And finally, the fateful day arrives.
Hayasaka san's house seems to be near the school, so the meeting place was the nearest station to the school.
The meeting time was 2:00 p.m., but I arrived at the station 30 minutes before the train time.
I'm standing at the station entrance and waiting for Hayasaka-san to arrive.
My outfit today is a long, flared type shirt . The color is olive green and you can see the white t-shirt I'm wearing inside. It is a shirt but I opened all the buttons from top to bottom in the front, with black jeans and white shoes which gives it an accent and makes it look more fashionable.
Even though I received Yo-chan's approval, I still feel a little uneasy. What will Hayasaka san think? What if she laughs at me? No, I don't think Hayasaka san is such a terrible person, but I still feel worried.
"huh"
Breathe deeply and calm yourself down.
I did what I could. The only thing left to do is to hit it and break it.
"I was surprised. I thought it was someone else."
When I turned to the direction of the voice, Hayasaka-san was there with wide eyes.
Hayasaka san wore a mini-length blue jeans skirt and a black T-shirt, and in a sense she looked just like the image I had imagined. Although the outfit is simple, it clearly reflects Hayasaka san's cuteness and coolness. And she's just plain cute.
"What"
Perhaps because I was staring at her, Hayasaka san was staring at me.
"Huh? No, I thought it was cute."
"You're like that too... It's different from the image I thought ,but it still suits you."
Hayasaka-san commented on my appearance while looking away and blushing a little.
Was she embarrassed by being admired, embarrassed by being praised, or both? Either way, it was extremely cute.
When I saw that, I couldn't help but smile.
"I'm leaving now. Follow me."
"Yes"
For the time being, it seems like my outfit selection was a success.
When I get back, I have to thank Yo-chan. Also, I was thinking about the Hayasaka family.
We walk through a residential area with Hayasaka-san as our lead.
Even though it's near the school, I've never been to this area before, so the scenery continues to be unfamiliar.
"That's what your casual clothes look like, isn't it?"
"Huh? No, this is just something I put on that was stored in the back of my drawer, and I don't usually look like this..."
When I say that, I feel embarrassed because it seems like I'm all fired up to come to the Hayasaka family, but I guess it's too late now.
" Hmm. It's a waste."
"Huh? What do you mean...?"
"Clothes are meant to be worn, so it's a waste if you don't wear them. I don't mean anything wrong."
I couldn't see her properly because she was diagonally behind me, but I could see her face turning slightly red as she said that.
"Actually, I didn't choose this myself, but someone else chose it for me…"
I feel like it's cowardly to keep that a secret, so I honestly tell them the truth.
I was the one who chose the five options, but in the end it was Yo chan who chose this outfit from among them, so in this case it would be more appropriate to say that someone else chose it for me.
"Hmm. Your mother?"
"No. The girl I sent the photo to the other day."
"Ah, that's right."
"?"
I wonder what? Hayasaka-san's reaction seems a little strange right now? Is it my imagination?
"Are you and that girl on good terms?"
"I feel like she has been treating me well. Yo-chan, she is so kind to everyone."
"Yo-chan..."
"Yeah. It's Yoko, so Yo-chan."
I don't think the name has changed much.
"Then, what do your parents call you?"
"Me? They just say Io normally."
"Oh. My name is Minase Io."
"I know!"
I got angry. I thought it was quite impossible considering how well known I am as a person, but...
"What do your friends call you, Hayasaka-san?"
"Sophie, Sophia, etc. Well, I don't have any friends who call me these days."
"So-chan..."
"!"
As soon as I called her that, Hayasaka-san opened her eyes and looked at me, as if she was genuinely surprised.
"Ah, no, I think I used to call someone that."
No way, sophia is So-chan?
"Hayasaka-san and I met somewhere long ago...?"
"Well...I don't remember."
That's true. Even if I had met her, there's no way she'd remember a shadowy boy like me.
" I see. Sorry for saying something weird."
"Not really. Besides, we'll be arriving soon, so please be careful."
"Right?"
"It's already like we're friends. The purpose of this time is to relieve your mother's anxiety."
"Ah, yeah. Understood. I'll do it right."
I don't know what to do to make things right, but I have to meet Hayasaka san's expectations . After all, she is relying on me.
"Here."
Saying that,Hayasaka san stopped at an apartment building of unknown number of floors.
I look up helplessly.
I couldn't help but hear a sound that couldn't even be called "ha".
"Let's go."
"Ah, yeah."
Hayasaka san urged to follow.
Automatic door, I found a large space with mailboxes lined up along the left and right walls.
"What are you doing? Look."
Before I knew it, Hayasaka san had made her way to the back of the room and was standing in front of the machine, looking back at me.
Seeing this, I hurriedly approached Hayasaka san.
When Hayasaka san held the key over the machine, the automatic door next to it opened.
I see. Was it the type of apartment that required you to unlock the building first before entering? I didn't have that idea because I wasn't familiar with it.
Following Hayasaka-san and going through the second automatic door.
Beyond that was a space that could be called an entrance hall, with tables, chairs, sofas, etc. This is probably where they wait, relax, and converse. It's like a hotel or something.
When I turned around, I saw Hayasaka san standing in front of the elevator, looking at me with a sour expression on her face.
terrible. It looks like she's about to get really angry.
I quickly met up with Hayasaka san and got into the elevator that came a short while later.
I got into the elevator and stuck to the wall, trying to make myself disappear as much as possible. You never know what you'll get if you anger the people who live in a place like this.
The door closes and the elevator starts moving.
I was so absorbed in blending into the wall that I didn't even look at what floor Hayasaka-san had pressed. Or rather, how many floors are there?
With that in mind, I looked over Hayasaka san's shoulder at the panel.
Thirty! ? When you say 30, do you mean that 30? If you live in such a high place, what will you do if the electricity goes out? Going back and forth on the stairs probably isn't too much of a hassle.
Despite my worries, the elevator stopped on the fifteenth floor.
The door opens and Hayasaka-san gets out. I hurriedly followed, trying not to be left behind.
The hallway I landed in was supposed to be just a hallway, but it was wide and tall, and I was hesitant to walk down it.
Walking a few dozen steps down the hallway. Hayasaka-san stops in front of a door.
"Here."
Hayasaka-san said as she held the key under the intercom next to the door. Then she put her hand on the handle.
The door opens and the room can be seen.
The entrance is about the same size as my house or a little narrower. Is it spacious enough to be considered equivalent to a house? There is a white door right next to it, but I wonder what kind of room it is.
"I'm home"
Hayasaka-san calls out to the back.
Looking from the entrance, I heard the door open on the far right, and then I heard footsteps approaching. And soon a woman appears.
Her hair is black and semi-long. Her face is as regular as a doll's, and her emotional ups and downs don't seem to show much on the surface, but that doesn't mean she doesn't show them at all, and she still carries a slight smile on her lips. There is. Her slender body and slim pants look great on her, giving her the impression that she is a career woman.
"Hayasaka Mirei. Thank you for taking care of my daughter ."
When she said that, the woman - Mirei-san bowed deeply towards me.
"Ah, no, I'm always indebted to Hayasaka san..."
I had never had someone's head bowed to me so firmly by an adult before, so I panicked.
"Mom, that's fine. Minase-san is in trouble, isn't he?"
Hayasaka-san must have gotten used to her mother's behavior, and was not particularly upset and was just paying attention.
"Oh, really? It's my first time meeting my high school daughter's friend, so I don't really know what to do."
Mirei-san who was warned was Mirei-san, and she didn't seem to be particularly concerned about it, just replying normally.
It's strange to say this, but Hayasaka san's mother may be a natural. She's cool, she's an adult, she's a mother, and if she has the attributes of being a natural, she's already the strongest. If there was something called the Gap Championship, she would easily be able to participate in the national tournament and be a winning candidate. I don't know if such a tournament exists, but...
"Ah, that's it."
Before I knew it, Hayasaka san had climbed up from the dirt floor and pointed to the slippers laid out on the floor. It's fluffy .
"Huh? Ah, yeah. Sorry to bother you..."
I took off your shoes, change into slippers.
It feels good. It's fluffy and comfortable. As expected from rich people. ...Well, in this case, it doesn't matter how rich you are. I'm sorry, but it doesn't seem that expensive.