The Beautiful Girl I Accidentally Helped Who Has Somehow Become Attached To Me. - Chapter 8: The Unexpected Return.

The Unexpected Return.

Confused voices overlapped.

We stepped in the exact same direction and looked at each other.

Right. Of course.

Mikami-san wasn’t heading to the station. She doesn’t take the train. The nearest bus stop is close, but if she didn’t need to go to the station, then she wouldn’t be using the bus either. If she’s a regular at that cafe, it makes sense she lives within walking or at least biking distance.

“So… you’re heading this way too?”

“Yes, what a coincidence.”

Yeah, I really didn’t need to ask.

But what now…?

It’s one thing for our paths to intersect, but is it okay for me to tag along? Would I come off like a stalker, pretending to head in the same direction as her? Maybe it’d be smarter to kill some time elsewhere and shift my return home.

“What’s wrong? This is your way home, isn’t it?”

“Is it… okay?”

“Huh? Are you not going home?”

“Uh, yeah, I’m going home.”

If we walked in silence and she asked me why I was following her, I might have been heartbroken for three days. But Mikami-san doesn’t seem to care at all.

Then I guess I won’t worry about it either.

“I don’t know how far we’ll go together, but thank you.”

“Oh, um… you’re welcome.”

Mikami-san smiled against the backdrop of the setting sun, and I stumbled over my words a bit.

I almost stopped again, but I snapped back to reality and walked alongside her.

Her stride was slightly shorter than mine. Unconsciously, I adjusted my pace, feeling a cool and pleasant breeze that contrasted with the heat of the day as we strolled slowly.

“Do you often go out on weekends, Kirishima-san?”

“Not that often, but sometimes. Today, I just happened to finish an assignment, so I thought I’d wander around for a bit.”

I don’t have any friends to invite me out since I botched my high school debut. So weekends are usually just me killing time alone. It’s kind of sad to admit that.

“Fufuu~, just a whim, huh? Thanks to that whim, I was able to have a meaningful time.”

“Well, I’m glad.”

It really was a series of coincidences that led to spending time with Mikami-san.

I chose to go out, it happened to be hot outside, and I ducked into the bookstore to cool off.

If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have run into Mikami-san and would have spent the day alone, as usual.

“It was an unexpected yet really fun day. If it’s okay with you, may I invite you again sometime?”

“Does that mean we’re making plans to hang out?”

“Yes. While these coincidences are nice, I’d love to get together again if our schedules allow.”

“Do whatever you want. I’m just a lonely person with no friends, so my weekends are wide open.”

“Then I’ll take you up on that.”

Mikami-san is persistent. It’s obvious I wouldn’t be able to turn her down anyway.

Plus, I’ve grown comfortable around her. Since I’m already being threatened with loneliness at school, adding a weekend to that hardly makes a difference.

Mikami-san is choosing to engage with me of her own volition. If she wants to connect with me, I won’t refuse.

“Right. Shall we exchange contact information?”

“Um, sure.”

“If we exchange contacts, you can reach out to me whenever to make plans.”

It doesn’t seem like she’s just being polite; she genuinely wants to hang out. Well, she’s the only one who’s taken an interest in filling my schedule, so it’s fine by me.

I pulled out my phone and we exchanged contact information.

Just after we did, I heard a notification sound, and when I checked my screen, I saw a stamp from Mikami-san’s messaging app account.

I sent back a stamp, and she quickly replied with another. While it hardly qualified as conversation, it somehow didn’t feel bad at all.

***

Before I knew it, I was just a short distance from home, and it hit me that I hadn’t said goodbye to Mikami-san yet.

As I continued walking, I spotted my apartment building, and the moment of parting drew nearer.

Though it was all a coincidence, I had really enjoyed today. Just as I was about to express my gratitude, Mikami-san spoke first.

“Thank you for walking me home. I’m fine from here, though.”

“…Sorry, I didn’t mean to walk you home. I’m actually heading this way too.”

I was just walking home as usual.

It just happened that our paths coincided, so there was no need to part ways along the way.

I definitely wasn’t making a detour just to accompany Mikami-san home.

Honestly, the thought of being a gentleman and offering to walk her home hadn’t crossed my mind, but it made sense now. The surroundings were growing dim, and offering that kind of company could be a good idea, provided she didn’t mind.

“Oh, really? I thought you were being kind and just making sure I got home safely.”

“If the opportunity arises again, I’ll make a proper offer. Well, if you don’t mind, that is.”

“That would make me happy. Talking with you is really calming for me… I look forward to it again.”

She didn’t show any signs of discomfort.

I didn’t know when that “next time” would come, but I’d remember it. I couldn’t just let a beautiful girl walk alone on a dark road.

“By the way, I live in that apartment building over there. Where do you live, Kirishima-san?”

“…Seriously?”

That was a blind spot I hadn’t considered… but I never thought we’d be going to the same place.

The building Mikami-san pointed to was the same one where I lived.

“I live in that building too.”

“Wait, what?”

“Who would’ve thought we live in the same place? That’s quite a coincidence.”

“Isn’t it?”

Once again, fate seemed to have played its hand.

We exchanged glances and burst into laughter, ultimately ending up walking home together until the very end.

***

I stepped into the elevator and reached for the floor button.

It seemed that such coincidences didn’t stretch that far, as we lived on different floors.

I was on the third, while Mikami-san was on the fifth.

As the two of us shared the confined space, it was my turn to step out first, so I turned to her and expressed my gratitude for the day.

“I had a lot of fun today. Thanks.”

I wanted to articulate more, to share my thoughts, but my mind was a jumble, so I settled for a simple expression.

Even though I hadn’t said anything particularly special, I could feel a faint warmth creeping to my cheeks.

“Well… see you.”

Just before I escaped in embarrassment, I was surprised by the words that had slipped from my mouth.

At that moment, the elevator doors closed, and Mikami-san seemed to be saying something, but I couldn’t catch it. I only saw her waving goodbye as the elevator ascended.

“Again… huh?”

I stood in front of the departing elevator, frozen. The words that had unconsciously escaped my lips were ones I never would have thought I’d say before.

Mikami-san, again.

When would that be? Lunchtime? After school? Or maybe another day off like today?

I was truly taken aback by how I found myself pondering these thoughts.

Just then, a cheerful notification chimed from my phone.

I pulled it out of my pocket and saw I had a message from Mikami Hina-san.

“See you at school again.”

A short, concise sentence.

A declaration that threatened my solitary life.

Yet, strangely enough, it didn’t feel bad at all.