Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093086929308998/episodes/16818093088033801154
“Whew, I can finally go home.”
I was late getting home today because I had cram school after a school committee meeting.
I go to cram school quite infrequently, but I put a lot of effort into each one.
“By the way, what’s up with Yui san and Mitsuki san these days….?”
For Yui san…..I know that it’s somehow that senpai’s fault……
Well, even if I say I’m worried, Yui san is more cheerful these days when she’s not distracted, so I guess it’s okay.
As for Mitsuki san, I honestly can’t even comprehend…..what’s going on with her?
Well, there’s probably a reason why she doesn’t talk, so it’s okay.
Even though I say I’m worried, it doesn’t seem like I’m worried about it in a bad way.
–I was walking home after that and came to the road that I always take.
“Hey? Akari chan♪”
“Eh?”
My name was suddenly called from behind.
I wondered if it was someone who had been here all along, since there were no footsteps at all.
When I turned around, I saw a slightly taller man whom I did not know at all.
“Erm? Who are you?”
“Eh? What
are you talking about? It’s me.”
Eh? I don’t know him at all.
This must be the first time I’ve met him…..
At this point, I thought to myself that I was already in trouble.
“Erm? I think we’ve never met before?:
“No, no, we’ve met before ! You really can’t remember? That’s a lie, right? Yes, you’re lying !”
I was so startled by the man’s sudden loud voice that I thought I would stop breathing.
This guy was a trhreat, no matter how I looked at him ! I decided to do some talking at this point, trying to think of a way to escape.
“Erm, sorry, I can’t remember……”
“Hahaha, well, you’ll just have to remember from now on, you know ! You used to have a part-time job, didn’t you, Akari chan? We got along with each other then !”
The man grinned and said so, but I felt uncomfortable because of his ulterior motive.
I don’t remember talking to this guy at all,…..because I remember people whom I work with at that place……so that means he’s a customer !?
“Erm? Were you there as a customer by any chance?”
“Yes ! Akari chan ! ! You remembered me ! !”
I knew it…..still, I can’t remember……
This person is really dangerous.
I have to escape somehow.
Anyway, I have to show my composure now.
“I see…..but I don’t remember you…..you must be mistaken…….”
“No, no ! Because it’s impossible. It’s not possible that you don’t remember me, and it’s not possible that I’ve mistaken you for someone else.”
“But seriously…..”
When I said that much, the man shouted.
“Huh? You have to remember me ! ! ! You smiled at me ! ! !”
“No, that’s just formality…….”
“Enough ! ! ! ! !”
The man shouted and came closer to me while putting his hands in front of him, which were hidden behind his back.
It took me a moment to realize what he was holding.
A kitchen knife……exactly what it was.
“Eh?”
“If you don’t remember, this is the only thing I can do♪ Even if you can’t move, I’ll take care of you♪”
“……”
I was trying to be strong and calm, but the moment I saw the knife, I lost my voice and couldn’t move.
Then I lost strength in my legs and landed on my butt.
“Ah……”
“We’ll be together from now on♪ I’ll teach you plenty about me.”
Is this person trying to hurt me, make me unable to move and imprison me…..
I was panicking and for some reason thinking more about what would happen if I got caught than about escaping.
“Nihihihihi.”
He laughed with such a distorted smile and tried to stab me with a knife.
How could I let this happen…..help me……Nii san……
I thought I was done for and closed my eyes, but……the knife never hit me, and I heard a gush and then a few dull thuds.
I fearfully opened my eyes and…..saw the man who had just held the knife was being handled by another man.
I couldn’t see his face from behind, but blood was dripping from the man’s arm.
I couldn’t see what had happened, but I knew that under the circumstances he was hurt to protect me.
My mind was a jumble of relief, worry, fear, etc., and my emotions were a mess.
Then the man whispered.
“Ugh ! …..It’s so dark and I’ve lost my touch……”
Is he still in pain?
For me, a total stranger……
I decided to call out to him, thinking I should thank him right away for thinking so.
“U-um? Are you okay?”
When I said that, the man turned around to me and it was…..Shindo senpai.
As soon as I understood that I was a Shinto senpai, all of my anxious and fearful feelings immediately disappeared.
I was so relieved for some reason when I saw Shindo senpai’s face…..was it because someone I knew was protecting me?
As I was thinking this while holding back tears, Shindo senpai said.
“Eh? So it was Akari…..”
When Shindo senpai called my name, I collapsed to my knees and cried.
I think the tears came from a sense of relief….as if some thread of tension had been broken.
Normally I would never cry in public, but I can’t stop.
“Shindo…..senpai…….”
“Erm? It’s okay now. I don’t know how this happened, but this guy’s already passed out, okay?”
“Y…… yes……thank you…….”
As I was crying, Shindo senpai said, [It’s okay,] and patted my head.
It’s warm……and calming……
I felt so relieved that I wanted to stay like this for a little longer.
I would never normally do something like this,……but just for now……
◇
–Then we had finished with the police and we were leaving.
“Thank you very much……”
Now from the time of the incident, time had passed and I had regained my sanity.
In fact, as soon as I regained my senses, I felt incredibly embarrassed…I’ve done it…
I could see my face turning red when I thought that.
Now I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t even look at Shindo senpai’s face.
“I just happened to be passing by, so there’s no need to worry about it. The man is gonna be arrested and there will be no more danger.”
“Yes……”
“Moreover, I’m gonna give you a lift home today, okay? After all that’s happened.”
“Yes…..please……but is your arm gonna be alright?”
I’ve been wondering about this for a long time, so I asked.
“Yeah. If it was this small, it wouldn’t be considered an injury at all. I’ve already taken care of it.”
Shindo senpai said that with a smile on his face and showed me his injured arm.
I felt a great sense of security and a little excitement at the same time as I could feel that Shindo senpai was trying not to make me worry.
“I hope that’s so,……but,……please don’t push yourself too hard…….”
“Yeah. I’m fine, let’s go home then.”
“……Yes.”
I replied, but I was embarrassed and my voice went quiet.
–When we got to the front of the house, I decided to thank him again.
“Erm. Thank you very much…….”
“It’s fine. And it’s nice to see Akari’s embarrassed face.”
….This senpai…..I was feeling sorry for causing trouble for him, but I was blown away when I heard these words.
At the same time, I felt my body temperature rise as I was embarrassed again because he said such a thing.
“Wha ! There’s nothing to be embarrassed about……and please forget that I was crying ! !”
“Really? Then why is your face red?”
“I don’t know anything about that ! Even if it is red, it’s because it’s hot, that’s for sure !”
“I see. Well, I’ll leave it at that. I’m going home, so get some rest.”
“I-I know……
Even though he makes fun of me, he still shows genuine concern for me.
Thanks to Shindo senpai, all of my anxiety is gone, and I’m filled with a sense of security and a mysterious excitement.
When Shindo senpai was about to leave, I stopped him.
“U-um…….”
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
“Erm…..can we exchange contact information……”
“Eh? Contact?”
“Y-you know ! I think I’ll contact you when my parents come home, so that’s why ! I-I don’t have any other intention ! !”
I don’t know why I was so upset, but I was embarrassed anyway, so I made that excuse.
Of course, there was the fact that I had to call my parents when they came home…….
“Why not. Then let’s exchange contact information.”
–After exchanging LIME.
“Well, I’m going home.”
“Yes……bye…….”
And so Shindo senpai left.
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