Chapter 15: The Rampage of a Lovestruck Maiden

The incident that brought him closer to Sakurasaki ended in an instant, and Daikichi, with an indescribable feeling stirring within him, headed home.

After that, time passed—it was the following Sunday. Daikichi suddenly realized that he had nothing planned for the day.

Because of the large number of students, many teachers came in to work on Sundays, and when extra hands were needed, Daikichi was often called upon; even when they weren’t, Eleanor frequently entrusted him with Sachiko.

However, it seemed the school had finally sorted out their upcoming plans, and even Eleanor was able to take a proper day off—she had planned to go out with Sachiko.

Since Daikichi was regarded as family, Eleanor naturally invited him, but he felt it would be awkward to intrude on their private parent-child time, so he fibbed, saying, “I’ve got something to do,” and declined.

Eleanor understood Daikichi’s intentions. But on the other hand, Sachiko threw a fit, determined to drag Daikichi along…

“Daikichi, let’s go together!”

“I’ve got something to do. Besides, Sachiko, it’d be nice for you to enjoy some time alone with Mama Eleanor every now and then.”

“Something to do? That’s definitely a lie! Mama might not notice your fibs, but I know you better than she does—I won’t be fooled!”

“Why are you so insistent on taking me along?”

When Daikichi asked in exasperation for a reason, Sachiko, while glancing at Eleanor busy getting ready to go out, whispered her true feelings.

“Mama, when it’s just the two of us, all she does is lecture me. But when you’re around, everything calms down.”

According to Sachiko, when Daikichi is present, Eleanor’s lecturing eases off—in other words, she wants him out as a sort of buffer.

Hearing that she needed Daikichi for a pleasant Sunday, he felt a tinge of sympathy for Sachiko and a desire to indulge her a bit; however, he also realized that it wouldn’t do her any good.

He thought it might rob Sachiko of the chance to develop her own problem-solving skills or learn how to cope with challenges.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with relying on others, and being able to do so sincerely is important.

But sometimes one must experience handling things alone—after all, that’s how everyone grows up, Daikichi reasoned as he gently patted Sachiko’s shoulder (pat pat).

“Remember this, Daikichi.”

“I won’t remember that.”

“Eek!”

“Let’s go, Sachiko!”

Watching Sachiko, who was gritting her teeth as Eleanor dragged her, Daikichi began pondering how to spend the day.

“Should I just sleep, or should I go out…?”

As Daikichi grumbled about his many options, Tsubaki messaged him as if she could read his mind: “Are you free today?”

What intuition—no, more like, given that recent events had drawn them closer, the barrier to asking had lowered, so she casually asked without a second thought.

Since Daikichi had been planning to spend the day alone, he politely declined Tsubaki’s invitation.

When he quickly replied, “I’ve got something to do,” and was about to close the app, Tsubaki immediately responded.

『Cheapskate』

That curt parting remark meant that Tsubaki wasn’t going to pester him further.

Daikichi hesitated, wondering whether he should reply.

However, knowing that one wrong move might trigger Tsubaki’s stubborn pride into taking forceful measures, he decided not to engage further and closed the app.

“Well then”

He put his smartphone away and resumed pondering his plans for the day.

He stood in front of his bookshelf and glanced at his study guides, but he just didn’t feel like studying.

He considered switching his mood by watching some funny videos, but those were usually enjoyed with Sachiko, and alone they just wouldn’t be as fun…

“Should I go out… get some fresh air…”

Thinking that staying cooped up at home might only add to his stress, Daikichi finally decided to step out for a walk to pass the time.

Being Sunday, the streets were more crowded than on weekdays.

While many people dislike and get irritated by crowds, Daikichi actually enjoyed the bustling scene.

Amid the throng, he was reminded of how small and insignificant his place in the world was.

And that realization was oddly comforting.

It was much like a cat curling up in a cramped space and sleeping soundly.

Of course, since humans can never truly understand a cat’s feelings, one can’t say for sure—it’s just a possibility.

So, with no particular destination in mind, Daikichi wandered around aimlessly.

At times, he followed the flow of the crowd; at other times, he went against it, heading in less crowded directions, or even took the loop line and got off at a random stop.

Before he knew it, the time had shifted from morning to afternoon.

Although he had killed a good chunk of time, it still felt like the day was far from over.

And then, at that moment—

――Ah, I just spotted Daichan-senpai! What an incredible coincidence… maybe fate.

Daikichi suddenly felt someone’s gaze and turned around.

Then, a girl swiftly darted behind a nearby cover.

“……”

As Daikichi stared fixedly at the hiding spot, the girl peeked out to observe him, but realizing quickly that he was looking her way, she hurriedly hid again.

For a brief moment, Daikichi caught a clear glimpse of the face watching him, and he instantly recognized who it was.

“Did she just spot me by chance and then hide…?”

Normally, in such situations both parties pretend they didn’t notice and go on with their day, but Daikichi couldn’t shake the fact that the girl was Sakurasaki.

He felt an inexplicable unease in his chest.

When you happen to see someone you like in the city… what do you do?

Some just watch, while others might call out; everyone reacts differently, and some even behave in unusual ways.

Especially since Sakurasaki lacked any romantic experience and wasn’t used to the opposite sex, she was highly likely to act unconventionally.

Of course, that was merely a possibility, and she might simply let Daikichi pass by without further incident.

Understanding that being overly suspicious of others isn’t good, Daikichi decided to return to his walk for now.

However… as is often the case, things didn’t go as smoothly as he’d hoped.

Labeling it the “Sunday afternoon session” in his mind, Daikichi took a break by enjoying a light lunch and coffee at a cozy café, then visited a bookstore to browse the new releases.

――I see… um, I don’t really like heavy meals, so I sometimes stop by a bookstore. (He jotted it down on his smartphone.)

And every now and then… Daikichi casually turned around, and each time, he clearly saw Sakurasaki’s figure. Every time he did, she hastily hid.

“Huh⁉️”

She probably hid thinking she hadn’t been caught, but every time, Daikichi’s eyes caught her clearly.

Sakurasaki couldn’t let the chance encounter end so simply; unable to contain her racing heartbeat, she began to tail him.

Moreover, she even tried to figure out his tastes.

If this continued, she might even discover the location of his apartment, and Daikichi began to feel a surge of panic.