Chapter 234: The Argument

Chapter 234: The Argument

Though he wanted to keep standing by the bed, quietly watching Mashiro’s sleeping face forever, time wouldn’t allow it. It was almost seven o’clock. If Nanami discovered Mashiro was missing from her room, she’d surely rush straight here to confront him immediately.

Himekoji quietly slipped out of the study, planning to wait by Nanami’s door first. He could think of some excuse to stop her when she came out. However, he sensed something wrong the moment he left the study. Someone was in the living room? Slumped motionless across the desk.

Nanami?

Frowning, Himekoji moved closer to check. Who else could be here at this hour besides Nanami? One glance confirmed it was indeed her. She wore the exact same clothes as yesterday, as if she hadn’t even returned to her room to sleep. Thick stacks of paper were pinned under her arms. The tiny bit of exposed content hinted at stage play scripts. Red pen marks circled, highlighted, bolded, and annotated many areas. So… had she fallen asleep right here last night?

Even though the weather was getting warmer, nights and mornings still held a touch of cold. If she stayed like this, Nanami catching a cold would be bad. Himekoji shook his head. He could only turn back to his room, grab a blanket, and cover her with it. Yet, sensing movement, Nanami suddenly – without warning – opened her eyes.

Naturally, their gazes locked, their faces only centimeters apart. Hazy from sleep, Nanami blinked dazedly, staring blankly at Himekoji, completely still. They stared at each other for a long moment. Then, Nanami’s sleepy eyes gradually cleared, sharpening into focus, and then—

“H-Himekoji!!”

The words burst out in the fierce, unmistakable Kansai dialect so typical of girls.

“No! Miss Aoyama, listen! It’s not what you think!”

Trouble!

Himekoji knew instantly things were bad. This scene right now, plus his notorious reputation as a pervert…

Nanami must have misunderstood him!

“So… so you were after my body! Sneaking around while I was asleep! Sneaky! Shameless! Taking advantage! Pervert!”

All sleepiness vanished from Nanami instantly. She slammed the desk and jumped up, swinging her small fist without hesitation straight for Himekoji’s face.

A girl’s punch was no joke. Packing surprising power – far too much force for such a slim frame – Himekoji didn’t expect it. Unprepared and caught off guard, the punch knocked him spinning. Worse, it hit his nose, that sensitive, fragile spot. The thin, dense blood vessels in the nasal mucous membranes cracked open instantly. By the time Himekoji clutched his nose in pain, his hand was already slick with bright red blood.

“Y-You… you hit way too hard!” Himekoji’s voice came out muffled and strange, his nose covered.

But Nanami had already shrunk back, putting distance between them, wide-eyed and trembling like a terrified rabbit cornered by a wild beast.

“E-Even knowing you’re a pervert, I still believed in you… but you… you… I was such an idiot!”

“Could you listen to my explanation first, Miss Aoyama?” Himekoji felt deeply wronged. He’d only meant well!

“Explanation? What’s there to explain! I’m definitely reporting this to Sensei! You just wait!” Rubbing her arms, Nanami tried to intimidate Himekoji with a fierce glare.

But the threat itself…

“Reporting it to Sensei?”

Himekoji mentally facepalmed. How old was she? Still acting like a kid tattling to the teacher? Open your eyes a bit! Got guts? Settle it like proper people – fight it out after school behind the building!

That was clearly the most straightforward way to solve problems. Of course, he thought that… but before any fighting, he needed to clear the air. Himekoji wouldn’t suffer this injustice silently.

“Miss Aoyama, calm down! Please figure out what’s happening before you jump to conclusions!” He was only worried she’d catch a cold!

But Nanami wouldn’t even look at him, lost in her outburst. “Figure out what’s happening? I know exactly what’s happening! Sneaking into someone’s room besides… eh? W-Wait a minute!”

As if suddenly noticing something, she blinked, slowly scanning her surroundings.

“Th-This isn’t my room?” She confirmed it. Yep – she was in the living room, with Himekoji’s blanket draped over her shoulders. Dazed, she looked up at the ceiling. What on earth had happened? She racked her brain, desperately trying to recall.

“Remember now? Understand?” Himekoji clutched his nose, fuming. A dark scowl covered his face.

“Could it be…”

“Yes! Figured it out now?” Hurry up and apologize to me!

“Hmph!” Himekoji jutted out his chin, arms crossed, one foot tapping impatiently, acting all high and mighty.

Result: Without his hand pressing it, blood gushed from his nose again… His proud posture collapsed instantly.

“Could… could it be… you saw me right after I woke up?” Nanami gasped, horrified.

Huh?

Isn’t that topic jumping ahead a bit too fast?

“Why is it this kind of question?!”

Shouldn’t she be realizing she misunderstood me and then apologizing?

“Pervert! Looking at a girl just waking up! Rude! Disgusting! Shameless! Don’t you know you can’t just look at that?!”

Can’t just look?

What rule is that from!

Knowing such things would be weird!

Nanami frantically covered her face and dashed off, probably to the bathroom. Soon after, the distant sound of rushing water came from a faucet being turned on.

Himekoji sighed, feeling incredibly helpless. He grabbed some tissues and stuffed them into his nose.

Too bad, the bleeding didn’t seem like it would stop anytime soon; drops kept falling onto the floor.

Not even a few minutes later, Nanami walked back, her face washed, her previously messy hair and clothes now tidy.

Probably knowing she was the one in the wrong, she tried hard not to laugh when she saw Himekoji’s funny look with paper wads stuffed in both nostrils.

Her mouth twitched and she quickly looked away, trying to pretend she didn’t see it. However, her shoulders gave her away, trembling non-stop, clearly struggling badly to hold it in.

“Sorry.”

“F-Forget it, it’s not a big deal. Besides, you’re apologizing to the wall.”

“Because… looking at you makes me want to laugh.”

“And whose fault do you think that is!”

Nanami actually had the nerve to say such a thing.

“So, sorry.”

“I said forget it.”

Himekoji waved his hand dismissively, annoyed.

“Hey, you, these past few days, um…”

He originally wanted to ask how she was these last few days, coming back late after leaving early each day and doing so many part-time jobs. Maybe she needed a rest.

But the words reached his mouth, Himekoji seemed to remember something, and suddenly swallowed them back.

Even if he asked, it wouldn’t do any good –

Even if she wasn’t doing well these days, with Nanami’s strong-willed personality, she’d definitely stubbornly say it was fine.

So, skipping that point, Himekoji tried to think of some other topic.

He glanced at the table.

“Your script…”

“Oh, this? On the 20th of next month, the training class has a Midterm Performance Showcase. This is my piece for that day.”

“So you were practicing this here last night until you fell asleep?”

“Seems like it…”

Nanami shrunk her body a little, looking reflective.

“Is that showcase very important?”

“Not sure yet. Because the deciding audition for getting into the agency is the month after next, and the judges are different… But, they say agents might come to watch the showcase on the 20th, so…”

“Oh.”

Himekoji nodded.

If that was the case, even if he told Nanami not to overdo it and to rest more, there was no way she would listen.

Himekoji knew this guy’s temperament well.

…

Next, with nothing left to talk about, Himekoji opened the fridge to get some milk. But opening the door, he discovered the stock inside was completely empty.

He glanced at the duty roster stuck on the fridge; Nanami was responsible for shopping this week.

“Ah… sorry! I forgot about that! I meant to go buy it yesterday.”

Realizing this, Nanami apologized hastily.

“Well, I’ll go out later and buy it on my way. Why don’t you go back to your room and get some more sleep?”

Himekoji noticed Nanami’s face still carried a deep weariness, clearly she hadn’t slept well last night.

She had training class today, and then part-time work after class. Being out of energy simply wouldn’t do.

He seemed to recall Mashiro mentioning before that lately, besides the ice cream shop job, Nanami was also working at a family restaurant and a donut shop.

For Nanami, the hard-working warrior, not just one day, she probably hated wasting even one hour.

“No, it’s fine. The person responsible is me; I’ll go right away.”

But Nanami didn’t accept Himekoji’s kindness. Saying this, she turned around to leave.

He really couldn’t just leave it alone. As Nanami walked past him, Himekoji grabbed her arm to stop her.

“Hey!”

“Is there something else besides milk you need?”

“Just go to sleep first. Leave shopping for those things to me later.”

Himekoji repeated.

“No need. It’ll only take a moment. I just walk out to the main road; the convenience store is right there.”

Doing her own things herself – Nanami was sticking to this principle as strictly as ever; something Himekoji saw as completely unimportant.

“I told you to honestly accept favors from others. Is it necessary to be this stubborn over such a small thing?”

“You’re the one being stubborn! I told you I can do it, why do you insist?”

Nanami threw off Himekoji’s hand holding her.

“Stop meddling in my business!”

“Meddling? I was being kind and concerned about you, and you call it meddling?”

“You just focus on taking care of your Imouto and Mashiro! I’m fine. I don’t need anything from Himekoji. I can handle everything myself. Don’t waste your mind worrying about me!”

Cold hostility radiated from Nanami’s icy eyes. The air around them seemed to grow tense in an instant.

“The person who got tired and fell asleep alone in the living room dares to say something like that!”

This time, Himekoji didn’t back down. He faced the irritated Nanami head-on.

Compared to Nanami exuding coldness, Himekoji’s emotions instantly surged, boiling hot to the point the sight before him seemed to turn red.

It wasn’t just Nanami who had a temper; Himekoji had been holding back for a long time too.

It was just that before, he didn’t even have anyone he could argue with or vent at.

Now Nanami had come right to him, perfect!

Anxiety, confusion, pain, and inner turmoil – all sorts of pent-up dark feelings – swirled into a vortex and exploded violently within Himekoji.

“Thanks to you, I slept very well.”

“Slept very well? Someone whose eyelids were fighting sleep just now dares to say that? How shameless!”

“Himekoji, what exactly gives you the right to act all knowing? Can you actually tell whether I slept well or didn’t sleep well? How things are for me?”

“Something this obvious, you can tell with just one look!”

“Hah, and there are even more obvious things you haven’t seen either, have you? You don’t understand anything at all! Stop sticking your nose into my affairs!”

“Hah? Is that so? Well, great then. From now on, do whatever you want. Suit yourself!”

Actually, these words weren’t entirely sincere. Himekoji regretted them as soon as he spoke, but the frustration he felt arguing with her made it impossible to stop, his head hot.

“I will!”

Nanami coldly threw down these words, then turned quickly and went out.

“PONG!”

The door was slammed shut heavily by the girl.

…

…