After a Heartbreak, My Bitter Childhood Friend is now Sweet Like Sugar - Chapter 2.9

Chapter 2.9

Quarrel

Her long, silky hair ran down to her waist. She had features similar to Kokoa.

Because she was her mother.

I was familiar with her since we were neighbours, but we never really talked before. And she didn’t have good will toward me.

“It’s been a while.”

I greeted her, but she gave me a quick glance and looked at Kokoa without saying a word.

Guess, I was ignored.

“What’s wrong? You came home all of a sudden, you could’ve atleast called.”

“I need to check in on you unannounced once in a while. If I told you in advance, I won’t be able to see how you’re actors doing.”

“Why’d you go that far?”

I felt a trace of anger in her voice.

“Why not? Can’t a mother worry about her own child? Anyway, I’m not going to stand here and talk to you. Come inside, we’ve a lot to discuss.”

“What do you want to talk about?… I promised Yū that we’d study together.”

At her words, her mother’s eyebrows twitched. She glanced at me for a moment then looked back at Kokoa, treating me like nothing but an eyesore.

“I want to know about your studies. I heard that your grades dropped.”

“Ha! When did you hear that?”

“I called your homeroom teacher a while ago. I always ask in advance when all the test results are available.”

“Why are you doing this?”

Unusually, Kokoa’s voice was raspy, filled with emotion.

“Didn’t I tell you, if your grades go down, you’ll have to come with me.”

“I won’t go to America. And I don’t have bad grades.”

“They are low enough that the teacher was worried about you. You’ve been called in to the staff room, haven’t you? I’m sure you’re well aware of that.”

“… So you think if I go with you, my score will go up? I don’t even speak English. Why should I follow you when you’re always busy because of work.”

“Life will be hard for you if you can’t even speak in English. But I know you’re smart Kokoa. It’s better for you to move onto a bigger stage instead of idling around in a mediocre school. There will be correspondence courses, and I’ll even arrange a private tutor for you. If you get into a famous university and graduate, you can get a good job there.”

“I don’t want that kind of life. And please don’t decide what I should do.”

“You’re still a kid, that’s why you’re speaking such nonsense. You don’t understand the hardships of an adult, you’ve to work hard to get a company, get a good salary, and get a good husband. If you can’t become the best, you won’t get anywhere in life, and for that reason–”

“Enough, please stop it!”

Kokoa’s shout echoed through the hallway.

This might be the first time I’ve heard her scream. She was usually calm, but I could tell she was speaking out of emotion. Her feelings were overflowing from her eyes, as if she would snap any moment.

“We’re leaving Yū.”

“Wha—Where?”

Without answering the question, Kokoa grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the elevator.

“Kokoa, listen.”

She ignored her mother’s call and went inside the elevator.

As we walked out of the building, I couldn’t help but ask.

“So, where’re we going?”

“I don’t know.”

“You haven’t decided yet? Oh, fine…”

“Before we go any further, please don’t apologize. It wasn’t your fault.”

“I won’t. But I wanna know how long we’re going to hold hands.”

“Ah!”

She panicked and let go of me.

And perhaps embarrassed by her own behavior, she looked at me with a face flushed deep red.

“sorry…”

“No, it’s nothing to apologize about.”

But I had no idea why her mother returned.

Just like me, Kokoa didn’t have a good relationship with her mother. But the reason differed in my case. There was an irreducible distance in between me and my family.

But for Kokoa, there was kind of a resistance between those two.

Because her mother’s interference in her life. I guess this time she won’t back down easily because of her current score.

But even though she said it wasn’t, I still felt like it was my fault.

“If we could be together, but what about parents, no, our families. I think we’d make a good family if we stayed together.”

“Eh? Ha…? W-what are you talking about? Yu!”

Kokoa’s face turned bright red.

“No-no I didn’t mean anything strange, but what were you imagining…?”

“Eh… Ah, ah~… n-nothing at all!”

I tried to say something normal, but it looks like she misunderstood.

Her face was still red and her fingers fidgeted around.

Ah… um, it’s embarrassing for me too if she reacts that way. I guess, I know what she’s imagining.

It was awkward, I needed something so I could…

“That’s right. How about we go over there?”

“Where?”

“I’m pretty sure you know that place quite well.”