What If You Spoil a High School Girl Who Looks Like a Landmine? - Volume 1 Chapter 1.2

Tension, Keep it Up! 2

I go back inside and lead her to a seat, and without even looking at the menu, she orders iced coffee.

“Certainly, please wait a moment.”

Most people are ordering cold drinks now.

Well, it’s already the end of May, and with the impact of recent global warming, even hot days are being recorded.

Before I knew it, nearly two months had passed since I became a senior in high school.

“Manager, one iced coffee, please.”

“…what are you doing, are you an idiot?”

“Huh?”

As I relay the order, my manager reaches over the counter and grabs my head.

“That’s the girl, the one with the ‘Jirai-kei’ fashion… It’s not surprising you didn’t recognize her, her clothing and makeup are completely different. …No, her face is pretty much the same, its beauty unchanged by makeup.”

“Ah… Yes, the voice! I thought it sounded familiar… Despite the drastically different appearance, you recognized her Manager. Impressive.”

“Remember this: the most troublesome way a woman can get mad is when you mistake her for someone else. Your ability to recognize people is your lifeline.”

I did wonder if relying on that “lifeline” is necessary because he’s juggling relationships with multiple women at the same time.

But that’s nothing new, and saying it now would be pointless.

“Sorry, but can I talk to her for a moment?”

“Hold on, hold on, hold on. What if she takes this the wrong way? You’re the type who can’t abandon people, you know. You understand that this could end up really bad, right?”

“But I won’t know anything unless I talk to her. I want to thank her for yesterday.”

“…I guess you’ve always been that kind of nephew. You’re just like your older brother. Fine, but if she turns out to be really bad news, I’ll kick her out, and then you need stay away from her for good.”

“Understood.”

Having received permission from the manager, or rather, my uncle, I head over to her table.

Noticing my movement, the girl lifts her downcast face.

Ah, it’s definitely her from yesterday.

Maybe it’s because her appearance is so different today, but she doesn’t have that bottomless quality in her eyes.

Yet, her eyes still seem deeply captivating.

“Can I have a word?”

“Y-Yes.”

Having confirmed her reply, I sit across from her.

Before she can say anything, I open my mouth to speak.

“Thank you for yesterday.”

“Y-yes?”

“The dish you taught me to make was really simple and delicious. I’m going to add it to my regular menu. You really helped me out.”

“W-What?! I… I, uh… I apologize for causing you trouble by stalking you for the past month…”

A month!?

I had no idea…

“That means… Ah, before that, may I know your name? My name…I’m Chifuji Kei, a high school senior.”

For a moment, I hesitate to give my name to someone who just admitted to stalking me.

But if I’m going to ask for her name, I feel like I should provide mine as well.

“I’m Raihara Amane. I’m also a senior in high school. I go to——”

The school name she mentions is a well-known, prestigious all-girls school in this area that covers both middle and high school.

“Ah, that place. I’ve heard it’s academically challenging, but they’re pretty lenient with the school rules.”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s why they didn’t say anything when I dyed my hair like this.”

“I see.”

Raihara-san points to her hair, which has an inner color dyed pink—.

Right, there was such an obvious clue right here.

I must admit it’s a dumb excuse, but her change in fashion made her unrecognizable.

Today, she wears a light-colored dress and an elegant cardigan, topped off with a loose braid.

One could describe her look as that of a ‘gentle and kind older sister’

(the pink in her hair doesn’t clash awkwardly, maybe because her pretty face pulls it off).

“That’s nice; my school is pretty strict about clothing, but they’re lenient about part-time jobs.”

“Really? Which school do you——”

Raihara-san abruptly stops her words and shakes her head vigorously.

“Wait, I’m not trying to gather information about you!”

“I-I’m not suspicious or anything.”

Though maybe I should be? …Hmm.

Like yesterday, she doesn’t give off a dangerous vibe when talking.

“…Anyway, why were you following me? I don’t think that we have enough connection to begin with to have a strong attachment to each other.”

I can’t be so vain as to think such a beautiful woman fell in love with me at first sight, and turning my memory upside down doesn’t reveal any ‘we actually met before’ kind of moments.

“Well, that is… I’m sorry for this… umm… It might sound strange, but I was simulating.”

“…Simulating?”

“Yes…”

Apologizing with her words, Raihara-san continues.

“I don’t know how to apologize enough for doing this for my selfish reasons…”

“Look, there’s been no actual harm, so I don’t really mind. But what do you mean by ‘simulating’?”

“It’s closely related to why I dress like this. The thing is, I have a dependency, something I wish I could quit but simply can’t. I need to start by explaining that.”

Raihara-san leads with such a premise.

Facing these strong words about pathological dependency, I braced myself, and then she continued,

“I just really, really, really love… taking care of people!”

…what?

“Taking care? …of people?”

“Yes, I can feel it myself! It’s like a highly concentrated liquid of pleasure is gushing out in my brain when I do that!”

“Um, so, you get that when you… take care of people?”

“Yes!”

I couldn’t help but ask,

“You said, ‘something I wish I could quit but simply can’t’, but isn’t it fine since it’s a good thing?”

After that alarming introduction, I had expected something much more dangerous.

I’m puzzled by the discrepancy between what I anticipated and what I’m hearing.

I mean, what’s wrong with liking to take care of people?

“People around you would appreciate it, and if Raihara-san enjoys it, isn’t it a win-win situation?”

“It’s not okay! Because… I’ve actually caused trouble for people by doing it… It’s not good.”

Causing trouble by taking care of them?

I’m curious what she means, but her gloomy expression tells me it’s not the best idea to probe further.

“Fundamentally, all my actions are centered around others, and… I really should be more independent,”

Raihara-san says, her voice tinged with melancholy as her shoulders slump.

“I have younger sisters, twins, who are five years younger than me… They’ve been incredibly cute since the day they were born… I clearly remember that even back then, I already had this urge inside me.”

If her sisters are five years younger, then Raihara-san was five at that time.

Thinking about it, she must have been hardwired with this, perhaps even from birth.

“When my sisters came into our home, wonderful days began… As I grew older and our parents became busier with work, more responsibilities were given to me.”

Remembering those times, Raihara-san’s cheeks naturally relax.

“It was overwhelmingly tough, but that’s why it was great… I remember wishing every day, ‘Ah, please Mom and Dad, don’t come home yet.’ “

“So, back then, Raihara-san was…”

“In elementary school. Those were fulfilling days, overly so… Oh, I love my parents! And we get along well.”

So, she was genuinely praying not to be relieved of her caretaking duties for her sisters.

Quite the elementary schooler.

“…But then, the twins started growing up. By the time they entered elementary school, they could do more and more things by themselves! Not that it was a problem since they were still at home… But then… but then…”

As if smeared in charcoal, Raihara-san’s voice suddenly turns dark.

“Last March, upon graduating from elementary school, they both went to Canada to study abroad… They’re into figure skating…”

“…Ah.”

Raihara-san’s hand was trembling before my eyes, looked like she was shaking from a withdrawal symptom.