The boy took off his baseball cap and rubbed his face with his hands.
Putting on an expression with a faint smile, he picked up his handbag on the floor and pushed open the door.
"I'm back."
Two pairs of uniform shoes, one dark and one light, were neatly placed at the entrance. The conversation of girls could be heard in the room.
"Even if you say you haven't done it, it's not something worth trying."
"I said if you want to try, just let me try. Come on, what should I do?"
"Pfft... Well, then, first of all, the direction is reversed. The side with the collar should be facing down, and then spread out."
Sayu's smiling words sounded in the living room, followed by Asami's questioning voice.
"like this?"
"That's right, then fold the sleeves on both sides in half towards the middle."
"Middle, where is the middle?"
"This is it."
I walked towards the inside and saw two girls sitting around on the ground. In the middle was a clothes basket filled with clothes to dry.
And what Asami did at this time...
It seems like... folding clothes?
Kato Yusuke couldn't help but be confused, "What are you doing?"
"Ah, Yusuke, welcome back~!"
Seeing the person coming, Sayu was about to get up from the ground, but Asami grabbed her arm.
"Wait, wait, what to do now?"
The blond girl holding a piece of clothing said this, and then quickly said to Yusuke: "I'm sorry Kato-chan, but now let me lend you Sayu-chan!"
Sitting next to Sayu, Kato Yusuke simply looked at her like this. At the same time, he held the former's hand and gave him a "What's going on?" look.
Feel the warmth coming from your hands.
As if she felt comfortable, Sayu leaned her body against the boy's body.
Looking at Asami in front of her, the girl did not rest her head on Kato Yusuke's shoulder after all. She just wrapped the other person's hand with her other hand, and then explained with a funny smile.
"It's Asami. She wants to try folding clothes, so she asked me to teach her."
While talking, Asami did not forget to guide the hand pupil in the following steps. After each step was completed, the other party's face lit up and he kept asking the girl "How was it?"
Different from his usual noisy and mature appearance, he actually looks quite fresh.
quickly……
"It's done!"
"It's done."
"Can I try those too?"
"It's better to say it helped a lot."
Facing Asami who was not yet fully enjoying herself, Sayu smiled and nodded in agreement, and once again took out a few T-shirts from the clothes basket and handed them to her.
This time, Asami, who no longer waited for instructions, took action directly.
Looking at the other party's attentive look, Kato Yusuke asked: "Have you never done these things before?"
"Yes, not once."
Asami, who was folding clothes, nodded indifferently, "The housekeeping aunt will do this kind of work. She will come to the house to clean the house every other day, and then go back after washing the clothes."
"Ah... I actually said it was the housekeeping aunt."
Sayu was a little surprised and said: "Although I know that this kind of service exists, I never thought that one day I would hear about it from my friend."
Hear this.
Mami laughed twice at first, and then shook her head mockingly, "The school I went to had a lot of wealthy families, but even so, it was rare to hear of anyone hiring a housekeeping aunt, so this
It’s hard to talk about things like this.”
There was a little desolation in his tone.
"Um, Asami..."
Looking at each other with the boy next to him, Sayu couldn't help but want to say something, but was interrupted by the other party.
"It's done! Perfect, right?"
Asami gently raised the beautifully folded T-shirt in her hand and smiled happily.
Seeing this scene, Sha Qi was slightly startled, and then a gentle smile appeared on his face.
"Perfect, perfect."
The girl said: "Thank you, Mami, you've been a big help."
"No, I should just say thank you. I'm so happy~!"
Asami hummed with satisfaction: "So, how much score can Sayu-sensei give to folding clothes this time?"
"Hmm - if it's 100 points...it's 100 points."
"Full marks! Damn it! I really have this talent~"
Facing the girl's praise, Asami smiled with great satisfaction and nodded repeatedly.
Even Sayu shook her shoulders and laughed in amusement.
The atmosphere seemed extremely cheerful.
Only then did Asami have time to turn her attention to another person.
As they looked at each other, some scenes from last night suddenly appeared in his mind.
With an unnatural expression, she moved her mouth and said: "... Speaking of which, today is obviously the weekend, and you were called to the school to handle the work of the student union. Katozai has also worked hard."
Kato Yusuke replied as usual, "It's okay." Then he chuckled and said to the two girls: "It can't be said that it's hard work. Plus, I got a good consolation gift when I went out this time. Let's eat together while there are many people."
Bar."
"Condolences... products...?"
Sayu turned his head slightly and looked involuntarily towards the other party, just in time to see the corner of the shopping bag exposed.
"Hey, this is-?"
As she leaned forward slightly, a pleasant scent of shampoo entered Kato Yusuke's nose.
"It's a honeydew melon." Kato Yusuke, who rubbed the other person's head, said in a gentle tone, and then took out the contents of the packaging bag.
As a faint fragrance hit their nostrils, a crystal green gem appeared in front of the two women.
The fruit is tall and round, with a gray-green outer skin covered with a thin rope-like uniform network pattern, and a dead leaf at the top.
The appearance is quite high.
"Is this a Yubari melon?" Asami on the side said somewhat uncertainly, but was denied by Kato Yusuke.
"No, it's Alsmi Melon." said the boy who shook his head.
"Alsmi melon?"
Subconsciously repeating the other person's words, Asami continued: "Isn't that a specialty of Ibaraki Prefecture? Did someone give it to you?"
Kato Yusuke did not answer this, but just looked at the girl next to him and said: "How is it? Since everyone is here, do you want to cut it up and eat it now?"
"Ah, then I'll go prepare-"
"No, you can just sit here. I'd better go."
Holding Sayu's shoulders as he tried to get up from the ground, Kato Yusuke, who was holding a melon in his arms, walked towards the kitchen without saying anything.
"…Uh-? But."
Looking at the other person's back, the girl couldn't help but mumbled in a low voice: "You clearly said that I will be responsible for the housework..."
There was an inexplicable hint of resentment in his tone.
Hearing this, Asami immediately showed a speechless expression, and at the same time couldn't help but sigh in her heart, "This girl is hopeless."
His eyes wandered between Kato Yusuke in the kitchen and Sayu beside him, and an indescribable feeling came to his heart again.
One side wants to give it all, and the other side is willing to take risks.
'Perhaps...only people like Katozai can protect Sayu Meizai?' Thinking of this, her eyes became extremely complicated.
He couldn't help but let out a soft sigh: "I always feel that the fate of these two people has been completely connected..."
"Eh……?"
The girl who heard her murmur immediately turned her head, "Did you just say something? Asami."
"No—nothing."
After gathering her emotions, Asami said, "You mean, you don't even have a TV at home, which makes me feel super boring——!"
She laid her body on the floor of the room with a "thud" and complained in an exaggerated tone: "Are there nothing interesting?"
"If you feel bored——"
Kato Yusuke's voice came from the kitchen, "Why don't you read the reference books you put on the table first? I think it's almost time for you to take the exam."
"I would do this even if you didn't say it."
First she subconsciously retorted, and then Asami changed her words again: "But now I want to take a rest."
"Is this what is called not working hard before the exam and relying on koi for the exam?" Kato Yusuke continued.
"What! You, a person who failed a class at the beginning of school, are completely unqualified to criticize me, right??"
In an instant, Asami was so excited that she sat up from the ground, "Besides, you are still the student council president. Be careful that your poor grades this time will be true!"
In this regard, Kato Yusuke said indifferently: "I don't need you to worry about this matter. If there are no surprises, I should be able to get the first place in the class this time."
"What? With that kind of attitude, they say you are too arrogant, Katozai." Asami frowned angrily.
"Pfft...your relationship has improved~"
Seeing the bickering between the two, Sayu couldn't help but giggle.
When the laughter reached his ears, Kato Yusuke's expressionless face suddenly became a little warmer.
However, the two of them didn't notice the abnormality because they were carrying it on their backs.
As for Asami, while denying Sayu's words, she pulled her to look at the phone together.
The sound came out through the speaker of the mobile phone, and it sounded like an idol drama.
at this time--
"A piece of news is inserted below. A vicious injury occurred on a train from Tokyo to Ibaraki today, resulting in the death of a man on the spot. The case is currently being investigated by the local Metropolitan Police Department..."
"Hey, I actually said it was Ibaraki."
Asami, who was watching the news, suddenly said: "The honeydew melons that Katozai brought back are from the same place. What a coincidence."
"Um... I think it's better not to use this term, Mami." Sayu answered with some trouble.
"Click——"
The sound of sharp knives came from the kitchen.
"The honeydew melon is ready to eat. Put your reference books away first, Asami."
Kato Yusuke came over with a plate on which were placed evenly sized honeydew melons.
"I'm starting." x3
Putting it on the vacant table, the three of them quickly started enjoying it.
…
As the fruit is cut, the fragrant aroma becomes more intense.
With one bite, a small gap appeared in the orange-red flesh supported by the green skin.
It's sweet and juicy at the same time, which makes you appetite.
"So sweet! And delicious~!"
A pair of eyes narrowed in happiness, and the girl couldn't help but sigh.
With his eyes lingering on the other person's face, Kato Yusuke took out a tissue and gently wiped the juice from his mouth before speaking.
"Is it too early to decide to go to work tomorrow? Do you want to rest for two more days?"
After a brief pause, he continued: "Actually, it doesn't matter even if you don't go to work. I'll be at Xia Comi soon. I'm here——"
"Hey, I don't want it."
Sayu shook his head and said: "Although I understand that Yusuke is worried about me, it's okay. I will be more careful in the future, and Asami also said that she will come back with me after get off work recently, even if it is that person..."
After a moment of silence, the girl continued: "I think if this is the case, even that person will definitely not act rashly, so it's no problem!"
Looking at the face that was slightly tense because of the concentration of seriousness and strength, Kato Yusuke just remained silent, but refused to nod.
The atmosphere seemed a bit solemn.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Asami suddenly said: "Hey, Sayu, can you let me talk to Kato alone next?"
"……Huh--?"
As soon as these words came out, not only Sayu was confused, but even Kato Yusuke also looked over.
There was an inexplicable emotion in a pair of black eyes, but he didn't let him look away.
"Talk...alone?"
His eyes wandered between the two of them, Sayu's expression was a little hesitant, and finally settled on the young man's face, as if he was waiting for the other party's answer.
Maybe more than ten seconds passed, or maybe a few minutes passed.
Kato Yusuke nodded slowly and said a good word.
Then he said to Sayu next to him: "Then let's go outside to chat. You wait for me here."
After rubbing the other person's head, he stood up and walked outside.
Asami followed closely behind, smiling and making a "I have everything" gesture to Sayu.
So the two of them came to the door of the apartment together.
As the sound of the door closing sounded from behind, Kato Yusuke looked at Asami without saying a word, waiting for her to speak.
Seeing this, Asami didn't hesitate much. She just gave the other party a "Follow me" expression and then walked downstairs.
She found a corner where no one could hear the conversation, took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. It doesn't matter even if you hate me for it, but don't do that kind of thing again.
Kato-kun."
Both her expression and tone were very solemn, and this was the first time she called Yusuke Kato by his name.
"Anyway——"
Asami continued to talk: "I thought about what happened yesterday for a long time when I got back. Please believe that regarding Sayu's kiss, I feel the same way as you do about that bastard."
"Even if it can't be handled by calling the police, in the case of that man, we will definitely be able to find some other flaw in him to punish him."
In a slow and firm tone, the girl weaved her words: "Whether you believe it or not, I will definitely make that bastard Yaguchi get the punishment he deserves. So don't worry, even if I go to work, I will definitely do well."
I can swear to protect Sayuki and not let her be in danger again!"
After saying this, he bowed deeply.
After staring at Asami in front of him for a long time, Kato Yusuke slowly opened his mouth and said "I understand."
Then he turned around and walked towards the apartment.