"What's the good news?"
When a customer went out through the automatic door, Takumi, who was refilling cigarettes behind me, said this as he continued his work. He is a friend of mine, and we work together part-time at the convenience store.
"Takumi, you know everything about me... Maybe the power of love or something?"
The first time I put my hand on his shoulder jokingly, Takumi pushed it back toward me annoyingly, saying, "Baka."[1]
"If you're humming that loudly, I'm sure I'm not the only one who will notice."
I see, I was humming. I just realized.
Takumi and I were in the same class for the first time in our senior year of high school. We first met last spring at this part-time job. At that time, I didn't know that we were both attending the same high school.
Although our school has six classes per grade and is not a mammoth school, there are not many opportunities to interact with all of your classmates during your limited high school life. Last year, we were in the first and sixth classes, so we rarely saw each other at school.
Well, there were times when I hummed so spontaneously that it just came out naturally.
When I hummed again, Takumi brushed me off with one hand.
It would have been nice if he would have listened a little more deeply.
But then a chime rang to announce the arrival of a customer, and the conversation drifted on to the next topic.
"I heard that tomorrow's math test will be made up if you score less than 30 points."
"I'm really bad at math and science, you know."
"Leaves are really weak in math"
"Just teach me a little bit after your part-time job is over. Takumi, you're good at math."
"I've made it a rule to only teach girls."
Takumi returned jokingly, but In fact, Takumi is very popular. In terms of popularity, I'm no slouch either, but when it comes to romantic feelings, I'm completely outclassed.
He has a well-defined face and is tall. Light hair color and just the right amount of softness. He is a good sportsman and his grades are good, an all-rounder. He is the picture of dexterity, able to get along with anyone, regardless of gender. That is Takumi Takahashi.
He said, "It's about time you narrowed it down to one true love."
"Who's your true love?"
"...You mean me?"
When I jokingly hugged his shoulders with both hands, Takumi laughed again and said, "Baka". That smile is cool from my point of view, so it's still sly.
"But, why is it that you have hookups with so many girls but never date anyone?"
Takumi is always surrounded by girls. Still, Takumi is strange because he doesn't have a proper lover relationship with anyone and he doesn't have any trouble with that.
"I'm just having a good time with someone I have mutual interests with. It's easy."
The fact that this kind of thing did not sound sarcastic when Takumi says it, is one of his great points.
Takumi is indeed flirtatious. But that's not all. He is kind and strong, and yet he has a certain line that he won't step on, and a certain part that he won't let anyone step on.
So I decided to ask Takumi a question that has been on my mind since a few minutes ago and has not disappeared.
"...By the way, have you also dated Nakata Kurumi?"
Walnut's name has been on the lips of a lot of the boys in the class, but Takumi has never mentioned her by name. The most important thing to remember is that Takumi is very good with girls. If he had already been on a date with her...
"No way. Rio Rio told me that if I touched her, she'd kick my ass."
I breathe a sigh of relief as Takumi speaks without hesitation, not stopping his work. The first thing that comes to mind is the face of the other girl.
"Rizakura Loka is... in the same class as Kurumi?"
She has a clear, lively, and refreshing personality, and is entrusted with the responsibility of class committee member. She is solid and unfriendly to anyone, and she has gained a lot of trust not only from her students but also from her teacher.
She and Kurumi sit close to each other, so it is understandable that Loka-san, who has a strong sense of justice, would try to protect Kurumi.
However, I felt a great deal of discomfort when Takumi, who usually only calls girls by their surnames, called her "Rio"[2]. It is hard to believe that Loka-san is one of the girls Takumi has dated. No… people are not what they seem or...?
'We're in the same middle school. We live close to each other, and we're kind of friends with benefits.'
Perhaps my consideration was showing on my face.
Takumi glanced at me and he said with a sigh.
"What do you mean, a friend with benefits relationship? A beautiful man and a beautiful woman in an immoral relationship? I thought that was only in dramas and manga, but I never thought they were this close!"
"No, it's not, okay?"
But my fantasies were scattered by Takumi's snappy words. Takumi sighs, "I knew it," he says, his face dumbfounded.
"I don't have any romantic feelings for her. Rizakura and I are really just a friend with benefits relationship" He said,
"Okay."
With our backs turned to the store, we shook our bodies involuntarily.
When we turned around, we saw
Loka standing there, the very girl we had just been talking about.
"Oh my God! The chime sounds when the door opens! I wonder why I didn't notice!"
"Ms. Loka?"
"Yes, that's right. Do I look different in plain clothes?"
Takumi sighs exaggeratedly as Loka-san smiles at him.
She also appears to have done a slight makeup.
Standing with a tight T-shirt and a miniskirt, she certainly seems to be a different person from Ms. Loka, who is a class representative in uniform.
"Coke and chocolate again, have you stopped dieting?"
"I stopped because my boyfriend told me that it was okay"
She stuck her tongue out at me, and I was inwardly disappointed. It seems that "it's just a rotten edge relationship" is an undeniable fact.
Beep, beep, beep. The sound of barcodes being scanned echoes over and over again. I'm honestly tired of hearing so many echoes. I looked out the window and saw a black car parked in the parking lot.
I'll be up soon.
Beep, beep. After scanning the last one, she placed the thousand-yen bill in her hand on the cash register. It was a little before nine o'clock.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. My boyfriend is waiting in the car."
"So you'll be fine?"
"Yes."
Takumi said shortly, "Five hundred and sixteen yen," and Ms. Ioka received the change without saying a word. It was an exchange that lasted only about 30 seconds, but I felt I caught a glimpse of trust between the two of them.
"See you later."
Loka-san, holding the merchandise in both hands, said this and walked toward the door. And when the automatic door opened, she stopped and turned around.
"I heard you talked to walnut today," Loka said. She called me and said she went home with Leaf."
Beyond the closed automatic door, the passenger door of the black car opened and closed, and the headlights moved away.
"Hey, Takumi..."
"What?"
"Did you hear that...?"
"What?"
T/N:
[1]: Baka translates to fool or an idiot. This word is more offensive than 'aho' in some parts of Japan and vice versa
[2]: The raw (莉桜) translates as cherry
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