A Young Male Hairdresser, Assigned To help Out At The Branch, Finds Himself Bothered By The Playful Antics Of A Lively High School Gal Model Who Seeks Attention. - Chapter 10: Midnight Reunion

Midnight Reunion

“Phew, I’m tired…”

Several days after taking charge of Rikka’s haircut.

Shuuto, exhausted from the increased number of customers and Nonoka’s cold attitude, walked towards the parking lot with a troubled expression.

“Getting more customers thanks to Rikka-san’s promotion is good, but it’s still Nonoka-san, after all…”

Friendly to everyone, but she changed towards him. Even though she was just two years his senior, he couldn’t ask her why she treated him differently.

With no clue as to why she disliked him, the unsettled feeling grew with each passing day.

“Huhhh, let’s just buy something sweet on the way home.”

It was about a 5-minute walk to the car from there.

While walking, he planned to decide what to do and avoid getting caught at the traffic signal.

(Oh, this signal is so long…)

Thinking about that, he gazed at the night sky. From behind, he heard a voice.

“Hey, isn’t that Onii-san over there?”

“…”

A clear and crisp voice.

Assuming that someone was calling out to an acquaintance, Shuuto ignored it. But he soon realized that he was the one being called.

“Oi, it’s rude to ignore someone, you know?”

“Huh!?”

Poked in the back, Shuuto reflexively turned around.

“Hey there. What a coincidence, huh?”

“W-wait, Rikka-san?”

“Hello, hello.”

At that moment, he widened his eyes and held his breath.

Lifting the brim of her cap, she winked while greeting him.

“Uh, thanks for the other day. You sent me a message. It was a bit cold, but I noticed.”

“S-sorry. I don’t use emojis or anything.”

“Well, I think simplicity is manly.”

At this point, the signal turned green, but he didn’t move. He seemed engrossed in conversation, smiling.

“So, why are you here, Rikka-san?”

“I’m on my way back from work. I had a job in the evening today.”

She is wearing a mask again today, hiding her face, but the pink color of her inner layer of hair stands out significantly.

“Onii-san, you are also coming back from work at this time, right?”

“Yeah, a bit of overtime today.”

“It must be tough for a hairstylist. But I guess it can’t be helped since it’s such a famous place. You also start early in the morning, right?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Despite saying that, your face looks happy.”

“Haha, I guess I really love my job.”

Her excellent communication skills kept the conversation flowing smoothly.

“Ah, if that’s the case, feel free to speak more casually like me. Otherwise, you’ll stay in work mode, won’t you?”

“Is that just an excuse, or do you really want me to revert to my natural tone? Rikka-san?”

“Oh, busted.”

She says this, but there’s no sign of panic. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she beams, her red eyes shining brightly.

“Honestly, it’s easier to talk this way, isn’t it? Don’t you agree, Onii-san? If you do… here we go, switch!”

“…”

“Switch, okay?”

She leans in with a beautiful face, pressing for an answer. Once she does this, it’s game over for me.

“Alright, I got it. So, something like this?”

“Wow!”

“Well, it’s a bit harder to speak like this, though.”

Today marks the third time I’ve met her.

While we’ve exchanged contacts, we’re still not that close yet.

“You’ll get used to it soon, don’t worry. Our compatibility is amazing, too.”

“You say that to everyone, don’t you? It sounded like you’re used to saying it now.”

“Haha, yeah, I do joke around sometimes. But, I’m quite serious when it comes to you, Onii-san. Our conversations flow smoothly, and it’s never awkward. Oh, my shoelaces are coming undone.”

Only she would insert shoelaces into a conversation like this.

Rikka ties her laces and stands up.

“Hey! So, the topic is going to change a bit, but do you have any plans or anything after this?”

“No, I don’t have any plans. Just planning to stop by the supermarket to buy dinner.”

“I see. That’s good to know.”

“Huh? Good to know?”

“Yeah, you see.”

Leaning forward, Rikka peered with a modest face and continued speaking with a playful gaze.

“I haven’t had dinner yet, so how about we eat together? By the way, it’s my treat.”

“…”

“W-why that suspicious look?”

“Forgive me for saying this, but aren’t you thinking of something weird?”

“Haha, that’s way too rude. I wouldn’t do something like that to the person who kindly picked up my keychain. Besides, I’m in the photo business, so maintaining good conduct is my motto.”

“Well, yeah, that’s true.”

“So, is dinner okay? I was in the mood for yakiniku, but I didn’t have the courage to go alone! You like yakiniku too, right,Onii-san?”

Rikka, as assertive as ever, but when she moves like this, Shuuto finds it easy to go along.

“Of course, I love it.”

“Exactly. Yakiniku is so delicious, right?”

“Hehe, yeah. So, can we go for dinner then?”

“Yay! Let’s go eat yakiniku together!”

She continued to invite him enthusiastically, but Shuuto felt it was not a bad thing to have someone so proactive.

“…Hey, before we go for yakiniku, can I confirm one thing?”

“What is it?”

“Can you tell me your age, Rikka-san? You look quite young, and if you’re under 18, you’ll be subject to curfew starting from 11 PM.”

Taking out his phone from his pocket, he checked the time, and it was already past 10:40 PM. By the time they finished eating yakiniku, it would undoubtedly be curfew time.

Although he was saying something stern, he knew it was necessary for both of them as adults to adhere to certain rules.

“Wow, Onii-san, you’re really responsible.”

She said with a happy expression.

“To such a responsible Onii-san, I’ll give you one piece of meat that I’ve nurtured with my grilling skills.”

“Thank you. And about the crucial matter?”

“I’m 18 now, so it’s fine. Do you want to see my student ID just in case? It might make you feel more at ease.”

“You don’t have to go that far. But please inform your parents about tonight.”

Confidently suggesting, “Do you want to see my student ID?” left no room for doubt. It seemed she wasn’t the type to cause trouble for others.

Although they had just met, he had a certain level of judgment.

“Do you believe me based just on my words?”

“No one who’s given grilled meat as a gift could be a bad person.”

“Haha, as expected of a hairstylist. You’re good with words. So, do you have any recommended yakiniku places, Onii-san?”

“I think a nearby chain restaurant should be fine, but I’ll leave it to you, Rikka-san. You  seem more knowledgeable than me.”

Gulp

As soon as he said this, she moved her delicate shoulders up and down, and her gaze wandered around. It seemed to hit the mark.

“Um… It’s a bit late to ask, but can you please not spread this story too much? It seems like the image of me and yakiniku doesn’t match.”

“Image, huh. Being a model must be tough. So, let me treat you today. After all, I’m older.”

“In that case, let me treat you to yakiniku, and you treat me back.”

“Does that make sense…?”

Splitting the bill would be the most appropriate term.

“It makes sense! This way, we can become even closer, right? Plus, with the same amount, we can go for yakiniku again.”

“Wait, were you aiming for this from the beginning? Like a plan for going for yakiniku twice.”

Giggle

At the moment he voiced his suspicion, Rikka lowered the corners of her eyes and smiled slyly.