My Beautiful Childhood Friend Is Working in a Maid Cafe For Some Reason

Chapter 45: Tell Me What a Date Is

“Hey, Haru.”

“What’s up, Yusuke?”

“What do you think it means to stop somewhere on the way home from school?”

“That’s just taking a detour, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought too.”

As I watched two boys running hard, I asked Haru. It was P.E. class, and for some reason, we were doing short-distance sprints. Our turn hadn’t come yet, so Haru and I were sitting and talking.

I wanted Haru, who is in a relationship, to teach me about dating.

Last Friday, I went out with Yukina Himemiya, my childhood friend who has always been close to me. She had helped me study for the midterm exams, so as a thank-you, I treated her to ramen after school.

Two high school seniors, a boy and a girl, going somewhere together after school… I thought it was something close to a date. But before we went, Yukina told me not to misunderstand—it was just a detour, not a date.

I quickly reminded myself that it was just a detour, not a date.

But then, at the end—when it was really over—Yukina called it a date. Even though she had insisted it was just a detour.

I was confused. What was it, really? Was it a date or just a detour?

At the maid café ‘Poplar’ that we visited later that day, Yukina didn’t mention it again. But while I was there, she seemed oddly restless, which made me more aware of the situation.

In the end, I couldn’t figure out whether it was a date or just a detour, which left me sleepless. Yukina didn’t seem any different this morning either… Damn it, I can’t solve this on my own! So, Haru, tell me! As someone experienced in relationships!

“So, what do you think it’s called when a high school or college boy and girl go out together?”

“That’s a date.”

“A date… Yeah, you’re right… It is a date, isn’t it…”

Apparently, the world calls that a date. But does Yukina, who insisted it was just a detour, suddenly calling it a date mean anything?

She did say it was her first time having fun hanging out with someone, so maybe she just got caught up in the moment and misspoke…

Yeah, that’s probably it.

That’s what I think. The more I think about it, the more I believe it. People might call it a date, but Yukina and I aren’t dating. I don’t want to be misunderstood, but I’ll just keep this clear in my own mind.

“Yusuke, are you going on a date with someone?”

“Huh? Why would I?”

“Well, you’re asking these questions, so that means you’re going out somewhere with someone, right?”

Sorry… It’s already over.

I don’t want to say that and get teased, though.

“And the only person it could be is Yukina-chan.”

“Why does Yukina come up…?”

Well, you’re right, though…

“You don’t hang out with any other girls besides Yukina-chan, do you?”

I couldn’t argue with that… My junior Tadokoro gets on my nerves sometimes, and Haru doesn’t know about Miyuki-san from ‘Poplar.’

If I were a more outgoing guy, maybe I’d have other girls’ names to mention, but… that’s not the case.

“So, where are you going? To see a movie?”

“No way…”

“Why not? You should go. If it’s a romantic movie, you might end up holding hands naturally when the mood is right.”

“I don’t even want to hold hands. And do you always do that when you go on movie dates?”

“Not always, but yeah, on movie dates, sometimes.”

“…Hey, what is a date, really?”

Yukina had forced me to accept this so-called right to go out with her. I had no plans to go anywhere, but just in case I had to, I thought I should at least ask for advice.

“Well, like I said earlier, it’s when two people go out together. Whether there’s a feeling of love or not, if you’re at that age, people would call it a date, right?”

“I kind of get it, but I kind of don’t. So, what do you do on a date?”

“You just do something fun together. What you find fun depends on the couple, so there’s no right answer.”

Maybe I could just take Yukina somewhere with good food… No, no, stop thinking about that.

“Well, just do your best to make Yukina-chan happy!”

“I told you, that’s not what this is…”

“Haha. Well, I’ve been called, so I’m going.”

Haru raised his hand slightly and walked to the starting line.

In the end, I still didn’t know if that was a date. To Haru and the world, it’s a date. Yukina said it was a date. I thought it was a date. So, does that mean it’s okay to think of it as a date?

Well, I guess it’s fine. Just thinking of it as a date isn’t a crime, right?

More importantly, thinking that it was my first-ever date makes me nervous all over again. Will I be able to act normal around Yukina from now on?

—

Chapter 46: Somehow, I Ended Up Competing for My Childhood Friend

“You’re still good at sports, huh… Damn, are you perfect or something?”

I sighed as I watched Haru dash through the short-distance race with the same speed as the athletes in sports clubs. It’s not fair—smart, athletic, and good-looking… What did he do in his past life to get all this?

Next up was Oki, and after him, it would be me, Oyama, so I started moving my body a bit in preparation. As for sports… well, I’m not bad at it. But just in case, I made sure to warm up properly to avoid any injuries.

As I was doing some stretching, someone called my name from above.

Is it time already? I thought as I looked up, but it wasn’t the teacher who called me. It was a boy sitting next to Yukina, with two more boys sitting on either side of him.

“Uh… what do you want?”

Feeling like I was being approached by a group of delinquents in broad daylight, I reluctantly asked what they wanted.

The boy who called out to me glared as he spoke.

“You need to stop bothering Himemiya-san!”

…What!?

I couldn’t speak. No, I didn’t know what to say.

Why would I be bothering Yukina?

That question ran through my mind, but I quickly figured it out.

Ah, I see. From someone else’s perspective, it must look like I’m the one bothering Yukina.

Thinking back, the incident in the cafeteria, the morning greetings… from a different angle, it might all seem like I’m the one initiating contact with Yukina. The truth is, she’s the one always approaching me, but to someone who doesn’t know that, I probably just look like a nuisance.

Uh… what’s this guy’s name again?

I moved my eyes to read the name embroidered on his gym uniform. His name was Tsutsumura—such a forgettable name.

“Hey, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m not trying to bother Himemiya-san.”

“Then what was that about on Friday!?”

Did he see us!? Where!?

I felt a cold sweat running down my back. My heart started to race. My throat felt dry, making it hard to speak.

“Wh-what are you talking about?”

Even though I knew it was useless, I tried to play dumb.

“Don’t play dumb with me. I saw you leaving the classroom with Himemiya-san, looking all happy on Friday!”

“Are you stalking us…?”

My muttered words seemed to pour fuel on the fire, only making Tsutsumura more agitated.

“I forgot my wallet in the classroom, so I went back to get it, and I happened to see you!”

“Happened to, huh…”

I didn’t know how much of that was true.

After all, this guy is the one who asked Yukina out and got rejected. He might have felt bitter and tried to take her out by force. Ah, no, I shouldn’t jump to conclusions just because I’m a bit annoyed. But still, it’s hard not to think that way.

“If anyone’s a stalker, it’s you, following Himemiya-san around every morning just to say hi. What, you think you’ve got a chance just because of some rumors? There’s no way you two are a match!”

They say girls can be scary, pretending to be nice while bad mouthing each other behind their backs. But guys are no different. He acts all kind and caring towards Yukina, but he sure has a lot to say to me.

And I already know without being told that Yukina and I don’t match. No need to rub it in!

“So, what do you want me to do?”

I wondered if he wanted an apology. If it would keep things from escalating and drawing more unwanted attention, I’d apologize, even if it felt unfair.

But then, he said something unexpected.

“Race me in a short-distance run. If I win, you stop bothering Himemiya-san.”

Does this guy think he’s some kind of prince? Or is he just delusional enough to believe he’s a hero? Either way, it’s not a good look. Definitely not the type to be popular.

“And if I win?”

“Then you can keep doing what you’ve been doing.”

What kind of deal is that? There’s nothing in it for me. I have no reason or obligation to accept this challenge.

But I couldn’t refuse. If I turned him down, I had a feeling he’d just keep pestering me until it became a bigger problem. It was better to settle this quietly now before it got out of hand.

“Fine.”

“Alright, let’s do this.”

And so, just like in those anime where they fight over someone, this strange showdown began.

We took our positions at the starting line, waiting for the signal. Tsutsumura was moving his legs nervously, preparing himself.

I took a small breath, trying to calm myself down.

Relax… I may not be as fast as Haru, but I’m decent enough. I used to run around with Yukina until it got dark when we were kids. I just need to tap into that old strength.

Then, the starting signal went off, and we both took off running.

Why do I have to do this…?

I couldn’t even complain to anyone. That just made it more frustrating.

Who am I mad at? Tsutsumura? Or Yukina, for putting me in this situation?

I didn’t know. Not knowing just made it more frustrating.

…Damn, this guy is fast!

Surprisingly, Tsutsumura was quick, and I ended up losing by a few meters despite trying my best.

Breathing heavily, I put my hands on my knees. Tsutsumura, who was also panting heavily, came over to me.

“I won, so don’t bother Himemiya-san anymore…!”

…How can this guy push himself so hard for Yukina? Does he like her? Maybe it’s that special drive you get when you’re doing something for someone you care about.

I quietly walked away without saying a word.

“Hey, are you listening…?”

Tsutsumura called out to me again from behind, but I didn’t respond. I didn’t feel like it.

“Y-Yusuke…? Where are you going?”

Haru, who seemed worried about my unusual behavior, asked me. I curtly replied, “Water,” and left.

I gulped down water to quench my dry throat and let out a heavy breath towards the sky. As I quietly inhaled the air, I finally realized who I was really mad at.

“Oh, right. I’m mad at myself.”

Yukina and I don’t have anything improper between us. We’re not even friends or lovers—just neighbors and childhood friends with a long history.

But I couldn’t even say that simple word, “childhood friend”.

If I had said it, maybe things could have been resolved… maybe if I’d just said it, everything would have been fine. Instead, I kept quiet, reluctantly accepted the challenge, lost, and now—

“…Man, I’m so lame.”

Starting tomorrow, I won’t greet Yukina anymore. Maybe that will make the guys happy. But Yukina probably won’t be satisfied. She’ll likely face more unfair treatment because of it…

As I thought about how nothing good ever comes from being involved with Yukina, I couldn’t help but laugh. It was a bitter laugh, though.