Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatte Iru - Volume 7 - Chapter 6

6

Surreptitiously, Yukino Yukinoshita goes out to town at night.

Before I knew it, I was lying in my futon.

“This ceiling isn’t familiar…” I sorted out my memories and remembered I was on the school field trip.

The first place we’d gone on day one was Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and after that, there was Nanzen Temple, and then for some reason, they made us walk to Ginkaku-ji Temple. The fall leaves had been pretty, though, and walking along the Philosopher’s Walk by the river was good exercise. I think it was a nice place for Tobe and Ebina to go on a stroll.

Then after we’d gone through the schedule for the day, we’d gone to the hotel, had dinner, and then…

…why was I lying in bed here now?

“Oh, Hachiman. You’re awake?” Totsuka had been sitting beside me, holding his knees. He released one leg and peered at my face.

“Uh, yeah. Um, what’s going on…?” Have I been King Crimson’d and jumped to the end where Totsuka and I have started our lives as newlyweds?

So I wondered, but it seemed that was not the case, as I could hear loud clattering and voices from across the room.

“Man, you really got me!”

“You’re too good, Hayato!”

I glanced over toward the source of the voices to see the boys from my class rambling about pon and kan and ponkan.

Okay, I basically get what’s going on here.

It seemed my usual lifestyle rhythm, which involved a nap as soon as I got home, had backfired on me. Since we’d spent all day out doing stuff, and I’d also eaten a rather large dinner at the hotel, I’d apparently passed out the moment I’d returned to our room.

“It’s past the time for the baths already, but the teacher said you could use the indoor bath,” Totsuka told me.

“Wh-what?!” So my precious bath time with Totsuka is already over?! This was such a shock to me, I leaped out of my futon. It seems I must kill God…

As I ground my teeth, Totsuka indicated the door of the room.

Wh-what’s this? Does he mean it like, You’re such a pervert, Hachiman. Perverts like you should leave the room and have a bath in the garden pond? I’m not that sort of pervert or a prince, though…

I found myself worrying over this, but Totsuka continued in his gentle tone. “The unit bath is over there.”

“Oh, thanks.”

I’d have liked to make a unit with Totsuka and get into that bath, but I would look forward to that the next day. I mean, the field trip was three nights. I’d have two more bath-time opportunities. And what’s more, for the third night, we’d be staying in Arashiyama, so there’d be a hot spring. An open-air hot tub. Yes.

I was euphoric as I washed off in the shower.

When I came out of the bath, I found Tobe sprawled on the floor, and his eyes met with mine. It seemed he’d lost the game, and his motivation, too. But then he leaped up again and said to me, “Oh, Hikitani. You’re awake? Wanna play mah-jongg? These guys are all so good, I can’t take it.”

Hey, does that comment mean I look like I suck, so you can win? Huh?

But, well, his invitation and willingness to talk to me at all showed some of the good things about him. But I just couldn’t dig his vibe. We wouldn’t hit it off. “Sorry. I don’t know how to score it.” I rejected him casually, and Tobe didn’t persist.

He gave a careless reply like “For real?” and then returned to the mah-jongg circle.

I actually can’t score mah-jongg—’cause when you play it on console, the CPU calculates the scores for you.

Totsuka had joined in with the mah-jongg group, too, and it looked like they’d taught him the rules. He noticed me and waved.

Right when I was wondering what to do next and thinking about just going to sleep, the door was thrown open. “Hachimaaaaan! Drop everything and play Uno with me!”

Zaimokuza had come over, inviting me to play cards in the casual sort of way that Isono invites Nakajima to play baseball.

“…Hey, what happened with the other guys in your class?” I asked, since he’d burst in like this was the normal thing to do.

Zaimokuza pouted and clung to me. I peeled him off and made him sit.

“Listen, Hachiemon. They’re so mean! Those swine told me, ‘Sorry, Zaimokuza, the game is only for four people’ and then made me wait my turn until someone loses.”

Waiting your turn is just normal! In fact, if they’re letting you join in, I think that’s a good thing. Make nice with them.

“Huh. What game are they playing?” Totsuka asked.

Zaimokuza puffed out his chest.

“Mmm-paka-mm-paka! The Dream Dokapon Kingdom!”

Don’t say it like it’s Crayon Kingdom.

“…But why play such a friendship-destroying game on a school field trip?” I asked. Dokapon, or Momotetsu, even, will put people’s personalities into relief—and I don’t just mean the underhanded strategies of truly awful individuals. That’s not as bad as it gets. Battle is cruel by nature after all.

The problems happen when you play the game with people who get legitimately angry about the game and spoil the mood. It really does inevitably create fissures in your friendship. Also, if I had to mention any other issues, it would be the ones who lose interest in playing and read manga or something as they tell you to just move their piece ahead.

Such an incident has occurred in my life before, in elementary school.

“So let’s play Uno,” said Zaimokuza.

“Oh, I’d like that,” said Totsuka. “They taught me how to play mah-jongg, too, but I don’t really get it.”

Zaimokuza pulled the Uno deck out of his pocket and shuffled the cards like mah-jongg tiles by spreading them all over the floor. Then he started dealing them out.

“Herm, I’ll take the first move,” he said, and he suddenly pulled out a number of cards with R written on them. “Ruh-ruh-ruh-ruh-ruh-reverse!”

Shut up with your r-r-r-r-reverse; do you think it’s time to d-d-d-d-duel or something?

Zaimokuza playing the reverse card meant the turn order switched multiple times, and after Zaimokuza, it was my turn, and then Totsuka’s. After that, we played our cards in order, sometimes getting skipped, sometimes angrily having to draw and then retaliating with a draw four, choosing colors the others didn’t seem to have. A typical series of Uno events.

Before I knew it, the white-hot competition had left only two more cards in my hand. Zaimokuza and Totsuka both held five cards each, putting me in the lead.

And it was my turn. I played a card, and Zaimokuza gave a little hrrrmmm and said to me, “By the way, Hachiman, where are you going tomorrow?”

“Huh? Why are you asking random questions in the middle of the game?” Geez, he always asks such obnoxious questions, I thought, fury welling within me, and I was about to reply when Zaimokuza huffily looked away toward Totsuka instead.

“So be it. And you, fair Totsuka?”

“Well, we’re going to the Toei Kyoto Studio Park and Ryouan-ji Temple, I suppose. And then—” Totsuka put his cards down on his knees and then looked up dreamily like he was trying to remember. It was so cute, I decided to join in the conversation.

“There’s Ninna-ji and Kinkaku-ji Temples in that area, too.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Totsuka said, and he tossed out a card.

Instantly, Zaimokuza leaped to his feet and jabbed his finger at me. “Ha! Hachiman! You didn’t say Unooooo!”

“Ngk! Ah…” By the time I realized, it was already too late. Totsuka had already played his card.

“Yaaay!”

“Yaaay!”

Zaimokuza raised his hands up high with a shout of victory, and Totsuka copied him and gave him a high five.

Huh? What the hell? They plotted that together? Hey, I wanna high-five Totsuka…

Dirty as I expected, Zaimokuza, dirty. Distracting me from my opportunity to say Uno is so unfair…

But seeing Totsuka all excited about it is so adorable, I’m satisfied.

“Hachiman! You’ve got to have a punishment!” said Totsuka.

“Aye, Hachiman! A punishment! I’m going to think of what, so wait for it!”

They were really going all in. Must be the field trip.

The others seemed to be having just as much fun, and I could hear the rising excitement of the mah-jongg group on the other side of the room over the prospect of punishing the loser of their game, too.

“So the next one to lose,” said Yamato with a glance at Ooka, “goes to a girls’ room to get some snacks!”

“Ah, for real?! No waaay!”

There it is… Saying you’re going to go to the girls’ room is a common suggestion among those types.

But Hayama prevented that attempt. “Come on. Atsugi is on the stairs to the next floor.”

“Really…?” Yamato shut up then. The gym teacher Atsugi’s intimidating air and mysterious Hiroshima accent gave him a reputation for being scary. And as the gym teacher, he had a tendency to be aggressive with the sports clubs so they’d see him as a tough character to handle. Well, not like I could handle him, either, though.

“Then confess to a girl! Let’s get started!” Ooka immediately came up with an alternative plan, and they got right to it. Tobe and Yamato complained, but they went along with it. With a wry smile, Hayama discarded a tile.

They drew tiles and discarded them in turns, and eventually, Tobe looked at one of the tiles he’d drawn and said, “Oh, tsumo.” When he revealed his hand, they all sighed.

“Tsk, why do you get to win the round, you wimp? Just confess.”

“Screw you. Just go confess, wimp.”

Ooka and Yamato sniped at him.

“Hey, you guys don’t have to be like that!” Tobe shot back.

With a smile, Hayama swept the tiles into a pile. “Well, you are acting like a wimp. So your punishment will be buying juice.”

“But I didn’t lose this one! Eh, I’m thirsty, so I’ll go anyway!”

So he’s going…? What an amenable guy… Thanks to Hayama, Tobe was given an easy punishment, but still, they were kinda being dicks to him…

Watching Tobe leave the room, Totsuka muttered, “Oh, we’re a little thirsty, too.”

“Herm, then, Hachiman, your punishment shall be being our errand boy, too.”

“All right. What do you want? You fine with ramen, Zaimokuza?”

“Mm-hmm, an attractive proposition, that is…”

“Don’t consider it seriously…”

It seemed it would take some time for Zaimokuza to come up with an answer, so I turned to Totsuka instead. He smiled brightly at me. “I’ll leave it up to you, Hachiman.”

“Sure.”

I stood up and left the room.

I tapped my way lightly down the stairs.

The floor above was supposed to have the girls’ rooms, and rumor said Atsugi was standing guard on the stairs so that boys wouldn’t go up there, but I wasn’t about to bother with confirming for myself.

The juice vending machine was in the first-floor lobby.

We were allowed this much freedom before bedtime. But everyone else was busy hanging out with their friends and hadn’t bothered coming all the way out here. The only people in the lobby now were people like me and Tobe, who’d been sent to buy drinks as punishments.

Tobe was off in front of the vending machine. He bought a drink, it came down with a thunk, and then he bought another until he had enough for everyone. When I approached, he noticed me. “Oh, Hikitani. What’s up?”

“Hey.”

He asked what was up as a greeting, even when he already knew the answer. Was that just something he used all the time, like Yuigahama’s yahallo? We exchanged greetings, and I swapped places with him to stand in front of the vending machine.

Then I felt someone’s eyes on me from behind, so I turned around.

Strangely, Tobe was still standing there.

“What?” I asked, suspicious that he hadn’t gone back even though he had done what he’d come for.

He suddenly laughed. “Oh, it’s just, you’ve really been working hard at this, huh, Hikitani? So I kinda feel like I should thank you? I mean, for that nice assist you did.”

Uh, you don’t record it as an assist unless you score a goal, though. “I haven’t really done anything. And I mean, it’s mostly Yuigahama. If you’re gonna thank anyone, thank her.”

“Ohhh, of course, yeah, yeah. But I gotta say thanks to you, at least. Like, your help’s kinda got me determined to tell her now. So I’m counting on you to be my wingman tomorrow!” he said, then hurried off.

Well, he was a good guy, in a way. But for better or for worse, his loyalties lay with the mood of the moment, making him basically a slave to his surroundings.

But that nature may have been the very reason he had made no progress with Ebina. Since he was reacting to the mood on a moment-to-moment basis, he couldn’t take appropriate action.

I could see difficulties in store for him…

Confessing, huh? I’m sure it’ll be hard, but I hope it goes well.

To ease the wave of exhaustion coming over me, I decided to imbibe some sweet MAX Coffee.

I stared at the lineup in the vending machine in order, from the top.

…?

One more time, I stared at the drinks in order, this time from the bottom.

I carefully inspected each and every can with the utmost attention, like when I’m searching for Gagaga books at the bookstore. You’ve gotta look close, or you’ll miss those blue spines.

But no matter how I searched, I couldn’t find my (MAX) dose of sugar.

Huh…? What’s going on? No matter how hard I searched, they were only selling some cheap knockoffs!

So this is Kyoto… As expected of the thousand-year home of the imperial family…

I compromised and bought a café au lait. You know, they’re in longish cans and somewhat similar. I popped open the tab with a fsk and sank into the couch located at the edge of the lobby.

Though the guys had asked me to buy them drinks for my punishment, I didn’t feel like going back to our room-turned-mah-jongg-parlor right away.

I was taking my little break with this mild sweetness when a familiar figure appeared in a corner of the lobby. Yukino Yukinoshita was striding in with purpose.

She must have just left the bath, as her hair was tied up and her clothes were unusually casual, for her. She was heading straight for the hotel’s gift shop. She stared at one shelf with a particular intensity… Well, if she was eyeing something that seriously, there was only one thing it could be.

She put a hand to her mouth, considering for a while, before gently reaching out to the item as if she’d made up her mind. But that moment, she noticed what was going on around her. Of course, her eyes met with mine. I’d been watching her the whole time.

Her arm quietly lowered, and then she went back the way she’d come, pretending like she didn’t even know me.

…The usual. I said good night to her in my head, sipping away at my remaining café au lait.

But then she walked briskly back to me. She came to stand in front of my seat and folded her arms, towering over me. “What a coincidence to see you out so late.”

“You should have said that to me earlier…” In fact, I was surprised she’d deliberately come back just to say this. And what’s with the arrogant posturing here?

“So what’s going on?” she asked. “Did you run here because you couldn’t stand to be in your room?”

“I’m just letting the youngsters handle things on their own. You?”

Yukinoshita blew a vexed sigh. “…My classmates were trying to direct their conversation at me. Why do they love talking about that nonsense so much?”

I–I wonder what they were talking about…? It wasn’t like I had zero interest, but I could tell she’d get mad at me if I asked, so I couldn’t follow up. It was probably best to say something safe. “But if they’re trying to talk to you, that means they’re interested in you, right? Isn’t that a good thing?”

“You’re talking as if you’re completely uninvolved, but during the cultural festival, you…” She was almost glaring down at me now.

“Huh, me? …Hey, wait. I didn’t do anything.” I didn’t know what this was about, but I decided to assert my innocence for now.

Yukinoshita pressed her temple, closed her eyes, and finally said with resignation, “…It’s nothing. So what are you doing here?”

“I was tired of playing, so I’m taking a break. What about you? You’re not gonna get yourself a souvenir?”

“I’m not actually going to buy anything. I was just a little curious.” She jerked her eyes away.

Is that so? She’d been staring at that thing so hard, I thought for sure she would buy it, though—probably some Kyoto-exclusive Grue-bear item.

“What about you? No souvenirs?” she asked me.

“If I bought them now, they’d just be troublesome to carry around. I’ll buy some on my way back.”

“I see. Have you already decided what to buy?”

“More or less. I mean, I’ll just buy the stuff Komachi asked for. Oh, and tell me some place that has, like, a god of academics,” I requested, since we were already talking. Please, Miss Yukipedia.

Yukinoshita blinked and tilted her head. “To pray for Komachi passing her exams?”

“Basically,” I replied.

Yukinoshita smiled. It seems many people loved my little sister, which made her big brother happy.

“Yes…” Thinking, she sat down next to me. Well, no sense in standing if we were gonna talk. I moved over a bit to accommodate her. “I believe Kitano Tenmangu Shrine might be the most famous.”

“Tenmangu, huh? I’ll remember that.” I’d go there during our free time on the third day. I’d be buying Komachi a charm, but getting a ritual blessing as well would cost more money. And I figured it’d be a big pain to carry home a hayama arrow… If someone else writes a wish and hangs it up for you, do you still get a blessing out of it?

“…It’s nice that you’re concerned about Komachi, but how is that request going?”

Oh, whoops, I’d zoned out there. “Not good, not bad, I guess,” I replied.

Yukinoshita looked down apologetically. “I’m sorry. I can’t really help from another class.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m in their class, but I’m not doing anything.”

“You should be worried about it…”

As we were conversing, Miss Hiratsuka passed by. She was wearing her coat over her suit, and even though it was already late at night, she had sunglasses on for some indiscernible reason. When she noticed us, she seemed clearly dismayed. “Wh-why are you kids here?”

“Uh, well, I just came down to buy some drinks,” I said. “Why are you up at this hour, Miss Hiratsuka?”

“H-hmm… D-don’t tell anyone else, okay? You gotta keep it top secret.” The oddly girlish emphasis made my heart pitter-patter. Her shyness made the word Shizucute pop into my head, but the next thing she said mercilessly erased it.

“U-um…I-I’m going…to go eat ramen…”

She’s hopeless. Give me back those pitter-patters.

Me and Yukinoshita both looked at her with exasperation. The teacher folded her arms and then straightened up like she’d had a sudden idea. She even removed her sunglasses, too. Must have been her disguise. “Hmm. Well, if it’s you two, I suppose this is perfect.”

“Pardon?” Yukinoshita tilted her head, failing to infer what the teacher meant.

Miss Hiratsuka smiled at her, then sneered at me. “I’m sure you wouldn’t tell anyone, Yukinoshita, but unfortunately, Hikigaya isn’t trustworthy.”

“Ouch…” I’m absolutely gonna tell. Though I don’t particularly have anyone to tell it to.

Seeing my defiance, Miss Hiratsuka cleared her throat and added, “So I’ll pay for your silence. How about with ramen?”

…Ramen, she says? In other words, she meant we should come with her?

This would be my first time eating Kyoto ramen. Perhaps due to my youth, I was already hungry again. In fact, I felt like the word ramen alone had made me hungry. “Well, i-if you insist,” I replied.

Miss Hiratsuka gave a couple of nods.

Oh, I was looking forward to Kyoto ramen. As my mind started to drift away in anticipation, Yukinoshita, sitting beside me, quietly got to her feet. “All right, I’ll go back.” She gave Miss Hiratsuka a crisp bow and turned away from us.

Miss Hiratsuka called after her. “Yukinoshita, you come, too.”

“But…” Turning to look over her shoulder, Yukinoshita glanced down as if a little embarrassed.

Miss Hiratsuka grinned. “Come on, just think of it as an extracurricular activity. It’s still not that late, either.”

“But…look how I’m dressed…” She grabbed her slightly overlong sleeves with each of her hands and spread them like she was about to curtsy.

Miss Hiratsuka took off her coat and tossed it at the reluctant Yukinoshita. “Then wear this.”

Aw, what the heck, she’s so cool. I could just about fall for her. The times are less Shizucute and more Shizucool after all!

“I have no right to refuse, do I?” she said.

“Doesn’t look like it.”

Yukinoshita breathed a short sigh, but she obediently put on the borrowed coat, apparently giving in.

“Come on, let’s go.” Miss Hiratsuka took us along, heels clicking as she jauntily headed out into the Kyoto night.

A few steps out of the hotel, and the night breeze was unpleasantly cold. Well, more like I’d left wearing my indoor clothes. “Kyoto’s kinda chilly, huh?”

Miss Hiratsuka noticed my attire and smiled teasingly.

We continued out into the street, and Miss Hiratsuka raised a hand. A compact taxi cruising nearby stopped right by us. “Go on, Yukinoshita—get in.” Miss Hiratsuka waved her in like a doorman, and Yukinoshita adjusted the coat around her, bowed to Miss Hiratsuka, and got into the taxi.

Next, the teacher let me get in before her, too. “You too, Hikigaya.”

“Oh no, Miss Hiratsuka, please go ahead,” I politely refused.

“Oh?” Miss Hiratsuka was half-surprised, half-impressed. “My, ladies first, is it? You’ve grown. But your concern is unnecessary.”

“Huh…? B-but you’re always a lady, no matter how old you are! Have some more confidence!”

Miss Hiratsuka smiled sweetly and grabbed me by the forehead. “…I’m putting you there because of all the seats in the back, the middle one has the highest death rate.”

“Ow, ow, ow!”

With her iron claw, she flung me into the taxi. She has more attack variety now, not just strikes. It seems we’ve both grown.

“…What an idiot,” Yukinoshita muttered.

“Shut up,” I shot back. “I’m being kind, in my own way.”

“You have no idea what kindness is…”

Miss Hiratsuka took the seat beside me. I’d assumed that, in a small taxi, three people sitting in the back would be tight, but Yukinoshita and Miss Hiratsuka were both slender, so there was actually room to spare. Phew…if we’d smushed together, I would have been a little uncomfortable.

“To Ichijou-ji Temple,” Miss Hiratsuka told the driver, and the taxi set out.

Ichijou-ji Temple is a location fans of Musashi Miyamoto might know of. Sagarimatsu, in Ichijou-ji Temple, is known as the place where Musashi had a duel with the disciples of the Yoshioka school of martial arts. Although, this is apparently not a historical fact and rather an invention of later generations.

And Ichijou-ji Temple is now one of the top most competitive ramen zones in Kyoto with rows of famous shops.

As we discussed this stuff in the taxi, before long, we were there. Taxis are fast. Faster than Salamander.

Then, when we got out, I saw a shocking sight.

“Th-this is the very first Tenkaippin…”

Yes, Tenkaippin. Not Dera-beppin. I’d only ever heard rumors of it. They say that you can stand chopsticks up in the broth and that it sticks to the noodles so well, it just disappears.

As I trembled in awe, behind me, Yukinoshita asked, “Is this a famous restaurant?”

“Oh, well, it’s a national chain,” I said.

“Then we didn’t have to come all the way here…”

Now that she mentioned it, this was indeed true. But there was another reason I was so filled with wonder. “But…for some reason, there isn’t one in Chiba. It’s the only prefecture in the whole Kanto region that doesn’t have one…”

Over my long personal history (of about seventeen years), Chiba has oft been praised as the promised paradise (by me), but even so, I can’t yet declare it perfect, for one of the pieces missing from it is Tenkaippin.

“Well, they used to have one in Chiba, though.” Miss Hiratsuka, having just finished her pre-meal smoke, came over with a scrape of her heels on the sidewalk.

“Oh-ho! What was that?” I said. “The sound of the walking encyclopedia of Chiba ramen? No, that’s just your biological clock ticking.”

“You were closer the first time, Hikigaya.  ”

“That hurts, that hurts!”

The grinding of my cranium contrasted with her cheerful tone.

“Well,” she continued, “they have these in every nook and cranny of Japan, but company-run branches and flagship stores just have such a different feel compared with franchise locations. I mean, there’s always going to be some variation in flavor from store to store in a chain. So I wanted to give it a try.” Miss Hiratsuka finally released my head, gazing at the storefront of Tenichi with sincere passion. “Come on, let’s go in.”

Fortunately, there were plenty of free seats inside. Miss Hiratsuka, Yukinoshita, and I sat at the counter, in that order.

“Thick,” Miss Hiratsuka ordered without looking at the menu.

Well, I wanted to try the rumored thick broth at Tenichi, too. “Thick for me, too.”

“…”

I hadn’t heard Yukinoshita order, so I glanced over to check on her. She was speechless, timidly looking at the people around her. She tugged on my sleeve. “…Hey, does that mean the broth?”

Her expression was of something near terror. Oh, no, that’s quite a reasonable feeling to have. But if this was gonna scare her off, she’d never be able to eat at Naritake. At Naritake, it’s less like broth and more like pure back fat. Delicious.

Miss Hiratsuka chuckled in amusement and opened the menu. “There’s also light broth. You might prefer that.”

“Oh, no. Just looking at it makes me feel full…” Quite unlike her usual self, Yukinoshita shook her head feebly.

“Oh? Then we’ll get an extra serving bowl for you, and you can just try a bit of ours,” Miss Hiratsuka proposed. Yukinoshita still seemed intimidated, but she did eventually agree.

We ordered, and then after a little wait, they brought us the ramen.

I picked up my chopsticks and put my hands together in front of my chest. “Thanks.”

Oof! My chopsticks are so heavy! I can’t handle it! The thick, dripping broth coated every noodle. In Chiba, you only ever see broth this heavy at Tora no Ana. Oh my god, this is amazing!

“Here, Yukinoshita.” Miss Hiratsuka gently laid down the serving bowl with some for her. Yukinoshita hesitated, but then she took up the chopsticks and china spoon with resolve. Tucking her long hair behind her ear, she lifted the spoon into her mouth. I looked away from the unnecessarily seductive movement of her throat swallowing the thick broth.

She wiped the broth from the corner of her mouth with a napkin, then put on a very serious expression. “…It has a particularly aggressive flavor.”

Whoa, that’s accurate.

As I savored my ramen, I found myself belatedly wondering if this was allowed. I ended up saying it out loud. “Is it okay for a teacher to be doing something like this, though?” I asked.

But Miss Hiratsuka wasn’t worried. “Of course not. That’s why I’ve paid you to keep your mouths shut.”

“Isn’t that even more unbefitting of a teacher?” Yukinoshita said with some exasperation.

But Miss Hiratsuka was unrepentant. In fact, she seemed even more laid-back as she continued to eat. “Teachers are human, and so are adults. We make mistakes. Whether we’re aware of them or not.”

“Won’t you get chewed out if anyone catches on?” I asked. If that happened, I’d probably get dragged into it, too.

“Nope. I’ll get off with complaints, sarcasm, and a private talking-to for formality’s sake.”

“Does that not count as being chewed out?” Yukinoshita asked.

I agreed with her.

Miss Hiratsuka finished drinking her broth, set down her bowl, and politely wiped her mouth with her napkin before turning back to us. “No. An order not to cause problems is completely different from making someone resolve it.”

“I don’t get the difference.”

“…Yes. Perhaps since I’ve never been ‘chewed out’ before.” Putting her hand in a loose fist to her jaw, Yukinoshita seemed pensive, as if sifting through her memories.

Miss Hiratsuka nodded in response. “Oh? Then I’ll give you a proper scolding. Well, it’s always been my intention to be scolding you, at least. But it seems I’ve been too soft.”

“No, I’ve definitely had enough.” I waved my hands wildly in firm refusal. Any more bodily injuries, and I’d be damaged goods; then she’d end up having to take responsibility, and I’d be the one taking her last name. Ah! Was that indeed her goal…?

Yukinoshita ignored me and my various worries and said nonchalantly, “No one’s ever taken the time to scold me or anything like that, so I wouldn’t mind.”

“Yukinoshita, a lecture isn’t a bad thing. It means someone is paying attention to you,” Miss Hiratsuka said.

Yukinoshita’s shoulders drooped a little. She tilted her face down, hanging her head. I couldn’t tell where her gaze was.

Miss Hiratsuka kindly patted her shoulder. “I’m paying attention to you, so make all the mistakes you like.”

We taxied back, and once we were out of the car, Miss Hiratsuka started walking away from the hotel. “I’m going to the convenience store to buy some alcohol for myself. See you. Take care on your way back.”

Should she be doing that?

I replied to her wave with a casually raised hand, and Yukinoshita and I started making our way back toward the hotel. Neither of us deliberately took the first step. We were both silent, but it felt natural.

“…”

“…”

Yukinoshita walked a few steps in front of me. But then her feet suddenly stopped, and she glanced around.

…Well, I could get the gist of what her problem was right then. Call it experience, I guess.

“Take a right.”

“O-oh.” She adjusted Miss Hiratsuka’s coat around her shoulders and ducked her face into the collar to avoid the wind.

I breathed a little snigger of a sigh and started walking ahead of her. I could show her the way, at least. She seemed to get what I was doing, as I heard her footsteps a few paces behind me.

But the sounds gradually diminished.

Confused, I turned around to see that she was farther away than before. “If you hang too far back, you’re gonna get lost again.”

“No…um…”

My bemusement wasn’t getting me a clear answer. As she buried her face in the standing collar of the coat, her voice wilted.

I didn’t at all understand what she was saying, but it’d be a pain if she wandered off and got lost, so I decided to wait for her to come closer. Yukinoshita and I glared at each other from a distance.

What are we doing, though…?

We stood like that for a while, and then she breathed a sigh of resignation. “I wouldn’t mind if you just went on back ahead of me…,” she muttered, reluctantly coming up to my side.

I wondered if taming a stray cat was like this. “Uh, there’s not really any point, though. It’s not even far.”

“Maybe…not to you, but this makes me uncomfortable,” she said evasively.

Without thinking, I asked, “What does?” Although, honestly, it would have been polite to pretend I didn’t hear the question when it seemed she had so much trouble saying it.

“Um…if we were to be seen together this late…it would be a little…” It wasn’t that cold, but she was adjusting the jacket to hide her face.

“…O-oh.” Once she’d explicitly pointed it out, I had to think about the situation more calmly, too.

We’d met at night before, and we’d met alone. To me, there was not a need to be so overconcerned about it, and it did not bother me, and it was not anything strange. It was a big string of nots.

And along those lines, I’d not ever seen her like this, either.

She was looking every which way, including my feet so she wouldn’t get lost.

I’d never seen her lower her eyes in embarrassment like this, or raise her hand halfway to try to stop me when I went too far ahead and then immediately lower it again.

Her awkwardness started infecting me, too, and unconsciously, my right leg and right arm started swinging forward at the same time. Even though it wasn’t that far, it felt like a really long way to the hotel.

Yukinoshita and I weren’t walking side by side but a fixed distance from each other just out of arm’s reach.

By the time we made it back to the lobby, I was exhausted.

Ahead, there would be students around. If Yukinoshita was concerned about the eyes of others, it would be best to part ways here.

I stopped and casually raised a hand to let her go first. “See you.”

“…Yes, good night… Um…thank you for walking me back,” she replied, then started to leave. Though we were already inside, she was still wearing the coat. She was walking so fast, its sleeves were fluttering.

Wondering if she was going to return the coat, though it didn’t really matter, I returned to my room, too.

When I walked in, the mah-jongg tournament was still going.

“Oh, Hachiman, welcome back,” said Totsuka. He and Zaimokuza were playing old maid.

“Where’ve you been? You’ve been out for an age,” said Zaimokuza.

“Have I?”

Well, it had been about two hours since I’d left.

“So where are the drinks and my ramen?”

“Ah.” Now that Zaimokuza mentioned it, I’d been in the middle of a punishment errand.

“It cannot be—you forgot?!” Zaimokuza looked at me like I was an idiot, which was a step too far.

So I deliberately provoked him. “…Heh, of course not. I’ve got it…in here.” I pointed straight at my stomach, and Zaimokuza’s face twisted in shock.

“Wh-what?! You fiend, you went out to eat! What a formidable man…” Zaimokuza wiped sweat off his forehead as disdain gave way to respect.

Ha. That was easy.

But that wasn’t going to work on the other one.

“Then go out again.” Totsuka grinned broadly at me as he ordered me back out on the errand.

Wahhh, Totsuka’s scaryyy…