I'm in a Messed Up Situation that I Couldn't Care More. - Chapter 15 Hiruma-san Returns

Chapter 15: Hiruma-san Returns

Around 10 p.m., I returned from my part-time job and started working out at the gym when I sensed someone’s presence behind me.

I turned around to see Hiruma-san standing there.

“Oh, Hiruma-san! Welcome back,”

Hiruma-san had said she would be leaving Tokyo, and I hadn’t seen her at the gym for about a month.

“Welcome back… I’m glad you’re back.”

Hiruma-san smiled back.

“Where did you go after leaving Tokyo?”

“Oh, here and there.”

Hiruma-san looked a little tired.

“I bought these just now. Do you want one?”

She dangled a paper bag in front of my nose.

“Wow, they smell delicious! Taiyaki?”

“You guessed it.”

——————

I poured hot water from the water cooler installed in the gym. 

I enjoyed the hot water and the delicious taiyaki.

“I should have prepared some tea leaves.”

Hiruma-san muttered softly.

“Hot water is supposed to be good for your health, right? What’s it called… shiroyu?”

“Sayu…  isn’t it?”

Hiruma-san laughed.

“I often misread kanji.

At my part-time job at the izakaya, I once read ‘cold tofu’ as ‘tsumetai yatsu’ (cold guy).”

“That’s terrible.”

I had expected her to laugh, but instead, she looked at me with a straight face.

“Nothing unusual happened while I was away?”

Suddenly, Hiruma-san stared intently at me.

“Nothing. As usual, there were no customers.”

“Soon, a lot of customers will be passing through here.”

“A lot of customers… passing through…?”

Hiruma-san placed her hand on my knee without saying a word.

It was her usual form of skinship.

“Well… Hiruma-san, I did say there was nothing unusual.

But personally, something happened to me.”

“……What?!?”

Hiruma-san shot me a sharp glance.

“I fell in love with someone. It’s not like we’re dating or anything.

It’s just my one-sided crush… So, you know, Hiruma-san touching me and whatnot,

I’d rather you don’t do that anymore…”

I thought I might get kicked out of the gym.

If, as Mamejiro said, Hiruma-san was keeping me as her gigolo,

A gigolo who says, “Don’t touch me anymore” would usually be dismissed.

“I see. That’s a shame. I enjoyed getting intimate with you, Koichi.”

Hiruma-san smiled sadly.

“Am I being fired?”

“Of course not. Why would I do that?”

“…”

“Anyway, soon, a lot of customers will be passing through here.

At that time, I want your cooperation in various ways.

We’ll need to perform a ritual.”

“Huh? A ritual? What kind of ritual? I thought you were going to teach me about muscle training.”

“It’s late now.”

Hiruma-san looked at her wristwatch.

“I’ll explain more about the work next time.

It’s a job that only you can do, Koichi.”

Saying so, Hiruma-san pushed the paper bag filled with taiyaki towards me.