The Woman Whose Life I Saved Turned out to Be the Mother of the Popular Twin Sisters in My Class - Chapter 17 - Burning Hot

Chapter 17 – Burning Hot

Why… Why is this happening…

Inside the train, Hikari and I are sitting next to each other, our shoulders touching.

As someone who isn’t used to being around girls, even this kind of contact makes me feel uneasy.

There are a few other students from the same school here and there. To be honest, inside a train at this time, 90% of the passengers would probably be students from Omaku.

Most students are part of a club and don’t head home this early, but there are some who have part-time jobs or plans to hang out.

I am one of them.

“By the way, Kotobuki, you’re not in any clubs, huh?”

“Hmm, that’s strange. The Ao I know doesn’t usually call me by my last name like that.”

“I’m just being careful.”

I looked around and saw that there were no classmates. But you never know where someone might be watching.

Just the fact that I called Hikari by her name would be troublesome enough as it would become a rumor.

But Hikari doesn’t seem to be convinced, or didn’t understand my vague words, as she cutely puffed out her cheeks.

“I’ll call you by your name once we get off the train.”

“Promise?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Then I’ll forgive you. So, what were we talking about again?”

She tilted her head.

She has an admirable spirit in correcting the subject she had steered off topic herself.

“You’re not in any clubs, right?”

“That’s right. But sometimes I get called in as a substitute.”

“A substitute?”

“Yes. Sometimes there’s a match, but they’re short on members for various reasons.”

“Getting called occasionally and performing well… you must have a lot of potential.”

I’m honestly impressed.

I’m not particularly good at sports, so I admire people who have good athletic ability.

There have been countless times when I’ve wished I had better athletic skills.

“That’s why I actually have some free time after school. If you tell me, I can walk home with you anytime.”

“I’ll remember that.”

“Yes. I’m looking forward to it!”

When she smiles at me with such a pure smile, I feel like I have to invite her.

But asking her to walk home with me is too high a hurdle. There’s no way I could manage that in my current state.

After about ten minutes on the train, we had to transfer. We moved to another platform, got on another train, and after another twenty minutes, we arrived at the closest station to my house.

“By the way, does Kotobuki live around here too?”

“Hmm?”

“I mean, your house.”

“Whose house?”

Ah, I see. I get it.

I had been calling her Kotobuki the whole time on the train, so I’d forgotten. But still,  she didn’t have to be so particular about the timing.

“Hikari’s.”

“Not exactly in this area, but I think it’s not too far from Ao’s house either.”

Hikari, now back in a good mood, is smiling cheerfully as always. It makes me wonder if something good happened.

“Oh, really?”

“By the way, I heard from Yuzuki that you’re going to meet my dad.”

“Ah, yeah. It seems like that’s the only option.”

“That’s a relief. It’s almost too much for us to handle.”

She laughed with a slightly strained smile. The fact that Hikari, of all people, would make that kind of face just makes me even more nervous about meeting their father.

I brought up the location of the salon on my smartphone again and searched for a route from my current location.

It seems to be about a ten-minute walk from here.

Before we started walking, I turned back towards Hikari.

“Are you sure about this?”

“About what?”

“Coming with me to the salon.”

I was grateful for the offer. I realized how reassuring it is not to be alone in this situation.

“Of course. If you want, I’ll accompany you wherever you go!”

“That sounds like a dog.”

“Woof woof!”

Hikari came up to me, pretending to be a dog. I was embarrassed, so I reflexively distanced myself.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay!”

◇

The shop along the roadside had light pink exterior walls and a sign that read “PAPILLON.”

Part of the front was made of glass, but there were huge photos of some model I didn’t recognize pasted all over it, so it was hard to see inside. What’s the point of the glass?

“……”

“Aren’t you going in?”

As I hesitated in front of the door, Hikari looked at me as if to ask what I was doing.

At her level, she can probably just go in like she would in a convenience store, but for me, it’s a pretty difficult action to take.

“Yeah, just mentally preparing myself.”

“There’s no need for that. Come on, let’s go!”

Hikari took my hand and forced me inside. When I opened the door, it made a clanging sound, attracting the attention of the staff inside.

I hate this kind of feeling, no matter the situation. Stop looking at me.

“Welcome. Are you here with a reservation?”

Then, a staff member who was free came over and served me politely.

It feels like a family restaurant, and when I think about it, it’s a pretty obvious thing to do.

After all, it’s a business, so it’s their job to serve customers when they come.

“Yes! Ao, you already made a reservation, right?”

Hikari, responding energetically out of habit, suddenly paused and turned to look at me. Naturally, the staff’s gaze also turned my way.

“Uh, yes…”

“Can I have your name?”

“It’s Kirishima.”

“Oh! So You’re Kirishima-kun. I’ve heard about you from Sumomo-chan.”

Hearing my name, the staff member clasped her hands together and smiled as if she figured everything out.

“Welcome. I’m Goto, and I’ll be taking care of you today. Nice to meet you.”

She had bright brown hair with soft curls at the ends, and she was a stunning woman with an impressive figure. Wearing a tight-fitting shirt and a black pencil skirt that accentuated her curves, she exuded an adult allure that made me avert my gaze.

“Nice to meet you.”

It would’ve been better if the hairdresser was a man!

I’m not sure I can stay calm while getting my hair cut in front of such a beautiful person.

“And who is this?”

“He said he’d feel anxious alone, so I came along to keep him company.”

Goto-san laughed at Hikari-san’s polite response. I wonder if this kind of thing happens often. Looking at the other customers, they’re all alone.

“Please, right this way. It’s fine if your friend joins you as well.”

“Does this kind of thing happen often?”

I asked just in case.

Goto-san glanced at me and continued to smile.

“Not really, but I understand the feeling, so we don’t turn people away here.”

“I see…”

I sat in the chair I was shown to. Hikari was shown to a sofa nearby.

“So, is Kotobuki-san Kirishima-kun’s girlfriend?”

After introducing herself to Hikari as well, Goto-san spoke a little more frankly and closed the distance between us.

“No, we’re just friends.”

“Really. Then, are you dating Sumomo-chan?”

“I’m just friends with Hibino too.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Not at the moment.”

I’m not very good at talking about love.

I’ve never done it before, so I don’t know how to answer.

“Sumomo-chan doesn’t talk about her friends much. The only person she ever mentions is Kirishima-kun. So, I actually knew your name for quite a while.”

“Is that so? Well, Hibino doesn’t have any friends.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. In her case, it’s not that she doesn’t have any, but rather that she doesn’t need any.”

“But she’s friends with Kirishima-kun, isn’t she?”

Given the flow of the conversation, that question was bound to come up.

Hibino Sumomo doesn’t need friends.

To be precise, it seems like she’s fine with the bare minimum number of friends.

I was just chosen to be one of those bare minimum. By coincidence, I’m a loner, just like her.

“I’m curious too. I’ve always wondered why Ao and Hibino-san are always together in the classroom.”

Hikari, who had been listening to my conversation with Goto-san in silence up until this point, spoke up.

Seeing Hikari leaning forward to ask a question, Goto-san chuckled.

“Oh my, Kotobuki-san. Are you jealous?”

“I am!”