What If You Spoil a High School Girl Who Looks Like a Landmine? - Volume 1 Chapter 4.2

Fight a monster with a monster 2

“Regarding me and Kei, I guess we do look somewhat alike. After all, my older brother and I looked quite similar. And by ‘older brother,’ I mean…”

“Chifuji-san’s…”

“Yes, Kei’s father. He passed away over a decade ago… He was my much ‘older’ brother, but before I knew it, I’m ‘older’ than him.”

This was the first time I heard information about Chifuji-san’s family.

I see, he lost his father when he was young.

Does he now live with just his mother?

There was tableware for one other family member at Chifuji-san’s house, so I assume that might be the case.

Back then, Chifuji-san only told me that his family wouldn’t be back for a while.

…I wonder if they’re very busy.

“…that…”

“Hm?”

“…No, I’m sorry, never mind.”

I really want to ask more about his family situation, but I hesitate and hold back.

『——Maybe someday, I might feel that it was good that I was born, haha, that’s all.』

Those words Chifuji-san said to explain the reason he should be proper are still deeply etched in my mind.

It’s not just ‘I might feel that it was good that I was born.’

It’s ‘I might feel that even being born was a good thing’.

(TN: It’s a little vague, but from what I can understand, you can also read it like this,

It’s not just [Simply feeling glad about being born.]

It’s [Feeling glad even just for the act of being born, regardless of any hardships or circumstances]. )

In other words… those are words someone wouldn’t say unless they felt that their existence shouldn’t have come into this world.

And he said that with such a casual expression…

It felt to me like nothing more than a fresh wound that was still bleeding.

I want to do everything I can for him, but I am aware that I am not in a position to do so.

“…Oops, I talked a bit too much. I must’ve interrupted your studies.”

“No, not at all.”

“Anyway…please continue to be friends with Kei.”

Until the end, the store manager spoke with such affection for his nephew and then departed.

And sure enough, the straight posture as he walks, his dignified back, reminds me of him… I can’t help but think that.

I take a sip of iced coffee. I’m no expert at tasting coffee, but without exaggeration, it tastes better than any I’ve had at other places.

“…Hmm.”

Having chatted with the manager and taken a break with the coffee, I feel the jealousy that was boiling within me has slightly settled down.

Alright, since I’m here, I might as well get on with my tasks—

“I can hold many plates and make delicious coffee, it feels like the roles between senior and junior might soon reverse, huh?”

“If you become good at washing dishes, I’d have no complaints.”

Patience, it’s okay, whatever, it’s nothing…

“By the way, did the cafe manager teach you to hold many plates?”

“No, no, that wasn’t trained. It’s simply an increased arm strength! Or maybe finger strength? I got that somewhere else.”

As she says ‘finger strength!’, the junior girl grabs Chifuji-san’s arm, the one that was typing on a keyboard.

…What’s that?

…Hold on, stay calm. I have no right to comment on their close relationship. It’s a matter of course.

So, calm down… It’s okay, I’m composed.

“Wow!”

“What’s with the ‘wow’?”

“You, senior, have quite some muscles, don’t you? I mean, I’ve been into bouldering recently, and I think you’d be suited for it.”

“Bouldering? That’s the wall climbing thing, right?”

“Yes, exactly. There’s a place near the station. I got invited by a friend, and I instantly got hooked!”

“Oh, so that’s why you gained arm strength… Don’t squeeze me.”

It started with a pinch, and now the junior girl is kneading Chifuji-san’s arm.

I realize now that the moral lessons from elementary school weren’t in vain.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sitting here like this.

…Stay calm. It’s okay, I’m composed.

“…Hey, senior, how about bouldering together? It’s fun~”

“Me? No, as you know, I have my part-time job…”

“Just for a bit after you finish your shift! I go there after school too! Have you never tried it?”

“Ah, not even once.”

“…..”

It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay.

I mean, it’s not up to me whether he can go or not…

“Then let me teach you! I’ll guide you through every step and take perfect care of you~!”

Suddenly, there was a ‘snap’ sound from my hand.

The mechanical pencil I was holding had broken in two.

Ah, this is bad.

I quickly pack up the textbook, notebook, and writing utensils I had spread out into my bag and get up from my seat.

Standing in front of the cash register, Chifuji-san, having noticed me, came over.

“Chifuji-san, excuse me, I’d like to pay.”

“Yes, thank you. …By any chance, do you have something urgent?”

It must be weird for me to leave so quickly after claiming to do my assignment and having only one sip of coffee.

“…Well, um, I… I suddenly don’t feel well, my stomach hurts, so I thought I’d better head home.”

“…I’m sorry, that was an inappropriate question.”

“No, not at all.”

A classmate who had a boyfriend once told me that pretending to have ‘stomach pain’ was a handy excuse when dealing with men.

If you said that, most men wouldn’t question it further, but they’d still show concern.

When I heard that, I thought, ‘Is it okay to use such a lie? Especially when women genuinely have stomach pains every month…’

“Your payment, from a thousand yen… here’s your change. …Um, if you’re feeling unwell, you can stay here a bit… Oh, never mind.”

Ah, just as my classmate said.

Without causing too much trouble, I can still feel a comforting sense of being cared for.

“No-no, it’s not that I can’t walk.”

“..I see. I’m glad then…”

Leaving behind the words ‘See you on Sunday’ to him, I left the cafe.

“…..”

This person is the worst.

Of course, I’m referring to myself.

“..Ah—―—”

Letting out a strange sigh, I cover my face with my hands.

…I couldn’t help it. I lose my composure just by seeing him talking to another woman.

Especially, I can’t stand watching another woman other than me take care of him.

Overwhelming self-centered anger and intense irritation flood my body in an instant.

I couldn’t bear to listen any longer, so I got up from my seat, yet I lied like that because I wanted him to be concerned about me.

It’s a lie to soothe my dangerously unstable emotions.

Unable to control my inner emotions, I end up affecting others with my behavior.

“…I, I am…”

I always wore ‘Jirai-kei (Landmine type)’ fashion that when going out with Chifuji-san.

Maybe I don’t need to wear that outfit anymore.

Because the current me, even when wearing a school uniform, is a proper ‘Jirai-kei (Landmine type)’.

Not just fashion, it’s the real thing.