Does This Love Suit Your Taste? - Volume 1 Chapter 8.1

Riz au Lait 1

It’s strange. I haven’t received any orders from Shirahime.

Usually, there’s always something to do in the morning, and the next instructions would come by the time it’s finished, but there’s been no contact today, not in the morning nor afterward.

During the second period, I find myself worrying about Shirahime.

Shirahime is looking at the teacher’s talk as usual, frequently glancing down at her notebook and textbook on the desk.

Sometimes she twirls her pen, licks her lips as if it’s a habit, or tucks her hair behind her ear… wait, this is no time to be looking with lecherous eyes.

But then again, chores are a hassle for me, and it’s fine if there aren’t any.

Well, I do owe her for taking care of me when I was sick and for helping out at the shop, so just in case?

Yeah, just in case. Maybe I’ll ask her directly during the next break.

When the bell rang, I stood up and walked towards Shirahime’s desk.

“Hey, Shirahime——”

“…”

——Shirahime didn’t respond to my call and just stood up and left the classroom.

…Huh? Did she just run away?

Well, maybe she just didn’t notice?

But it feels like the timing she chose to leave was exactly when I called out to her.

Oh well, there will be plenty of other chances.

——However, I never got the chance to talk to Shirahime after that.

She would run away whenever I tried to talk to her in the classroom, and she would ignore me even when I called out to her as we passed by each other.

She even left my LINE messages on read.

… I’m clearly being avoided.

Moreover, every time I’m avoided, the fact that Shirahime is ignoring me spreads as a rumor throughout the school, and gradually I started to be pointed at behind my back.

No, seriously, I can’t accept this.

Did I do something wrong…?

『——Go away!』(TN: Toui, Chapter 7)

Hmm, I did…

No-no, but think about it.

If I’m being hated and avoided, that means I don’t have to get married anymore, right?

If that’s the case, she and I are just strangers. I can quit being a servant, and the shop is safe.

Yeah, this is actually what I wanted.

As I thought about this, I realized that half a day had passed, and I was attending the last class before lunch.

Anyway, I shouldn’t think about her anymore…

『You wanted to be pampered, huh… It’s not unreasonable. You’ve been carrying it all alone for so long…』

…I couldn’t even say thank you for yesterday.

Then, the bell signaling lunch break rings. Shirahime is invited by a friend to go to the cafeteria or somewhere, and they are about to leave the classroom together.

“Ah!”

“””…?”””

“Ah, no…”

I unintentionally called out, trying to stop Shirahime.

What am I doing… wasn’t I done with this?

The whole class turned to look at me when I, who usually doesn’t say a word in the classroom, raised my voice.

Perhaps unable to ignore me when the entire class was reacting to me, Shirahime stopped.

For the first time today, I made eye contact with Shirahime.

If nothing happens here now, perhaps Shirahime and I will never interact again.

In that case——

“…Shirahime”

Shirahime turned to face me again.

“Why are you ignoring me?”

“…”

Shirahime didn’t say anything, she just averted her eyes from me.

But now that I had started, I couldn’t back down.

“Is it because of the things I said yesterday? Sorry, I was delirious with fever, my mind was all over the place… Or is there another reason? If so, tell me, why are you suddenly——”

“Hey, Rira doesn’t like it.”

“…Kazama…”

Before I could say what I really wanted, Kazama interrupted, standing between Shirahime and me.

Shirahime’s figure was obscured by Kazama.

“Read the room. It means Rira has finally opened her eyes. Someone like you, a problem child, and Rira can’t be friends. That’s how it is. Don’t come near Rira ever again.”

“What…”

As I stood there speechless, Kazama decided to cut it off and turned back to Shirahime.

“Rira, it’s a wise decision. You don’t need to associate with Kiminami anymore.”

“…Mmmn.”

As Shirahime and the others left the classroom, she briefly turned toward me and whispered, ‘I’m sorry.’

“Why… Why apologize…”

◇

During lunch break, I finished my usual meal with some random sweet bread and strawberry milk clenched between my teeth, and I was on my way back to the classroom.

The combination of the bench in the courtyard visible from the hallway window and the straw I was chewing on brought back memories of Shirahime.

I pull open the door to the classroom. Shirahime was not there.

Maybe she’s still in the cafeteria or something.

Uh… how long am I going to dwell on this?

Am I really that hung up on her?

Shaking my head, I enter through the back entrance of the classroom and just as I turned my eyes to my desk,

“Toui!”

A familiar, bright voice called out to me.

Ichigo…?

My eyes met with Ichigo, who was forming a circle with her friends at the corner of the classroom.

It’s not that I dislike it… but we had an agreement not to talk at school.

I mean, we shouldn’t even make eye contact.

If people find out I know her, it would cause trouble for her, and it would be a hassle for me too.

But wait, somehow she’s walking this way. This situation… it feels like deja vu.

My bad feeling was spot on. Ichigo walked right up to me and called me out by name.

(TN: Using Toui instead of Kiminami.)

“Toui, I need to talk to you about the shop!”

The whole class buzzed with curiosity at the unlikely pairing of the two of us.