“Take your own girlfriend home yourself!”
“Who asks their partner to take their girlfriend home?!”
“Is Ringo really your girlfriend? You damn mackerel, take some responsibility!”
Chuuya launched into a furious tirade at Dazai, leaving the nearby Ringo completely dumbfounded.
Dazai, on the other hand, looked perfectly used to it. After Chuuya finally finished yelling, he calmly replied in his usual mocking tone, “Getting that worked up will make you go bald, Chuuya~ When that happens, your hat will finally become nothing more than a practical tool for hiding your bald head.”
Seeing Chuuya about to explode again, Ringo hurriedly tugged on Dazai’s sleeve.
“Don’t talk to Mr. Nakahara like that!”
Her boyfriend… seemed to have a rather terrible attitude toward his coworkers.
“It’s fine,” Dazai said dismissively. “Chuuya’s used to it anyway.”
“But it’s still not nice to talk like that,” Ringo mumbled quietly before turning to Chuuya. “I’m sorry, Mr. Nakahara. Please don’t be angry with Haru-kun.”
Chuuya had still been fuming, but hearing Ringo apologize instantly took the wind out of his sails.
“Forget it. I’m too lazy to argue with him.” After a pause, he looked at Dazai in disbelief. “Wait, you’re seriously making me take your girlfriend home?”
Was that something any normal person would do?
Then again, Dazai had never been anything close to normal.
Even Ringo looked up at Dazai expectantly.
“Haru-kun, aren’t you taking me home?”
He was her boyfriend. That wasn’t an unreasonable thing to ask, was it? Besides, she barely knew Chuuya. How could she let him take her home?
“Chuuya has a motorcycle. It’s much more convenient,” Dazai shrugged. “I can’t ride one anyway. Besides, Chuuya’s the partner I trust the most. I’d feel completely at ease having him take you home.”
Chuuya was speechless.
How did someone who constantly spouted nonsense manage to get a girlfriend?
It truly made no sense.
“In that case…” Ringo forced a smile and said considerately, “I’ll just take the train home myself. I don’t want to trouble Mr. Nakahara.”
As she spoke, she reached up to remove the helmet.
“I don’t think it’s any trouble,” Chuuya said casually.
“See? Chuuya said so.” Dazai put the half-removed helmet back onto her head. “Go on.”
Ringo blinked.
Realizing Dazai’s hand was still resting on her helmet, her eyes suddenly lit up.
“Does this count as you patting my head, Haru-kun?”
After all, Dazai disliked physical contact. Even if it was through a helmet, she was happy enough.
Standing nearby, Chuuya’s mouth twitched.
How did that count?!
And seriously, he was still standing right here. Couldn’t they have at least a little consideration?
“…Well,” Dazai said, withdrawing his hand and letting it hang at his side. “If you think it counts, then it counts.”
Ringo couldn’t help smiling.
Just as she was about to get onto Chuuya’s motorcycle, she suddenly remembered something.
She rummaged through the bag she was carrying, pulled out a sandwich and a carton of milk, and handed them to Dazai.
“Haru-kun, these are for you.” She smiled brightly. “I bought them for tomorrow’s breakfast, but you can have them instead. Make sure you eat properly, okay?”
Beside them, Chuuya was so jealous he was practically warped.
Why did Dazai get such a thoughtful girlfriend?
“Ehh—no thanks.” Dazai rejected her without hesitation. “I can’t carry all that.”
Ringo froze.
“Huh?”
Rejected again.
“Just take them already!” Chuuya finally snapped. “Your girlfriend bought them for you!”
“Hah? Why should I listen to you, Chuuya?” Dazai shot back before taking only the sandwich from Ringo’s hand. “I’ll just take this.”
“You don’t want the milk?”
“I don’t need to grow any taller. Save that stuff for Chuuya.”
“The hell did you say, you damn mackerel?!”
Seeing the two of them about to start fighting again, Ringo hurriedly stepped in.
“Please don’t argue anymore! Um… then I’ll be in your care, Mr. Nakahara!”
Chuuya had always been a gentleman toward women. Since Ringo had said so, he didn’t continue arguing with Dazai.
“Yeah, it’s no trouble. Hop on.”
“Okay.”
It was Ringo’s first time riding this kind of motorcycle.
She climbed on carefully. After sitting down, she hesitated for quite a while before timidly reaching out and pinching the hem of Chuuya’s coat.
“Pfft—”
Dazai couldn’t hold back his laughter. He pointed to the grab rail behind the seat.
“You can just hold onto this.”
“Oh! Right!”
Once Ringo had a proper grip, Dazai stood beside the motorcycle with one hand holding the sandwich and the other tucked into his pocket, looking down at Chuuya.
“I’m counting on you, Chuuya. Make sure Little Ringo gets home safely. No speeding.”
“Is that really how you ask someone for a favor?” Chuuya grumbled. “Whatever. You’re always like this.” He turned to Ringo. “Where do you live?”
After Ringo gave him her address, she asked, “Do you need me to navigate?”
“No.” Chuuya waved a hand. “I know Yokohama’s roads well enough. I’ll find it.” Then he added, “All right. Say goodbye to that boyfriend you picked up from the trash. We’re leaving.”
“Haru-kun wasn’t picked up from the trash,” Ringo corrected seriously before waving to Dazai.
“I’m off now, Haru-kun. Bye-bye! Today’s meeting was so sudden. Next time I’ll bring you more of those cookies you like!”
Dazai was momentarily stunned.
The next second, Chuuya started the engine.
As soon as it roared to life, Chuuya tossed out a quick, “We’re going,” and in the blink of an eye, he and Ringo disappeared from Dazai’s sight.
Twenty minutes later, Chuuya dropped Ringo off at her apartment.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Nakahara.”
Ringo returned the helmet and bowed sincerely.
“Sorry for troubling you.”
“It’s fine.” Chuuya didn’t seem to care. “Compared to all the trouble Dazai usually causes me, this is nothing.”
After hesitating for a while, Ringo cautiously asked,
“Mr. Nakahara… do you and Haru-kun not get along? You’re partners, after all…”
“Being partners doesn’t mean we’re close.” Chuuya looked her up and down. “More importantly, how did you even meet that guy? And become his girlfriend?”
He really had picked her up from the trash, hadn’t he?
“It was a fated encounter!”
“…Ugh.”
Chuuya simply couldn’t accept such a romantic phrase being used in connection with Dazai. A look of utter disgust immediately crossed his face, making Ringo anxious.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“Huh?” Seeing how nervous she looked, Chuuya hurriedly waved his hands. “No, it’s got nothing to do with you. It’s all Dazai’s fault. Anyway, you’re home, so I should get going.”
“Please wait a moment!”
“Hm? Something else?”
“Please wait here for just a minute.”
With that, Ringo hurried into the apartment carrying her bags.
Though puzzled, Chuuya waited outside.
Not long afterward, Ringo came back out carrying another bag, much smaller than the previous one.
Walking up to him, she held it out.
“This is some fruit I bought today. Please accept it as thanks for bringing me home.”
“Ah—there’s really no need.” Chuuya waved his hand. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
Besides, if anyone should be giving him a thank-you gift, it should’ve been Dazai.
Though there was no chance that guy ever would.
Ringo shook her head firmly.
“Please accept it. Otherwise I’ll feel really bad.”
Dazai’s girlfriend…
She was unbelievably thoughtful.
Had Dazai saved the galaxy in his previous life?
Otherwise, how did he deserve a girlfriend like this?
Chuuya wasn’t the type to keep refusing.
Since Ringo insisted, and to put her mind at ease, he accepted the gift.
“Then I’ll gratefully accept it.”
After staring at her for a moment, he hesitated before finally saying,
“Listen… don’t be too good to Dazai.”
“Hm?” Ringo tilted her head in confusion. “Why?”
“Because he—”
Doesn’t deserve it!
Before Chuuya could finish, a girl’s voice suddenly interrupted him.
“Ringo—!”
Momoi ran over and hugged Ringo.
“You’re back!”
Noticing Chuuya standing nearby, she turned to look at him.
“And this is…?”
Her gaze moved between Ringo and Chuuya before realization suddenly dawned.
“Oh! This must be Ringo’s boyfriend!”
A biker boy.
Pretty cool…
Though hopefully he wasn’t a delinquent.
Ringo frantically shook her head.
“No, no!”
“Huh?” Momoi blinked. “Not this one either?”
“‘Either’?” Chuuya caught the keyword immediately. “Have other guys been mistaken for your boyfriend too?”
Flustered, Ringo gestured as she explained.
“Last time, the older brother next door from my hometown gave me a ride home, and he got mistaken for my boyfriend too.”
After explaining that to Chuuya, she turned to Momoi.
“He’s my boyfriend’s coworker.”
“I see.”
Momoi nodded in understanding before greeting Chuuya.
“Hello.”
Chuuya acknowledged her with a nod before saying to Ringo,
“If there’s nothing else, I’m heading out.”
“Goodbye, Mr. Nakahara.”
“Bye—”
Watching Chuuya speed away on his motorcycle, Momoi turned and walked back toward the apartment with Ringo.
“The one who brought you home today was really cool,” Momoi commented. “But I still think the older brother from last time was better. Handsome and dependable.”
She nodded confidently.
“My judgment’s never wrong.”
“My boyfriend is handsome too,” Ringo insisted seriously.
“Come to think of it, I still haven’t met your boyfriend.” Momoi tapped a finger against her chin. “You’ve already met mine. Next time, let me meet yours too.”
“Mmm… I’ll ask Haru-kun when I get home!”
After returning to the apartment, Ringo sent Dazai a message telling him she’d arrived safely.
It wasn’t until after she finished eating hot pot with Momoi and cleaned up the kitchen that she picked up her phone again.
She discovered Dazai had replied half an hour earlier.
Haru-kun: Did Chuuya’s driving scare you?
Ringo: A little! Mr. Nakahara rides so fast! (??⊙ω⊙`)
Little Ringo always used such adorable emoticons.
Haru-kun: No, no. It’s not that Chuuya rides too fast. He just flies too low.
Ringo: That’s a saying too? (●??ω｀●)
Haru-kun: You don’t have to humor me that much… By the way, why did you reply so late? Didn’t you always answer instantly before?
Ringo: I was having dinner with my friend QAQ Sorry! Did you eat, Haru-kun?
Haru-kun: Ate the sandwich… It was average.
Ringo: Then next time I’ll bring you sandwiches from the shop near my house! They’re really delicious! (≧▽≦)
Next time…
Next time…
With one arm draped over his forehead, Dazai lay there blankly until his phone vibrated again.
Ringo: So… can we go on a date this weekend? Hamster peeking out.jpg
After thinking for a while, Dazai replied.
Haru-kun: Sure.
Saturday morning.
Ringo checked the things she had prepared for Dazai three separate times. She inspected her makeup and outfit in the mirror one last time, and after confirming everything was perfect, happily headed out.
During their last date, Dazai had been called away for work and couldn’t watch the movie with her, so he’d promised to make it up this time.
They had agreed to watch a movie first and then have lunch.
Since Dazai was always late, however, Ringo hadn’t bought the movie tickets yet, planning to wait until he arrived.
But when she reached the theater…
She found Dazai already waiting outside.
Not only was he not late—
He had actually arrived before she did.
Shocking!
Ringo jogged over.
After stopping in front of him, she looked him up and down from every angle.
Under Dazai’s puzzled gaze, she cautiously called out,
“Haru-kun?”
Dazai raised an eyebrow.
“Who exactly do you think I am, Little Ringo?”
“I don’t think you’re someone else,” Ringo shook her head. “It’s just… you weren’t late today. I thought I was hallucinating!”
“So you’re saying I’m always late?” Dazai asked unhappily.
Ringo blinked.
“Aren’t you late every single time?”
“Then I’m going home.”
He turned to leave, but Ringo immediately grabbed his sleeve.
“Don’t!”
“Buy me crab, and I’ll forgive you.”
“I’ll buy it!”
Only after hearing her agree did Dazai stop and turn back around.
“Then let’s go.”
“Wait!”
Ringo tugged on his sleeve again.
Under his questioning gaze, she awkwardly admitted,
“I thought you’d be late again… so I haven’t bought the movie tickets yet…”
Dazai’s expression turned grave.
“Do you actually want to go on a date with me, Little Ringo?”
“I really do!”
Ringo bought tickets for the next available showing, and the two of them watched the movie together.
Because Dazai had not only arrived on time today but also watched the movie with her, Ringo remained cheerful all through lunch.
Finally, Dazai couldn’t help asking,
“What have you been so happy about this whole time?”
“Because I’m on a date with you, Haru-kun.” Ringo looked at him with wide eyes. “And you weren’t late today.”
“You’re really easy to satisfy.”
“You said that on our last date too.”
“Ehh—”
Resting his chin on one hand, Dazai looked at her.
“You remember everything I say?”
Ringo tapped her chin thoughtfully.
“I can’t say I remember every single thing, but I remember most of it. So… this is for you.”
She placed the bag she’d brought in front of him.
“You said you liked the cookies from last time, so I bought more. And I also got some sandwiches from the shop near my house.”
“So much?” Dazai rummaged through the bag. “Do you think I eat that much, Little Ringo?”
“No, no.” Ringo shook her head. “The cookies are because you like them, and they’ll keep longer. As for the sandwiches… I wanted you to try several different flavors.”
She pressed her lips together, thought for a moment, then added,
“If you can’t finish them… you could share some with Mr. Nakahara. Aren’t you partners?”
“No.”
Dazai rejected the idea without the slightest hesitation.
“I’d feed them to a dog before I’d give any to Chuuya.”
Ringo puffed out her cheeks.
“But if you gave them to a dog… I’d be sad.”
“I wouldn’t give them to a dog either.” Dazai curled his lip coldly. “I hate dogs the most.”
“What about your other friends?” Ringo tilted her head. “You could share them with them too.”
“I’ve got two, but I don’t see them very often.”
He packed away everything Ringo had brought.
“If I happen to run into them, I’ll share some.”
“…Oh. So you do have other friends, Haru-kun.”
“Did you think I didn’t?”
“It’s just…” Ringo looked at him expectantly. “When people are dating, there’s usually a part where they introduce their partner to their friends, right? When can I meet your friends, Haru-kun?”
“Even though I get really nervous meeting strangers… if they’re your friends, I’d really like to meet them! Oh, and my friends want to meet you too.”
Dazai pursed his lips slightly as he watched Ringo smile with her eyes curved into crescents.
“Can I?”