In the end, at the love hotel I went to with Hiyori, we ate food from the local gourmet fair.
But for some reason, this time it took a little while before we actually ate.
She actively asked things like, “Do you want to take a shower?” Honestly, I did not understand what she meant, and question marks popped up in my head.
It is not as hot as summer, so I do not think I was sweating.
“Is this not the local gourmet fair?”
When I ask that, Hiyori drops her shoulders a little bit and says in a small voice,
“It is………”
When I talked about this to Seina on another day, she held her head in her hands and would not talk to me for a while.
After that, Hiyori invited me to a love hotel a few more times. But every time, we just eat food. Honestly, I am not expecting anything anymore either, but I think positively: it is fine as long as I can go out with Hiyori.
Right now, just that is already enough.
One day, while killing time at a cafe near the university, I ran into Takuto. I was planning to ignore him, but for some reason Takuto spoke to me first.
Even though there are plenty of empty seats, Takuto sits down directly across from my table. He is holding an iced coffee in his hand.
“Shibuki-san, you have been getting along really well with Hiyori-chan lately, haven’t you?”
The face that smiled as he said that had very sharp eyes. Takuto rested his elbows on the table with both hands and looked at me.
Thinking that this is a hassle, I drink my cafe latte.
“Lately, even when I invite Hiyori-chan on a date, she says she is going out with Shibuki-san and will not come with me.”
Takuto speaks in a matter-of-fact tone, but his gaze is fixed on me the whole time.
It seems he really dislikes the fact that the reason Hiyori turned him down is “me,” more than the fact that she turned him down.
I make a mental comeback: you were not even able to go with her when you invited her in the first place, right? Without knowing that such a mental comeback is being made, Takuto is diligently lining up his words.
“Hiyori and I have always gotten along well, though?”
While Takuto is drinking his iced coffee and taking a breather, I counter with that. Then Takuto’s eyebrows twitch.
His movement stops for a second, but he quickly starts moving again and drinks his coffee gracefully. Takuto looked like he was at a loss for words for just a moment, but he immediately raised the corners of his mouth.
“Well, if you put it that way, I suppose so.”
Even while saying that, his smile does not soften at all. A probing gaze pierces straight at me.
“You started going out together recently, didn’t you?”
“……That is true, but…”
When I am at a loss for words, Takuto suddenly puts on an unpleasant smile that reaches all the way to his eyes.
“I am just worried about Shibuki-san, you know.”
Because Takuto suddenly acts kind, I cannot suppress my sense of discomfort.
Worried about me? Why? Unable to fully grasp the intent of what he is saying, I lean back against the sofa’s backrest and glare at Takuto.
“Hiyori-chan is friendly and close with people, so I was worried that Shibuki-san might misunderstand in a weird way.”
“Meaning?”
“—For example, that you are being treated specially.”
Because Takuto says that with a serious face and in a low voice, I cannot hold it back and burst out laughing.
When I laugh while keeping my voice down for a while, Takuto gets a perplexed look on his face.
What is that supposed to mean? Is it that Hiyori’s special person is him, so I should not misunderstand?
The ice in the cafe latte makes a clinking sound.
The inside of the cafe is quiet as usual, with only the sound of grinding coffee beans and soft background music playing. And yet, the air at this table alone is tightly stretched.
It is honestly too pitiful to just laugh without saying anything, so I open my mouth.
“Saying that, what do you want me to do about it?”
“I just thought it was pitiful that Shibuki-san would misunderstand, get her hopes up on her own, and end up feeling down, so I gave you a warning.”
Takuto narrows his eyes and looks at me with a sharp gaze. I almost laugh again right there, but I hold it back firmly.
After letting out a deep breath once, I put my cup down.
I have already gone through that once. Misunderstanding, getting my hopes up, and feeling down—I have already experienced the whole set at the first love hotel.
I do not deserve to be lectured about this by Takuto acting like he knows everything.
“……And so?”
When I say that, Takuto is at a loss for words for just a moment.
“So, you see, Shibuki-san is……”
That was when it happened.
“Seina-paaaai!!”
A familiar, slightly high-pitched voice.
I reflexively raise my head. Takuto also turns his gaze toward the source of the voice, looking startled.
Toward the entrance of the cafe, Hiyori, the center of attention, is waving her hands big. She is waving at me with her usual innocent smile.
Thinking “What timing,” I wave back a little.
“What are you guys doing in a place like thisー?”
Saying that, Hiyori approaches our table without hesitation.
Hiyori stands right next to me.
“Just killing time between free periods.”
When I answer while looking up at Hiyori, she breaks into a full bloom smile.
“Is that so!”
“Do you want to sit?”
Since Hiyori was hesitating while standing, I gently called out to her like that.
Takuto is here, but I do not care anymore.
“Is it okay?”
“Of course.”
Hiyori’s face brightens up, and she sits down right next to me as if it is the most natural thing in the world.
Once she takes her seat, Hiyori turns her gaze toward Takuto.
When their eyes meet, Takuto pours a doting smile onto Hiyori.
“Ah, Takuto-senpai was here too.”
“Yeah……”
She had not noticed him. I end up giving a bitter smile, thinking just how uninterested she is in Takuto.
Takuto’s voice becomes slightly stiff. Hiyori tilts her head and looks back and forth between me and Takuto.
“Were you guys talking by any chance? If so, I am sorry.”
“No, we are already done.”
I answer immediately, even faster than Takuto can open his mouth to say something.
Takuto looks like he wants to say something, but I ignore it and focus my gaze on Hiyori.
Hiyori speaks to me in a low voice while looking at the menu.
“Senpai, what are you drinking?”
“A cafe latte.”
“Then I will have that tooー.”
Hiyori says that cheerfully and calls a staff member over.
While saying she wants a cafe latte, she also orders pancakes.
Before long, after finishing her order, she links her arm with mine and shows me her smartphone screen.
“Hey hey senpai, I want to go here, will you come with me?”
Looking at the smartphone screen, a relatively nearby shopping mall is displayed.
“A shopping mall? Sure.”
At that, Hiyori makes a small guts pose and says,
“It’s a date.”
And laughs.
I feel a little flutter at the word “date,” but I keep a poker face because Takuto is here.
Thinking that it is bold of her to invite me on a date in front of Takuto, Takuto seems to run out of patience and opens his mouth.
“Hiyori-chan, I will take you there next time. I will escort you better than Shibuki-san.”
I get a little ticked off by those words. Even I am capable of escorting Hiyori.
Then Hiyori raises her head and looks at Takuto with a cold gaze.
“Right now, I am busy talking with Koto-senpai, so Yamaguchi-senpai, please do not talk to us. Besides, I am the one who will escort her.”
At Hiyori’s words, the air stops dead still.
Although the buzz of the cafe continues to flow as usual, this table alone becomes quiet as if it has been cut out from the rest.
Takuto has a look on his face as if he does not understand what was just said for a second, then slowly frowns.
“……You are the one who will escort her?”
“Yes.”
Hiyori does not look away at all.
Her voice is not fluffy like it usually is, either.
Then this time, Takuto bursts out laughing.
“You say some pretty funny things, Hiyori-chan. Well, whatever. If you ever get tired of escorting Shibuki-san, come over to my place anytime.”
Takuto says that and leaves, saying see you later.
Instead of chasing after his back, I speak to Hiyori.
“Am I the one being escorted?”
When I say that and laugh, Hiyori answers with a smug face.
“That’s rightー? Koto-senpai is going to be escorted by me.”
Saying that, Hiyori squeezes my arm tightly.
The pancakes and cafe latte we ordered earlier arrive.
Hiyori starts eating with her eyes sparkling.
“Is it really okay to be that cold to Takuto? Wouldn’t it settle down if you just went out with him once?”
“Didn’t I say it before? I don’t want to go on a date with someone I don’t even like.”
Immediate answer. Hiyori says that coldly without taking her eyes off the pancakes.
“Yamaguchi-senpai is persistent, you know. You have to draw a proper line.”
I think to myself that she actually draws those lines quite firmly.
Moreover, since she does not like him at all, it would not be fun even if she went with him, so I nod in agreement.
Hiyori is smiling happily while holding a fork.
This is definitely cuter and better than the attitude she shows toward Takuto.
To be honest, Takuto’s words stung my heart just a little bit, but right now, just being able to see this side of her is enough. Thinking that, I finish drinking my cafe latte.