When I read the heart of the never-smiling princess, for some reason she had already fallen head over heels in love for me. - v1 Chapter 31

Chapter 31 : Princess gets into a fight with the Grade Schooler

The Sunday after the cleanup volunteer event—I was at the station by 5 a.m.

Sitting on a bench with a distant view of the semicircular bus rotary, I observe the passengers lining up at the bus stop.

If my hunch is correct, Minami-san and that boy, Adachi should show up here. The “university hospital” Adachi mentioned in his thoughts likely refers to Jidai Affiliated Hospital, the only one in town. For two students heading there, a route bus is the quickest option.

That said, my only clues were “Sunday” and “university hospital.” I have no idea on the time, nor the meeting spot.

So here I am, scouring the bus rotary for them at this ungodly hour.

…Objectively, I feel a wave of emptiness. The word “stalker” keeps flickering in my mind.

(Even though I could just leave them be.)

It was a date between a Grade schooler and a high schooler, there’s no way anything serious happening with that. They’ll mess around and call it a day.

Still, the only reason I can’t stop worrying about their movements is because of Minami-san’s behavior.

She’s known to do slightly unconventional things, but there’s always a logical reason behind them. Agreeing to a date just to get a kid to participate in class? That’s overkill, almost reckless, as if she was being blackmailed to do this. Frankly, it’s not like her at all.

Plus, they way that Adachi boy mentioned the university hospital was nagging me. Nobody goes to a hospital for a date.

If nothing’s wrong, That’s well and fine. But the fact that there’s a shady vibe in this makes me uneasy.

If something weird happens and she gets caught up in it, being nearby versus not makes a world of difference.

(But if I get caught… she’ll definitely be totally feel disillusioned huh.)

If she finds out I was tailing her because I was worried about her “date” with a kid, she’ll be beyond disillusioned. It’s the kind of thing that’d kill a thousand-year crush.

But there’s no helping it, though. Call me heavy-handed or narrow-minded, I don’t care.

Because thinking about her has already become a part of me.

I gulp down some water from a PET bottle and check the time: 5:30 a.m. Still too early, but without knowing their meeting time, I have no choice but to stake out from the start.

An hour passes. No sign of them.

Another hour goes. Then, two hours. Three hours.

By 10 a.m., the station is bustling with weekend crowds. I pretended to be waiting for someone and sat glued to the bench.

Eleven o’clock rolls around. Still nothing.

As expected huh, a sense of resignation creeps in.

Maybe they meant next Sunday. Or they took a taxi to the hospital. Or it’s a different university hospital altogether. I bet on them coming here, but what are the odds I’m right?

Just as I’m debating leaving, was when—

“Come on, just follow me already!”

A loud voice echoes across the station.

When I turn toward, there’s a boy in shorts and a T-shirt and,

“This is a date right? Then let’s go over to the arcade now.”

A beautiful girl wearing a one-piece sky-blue dress.

With her long black hair full tied up, and adorned with a straw boater hat. She looked refreshing, cute, and suits her— Minami-san perfectly.

(There they are!)

A shiver runs through me. I feel like fate’s on my side for nailing this.

But the thrill fades like a ripple. Something’s off about them. I quickly move, ducking into a spot where I can eavesdrop without being seen.

Minami-san was crouching to meet Adachi boy’s eye level.

“As I said, the date thing was all a lie… I just need you to come to the hospital with me.”

“Calm down, Adachi-kun.”

Minami-san’s tone sharpens, almost scolding.

“I understand you used the date as an excuse to get me to the hospital. But why are you doing this?”

“…See, I’m sorry for tricking you. But there’s someone I really need you to meet. I want you to pretend to be my girlfriend in front of him. Please.”

(P–Pretend to be his girlfriend…!?)

Really what is this, I have never heard this happening unless a fictional trope?

It sounds like there’s a really complicated circumstances surrounding him, but adding on to the context about having her accompany him to the hospital, nope, I can’t grasp the full picture at all.

“Pretending to be a girlfriend, sounds like another really problematic proposal now. And then meeting someone at a hospital—does that mean, you want me to visit someone who’s admitted in there?”

‘Fuu’ Minami-san sighs heavily, and looks him straight in the eye.

“Adachi-kun, I don’t know what your reasons are, but I and you only met yesterday. Especially if this involves someone under treatment, where it could have serious consequences after that, I can’t agree to it. I can’t take responsibility if something goes wrong because of that. That’s just how much of a stranger you are to me, for me to think on those lines.”

“…!”

Her blunt merciless words catch me off guard. She’s this harsh even with a grade kid student?

As Adachi looks down, Minami-san takes his arm.

“However, I can at least listen to your story. You must have some reasons right?”

“…”

“We could go on that date after this, as promised. It might not be fun with me, but playing around could lift up your spirits.”

“But… he’s suffering, even right now. I want to cheer him up.”

“That’s—”

Minami-san, for some reason, cuts off her own words abruptly, lowers her eyes, and said,

“Ask someone else.”

“…Fine, I understand. Then forget about it. Thanks for coming, though.”

“Don’t say that. Let’s talk a bit more.”

“Haah!? Just why! Don’t wanna!”

Adachi boy starts thrashing, trying to free his gripped arm. Minami-san’s slender arm swings wildly, but the strength difference between a high schooler and a Grade schooler keeps him from breaking free.

(W–why’s Minami-san the one insisting now?)

If he wants to leave, then just let him go.

Because of this, the commotion drew attention from nearby adults. Some looked almost ready to intervene.

This is bad. Before I could think, I had stepped out in front of them.

“Oi, oi, what are you now, troubling Oneesan that much?”

Pretending to have just arrived, I approach them with a laugh.

“Kou…!?”

Adachi looked taken aback and stunned, on the other hand, Minami-san’s eyes were wide in shock.

“W–why are you here!?”

“Just passing when I saw you two. Rather than that, just what’s going on?”

“Perfect timing! She’s trying to make me go on a date, even though I don’t want to!”

Nope, you’re the one who asked her out, you little punk dimwit.

But his words are really stirring suspicion among the adults. I really do need to defuse this situation somehow.

“You really are an idiot, man. There’s no chance Minami-san’s not into shotas? Right?”

“Y-Yes. For me, it is someone my age, a bit clumsy, bad at socializing, tends to undervalue himself, but is actually incredibly kind, pure, sincere, and would give his all to left my spirits up—That sort of really cool person is my type.”

That’s definitely about one specific person. Really, thanks a lot for that answer.

But, her response was good enough to shut Adachi boy’s drama down. Now’s my chance!

“I’ll hear about your details later patiently. It’s hot here—let’s move somewhere else.”

*Hyoi-tto

I hoist Adachi up by his torso.

“Hey, stop!” He flails left and right, but restraining a kid is easy-peasy.

“Really sorry about this, this kid’s from our neighborhood. Sometimes he sneaks out without telling his parents, so I’m always tasked with bringing him back.”

I flash a friendly wry smile at the adults. Being addressed, they scatter away uninterested to their own plans for the day. Now folks, that’s how you take care of kids like these.

“That’s a lie! Let me go, jerk!”

‘All I wanted was to convince Chiaki, why’s this happening to me…!’

“It’s about Chiaki huh.”

As I mutter just loud enough for Adachi to hear, he freezes up immediately.

“H-How do you—”

“Who knows? For how, let’s move to a different place shall we.”

Saying that, as I turned around, Minami-san was gripping the skirt of her dress tightly. Her expression, was not just slightly awkward—it’s blatantly uncomfortable.

“Minami-san, you too, please.”

As if resigned, she nods and accepts.