Chapter 52: To the Convenience Store

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Translator: Soafp

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The three of us walked together beneath the summer night sky.

Unlike the muggy heat of the city, the night breeze cooled the warmth on our skin.

The croaking of frogs could be heard coming from the rice fields.

Shinonome, walking through the dark streets with few streetlights, was incredibly awkward.

“G-Great weather, huh? The stars are really pretty too…”

“…Yeah.”

Our conversation continued like this, consisting of nothing but short, broken exchanges.

She really should just relax a little. Maybe because she had such a strangely determined look on her face, I was having trouble figuring out what to say to her as well.

“The convenience store is farther than I thought.”

“That’s the countryside for you. About fifteen minutes on foot each way.”

“That’s way too inconvenient… Maybe I’m actually more of a city girl after all.”

Finally, we’d started having something resembling an actual conversation.

If I let it die out here, she’d probably get awkward again, so I should try to keep it going from my end.

“I like the countryside. You know, there was actually a time when I seriously thought about where I’d want to live in the future.”

“Ugh, that’s obviously an easy choice. There are tons of bugs, there’s nowhere to hang out, and you can’t just casually go to cute cafes. I checked on my phone earlier and freaked out when it said the nearest Starbucks was an hour away by car.”

“Well, it’s true that the convenience of the city is hard to give up when it comes to everyday life. However, there’s a flaw in that logic.”

“What?”

“If you’re going to own a large, high-energy dog, wouldn’t the countryside be the best place? It would have plenty of space to run around.”

Shinonome dropped her shoulders in exasperation.

“…A dog again. Hatsukade, that’s all you ever talk about.”

“It’s unavoidable. If the dog’s happiness is your top priority, you naturally arrive at that conclusion. For example…”

“O-Okay, I get it! That’s enough!”

What the heck? I was just about to explain the ideal lifestyle for owning a Border Collie and expand the conversation…

“I see. So I guess you’re not really a fan of the countryside, Shinonome…”

“I don’t hate it or anything, but… Ah!?”

She suddenly cried out as if she’d realized something, then put on an awkward, sheepish smile.

“B-But don’t get the wrong idea, okay?!”

“Was there something I could’ve misunderstood?”

“You know, if I’m older and looking for a more peaceful lifestyle, the countryside would totally be an option. I mean, I’d actually be pretty open to it. I’m surprisingly the type who likes to accommodate people, you know? So if my husband wanted to live in the countryside, I’d go along with him. Something like that, you know?”

“…Huh.”

“Ugh… I messed up.”

Didn’t she just spend all that time passionately arguing in favor of city life? What kind of complete turnaround was this?

Come to think of it, the girls had exchanged some suspicious looks before we left…

After rapidly piling up excuses that sounded more and more like a desperate justification, she lost all motivation on her own and dejectedly buried her head in her hands.

In the end, our conversation remained nothing more than idle chatter until we arrived at the convenience store.

Before shopping, I borrowed the restroom.

After washing my hands thoroughly, I headed toward the ice cream section where Shinonome was waiting. She was muttering something under her breath.

“This isn’t how it was supposed to gooo… In that case, I’ll just have to go all out on the way back!”

With an ominous air about her, she haphazardly tossed ice cream and drinks for the girls who had stayed behind into the basket.

I picked out something for myself as well and headed toward the register.

“We can pay separately. I’ve already gotten money from everyone.”

“I see. Then I guess I’ll buy mine first.”

The young male clerk handed me a bag containing my purchases, and I waited for Shinonome to finish paying.

Mine was light since I’d only bought something for myself, but hers looked heavy. Carrying that all the way back was going to be difficult, especially after she’d already worked her arms to exhaustion harvesting watermelons during the day.

“I’ll carry it. It looks heavy.”

“Eh? Really? Thank you!”

Her face lit up with delight, but she suddenly froze just before handing the bag over.

What happened?

Her eyes darted back and forth between my right hand holding the bag and my left hand, which I’d held out toward her.

“N-No, it’s fine… I can carry something this light myself.”

“But you were complaining about how your arms were dying earlier.”

“That was… Ugh, well, that’s true, but…”

Shinonome lowered her head sadly.

Even though there were no other customers, I wondered if we were causing a nuisance by having this conversation right in front of the register. But the young clerk simply nodded with a knowing expression.

Well, I suppose he understood what was going on.

“I’ll carry it after all. You should let your arms rest.”

“…Okay.”

I grabbed the bag sitting on the counter. Then I held out my lighter bag toward her.

“…Huh?”

“Could you carry this one instead?”

I handed it to her, then extended my now-empty hand toward hers.

“Let’s go before the ice cream melts.”

“……!!”