Delivery Boy and Masked Girl - A delivery boy discovers the secret of a beautiful gal at his delivery destination. - Chapter 43: Mariko and Yuuga.

Mariko and Yuuga.

Talking, however, does not mean going to a restaurant or entering a karaoke bar.

Shinano and I sat down on a bench set up in front of the station, leaving space for one person.

From the way Shinano placed her bag down, it appears that this is not something that will be over anytime soon.

Taking a leap of faith, I put the delivery bag down at my feet, too.

“We haven’t talked properly, have we?”

“…Well. I didn’t think I ever did.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

Again, Shinano simply said such a thing.

But thanks to these words, I felt somewhat at ease.

“So, what do you want to ask? I think you guys know Shizuki much better than I do.”

“I guess so. But we know different things about her, don’t we? What I want to know is what I don’t know.”

“…”

There was a dry tone in Shinano’s voice.

I guess she really just wants to hear from me.

I said ‘you guys’, but Shinano said ‘I’ instead of ‘we’.

Shinano proceeded so quickly that there was no time to find meaning in that.

“Are you and Miori close?”

“Well, within limitations.”

I can’t deny it.

Since I have plans with Shizuki during the winter vacation, there is no other way but to answer in this way.

Well, I don’t have to deny it either.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask you when and how. I’m not your parent.”

“…”

“…Miori, did she hate it?”

“…Ehh?”

“Piercing. …By the looks of her, I don’t think she likes em.”

“…”

This time I didn’t know what to answer.

Of course, the answer to the question was yes.

But, would it be okay to tell it to her, who is a member of the fancy gals?

…No, it’s not okay.

This would be a mistake.

I shouldn’t have been involved in the conversation in the first place.

“I don’t want to answer that…”

“Whatchu mean by that?”

For the first time today, Shinano looked a little irritated.

But it can’t be helped.

There are reasons why we can’t talk about it either.

“Not answering is like admitting it.”

“If that’s what you want to think, go ahead and think it. I’m not going to answer that.”

“…Ahh I see.”

Shinano turned her head away from me, her mouth agape as if she was sulking.

Unlike her image, her reaction was surprisingly childish.

After a short pause, Shinano sighed and turned to me again.

“…Nevermind. I expected that you might say that.”

“…”

“…So what did Miori say about us?”

“She said you guys are nice and kind.”

“…I see.”

Shinano seemed dissatisfied.

But this is exactly what Shizuki had said.

She just thinks that the flashy gals don’t match her pace.

It is not that she feels alienated from them.

“…That girl, she has things she wants to say, but she doesn’t say them out often.”

“…”

“I thought maybe she was telling you something she wouldn’t tell me.”

“Sorry.”

I found myself apologizing to Shinano.

It is because I did not expect that Shinano would say such a thing.

I had thought that the fancy gals were doing as they pleased, and that they did not care about Shizuki either.

But apparently, that is not the case.　

I gradually felt a growing sense of guilt toward Shinano.

“… I’m trying to understand what Mizuori is thinking, and yet…”

“…”

“…but she doesn’t really say anything to us… Maybe it’s our fault too… but even forcing her to talk is not a good thing, right?”

“I agree with you…”

“That’s why… I’m in trouble too. I don’t know what she wants to say or what she wants to do.”

Shinano finally spilled out a few words and sighed heavily.

I remained silent for a while and gazed blankly at the streetlights in the distance.

Shinano, she is a good person after all.

It’s not normal for her to think about something like this and even call out to me.

I can’t tell her anything about Shizuki.

However, there is only one thing that I can and should say to Shinano.

“…You’re not so bad.”

“What…?”

“You are not to blame. Of course, it’s not Shizuki’s fault either.”

“…Hasumi?”

“I just don’t think it’s that simple. Even if neither you nor Shizuki did anything wrong, things could go wrong. I’m sure that such things happen.”

“…”

“So please wait and give her time. This is Shizuki’s problem, and she knows it, and I’m sure she’s still fighting it. I’ve heard your feelings. So, please be patient and wait for her.”

After I said it out loud, I could see my face turn bright red.

Without thinking, I stood up and turned my back to Shinano while carrying the delivery bag of Eats and Eats.

Somehow, lately, I don’t feel like me.

No, maybe I’m always like this.

I was just feeling guilty about being this way and refraining from meddling.

I get on the bike and put my foot on the pedal.

Just before I started pedaling, I heard Shinano’s voice behind me.

“Hasumi!”

“…”

“…Take care of Miori!”

“…”

As I answered, I pedaled as hard as I could.

Even though the cold air hit me, my face was still hot.

It was a strange event.

But I also thought, Maybe this kind of thing is necessary from time to time.