"Haa..."
"Oh my you don't usually sigh like that."
It was at my part-time job, with Asou-san.
As I spaced out in the empty shop, the person on my mind was Kurenai.
She'd been unusually forward today, I guess. And I was more eager than usual too. It felt like an intense time together.
Maybe I was still caught up in the afterglow, but I couldn't get her out of my head.
"It's not really a problem or anything."
"But something was on your mind. Could it be... that girl you were with the other day?"
"Yumekawa? There's nothing between us, really."
"'Between us,' huh. So there is someone else."
"...No, there isn't."
I felt like I could tell Asou-san anything.
But I held my tongue, deciding it was better not to.
After all, she was suffering because the guy she liked treated her like a friends-with-benefits. It would be completely inconsiderate to ask her for advice about my own friends-with-benefits situation.
Yeah, that's what I'm doing. No matter how innocent I act, what I'm doing is worse than any player. And now here I am, getting jealous what a joke.
"Hmm. I wouldn't have minded if you told me."
"So I said, there's nothing."
"Okay. Then will you walk me home again today? If you don't have a girlfriend, that shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Even if I did, that's a separate issue. Something happening to you would be serious."
"So you do worry about me."
"Well, I'd be in trouble if you had to take time off work."
"...Ah, right."
She looked bored and headed to the back kitchen.
The rest of the shift was still quiet, but working while wondering when Asou-san's ex-boyfriend might show up was a bit exhausting.
In the end, he never came, and we finished the shift safely. Asou-san and I left the shop together.
---
◇
"Thanks, as always."
As we walked down the night street, Asou-san stretched a little and murmured.
"It's nothing, really. I'm not doing anything big."
"Still, it's a detour for you."
"Good exercise. I'll get sluggish if I don't move around."
"Man, that's so like you."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing, nothing. Just talking to myself."
She looked at the charm hanging from her bag and said, "Hey—"
I tilted my head, wondering what she wanted to talk about, when her house came into view.
"...Someone's there."
I noticed the figure first.
I couldn't tell who it was, but Asou-san immediately seemed to recognize him.
"Masaya..."
It was the first time I'd heard the name, but when I looked closer, I understood.
The college student who came to the shop the other day.
Asou-san's ex-boyfriend.
"Mariko!"
He spotted us right away and rushed over, looking flustered.
"Mariko, come on, get over it already. That guy forced himself on me, you know."
He didn't even seem to see me. He stood in front of Asou-san, desperately making excuses. She was trembling slightly but faced him with a firm expression.
"...Enough. I'm not angry anymore."
"R-Really? Then. ..
"I don't even feel like being angry. It's amazing how unimportant someone becomes when you lose interest."
"W-What's that supposed to mean? Are you serious?"
"Are you the one who seriously thinks I still like you? That's impossible. Please, I want to move on. I'm begging you, let this be the end."
As she pushed him away, the man shot me a sharp glare.
"You're that guy from the shop the other day. So you are hooking up with Mariko."
He glared at me like I was his mortal enemy. There was no point trying to reason with him.
The last thing I wanted was to get dragged into their fight over baseless accusations.
So I decided to say I had nothing to do with it.
Just as I opened my mouth, I caught sight of Asou-san beside me.
"Please, stop it, Masaya... Aoyama-kun has nothing to do with this. So please, just stop..."
Her voice barely came out, tearful, pleading. But of course, it didn't reach him.
"So you're protecting him, huh? Fine. Got it. I'll come every day until you actually break up with him. Be ready."
Those selfish, thoughtless, egocentric words
Made me snap.
"Hey, you."
"Huh? What's a high school brat guhk!"
I grabbed him by the collar and squeezed his neck.
"Don't you dare make Asou-san cry anymore."
"G-get off... s-stop..."
"Don't come near her again. Or I'll end your student life right here."
"O-okay, I get it... let go, please..."
I had no connection to this guy. He was nothing to me. But he pissed me off to death.
I was seriously putting enough strength into it that I might have choked him to death.
But then
"Aoyama-kun! Stop!"
Asou-san's voice brought me back. I let go.
"Cough, cough..."
The man fell on his rear, gasping, then looked up at me.
"Ahh... I-I won't come near her again... p-please forgive me!"
He scurried off in fear.
"Aoyama-kun, are you okay?"
"I'm sorry. That was the only thing I could think of."
"No, it's my fault. I'm sorry for making you go through that."
Looking at her flustered face, I saw it was wet with tears again.
"But maybe he won't come near you now."
"...Aoyama-kun, thank you so much. I'm always being saved by you."
"It's nothing. Just coincidence."
"Hey, do you want to come in and rest for a bit? I-I could give you some snacks as thanks."
"No, I'll head home today."
I gave a small bow to Asou-san, who looked apologetic, and slowly walked away.
I really haven't learned a thing.
Nothing has changed since back then.
Meddling with pointless heroism.
Then making things worse by trying to solve problems with violence.
Because of that, I lost the most important thing in my life.
It just goes to show that people don't really change.
I'm in no position to talk big to that guy.
With nothing but regret racing through my head, I walked alone down the quiet night street, heading home.