When I Helped Out At My Classy Classmate's Family Home, They Started Going All Out To Close In On Me From Every Angle. - Chapter 21: Coincidence?— 2

Coincidence?— 2

After preparing myself for the day, I ate the breakfast Yuri-san had made and left the Takamine household.

As I walked along the path to school, I glanced to my side.

“You didn’t have to wait for me, you know?”
“I wanted to wait for you.”

Standing there was Ayame.

When I woke up, Ayame was already dressed in her uniform, and Yuri-san had finished preparing breakfast. Yet Ayame waited for me to get ready, joined me for breakfast, and now was walking with me to school.

While I felt grateful, a part of me couldn’t help but feel guilty.

Sensing my thoughts, Ayame smiled gently.

“We live together, so isn’t it only natural to go to school together?”
“Is that really the case?”
“It is. So, Tetsu-kun, you don’t need to feel bad about it.”

It’s true that two cohabiting students heading to school together feels like something straight out of a classic romantic comedy.

But isn’t that kind of scenario something that only happens in fiction? Or could it actually happen in real life too?

Hmm… I just don’t know. After all, this is my first experience living with a girl.

Though I was curious, there was no way to verify it, and thinking about it wouldn’t yield an answer. Resigned, I decided to drop the matter.

Our conversation naturally reached a pause.

At that moment, I turned around.

“By the way, why are you keeping such a distance, Mikage?”

I asked about something that had been puzzling me.

As Ayame’s attendant, it was only natural that Mikage accompanied us to school. Yet, for some reason, she was walking about ten paces behind us.

Maintaining that distance, Mikage replied,

“An attendant’s role is to honor their master. It’s important to stay mindful of one’s position and follow respectfully behind them. That is a key principle.”
“But I often see you walking side by side with Ayame.”

When I pointed it out, Mikage flinched slightly.

After a brief pause, she spoke.

“…Just as information is constantly updated, the optimal solutions in every field are revised over time. I want to be the best attendant I can be for Ayame-sama. That’s why I’ve abandoned outdated principles and embraced new ones.”
“That’s right, Tetsu-kun. Mikage is very diligent, you see,” Ayame added with a smile.

Mikage’s sudden eloquence was surprising, and Ayame’s praise seemed to bolster her stance.

Although the pause before Mikage’s reply lingered in my mind, perhaps they were right?

While I couldn’t shake a subtle feeling of unease, their reasoning was sound enough that I decided to accept it.

As we continued chatting, the school came into view, and I began to notice a few students from Sakurazawa.

Without exception, they all cast curious glances at Ayame and me as we walked side by side.

It wasn’t surprising. Thanks to Mikage’s watchful nature, Ayame had never been seen walking with a male classmate before. Yet here she was, walking to school alongside me, with Mikage trailing behind without making any effort to shoo me away.

To the onlookers, it must have seemed like a major event. The students around us were clearly intrigued.

Their blatant stares pricked at me like needles. I knew they didn’t mean any harm, but it was unbearably awkward.

Unable to endure it any longer, I turned to Ayame.

“Um, hey? Shouldn’t we walk a little farther apart?”
“Why would we do that?”
“If we keep walking like this, people might start spreading weird rumors.”
“Weird rumors?”

Ayame tilted her head slightly, as if she didn’t understand.

Scratching my cheek in embarrassment, I mumbled an explanation.

“Well… like rumors that we’re, you know, dating or something.”
“Wha—!?”

Ayame’s eyes widened in surprise.

In an instant, her face flushed crimson.

With cheeks redder than an apple, Ayame lowered her head in embarrassment. She fidgeted awkwardly, her shy demeanor making me even more uncomfortable.

“S-so that’s it. Walking together makes people think we’re dating…”
“Yeah. So, we should—”

Plop.

I couldn’t manage to get the rest of my words out.

My body froze stiff.

Instead of pulling away, Ayame pressed herself tightly against me.

“Why are you clinging to me!?”
“No particular reason! I don’t mean anything weird by it! I just… suddenly felt like sticking close to you…”
“Do people even get sudden urges like that!?”
“They do! So, let’s get even closer!”
“W-wait a second! Any closer and—!”

As I flailed in panic, Ayame clung to me with an unusual burst of enthusiasm.

Normally, I would have counted on Mikage to step in and stop her, but for some reason, she remained utterly passive, merely observing the scene.

Thanks to Ayame’s antics, we drew even more attention from the surrounding students. Needless to say, their stares grew sharper and more relentless.