6 Main Heroines Who Absolutely Want to Monopolize Me - Volume 1 Chapter 6.4

Lovers in New York 4

“…Shinichi, I truly feel sorry for you.”

Sakiho placed her hand on my cheek.

“I know the real reason why Shinichi became a social minimalist. Actually…”

“Huh…?”

With moistened eyes, Sakiho began to speak.

“Shinichi is truly kinder than anyone else, and he can’t bear to see people getting hurt, right? He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, right? That’s why, to avoid that, he keeps everyone at a distance, right?”

“….!”

“Yet, Shinichi’s mom involves him in a program where he has to hurt someone. It’s really cruel.”

I felt my eyes widen at her compassionate expression.

“So, I’ll take care of all that for you?”

“What do you mean…?”

“I’ll confine Shinichi in New York.”

Saying that, she put my passport, which i had apparently forgotten about, inside her own pants.

…Damn, the night crawl was a lie, and that’s what she was aiming for.

“Shinichi’s passport is now in my possession. Without me, Shinichi won’t be able to return to Japan. So, as long as Shinichi puts on the face of a victim, everything should be fine, right? In that case, shall we continue with our honeymoon in New York as planned for the past five years?”

“…No, Sakiho.”

“Why not? This way, Shinichi can complete his studies abroad without hurting anyone.”

Somewhere in my heart, I briefly found myself considering her proposal as attractive. But it’s not right. It’s not about that.

“I am participating in this study abroad with my own consent. I cannot accept Sakiho’s proposal.”

As I reach out with trembling hands to retrieve my passport,

“… Stupid Shinichi.”

Sakiho wipes away the tears that were in her eyes and slips out of bed,

Passing through the bathroom and leaving the room.

“Even in this situation, she takes the toothbrush…,”

I mumble to myself, then cover my forehead with my palm.

“No, what about the passport…?”

The next morning, as I brush my teeth with a new toothbrush in my room, there’s a knock on the door.

When i open it, Juujo-san is standing there.

“Shinagawa-sama has checked out with a suitcase.”

“Checked out…? So, Sakiho is no longer here?”

“Yes. And this was found in Shinagawa-sama’s room.”

She hands me a note

“To Shinichi, I’ll be waiting for you at the place of our first love. Sakiho.”

“Ugh, the hint is so vague…”

Where could the place of our first love be? It wouldn’t be in Kyoto, considering we’re there for the first time together. Maybe there’s a clue from our school trip five years ago.

I recall the events after leaving Starbucks on that day.

* * *

“Eh, What, you took the money out of your underwear…!?”

Sakiho’s eyes widened when I took out the money in front of the vending machine for a cup of tea.

“No, not from my underwear… I have a thin waist pouch between my pants and underwear. It’s convenient, hands-free, and less susceptible to pickpocketing.”

“Oh… I didn’t know such a thing existed.”

“When I was in elementary school, I was taken to New York, and they told me to keep my passport in here for safety. Even when sleeping. You wouldn’t want to worry about pickpockets during a trip, right?”

Eventually, we walked along the Kamo River, spent free time together, and returned to the meeting place.

On the way, Sakiho tugged at my clothes.

“Shinichi, have you been to Kyoto before? You walk without looking at the map.”

“Kyoto’s streets look like a checkerboard from above, right? So, even without a map, I can roughly tell where I am. …You were probably taught that in class”

“Is that so…?”

“No, what’s the point of taking classes then?”

“Well, probably no one remembers except Shinichi, right?”

“Are you kidding… What are others doing during class? Aren’t they slacking off?”

“Are there other cities like that? for example, overseas?”

“Why overseas? Well, let’s see. Oh, Manhattan in New York is like that, as I mentioned earlier.”

“Manhattan? Where is that?”

“In New York, America. The streets there are like a checkerboard, and there’s a river called the East River next to it. It’s like the Kamo River in Kyoto, I guess. I haven’t been to the East River, so I don’t know.”

As I explain in detail, Sakiho listens and then smiles.

“Then, let’s go there for our honeymoon!”

“Oh, honeymoon… huh? Wait, who?”

Perplexed, I feel her lips gently pressing against my cheek.

“It’s obvious that it’s us. So, when the time comes, treat me the same way you did then.”

* * *

“Ah, I see, that moment, back then…!”

I accidentally blurted it out loud.

If that’s the case…

“Find me,” the rest of her words from back then become clear.

“…There are too many Starbucks, aren’t there!?”

An hour later, I was going around Starbucks along the East River. Unlike Japan, there’s a Starbucks every block in Manhattan. It’s as frequent as convenience stores in Japan.

Even though I limited it to along the East River, there were still so many. It’s incomparable to the Kamo River!

After about 15 Starbucks, I finally find her sitting on the terrace of one.

I hastily approach her.

“Huff, huff… Sakiho, what are you doing alone?”

“I was definitely thinking about Shinichi.”

“So, why did you do something like this? Were you so upset about yesterday?”

She sips her café latte, as I sit next to her.

“No, I knew Shinichi wouldn’t go along with that invitation.”

“Eh, is that so?”

“Yeah, even I understood that Shinichi wouldn’t agree to such a plan. So, I decided to come up with a little strategy. I named it the ‘Operation Doki-Doki★Make Shinichi Chase You!.’ ”

“Is stealing and escaping part of it?”

“Oh, don’t say it like that. It’s not good, okay?”

She gives me a scolding look, but it’s clear that it’s not good from her side.

“But when you chase me like this, you realize that I’m important to you, right?”

“Sakiho, or rather, the passport you stole from me is what’s important.”

“Mou, Shinichi…”

Well, if she takes it home, I won’t be able to go back. I’ve never lost it, but I imagine it’s quite troublesome, going to the embassy and all.

“…But, I was happy that you found me.”

Sakiho was dazzling with a gentle smile.

“Do you remember that time?”

“There weren’t many hints, though, right? If I hadn’t remembered, Sakiho would have just stayed here waiting for me, right?”

“That can’t be true. I know how much hint it takes for Shinichi to remember. I know that much.”

In a cheerful mood, Sakiho drinks the still-warm coffee in front of her.

“Sigh…”

Considering the refusal of yesterday’s invitation and the time it took for me to find Sakiho, it’s quite a splendid.

“You seem to know everything, Sakiho.”

“Oh, no, I don’t know everything. Just about Shinichi.”

Back at the Roppongi Sky Tower, on a certain evening two days later.

Everyone gathers in the living room, waiting for the announcement of the second 1-on-1 date partner.

“I’m so nervous,” says Sakiho Shinagawa.

“You can relax, Sakiho, because it won’t be you. You can go back to your room and sleep,” says Yuu Shibuya.

“Yuu-chan probably won’t be chosen either. Neither will Ria-chan, right? ♡” says Ria Meguro.

“You can be aware of that much. There are only two candidates,” says Sumire Oosaki.

“In reality, it’s probably just one. If Hirakawa listens to my request, but…” says Reona Kanda.

“…I hope that’s the case,” says Maion Hiraga, staring at me intently.

In the midst of this, Juujo-san announces the name.

“Sumire Osaki, please go on a 1-on-1 date.”

“eh me..?”

Osaki eyes wided and surprised,

“Onii-chan……!”

Maion suprised, biting her bottom lip and looking at me.

TL note : lol Sakiho.