Sorry it’s been awhile since the last release of this series. Been focusing on the other novels I have been translating since they have higher demand. Anyway, I’ll try to finish more chapters of this series from now on.

 

“Oh…… Susami.”

“Thanks for your work as a school trip committee member today.”

“Yeah. It was fun, wasn’t it, the first day?”

Sayano quickly released my arm as she said that.

I felt somewhat relieved.

Perhaps it was just my imagination, but Susami’s eyes seemed to narrow slightly as she followed that movement with her gaze.

“What were you two doing?”

“No…… we just happened to meet.”

Susami’s expression and tone of voice told me about the current situation.

In other words, Susami must have been concerned that I was coming back late, so she came after me.

And then she came across this situation and tried to hide the fact that the five of us were together.

Probably for me and Rika.

Judging from her sharpness and tact, there was no doubt about it.

I’ve been giving Susami a lot of trouble……

“So what’s up, Susami?”

“I was buying something too. I’ve got my friends waiting for me, so I’m going to go now.”

Saying that, Susami walked past us, but stopped again immediately.

She reached into her pockets a few times, then shrugged her shoulders deliberately.

“Oh, I’m such a klutz. I think I left my wallet in my room. I came here for nothing.”

I see, that’s how it is.

But even so, isn’t the setting too stupid?

“Kusuba-kun, I’m sorry, but can you lend me some money? I’ll pay you right back.”

“Oh, sure.”

“Thanks. Then, let’s go. See you later, Sayano-san.”

“What! Umm, yeah…… bye-bye.”

Susami and I then watched Sayano walk away.

When she was completely out of sight, we looked at each other and let out a short breath at the same time.

It went smoothly, even though it was even a little unnatural.

At least it seemed to have worked.

“Good, we’ll see how this goes.”

“I’m sorry…… you’ve been a great help.”

“You’re going to lend me money, right?”

“Ah, I’ll buy you a drink.”

I said this to Susami’s mischievous smile.

Susami shouted happily, “I did it,” and turned her body around to go to the store.

You’re so careless, you know that?

Well, I owe her a lot, so I don’t mind at least this much.

“A short, but secret date.”

“Wha……”

“Fufu…. just kidding. You and Rika are both easy to tease.”

“……huh.”

What a heart-wrenching joke.

While talking like this, I waited for Susami to choose her drink.

I received the change, slightly taken back by the fact that Susami had paid for her drink in English.

“Besides, I didn’t have time to think about it. When I thought I found you, I thought I stumbled into you cheating.”

“Umm, cheating…… me?”

“Oh, don’t worry? You did pay me hush money.”

(TN: She’s referring to the drink.)

“No……. Geez stop teasing me.”

I wonder how serious she was about this……

Looking at me in a cold sweat, Susami giggled and opened the plastic bottle.

She sipped a small amount into her mouth and swallowed it quietly.

“But what were you going to do if Sayano wanted to follow us?”

“I’d let her tag along and then after that I’d think of my next move.”

“You’re surprisingly haphazard, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. But we’ll be fine this time. Sayano-san won’t follow us.”

“How do you know?

She’s a fast-paced, rather pushy girl, so I thought it was possible……

But Susami just answered, “I don’t know,” and gave a smile that seemed to convey nothing.

I already knew that it was useless to pursue the matter at a time like this.

It wasn’t a big problem, so I’ll just give up and go back to my room.

“Then, Kusuba-kun.”

“Hmm?”

Susami said from behind me as we reached the top of the stairs.

Her voice, which sounded a little different from usual, stopped me in my tracks.

I turned around and saw that Susami had also stopped halfway up the stairs.

“You talked to Himari, didn’t you?”

“Oh, yeah. Just now.”

“Yes.”

Apparently, the conversation had already gone to Susami.

It would have saved me a lot if it didn’t but she was a chatty girl.

“……Did you hear anything from Himari?”

“……Eh.”

“……”

Susami looked straight up at me from a few steps lower.

It was a strange face I had never seen before, as if she was smiling but frightened at the same time.

‘Let’s keep each other’s secrets.’

Nachi’s words echoed in my mind.

What Susami was talking about must have been that.

If so, what I should say is…….

“……No, nothing.”

“……oh.”

Susami said, and slowly, she gave a smile that seemed to fade away.

Then she moved her feet again and lined up next to me.

“……Thank you, Kusuba-kun.”

“……No problem, it’s just a drink.”

I don’t know what was going on. But―

“……Thank you.”

Everyone has things they can’t say.

Even I, a fool, knew that.