Chapter 6: Her Only Smile

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Translator: Soafp

---

Third time at volunteering.

Technically, the penalty should have ended last time.

I didn't have to come anymore. I'd done my duty. I was free.

And yet, here I am in front of the community center at the same time as last week.

Earlier than last week, actually—twenty minutes before the meeting time.

“…I'm messed up, huh,” I muttered to myself, giving a wry smile.

It's humid today. A cloudy sky in the brief pause between rainy days. Moisture clings to my skin.

I sip water from the vending machine while waiting, and one of the staff ladies calls out to me.

“Oh, Fujimiya-kun. You came again today? Didn't the penalty end already?”

“Yes. But I thought I'd keep going a little longer.”

“Well, that's great. It really helps when young people come voluntarily.”

She's smiling cheerfully.

Getting a reaction like that makes me want to keep going even more. Not just for myself, but feeling like I'm actually helping someone.

Himuro Rin taught me this.

Do what you can, properly.

After three weeks, I feel like those words are finally sinking into me.

…Of course, the real reason I'm here is to see her.

I won't hide that. There's no point in hiding it.

---

People start to trickle in.

Same faces as last week. Mimura Sota is here too.

The moment he sees me, his face clearly twists. Did I do something to him?

And then—Himuro Rin.

Today she's wearing a gray T-shirt and navy shorts. Her black hair is tied up as usual.

Plain, but impossible to look away from.

I raise my hand to greet her, and she—

“…Good morning.”

She spoke first.

Before I even got a word out.

For a moment, I freeze. It takes me three seconds to reply.

…It's just a morning greeting. Something you'd say to any classmate. It means nothing.

But.

Himuro Rin greeted me first. That isn't just nothing.

She doesn't do unnecessary things. She doesn't speak to someone she doesn't need to.

Which means—I'm someone she needs to speak to.

At the very least, I'm no longer someone to ignore.

That alone is enough to carry me through the day.

---

Today's tasks are organizing the community center's storage and cleaning the nearby park.

We split into two groups. I'm in the park group.

Rin is in the park group too.

Not on purpose. Really.

…Okay, lie. When we split up, I subtly moved to be on her side.

We move to the park and start raking leaves and cleaning benches.

The others? No surprises. They're doing it half-heartedly.

Mimura Sota apparently went to the storage group, so he's not here.

I quietly work near Rin.

No need for conversation. Just being in the same space is enough.

…Until she talks to me.

“Fujimiya.”

“Hm?”

“See the trash under that tree, behind the bench?”

“Ah, yeah. There's quite a bit.”

“It'll be faster if we do it together. Help me.”

“Got it.”

We crouch behind the bench. Empty cans, snack wrappers, all stuffed in. Someone must have pushed them in through the gaps.

“Wow, this is bad.”

“…The trash can is right there, though.”

There's a hint of exasperation in her voice. Not anger—exasperation. That feels so like her.

We start picking up the trash together.

Close enough that our shoulders might touch.

Trying not to notice her is impossible.

“…Fujimiya, you have a lot of hobbies, right?”

Suddenly. My hands freeze.

“Huh? Uh, yeah… I do a few things.”

“For example?”

Rin is asking me about my hobbies.

This is—conversation. She's the one opening it up.

Calm down. Just answer normally.

“Uh, I like listening to and playing music. I play a bit of guitar. Cooking too—I've been getting into making curry from scratch with spices lately.”

“From scratch?”

“Yeah. Mixing cumin, coriander, turmeric—oh, you're not interested?”

“…Go on.”

Eh.

“Well, I also like movies. Indie theater stuff—”

“What kind of movies?”

“Recently, a French road movie. Nothing flashy happens, but the scenery and music are amazing. Quiet, but never boring.”

“…………”

“Uh, Rin?”

“Yes?”

“Why suddenly talk about hobbies?”

She keeps facing forward, putting cans in the trash bag, and answers.

“…Yui told me to.”

“Ogawa-san?”

“She said, ‘It's not good to judge someone when you don't know anything about them.'”

…Thanks, Yui Ogawa. I silently thank her with all my heart.

“So she's trying to get to know me?”

“…I didn't say it went that far.”

Her voice is a bit stiff. I overstepped. Step back.

“Sorry. But I'm happy. Really.”

“…………”

“What about you, Rin? Any hobbies?”

“…Reading.”

“What kind of stuff?”

“Novels. Any genre.”

“Favorite author?”

“…I have one, but you wouldn't know them.”

“Try telling me anyway.”

After a short pause, she quietly says the name of an overseas mystery author.

“Ah, I know them. The one adapted into a movie, right? I haven't read the book, but I saw the movie.”

“…You watched it?”

“Yeah. Pretty good. But I hear the book is better.”

“The movie's not bad, but the book has totally different foreshadowing. Some characters are cut from the movie, and their perspectives—”

She stops.

Rin Himuro stops.

Realizes she's talking more than she expected.

“….”

Her ears are a little red.

Rin Himuro's ears are red.

She's—blushing.

“I really want to hear about those characters.”

“…It's nothing. Not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal. Now I want to read the original. I'll buy it next time.”

“…Do as you like.”

The third “do as you like.”

But this time—totally different from the first two.

Quiet voice. Eyes darting. Red ears.

A shy, embarrassed “do as you like.”

I fight hard not to grin. Maybe I fail.

---

Break time.

Today we sit side by side on the park bench.

Last week, we were at opposite ends; now there's just a single space between us.

Sipping canned coffee, we continue our earlier conversation.

From movies and novels, somehow we move to favorite foods, then seasons, and find a shared dislike for the rainy season.

“Humidity makes my hair impossible.”

“Same. I have curly hair, so the rainy season is awful—wait, you have curly hair?”

“…A little. You wouldn't notice since it's tied up.”

“Really? I want to see it down sometime.”

“…I won't show.”

Immediate answer. No anger in her voice.

“Why not?”

“Just because.”

“Show me someday.”

“…Someday?”

“When you think it's okay to show me.”

She looks at me. For a few seconds, our eyes meet.

Then she looks away.

“…Don't say weird things.”

“Not weird. It's normal conversation.”

“Not normal. When you say it, everything—”

She cuts herself off and takes a sip of her water bottle.

Everything, what?

I want to ask.

But if I ask, she'll pull away.

For now, this is enough.

---

After the afternoon tasks, it's cleanup time.

On the way back to the community center with the trash bags, something happens.

A stray cat sitting on the edge of a flowerbed jumps when we approach, and accidentally turns on the water tap.

Water sprays directly onto Himuro Rin's feet.

“Ugh!”

She lets out a small cry and steps back. Her sneakers are soaked.

I reflexively shut off the tap and hand her a towel.

“You okay? Here, use this.”

“…Thanks.”

She crouches to wipe her sneakers. The cat wanders off, unconcerned.

“Tough luck. The cat didn't even look sorry.”

“Cats don't reflect on what they do.”

“You know that?”

“I had one. Long ago.”

“Really? Rin, you had a cat? That's surprising.”

“…Surprising?”

“No, I just thought it suits you. You like cats?”

“……Yeah, I do.”

Her voice was small.

Himuro Rin said “I like [them].”

It was about cats. I know it was just cats.

But hearing the word “like” come from her mouth—it hit my heart anyway.

I think I'm already beyond saving.

“If you had to choose, dogs or cats?”

“Cats.”

“I'm a cat person too.”

“…………”

“Oh, another thing in common.”

“That's not really in common. Half of Japanese people are cat people anyway.”

“If half match, that's enough of a common point.”

“…What a lame excuse.”

But—her lips had relaxed just slightly.

That impenetrable expression she'd had since three episodes ago—today it cracked a few times. When we talked about hobbies. When we talked about cats.

And then—the biggest change of today happened in the next moment.

She stood up to hand back the towel, slipped on the wet ground, and—

“Whoa—”

I reflexively reached out and grabbed her arm.

We ended up pulling her closer—and our eyes met at close range.

Too close.

Close enough to see her eyelashes.

We both froze.

One second. Two seconds.

She let go first. Took a step back, slipping her arm from my hand.

“…Sorry.”

I said it.

“You don't need to. You helped me.”

“…………”

“Just—”

She turned her face away.

“Just… it was a little too close.”

Her ears. Red. Neck flushed red too.

“…Sorry.”

“I said there's no need to apologize.”

“So… thank you, then?”

“I don't get what you mean.”

Her voice made it impossible to tell if she was annoyed or embarrassed. But—she wasn't angry. Probably.

She pressed the towel into my hands as she returned it, then quickly walked toward the community center.

I was left—standing there, gripping the towel she gave back, for a while.

My heart was loud.

Louder than it's ever been in my life.

…Her eyes when I saw her that close weren't angry.

They were wavering.

Confused, troubled—but not rejecting.

I could tell.

I've interacted with enough people to read expressions well.

That wasn't the look of rejection.

---

After the session ended.

I saw Rin tying her shoelaces in front of the community center. Her feet were still wet.

I hesitated, then decided to call out.

“Rin.”

“…Yes?”

Her face had returned to that usual impenetrable expression.

But her ears were still a little red.

“I'll come to next week's volunteer session too.”

“…………I know.”

She knows.

She knows—meaning she's assuming I'll come.

“Also, about the novel you mentioned earlier—I'll buy it and read it. Can I come tell you my thoughts when I'm done?”

“…Do as you like.”

Fourth time.

But this “do as you like” didn't have that push-away tone anymore.

A hint of exasperation, a trace of resignation, and—just barely—a little acceptance.

“Then I'll do as I like.”

“…………”

“See you next week.”

I smiled and waved, and she started walking without saying anything.

But—about three steps in, I heard her whisper.

“…See you next week.”

Small voice. Without turning back, just looking forward.

I thought I misheard.

But I didn't. I heard it clearly.

Himuro Rin said “See you next week.”

On the way home, I sent a LINE to Kaito.

‘Big announcement.'

‘What's up?'

‘Rin said “See you next week” to me.'

‘……That's your big announcement?'

‘It's the biggest in my life, okay?'

‘You're really messed up… but congrats. I guess that's a huge deal.'

‘It's a huge deal. No doubt.'

I put my phone away and looked up at the sky.

Cloudy, gray, rainy-season sky.

But somehow—I thought today's sky wasn't so bad.

Himuro Rin talked to me today.

About hobbies, cats, silly stuff.

Her ironclad expression cracked a few times, and she said the word “like”—even if it was just about cats.

And she said “See you next week.”

In my life as a guy called a pl@yb0y, never has every single word carried this much weight in love.

No rush. Take it slow.

But—step by step, we're moving forward.

And just feeling that is enough for today.