Delivery Boy and Masked Girl - A delivery boy discovers the secret of a beautiful gal at his delivery destination. - Chapter 47: Haruomi and Minami.

Haruomi and Minami.

“Senba-kun…”

On the way home from the Christmas party, which somehow went well despite being organized by a strange group of people.

Minai-chan, who was walking next to me, said in a hushed voice, as if she was singing.

The December night was cold and dark.

There were streetlights, but we couldn’t see each other’s faces very well.

This was a good thing.

“What?”

“What do you think? Honestly.”

“About what?”

“About me.”

“You’re cute, but you’re not my type.”

“Oii”

Minai-chan slapped me on the back and then laughed.

Minai-chan is never boring when I am with her.

She is interesting in a different way from Yuuga.

And in fact, she is very close to me.

I think this is the reason why we are able to have such casual exchanges.

“No serious jokes.”

“I thought you were prepared for that.”

“Don’t make it sound like it’s my fault.”

“So, what are you really talking about?”

“You know what I’m talking about. About those two.”

It was rare that Minai-chan shook her head in disapproval.

Perhaps it is because I am always joking around, but Minai-chan is easily thrown off the pace when I play dumb.

“Are you really gonna talk about that?”

“I will. Worst-case scenario, we’ll do something.”

“I don’t think so.”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

I doubt it.

I am quite optimistic.

By “those two,” I am referring to those two people.

Yuuga and Shizuki-san.

My best friend and the most popular girl in school, who had become friends before I knew it.

Shizuki was actually wearing a secret mask at school.

Or perhaps a mask would be more appropriate.

In short, she hides his true nature.

It is not in a bad way; she is just trying her best to be liked by everyone.

She is actually a shy and reserved girl, but in order to make friends, she tried to change both her appearance and her personality.

I wish Yuuga would learn from her at least a little.

On the contrary, he doesn’t make too much effort.

Of course, it’s also a bad idea to overdo it like Shizuki-san does.

“Shizuki, I wonder if she’ll be okay.”

“I don’t know. But first, we need to talk about what she wants to do, don’t we?”

“Well, I don’t know. I don’t know if she wants things the way they are now or if she wants to change things.”

“Maybe she hasn’t made it clear yet.”

Shizuki’s situation is, to say the least, complicated.

The fact that it appears simple at first glance may also be troubling.

She made a friend as a result of her overly successful high school debut.

But she still doesn’t get along with that friend, and now she is having trouble with her performance.

I suppose I could fade out of the group, but it wouldn’t change the situation where Shizuki is treated like a gal at school.

If that in itself is hard for her, she has no choice but to go back to her old self now.

“I don’t see any reason to not be in normal mode at school.”

“The only thing that would make it better would be if it was around the time she started her second year.”

“Still, I think it’s pretty unnatural for her to change her character so much.”

“Is it best to gradually move away from the flashy gals and change the character a little at a time?”

“Maybe. It sounds like a lot of work, though. It’s harder than it is now, isn’t it?”

“…Well, I guess so.”

We talked about this on the way home from a study session we had at Yuuga’s house.

I think we are both meddlesome.

Well, if you ask me, the only one who is meddlesome is Minai-chan.

“Shizuki-chan, she’s a good kid, I wish I could do something for her…”

“In the end, it’s up to the person themselves, isn’t it? We can’t solve the problem by ourselves.”

“I know Senba-kun that you have a dry personality but you’re a friend, right?”

“I will help her if she asks me to, but I don’t want to interfere in the process of deciding what to do. I’m not good enough for that.”

“Hmmm.”

Minai-chan folded her hands behind her head and looked up at the sky as if she was glaring at them.

It’s a good thing that Minai-chan is able to think seriously for her friends like this, even though she is not usually like this.

In addition, she is probably quite strong.

In many ways.

“…So, what about Yuuga-chi?”

“….Yuuga… hmmm…”

When we started this talk, Minai-chan said,

“About those two”

But this issue should be about Shizuki alone.

If that is the case, why is even, or rather only, Yuuga brought up in the topic together with Shizuki?

It is, of course.

“I guess it’s love, I guess.”

“Which one?”

“Either.”

“Right…”

That’s how it is.

This hypothesis, which was initially a suspicion, has now become a certainty in my mind and Minai-chan’s.

“Do you think they are aware of it?”

“Um, no. …Is what I had thought.”

“It’s possible.”

“Yeah. I mean, from the way they were acting today.”

Both Shizuki-san and Yuga.

Do you have someone you love? When we asked them, they did not deny it.

If you don’t, just deny it.

Not doing so is the same as affirming it.

No, I don’t need to reason that way, I can tell from their expressions and gazes.

That’s why this is not “Shizuki’s story” but “their story.”

“Oh, God. Why don’t just confess?”

“Which one?”

“I don’t care which one!”

She must have been frustrated and unable to bear it.

Minai-chan cried out lamentingly, clasping her cheeks between her hands.

“But I don’t think Shizuki-chan can do it right now. I guess I’ll have to rely on Yuuga-chi.”

“Please don’t put too much pressure on him. He’s also a lot more complicated than you think.”

“Is it? Well… yeah.”

“He’s a good guy, and he thinks about other people, in his own way.”

“…That’s right. But that’s why? If they stick together, he can protect Shizuki-chan even more than now.”

“The actuality is, it’s his or her decision. “

“heehhh~, that’s unexpected.” 

“I’m still his best friend. Of course, Shizuki-san is my friend too, so I’m worried about him.”

“Then, I’ll put Shizuki first. She is such a good girl, I hope she will have a trouble-free life.”

After saying that, Minami-chan let out a soft sigh.

That was so typical of Minai-chan that I couldn’t help but smile.

“Well, maybe they can handle it themselves.”

“I doubt it.”

“Maybe. Besides…”

“Besides?”

“I can’t keep worrying about other people’s problems.”

I said, and gave her a wink that was so racy that I was surprised at myself.

Minai-chan twisted her face in disgust and backed away from me.

“…It’s indeed disgusting, Senba-kun.””

“That’s right.”

“I guess you won’t have a girlfriend next year either.”

“Shut up. You’ll have to get a boyfriend first to say that.”

“I can always get one if I want to.”

“I can also get a girlfriend if I want to.”

We walk down the winter night path again, talking nonsense to each other.

This year was okay, but next year will surely be more fun.