The scenery outside the train windows gradually faded away.
It may have been that it wasn't yet the peak period, as there were few passengers on the
monorail. The compartment Yukinoshita and I sat in also didn't have much people, so we could
see the scenery of Chiba clearly from the windows opposite of us.
The evening glow that dyed the beach and sea red gradually grew further, and we were steadily
approaching the city that was being engulfed by a dark blue color.
The endless tail lights of cars and glowing orange lights of street lamps appeared below our line
of sight, as the train raced towards the colossal blocks of high-rise buildings.
The evening scene gradually transitioned into night, and the train moving through the air made
it feel like we were on a ride in an amusement park.
Just being on the monorail was exciting enough, but adding in the scenery made it even better,
it was impeccable. Especially during dusk, the route from the Chiba Port Station to Chiba
Station was my favorite one of all, I wouldn't be surprised to see it featured in an issue of "See
the World by Train." (TL note: "See the World by Train" is a Japanese travel TV show)
I could gaze at this type of dreamy for a lifetime.
… I really want to gaze at it forever.
That's right, I'm avoiding reality now.
After this, I'll be having dinner with Yukinoshita's family. If it were a one on one meal with
Yukinoshita Yukino I would be pretty happy about it, rather, I'd say let's do it, but it's a different
story if it's with Yukinoshita's family.
Ah, what do I do …?
I looked down and sighed deeply, feeling a tug on my sleeve, I turned back, only to see
Yukinoshita sitting beside me with a troubled expression.
"… What's wrong?"
I asked her, but she only replied with a light shake of her head. She pursed her lips, making an
expression as if trying to say "I'm fine."
… But her gaze looked uneasy, darting all over the place.
What's wrong? Actually, you're making me so nervous by holding onto my sleeve, and there's a
nice scent coming my way, plus you're touching me lightly every time the train moves! I'm so
nervous my palms are sweating! What is this situation? Is she hinting at something?
I was confused, and my palms were sweating by gallons, just then, the train made a turn, and
the compartment tilted.
In that moment, the grasp on my sleeve tightened.
That suddenly made me remember.
Say, five years ago, wait not that long, a few months ago at most, during Christmas we when
we went to Disney Land, when riding that amusement park ride, and after that, when we went
to the aquarium and went on the Ferris wheel, I remember she was also tense like how she was
now.
From the evidence proposed by my logical reasoning, I can conclude that Yukinoshita is afraid of
heights …!
Speaking from experience, at times like these, you just need to do shift your attention
somewhere else. I remember that's what I did when I was at Disney Land.
If I were to shift her attention to somewhere else now, she probably wouldn't notice the height
and shaking of the train anymore. It was just a few stations away anyways; some conversation
would easily get us through.
No other way I suppose.
I moved over a bit to close the distance between us.
There's no other way if we need to have a conversation, it won't be good if we aren't able to
hear each other over the noises and shaking of the train. So, this is probably a warranted action!
As if I were making an excuse to myself, I moved closer by the distance of two fists.
My thighs and shoulders touched hers.
Yukinoshita looked over in surprise. Her stare would have made me feel embarrassed, so I
pretended not to notice it, and quickly said:
"Let me just ask you something, are you afraid of heights?"
"… I'm not so fond of high places."
After she whispered that, she turned her head to the other side. Ah, the same response as that
time when we were in Disney Land. I was right all along! Ha! I told you I knew!
"Then you could have just told me, that way we could have avoided the monorail."
In actuality, we just chose the monorail because it was the most straightforward way to our
destination, but there were other ways to get to Chiba station. It was just because I excitedly
said "Let's take the monorail!" like I was saying something straight out of a Jazz classic, that we
chose to take the monorail … no, it could have just been that Yukinoshita knew I was a
Monorail-type (a person that loves the Chiba Urban Monorail), that she followed along. No,
that probably wasn't the case. Say, what even is a Monorail-type? (TL note: "Let's take the
monorail!" is said in reference to the classic Jazz song title "Take the A Train")
Anyways, no matter what, having to make you accompany me is making me feel quite sorry …
Hearing my slightly apologetic words, Yukinoshita shook her head, then she put her hands to
her chest and took a deep breath, closing her eyes and murmuring:
"No, the monorail is fine … it's just a type of transportation, it's fine … it's just a train, it's
fine …"
"You're just hypnotizing yourself at this point aren't you …?"
Is it really fine …? I anxiously exhaled, just then the grasp on my sleeve tightened.
At first, she was just using her fingers to absentmindedly pinch my sleeves, but now, she was
holding on to my entire wrist through my sleeves.
Yukinoshita's cat nibble-like behavior put me at a loss for a moment, then she closed the
remaining distance between us and leaned on my shoulder.
"I don't really like it … but I don't hate it."
Saying that, she smiled and exhaled a breath, shifting her gaze to the windows on the opposite
side, far away, the high-rise buildings glistened under the last light of sunset.
Presently, the train was still at a height, and the compartment shook around from time to time,
but Yukinoshita looked quite clam. I could tell that from her calm breathing that sounded as if
she were sleeping.
Actually, the one that couldn't calm down was me.
I could feel her worryingly light weight from her slender shoulders, through the school uniform,
her warmth reached me.
Although I couldn't tell whether it was shampoo or perfume, from time to time a faint soap-like
scent drifted over to me, and made me straighten my back.
To avoid letting her discover my nervousness, no, she's probably already noticed by now, I
decided not to mind it too much, and shifted my gaze to the same scenery she was watching,
then I silently said to her:
"Mind if I inquire further? Is there anything else you don't really like?"
Even though I knew all too clearly, I still wanted to ask her. Because, there were many things
today that I had vaguely noticed but not understood.
"I can't answer that on a whim …"
Yukinoshita put her hand to her mouth, looking towards the right side. Indeed, it would be hard
to answer something as spontaneous as this. If someone else asked me what Yukinoshita was
scared of, I wouldn't be able to answer immediately either.
"Well, in first it's probably dogs. And then, anything related to monsters."
Couldn't I have answered this immediately?! Doesn't she have too many things she fears? Is she
okay? Can she live well?
"Anything else?"
Heights, dogs, and monsters. I counted one by one with my fingers, counting to the fourth and
turning around to ask her for her opinion, except this time she made an unhappy expression.
"I'm not afraid of dogs or monsters …"
"Ok ok, save the act."
Ok, that's fine, I know already. That's why I used the words "don't really like" to ask that
question.
Seeing me hint at what I was thinking from my serious expression, Yukinoshita pursed her lips
angrily like she was prepared to throw a tantrum, then she exhaled a breath in resignation.
"… Yeah, I don't really like them"
After that, she went deep into thought for a while, then she suddenly lifted her head, and with
a confident expression, she said clearly:
"I can't stand bugs at all."
"Me neither."
I couldn't help but agree when I heard her confident and bright tone. Bugs really are
unbearable, that I can relate to …
I nodded to myself, just then, Yukinoshita enthusiastically said:
"How about you? What do you dislike?"
"Tomatoes, I would never eat them raw."
Yukinoshita nodded, then took her phone out of her pocket and started typing. No, you don't
really need to note that down, right? I also don't like cucumbers, but I'm fine with them if they
are pickled.
But before I could say that, Yukinoshita shot a look at me, as if asking me "Any others?"
"And math I guess …? Anything else? I can't think of anymore."
Suddenly being asked so seriously about the things I don't like; I couldn't think of anything
immediately. I'm basically an all-rounded person, anything that exists in this world I probably
dislike to an extent, I even dislike monsters too, so you could say that I would also dislike all the
things from another dimension.
What else …? Just as I was wracking my brain to think of something worthy to bring up, it
seemed like Yukinoshita had thought of something, as she made an "ah" sound, and patted my
arm non-stop, with a look that said "Quick, ask me ask me!"
Hey, you being cute, scary, and making me weirdly shy is really bad for my heart, can you not do
that next time? —I glanced at Yukinoshita, only to find her giggling, and with a radiating
confidence in her eyes, she said:
"If we're speaking about what Hikigaya-san doesn't like or is bad at, isn't it dealing with
interpersonal relationships?"
"Aren't you the same …?"
Why do you look so smug? And I already take that for granted, 'm not even conscious of it
anymore ...
"Everyone is bad at those kinds of things, so it doesn't count. Plus, the only people that say that
they are good at dealing with interpersonal relationships are scammers and the mentally
impaired."
If you are human, you've definitely faced issues with interpersonal relationships at some point.
While checking your horoscope, if you were to see something like "Woe is you! The one in
twelfth place is Leo! Today you may be frustrated by interpersonal relationships, your lucky
object is 7 trillion Yen", it would definitely be 100 percent correct! No one is exempt from the
troubles of interpersonal relationships. Anyways, if you have 7 trillion Yen you would definitely
be lucky, are you making a fool of me? Quick, cough up the 7 trillion yen!
Hearing me say that, Yukinoshita shrugged and laughed.
"Indeed, everyone has that someone that they're not adept in dealing with."
Saying that was enough, but she still added in a "Let me think", and started counting with her
fingers.
"For you it's probably my mom? And then my sister."
"But we're heading over to see them now …"
Hahaha you little brat! I laughed along, but immediately felt the burden of reality before me,
and fell to rock bottom. (TL note: "Hahaha you little brat" is a joke originating from the manga
"Three Kingdoms" by Sonoda Mitsuyoshi)
"… Can I ask what we're eating later?"
It could be that I wanted to make some mental preparations, so I asked Yukinoshita that
question. Anyways, the money is coming from someone else's pocket, might as well enjoy it.
But Yukinoshita made a doubtful expression and said:
"Haven't I said? We're having Italian food later. I thought you liked it?"
"Don't tell me you're talking about Saizeriya …? But I do like Saizeriya …"
Yeah, Saizeriya is an Italian restaurant, that is beyond a doubt, but hearing her say that made
me have a lingering feeling of violation. It could be that I had already classified Saizeriya as an
independent genre.
But I don't think we're going to Saizeriya with Yukinoshita's family.
Saizeriya is a restaurant where the common folk go to eat, higher class families probably
wouldn't go to places like that. No, if it were Haruno, even if she were drinking a cheap wine at
home it wouldn't be weird, but I don't think she'd be in that kind of mood today.
We're definitely going to one of those high class and trendy places, and so, I felt uneasy, which
forced me to ask for confirmation.
"… So where are we going to eat?"
"A restaurant my family frequents a lot."
"Hey, that's definitely one of those expensive places, right? Wouldn't it have a dress code?
Would I be able to enter?"
I glanced at my uniform; it was messy with creases everywhere. This definitely wouldn't work,
being dressed in such crumpled clothing would certainly result in me being refused in. What a
headache, it looks like I can't go anymore. I really want to meet you Yukinoshita's mom, I really
do, but with how my clothes are, it's still so creased no matter how hard I try to fix it! —I patted
away at my uniform.
But Yukinoshita had a look of indifference, and silently put my hands down, then she smiled
and said:
"The atmosphere of that restaurant is very casual, it's not as strict as you think it is. We should
be fine in our uniforms."
"Is that right …?"
Really? Is it really ok to go in our uniforms? But Yukinoshita-san, you don't really understand us
common fold, do you? A causal restaurant at most for us means a trendy café, any place that
makes a uniform the minimal requirement can't be called casual at all!
And so, she's definitely referring to some really expensive place. Even if it's Italian food, it must
be high class Italian food, at times like these please don't say it's Italian food, just tell me we're
going to a very expensive place!
Having to meet Yukinoshita's mom at a place like that, that's way too harsh on me …
Has it come to the point that I can only use the backwater formation …? Just when I was about
to give up resistance, I suddenly found that my clothes were missing something. Even if the
outer ditch is filled, I still have the inner ditch. Not enough! I want to use the Osaka Summer
Array to escape the crisis! However, because the Osaka Summer Array lost, the Backwater Array
has a better chance of winning! But enough of that, let's put this matter aside. (TL Note: I have
no idea what is happening here, but the Chinese TL mentions it's a historical reference about
how Yahata compares himself to the Toyotomi regime that was defeated at last, whatever that
means)
"… Ah."
I suddenly stood up, and said in a voice like I had just noticed:
"Oh no, I forgot my necktie, I'll have to go back, actually, I'll just go back home."
"That you don't need to worry about."
Yukinoshita pulled at my sleeves to get me to sit down, then she fished out a small bag from her
school bag. After she opened it, I could see that there was a Sobu High School uniform necktie
in it.
"Komachi gave me this, that way there aren't any more issues, right?"
"Oh …"
Oi … isn't my sister way too diligent? She'd definitely be the type to start working right after
graduation … much better than those smooth-talking students when they're applying for jobs.
Yukinoshita ignored my dumb look, loosened the necktie, and pulled at my collar. Her
unexpected movements made me look like a helpless kitten being pinched by the neck.
She raised my collar and wound the necktie around it, after turning the wide end around the
narrow end into a circle, she inserted the wide end into the ring to form a beautiful triangle,
and finally, she pinched to tighten it.
In that instance, my eyes and Yukinoshita's met at the closest distance up until now.
It seemed that it was only now that Yukinoshita snapped back into her senses, and her faced
flushed red in an instant, making her speechless for a moment. Even after tying the necktie and
moving her hands away, she made no sound, and the redness on her face didn't look like it was
fading at all.
For a short period of time, a delicate atmosphere filled the train compartment.
"Ah … thanks."
"You're welcome …"
Because I couldn't bear the silence anymore, I said my thanks in an attempt to break the
silence, but still, Yukinoshita was looking down. Because of that, I could clearly see that her ears
poking from underneath her hair had turned red.
Ah! What can I say! To think that she would be so embarrassed! It's making me feel shy as well!
I didn't know if she did that on purpose, but doing stuff like that on a whim, it was really a big
headache for me.
—But I didn't dislike that one bit, and that made my head ache even more