Arifureta After – Downtown Date? Part 2
On the street that was slightly distanced from the downtown main street, in the fast-food restaurant that was facing the street, at the window-side seat on that restaurant’s second floor, the figures of three young men who seemed to be high school students could be seen slacking up listlessly on the chair, as though to say that they had too much free time to spare.
Above the tray that was put on the table in front of the three, burger wrappings that had been crumpled up into a round shape and empty French fries containers were scattered about carelessly.
「Aa~」
While scowling at the juice which had become thin due to the melting ice, one of the high school students was discharging out a strange groan. Hearing that, the remaining two students directed an annoyed gaze and an understanding gaze at the first student.
「I know that we got nothing to do, but don’t make that kind of voice. It’s embarra.s.sing.」
「You are saying something like that huh. On this precious holiday, three men are jabbering like this……haaa~. On top of having nothing to do, this is just empty……」
「Don’t say that. That’ll just make you feel emptier.」
These three who had been friends since middle school were currently first-year high school students. Harboring a faint hope that if they advanced to high school then it would be an exciting springtime of their lives that didn’t exist in middle school……that something would happen. In actuality, there wasn’t really anything particular that happened, and they were spending normal days that held no difference with their middle school period.
Actually, the school they were enrolled into, was the high school where the world-shaking occult case happened a year ago, and among the current third-years, there were also the seniors who were directly related with that case. That too became the primary cause that inflated the hope they were harboring that “something” might happen in their high school life (they received fierce opposition from their parents when they chose this school as the first choice but they persuaded their parents) but……there wasn’t really anything that happened.
Of course, there was also a decisively different point before and after the occult case, and that was something that undoubtedly made them delighted from the bottom of their hearts that they enrolled into their current high school. That point was……
「Aa, I want to have a date with Yue-senpai.」
「I want to marry Shia-senpai.」
「Shirasaki-senpai……is great isn’t she.」
The three were facing up to the ceiling while leaking out their wild delusions, that rather than with these male friends with whom they had a stuffily undesirable but inseparable relationship, they would rather walk around the city on a holiday with the seniors they yearned for. And then hearing each other’s words, they exchanged glances among them. And then, they spoke words to each other at the same time.
「「「Don’t say something like that. It feels empty.」」」
The three simultaneously sighed so deeply to the degree that it would surely let out all the happiness that they possessed. While the images of the seniors they yearned for were floating at the back of their minds, at the same time they lamented the fact of how the gaze of their yearned person was directed only at a single person. Furthermore, that person was the same person for the three different girls they yearned for, and that fact was known not only in school, but even the whole neighborhood had already known that fact. (TN: In j.a.pan, there is the saying that sighing will cause your happiness to get away from you.)
In addition to that, it didn’t stop with just those three seniors, something like that was just……
「s.h.i.t, even though in this world, there are many people in love poverty like us, that s.h.i.tty b.a.s.t.a.r.d-」
「O, oi. Stop that. Did you forget already, about the guys that were turned like that after speaking ill of that “you-know-who” behind his back?」
「……Are you talking about the captain of the karate club, how he got transfigured into a big sis the next day?」
「There is also that, but there are also people like the ace of the soccer club who got planted with a phobia of females, or the math teacher who was always acting sarcastically one day suddenly started using polite language at “you know who” like a military personnel……」
「Bu, but, those were lies, right? Those were just like urban legends, right? Look, those guys, they are the ‘returnees’. Those kinds of stories were created a lot half for fun……in fact, there aren’t any seniors or teachers like in those rumors.」
「That’s, you’re right but……」
Stories that sounded like an urban legend――but speaking about that, even the story about the “real harem” also “sounded like an urban legend” in that case……In the end, that was what the three of them came to think but they didn’t say it out loud. It was the truth that students and teachers that became the basis of the rumors couldn’t be found in the school, but at the same time, there were also rumors that those rumored guys had transferred schools or changed jobs.
It was unknown what was truth and what was a lie, and that also granted uneasy feelings that they couldn’t describe. Especially because the new first-years didn’t know about the ‘returnees’――the people who returned back from being spirited away in ma.s.s were called like that by society, and like that the naming stuck―― school life right after they returned from the occult case.
Naturally, there were also a lot of first-year students who were ignorant of the ways of the world and got carried away. They attempted to go on the offensive towards the beautiful seniors and foreign students that were among the ‘returnee’ group; but……most of them were turned into ash after being shown the relationship of those beauties with “that person”, or they were stopped by the male seniors of the ‘returnee’ group with kind gazes when they attempted to take malicious actions out of jealousy. After a few months pa.s.sed, those kinds of people eventually became a little bit more adult like from understanding in their hearts that “it’s just how it is”.
Even so, as expected, there was no way the yearning towards the seniors who were so beautiful that even celebrities couldn’t win against them would disappear, and that went even truer with the jealousy towards that “you-know-who” who was literally monopolizing those beautiful seniors like a joke. Grumbles or cursing would sometimes leak out suddenly toward that you-know-who like this.
「Haa……hm? O, oi, that.」
「Hm?」
「Aa?」
One of the male students for some reason turned his gaze outside the window, and then he noticed that group and raised his voice. The other two got curious and moved their gazes to follow his, and there, at an unbelievable timing, the rumored group was walking on the street on the other side.
It was that “you-know-who” ――Nagumo Hajime, and his wives.
「Oi oi, just why are those people here?」
「That is, no matter how you see it, this must be a date.」
「As always, what an amazing line up, huh……wait, that child riding on “that person’s” shoulder, is that the rumored daughter? So it’s true that he has a child? Isn’t that bad……」
*bita-!* The three boys clung on the window gla.s.s, staring hungrily at Hajime who was walking nonchalantly while being surrounded by extraordinarily beautiful girls and women in enjoyment. Seeing it from the viewpoint of the people inside the restaurant, the figures of those three were like geckos that were clinging to a window, it was a relatively strange sight. It almost caused the 0 yen smile of the restaurant waitress to crumble. (TN: 0 yen smile=a free smile, a business smile)
「Yue-senpai, Shia-senpai……also Shirasaki-senpai and Yaegashi-senpai are there too. Next are the black haired beauty and the blonde beauty that were sometimes seen at the school festival or after school……」
「Just what kind of perfect lineup is this. Dammit it all-」
「Aa, also that child……she is super cute. There is even a beautiful little girl……how envious.」
「Eh?」
「Eh?」
「Eh?」
The last statement caused the three to spontaneously leak out stupid sounds while they faced each other. Or rather, two of them were making 「Eh, this guy is seriously, that kind of guy?」 look at the last one while drawing back. That last person seeing that tried to solve the misunderstanding in panic.
「Ah, those senpai are getting farther see.」
「Yosh, we got nothing to do anyway, let’s try following them yeah. What kind of date a real harem man is having, this can be used for future reference.」
「Hey, you guys are misunderstanding, okay? I’m not like that, okay?」
「But, will it be okay? From the rumor, those people for some reason are really sharp I heard. Won’t it be bad if we got found out?」
「This is in the middle of the city. There are also a lot of people so there won’t be any problem. Besides, this is that group of beauties we are talking about. There is a high chance some punks are going to pick a fight with them. At that time, what kind of action “that person” will take……perhaps we are going to understand a bit, whether those rumors about the senpai that got turned into a big sis or the teacher that got turned into pseudo-military are the truth or not, don’t you think so? You are curious, right?」
「He, heey, listen to me. I really, don’t have any interest for little kids at all. I was just simply……」
「Indeed……wait, this is bad, they are seriously getting farther. For now, let’s go first.」
「Yoosh. Well, even just paying respect to the figure of Yue-senpai and the others in casual clothing on the holiday is already the best anyway.」
「Yeah-」
「Oi wait! Don’t ignore me here! You guys are seriously mistaken! No, really!」
Until the end, the noisy three students didn’t notice the previous waitress whose eyes weren’t smiling anymore even though the lips were still smiling. They exited the restaurant with noisy footsteps. And then, from the entrance downstairs, a yell of 「Rather, I am someone that gets excited from adult woman, like female teachers, or widows heree-」 that would cause headaches could be heard……the waitresses sighed deeply hearing that.
「Heeey, you guys are really mistaken. okay?」
「Geez, we got it already.」
「You like female teachers or widows. That was what you were saying, right? Rather than that, don’t make so much noise. We are going to get found out here.」
「Even though I was on the brink of getting treated like a perverted lolicon just now, you guys……」
By the time he did a coming out with his outrageous fetish at the fast-food restaurant, he was already definitely a pervert, but no one there made such a retort. Rather than that, it was more important to observe carefully the party of Hajime and the others, who were currently enjoying window shopping, at the end of their gazes.
While they were observing, Hajime’s group entered a large three-story store that was fairly famous for its ladies fashion. From across the gla.s.s window, the trio could see how the shop employees and other customers were taken aback for a moment, but the shop employees were immediately recovering their usual att.i.tudes like a pro while the other female customers were sending their gazes as though they had encountered a celebrity. The males who were taken along with the female customers were staring in fascination in a daze.
Amidst those, the aforementioned group didn’t look particularly bothered with all the attention and they only looked around inside the store. Sometimes the female camp would ask for Hajime’s opinion and try on some clothes. To that, Hajime changed Myuu’s position from on top of his shoulders to carrying her with one hand, and then he seemed to say one or two sentences back regarding his impressions of the clothes. Just from looking it could clearly be seen that Yue and the others were swinging from joy and nervousness when they were listening to what Hajime was saying.
「……By any chance, is that man giving back different impressions to all of them respectively?」
「If he is just saying “that suits you”, then at the very least it will be said six times from only one round you know. That would make him look like a broken record in that case.」
「Based on the expressions of all those girls, it seems that man is saying different impressions each time without fail. ……Is this, the true power of a harem man……」
The trio were continuing to observe by hiding in the shadows of merchandise even while being seen suspiciously by other customers and employees. Their expressions changed into a shudder. If it was them who were asked for impressions by that many women changing clothes multiple times like that……without a doubt, in their case they would be turned into a broken speaker saying the same thing.
But, after that, after the group was feeling satisfied walking around inside the store, the three mediocre high school students (first-years) were made to taste further the dreadfulness of a real harem man’s deed.
「Wa, wait-. Don’t tell me, he is planning to pay for that many clothes!?」
「That’s a lie right-. This store, it’s really expensive you know! Even if each of them only buys one piece of clothing, there will be six pieces……is that guy’s financial strength a monster!?」
Ahead of the gaze of the trembling trio, were six pieces of clothing that were put on the register. Yue, Shia, Tio, and Remia looked happy, while Kaori and Shizuku looked a bit apologetic. Even so, they were staring with undisguised happiness at the back of Hajime who was speaking with the clerk.
Hajime handed a card to the clerk and finished the bill, then he wrote the address for the mailing destination and turned back. He only shrugged towards the thanks that were said to him by the female camp before urging them to continue the date. And then there was Myuu who repeatedly lightly hit Hajime’s cheek in protest because it was only her who wasn’t bought some clothes due to the lack of size that matched her body, but as though to say that he got it, Hajime turned a gentle gaze at her and nodded before leaving the store.
The customers who were accompanied by lovers or friends, and the employees who were left behind then let out a deep sigh that was filled with various thoughts.
「Come to think of it, once, I heard a rumor. “That person’s” parents seem to be the president of a game company and a popular manga author. Also, it seems the person himself also did some part-time work, and it was said that he earned quite a lot.」
「Aa. I also heard something like that. In addition, there was also some joking rumor that the person himself was starting up a company related to jewelry. They said that that black haired beauty and that blonde beauty are the company director or the secretary or something.」
While following behind Hajime’s group, the trio were laughing dryly after conversing about the rumors that originally sounded like a joke but now seemed to have some truth in it after what they witnessed.
In fact, that rumor hit the bull’s eye. When Hajime just returned back to this world, he got really busy with taking care of large problems, like the forgery of everything that was related to government administration, including family register, etc., and also countermeasures against the ma.s.s media. By the time all of those calmed down, he was faced with the problem about providing for Yue and the others. Although he was still a student, as expected it was unacceptable for a man to keep relying on his parents for that. In order to raise his dependability status, he pondered for a way to earn money.
One of his ideas was starting up a jewelry shop. If he was asked why a jewelry shop, of course, it was because he was a trans.m.u.tation master, and through that, he possessed an unfair method regarding the processing technology of jewels. Depending on the situation, even without any raw ore, as long as he had the Structural Component skill he could possibly create precious stones from scratch.
As for designs, he left it to Remia who unexpectedly displayed a good sense in her ideas while Hajime only trans.m.u.ted following her designs. Furthermore, just by wearing these accessories that Hajime created, it would improve the physical condition of the wearer, improve the skin, or raise the memorizing ability, anyway the accessories had miraculous effects.
At present, the business was carried out from a small office, with their sales mainly coming from the internet, but even so, Tio, who in this one year was learning economy and management, carried out the administration of the business so he could work while also going to school. Rather, through word of mouth the good design sense and the miraculous effects were promoted further and the business produced quite an earning.
Furthermore, Remia and Tio who weren’t attending school respectively showed their interest in the various design style or economic system of earth, so this jewelry shop that Hajime established wasn’t just killing two birds with one stone, it was already killing three birds with one stone where Remia and Tio also could pursue their interests. Hajime himself was also stretching his hand towards various trades in his own way.
「Magic merchandise is selling like magic huh.」 Seeing Hajime who was making a really crooked smile while saying that caused Shuu and Sumire to avert their eyes at the same time while it went without saying that Yue and the others were enraptured with that Hajime.
「O, oi, it’s finally the development just as we thought! As expected from those seniors. The predator that snapped at the bait is nothing half-a.s.sed.」
「Wait, is this, going to be okay? From their appearance, they feel like college students, they are absurdly huge.」
「Le, let’s at least, prepare so that we can contact the police.」
Ahead of the gazes of the trio who were hiding by the nearby signboard while seeing the situation, Hajime’s group, who were going to enter into a children’s clothing shop, were being approached by five men with great body builds that seemed to be college students. The five college students were approaching with smiles on their mouths. Dyed hair, rough clothing, rough expressions, and rough atmospheres, from all those it was obvious that they were the type of people you wouldn’t want to get involved with.
The people in the surroundings were also somehow sensing the trouble that would happen, an uneasy air could be felt from them.
The approach of those fellows caused Hajime to look back and narrow his eyes. And then, the five men arrived before Hajime’s group, the sound of someone gulping could be heard from somewhere, immediately following,
「Hajime-san, also all the girlfriends, greetings ―su-!」
「「「「Greetings ―su-!」」」」
The five scary guys bowed their head simultaneously. Voices and expressions of 「Eee――!!」 were overflowing from the surroundings. The unexpected development also caused the trio to go 「Whyyyy!?」 with their bodies leaning out from the signboard. Amidst those, Hajime was,
「……Aa? Who are you guys?」
He returned a suspicious stare at the scary guys. Getting fl.u.s.tered and a bit shocked by that reply, a man with dyed blonde hair and piercings opened his mouth in a panicked rush.
「I, it’s me, me. Don’t you remember me?」
「Hmph? So this is a “It’s me, me” fraud right to the face……you are quite a novel guy huh.」(TN: “It’s me, me” fraud, when someone unknown called your phone and suddenly said “it’s me, me” without saying any name and in a panicked tone. They would claim that your friend or family just got into an accident and rush you to transfer money to them.) 「Tha, that’s not it! Half a year ago, I picked a fight with Hajime-san together with twenty of my friends. I am Hide that got beaten up black and blue at that time! After that, Hajime-san gave me introductions to my current workplace, and from that, I work together with Hajime-san a few times as an information dealer don’t you remember-」
「……Aah, yep. Hide huh. Hide. Yep. I remember you now.」
「Do, do you really remember mee-」
Hajime obviously didn’t seem to remember, but it would be scary later if this Hide kept asking doggedly (half a year ago, he had tasted “true fear”) so he stopped insisting. That scary face changed into a pathetic look like a puppy that was thrown away.
「So, beaten up information dealer Hide, what’s your business with me?」
「That name feels like it’s going to end up as my nickname, so please spare me from that. Eeerr, I don’t really have any business, but I just caught sight of Hajime-san by chance, so I only came to give a greeting, that’s all.」
「I see. What an honest guy huh. Aa, somehow I recall you. If I remember correctly, you guys are that bunch who got the cold shoulder from Yue and the others, and then you tried to take Myuu hostage as revenge, and in the end, you guys did dogeza while crying to me, right?」
「……Please don’t say anything about that anymore. That is a past that I really want to erase……」
The eyes of Hide and his friends turned empty altogether while their bodies were shivering. One of them looked like they could burst out crying anytime.
After that, Hide and the others who talked a bit with Hajime said that if it was children’s clothing then they knew of a shop of an acquaintance nearby that was little-known yet had good merchandise, and upon receiving that information Hajime and the others headed there. Seeing the five scary guys who were like well-trained soldiers from how they continued to lower their heads until the figure of Hajime’s group disappeared from view, it went without saying that it caused the gaze of the surroundings to become wordless.
「Somehow, it was different from expectation……」
「What we expected had already happened, and it was settled by “that person”, and this is the result huh.」
「……“Settlement” that made that dangerous looking older bunch act like loyal dogs, huh……those guys, did you two see they were trembling……」
「「……」」
For some reason, the bodies of the trio shuddered suddenly. And then at that time when they were pondering whether to continue tailing or to just stop it already, they witnessed the spectacle of Hajime’s group exiting the children’s clothing shop and the delinquent bunch who caught sight of that once more bowing their heads to Hajime just like before.
The trio somehow missed their chance to speak of stopping their observation. And while that trio was still watching attentively, they saw Hajime and the others who asked for a good café this time before they walked away and the delinquents who, as expected, bowed their heads for seeing them off.
Even during the walk to the café, the scene of the young bunch who obviously had preferences of living in a back alley standing up in a panic to give a greeting while bowing their heads when they happened to catch sight of Hajime, entered their sight many times.
Even when they returned back to the main street the same thing happened, bunches of guys who seemed to be of that kind would suddenly lower their head with gazes that were filled with terror and respect when they crossed over Hajime’s path.
And the clincher of all that was when a black foreign car stopped near Hajime and group who were having a pleasant chat at an open terrace café. From that car, a bunch of men wearing suits and clad in a dangerous atmosphere that would blow away the likes of the delinquents until now were getting out, and as expected, even these dangerous men were also greeting while bowing their heads to Hajime. Naturally, the atmosphere of the café froze due to this.
And then, the last man that got out of the car, an old man around sixty years old wearing a hakama……no matter how anyone looked at him, that man couldn’t be seen as anything other than a yakuza boss. That man’s villainous face distorted even more villainous when he talked to Hajime.
「As always, you are in a nice position eh. Having women serving you in this kind of open place in the middle of the day, even though you are just a brat. I want to see the face of the parent of someone like you.」
「If it’s the face of my parents than you know them already, right? After all, when you tried to take revenge on me who crushed your idiotic dealings, you thoroughly investigated my surroundings. Rather, just what business do you have with me here, huh? Just as you can see, I’m in the middle of a date now. If you intentionally stopped your car just for saying sarcasm to me, then I’m going to crush you underfoot again you know?」
「Ka ka-, don’t say something scary like that. As the side that actually got done in, I cannot take that as a joke here.」
“Don’t run off your mouth like that against a yakuza you!” The guests and café employees around, and also the trio were screaming like that inside their hearts, but when they heard the continuing words of the yakuza boss, this time they froze from a different significance. They thought 「Just now, what did the boss say?」
「It’s great that this is j.a.pan, and I’m a virtuous j.a.panese huh. If that wasn’t the case, by this time you guys would have already all become dust that dances in the world’s sky.」
「……Do you have the self-awareness that your speech is more yakuza than the actual yakuza? Haa, well that’s fine. About why I called out to you like this……」
It seemed that the reason for the yakuza boss calling out to Hajime was, once in the past various things happened and one group of this boss’s yakuza got annihilated by Hajime (all members of the group were sent to the hospital half-dead while its young leader had no hope of recovery), now this group was revived back, and the replacement of the former young leader of this group had been formally decided, so this boss came to Hajime in order to make the new young leader give his greetings. (TN: In j.a.pan, the big boss of the yakuza (called oyabun) stands at the top of the organization. The yakuza organization itself is divided into several groups where each group is led by a young leader (wakagashira) that answer directly to the oyabun.)
It seemed that it had become a new common sense, that if you wanted to survive in the area around the city where Hajime was living, then you must not forget about Hajime’s existence. Due to that, the new young leader who knew about the h.e.l.lish scenery of that time now carried out the inauguration greeting to Hajime expressionlessly while being unable to hide the cold sweat that was dripping from his face.
There was no way Hajime would come if he was called to attend the inauguration event, and it was unknown what kind of punishment they would receive if they intruded on Hajime’s house or school. However, if the new young leader didn’t show his face to Hajime, then they wouldn’t be able to calm down no matter what when thinking about the future. While the yakuza boss was at his wits end about what to do while traveling by car he caught sight of Hajime’s group by accident. Thinking 「This is a chance-! Let’s take care of the unpleasant matter all at once! There is no way we are going to get a.s.saulted in a public place, that’s unthinkable!」, he called out to Hajime like this to give his greeting.
……It was really unclear which side was the yakuza.
「I see. Well, as long as you guys don’t do anything that involves the people in my surroundings, you can do whatever you want. However, previously there was still some extenuating circ.u.mstances that I took into consideration, so your guys got off with only being half-dead, but there is no next time. If in the future, even if only indirectly, something happens……I’ll present you guys with a really lovely second life. Forcefully. Got that?」
Saying that Hajime’s mouth split into a crescent moon shape.
「……As expected, you are more yakuza than the yakuza.」
The people at the surroundings heavily sympathized 「It’s exactly as you said, Oyabin-san!」inside their hearts. And then, the yakuza boss was attacked with the impulse of wanting to ask “Just what kind of experience it was that produced a brat like you”, based on his knowledge that Hajime was one of those “returnees”, but his instinct from his long life experience was raising a piercing alarm, so with effort he swallowed back his words.
Before long, the yakuza bunch bowed their heads simultaneously at Hajime before also speaking in chorus to Yue and the others 「All of you Nee-san, pardon us for bothering you in the middle of your enjoyment」, leaving behind that bizarre scene they finally drew back and left.
「Now then, it will be time soon, let’s go.」
Yue and the others stood from their chairs hearing Hajime’s words. When Hajime asked for the bill, the girl clerk around the same age as Hajime who had watched the exchange just now faced the register while saying 「Hyess! The bhill ishn’t hit! Thank you very mhucch!」 in a state that was really like the template that made him wonder if she was actually aiming for it.
However, the fact that this act wasn’t something intentional was made clear by the clerk’s finger barrage at the register b.u.t.tons which looked like a certain kenpou master going「Aa~tatatatatatata-」 striking the secret points of the human body. It was like a clichéd template so much so that she looked pitiful. (TN: I guess this is a reference to Hokuto no Ken)
The girl clerk was looking for help from her coworkers and manager with a face that almost burst out crying, but they only clenched their fist to convey 「Do your best!」 without any sign of lending a hand. The other guests and the trio were, as expected, only giving support of 「Fight on!」 inside their hearts without any indication of giving a.s.sistance.
「……Haah」
「-!?」
Seeing the state of the clerk, Hajime sighed thinking whether this was his fault. Hearing that the clerk twitched and her body trembled, the girl clerk’s secret point strike (register machine only) was increasingly reaching further height.
Thereupon, on the hand of the girl clerk that was striking the secret point(register b.u.t.ton) a lot, a small hand was piled up there. The clerk spontaneously screamed 「hih」, but when she understood that the hand came from the little girl Hajime was carrying she stared blankly in puzzlement.
Myuu smiled widely at that clerk.
「Clerk-san, it’s fine nano~」
「A, yes, my, my apologies.」
As expected from Myuu. It was with just one hit. The girl clerk who recovered her calm safely finished her divine fist training and typed on the register correctly.
Hajime who in a sense got his a.s.s wiped for him patted on Myuu’s head with grat.i.tude, admiration, and praise. Myuu was smiling “ehehe~” while embracing Hajime.
Settling the bill, the clerk prepared the change from the register and watched Myuu and Hajime who were like that, her gaze was attracted at Hajime’s unexpectedly gentle expression and gaze. And then, when Hajime whispered 「My bad for scaring you」 with a slightly troubled face while receiving the receipt, the clerk swung her head left and right energetically in denial.
Hajime exited the café while feeling the reproachful glare of the female camp on his back for some reason. The energetic voice of the clerk 「W, we are waiting, fo, for your next coming――!」 and the voice of the café manager that was trying to stop her from saying that echoed behind him.
「Hey, let’s go home already……I’m already, really at my limit in various meanings.」
「Yeah, me too. I want to go home.」
「The rumors were all true. I am convinced now. “That person” really had become a harem king to the greatest degree……」
A while after Hajime and group exited the café, the trio exited the café with a somewhat exhausted state. Their observation of Hajime’s group forced them to exhaustion in various meanings. At the same time, they also wordlessly convinced that it would be really bad if they stalked Hajime’s group any more than this.
And then, they turned the opposite direction from where Hajime and group were walking…… at that moment,
「Wapuh」
The face of one of the male student got covered by a paper that was carried by the wind with a plop. That male student cursed 「What the h.e.l.l」 while taking that paper into his hand, he then dropped his gaze to that paper inadvertently……
――That young man stiffened as though he was frozen solid.
「Oi, what’s wrong?」
「What are you stiffening for……」
The other two felt dubious while they were peeking from both sides at the flying paper the stiffened young man kept holding, and there on the paper,
――Not a bad moment that you choose to quit. From now on too, be moderate with your inquisitiveness, okay? From senpai.
Naturally, the other two also stiffened. Since when were they noticed? When was this written? Rather, how did it arrive here? Eh, in the first place, just now, the wind was blowing right……
Various questions circulated in their brain instantly, then the three moved their heads *gigigi* with crude movements like machines that were forgotten to be oiled and faced each other. And then, a beat later,
「「「NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-!!!!」」」
Screaming like a girl, the trio dashed on the path towards their homes like a startled rabbit.
In the following week, it went without saying that additional anecdotes were added into the urban legend of that “you-know-who”.
AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
Next, I’m thinking of giving a spot to another two people while touching the commotion regarding post-returning home.