The office door opened again, this time from the inside. Two girls, a mother and a daughter, came out, and I followed behind them.
According to the excuse I'd made up, I was going to the flower shop now, and they were just going to go home. Otsuki was the first to speak when I closed the door behind me.
"… Mom."
"Yeah?"
"…This, about what you said earlier at home."
" Which of those things?"
"You know, the one you told me you were going to buy me…"
"Ah, that. Hehe, don't worry, I'll buy it for you when I can."
The audacity of asking that right after a serious meeting about something relatively bad is impressive. Even more impressive is that his mother agreed. And I was content with not having died…
"…Is something wrong, Riku?" Haruka saw me standing near the office door, barely moving. I was also trying to look in a direction they weren't facing.
"Oh, no, I was just planning to go to the bathroom."
" Are you feeling sick?"
"No, it's for, you know…"
Haruka, after my ambiguous answer, smiled slightly, and tried to cover her mouth with her hand.
"Mhh, I understand. You're at that age, after all."
At first I didn't understand what he said, but when I saw his reaction and thought about what he said, I instantly blushed.
"N-that's not it! I don't do things like that!"
Otsuki was perplexed by what her mother said, but seeing my reaction, she burst into laughter. At first, she tried to hold it in, but she couldn't do so for long.
"Pfff…. Hahahaha!"
"What's wrong with you, what are you laughing at?" I was annoyed with her reaction, laughing at me as if we were friends. It feels bad to be laughed at, you know.
"No, no, sorry. I just… find it funny thinking about it."
Haruka turned to look at Otsuki, "Ara, think about it? I guess you're at your age too." Even though she was practically messing with us, Haruka never used a bad tone, still having a kind timbre, although now a little more mischievous.
"I don't think about that directly!"
"Now who's laughing at whom?" Seizing the opportunity, I rubbed his misfortune in his face, while plastering a small, mocking smile on my face, acting much more open and approachable. It was out of habit.
Otsuki was unable to say anything, so she lowered her head and gazed, her face as red as a tomato.
Ahhh, I guess she's a tsundere. Although her face isn't cute, she's scary when she's angry, and with any other emotion… look, at least she's not always scary.
Haruka stopped messing with her daughter, something I couldn't say if it was a good idea or not, to look in my direction. I had already moved to the front of the hallway, where they were also, only behind them was the exit, and behind me lay a long corridor.
"Riku, I've said this before, but if you need anything, you can call us."
"…I don't have your number."
"Oh, that's right. Here, you can add me on Line."
Isn't it weird to have a mother's contact before her daughter's? It's not like I'm going to hook up with either of them. I don't think the developers have released either route yet.
I pulled out my phone, and in no time, I added Haruka to my contacts. I don't think I'll ever say anything to her, but hey, I'd rather not look bad by rejecting something so simple.
"I'll give you Otsuki's contact later. You two can talk whenever you want." As before, Haruka said this with 'other intentions'. Otsuki was too embarrassed to complain about it, staring out the window to her left.
No one said anything else, and Haruka stopped poking her daughter, so I decided to end this meeting once and for all.
"Well, thank you very much for being so kind to me."
"It's nothing, you're a good boy too. We're going home. Tell her about us, and tell her we'll be over soon."
I tried to ignore what he said every time I talked about that person. I managed to hold on, and, almost without feeling nervous, I was able to say goodbye.
"So, until next time."
"Take care of yourself."
Otsuki was still a little red-faced and annoyed at having been messed with. I guess she's used to it, so she won't take it badly.
I turned around. At first, I was planning to pretend to go to the bathroom, but I'm thirsty now, so I'll stop pretending.
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
A voice in my head made me remember.
I was in a hurry to finish this meeting and finally have some time alone. That's why I ended up ignoring what he said to me.
"This is a second chance, there won't be another opportunity like this one again, are you really going to let it go?"
Shit…
I could just leave without saying anything, Otsuki probably won't say anything to me if I don't, I don't think she'll remember, and I doubt she'll get mad.
Even so…
"Um, could you say one last thing?"
I turned around again, specifically to face Otsuki. They were about to leave, but they turned away when I spoke. They didn't say anything, letting me speak directly to them.
"…Otsuki, sorry for what I did in class…"
I couldn't look directly into her eyes; I just lowered my gaze and stared at her legs. Anything to avoid seeing her face, I was afraid of the way she might be looking at me.
"What did you do in class?"
"I'm so sorry I hit you. I was so nervous, and I don't know why…"
"I know you're sorry. We've both forgiven each other before. You didn't need to apologize again…"
He spoke to me in a calm and somewhat understanding tone, but nothing out of the ordinary. It was as if he were speaking to me with the minimum possible commitment, just to take a burden like the one I am off his shoulders.
I knew it was unnecessary to say something like that now. I've only embarrassed myself, how embarrassing. Why do I act so compulsively?
"…but, still, thanks for apologizing."
I looked up the moment she used a friendlier tone, and I could see her face. It was illuminated by the orange light coming through the windows on the right side of the hallway. It was an indecipherable expression for me; I didn't know what to assume about her. She was smiling, as if she were satisfied with what I'd said, but at the same time, it felt forced.
More than calming down, I worried that she was hiding something from me. They had shown me so much kindness and respect, and yet, I still doubted them.
This is wrong , I thought. Shouldn't I just accept this as a genuinely happy expression? Why do I think such far-fetched thoughts? Does everything have to be a problem to be solved?
"…Tell her from me too." Otsuki decided to end the apology, turning around to walk away with her mother, who was waiting nearby, behind her.
I stared at their backs for a moment, and how they slowly leaned forward, becoming smaller the further they went.
Again, I turned away, and stopped paying attention to them, at least not with my eyes.