Chapter 434: Home Alone
Chapter 434: Home Alone
“I don’t care about rumors.”
Distracted and flustered, Himekoji hadn’t replied yet, but Yukinoshita went on speaking by herself.
“So, do you care?” Yukinoshita asked him.
“Huh? How could that be?”
Snapping out of his tangled thoughts at last, Himekoji answered without thinking.
Himekoji didn’t care about rumors. He didn’t care at all.
He was used to people talking badly about him. From forcing himself to ignore it at the start, to now being trained to not care without effort, he had gone from pushing himself to ignore it to just not bothering.
Plus, with rumors like these, it was clearly only Yukinoshita who would get hurt.
Being linked to a Pervert like him could ruin her perfect image, built up all this time.
“Then isn’t that fine?”
Yukinoshita continued in her usual cool, calm tone.
“Other people’s opinions don’t matter at all. Only when those views affect something or someone, making us feel the impact too, should we consider them. Otherwise, what happens in other people’s minds is just in their minds.”
That was so like Yukinoshita—sharp and cool, like a hero.
The bus arrived at the stop, and Yukinoshita walked Hikari home to the entrance. Himekoji got to tag along.
“Want to come up for a bit?”
It started as just polite talk, but after Hikari mewed in reply, it seemed Yukinoshita was really tempted.
“Is… is that okay?”
She asked softly, being careful not to seem too eager.
Of course, it wasn’t okay!
If she came into his place and saw a huge pile of familiar Underwear, indoor shoes, and other weird collections, it would be a disaster.
“Of course… it’s okay… ah ha ha…”
The word “no” almost slipped out, but Himekoji swallowed it just in time and changed his mind.
After saying it, he noticed his voice and face were off, so he let out an awkward laugh to cover up.
“Hmm… well… maybe next time. It’s getting late.”
Going into a boy’s house alone didn’t feel right. Yukinoshita hesitated for a bit, couldn’t get past her own worries, gritted her teeth, and refused “Hikari’s charm.”
“Whew—”
Seeing Yukinoshita look back every few steps as she walked away, reluctant but finally leaving Hikari, Himekoji actually breathed a big sigh of relief.
He had a sense that inviting a girl into his home during rain was just not proper.
He’d seen too many of those cheesy rainy day plots.
Like getting all wet, needing a hot shower, changing into dry clothes…
Even though he couldn’t picture Yukinoshita fitting that idea, what if, under the System’s messing around, the story went wild?
Himekoji was so used to crazy drama that he just had to watch out.
Only when Yukinoshita vanished completely in the rain did Himekoji carry Hikari upstairs.
Just then, he bumped into Nanami, who was coming out lugging big and little bags.
“Nanami?”
“Huh?”
Seems Nanami was startled by his sudden voice. With no lights in the rainy hallway, it looked dim. It took her a while to make out who it was.
“You! You scared me!”
“Who else would it be?”
Himekoji was speechless, half-smiling, half-sighing.
“You called me suddenly by my name like that! I couldn’t react fast enough!”
Who would have thought that being startled was because of that?
“Would it be better to go back to calling you Aoyama?”
Himekoji rubbed his chin, asking as if getting her opinion.
“Whatever! Call me whatever you like!”
“Hmm… then back to Aoyama.”
Himekoji thought it over and agreed. Suddenly switching to Nanami did feel stiff and forced.
Better to let things happen naturally.
“Call me Nanami!”
Right away, the one who said “whatever” frowned and sounded unhappy.
Judging by her tough tone, how was that “whatever”?
So, what happened to “call me whatever you like”?
Still, this switch-up was oddly cute.
Himekoji stifled a laugh, but didn’t mind a bit.
So he spoke again to practice the new name.
“Nanami?”
“Hmm…”
“Nanami?”
“Hmm…”
“Nanami?”
“Do you mind? How many times are you going to say it? Enough already!”
Nanami was the first to crack. She felt super embarrassed for some reason.
“Haha, it’s just that being like this is so fun, and I couldn’t stop calling out.”
Himekoji laughed out loud, telling the truth.
“Ah! Quit teasing me!”
Nanami got all flustered and pretended to glare at him angrily.
But her bright red cheeks just made her seem harmless.
Actually, maybe she did have a kind of charm—it was pretty strong!
It just wasn’t the usual sort of charm.
“By the way, with all those bags…”
Only now did Himekoji notice her stuff, asking with a confused look.
“Oh, this? I forgot to tell you. I’ve sorted things out with the dorm, and they said I could move in tonight.”
When this topic was brought up, Nanami’s previously lively and expressive face instantly grew serious.
Even Himekoji’s smile faltered for a moment.
“Oh… like that, huh?”
“Mhm.”
Nanami nodded softly.
Outside, heavy rain poured down as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.
Himekoji quickly chimed in,
“But no need to rush like this, right? Look how heavy the rain is—maybe move another day? I’ll help you then.”
“No, I… I’m afraid…”
“Afraid of what?”
Afraid that she wouldn’t want to leave. Afraid she might keep lingering here. Afraid the urge to stay by his side was overwhelming.
It’d taken so much effort to make this decision. If she wavered now, she’d face endless hesitation and struggle again.
What if she couldn’t leave anymore?
Could she just live here forever?
…Forever?
“I’m afraid Hiratsuka-sensei might get impatient waiting.”
Nanami curved her eyes as she explained with a smile,
“She’s still downstairs, waiting.”
“Huh?”
Himekoji leaned over to peek downstairs.
There, he truly spotted the Female Teacher’s flashy and expensive sports car—
boldly parked by the curb. He hadn’t noticed it coming up just now…
“Oh… I see…”
He combed through his thoughts but couldn’t find even one suitable excuse to make her stay.
“I’ll walk you out.”
So Himekoji forced himself to perk up, pretending to take the bags piled around Nanami.
“Ah, the keys.”
Then, as though recalling something, Nanami fished into her pockets and pulled out Himekoji’s house keys.
“Keep them for now.”
Himekoji shook his head. Instead of taking them, he closed her open palm around the keychain.
“Just in case.”
“Huh?”
Just in case?
Nanami couldn’t grasp his meaning.
“In case you can’t afford the dorm fee again next month and get kicked out… cough Anyway, welcome back anytime then.”
“Hey!”
Realizing he’d teased her, Nanami flushed and smacked Himekoji’s arm.
“Ouch! That hurts…”
Himekoji put on a show of crying out. Soon after, as if planning to fight back, he suddenly retaliated—grabbing the little hand beating at him mid-swing.
But though he held it, Himekoji froze without another move.
“What are you doing?”
Eyebrows raised in curiosity, Nanami glanced at him, utterly puzzled.
Right then, Himekoji finally spoke.
He simply repeated it clearly—
“Welcome home. Any time.”
Lightning flashed, illuminating Himekoji’s solemn face.
Outside, storm winds howled under pouring sheets of rain, yet Nanami no longer heard any noise.
……
……