After Picking up a Runaway Girl From the Same University on My Way Home From Work, We Started Living Together in Secret - Chapter 17

“—Kototori, what did you mean when you said you wanted to go out with me?”

That night, after being told “Let’s go out?” by Kototori during lunch, I asked her about the real intention I had been thinking about all day.

In the end, the conversation got sidetracked, and the four of us had shabu-shabu before parting ways.

Mayuzumi was laughing, and Miyamae-senpai kept teasing me, so it was quite a troublesome situation.

However, Kototori, the person who said it, was absentmindedly fiddling with her tablet on the sofa.

Having just gotten out of the bath, Kototori seemed somewhat sleepy and was looking a bit dazed.

Still, she seemed willing to talk, as she moved her gaze from the tablet to me.

“If I were to go out with Minato, it would be more like living together than just staying as a guest. Mayuzumi said that it’s unnatural to be living together without being in a relationship.”

Kototori’s reasoning was logical, but it was a reason I couldn’t ignore.

Right now, I was just letting Kototori stay with me.

We weren’t dating, and there was no romantic relationship between us.

If anything, we were friends, and it just so happened that we were living together.

If I thought of it as a room share, it might be fine, but if I could be so optimistic, I wouldn’t be struggling.

“Just because she said so… isn’t it normal for two people to date because they like each other?”

“Maybe. But right now, I can’t give anything in return to Minato.”

“You’ve already been covering half the living expenses and buying some of your own stuff. I just let you stay here because I couldn’t turn you away.”

The offer Kototori made to pay me ten thousand yen a day was rejected because I hadn’t made that a condition for letting her stay.

So, what Kototori was actually paying for were the things she bought herself and half the living costs.

As a result, I had a little more leeway with my finances.

If I said I was unhappy living with a cute girl like Kototori, other guys would probably beat me up, but in a way, I guess it was a blessing in disguise.

Besides, living with Kototori was more comfortable than I expected.

We divided the laundry chores, and while I did most of the housework, Kototori would try to help out.

Maybe someday, she’d be able to take care of things on her own… or maybe not.

“Not enough.”

But Kototori shook her head.

“…At first, I thought I’d go back home after I figured out why I felt so at ease here.”

“Did you find the answer?”

“Kind of, but it feels too comfortable here… so much so that I can’t bring myself to leave.”

Kototori averted her eyes, looking a bit apologetic.

It was too comfortable, huh.

That must be related to the reason she ran away from home.

I could feel a brake in my head, wondering whether it was okay to ask any more questions.

“Right now, I feel like I’m getting too much. I haven’t given Minato enough in return.”

“…So that’s why you said you wanted to go out with me?”

It finally clicked in my mind, and Kototori nodded slightly.

“Objectively speaking, I’m considered cute.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Apparently, guys feel a sense of superiority when they date a cute girl.”

“That might be true.”

“So I thought that if I went out with Minato, it would have enough value. I’m not sure how much value it would have since Minato doesn’t seem interested in my body.”

…

…

…

I… I can’t really follow all of this.

Let me organize my thoughts one by one.

Kototori feels like she hasn’t paid enough for staying at my place.

She had previously said she’d let me do whatever I wanted with her body as payment.

But I had no intention of doing anything like that with Kototori.

She probably understood that.

So, to trap me and force me to settle things, she said “Let’s go out” in front of Mayuzumi and Miyamae-senpai.

…I think that’s it.

“Did you think you’d be kicked out eventually?”

“That’s part of it, but I also thought I should pay a proper price.”

“Even so, using dating as the price… Well, I guess that might feel like getting more than you deserve.”

Naturally, from my perspective, Kototori was an extremely cute girl.

She had a beautifully proportioned, almost unreal, face.

Her petite frame made her seem more like a cute girl than just a beautiful woman.

Her long, snow-white hair shone, and her transparent blue eyes were like jewels.

No one would hate a guy who developed feelings for someone with a face that could make her a celebrity.

At university, she had been quiet, so I hadn’t been able to read her character, but now I knew she was surprisingly messy, a bit airheaded, and a rather talkative girl.

“But still, how can we go out if we’re not even in love? And I’m not letting you stay here because I want you to go out with me.”

“Then why?”

“It’s for my own satisfaction. I don’t want to think about Kototori going through a hard time by staying at someone else’s place.”

“That’s the price for staying here, isn’t it—”

Kototori’s voice broke off.

It was because I suddenly pushed her onto the sofa.

I lay on my back next to Kototori, so close that, if I wanted, I could probably count the number of eyelashes on her.

Kototori, who always keeps a composed face, seemed surprised by this, her eyes widening slightly.

Her shirt was rolled up.

Her smooth stomach was exposed, all the way up to her belly button.

But Kototori didn’t make any move to fix her clothes, and her hands stayed frozen, unmoving.

After making my voice as cold as I could from deep in my throat, I said,

“Please, understand. This isn’t out of kindness. It’s like an incurable chronic condition for me.”

“………”

“I’m a man, you know. I’m not a saint with no ulterior motives or desires. Please think about how I feel, having to see you in such an unguarded state every day. If you still don’t change how you act, then—I’ll leave.”

“…Huh?”

The voice that escaped Kototori’s mouth was one of genuine surprise, as if she hadn’t expected it.

I probably can’t force Kototori to leave.

If that’s the case, then I should leave and let Kototori use the room until she’s had enough.

I thought this would be more effective with someone like Kototori, but I guess I was right.

While I’m gone… I’ll figure something out.

It’ll probably be expensive, but if I ask Mayuzumi, I think I can manage.

Apparently, Mayuzumi spends most of her time at her girlfriend’s place, so I might be able to rent her room.

“Otherwise, I’ll hurt you, Kototori. Neither of us wants that, right? I’ll let you stay, and while you’re staying, you won’t do anything weird. As long as we stick to this, we can get along fine. …So, please.”

With that, I said everything I wanted to say.

I’m sweating a lot, probably because this isn’t like me.

But, maybe it was worth it to take this action that I didn’t want to take.

From the way she looked, Kototori should have understood.

“…Sorry for surprising you all of a sudden. I thought you wouldn’t get it unless I did it this way. I’m sorry for making things awkward. I’ll go take a bath first.”

I turned my back to leave, needing to cool off.

However, the hem of my shirt was gently pulled, as if to keep me from leaving.

“I understand what you want to say, Minato. I admit that I was careless.”

“If that’s the case—”

“But, in that case, you need to accept something in return. I can’t accept not receiving anything, whether it’s money or your body. It’s uncomfortable to only have my wishes fulfilled.”

“…Then, at least make it money that you earned yourself. If that’s the case, I’ll accept it.”

If it’s money that Kototori earned herself, I could just about accept it.

She had mentioned before that she works in fashion design, so it should be possible for her.

If that’s not possible, then I could think about having her get a part-time job.

She probably doesn’t lack for money from her parents, but I think Kototori would also feel better this way without any lingering complications.

“Okay. And one more thing.”

“…What is it?”

“Call me by my name. Only then will we be equal. Isn’t that right?”

It’s true, I’ve always called her Kototori.

I’ve avoided calling her by her name because I felt like if I did, the distance between us would shrink too quickly, and I wouldn’t be able to see her as just another person.

But if calling her by her name makes Kototori stop acting strangely… then I have no choice but to accept it.

I took a breath and turned around.

Then, I faced Kototori directly.

Now that I had to call her by her name, I suddenly felt nervous.

“…Risa. Is this okay?”

“Perfect.”

She acknowledged it briefly and smiled faintly.

“You finally called me that. You’ve been calling me Minato all this time.”

“Was that intentional?”

“Yeah. Also, I know you said all that for my sake. I understand. You could have just let it slide and acted like everything was fine, but you didn’t. Am I wrong?”

I knew what the emotions behind her straightforward gaze meant, and it made it embarrassing to acknowledge them.

But if I didn’t say anything, it might leave something unresolved.

I just want to make a clear line with Kototori… Risa.

I’m open to becoming closer, though.

“Was I being meddlesome?”

“No, you helped. You’re the first one to say something like that.”

“…Well, I guess that’s fine.”

“Sorry for holding you up. Go ahead and take your time in the bath.”

Risa smiled softly as she sent me off. I wasn’t sure what kind of face I should make in response, and with a strange sense of embarrassment, I went to take a bath.