Chapter 82 - Volume 5 (1/2)

Volume 5, Chapter 11: I Got Involved in all Sorts of Trouble, Part 2

“No, Yuzu-chan, you don’t have to come every day you know!?”

From that day earlier onwards, I’ve been waiting for that delicious…… *cough*, for that wonderful person to come to dad-chan’s ramen shop, because I couldn’t go meet in the places where hoodlums gathered.

I think dad-chan thinks that I’m apologetic and that’s the reason I come every day.

Should I extend my net to the other shops too……?

“……Yuzu, you, what did you do?”

That’s rude, Kotone-chan.

“I am waiting for that lovely man to come.”

“Heeh…… Yuzu likes older men. It’s honestly a bad hobby.”

I don’t want to be told that by Kotone………

Since I was here so often, I began to assist the shop along with Misa, and the number of customers seems to have increased.

“I will help my onii-chan and make this ramen shop a splendid one.”

“Yeah, that’s amazing, you can do it Misa.”

“Yeah, Yuzu-chan.”

Misa is the same age as me, but I felt like she was cute and young like if she was my little sister.

As I was kneading the cheeks of the cute Misa, Kotone, who heard Misa’s declaration came in.

“Before that, is this shop going to stay in business forever? I hope that it can continue until he can run it alone……”

“Eh? Why? There’re a lot of customers.”

The harassment from the hoodlums had also been decreasing.

As soon as the hoodlums who were harassing the other shops came around to this place, I entertained them, and they all became honest. Before I knew it, the harassment to the entire shopping district was reduced.

It’s a lucky break? Or maybe something a little different.

“Hey, the shopkeeper is getting pretty old, no? He said that he would return to the countryside and retire once he couldn’t make soup. He has good skills too, but it’s important for the customers to trust the shopkeeper’s taste.”

“Yeah, Ojii-chan’s ramen has a kind taste to it, don’t you think?”

“I too, like grandpa-chan’s ramen.”

It’s not going to turn out well. Trust in the product…… or perhaps I should say it differs from “selling”.

Will it sell if people’s complexions turn green?

＊

One day, the chauffeur didn’t come to pick me up due to mother’s circumstances.

Although I called a taxi and it was okay, only Ooba-onii-chan had returned when I got home, and onii-chan had to eat ramen with me while we waited together.

Both Father and Mother seemed to know about dad-chan and Misa. I knew, but I couldn’t do much more to lend a hand and say that we won’t stop involving ourselves, it’s a subtle position.

The adults were not being honest.

“I’m going to buy some juice~”

“Don’t go too far~”

“Yes~”

It’s not a matter of me wanting to drink juice particularly, but recently, it’s been getting hotter, so dealing with the roaring fire in a ramen shop is tough.

I have become much stronger, but from the point of view of others I’m still considered weak.

“Haa…… how refreshing”

It’s comfortable at night. As always, I’m not very sleepy. I might be turning nocturnal.

I don’t feel afraid of the night like a normal child, and since I haven’t had any more run-ins with random attackers as well in this half-year, it’s been a relief.

Something came unexpectedly on such a night……

“…………”

While I was chilling my forehead with the cold tea that I’d bought from a vending machine, I saw a black ‘cat’ in the side alley in the shopping area.

A jet-black cat with silver eyes like the one I saw at the shrine…… From the depths of my heart, ‘something’ came out, and I felt like there was something itching in me.

“……Who…… are you……?”

When the words fell from my lips, the black cat’s silhouette…… was getting further away.

“Wait.”

I started chasing after it once I noticed. My legs aren’t fast. But I will follow [Him].

……[Him]?……

“Kyaa”

“Uwahh”

I suddenly bumped into someone. The other party was also tiny, but I was weak so I fell over and landed on my bottom.

“……ah…”

The black cat…… was nowhere to be found.

“Yuzu-chan?”

“Ah, Kouki-kun?”

The person I bumped into was Kouki-kun. …… At the corner of the road?

“…… Would it be better if I was holding bread in my mouth?”

“What are you talking about?”

Kouki-kun reached out his hand to me to support me up, even though he didn’t understand what I was saying.

“Sorry, Yuzu-chan…… but, why are you here?”

“……Kouki-kun. I was at a shop with which I was acquainted… and then… I went for a walk.”

“I too… went for a walk.”

This lie, I’ll endure it. It’s a somewhat strange atmosphere…… Ah, come to think of it, he had a poor relationship with his grandfather over that land speculation ruckus, no?

“……Then, goodbye.”

“Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?”

Kouki-kun raised his voice in shock as I tried to escape quickly…… such a toublesome fellow.

“With this flow, isn’t it like listening to a story?”