When I Brought The Lost Little Girl To Her House, The One Who Came Out Of The Front Door Was The Most Beautiful Girl In The Grade. - Chapter 41

“Honestly, I have no idea.”

As Mimura stretched his body, he suddenly began saying such things.

“What’s up, all of a sudden?”

“Well, you know, even if they tell me to come up with a role for the play, I’m not sure what kind of role Cinderella has.”

“Y-yeah, you’re right…”

Now that he mentioned it, it was true. Cinderella was a famous title, and everyone knew the name of the masterpiece, but if asked whether they really knew it, they might end up saying no.

“Should we go buy a Cinderella picture book now?”

“Nah, I think we’ll be fine without buying one.”

“But you know, if we’re going to do this, I want to make sure it’s a good play.”

“Well, even if you don’t know the roles, couldn’t you just work backstage or something?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t have that peculiar taste for getting pleasure from working backstage.”

Being called someone who enjoys working behind the scenes didn’t sit well with me.

When I gave Mimura a slightly stern look, he hurriedly came over to clear up the misunderstanding.

“Not like that, I didn’t say that to everyone working backstage, just to you.”

“Well, what’s that supposed to mean…”

“Just because I don’t get pleasure from it…”

“I get it! My bad. Sorry.”

“…It’s fine.”

Why did I have to engage in this kind of argument with Mimura, like a couple’s fight?

Mimura looked at me with sparkling eyes, and I was at a loss for how to respond.

I stood there like a statue, lost in thought.

“Well, you’re probably not cut out for backstage work, right?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, well, why that is will be a surprise for you~”

“Huh? Hey!”

Before I could ask him for the reason, Mimura dashed off and ran away from me.

“Hey, hey, that guy’s too fast…”

I muttered while catching my breath.

As I walked slowly to catch my breath, I felt something bump into my lower back from behind.

There was Ayano’s younger sister Natsuno, with familiar short black hair.

“What are you doing?”

“Kuroda, I’m tired…”

“Oh, I see… So, what about this?”

“I’m tired, so piggyback~”

This, this little girl! She completely looks down on me. At times like this, if Ayano were here… That’s right, if I mention Ayano’s name…”

“Shall I tell your big sister? Is that okay?”

“Ugh… Kuroda, you’re mean.”

“I’m tired too today!”

“You’re bad at lying.”

“Why do you just assume I’m lying?”

Why do I have to be teased by the younger sister of the person I like… Oh, I just realized, there was someone else behind Nanano.

It was a boy. He was glaring at me intensely.

All this time, Nanano kept tugging at my school uniform.

“Hey, Nanano, do you know that guy?”

“Oh! Shou-kun! He’s the most popular boy in the class.”

“Ah, okay, got it.”

In other words, this kid probably likes Nanano. Maybe.

Nanano was paying all her attention to me, and he seemed jealous. The innocent love of elementary school students is so bittersweet.

As I pondered such things, the boy pointed his finger at me.

“Hey, Natsu, who’s this old guy?”

“Huh?!?”

No way, did I mishear that? Me, a high schooler, being called an old guy…

“Kuroda, he’s a nice guy.”

“That’s my introduction? Just that?”

“Hmm.”

He’s looking at me like he wants me to introduce myself. I’m afraid I might end up saying something like “Who do you think you’re calling a little brat?” and that scares me.

“I’m Kuroda Yuusei, a high school student. Nice to meet you.”

“Hmm, I’m Shou. Nice to meet you, old man.”

“W-wait, wait, ‘old man’? Your choice of words is a bit off, isn’t it?”

“…Hey, Natsuno, want to go to the candy store?”

Ignore the elementary schooler here!

Seriously, this is so frustrating.

“Well, since I finally met Kuroda today, I’m going to play with Kuroda.”

“Tch, fine.”

“Why are you angry~?”

“Natsuno, how about you two go to the candy store together? Actually, just go.”

Somehow, if I give in to her demands and play with Natsuno here, the intense hostility and jealousy from behind will be too much for me to bear.

This might even create a rift in their future relationship. I have to prevent that at all costs.

“But… um…”

“Just go already!”

“O-okay! You’re scary, Kuroda.”

“Oh, sorry.”

As I crouched down to apologize to Natsuno, I heard a thumping sound on my head from behind.

For a moment, I didn’t understand what had happened.

When I turned around, Shou was holding his school bag in both hands as if it were heavy.

I understood then. I had been hit on the head with a school bag.

“Shou-kun, maybe we should stop, it’s dangerous?”

I tried to calm down my anger and urge to retaliate. I managed to suppress the urge to get angry right away.

“Natsuno, if you play with this guy, you’ll become an old lady too.”

“Huh? I-it’s true?”

“Yeah, so let’s all go to the candy store together.”

I had reached my limit. Something snapped within me.

“Hey! You little brat!”

Just as I was about to get angry, a searing pain shot through my lower body – more precisely, my groin.

Shou’s straight punch had delivered a knockout blow to my groin.

I laid down to ease the pain. I wasn’t sure if it would actually help, but it’s something men instinctively do in situations like this.

“Natsuno, hurry! This way!”

“Uh, okay…?”

As I lay there, all I could think about was my groin and that annoying kid.

“That brat, if he does this again, I’ll give him a piece of my mind and make him cry. Unlike Shirasaka, I’m not gentle.”

Natsuno and her friend were no longer within sight.

All that remained was my embarrassing defeat by an elementary schooler and the painful sensation in my groin.