Chapter 3

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

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…And so, it’s been about six months since then.

She started mentioning things like becoming my “commuter wife” not long after that.

I think the catalyst for that was some trivial chit-chat about whether I’m popular with girls or not, but I don’t remember the details too well.

I probably thought it was just a joke…

But with how boldly she closes the distance between us, I can’t help but feel like she might be misunderstanding something.

Maybe it was because she was my next door neighbor… She took time out of her school schedule to hang out with me, just as she had said.

Well, I did tell her to tone it down several times, but in the end, she just kept insisting.

I swear I haven’t done anything inappropriate to Mina-chan.

But whether that’s a valid excuse in the eyes of the world is questionable.

Well, in essence, my life hasn’t changed much since she started spending time with me… We just spend more time together, without any particular activity.

At first, it was a bit awkward, but after about a month, we both got used to it… And there have been frequent occasions where she’d cook a little extra, like the fried rice she made earlier, as a token of appreciation, she said.

And as for food expenses, I’m receiving some money from Aunt Kona through grandpa… I did tell her she didn’t have to worry about it.

By the way, thanks to having a teenage girl visiting my room, I’ve started cleaning up my room, which had been neglected for quite some time.

Well, in the end, it’s come to this.

I think I’m managing quite well with Mina-chan.

“Isn’t it about time you showed a little affection? I mean, you’re nineteen now, right? The age gap is within five years, so it’s legal, you know! …Wasn’t the lunch I made earlier any good?”

“…Well, the meal was delicious as usual. Thank you. But that’s a different matter.”

In response to Mina-chan’s protest, I dodge the topic with a bureaucratic response.

It wouldn’t be good to let her get any closer.

Because this girl, Mina-chan, is actually quite cute.

I’ve heard that women can change, but Mina-chan has truly become beautiful.

I have to be careful not to misunderstand her intentions.

“And speaking of which… When did you leave your parents’ house?”

With a puffed-up cheek and a hint of annoyance, Mina-chan suddenly asks.

“Ah, I guess I didn’t mention that. I moved in here… about a year ago, when I started university. Around the same time as you. It was too far from grandpa and grandma’s house to commute, so I looked for a cheap place to rent.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I was wondering why you’re staying at Uncle Soichiro parent’s place?”

Ah, I see. So that’s what she’s asking.

“I haven’t been told anything. Uhm…would it be bad if I asked you why you left the house you lived in with Uncle Soichiro and Aunt Mana?”

With a scratch on my head, trying to understand what she wanted to ask, I pondered what to do. In every sense, it was a difficult question to answer.

Well… perhaps it’s time to stop dodging the issue and start moving on.

“And, um… there’s something I’ve been curious about too. It’s about Nodo-nee, I mean, ‘Nodoka.’ You’ve been avoiding the topic of Nodoka quite conspicuously.”

…And now she even brought up the name of someone I hadn’t heard about in a while, someone I didn’t want to hear about.

We used to be close. Um, I mean, we played together a lot when Nodoka visited my family’s house.

Probably, I must have looked pretty terrible at that moment. Mina-chan’s expression changed instantly, as if she realized she’d made a mistake by bringing up the topic.

“I-I’m sorry! Um, I mean, you’re an adult now, so you’ve probably had various experiences, right? Um… maybe I should make dessert or something. You liked eating hotcakes with strawberry jam and honey, right? I’ll go buy the ingredients now. Just wait a mo—”

…Well, yes, I did like those when I was a kid—or, I mean, it’s not like I dislike sweet things now.

“Hey, Mina-chan.”

Interrupting her attempt to change the subject.

“You don’t have to force yourself to ask. It’s fine if you want to know and if you don’t you can go home.”

“…Eh?”

She might distance herself from me even more, but… it’s about time to draw the line.

“If you really want to know, I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you about why I left home—the stuff that happened between me, Nodoka, and my sh*tty old man.”