CH 46

“Hey, hey. That suspicious person was spotted again yesterday.”

“What? Again!? I wish he would stop already.”

“He’s definitely targeting the girls around here.”

“It’s not impossible for us to become victims. Let’s all go home together today.”

“Okay, that’s a good idea!”

The situation with the suspicious person had become even more serious than yesterday. Conversations about “going home together” could be heard everywhere, as people were trying to protect themselves.

Furthermore, the university broadcasted the following message two or three times:

“After 7 PM, staying after school is prohibited. Please try to go home with at least one other person.”

“Wow, it looks like the university is taking action too. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard of a university prohibiting students from staying after classes.”

“They probably took appropriate measures after some students here were approached yesterday. I think it’s a good idea.”

“Mio-chan, you can’t stay after school today like yesterday, so why don’t you go home with us?”

Her best friend, Nanami, was worried about her. While Mio’s heart was warmed by her friend’s concern, she declined the offer.

“I’m sorry. I have some things to take care of today.”

“Things to take care of? Of all times, why today?”

“Well, um…”

“I see, you’re going home with Toma-kun, aren’t you? It’s a post-classes date using the suspicious person as an excuse! Sorry for the choice of words.”

Nanami’s intuition was as sharp as a knife. While “post-classes date” was an inappropriate phrase, it conveyed the same meaning.

“It’s not a date! Toma-kun is just here to walk with me…”

“Oh, I see. So Toma-kun is the one you’re going home with. It’s sad for me that you prioritize him over your best friend. sobs“

“You’re being too dramatic.”

“Haha, I know, right?”

Nanami was pretending to cry, but then she quickly showed a smile and sympathized with Mio.

Even though Nanami knew the fact that she would go home with Toma, her attitude did not change at all, which made Mio naturally wonder, ‘Why isn’t Nanami in a hurry?’

“Thank you, though. For worrying about me.”

“Oh, when you say that, it makes me feel embarrassed! We’re friends, so you don’t need to thank me! Well then, have fun on your after-classes date with Toma-kun!”

“I-it’s not a date!”

“Mio-chan, your face is turning red!”

“Ugh!”

The definition of a date is when a man and a woman meet at a specific time and place. Mio thought the same thing as Nanami deep down. This was an after-class date. She just felt embarrassed to be told it to her face.

“Well then, I’m going home! I’m done for today.”

“Be careful on your way home, okay? There might be that suspicious person around.”

“Don’t worry, don’t worry! I’ll come between you if I find any suspicious people!”

Nanami waved and left the classroom while running. Mio’s classroom was emptier than usual. Everyone probably went home early because of the suspicious person incident.

“I need to calm down… I’m going to meet Toma-kun…”

In the quiet classroom, Mio was remembering a conversation she had with someone on the phone.

***

“Hello? It’s Toma.”

“T-Toma-kun? W-what’s up?”

Mio answered the phone, trying to conceal her surprise. It was a sudden call, and the caller was Toma.

“Uh, sorry for the sudden call, but do you have any plans tomorrow after school?”

“N-no, I don’t have any plans.”

If it was any other guy asking Mio about her plans, she would have answered that she had plans, but it was a special case because it was Toma.

“Uh, in that case… Can we go home together tomorrow?”

“W-with me?”

“If you don’t want to, it’s totally fine! I just heard from the university that there have been reports of suspicious person around the area, and I got worried.”

“Thank you, Toma-kun…”

“N-no problem…”

Tension was evident in Toma’s voice. Mio’s body became tense too, as if his emotions were contagious.

“Okay, then…  would you like to go home with me… Toma-kun?”

“Yes, that’ll be great… I can come to your place tomorrow at 5:30 pm. How about you?”

“I have classes until 6 pm, but can you wait for me?”

“I don’t mind waiting. After classes, then.”

“Okay…”

Mio really wanted to talk more with Toma, but she didn’t have the courage to say that she wanted to hear more of his voice.

(Tomorrow, I’ll see Toma-kun again… I’ll be able to talk to him a lot then…)

She convinced herself and hung up the phone.

“Okay. This should be fine…”

Mio wrote the character for “person” three times on her palm with her fingertips and swallowed them. This was a classic method to calm oneself down in front of others. She couldn’t afford to show any weird behavior in front of Toma.

No one would have expected the Nursing’s Angel to do something like this. In fact, she did it secretly so that her classmates who stayed in the classroom wouldn’t find out.

She didn’t have the confidence to avoid the question of “why did you do this” if someone asked her.

After getting her thoughts in order, Mio stood up from her chair and said, “I’m going home now. Thanks for today, everyone.”

“See ya, Mio-chan!”

“Take care!”

“Take care on your way home!”

Mio said goodbye to her classmates and left the classroom. Just as she turned on her smartphone to send a message to Toma saying she was on her way to meet him, she heard a loud voice from behind and felt someone grab both of her shoulders.

“Mio-san!”

“Eek!”

A loud voice from behind, followed by a “Gashii!” as both her shoulders were grabbed.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to startle you. Sorry about that.”

“Yuuto-kun…”

Mio called out his name to calm herself down, as she couldn’t afford to act weird in front of Toma.

“I just happened to see you on my way back and wanted to say hi.”

“Well, I don’t mind that, but please don’t touch my shoulders. Some women don’t like that kind of thing.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Confirming that her shoulders were released, Mio tried to walk away again. She didn’t want to be involved with Yuto any more than she had to, especially after what he did earlier.

“Wait, hold on!”

“What is it? I have things to do.”

Mio frowned with a cold attitude, expecting Yuto to back off like most men would. But Yuuto stood his ground and spoke up.

“I just want you to listen to me for a little bit. It won’t take long, I promise.”

“Fine, I’ll listen…” Mio suppressed her unpleasant feelings and reluctantly agreed to hear him out.

“Hey, Mio-san, have you heard about the suspicious people appearing one after another? There are rumors that they are targeting the students here.”

“Yes. The latter is just a rumor, though.”

“But even if it’s just a rumor, what if they’re actually targeting us?”

“I can’t deny that.”

While maintaining a firm attitude, Mio looked at Yuuto’s face. Despite the pressure, Yuuto remained calm.

“So, why don’t you walk home with me today?”

“I have something to do.”

“Even if you’re aware of that, I think if you walk with me, the suspicious person will definitely be alert and won’t even try to approach us.”

“That’s true. Suspicious people probably won’t target students who are walking home in a group.”

“See! And even if the worst happens, I’ll be your bodyguard. As a result, Mio-san, you will be able to guarantee your safety. So, come on–“

Breathless, Yuuto spoke rapidly, but Mio replied calmly and straightforwardly.

“It’s not like I have to rely on you, Yuuto-kun. I appreciate your concern, but we don’t have much of a relationship, do we? I can’t rely on you to that extent. Besides, I have something to do, so it’s impossible.”

“No, I don’t mind at all! I actually want to do it!”

“I refuse.”

“Why not? I’ve come this far!”

Just like in the library, Mio’s anger slowly builds up as Yuuto persists despite her refusal.

She’s making Toma wait. It’s causing trouble for Toma. All of this comes from her feelings.

“I already told you before, I have someone. I can’t just go home with you, leaving him behind,”

“But, I’m just thinking about your safety!”

“My safety…?”

Mio speaks with a frigid voice that Yuuto has never heard before. She takes a step back and looks at him with hostile eyes.

“Can’t you get over your selfish thoughts? You’re only thinking about yourself,” Mio says.

“Se, selfish? I-I’m just worried about you…”

Yuuto feels like a switch has been flipped. Mio’s atmosphere has changed so much. His voice weakens as if the roles have been reversed.

“I appreciate your concern, but I don’t trust you, Yuuto-kun. I don’t want to go home with you.”

“Eh…”

“We’re not even that close, and yet you touched my shoulder, didn’t you?”

“I only did it to get your attention, Mio-san…”

“Then there was no need to massage my shoulder. What was your intention behind doing that?”

“Um, well…”

Yuuto can’t come up with an excuse right away. His voice stutters, and his gaze wanders.

“Don’t tell me that, I must be suffering from stiff shoulders? You can’t use that excuse with me. I’m not someone who will fall for that.”

“…”

“How can I trust someone like you? If it were a woman who had feelings for you, it might be different, but I’m not that kind of person.”

“That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

“I suppose it is… I wonder who gave me that nickname, ‘the one with such a bad personality.’”

Mio smiled, but there was no hint of pleasantness on her face.

Mio was grateful for Saaya’s education: “You can knock down anyone who poses a threat.” If she had been taught to “be nice to everyone,” she might not have been able to speak up so strongly now.

As a result, she might have been talked into a situation where she couldn’t refuse to go home with him.

“One last time, I’ll say it.”

Mio took a breath and spoke to Yuuto, appealing with her eyes.

“I have someone I care about. I don’t want to do anything that would upset him. That’s why I won’t go with you, no matter how tempting your invitation is. You don’t have to worry about me. From now on, the person I love will worry about me and come to pick me up.”

Mio was not so dull as to miss Yuuto’s obvious affection. That’s why she had spoken out, even though she knew she was lying and using harsh words.

“So give up on me.”

That’s what she wanted to convey.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave now. I can’t keep him waiting any longer.”

Mio turned her back to Yuuto and walked down the hallway.

“Hey, did you see that just now!? Mio-chan… She was really angry.”

“Yeah… I’ve never seen her like that before. She’s supposed to be the nursing’s angel…”

“Well, she couldn’t help it after being so persistent.”

“She doesn’t seem like the typical nursing’s angel… but isn’t she too cool? Like a hidden side.”

“Ugh… I want to call her my ‘big sister.’ I want her to hold me like a pillow and pet me…”

“Forget about your fantasies! …Wait, didn’t she mention something about a ‘him’ before?”

“I’ve heard rumors that she went home with a guy before, but could it be…”

The exchange in the hallway couldn’t be helped, as it was witnessed by the remaining students in the classroom.