After Picking up a Runaway Girl From the Same University on My Way Home From Work, We Started Living Together in Secret - Chapter 34

“Dad, I’ll come visit again.”

After I finished talking with Tokiomi-san alone, I joined Risa for a casual chat.

We mostly talked about university and what Risa had mentioned earlier about her family situation.

Since she had brought up the part about “offering her body as compensation,” Risa was strongly scolded with a “Don’t do anything so reckless!”

Although she hadn’t shown any similar behavior after our agreement, I wanted to believe that it had completely stopped now.

If anything happened spontaneously, it couldn’t be helped.

I would just have to endure it.

And so, today’s visit came to an end.

When we stepped out of the hospital, the sky was painted with a vivid sunset.

It seemed we had been chatting for quite a while.

Once I got home, it would be time to prepare dinner.

Luckily, I had stocked up on ingredients yesterday, so there shouldn’t be any problem.

“Tokiomi-san seems to be doing well, huh?”

“Yeah. I was really worried when I heard about the accident, but I’m relieved it was just a fracture. He also gave permission for me to stay at your house going forward.”

“…Even if he hadn’t, you were planning to stay anyway, weren’t you?”

“Well, being alone at home most of the time is no fun. I’d rather be with you.”

This time, Risa had officially obtained permission from Tokiomi-san to stay at my house.

Apparently, with his busy work schedule, he wasn’t home much anyway, so it gave him peace of mind knowing she would be at my place.

Up until now, it felt like I had just taken in a runaway girl.

But from now on, Risa staying over would be officially sanctioned by Tokiomi-san.

He said, “I can entrust Risa to Yukimura-kun.”

Risa, for her part, displayed an unwavering determination to stay, even if she did so quietly.

Faced with those two, I, often teased as the personification of kindness, couldn’t possibly refuse.

Their trust, both father and daughter, weighed heavily on me, making my stomach ache.

I couldn’t help but wonder—what would happen if I ever made a move on Risa? I had a feeling it wouldn’t change much about how they treated me now.

“But you’ll visit him from time to time, right?”

“Of course. He said he’d let me know when he’s home. Will you come too, Minato?”

“…Am I even welcome there?”

“No problem. Dad would be happy if you came too. Besides, someone has to cook.”

“Ah, so that’s your real reason. Well, you’re still not ready to cook on your own anyway.”

“At least I can make fried eggs now.”

“Then next, let’s try bacon and eggs.”

Her cooking skills were steadily improving.

But she still had a long way to go before she could handle things on her own.

As we walked home chatting, Risa suddenly said, “Oh,” as if she remembered something.

“Can we stop by a convenience store?”

“Sure, but what do you need?”

“Alcohol. I want to try drinking.”

“…Oh yeah, we were just talking about turning twenty earlier.”

If that’s the case, there’s no reason for me to stop her.

I asked if she wanted me to go with her, but she replied curtly, “No,” and headed to the store alone.

Her tone seemed unusually cold—maybe she realized I didn’t think she looked twenty.

Well, it’s true. Risa’s petite frame could easily make her pass for a middle schooler.

Seeing her drink alcohol with that appearance would definitely make anyone do a double take.

A few minutes later, she returned with a convenience store bag in hand.

“What kind of alcohol did you get?”

“Chuhai. Something sweet and low in alcohol.”

She had chosen something fairly safe.

“I heard beer is bitter, and it’s better to try sake or wine at a nicer place.”

“True. I’ve heard the same from Miyamae-senpai.”

“Cheap booze will give you a bad hangover,” Miyamae-senpai had once said, though she was drunk at a bar and causing trouble for everyone at the time, which made it less convincing.

When we got home, we started preparing dinner together.

Tonight’s menu was a classic combo: ginger pork as the main dish, paired with miso soup and plenty of shredded cabbage.

By the time we sat down to eat, it was almost 8 p.m.

The warm ginger pork and the rest of the meal were laid out on the table. Alongside them, Risa placed her can of chuhai.

It was white peach-flavored, with 4% alcohol content written on the label.

She opened the can with a soft pop and poured it into a clear glass.

“So you’re really going to drink it, huh?”

“That’s why I bought it. Besides, if I pass out from alcohol poisoning, you’ll call an ambulance for me, right?”

“…Please don’t pass out in the first place.”

“Trust me.”

Though it was her first time drinking, I trusted she’d stop if she felt unwell.

If she couldn’t handle alcohol, that’d be fine too. If she turned out to be a heavy drinker… well, that might even reduce some of my headaches.

The real concern was how she’d behave when drunk.

Risa raised the glass of chuhai to her lips, taking her first sip.

Her expression slightly tightened—not dislike, but more like she was unsure what to think.

After a moment of contemplation, she murmured, “…I might actually like this.”

“The fruitiness masks the bitterness of the alcohol. The sweetness is just right. I’m not sure about stronger drinks, but this is nice.”

She gave her thoughts and took another sip. She didn’t seem to be forcing herself to drink.

Could she really be a natural at this?

“When you turn twenty, you’ll understand,” she said with a smug smile.

Seeing her act all grown-up out of nowhere was slightly irritating.

“When’s your birthday?”

“This summer. Still a bit of time left.”

“Then, we’ll drink together on your birthday. It’s a promise.”

“Sure, sure.”

I gave a half-hearted reply and continued eating.

Meanwhile, Risa kept drinking steadily, finishing her first can and moving on to a second.

The most noticeable change was her face turning slightly red, along with her becoming a bit chattier than usual.

Thankfully, her drunken behavior was mild compared to someone like Miyamae-senpai.

After dinner, I decided to wash the dishes immediately to avoid any mess later.

I didn’t let Risa help—she had her first drink today, and I didn’t want to risk a disaster in the kitchen.

As I washed the dishes, I occasionally glanced back to see her sipping her second glass of chuhai.

When I returned to the living room, I was greeted by the sound of soft breathing.

“She fell asleep…”

Curled up on the sofa, Risa was fast asleep.

The alcohol, combined with her exhaustion, must have lulled her to sleep.

“You must’ve had a tough day. Rest well.”

I fetched her blanket from the bedroom and gently covered her with it. She stirred slightly but soon settled back into a peaceful slumber.

“Well, since Risa’s out cold, I guess I’ll go take a bath. She doesn’t look nauseous, so she should be fine… I hope.”

Hoping she wouldn’t throw up while I was gone, I headed to the bathroom to wash away the day’s fatigue.