After Picking up a Runaway Girl From the Same University on My Way Home From Work, We Started Living Together in Secret - Chapter 4

“—Kototori Risa, sorry to keep you waiting.”

After the fifth period ended, I headed straight to the cafeteria. When I called out, Kototori Risa, who had been fiddling with a tablet at a corner seat, looked up and turned around.

“I was the one who suddenly said it. But more importantly… you actually came.”

“If you call me out in front of everyone like that, I can’t ignore you. So, what’s this about?”

“We should change places. It’s hard to talk here.”

Since it was afternoon, the cafeteria was quiet, but I could still feel the attention of the people around, who were studying or doing something else. That probably meant Kototori Risa draws a lot of attention.

I’d prefer a change of location too. The amount of attention here… it’s a bit tiring.

I left the cafeteria, thinking that just the words Kototori Risa said today might be more than last year’s combined.

Even after leaving the university, I walked for about ten minutes, still feeling the gaze of others. I thought it was probably because Kototori Risa was simply cute.

Guided by Kototori Risa, we entered a small, quaint café where old-fashioned records played quiet classical music. The clientele was on the older side, and I could hear the happy chatter of some ladies.

We sat at a vacant seat in the back, and the menu booklet was brought to us.

“Order whatever you want. I’ll pay,” Kototori Risa said.

“…No, I’ll pay for my own,” I replied.

“This place is a little expensive, you know?”

“Even if you say it’s expensive for a café—”

I opened the menu, and my eyes widened at the prices. A cup of coffee was listed at 700 yen, with most things starting from a similar high price.

I also work part-time at a café, but it’s not this expensive. Coffee there is less than half this price.

“See?”

“…Why is it so expensive?”

“University students aren’t the main clientele here.”

“Then, Kototori Risa, you’re not either.”

“I get given more money than I can spend,” Kototori Risa said quietly.

Did I just ask something I shouldn’t?

“…Well, I’ll pay for my own.”

“You really don’t need to worry about it.”

“I do worry. I can’t have a girl I just met yesterday pay for me.”

“…I see. I’ll have the Earl Grey with the daily cake set. What about you, Minato?”

“I’ll have the special blend.”

The special blend was 100 yen more expensive than regular coffee, but as someone who works at a café, I wanted to see if the taste was worth the price.

I rang the bell to order, then turned to Kototori Risa.

“Let’s get to the point. What’s so important that you wanted to talk here? …Don’t tell me, you want to stay over again, right?”

I asked skeptically, and she just looked at me and said, “Yes,” without trying to cover it up.

“Can I go home now?”

I stood up in disbelief, but Kototori Risa grabbed my wrist.

“I’ll leave the coffee money,” she said.

“I just want you to listen to me.”

“The answer is no. That won’t change.”

I shook my wrist free and tried to take out a thousand yen for the coffee from my wallet.

“—I’ll give you 10,000 yen a day. I want you to let me stay over.”

Her voice, the loudest I’ve ever heard from Kototori Risa, froze me in place.

Her words seemed to echo loudly in the café, and the chatter of the ladies stopped. They sent us looks as if to say, “How rude.”

I could just leave her here and go, but I could easily imagine her finding me at the university again to talk.

…

…

…

“…I’ll listen, but only to hear you out.”

Reluctantly… really reluctantly, I sat back down, and Kototori Risa seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

I was not swayed by the 10,000 yen a day.

“I’ll say it first: there’s no way it’s okay for a guy and a girl who aren’t dating to live together under one roof.”

“Would it be okay if we were dating?”

“…If we were dating, would you try to make me say ‘let’s date’ just so I’d let you stay over?”

“How did you know?”

I was left speechless.

I had no idea what would make Kototori Risa think it would go this far.

“Minato, do you think that if a guy and a girl live together, they’ll end up having sex?”

Kototori Risa just went straight to the point.

“Yeah. If things go wrong and it gets complicated, it’d be awkward to see each other. Plus, in situations like this, the woman is usually the one who ends up hurt… In our case, it’d be you, Kototori Risa. It’s like inviting a wolf into the sheep’s pen.”

“If you want to, just go ahead.”

“Huh?”

Her unexpected response made me let out a stupid-sounding voice.

“The payment for me staying over isn’t money. If it’s that kind of thing, I don’t mind. It’s just that the other person would go from being a stranger to being Minato.”

Kototori Risa said this in a calm tone, as if she didn’t care at all.

I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of distortion from the way she was acting.

“Your special blend and the daily cake set.”

To break the awkwardness, the waitress brought me my cup of coffee and Kototori Risa a slice of gateau chocolate with tea.

After the waitress bowed and left, Kototori Risa picked up her fork and smiled.

“Today’s gateau chocolate is a big hit.”

“I think the coffee’s good, too. I can’t drink it black, but I order café au lait sometimes,” I replied.

“…I see.”

She recommended the coffee so casually, it was hard to believe that we’d just had that conversation.

The aroma wafting up from the steam was very soothing.

To change the mood, I took a sip.

“…Wow.”

I couldn’t help but praise the coffee out loud. The bitterness was smooth and rich, and the aftertaste was fresh without being overwhelming.

I didn’t know what kind of blend or proportions were used to create this, but it was clear that the master of this café was skilled.

It was expensive, but it might be worth it as an occasional treat.

Kototori Risa was enjoying her gateau chocolate, narrowing her eyes in satisfaction.

…I should’ve ordered the cake set too. If the special blend was this good, the cake must be delicious.

“I’m glad you liked it,” Kototori Risa said.

“…I appreciate you recommending this place. But that conversation? Forget it. No way. Absolutely not.”

I maintained a firm refusal about her staying at my place.

Some things are just impossible.

“Please, I’m asking you,” Kototori Risa pleaded.

“No. If you don’t want to go home, you can stay at a hotel or an internet café, right? You don’t seem to be short on money.”

She casually walked into this café with prices like this. Plus, she said herself she was given more money than she could use.

That’s why she set the condition of 10,000 yen a night.

I pointed that out while sipping my coffee, and Kototori Risa calmly set her fork down.

“…You’re right, Minato. I’m not short on money. If the reason is just that I don’t want to go home, a hotel is fine. Asking someone else to let me stay was my first and last time.”

“Then why insist on staying at my place?”

“To see for myself.”

“…See what?”

I was confused.

Kototori Risa blinked, then looked me straight in the eye.

“Peace of mind…”

“…What do you mean?”

“Being not alone was a first for me in a long time. Having someone nearby really calmed me down. So, I want to make sure.”

…This conversation was getting strange.

The sense of peace she felt when staying at my house yesterday.

That’s something most people would feel at home, but Kototori Risa couldn’t experience that at hers.

It made me feel a little sad.

…Wait, no. This isn’t good.

My feelings were starting to lean toward Kototori Risa.

If I felt sympathy, it seemed like there was a reason to reach out.

This is probably why people call me a soft touch.

“Haah…”

I sighed deeply. I knew what I was about to do was foolish.

But when she asked for help so purely, I couldn’t resist.

“…Conditions.”

“…Huh?”

“If you can follow my conditions, I’ll let you stay.”

“I’ll definitely follow them.”

“…I haven’t even said anything yet.”

Kototori Risa was quick to reply, so I stopped her and rubbed my forehead.

After talking to her for a few days, I started to think that Kototori Risa was surprisingly talkative, straightforward, and easy to deceive.

She was pure, but not innocent.

She knew about the dirty side of people but accepted it anyway.

Whether you see that as strength or weakness depends on the individual.

I couldn’t just leave someone like her to fend for herself.

“I have two conditions. First, no funny business at my house. Second, you pay for your own living expenses. Sorry, but I’m barely getting by with my allowance and part-time job. I can’t afford to cover an extra person.”

“I was planning to pay for my living expenses. But, I want to change one condition.”

“…I’ll hear you out.”

“I won’t make a move on you, Minato. But if you want to make a move on me, go ahead.”

…Huh?

“If you want me to make it clearer—I’ll let you do whatever you want. I’ve heard guys have it rough, so as an apology, you should be able to express yourself freely when I’m around, right?”

“….Ah, yeah. I guess so. That might be true.”

I was so tired, I just let out a long sigh and cut the conversation short, staring off into space.

I had a feeling that Kototori Risa might be an incredibly unusual person.