"Oh, is that so…? So that's what Kiyono-kun is doing. Well, he is a boy, after all. Then we won't disturb you for now. Let us know when you're done. But… you should try to control yourself and take care of your body, okay?"
Kiyono was startled by the teasing voice; his mouth twitched a few times and his face turned red—what on earth are you older women thinking?!
How could he possibly do such a thing in public!
After a few ambiguous chuckles, the footsteps gradually faded, and Kiyono slumped into the chair, his eyes vacant. To protect the Blue-haired girl's dignity, he had truly lost something very important…
In a daze, he stood up, ready to leave and let the Blue-haired girl cry her heart out alone.
The next second, he and the Blue-haired girl met eyes.
At some point, Yanami had stopped crying. Her pretty face held only a few faint tear streaks, but they didn't detract from her inherent beauty; she was still lovely to behold.
She looked at Kiyono, her eyes wide, curiosity on her face. Then she said:
"—Are, are you really doing that!?"
"???"
...
You're a terrible woman, take this punch!
Kiyono clenched his fist, his expression indifferent.
However, he didn't specifically answer Yanami's question. If he was misunderstood, then so be it. Lowering his favorability rating was fine too.
As long as he thought he looked cool this way, that was enough!
Kiyono pouted, walked past the Blue-haired girl, opened the door, and exited the lounge.
What he didn't know was that after he left, Yanami kept staring at his retreating back, subconsciously touching her face, her moist eyes shimmering. Finally, a faint murmur echoed in the empty room.
"…What an idiot."
[Two days passed in the blink of an eye.]
[During this time, your relationship with Yanami gradually grew closer.]
[This defeated Blue-haired girl, who was already friends with most of her colleagues, would only actively seek you out to chat.]
[You originally wanted to maintain a certain distance from her, but the Blue-haired girl would always naturally erase the boundary you set. Eventually, you could only helplessly give up on this behavior—or rather, deep down, you also wanted someone with whom you could easily chat.]
[Moreover, Yanami was indeed a very easy-going girl. Whether it was a silent atmosphere or a lively one, she could quickly adapt. She would meticulously catch many details, and when you were with her, you didn't need to deliberately think of topics or worry about anything. She was a girl who seemed carefree but was actually very knowledgeable about daily life and even very good at dealing with people.]
[However, Yanami spent most of her daytime in school, and the time you spent together each day was only three or four hours in the evening.]
Dusk gradually settled in the west, painting the slender clouds across the sky red.
Petals on both sides of the slope danced lightly and dreamily, gently falling to the ground, soft pink and orange-red complementing each other. A stray cat lay on the eaves of a detached house, yawning, its vertical cat-eyes silently watching the passersby.
Kiyono skillfully rode his bicycle, nimbly weaving through the residential area like a deer in the forest, his flying short hair and the hem of his clothes exuding the vibrant energy unique to youth under the setting sun.
The basket at the front of his bike held rolled-up newspapers. Perhaps because he was almost done delivering them, he inexplicably felt that the sunset and the breeze were welcoming him—hmm, it felt like a hallucination from working too much.
Forward, turn, brake, deliver.
Soon, the remaining few newspapers were all delivered.
Kiyono stopped his bike, looked at the blossoming trees by the roadside, and sighed softly, "So it's spring now."
As soon as he spoke, a small gasp came from nearby. He followed the sound and found items scattered on the ground not far away—fruits, vegetables, and a bag of rice beside them. It seemed someone had bought too much and lost their grip.
Seeing this, Kiyono quickly rode over and helped the person gather all the fallen items into plastic bags. But this time, they had bought way too many things!
"Big Sister, it's too hard for you to carry all these by yourself. I happen to be on my bike, so I can give you a ride home," Kiyono said with a smile. Because the other person was female, he paused and then specifically added, "If you're worried, I can just drop you off at the intersection."
He had no intention of flirting or showing off; he just genuinely wanted to help. Besides, the person hadn't even looked up, so he didn't even know what they looked like, let alone do such a thing.
"Eh! Really? I was just wondering how to carry all these things home. Then I'll trouble you!"
A gentle and moving voice, like a lily, rang in his ears.
She lifted her face, and at that moment, Kiyono clearly saw her true appearance.
She was an exceptionally beautiful woman.
She looked at him with a gentle, dandelion-like smile, her azure hair tied into a side ponytail. Her figure was slender, exuding the inclusive elegance of a mature woman. Her whole demeanor reminded him of the mature Roxy from Mushoku Tensei.
Oh no, I really like this Big Sister!
Looking at the woman's face up close, Kiyono inexplicably became nervous. He subconsciously avoided her gaze, stiffly helping her load the items into the front basket and onto the back seat of his bicycle.
After loading everything, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief and pushed his bicycle forward. The Big Sister with the side ponytail walked beside him, her hands clasped behind her back.
"Hehe, the supermarket had a big sale today, and I accidentally bought too much. Thank you so much, really. Could you tell me your name?" Under the setting sun, the ageless woman clasped her hands, walking and smiling at him.
"Kiyono…"
"So it's Kiyono-kun! I really like that name, you know?" Her red lips parted slightly as she softly repeated the name twice, then narrowed her eyes and smiled. It was just a common social pleasantry, yet it carried an inexplicable sense of conviction.
"Big Sister, you are also very beautiful."
—Don't make that disgusting smile! And don't take it seriously! Otherwise, you'll be seen as a creep!
When he realized his mouth was uncontrollably curving upwards, Kiyono quickly slapped himself to calm down.
"Big Sister…?"
The Blue-haired woman showed a strange expression, then nodded seriously. "Hmm, I think that title is great. From now on, Kiyono-kun can just call me Big Sister!"
"…"
The setting sun stretched their shadows. After walking for a while, the mysterious woman stopped, pointed ahead, and indicated a house.
"Kiyono-kun, you can drop me off here. My house is just up ahead."
Kiyono responded. By now, he had calmed down and didn't offer any further excessive help. After moving her things to her doorstep, he bid farewell. As for going inside for tea or any other strange developments, that was impossible—he had to go to work.
"Please wait a moment, Kiyono-kun."
The Blue-haired woman said this, then dashed into the house. A moment later, she dashed back out and handed Kiyono something.
"This is for you. Please accept it as a small token of my gratitude." She breathed lightly, winking at Kiyono.
Kiyono looked down and saw that it was a small box of cake.
It wasn't anything valuable, and it was just right given their age difference. He smiled and said, "Then I'll gratefully accept it."
They waved to each other, and Kiyono, with a hint of reluctance, rode his bicycle away.
What a rare beauty… I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to meet her again?
He sighed softly, then gathered his thoughts and began his day as a corporate drone.
That evening.
Yanami Apricot Vegetable's pathetic wail, like a defeated dog, echoed throughout the entire residential area.
"Mom, where's my cake—!?"
...