Chapter 103: A Troublesome Kouhai [side Tendou Airi]
This is the story of the prize for the winner of the recent Yukari's weight guessing project, "Spring with Airi-senpai," as requested by Kausan.
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Kousuke: "...Senpai, are you free tomorrow?"
Suddenly, the usually quiet kouhai started talking to me.
...That's rare... He, Kousuke-kun, is a quiet and serious boy who's become afraid of women after a series of unfortunate events.
He's a little on the short side, just a bit taller than me, and compared to the other basketball club members, he gives a smaller impression, but he's slender and flexible—my type of lean muscle... No, this isn't the time for that.
(Hmm? Did my gloomy mood about my senpai show on my face?)
Oops, I shouldn't make everyone worry, right?
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The incident from yesterday, which became a huge rumor throughout the school.
...My boyfriend, Sahori-senpai, got caught in a honey trap, and after causing a commotion at school, was found out for drinking, smoking, inappropriate relationships, and public indecency, leading to his designated school recommendation for university admission being revoked....
Senpai just planned to take the Center Test to make a memory, so he slacked off on prep, and his score is probably hopeless.
With most university entrance exams, your pass or fail is determined by the Center Test score plus the second-round exam scores from each school, so this is fatal... No, I should call it an instant death-level disaster...
Back when we were dating, I saw him drink and smoke once.
If you think about it, it's not crazy to try it once? I get that some people secretly enjoy it.
But we're still minors and in club activities, so drinking and smoking are nothing but trouble... Worse, if anyone finds out, you could get the club suspended or shut down? That'd inconvenience all sorts of people!
That day, for the first time, I got really, really, really mad at my boyfriend-senpai and threatened to break up if he didn't stop, and that's how he quit drinking and smoking.
When I heard about it, what welled up in my chest was guilt.
Maybe I should've stopped him more firmly?
...Maybe I should've stayed with him and kept a closer eye on him?
If I'd been there, maybe he wouldn't have gotten caught by such a nasty woman?
...But, it was already impossible.
No matter how much I did for him, no matter how many promises he made, he kept cheating and I reached my limit.
We're high schoolers now, so it's all personal responsibility, but thinking of his parents, who looked so happy to see me when I visited, makes me sad.
Why did senpai do all that...? No matter how much I think about it, I can't find an answer.
I don't have any feelings left for senpai.
But since I dated him once and saw his good side, it's honestly just a shame.
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I was startled by the sudden invitation! But—
"...Kousuke-kun? Now's not the time to be chasing after girls, right? Are you sure you're not slacking off? Should I add more to your menu?"
I deliberately give him a serious look and scold him.
I can tell Kousuke-kun is worried about me, and since he's basically bad with girls and tends to avoid the other female managers, it's clear he's trying to be considerate and inviting me to something.
(I'm happy...!)
But hey, I'm the senpai! I shouldn't make a kouhai worry about me that much!
His fear of women is obvious even to an amateur, and it only gets worse around girls.
That's why I always try to keep our contact and conversations to a minimum. But even from a distance, I've always watched him carefully.
"...That's enough menu for now... So, how about a little change of pace tomorrow? ...I just really want to eat curry."
"Hehe! Kousuke-kun wants curry? ...What should I do?"
While staying expressionless, my kouhai shows a bit of embarrassment and says,
Kousuke: "...Don't you ever just really crave curry? Please come with me."
That "please come with me" made my heart skip a beat.
He's my kouhai, my kouhai. I'm the senpai, right? The mature older girl, right?
Get it together, Airi!
But you know, the way he asked, "Will you come with me because I want curry?"—I kind of liked it.
Not just the captain, but the other second-year guys in our year have been looking out for me too?
Since yesterday, everyone's been inviting me to things, but I've turned them all down, you know?
But Kousuke-kun's concern is natural, indirect, and just slips right in.
...Also, I kind of want curry too (lol).
With a serious face, I accept his offer.
"Do you know a good place? I'm actually pretty picky about curry, you know?"
I stick up my index finger and explain passionately.
Amidst his expressionlessness, he shows a bit of relief,
Kousuke: "...My best friend works part-time at this place, and it's really good."
"Hmm. Got it. Where is it? Should I drive?"
Kousuke: "...Let's take the train and talk while we walk."
"Okay, I'll show up hungry and ready to eat, okay?"
We agreed to meet at 11 at the terminal station.
That's how it ended up.
The next day, I found myself humming with excitement more than I expected as I got ready.
The housekeeper even said, "You're in a good mood today, huh?"
White knit, brown pants. An ivory long coat, and comfy shoes for walking. He said we'd be walking. The housekeeper drove me to the terminal station, and I waited for Kousuke-kun.
And then, I realized—Kousuke-kun was already there...
It's still thirty minutes early, you know?
"Fuffu—! Kousuke-kun? Isn't it a little early for our meeting?"
I asked with a smile,
and Kousuke-kun was surprised,
Kousuke: "...Senpai, you're early...? White looks good on you."
White knit, ivory coat.
I'd gone for a white theme on top... Being told it suits me makes me grin...
Kousuke: "...Wearing all white just to eat curry..."
"It'll be ruined!"
And then we both burst out laughing.
Yeah, Kousuke-kun and I have always been pretty close as senpai and kouhai.
After Kousuke-kun was suddenly dumped by Mishima-san... he got closer to Yukari-chan, but then Yukari-chan flipped on him, and his fear of women resurfaced... so we put a little distance between us...
Oddly enough, the distance between us never quite stays the same.
I broke up with my senpai last summer, so it's only been about six months. I haven't thought about my next relationship yet.
...But I have noticed that I like Kousuke-kun.
My feelings don't matter—as long as Kousuke-kun can be at ease.
If possible, I want to do what's best for him, so I keep a little distance, act strict, and try to toughen him up.
...If he gets closer, starts to like girls again, well, maybe someone like Nagase-san could show him that not all girls are like that.
Kousuke: "...Well, shall we go?"
"Aren't we taking the train?"
Kousuke: "...Just a quick errand."
At the station building by the terminal, we stopped by a sports shop so I could help him pick out wristbands for club, and then at the drugstore, where he asked for my advice on supplements, listening to everything I said and heading to the register without a hint of doubt... It made my heart flutter...
I just can't help loving taking care of people and giving advice.
I try to think about what's best for the other person, make it as helpful as possible, and when it clicks, it makes me so happy!
He listens so earnestly to all my advice, nodding along, trusting me without suspicion... That alone is the best reward!
Kousuke-kun is passive, but surprisingly high-maintenance.
He's always full of doubts and questions.
But when I answer and explain, he always understands, accepts, and is satisfied.
He never just swallows things blindly—he reacts, thinks it over, and truly trusts me.
That makes me feel how much he trusts me.
He's such a boy that I just can't help wanting to do things for him.
At the bookstore, Kousuke-kun bought the two reference books I recommended, so his backpack was packed full.
Kousuke: "...Senpai, your recommendations were so spot-on, I bought them all..."
(Even if he looks expressionless, he's embarrassed...♪)
Forgetting my recent gloom, I walked shoulder to shoulder with Kousuke-kun, laughing as we got on the train at the terminal station.
"...Senpai, you seem to be having fun today."
"Because my kouhai is so much work!"
Again, those two burst out laughing! I giggle! Kousuke-kun goes fufufu!
Forgetting the gloomy feelings from yesterday, I'm having fun on our trip.
This is so much fun. Just two stops to Toko Station.
Apparently, it's about a ten-minute walk from Toko Station.
Sitting together, with me talking seventy percent and Kousuke-kun thirty, the train arrives at Toko Station in no time.
A little past noon, around 13:15, we arrive at the place.
What a great smell! Suddenly I'm starving!
"Herasshu!!"
(Herasshu?! What does that even mean?!)
At first glance, the place looks just like a normal family restaurant?
The signboard boldly reads "My Curry and Hamburg Steak."
Kousuke-kun, unusually all smiles, guided me into the restaurant.
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To be continued!
This is the place Yukari and Nagase-san came to together.