CH 29.1

Now then, the party’s running smoothly, so it’s about time that I leave. Since I can’t drink alcohol, I’m just going to be a bother if I stay. And I’m already full, after all.

「Now then, I have to go now.」

「What? You’re not staying till the end?」

「Midou, please think of my age. I can’t stay outside too late in the night.」

I’m still a minor. If I stay until the end, it’ll be way past 9 pm by then. Even though I do have bodyguards, it’s not good for a high school girl to be walking outside that late in the night.

「Well, that’s true. Will you be fine alone?」

「I have the usual people with me, so I’ll be fine.」

They’re probably waiting just outside. I don’t think that they’d enter here. After all, once they’re in, it’d be pretty tempting to drink alcohol. Akari seems pretty impulsive too.

「Well then, everyone, please continue to enjoy yourselves.」

「Will you really be alright?」

「She should have bodyguards, right? You know, since she is who she is.」

「Right, now that you mention it. Somehow, seeing how you are lately, I’m starting to forget that fact.」

Teacher Kondou, you call me by my last name at school, so like hell you’d ever forget. After all, the fact that I’m a Kisaragi will never change.

「I’ll be lonely if you leave, Kotone…」

Since this is a chance, I thought of matchmaking Teacher Kondou and Teacher Cathy, but I guess things never go that easy. Besides, it’s an unnecessary gesture too.

「Well then, thank you for having me today.」

Closing the door, I took out my phone and sent 「At least invite her for an after party.」 to the president. The reason this drinking party was rushed was because the president and I exchanged contact details, and I got annoyed by how he kept asking me about this every night. I didn’t think that he’d actually contact me about it, you see.

「Owner, thank you for the wonderful meal.」

「What, you’re going home early?」

「Yes, I have to go home now.」

「I see. Take care on your way home. Still, now I understand why I thought you seemed similar to him.」

「Eh?」

Did I do something? I don’t really know if I had some habits that I kept from my past self, but I don’t remember doing anything particularly weird.

「The way you eat is exactly the same as his. And you two don’t look the same at all, so it’s a real mystery.」

「Is that so? That is a real mystery indeed.」

That’s literally all I can say. And if I force myself to think of an actual reply, he’d probably find it weird.

「About what you asked earlier, I wouldn’t mind answering myself but we really can’t.」

「It can’t be helped. After all, I’m sure it isn’t something to be casually shared with strangers.」

I’m sure that they wouldn’t carelessly talk about other people’s private incidents, not just mine. For as long as the owner or his wife doesn’t get drunk and lets it slip out, that is.

「Still, if you two ever meet, things will probably get messy.」

「Who?」

「The very person that can answer your questions, I’m sure that she’ll take a liking to you.」

「……? That doesn’t sound like it would be messy, though.」

「Well, you’ll understand when it happens.」

Yeah, I can roughly guess who it is. Still, does that mean that she’s involved in my incident?

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「Then I will excuse myself now.」

「Sure, take care on your way home.」

After all, no matter what the generation, it’s dangerous for a woman to walk home alone. I have bodyguards, so it shouldn’t be an issue. Still, are there different people on shift when it’s night? I don’t know anyone else other than the two though.

「Still, it feels like I got more questions than I gained answers.」

I never imagined that researching about myself would be this difficult to do. Moreover, to know more about what happened, I’ll have to get into contact with my old acquaintances. I don’t know how I can come across them, so I’m basically stuck.

「Looks like it’s about to rain soon.」

June is usually the rainy season but I don’t think it’s that rainy this year. While it’s true that the weather is unstable and it’s mostly cloudy, there hasn’t been a really heavy rain either. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that I can’t dry the laundry outside. The recent washing detergent has evolved though, so it is nice that it doesn’t smell much even with just indoor drying. Still, the sky is currently covered with thick clouds. Though it’s hard to see now that it’s night.

「And I don’t have an umbrella either.」

I did bring a hat just in case but since it was clear skies the whole day, I didn’t bring an umbrella. Though I did bring a hat from my starting inventory since I thought it could keep me somewhat covered. I guess I should’ve at least brought a bag.

「No choice, guess I’ll run.」

「「!?」」

I feel like I heard someone behind me hold their breath. Probably the bodyguards. They’re camouflaged in casual clothes and, moreover, they’re not the pair I’m familiar with. Still, is it really that bad if I run? Rain’s likely about to fall soon. My apartment’s pretty far away.

「S-sorry, but allow us to take you home.」

「It’s common sense to not follow random strangers.」

They suddenly talked to me, so I made sure to have just enough distance if ever I needed to run away. Well, yeah, I’ve already guessed who they are, but just to be sure. Because I really do have no idea who they actually are.

「We’re Kyousuke and Akira’s workmates. We’ll get the car ready, so could you wait for a moment?」

「You think I can trust that?」

「Please, give us a break. How many kilometres from here do you think your apartment is? Keeping up with the morning runs is hard enough already.」

Well, since they know my daily routine, I guess it’s not their first time guarding me. As for me, since a bit of exercise would also help with my digestion, running would kill two birds with one stone. Come to think of it, have these people eaten dinner yet?

「Have you two eaten dinner yet?」

「There was no telling when you’d leave, so we only had light snacks. What about it?」

「Then in that case, would you mind if we drop by somewhere? Of course, it would be my treat.」

Somehow I just feel like eating dessert, you know? Also, if I go home now, I feel like I’m just going to end up thinking to myself endlessly, so I want to be with someone else for a bit longer, I don’t know.

「Are you sure? This is your first meeting with us, isn’t it?」

「If you were kidnappers, then you wouldn’t let this chance slip away. Rather than continuing this conversation, you would have already carried me off.」

「Well, point taken, but still, you’re acting different from what we were told.」

「That’s true, we heard that you’re keeping distance from us bodyguards.」

「It’s just a whim of mine. Besides, if that was the case, then I wouldn’t have talked to Akira and Kyousuke.」

「Well, those two are unusual.」