Chapter 5: Two-seater and factory scenery

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Translator: Soafp

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“How do you get to school, Sora?”

While switching shoes at the shoe locker, Ginji asked Sora.

“I walk. It takes about 20 minutes.”

“If you’re walking 20 minutes from the start, wouldn’t it be better to ride a bike?”

“I have a bike, but I like looking at the scenery while walking.”

“That's nice. If I could wake up earlier, I'd think about it. By the way, I ride a bike, so you can hop on.”

While talking, they reached the bike parking area. Ginji attached a key with a frog keychain to his bike and took it out, tapping the rack.

“…Two people.”

Sora, holding his bag, stared at the bike.

“Hmm? What's wrong?”

“It's my first time. I don't know what to do.”

“Seriously!? I think I said that earlier. Well, I'll teach you. Once you get used to it, it's easier to move while riding, but for your first time, it's better to get on while it's stopped.”

Because it would be spotted by teachers on the school grounds, Ginji got on the bike after they walked a bit outside the school gate. He took Sora's bag and put it in the basket along with his own.

“Brace yourself, get on.”

“O-Okay.”

Sora hesitantly climbed onto the back of the bike but couldn't get the balance right, wobbling.

“Whoa!”

“For beginners, wrap your hands around my waist and hold on tight. Once you get used to it, you can hold my shoulders.”

Following the advice, Sora wrapped his arms around Ginji's waist, pressing close. As Ginji pedaled, the wind blew by.

With each pedal, the bike gained speed.

“W-wow, it's fast.”

“It's actually more dangerous if there's no speed. See? Now it's stable. You can hold my shoulders and let your body loosen up.”

The bike, now going smoothly, rode along the road, and with his hands on Ginji's shoulders, Sora was able to distance himself slightly. The view around him was different from usual. The school, which also served as an evacuation site, was on a high point of the city. As they went down the gentle slope, Sora could clearly see the cityscape.

“Wow, you can see it like this when riding a bike. It's amazing, Ginji! Look, the sunset is beautiful!”

“Eh? I never paid attention to that. Hold on tight. …Yeah, it's nice, but still.”

Ginji replied indifferently, but his expression softened. They continued downhill and turned toward the industrial area, which was in the opposite direction of the station. They navigated through winding streets and stopped in front of an old single-story house.

“We've arrived. It's a bit run-down, but it was built by a skilled carpenter. It's sturdy.”

“Yeah…”

“Hmm?”

Sora's response sounded weak. When Ginji turned around, he saw Sora shyly fidgeting with his hands behind his back.

“My butt hurts…”

Seeing this, Ginji laughed heartily.

“Next time, I'll make sure to prepare a cushion for you.”

“Yeah. But still…”

Sora trailed off. The house, standing alone in the industrial area, looked clearly out of place.

“Ah, I see. Yeah, it's a bit weird. My dad bought it from the factory manager around here because it was cheap. There's no one complaining, even if it gets noisy, and I actually like it here.”

Ginji scratched his cheek, realizing that unfamiliar people might find it suspicious. Sora lifted his head, and for some reason, his cheeks were flushed with excitement.

“It's so cool!”

“Huh?”

“The way the pipes are laid out, the catwalk across the street, and oh, I can even see the chimney. Hey, Ginji, do the lights come on at night?”

“Ah, yeah. The scaffolding lights come on. And since there are a lot of cars passing by, there are streetlights too.”

“Wow, that's so cool! I love factories!”

Sora, with an utterly dreamy expression, stared at the factory, and Ginji sighed in exasperation.

This funny guy, who had once cried in pain, should definitely be happy.

“…You really should be happy.”

“Huh? Did you say something?”

When Sora looked back at him, Ginji rubbed his head roughly.

Uwa, w-what?”

“Nothing. Now, hurry up and get inside. We can look at factories later, there's plenty of time.”

Ginji opened the sliding door and almost forcefully invited Sora inside.