When I got home, Mikoto was there.
Not meeting for only 2 days felt like quite a while.

「Yo, Mikoto」

Mikoto, who was knitting together with my grandma in the living room, turned around.
She wore her usual jersey attire.
Since she had cla.s.s today, as expected she fixed her bed head.

「Today is Teppanyaki so I came」
「I see」

Our house does Teppanyaki for dinner once every 2 weeks.
At that time, Mikoto and her mom come to our house.
I heard my mom and Mikoto"s mom talking happily in the kitchen.

「Hey, I"m going shopping for a bit so come with」

Mikoto hands what she was knitting to my grandma and stood up.

「I"m gonna change so wait a bit」

Saying that, after I finished rinsing my mouth in the bathroom, I went up to the second floor.
I changed into sweatpants and a black T-s.h.i.+rt and went back to the first floor.
Mikoto was waiting in the entryway.

「So, what are you buying?」
「We ran out of Yakiniku sauce」
「Just the sauce?」
「Un」
「If that"s the case I could have gone myself」

However, Mikoto shook her head.

「It"s fine, let"s go together」
「Well, it"s fine but…is it fine to go to f.u.ku?」

f.u.ku is a small supermarket about five minutes from here if we ride a bike.

「Not f.u.ku, let"s go to Sainzu」
「Haa? If we are just getting sauce then f.u.ku should be fine」

Sainzu was a big supermarket past the station.
There is definitely more variety than f.u.ku.
But, if it"s just sauce, f.u.ku is plenty.
The price also doesn"t change much.

「Come on, let"s go」

Ignoring my opinion, Mikoto left quickly.
I reluctantly chase after that back.
And then I got on my bike.
When I did so, Mikoto straddled the rack on the back of my bike like it was the natural thing to do.

「Why are we using the same bike?」

I look back and glare at Mikoto.
Mikoto shrugs her shoulders.

「After all, my bike is at my house」
「Then go and get it! Isn"t your house right there?!」
「Too troublesome」

I ended up letting out a big sigh.
Even if I argue it"s pointless.

「Is there something in particular you want? Especially going all the way to Sainzu」

After I started pedalling the bike, I asked.
Mikoto, who had her hands wrapped around my waist tightly, replied.

「No real reason」
「Why? Are you mad about the things on Sat.u.r.day?」

I tried asking.

「I"m not mad. It"s my fault since I was originally the one who asked you to show me…besides every guy is a wolf」
「My bad. I"m sorry」

I obediently apologized.
I don"t know if she will forgive me or not.
But, this way we should be able to go shopping together.
It seemed better than I thought.

「I, got confessed to」
「Haa?」

I was surprised by the sudden topic.
It seems Mikoto put some power in her arms.

「Today on the train, I was handed a paper with a contact address written as well as "I have liked you since before and if you are fine with me would you like to go out"…」
「He-Hee」

I couldn"t hide my unrest.
What a shoujo manga liked development.
I wonder if Mikoto choose the far away Sainzu because she wanted to talk about this.

「And then?」
「I thought to refuse」
「Do you not like him?」
「His face was very attractive. His personality seemed really good too」
「But?」
「After all, I don"t like him」

Well of course.
No matter how much his face is good, even if his personality is good, if Mikoto doesn"t like the guy then it"s no good.
There is a lot of highschool girls that treat their boyfriends like accessories but Mikoto isn"t like that.

「Also I have a person I like」

I unintentionally ended up braking.

「That"s dangerous!」

I ignored Mikoto complaining and asked her.

「Me?」
「Die」

Ok, I will die.
This misunderstanding virgin will die here.
After that it was just silent.
Going to Sainzu in silence, we bought only one bottle of sauce and went outside.

「Ah, Okutani-kun!」

I got fl.u.s.tered at the voice I knew.
Unexpectedly, that person is nearby.

「Kurusu, what is it?」
「"What is it", you say, this is the supermarket, you know? Isn"t it obvious I am shopping. Are, is that your little sister?」

Looking at Mikoto next to me, Kurusu asked that.
Certainly her size is like a little sister.

「Wrong, wrong. This isn"t my little sister」
「Then…is she your girlfriend?」

Stop. Stop right now.
Look, Mikoto is glaring considerably at you.
If you misunderstand, she will get mad.

Kurusu"s clothing was a pure white dress, it was really like an Ojousama.
Even towards the glaring Mikoto, she had the leeway to return a friendly smile.

「And who might you be?」

Mikoto asked Kurusu with clear hostility.
Disregarding her hostility, Kurusu replied.

「I am Kurusu Mia. I am cla.s.smates with Okutani-kun in the same cla.s.s and the same club」
「So you and I are the same age? If you make light of me, I"ll kill you!」

Where did this Yankee come from.
When I hit Mikoto"s head, I apologized to Kurusu.

「Sorry. This fellow is Ando Mikoto and she is my childhood friend. She isn"t my sister but well we do seem like an older brother and younger sister」
「Hee…so she is your childhood friend」

Kurusu directs a somewhat envious look at Mikoto.
On the other hand, while brus.h.i.+ng her head that was. .h.i.t, Mikoto continues glaring at Kurusu.

「Nice to meet you, Mikoto-chan」
「Funn」

Mikoto turned her face away.
I don"t understand why she hates Kurusu so much.
Is it that? Jealousy?

「Are you shopping by yourself?」

I asked Kurusu.
Nodding her head, Kurusu moved her line of sight to me.

「Yeah. Today my mom and dad aren"t home again so I was thinking I should make something」
「By yourself? Then you can come…」

Then Mikoto stomped on my foot with all her might.

「Oww! What are you doing?!」
「Let"s go! We don"t have the time」

No well, we should still have some time before dinner.
However, Mikoto forcefully pulls my arm.
While looking at that situation, Kurusu giggled and waved her head.

「Kurusu, sorry! See you tomorrow…Ah!」

I shake my hand away from Mikoto.
And then I turn back to Kurusu.
Kurusu who was trying to enter the supermarket stopped her feet.
She looks at me curiously.

「What is it?」
「Sorry…Come to think of it, I don"t know Kurusu"s contact address」
「You want to know?」
「I want to know. Since I can"t talk to you easily in school」
「Although it"s no big deal if you talk to me in school」

Kurusu said with a troubled and shocked expression.
I smiled bitterly.

「I can"t talk to Kurusu at school very easily」
「Is that so?…okay, I"ll give you my info」

Then I exchanged contact info with Kurusu.
When I waved my hand towards Kurusu, I ran towards Mikoto in a hurry.
When I got to the bike rack, Mikoto was tapping her foot while waiting.

「Who is that woman! She seriously p.i.s.ses me off!」
「No no it"s you! What happened?! Why did you take such an att.i.tude with my friend! And you even stomped on my foot!」

While unlocking my bike lock, I vent my anger.
Mikoto folded her arms and glared at me.

「You, tried to invite that woman named Kurusu to Teppanyaki didn"t you?」
「Eh? Well, yeah」

I don"t know if she would have came but I thought it would be fine to invite her.

「Why!?」
「Was that bad? Even if we added in one person like Kurusu there shouldn"t be a problem」
「Well yeah. She seems like a good girl」
「If you think so then why did you have such an att.i.tude?…」

I no longer understand what this person is thinking.

「Annoying! Annoying, Annoying! I"m going home!」

Mikoto started walking while yelling.
When I got on my bike confused, I chased after her.

「Get on」
「I won"t!」
「Why are you mad?」
「It"s nothing」

She wasn"t mad at me trying to show her my erect d.i.c.k.
And yet why is she so mad now?
At such times I should just let sleeping dogs lie.1

「Nee」

After walking for awhile, we came to the road with the paddy fields.
Mikoto stopped her feet and looked at me.

「N?」
「I am making a stop here」

Saying that, Mikoto veered off the road.
She went on the highway above the paddy fields. Under that highway was a small park.
When Mikoto stops her feet at that park, she turned her head towards me.
I, who had followed along quietly, stared at Mikoto.

「Sorry for getting angry…」

Mikoto properly apologized.
I nod my head.

「I forgive you」

Mikoto had such a docile face.

「Nee, Koumei?」
「N?」
「…Since you forgive me, can I ask one thing?」
「What?」

Mikoto blushed and said something like she was talking to herself.

「Can you…hold me?」

Idiom for just ignore it ↩