything will do, right? Why do you bother so much?”

“Huh? Tendo-kun’s father is coming, right? I can’t dress weirdly, can I?”

Is that how it is? Well, it can’t be helped that Himekawa, as opposed to other girls, lived a life in which she was very careful about her clothes and other things.

My parents are just average people, and they don’t have to pay attention to such things at all.

“Anything Himekawa wears looks good on you, so anything goes.”

Himekawa stopped moving with her chopsticks in her mouth, and I could see her cheeks turn a little red.

“Oh, that’s not true. I’ll match with Tendo-kun. Don’t tell me you’re going to wear a jersey?”

No way that’s true. I can’t say I wasn’t thinking about it.

A lawyer and the father of the person who is taking care of her at the boarding house are coming, and I’m wearing a jersey? [TLN: Kinda weird phrasing from the raws, explanation at the end.]

Yeah, no. It’s a compromise here.

“Well, why don’t you just play it safe and wear a uniform? We might see each other as soon as we get home from school.”

“I guess so. Then I’ll be waiting in uniform too.”

We finish breakfast together and wash up quickly.

Two people are quicker than one. Just as Himekawa told me last night.

Himekawa heads for the entrance to leave first.

In the hall, Himekawa starts putting on her shoes.

“Is it okay if I always leave first?”

“Hmm? I have to take out the trash and stuff afterward, and besides, wouldn’t it be bad if you went to school with me?”

After putting on her shoes, Himekawa slings her schoolbag over her shoulder and stands in front of me.

“Okay, I’ll go ahead.”

“Oh, I’ll give you this.”

Just before I left, I handed Himekawa a key.

It was an ordinary key that could be found anywhere.

“What’s this?”

Himekawa asks me as she stares at the key she received.

“It’s a duplicate key to the front entrance of the boarding house. You can’t get in if I’m not here, right?”

I had already given Himekawa the keys to the rooms for each of us to use, but I was the only one who had the key to the entrance of this lodging house.

I had to look for a spare key last night because I knew we might be working part-time and might have to go our separate ways.

“Is it all right? For me to keep it.

“I’m not here every day either, and we do go our separate ways, don’t we? You can use the kitchen, dining room, and living room on the first floor without me.”

“I understand. I’ll make sure I keep it in a safe place so I don’t lose it.”

Himekawa puts the keys she received in her bag, bows lightly to me, and starts walking toward the entrance.

―Garararara. [TLN: No clue what SFX this is. Probably door closing or steps.]

“I’m off.”

“Bye.”

These were the only words exchanged, but for some reason, I was convinced that I had developed feelings inside me that I had never felt before.

I had always lived alone, but now I have a roommate.

Is this an emotion I feel because it’s Himekawa? Or is it an emotion that everyone feels the same way? I can’t know right now.

But I certainly feel that my current environment is not so bad.

And after I had finished getting ready for the morning, I walked through the same door that Himekawa left through, and headed off to school.

Then, with my morning preparations finished to a reasonable degree, I walk through the same door that Himekawa left through, and I too head off to school.

(I’m off!)

I shouted in my heart and headed for the school, following Himekawa who had left earlier.

With a garbage bag in my hand, which I put together at the entrance, I took out the garbage at the collection point and then ran to the station.

Today was another day of diligent study, and in no time at all, it was after school.

Today was a peaceful day with no major incidents or topics of conversation.

The only topic of conversation was the fact that the boy sitting behind me was absent because of a cold.

Thanks to this, I was able to concentrate on my classes all day.

After homeroom was over, I looked in Himekawa’s direction and saw that she had already gone home and was not there.

She said she was going straight home, but did she leave the classroom as soon as the homeroom ended?

Himekawa sits on the hallway side, and I sit on the window side. Himekawa is in a better position to start.

I pack up my stuff and leave the classroom.

When I returned home, the front door was already open and I was able to enter.

I was surprised to find that he had gone home before I did.

“I’m home!”

After putting my shoes in the shoebox at the entrance, I went to the bathroom.

First, I washed my hands and gargled. This is important.

“Welcome home, you’re back early.”

Himekawa came out of the kitchen and answered me.　

I felt a warmth in my heart when I exchanged these words, “I’m home” and “Welcome home.

“Really?　Himekawa’s just a faster.”

“I thought I needed to make a lot of preparations.”

After exchanging such conversation, I throw my bag in my room and wait for the guests.

“Do you want some tea and snacks or something?”

We both sit on chairs at the dining room table and wait for the guests to arrive.

“I think it would be nice to have something, but what do you have?”

Himekawa and I open the tea cabinet and look for snacks.

There are large bags of snacks, candy, and something that has expired.

Yeah, there’s nothing we can serve.

“I’m going to go to the shopping district and get something.”

“Then I’ll get coffee and tea, cups and stuff ready.”

Sharing the work. This is only possible with the two of us.

I started walking to the shopping street with my eco-bag in hand.

When I was walking along the shopping district, a man at a grocery store called out to me.

“Tsukasa Do you want to buy something today? Tomatoes are cheap today!

Suddenly, I remember the other day.

“Okay, two tomatoes. Put the tomatoes in this bag.

The bag I handed to the greengrocer was my eco-bag.

As usual, he put what I bought in the bag.

“Wait!”

I put my hand inside the bag and offer him a paper bag.

“I’m returning this.”

He opens the bag and checks its contents.

With a gaping stare, he opens the paper bag I handed and checks its contents.

“What! Why return this? I gave you a freebie!”

“I don’t need your help! Don’t ever do that again!”

With a grin, he puts the paper bag away behind the counter.

The content of the paper bag is a small purple box. Don’t store it in there!

I bought some appropriate tea cakes at the shopping district and put them in my eco-bag along with tomatoes.

They are not expensive, but are they good enough?

I bought a monaka and a yokan. My father used to like monaka.

I don’t know what Imai-san likes, so I can’t help it.

I return home and serve the tea cakes I bought.

Now everything is ready, they can come at any time they want.

He said he would come in the evening, but I haven’t heard the exact time.

I’m chatting with Himekawa in the dining room, but he doesn’t seem to be coming.

What time will he come?

–Ping-pong!

Here he comes.

Himekawa and I cut the conversation short, get up from our seats, and headed for the front door together.

At the door is Imai-san, who looks like a businessman in a gray suit.

And my father, with his hair all back and wearing a black suit.

His eyes are sharp and he looks to be in his early thirties, but he is clearly scary.

Compared to Imai-san next to him, I could see it clearly.

“It’s been a long time, Tsukasa. Are you eating well?”

“I’m fine, Dad. I’m living a healthy and regular life every day.”

The meeting started with such an ordinary conversation.

What kind of conversation awaits me after that?

TLN: So basically, it’s Tendo’s father, because Tendo is taking care of Himekawa, hence “the father of the person who is taking care of her.”

And sorry for the lack of release, I was on a sudden vacation with my family for the past few days, but now I’m back and have some free days before classes start normally again.