Does This Love Suit Your Taste? - Volume 1 Chapter 8.2

Riz au Lait 2

“You… why are you talking to me so normally…”

“‘Why’, you ask, well…”

Ichigo fidgeted, swayed her body, and said with an embarrassed look and upturned eyes.

Wait, I recognize this situation.

“It’s because we have that kind of relationship… ?”

“…..”

” ” ” ” “Whaaaaaaat~~!!!!!!” ” ” ” “

I was shocked beyond belief, it was totally unexpected.

I had been keeping quiet because I thought this would happen, but Ichigo actually broke that silence herself and started talking to me.

“I-I got it! You want to talk? This isn’t the place, so follow me!”

“——Okay.”

As I pulled Ichigo’s hand, I could clearly sense her blatant insincerity and defiant attitude.

Ichigo probably knows what’s irritating me and what I’m about to say. And I think that Ichigo herself has some kind of intention to do so.

While I’m dragging her around, Ichigo doesn’t say anything.

I felt a kind of resolve in her silence, as if she had braced herself for whatever was to come.

For now, I’ve brought her to the secluded rooftop of the main school building. It’s supposed to be off-limits, but it can’t be helped this time.

When I turned to face Ichigo, she narrowed her eyes and looked at me.

Whether it was due to the wind blowing on the rooftop or in anticipation of what I was about to tell her.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“What do you mean by ‘what’?”

“Why did you talk to me? We agreed not to associate with each other at school.”

“That’s right, we did. I wonder why I did that.”

Her hair, usually tied up during work, now falls loose and sways with the breeze, making her appear more alluring than the usual Ichigo.

“What I’m saying is… they’ll start thinking the same about you if people find out you’re hanging out with someone like me.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Then why——”

“But it doesn’t matter to me.”

Ichigo, with her hands clasped behind her back, looked straight at me.

For the first time, I feel like I’m facing her not just as a coworker but as a woman.

“What others say or think doesn’t matter to my feelings. I just want to get along with those I want to get along with. That’s all. These feelings are mine alone.”

“You…”

Ichigo’s argument is, in some way, similar to the lines I had always used.

“Toui, I’ll stop if you don’t like Toui. But I’m okay doing this. What others think about me being with Toui doesn’t matter to me at all. That’s how much I…”

The conversation stopped midway. When I urged her for more with a ‘Yeah?’ Ichigo shook her head and said, ‘Never mind, it’s nothing.’

“…Anyway, can we be friends at school too from now on? …Or is that not okay?”

The thought of taking on the responsibility that comes with being involved with Ichigo was just me putting on a brave front.

If I became close to Ichigo at school, she would surely get caught up in the rumors and backbiting involving me.

That had already been proven by what happened when Shirahime was seen with me.

That’s what I was afraid of. By getting deeply involved, I might hurt Ichigo, my one and only precious friend.

But now, here is Ichigo, stepping forward and saying that it’s okay despite everything.

I want someone to be by my side. 

That’s my true feeling. It’s really embarrassing to admit it, but I couldn’t deny I was happy about this situation.

“If we could get along… that would be better…”

“——I’m glad…!”

As I nodded while looking away, Ichigo leaped into my chest, carried away by her emotions.

“Whoa! Wait, Ichigo…?”

“I’m so happy… I’ve always wanted to talk to you at school… I was lonely… Pretending not to know, being pretended not to be known… I just wanted to be on Toui’s side…”

…So Ichigo had been this attached to me, I never realized.

When I patted Ichigo’s head twice, Ichigo clung even tighter to my chest and wouldn’t let go.

Ichigo’s warmth heated up my chest.

『 You’re claiming it doesn’t suit your taste without even trying it.』(Chapter 1)

Now, I finally understood the true meaning behind Ichigo’s words.

I had been avoiding it without giving it a chance, but now I see that understanding each other brings us closer.

“…About Rira-chan”

As I came to this realization, Ichigo, with her face still buried in my chest, began to speak.

“——What?”

“Rira-chan has been keeping her distance from Toui, probably because of what I said.”

“What? But why…”

“I told her to think about Toui too. I didn’t want her to interfere with Toui’s dream——I wanted her to stay away from you… maybe that’s why S-Hime is now keeping her distance for Toui’s sake.”

Tightly, Ichigo’s hand grabs my parka.

It was a grip mixed with a bit of regret for things that had happened with Shirahime without my knowledge, yet also clinging to the belief that she had done the right thing for me.

“But it’s okay now, right? The engagement with S-Hime has been called off, and Maison is safe. Everything’s been resolved, so now——Toui can just be himself again… right?”

“…Yeah.”

…Ichigo spoke to Shirahime for me.

That’s why Shirahime backed down, and now I can return to the life of chasing my dreams.

“Let’s go, Toui. It’s all okay now.”

“Yeah, that… thank you… Ichigo…”

Ichigo smiled softly and took my hand.

That’s right. I’ll protect Maison and meet that person again. That’s my dream.

From this first step down from the rooftop, I can once again aim to be Maison’s chef.

Father will surely oppose it, but even so, it’s much easier now than dealing with the constraints of being the president and an arranged marriage.

Everything’s back to normal. This is fine.

And yet, why.

——Why can’t I get her face out of my mind?

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