Chapter 67: Volume 2 - CH 4.4

If I Bring the Glass Closer

Translated by 64990022

Chapter 4: If I Bring the Glass Closer

Part 4

“For the rest of the week” seemed to mean precisely five days counting from Monday.

On Monday, the board at the back of the class already had next week’s exam scheduled up. Ahh, double predicament week, huh?

As soon as the chime for lunchtime rang, that girl came in.

“Akashi-kun.”

“Yo…”

Mikage crouched in front of my seat, resting her chin and arms on the table. She was grinning as she looked me up and down.

The class rustled. I felt countless stares.

“Why the long face? I came all the way here to pick you up.”

I spared a glance sideways, “I’d prefer less attention.”

From my position and in terms of personality. This was nowhere in the image of “The Inconspicuous Akashi.”

“Don’t you expect this to happen when you accept the deal?”

“I didn’t. Thanks for letting me know, but I can do whatever kind of face I want, it’s nowhere in the deal.”

“Hmm, point taken. My bad.”

She seemed to be enjoying this.

“Then” She swung her head to the left. “One more condition: Don’t make a sour face.”

“Hey, that’s not fair.”

“Hmp, you’re not doing this, then?”

“Argh…”

“C’mon, what are you waiting for? I’m hungry.” She sprang up.

Why do you look so excited…

I grabbed the bread pack I brought and followed her to the corridor.

“Where are you going?”

“Cafeteria. Pray we have seats left.”

“Do you want everyone to see us?!”

She ignored my protests and quickly led the way.

As expected, the cafeteria was packed with students. I fell back and kept a distance from her as she made for the empty corner seat.

It wasn’t even three paces when she noticed my absence and beckoned me. “Keep up. We’ll sit there. I’ll go and order, wait for me.”

“As you wish…”

I took my place at the table and watched her making her way to the ticket machine. She stared at the menu so hard that I thought I could hear her groan. Come to think of it, she was like that when we bought drinks at the convenience store together. A girl who takes every choice seriously.

Although I and Hiura weren’t so different at Nanaya.

“There you go. Let’s dig in?”

Mikage eventually came back with a tray of mackerel with grated radish. The choice of food was austere, but somehow suited her.

She clasped her hands and muttered “Itadakimasu.” Her etiquette were impeccable. Forced by an invisible pressure, I did the gesture too.

[TN: People nowadays don’t say “itadakimasu” that much now, well, that depends on the person, but some elected to go straight to the eating part.]

The attention, I noted, was different from when she was alone. It was… brimming with curiosity. Yeah, this combination makes no sense, I know, Mikage Saeka and an unknown mob.

How will I live through this week?

“This is awesome…” she gasped.

Uh, what do I say in this situation? “Good for you.”

Mikage slowly drank the miso soup, her eyes narrowed in happiness.

Hm, she was also holding the chopsticks exactly like how a perfect example in a textbook would be.

“Hey, this doesn’t seem fair. Why am I the only one eating cafeteria food?”

Fair? What are you even talking about?

“I said you’ll be having lunch with me, not buying it beforehand. Hmm?”

“This is what I have everyday. And please specify your demands, not everyone can read your intentions.”

“Hm, then, from tomorrow, I expect you to buy with me.”

“Whatever you say.”

Oh my, don’t make demands as you like…

“That reminds me, why don’t we exchange LINE? It’s hard to contact you if there’s to be any change in plans.” I suppose I could have used the mail she had given me, but that would be a hassle, wouldn’t it?

“Hmm, ahh…unnn” She put her chopsticks down and made a difficult face.

“Sorry, I don’t have LINE.”

“Oh…” She took it as that? “I apologize for my imprudence.”

“Eh?”

I put my hands on the table and did a table version of dogeza. Not repenting for one’s sin is a sin itself. I must properly

[TN: Dogeza, traditional Japanese apology etiquette.]

“Oh, no, no! I’m not refusing you! I really don’t use LINE!” She hastily added.

[TN: For context, asking for a girl’s LINE is a widely used pickup trick. And to avoid this, “I don’t have LINE,” has become a popular excuse.]

“O-oh?”

Thank goodness, I almost died of my own cringe. To begin with, there’s no other intention or ulterior motive. I was merely suggesting contact, no , I swear.

Just in case… “Then how about Instagram or Twitter?”

“Sorry. I don’t have either…”

I knew it. If there is, I would have known already.

“I sucks at social. If something comes up, I’ll mail.”

“Okay, don’t worry about it.”

“Thanks,” she muttered.

Although… “I sucks at it,” didn’t sound like it was her actual reason.

“By the way, have you told your friends that you will be spending time with me? Won’t they worry if you suddenly disappear…?”

Oh, did she mean Hiura and Reiji? “Hm, uhh, my fault, but I don’t know how to break it out to them… I only told them I’d be off for a while. You’re okay with me telling them?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I feel sorry for taking you from them… hope this doesn’t strain your relationship with them…”

Uhh, the truth was, it did strain my relationship with them. Hiura went off saying, “I’ll go with someone else then!”

Sorry, Hiura.

“I’ll be fine. I accepted the deal knowing that it would turn out like this. Yeah?”

“R-right.” Still apologetic, she nodded nonetheless.

Strange, I mean, a moment before, she had been adding conditions like crazy. I couldn’t grasp her sense of reservation at all.

“But, what about you, don’t you have someone you usually hang out with…?”

“I’m fine.”

“…”

“I’m mostly alone anyway.”

She said it so easily, with a faint smile, like the fact didn’t weigh on her at all.

That reminded me of Hiura’s question—why doesn’t she have any friends?

“Mikage…” As I was about to ask.

Why?

What could possibly be the reason?

“Hm? Anything on your mind?”

“Nothing…”

Seeing her smile like that made me think twice.

“Let’s wait until your two quests are over, ‘kay?”

As if guessing my intentions, she said so. This time, she chuckled, making the shhh gesture with her finger.