After Yamamoto finished speaking, Ringo froze for a moment before becoming overwhelmingly moved.
Waaah—they noticed!
It was the first time anyone had been so understanding of her. For a moment, she didn’t even know how to respond. She could only stare at Yamamoto, feeling that his already tall figure somehow seemed even bigger in her eyes.
Sensing her gaze, Yamamoto glanced sideways at her, only to find her looking at him with watery eyes, tears welling up until they looked like little pools ready to spill over.
Why is she suddenly about to cry?!
He quickly pulled over to the side of the road, took out a handkerchief, and handed it to her.
“Are you okay, Ringo?” he asked worriedly. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m okay.” Ringo shook her head, her shoulder-length golden hair swaying with the movement. “I’m just… touched!” She sniffled, her voice thick with emotion. “I’m really bad at coming up with things to talk about, but I’m also scared that if nobody says anything, it’ll just get even more awkward, so I…”
“Hahaha, I could tell you were really trying your best to keep the conversation going,” Yamamoto said with a smile. “You don’t have to worry about that with me.”
Ringo nodded vigorously.
“Mhm! Okay!”
After hearing him say that, Ringo immediately felt herself relax.
She had been worried that, after not seeing each other for so long, Yamamoto would feel distant toward her too. Instead, he had noticed how uncomfortable she was and said exactly what she needed to hear. His attitude was warm and friendly without being overly familiar, striking a balance that made her feel completely at ease.
This is so touching… QAQ
“Big Brother Takeshi has gotten so much more mature than before,” Ringo said earnestly. “Is it because of your job?”
“I suppose so,” Yamamoto replied vaguely before turning the conversation back to her. “What about you? You’re still just as afraid of talking to people as you used to be.”
Ringo scratched her head awkwardly.
“I guess you’re right. It feels like I haven’t improved at all.” She sighed gloomily before suddenly realizing what she’d done. “Ah, sorry! I started complaining without realizing it!”
“No, you’ve improved,” Yamamoto said with a bright smile. “Isn’t it obvious? You’re even cuter than before.”
He reached out toward her, but halfway there, he seemed to remember something and withdrew his hand.
Tilting her head, Ringo looked at him in confusion.
“Big Brother Takeshi? What’s wrong?”
“Ah, nothing.” Yamamoto rubbed the back of his head. “I just remembered that when you were upset as a kid, patting your head would cheer you up. But you did your hair so nicely today. If I patted your head, I’d mess it up, so I’d better not.” He looked at her curiously. “Did you have an important date today?”
Ringo pressed her lips together, and the little pearls of tears almost started falling again.
She had gotten up early just for today’s rare date, carefully putting on makeup, picking out her outfit, and styling her hair.
But during the date, Dazai hadn’t noticed any of it.
He hadn’t even complimented her.
Now that Yamamoto had pointed it out, she couldn’t help feeling a little wronged.
Clutching the handkerchief Yamamoto had given her, she answered in a muffled voice,
“Yeah. I was supposed to go on a date with my boyfriend, but…”
The moment the words left her mouth, she suddenly covered her mouth, her eyes going wide as she stared at Yamamoto in alarm.
“So you’re dating someone now?” Yamamoto laughed carelessly. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell your parents. I’ll keep it a secret.”
“Thank you, Big Brother Takeshi!” Ringo said gratefully, but her mood quickly sank again. “He suddenly had work, so he left early.”
“Standing up your girlfriend during a date is absolutely unforgivable.”
Yamamoto’s expression turned serious, and he fixed Ringo with a sharp gaze.
“Where is he? I’ll go kill him for you.”
“Huh?!”
Ringo froze before frantically waving both hands.
“N-No, it’s okay! Wait, no—don’t say scary things like that!”
“Hahaha.”
Yamamoto laughed, instantly returning to his usual bright, approachable self.
“Did I scare you?”
Ringo nodded obediently.
“A little.”
She knew he was joking…
But for a moment there, he had genuinely seemed to radiate killing intent.
Still, what he said reminded her of something.
Looking at him expectantly, she asked,
“Big Brother Takeshi, you’re free this afternoon, right?”
“Yep. What’s up?” Yamamoto replied readily.
Twisting the handkerchief in her hands, Ringo said,
“I bought two movie tickets, but my boyfriend stood me up. I can’t refund them, and I couldn’t find anyone else to go with me… Would you… watch it with me?”
“Sure.”
“Huh?”
She hadn’t expected him to agree so readily and was left staring blankly at him.
“You can handle the navigation,” Yamamoto assigned her. “I was just about to ask where we’re going. Otherwise, I was about to take you on a sightseeing drive around Yokohama.”
“Oh! Okay!”
Ringo hurriedly pulled up the navigation on her phone.
“The theater is really close. We’ll be there soon!”
After setting the destination, she looked at the handkerchief in her hands and awkwardly held it out to him.
“Big Brother Takeshi… Here, your handkerchief…”
She knew he’d given it to her to wipe her tears.
But she’d managed to hold the tears back.
Instead, she’d simply twisted the poor handkerchief into a wrinkled mess.
“Oh, thanks.”
Yamamoto accepted it and casually stuffed it back into his pocket before starting the car.
Ringo quietly withdrew her gaze.
For someone so considerate toward others… he’s surprisingly carefree about his own things.
When they arrived at the movie theater, Ringo went to the ticket machine to print their tickets.
Since it was the weekend, there were quite a lot of people there.
Whenever she was surrounded by strangers, Ringo couldn’t help getting nervous.
But this time, there was a man nearly thirty centimeters taller than her standing beside her, like a wall separating her from everyone else, making her feel much less anxious.
At that moment, that very wall was looking around curiously.
“There are so many people,” Yamamoto remarked. “Is there a popular movie out recently?”
“It’s probably because it’s the weekend,” Ringo blinked. “And this movie has gotten really good reviews lately, so that’s why it’s so crowded.”
“I see.”
Yamamoto nodded before looking at her.
“Weren’t you going to get the tickets? I’ll come with you.”
“Mhm!”
After collecting their tickets, there was still some time before the movie started.
Yamamoto asked,
“Want some popcorn? I’ll go buy some, and I’ll grab two colas while I’m at it.”
Without even thinking, Ringo blurted out,
“No!”
“Why not?” Yamamoto asked, puzzled. “Aren’t popcorn and cola the standard movie combo? Or do you just not like them?”
“It’s not that.” Ringo shook her head. “It’s just… I’m the one who asked you to come watch the movie with me, so I should be the one buying them…”
She rubbed her cheek awkwardly with one finger.
Yamamoto smiled at her.
“But didn’t you say you didn’t have any money?”
Ringo went blank for several seconds before her face instantly turned scarlet.
“D-Don’t bring that up again!”
She was about to die of embarrassment all over again!
“What does it matter?” Yamamoto patted her shoulder. “Honestly, I think it’s a good thing that you’re cautious while living on your own away from home.” He smiled. “Come on. It’s just popcorn and cola. You don’t have to be so polite with me.”
He grinned.
“I’m a working adult now, after all.”
Ringo blinked.
“Then… I’ll gladly accept?”
“You could even ask me for pocket money.”
“…Big Brother Takeshi, you did that on purpose!”
“Haha, you caught me.”
After entering the theater, Ringo and Yamamoto found their seats.
Before the movie started, Yamamoto took out his phone to deal with some messages, while Ringo slowly ate her popcorn by herself.
As more and more people filed into the screening room, Ringo suddenly felt that the popcorn in her mouth wasn’t sweet anymore.
…Why were all the people sitting in front of them, behind them, and on both sides of them couples?!