When an Oblivious Handsome Older Man Went Back in Time and Was Building Harlem - Chapter 26

Crackle, crackle. I can hear the sound of sparks and the excited voices. Right now, everyone is enjoying the fireworks that the coach brought. I was too old to get excited about fireworks, so I was just cracking them at the edge, unable to enjoy them like the others. I thought it would be rude not to use what the coach bought. 

“Takai-kun, aren’t you going to do fireworks with everyone?”

Shimozono-san came over and asked me.

“Uh… I can’t really make a fuss like Midori.” 

Midori was swinging around a firework. He was acting like an elementary school student, and because he was scattering sparks everywhere, he got scolded by the captain earlier. 

“Then, Yuuki-kun is indeed making too much noise, but… isn’t it just a normal day?”

“Maybe so.”

The sound of fireworks crackling echoed between us, and her face looked flushed. 

“U-um, Takai-kun.”

Shimozono-san asked me with a slightly nervous expression. 

“Is something wrong?” 

“If it’s okay with you, would you like to go somewhere together during summer vacation?” 

What is she asking for? The question echoed in my mind. Going together means just the two of us, right? Am I being asked out on a date? Questions keep popping up in my mind. Even if it is a date, this has never happened before. 

“How about walking around Chinatown and eating?” 

“I guess that’s fine…” 

When I agreed, Shimozono-san’s expression brightened up. I wonder if going out with me makes her that happy.

“Great! We’ll decide on the date later.”

Shimozono-san quickly ran back to the management group. What was that about, I wonder. Did she just invite me on a date? Kids these days are pretty forward, I think, feeling a bit like an old man. Well, I am an old man, though. Looking at Shimozono-san as she returned to the management group, it seemed like she was talking to Miwano-san.

Since I realized I liked her, Miwano-san looks sparkling. But now, Miwano-san seems somewhat clouded. For some reason, her expression has a shadow. I have some confidence in my insight because I was a police officer, but I was clueless about romantic feelings, so I was completely useless at reading girls’ expressions related to love. However, now that I’ve experienced love myself, I feel like I’ve improved a bit. Though I’m still no match for Midori.

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The fireworks were over, and we started gathering the fireworks in buckets, along with the packaging waste. Since the manager group and I had been away from the main group to set off fireworks, we were collecting the trash separately from where Midori and the others were. At that moment, I accidentally overheard the conversation between the manager group. 

“Thanks to Yuzuha-chan, I was able to talk to Takai-kun and even set up a date! I’m really grateful!”

Yuzuha, I think that was Itou-san’s first name. So, does that mean Itou-san thought of all this? 

(A date means she has some feelings for me, right? Feelings!? Shimozono-san, for me!?) 

Even though I was pouring out the water to prevent ash and fireworks from coming out of the bucket, the moment I thought Shimozono-san had feelings for me, I got so surprised that I flipped the bucket over. It’s not that I’ve never been confessed to before. But it was the first time I realized that someone close to me had feelings for me. As I was hurriedly cleaning up, Shimozono-san came over to help pick up the spilled fireworks. 

“It’s okay. I can clean it up by myself, and besides, it’s my fault for knocking it over.”

“I know because I saw a serious Takai-kun suddenly get startled by something, your eyes wide open, and fireworks bursting out.”

It was really embarrassing. I was seen by someone 20 years younger than me, unable to control my emotions. 

“Even Takai-kun does such human things, it makes me feel at ease.”

“Am I not human enough?”

I’ve often been told by Midori that I’m serious, serious, so I’ve gotten used to it, but I’ve never been told that I’m not human-like, so when I asked back, the answer was no. 

“No, it’s not that. I think Takai-kun has a playful side? Or rather, there are cute aspects too.” 

“Cute… I’m a guy, and I’m tall, so I don’t think there’s anything cute about me.”

“Hmm. It’s fine because I just think you’re cute!” 

I thought it was a bit casual, but it’s her freedom to think someone is cute, so I reconsidered. After finishing cleaning up the fireworks, I joined the other members in throwing away the trash. 

“Then, I’ll contact you again next time!” 

With that, Shimozono-san returned to the management group. I thought the momentum was amazing when I was nudged from the side.

“Aki, could it be… did you also win over Shimozono-san…!?” 

“Win over? I mean, probably not.” 

Leaving Midori behind, who was wide-eyed with his hand over his mouth like in a manga, I returned to the lodge with the other club members. On the way, Midori kept asking me what kind of relationship I had with Shimozono-san, but I simply answered that she was the manager and I was a club member. Since I realized that I like Miwano-san, I don’t want to get involved with any other girls, so if Shimozono-san confesses to me, I plan to turn her down. Just in case, since Midori often gets confessions, I think I’ll ask him for a good way to decline.