Chapter 04: The Person with Big Boobs

“Come to think of it, I noticed this at the 100-yen shop too, but Daichan-senpai, you actually live a surprisingly normal life, huh?”

“I believe I said you don’t need to be interested in what kind of life I usually lead.”

“But I can’t help being curious.”

“Well, it’s normal. …Though, speaking of 100-yen shops, don’t they sometimes have items that are actually pricey if you think about the quantity? With makeup and such, wouldn’t some other places be cheaper in reality?”

“Maybe if you calculated the volume or something, other places might be cheaper. But if you just want to gather a full variety for now, it feels like the 100-yen shop is more convenient? It’s also easier to keep track of your total.”

Her way of talking was casual, but the fact that she used the word “calculate” made Daikichi Sakoda vaguely realize she did have a handle on her studies.

At the same time, Daikichi was a bit surprised at how well he could converse with Hanakumori Sakurazaki.

He’d always tried to evade her, avoiding proper conversation, and also assumed that since she came from an ordinary household, they wouldn’t really connect in a back-and-forth discussion.

Still, if he thought about it a bit, there was nothing mysterious about it.

Though Daikichi was from an old noble family, his lifestyle was actually normal, which meant it was close to Sakurazaki’s—a girl from a regular home.

Daikichi found himself momentarily slipping into self-loathing, thinking he might be an idiot for only just realizing that fact now.

Right then,

Daikichi’s phone buzzed.

He saw it was a chat message from Eleanor. Apparently, an emergency staff meeting was starting soon, so she couldn’t pick up Sachiko. She wanted Daikichi to go get her.

“Daichan-senpai, what’s up? You’re suddenly on your phone…”

“Something came up.”

“Huh? A friend? Or maybe your dad or mom… but that can’t be it, right? You said they’re overseas.”

“I don’t have friends to begin with. It’s just a personal errand. At any rate, I’m leaving now.”

“Wait, wait!”

“I already paid the bill, so don’t worry about it. I did it while you were in the restroom.”

Daikichi hadn’t wanted that awkwardness at the register, so he had quietly paid for everything while she was gone.

Apparently, Sakurazaki felt it was too much consideration on his part.

She was angry.

“You paid for it without telling me? You’re supposed to split costs like this! I’m not the kind of girl who wants to be treated all the time!”

“I know that. That’s why I told you not to worry about it. See you.”

Daikichi stood with a soft grunt and headed outside. Immediately, an upset Sakurazaki, who clearly didn’t agree with his actions, came running after him.

“You can’t just leave like that!”

“I said I have something to do.”

“Then I’ll go with you!”

Daikichi paused and looked at Sakurazaki. She was breathing heavily, as though dead set on joining him.

She didn’t look ready to give up, but since she was a student, she could only hound him until it got too late; Daikichi figured that if he just took enough time, she would eventually have to go home.

However, if he did that, picking up Sachiko would only be delayed.

It was nearly sunset.

Kids at after-school care were probably getting picked up and going home. Soon enough, Sachiko would be left alone.

(…That’d be sad for Sachiko.)

So, Daikichi resigned himself to letting Sakurazaki tag along.

“I’m definitely coming with you!”

“Got it. Suit yourself.”

“Y-you’re okay with it? Then I’m going with you.”

Apparently not expecting Daikichi to say yes so easily, Sakurazaki looked completely taken aback. She resembled a startled rabbit that’d abruptly stood on its hind legs.

And the fact that Daikichi’s destination was after-school care would only throw Sakurazaki into further confusion.

By the time they arrived at the after-school care center, the sky had grown dark. Almost all the kids had already been picked up, and the ones Sachiko usually hung out with were gone too, leaving her alone, drawing pictures.

When Daikichi waved to her from the window, Sachiko lit up, slung on her school bag, and hurried over, calling “Daikichi—!”

“So it’s not Mama picking me up today, either.”

Sachiko clung to his leg with all her might, and Daikichi gently patted her head.

“Apparently there was a sudden meeting, and who knows when it’ll end. It’s work, after all.”

“I see. Mama’s a grown-up, so work can’t be helped… Huh? Who’s that person over there?”

Sachiko noticed Sakurazaki, who stood next to Daikichi, still unsure of what was going on. Wearing a puzzled expression, she pointed at Sakurazaki and wanted an explanation.

“She’s a girl at my school. One year below me.”

“Is she your girlfriend, Daikichi?”

“No, she isn’t. We just got a little tangled up in something.”

“She has really big boobs… even though she’s not that tall… She probably wears a bra so huge that if you hung it out to dry, people’d be taken aback. Daikichi, do you like big boobs? Do you maybe also like Mama?”

“I don’t judge people by that sort of thing.”

As Daikichi and Sachiko chatted like that, Sakurazaki timidly spoke up.

“Um… is she your sister, Daichan-senpai? You two don’t look alike, though.”

“She isn’t my sister.”

“Then is she a relative’s child?”

“Not that, either.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean just that. I was asked to pick her up.”

“Is this some kind of local volunteer thing?”

“No. I don’t do that. It’s surely important, but I don’t have the free time for it.”

Daikichi denied each of Sakurazaki’s guesses. Possibly unable to watch them go in circles, Sachiko broke into the conversation.

“Hey, you with the big boobs.”

“Huh? ‘You with the big boobs’… That’s me?”

“Yup.”

“W-what a rude way to address someone…”

“Daikichi’s close with my Mama, so he comes to pick me up.”

It wasn’t incorrect, but it was phrased in a way that could easily cause misunderstanding. Indeed, Sakurazaki’s stunned interpretation of Sachiko’s words left her frozen in place.

Daikichi knew Sachiko meant no harm; she tilted her head with a baffled look.

“He’s close with this girl’s mom… Does that mean he’s having an affair with a married woman? Or maybe he’s seeing a single mom or something…?”

But letting such misinformation stand didn’t feel great either. Daikichi decided he’d give a brief explanation.

“Sakurazaki, you know our school’s English teacher, Eleanor-sensei, right?”

“…Eleanor-sensei from Scotland?”

“Right. She’s my next-door neighbor in the apartment building. Also, back when Eleanor-san was a foreign exchange student in Japan, my grandparents helped her find a place to live and so on, so we already knew each other.”

“…So that means?”

“Since we’re not strangers, she sometimes asks me to pick up her daughter if she can’t make it. Our apartments are right next to each other, physically.”

Daikichi wasn’t lying, though there were details he deliberately omitted because they’d only complicate things. For instance, the fact that Eleanor was Daikichi’s legal guardian after he lost his parents.

Normally, his uncle—his only adult relative, and Sazanka Tsubaki’s father—would have been the logical choice. However, because he married into the Sazanka family, and for various reasons involving that side of the family, it wasn’t so simple.

His uncle apparently wished he could have taken Daikichi in, but that was obviously impossible, and even at a young age, Daikichi felt he shouldn’t burden him any further.

Thus, when Eleanor learned of Daikichi’s situation—that he had no one—she took pity on him and became his legal guardian, having known his grandparents.

However, Daikichi decided that Sakurazaki didn’t need all those details.

He glanced at her to see if she was satisfied with his explanation.

She seemed to have a general understanding, but also looked like she needed just a bit more convincing.

“I feel like you’re not lying, but I still can’t be totally sure. Are you going home now?”

“Yes. I’m not about to take Sachiko out on the town at night.”

“Then I’m coming along to your place, too.”

Why…? Daikichi’s cheek twitched at the thought.