Shimizu-san and the Cold 1

“Daiki, are you okay?”

After school, as I was lost in thought with my cheek propped on my hand in the classroom, Toshiya called out to me.

“I’m fine. Do I look strange or something?”

“Aren’t you aware? You’ve seemed out of it all day today.”

“Really?”

“Why would I lie about that.”

I replayed the day in my head. Indeed, I had been preoccupied with something all day.

“Now that you mention it, maybe so...”

“Don’t worry about it too much, but I don’t think it’s all your fault, Daiki.”

“Do you know what I was thinking about, Toshiya?”

“I do. It’s about Shimizu-san taking the day off today, right?”

“...Yeah.”

Just as Toshiya said, I had been thinking about Shimizu-san, who had taken the day off due to a cold, all day long.

Yesterday, after Shimizu-san left the family restaurant, I hurriedly paid the bill and tried to follow her, but I couldn’t catch up because I didn’t know the exact location of her house.

“I’m worried about Shimizu-san, but I’m just as worried about you, Daiki. When Seto-san and I came back from school and saw you soaking wet under the eaves of the family restaurant, I wondered what had happened.”

“I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Thinking Shimizu-san might return, I went back to the family restaurant alone, but she didn’t come back.

Waiting under the eaves, soaking wet, I had caused quite a bit of concern for Toshiya and Seto-san when they returned from school.

“I’m just worrying on my own, so don’t mind me, Daiki. But I asked you this morning as well, you don’t have a fever or feel sluggish, right?”

“I’m fine, I checked my temperature this morning just in case, but it was normal. I don’t feel sluggish or anything now either.”

“That’s good then. Anyway, don’t dwell too much on what happened yesterday. Like I said before, it’s not solely your fault that Shimizu-san took the day off.”

“But...”

Shimizu-san had left the family restaurant while talking to me. If there was a cause, it was me.

“Even so, if it bothers you, convey your feelings to her properly. You don’t want to have regrets, right?”

I looked up. Toshiya’s expression was dead serious.

That’s right, this is not the time to be regretting yesterday. I stood up, grabbing my things.

“Thanks, Toshiya. I’m going to tell Shimizu-san how I feel.”

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“Your expression has improved. Good luck!”

“Yeah, I’m going to see Ai-san now to go to Shimizu-san’s house. See you tomorrow, Toshiya.”

“Huh, you’re going to see Shimizu-san today?”

I left the classroom and headed for the Astronomy Club room where Ai-san would likely be.

***

“I see, you want me to take you to my house...”

“Is that not okay?”

Ten minutes after leaving the classroom, I was asking Ai-san to take me to her house.

Besides me and Ai-san, Yousuke-san was also there in the club room.

“Well, I’d love to take you, but I have quite a bit of student council work to do later, and it looks like I’ll be going home late.”

“I’ll wait until you’re done! If there’s anything I can help with, I’ll help!”

When I said that, Ai-san’s eyes seemed to change.

“So you really have something important to say to Kei?”

“Yes, there’s something I really need to tell Shimizu-san right away.”

I looked straight into Ai-san’s eyes.

After a few seconds of staring at each other, Ai-san smiled.

“Okay! Your resolve has come through! Let’s go!”

“Thank you so much!”

I bowed my head to Ai-san.

“Then I’ll work hard to finish up the job, so wait a little...”

“There’s no need for that.”

“Hey Yousuke, don’t interrupt when I’m trying to look cool!”

Ai-san glared at Yousuke-san, which was rare for her.

“Sorry about that. But if you’re taking Hondō-kun, it’s better to go sooner. Today’s student council work can be managed without you. So you take Hondō-kun and go home now.”

“Ah? Yousuke, aren’t you being too cool? Are you really the real Yousuke?”

“Who’s fake? I just thought I’d show Hondō-kun a side of me that’s befitting of a Senpai.”

“That’s my boyfriend for you! The best in Japan!”

“What even is that? Anyway, go now. I’ll talk to the others.”

Yousuke-san gestured as if shooing Ai-san away.

“Yousuke-san, thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I owe Hondō-kun for his help usually.”

Yousuke-san said this with a kind smile.

“Alright, then let’s head to my house, Daiki-kun!”

“Yes!”

Led by Ai-san, I was on my way to Shimizu-san’s house.

***

“We’re almost at my house.”

“Yes!”

How long had it been since we left the school?

I was walking through a residential area with Ai-san.

I had heard before that Shimizu-san’s and my houses were quite close to each other.

As we walked, taking in the scenery, Ai-san stopped.

“Here we are, my house!”

I looked where she indicated, and there was a two-story detached house.

Shimizu-san and Ai-san lived in this house?

As I thought this, Ai-san rang the doorbell.

“Yes. Oh, Ai? Weren’t you going to be late today?”

The door opened, revealing a woman who appeared to be in her early thirties.

“Yousuke-san said he would work hard in my place, so he told me I could go home first!”

“Oh my, that’s love for you!”

“Right? I can feel my boyfriend’s love!”

Ai-san chatted naturally with the woman, indicating that she was someone close to Ai-san.