We returned to Ichikura Station by bus before it turned to evening.
This bus was slightly more crowded than the one we came on but it’s not like there wasn’t anywhere to sit.
「See ya, Yotsuba!」
After we got our tickets at the gate, Mikoto waved her hand to Shirota.
Shirota was riding the train in the opposite direction.
The sporty girl wearing a baseball cap, waves her hand back towards Mikoto.
「Yeah, later Mikoto-chan」
Mia and I also give our respective farewells.
And then, we went to our own platform.
Mia, Mikoto and I get on the train as it arrived.
Immediately after boarding, I got a message from Shirota.
＞That was really fun( *´艸｀)
＞I look forward to next Friday too～♪
I sent back a short reply.
＞Thanks for the necklace.
＞For now, I’ll see you back at school
When I put away my cell phone, Mikoto looked at me.
「N? What is it Mikoto」
「Did you not hear?」
Mikoto pouts seeming slightly unhappy.
Mikoto was wearing very fashionable clothing.
The feeling of her putting in all her effort for it is cute.
The light blue shirt suits her and the black skirt isn’t bad either.
I probably just can’t get used to seeing her like this.
「There’s no one at Mia’s house today」
「Heee」
「Don’t “heee” me!」
Mikoto raises her voice.
「I also have tomorrow off so I’m gonna be staying there but what about you?」
「Eh? Me?」
Mikoto hands the explanation over to Mia.
「My parents have business in Tokyo but they ended up suddenly needing to stay there…I got a mail just now」
「Is that so?」
「We invited Shirota-san too but she said she can’t come」
「…And your parents said it would be fine for me to stay over?」
「I told my mom Mikoto-chan would stay over but…as you would expect I can’t tell her you would be」
Mia had an expression like she just did a prank on someone.
Cute. It’s too cute.
I’ve decided I want to stay.
However, I gave a vague reply.
「Ah, well…is that so」
「That’s why if you come it’s a secret…」
Mia puts her index finger in front of her mouth and winks.
Even so, I already made my decision.
「I’ll stay over」
Mikoto forces her way into the conversation.
「Since it’s so sudden, I haven’t made any preparations…How about we head back first and then go?」
「Th-that’s right」
The train arrived at Mikura Station.
Mikoto said in a voice only Mia and I could hear her.
「Ah, perverted things are forbidden」
「Eh?」
I opened my eyes wide.
That wasn’t necessarily my intention.
I was just surprised that Mikoto said such things.
「Don’t “eh” me, pervert. We’re postponing that for today」
Which reminds me, Mikoto said this morning she was hurting.
I nodded in order not to force her to do something she can’t.
Mikoto gets off the platform first.
I wonder if she was happy she would be staying at Mia’s house as she was humming as she got off.
「Koumei…」
「N?」
Being called out, I turned around.
Mia was gripping the hem of my clothes.
「As for me, I’m fine」
「Ah…」
「Even if we do perverted things」1
Saying that much, Mia chased after Mikoto.
The two were talking about something but it didn’t reach my ears.
「See you in a bit」
We say goodbye to Mia at the station.
Mia waving her hand was so perfect some guys stopped and stared.
Seeing me wave back to her they had an expression of hatefulness.
And then, noticing Mikoto next to me they were surprised.
「Someday, I think someone will kill me」
「Eh? Why?」
Ignoring Mikoto’s bewildered question, I head towards the bike racks.
We both get back home.
Since I’m already prepared, I’ll head towards Mia’s place.
「I’ll be staying at a friend’s house.」
I told my mom and left.
I got a change of clothes and a towel. And then put all of it plus some condoms I bought at the store into my backpack.
「Oi, Mikoto! Why?!」
I unintentionally call out to Mikoto.
Mikoto left her house at the same time wearing her jersey.
She was wearing a pair of lame dark red sweatpants and a worn out gray T-shirt.
「What is it?」
Mikoto glares at me.
Straddling my bike, I said to her.
「Shouldn’t you be fine wearing the same clothes from earlier?」
「I dislike it…somehow, it makes my shoulders stiff」
「You are far from stylish」
We head down the paddy field road side-by-side.
The days are long during this season. The sun was still in the sky.
「I got a mail from that woman earlier asking to pick stuff up on our way over」
「What? Did she say we can even buy alcohol?」
「Pervert」
Even though I was just joking, I still get treated like a pervert.
Mikoto scratches her own thin neck. I wonder if she got bit by a mosquito.
「Even though she was making dinner, she said she didn’t have enough ingredients and wants us to buy some」
「Ah…so she’ll be making dinner」
「I’ll be helping too, okay?」
「I look forward to that」
We pass through the station and head towards the supermarket, Sainz.
Since she is making yakisoba, we are buying the things she needs.
We will also buy any other snacks and drinks we would want.
I wonder how much I have for expenses just today.
「Were you thinking something stingy right now?」
「No I wasn’t」
Since Mikoto is paying for half, I decided not to say anything.
Reaching the apartment building in front of the station, Mikoto heads towards the bike racks like she was used to it.
Mikoto knows this area more than me as she has stayed over more.
The lock opened for us and we headed up the staircase.
After ringing the doorbell, Mia opened the door.
「Sorry for making you wait」
Mia’s white shirt and short shorts was perfect house wear.
This is the Kurusu Mia you would absolutely never see at school.
Mia wasn’t wearing her usual mask even though she was in front of Mikoto.
Because of that, her outfit now is probably fine.
Above all else, the apron she was wearing was making my heart throb.
It had a green and black plaid pattern. It was the type that wraps around the hips and goes all the way down to the lap.
At the right angle, her apron hides her short shorts and made it look like she wasn’t wearing pants.
「Excuse me」
Mikoto quickly enters.
She was acting as if she were at her house.
In other words, she acted like she owned the place.
「Here, you too Koumei, come in. I’ll get started on dinner soon」
「Ah, okay…」
I had an absurd feeling of happiness.
I unintentionally said something.
「Won’t you kiss me?」
「…Eh?」
Mikoto, who entered earlier, looks back at Mia.
And then after confirming she wasn’t being looked at, she looks at me again.
「What happened so suddenly?」
Although she was listening, Mia’s lips got a bit wet.
I closed the door and entered her house.
And then I kissed Mia. It was a short kiss.
The feeling of happiness I was wrapped up in grew even more.
「Aaaah! Geez, what are you doing!?」
Mikoto ended up seeing us.
Scrunching her eyebrows, she shouts.
「So that’s how it is! Hurry up and come over here!」
Sticking out her small tongue, Mia apologized to Mikoto.
「Sorry sorry, I’m coming over now」
「Geez!」
Mikoto put her hands on her hips.
She was wearing a thin apron like Mia’s.
「Koumei! You’ll do that for me too, right?」
「Yeah…」
「Don’t make it sound like you hate it! I’m your girlfriend too! Gi-rl-friend!」
Mikoto disappears into the kitchen with her shoulders tensed up in a huff.
Mia looks at me with a wry smile.
「Make sure you do it for Mikoto-chan too, okay?」
「I got it」
I replied while taking off my shoes.
- She got the thirst ↩