Delivery Boy and Masked Girl - A delivery boy discovers the secret of a beautiful gal at his delivery destination. - Chapter 13: Payback And Image.
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- Delivery Boy and Masked Girl - A delivery boy discovers the secret of a beautiful gal at his delivery destination.
- Chapter 13: Payback And Image.
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Payback And Image.
Two days after the strange nursing, on the last night of the three-day weekend.
I received another mail order from Shizuki on my phone.
I picked up the same udon as last time at the restaurant and went to the usual apartment.
When I rang the intercom, this time there was an immediate answer.
“Yes?”
“It’s Eats and Eats.”
“Fufufu~~”
There was a short chuckle and then the auto-lock opened.
As usual, I went up the elevator and reached Shizuki’s room.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
It’s Eats and Eats.”
“Mouu~ That’s all one can expect from Hasumi-kun.”
Shizuki seemed to be recovering quite well.
She was in a completely simple mode, but her face was all red and her expression was bright.
“Are you okay now?”
“Yes. My throat still hurts a little, but I think it’ll be okay by tomorrow.”
“Oh, good. glad to hear that.”
“It’s all thanks to ….Hasumi-kun. …I’m really really grateful to you.”
“It’s okay. Anyways, here you go.”
Shizuki took the bag of udon and said, “Please wait a moment,” and withdrew to the back of her room.
After the faint sound of footsteps, Shizuki came back with something in her hand.
“Yes. That’s for yesterday’s medicine.”
“….Ahh”
Oh, to think about it, did she say that she would return it?
A few coins were placed in Shizuki’s white palm.
I took it straightforwardly and put it away in my wallet.
And with Shizuki’s personality, it seems like she won’t be satisfied even if I refuse to accept it.
“…I am thinking that I should do something to express my gratitude, but can’t figure out what to do even so….”
“No, it’s okay. You didn’t ask me to do anything, and I didn’t do anything significant.”
“No, That’s not true. You even listened to my selfishness.”
My selfishness?
Oh, you were the one who held me back.
Anyways, you don’t have to worry about it.
But, as usual, she doesn’t seem to have any intention of giving up.
She might be thinking that it would be better to give me some kind of token of gratitude, so that there would be no regrets.
…If so, then-
“If so, can I borrow that manga from your room?”
“Ehh?”
“The ‘Sixteen Love’. I finished it halfway through and I’m curious to read the rest.”
When I said that, Shizuki smiled more and more happily and answered in a lively voice.
Her eyes too seemed to be sparkling as well.
“Of course! It’s my favorite manga of all time! Rather, I’m delighted!”
“……m”
Shizuki had a big smile on her face.
The expression on her face was far more natural and adorable than the one she had when she was talking to the flashy girls at school.
“? Hasumi-kun, what’s wrong?”
“…No, nothing.”
I couldn’t help but turn away when I felt my face turn red.
she took me by surprise….
I had gotten somewhat used to seeing this face of hers lately, but I had no idea that she still had such a …weapon …hidden away.
“Well anyways, as I was saying. ….Well, if you’ll lend it to me, I’ll accept it as your thank you.”
“Yes! I want you to read it too!”
“…..”
Shizuki was more excited than ever.
Were you really in a bad shape…?
“Well, please come on in!”
“What? Why?”
“There are so many volumes. Let’s put them directly from the bookshelf into that delivery bag.”
“What do you mean, there’s a lot? ….How many volumes are there?”
“Thirty-two!”
“For real…?
They were about three times more than I imagined….
Can a shoujo manga even last that long?
“Yeah, that’s about right.”
I placed the delivery bag in front of the bookshelf and filled it with a large number of manga.
It seemed like it would just barely fit.
Incidentally, there was nothing forbidden in Shizuki’s room, just like when I was nursing her.
Well, I guess it’s only natural because she asked me to come in herself.
“Looks very heavy.”
“You have got a bike, right? Be careful on your way back.”
Well, it’s downhill on the way back, so I guess I’ll be okay.
I think I’ll call it a day and just go home.
“….Umm, Hasumi-kun.”
“Hmm?”
“… Isn’t it weird for you? I…. like shoujo manga but…”
When Shizuki said that, she somehow had a gloomy look on her face.
The cheerfulness she had just a moment ago was completely gone.
I don’t know, for some reason, it was a strange thing to hear.
“It’s not that weird.”
“….Really?”
“Well, it’s not exactly what I imagined. But there’s nothing strange about liking something.”
“I-I suppose ….what are you gonna do?”
“Why are you asking me that?”
“….It’s…”
Shizuki seemed to be lost.
She looked down for a moment and traced the pattern of the carpet on the floor with her finger.
Then he slowly raised his head as if she had made up her mind.
“….All the kids around me don’t read these things. ….I knew it didn’t look good on me either…”
I recognized the expression on Shizuki’s face when she said that.
‘You’re not going to pull anything on me…’
It was the same face when Shizuki asked me when I first delivered the package.
And I felt like I understood just a little bit what Shizuki was thinking and why she asked that.
“Isn’t it fine….?”
“Ehhh….”
“Shojo manga. I don’t mind if you like it. Besides, you’re home alone and sober.”
“….Hasumi-kun?”
“Don’t worry about what people think of you. They, and I, don’t know anything about the real you. Don’t you think it’s okay to value yourself for who you are rather than what they think of you?”
The next thing I knew, I was saying those things to Shizuki.
I think Shizuki is afraid of the eyes around her.
She’s probably worried that the people around her have a different image of her than what she actually is, and maybe she even feels guilty about it.
If you think about it that way, what happened this time and that time makes sense.
However, not being able to be your natural self must be very uncomfortable.
I can understand that feeling.
In fact, it’s precisely because she’s a fast-paced person like myself that I feel this way even more strongly.
“Even if it doesn’t suit you, even if people around you say something, that’s what you are, Shizuki. You’re the one who’s right.”
“……”
“Anyway, thanks a lot. I’ll return the manga after I read it.”
I stood up, carrying the delivery bag of Eats and Eats.
I got carried away and talked too much.
I thought I had made up my mind not to meddle, not to be so brazen.
I thought I had made that decision.
I should hurry home before I get embarrassed and feel guilty.
“….H-Hasumi-kun..!”
“Hasumi-kun!”
Shizuki shouted as I put on my shoes and walked out the door.
“Hmm?”
“Ahh… Thank you very much.”
“…Ahh, Well see ya.”
I got on my bike and headed back home, struggling with my heavy back.
As we parted, I caught a glimpse of Shizuki’s eyes, and they seemed to be teary and shaking.