Chapter 6: Encounter with a girl in the convenience store didn't suck, no kidding.
Coming to school is really not that big of an issue for me anymore. After all, the school building is just ten minutes walk away from my new dorm. That doesn't mean the regular dorms are far away from my school, rather, they are even closer, but I can't really take a look around the neighborhood because of how close they are.
At least something good came out of living in Sakurasou.
The breakfast I made this morning didn't do my appetite any justice, so now that I've got some time on my hand, I can stop by in a shop to buy something to eat. With that thought in mind, I start moving towards a convenience store that is a visible distance away from me.
What should I buy? I mean, I'm hungry but not that hungry. A baumkuchen cake should suffice I think. I'll buy coffee too while I'm at it.
I entered the store as the familiar sound of the automatic door opening and closing behind me reached my ears. I looked around the place with curious eyes as this was the first time for me to come to this store.
There's still some time left till the school starts, so I guess I can have a look around? I just hope that 'Christmas cake' doesn't get angry over it.
"Welcome!"
I nodded my head at the counter girl's direction then went straight towards the area where they keep all the snacks. There were chips, cola, and many other unhealthy junk for me to choose from. I had no objection to eating all this stuff, considering I don't get fat no matter how much I eat. Do I have a disease or something?
"Welcome!"
The voice of the counter girl again reached my ears, indicating that someone else had entered the store. I paid it no heed and grabbed a baumkuchen cake from the stall before moving towards the vending machine situated at the far corner of the store, to buy a can filled with Max coffee for myself.
Max coffee, it is sweet. Too sweet. Not my cup of tea, but as a classmate of mine says,
"Life is too bitter, so coffee should at least be sweet, huh?"
"Huh? Are you talking to me?"
I look beside myself to notice a girl who is a head shorter than me. She is looking up at me while pointing a finger at her face. I regard the girl from top to bottom in a few seconds and have to admit that she is cute.
She has light brown eyes and black hair, that she is wearing in pigtails with two blue hairbands. She is also wearing the uniform of Sobu High, meaning that she's a student at my school. I haven't seen her before, which can only mean one thing, she is a first year.
To be fair, It's not that hard to believe for me to not have seen her around in school for the past year, considering the number of students attending Sobu, but it still would be a shocker seeing as she is pretty cute.
Your eyes naturally get drawn to attractive people. I don't know if it works that way for others, but that's how it works for me.
"I'm sorry. I didn't hear you quite well, so, can you repeat it please?" Oh crap, I said it out loud didn't I?!
Now I'd need to make up an excuse to continue this conversation as I'm expected to do in this scenario! I blame you for this, Rom-com God! Because of you, now I have to make this random girl fall for me!
Like hell I do.
"Don't worry, I wasn't talking to you." I pick up my coffee, "I was just muttering something to myself. You may carry on." The girl nods her head at me, then goes back to choose a book from the light novel section.
'Geez, she is bringing a light novel to school on her first week as a High school student? Get a life girl.'
I was about to take my leave after that, but before I could, the Counter girl called out to me from behind.
"Sir, wait! You haven't paid for that stuff!"
Shit, she caught me.
"Oh, sorry. I must be zoning out too much." I move towards the counter girl to see her sighing in relief. Oi, you really thought I was going to steal a cake from the store? Do I look that much of a criminal to you?
I put the coffee and cake on the counter and she started scanning them. By the time she was finished, the same pig-tail haired girl from before came up to the counter with a light novel in her hand.
"Here!"
She didn't even wait for the counter girl to scan her book and simply put some money on the table. Quite rude, aren't you? I take a look at the cover of the book she purchased, only to widen my eyes after seeing the cover.
Isn't that...?
"...People are still reading this garbage?"
Before I could help myself, those words left my mouth as if on instinct. My eyes were covered by my hair, and if I have to guess, I must've been looking like an Emo at the moment.
Not my proudest moment, I know. I'm going to be screaming in my pillow the whole night while thinking back on this encounter.
As expected, the girl didn't take kindly to my words, and looked at me with angry eyes. The counter girl's eyes widened at my comment, and she started scanning the 'garbage' this girl brought in a hurry, no doubt trying to stop her from making a scene.
Well, It was my fault, so...yeah.
"Excuse me...?" The pig-tail haired girl looks at me with narrowed eyes, "I don't remember asking for your opinion on the matter. And now that you've said it, I'd like to inform you that this book is a masterpiece!"
I scoff at her words and grab my things. I have no time to waste talking to this person, especially when I know I was in the wrong. Still, I just can't find it in myself to apologise, not for this matter anyway.
Just as I take my first step towards the door, the girl grabs my hand and turns me around to look at her once again.
"Wait. Are you just going to leave like that?" She looks pissed, did my comment affect her that much? "At least apologise for the comment you made." Now that she has said it, I should do that, shouldn't I?
I was the one who commented out of turn in the first place. If I just apologize, I'd go back on my way and the day would go just the way it was going. No need to make a big deal out of this.
But still, this damn mouth of mine just wouldn't listen!
"A masterpiece you say?" I chuckle a humorless chuckle and free my hand from her grasp. I point a finger towards the book she was holding and smirk, "That piece of garbage is nothing but an abandoned book. The author is a coward who didn't have it in him to finish what he started."
"Pathetic. Truly pathetic."
The girl after hearing my words, almost started fuming. I shake my head and start leaving the store again. The counter girl looks almost on the verge of panicking. Sorry for creating a scene, Counter-girl Chan! I swear I'm not usually like this!
"I... You're wrong..." I hear the girl mutter from behind me. I feel guilty for some reason, but I don't stop.
Just as I was about to leave the store, the corner of my blazer was grabbed, once again stopping me on my tracks.
'Oh, for fuck's sake-!'
I was about to tell the girl to leave me alone, but just as I turned around, my words got caught up in my throat as I caught her sight.
The girl was still glaring at my direction, no change in that, but this time there were tears in her eyes. Her lips were trembling, and she was grabbing a hold of my school blazer with two of her fingers while looking into my eyes.
'Man, she looks cute-' Stop.
What the heck, me! She is crying you know? Do I get off on making girls cry? Is that it? If that is the case, it's really not a nice kink to have.
Sorry grandma, your grandson is turning into a scumbag! (Grandma:- Like Grandfather, like Grandson!)
"I... you must be thinking I'm acting like a brat, huh?" Despite the slight tears in her eyes, the girl raised her head and gave me a smile, "I... I'm sorry for making a big deal out of it. But this book is quite special to me." She rubs her eyes on her blazer, failing to notice the widening of my eyes at her words.
What the heck? It's just a book-
"The author of this novel is someone from the town where I used to live you know?" The girl smiles sadly, "I don't know who he is, but this story was fairly popular in our place." She looks into my eyes before continuing.
"It's not your cliche romantic-comedy. There are a few elements of it here. But the author was focusing more on the relationship between the protagonist and his grandmother. It was so beautiful to read about the relationship between the two of them. You can just feel the love the author has for his grandma through this book!" I subconsciously clenched my fists as she spoke.
I know. I know it better than anyone else. So drop it.
"Despite the protagonist being a boy, I could still relate to his struggle of living in a ruler area, not to mention having to take care of his family! I fell in love with his character!" The girl blushed as she said the last part. I turned my gaze away from her for a second before slowly, but reluctantly, looking at her again.
"This is supposed to be a short story. The grandma has a dream of one day going to Chiba, so the protagonist promises his grandma that he would take her there one day. He works so hard to fulfill her wish! It was so... so... awe-inspiring you know?" She smiled a beautiful smile, before her smile turned a bit sad, "The third volume ended after that. The author has yet to publish another volume."
I gritted my teeth in frustration. The counter girl noticed my expression, but couldn't do anything due to fear. The girl responsible for my frustration didn't notice anything wrong, and continued.
"He has been on a Hiatus for the past six years!" The girl rubs her cheek and a frustrated sigh escapes her lips, "I'm still waiting though. I want this book to reach its happy ending after all."
.
It was silent for a while. I didn't want to say anything to this girl. Hell, I was wishing for her to just shut up after seeing my lack of reaction, but seeing as she was not going to stop anytime soon, the words bottled up inside me came out of my mouth despite me trying to hold them in.
"Happy ending huh?"
The girl perked up at my words and stared at my face in curiosity. The counter girl, despite feeling scared, also perked up after hearing my voice. I looked at the pig tail haired girl in the eyes, and gave her the fiercest glare I have made in a long while. Not looking away from her, I spoke up in a voice that could be easily described as icy cold.
"There's no happy ending to this book. Not every book gets a Happy Ending. Sometimes they end in tragedy. So drop this subject." From the corner of my eye, I notice the counter girl wince at my words, "The author, he abandoned it. End of story." The pig-tail haired girl's eyes widened after hearing my words.
Stop believing in something that's not going to happen. This book is dropped. End of story.
'I hate my life, but I still want to live'. This is the name of the book this delusional girl likes to talk so much about. This book is a mixture of fiction and auto-biography, many incidents happening in this book have happened in real life.
The author wanted to write the events happening in his life with some comedic elements. His life was hard, so he thought of making a story which he himself can enjoy. A story where the protagonist resembles him, but is still living a better life. Like those Self-insert stories people like to read so much.
That's what was going through the author's mind. He wanted to write a story which reaches a happy ending. He was writing in the hopes of reaching his own happy ending one day.
Unfortunately, some circumstances led him to stop writing.
This story never reached its end. Because for the author, his story already ended with the destruction of his hometown. There was nothing left for him anymore.
'What is the use of writing a story which will never have a happy ending?'
That's what he thought before he stopped publishing his work. It was sad really, for him to lose his motivation to write before his career truly began.
In the end, there was no use writing something with a sad ending.
I looked at the girl to see her looking at the ground with her bangs covering her eyes. I scoffed at her, before deciding to take my leave. Just as I turned around and was about to take my first step towards the exit, once again as if it had become a sequence, the girl said the words that I couldn't help but find myself obliged to listen.
"It's not the end!"
My eyes widened when I heard her shout. The girl was looking into my eyes with so much confidence, that I just couldn't help but give her my full attention.
"I don't think it is the end." The girl returned my serious look with a smile. She put the book near her chest and her smile turned confident, "I believe myself to be the biggest fan of this novel, so if anyone knows if this is going to get another volume, it's me! No matter what others say, I know this is not the end!—" The girl grinned toothily and pump her fist lightly. I doubt she herself noticed doing that gesture she did just now.
A domain of emotions, some of them I was unfamiliar with, went through my head as the girl continued talking.
I wanted to retort this girl's words with some really harsh words of my own. I wanted to wipe away that smile, that damned smile from her face. That confidence, that hope, that belief she held for the author of this book, it made me feel sick to my stomach. But despite my efforts, my mind just couldn't come up with any retort on the matter.
I pride myself on being an observant individual. I can easily discern when someone is lying to my face or not, at least in most cases I can.
Because of that, I could tell.
That the things she said about it not being the end....
She genuinely believes in that.
Her words, they might not hold much value, considering the author himself thinks it to be the end. After all, in the end it depends on the author right? It depends on what he will do. Whether he wants it to be the end for the story or not, it's his decision to make.
Even so... Despite her words having not much of an effect, neither holding any real value, I... I have realised that...
.
..
...
It feels really nice knowing someone loves my book so much, so much so that it brought a small smile to my face.
"—To be honest, I can make do with anything the author wants to write! I just want him to write something!" The pig-tailed girl, unbeknownst to my thoughts, continued whining with an adorable pout on her face.
Despite my earlier thoughts about the girl and her actions, A soft smile appears on my face as I mutter to myself.
"You really are a moron..."
"Hah? What did you just say? That was rude!" The girl stopped whining and gave me a glare.
Damn, she has really good hearing. Now that she has heard what I said, I should probably say something to ease up her nerves.
But knowing my mouth, that was just asking for too much wasn't it?
"Why are you telling me all this crap? I don't remember asking."
Can I slap myself right now? It's going to hurt? Then I guess I shouldn't, the girl will probably do it in my stead.
"I.. I don't know okay! Your reaction to this book pissed me off! I took it personally when you called it garbage. Which I can assure you, it's not!" The girl, despite hearing the rude remarks that left my mouth, didn't hit me but instead simply hardened her glare, "The author is from my hometown you know? I felt an insult towards him as an insult to myself! That's it!"
She harrumphed in annoyance and puffed her cheeks.
Yupp, it's settled. This girl is cute.
"Alright fine. Sorry for speaking out of turn." I smile slightly in the girl's direction and take out the cake I purchased earlier from my bag, "Here. As a form of apology."
Wait, why do I feel like I'm doing something suspicious?
As if she heard my thoughts, the girl regarded me with suspicious eyes and covered herself with both her hands. To give the scene even more impact, the counter lady took out a pepper spray from under the table and raised it in the air with shaking hands.
My eyes twitched at the action.
"I'm sorry. My onee-san has taught me to not take things from strangers. You can keep that cake and eat it yourself, very Suspicious-looking-san." Oi, do I really look that much of a criminal to people?
"I bought it from this store you know!" I turned towards the woman on the counter who was still holding that pepper spray in her hand. Understanding the look I was sending her, she nodded her head rapidly at the pig-tail haired girl's direction after confirming the cake was the one I purchased from her store.
"... I still think you mixed something in it."
"It has nothing weird mixed in it! I'm no human trafficker!"
"Sure doesn't look like it."
I made a scrunched up face at her words, which elicited a giggle out of her. The girl looked at me with amused eyes and smiled in my direction before taking the offered cake from my hand.
"I guess I will make an exception for this one. Apology accepted, Stranger-san."
Putting aside her accusation at me being a criminal, I can safely say that I'm taking a liking to her character somewhat. Maybe it's because she is the first normal girl I've talked to in a while.
Wait, now that I think about it, I haven't talked to any girl in a while for that matter, normal or not. That alien and my teachers don't count.
Man, I'm feeling really lonely all of a sudden...
Pulling myself out from those depressing thoughts, I looked towards the girl to see her munching on the cake I've given her.
She looks like a rabbit, eating it like that.
"Sho? Are you ghoing to tell me your nhame?" Oi. Chew first, talk later.
"Please don't talk while eating. We don't want you to choke and die, with me getting blamed for it." The girl ignored what I said, but still gulped down the piece of cake in her mouth before looking up at me.
"Your name."
"Hm?"
"I said, what's your name? We're from the same school, judging by your uniform. Are you a first year?"
"No, I'm not. I'm in my second year."
"Huh? You're my Senpai?!"
"Why are you so surprised?" My eye twitched in irritation, "And shouldn't you introduce yourself first before asking for someone's name? That's basic manners you know."
"Oh, sorry about that." The girl laughs sheepishly then gives me a smile, "I'm Miyamizu Yotsuha. A first year of Sobu High. It's nice to make your acquaintance," She bows her head lightly before standing straight up and giving me a smirk.
"Sen-pai?"
I smiled at her before shaking my head in amusement, "Are you asking for permission to call me that?" The girl nod at my words, "Alright, fine. You can call me Senpai, but not in that sing-song voice please. That's disturbing to hear."
I shudder at the end of my sentence.
"Alright then Senpai. As you say Senpai." She Nods her head both the times she calls me senpai. She is enjoying this way too much...
The girl, now known as Miyamizu, takes another bite from her cake and looks at me expectantly. Huh? Is there something on my fac—oh yeah. My name.
"It's nice to meet you too, Miyamizu-san. I'm Matsumura Yoshihiro, a second year at Sobu High."
It felt like there was something stopping me from saying my name.
Miyamizu smiles in my direction before taking another bite from her cake. She takes her time to chew it properly this time, then a thoughtful look crosses her face.
"It tastes really different from the dagashiya we used to have at our place... This is sweet."
"Oh, yeah, you're from Itomori..."
"Ah! Yes! How do you know Senpai?" Oh crap, I need to stop talking out loud!
"N-no reason. It was just, the description of places and stuff in the light novel you read? There is a huge lake where the protagonist is from...which looks awfully similar to Lake Itomori. You said the author is from your hometown, so I just connected the dots you can say." I rub the back of my head and avert my eyes.
No, not again! I need to stop averting my eyes damnit! It just proves that I'm bullshitting!
Despite my thoughts, Miyamizu doesn't look as if she caught onto my lie, but she still picked up on something else in my words.
"Wait, does that mean you've read the story?" The girl got visible stars in her eyes after hearing my words. How is that even possible?!
She looked at me with a hopeful gaze. I tried to be strong but she started to pout.
"Yeah. I've read it. All three volumes." I sighed and looked away from her.
The counter girl was looking at both Miyamizu and me with mild curiosity. She was going as far as to eat treats from the counter while looking at us. Is she thinking we're in a soap opera or something? Welp, at least someone is enjoying themself.
"Really Senpai?!" Miyamizu came a bit too close to my face, making me turn my head back in her direction. There were slight fragments of cake on her cheeks near her lips, "It's nice to meet someone who has read this book here in Chiba! I knew it! This book deserves all the attention in the world!" Miyamizu exclaimed with unbridled excitement.
Oh, god! Stop it! Might I remind you that you were on the verge of tears a few seconds ago? The change in your mood is scary! Moreover, your compliments are making me blush!
"O-Oi. Stop it. Calm down, would you?" I grab a hold of her shoulders and look around the store with a red face, "Just... I know you're excited, but can you please keep it down?"
"Why? There's no one else in the store." She is right. I need to think of something else. Quick. I'm weak to compliments!
"That's not the point. Just, uh, oh yeah! Don't you have school? You must be getting late!"
"Ah! Now that you say it!" Miyamizu suddenly turned towards the counter lady, "Give me the receipt, Fast!" The counter girl did what she was asked, before sighing in disappointment. Guess she was enjoying our conversation a bit too much...
I sigh in relief after seeing her forget about the earlier topic. I look at the watch in my hand to check the time, there's still fifteen minutes left till the school begins, I don't think I'm going to be late.
Before I could leave the store, I once again found myself to be grabbed, this time from my wrist by Miyamizu who was giving me an annoyed look. She was still holding onto the cake I gave her on the other hand.
What the heck are you doing girl? H-holding hands? Shameless!
"What are you doing standing still like that Senpai? We'll be late. C'mon, let's run!"
Faster than I could react, the girl started sprinting out the convenience store towards our school while dragging me alongside her. Even though we were already at a good distance away from that store, the voice belonging to the counter lady still reached my ears.
"PLEASE VISIT AGAIN!"
Holy mother of Kami, she can scream!
This suc- who am I kidding?
.
..
...
This doesn't suck as much as I thought.
*
And.... Cut!
How did you like the chapter? I don't think it came out that great.
I could have written this encounter in a better way, but I grew frustrated after a while.
I wasn't planning on including Yotsuha in this chapter. Hell, I actually wrote a chapter with MC and Hikigaya bickering with each other, but I decided to post that chapter some other time.
Unlike other stories, I decided to use Yotsuha instead of Mitsuha, as I thought it'd be unique. Tell me if you liked how I handled it?
This chapter was way too dramatic for my liking. But the story is going to get back on track from the next chapter. MC is going to meet Mashiro the next chapter, probably.
This drama is not going to be happening anytime soon, as I don't think that I'm that great at writing stuff like that anyway.
Please leave a comment.
Peace.
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