Episode 129: Staying Over

「Sara-san… will you listen to my story? Until now, no one believed me, and I’d lost the point of even saying it. But I want to tell you everything properly.」

I’d made up my mind to talk.

After hearing Sara-san’s resolve, I wanted to answer it.

「Though, the story is going to be a bit long. It’s getting late, and if you’re tired, Sara-san, we could do it tomorrow…」

Just as I said that, she suddenly pulled out her phone and started making a call.

「Okaa-san, I’m sorry for the short notice, but I won’t be coming home tonight… Yes, I’m staying over at Kazunari-san’s house. …Yes, I understand.」

She seemed to finish the call and put her smartphone back in her bag.

Wait… did she just say she’s staying over?

「Now we can talk as much as we need to. Besides, either way, I couldn’t possibly leave you alone in your current state and go home, Kazunari-san.」

Staying over… Sara-san is staying over at my house…!?

「E-eh, but what about a change of clothes or anything?」

In my panic, I said something slightly off-target. That wasn’t the point I should’ve been making.

「Okaa-san said she’d bring over a change of clothes later… ah, and she mentioned she had a little something to say to you, Kazunari-san.」

A talk… what is it… what’s she going to say?

I really wish people would stop putting more pressure on me…

「Well, before we talk… let me make some dinner for you.」

Sara-san opened the fridge and started rummaging through it. Then she opened the freezer too… it looked like she was pulling out things she could use.

She was probably certain I hadn’t eaten dinner… and in fact, I hadn’t.

「I have some things frozen so I can prep a meal quickly just in case.」

…Since I’d given up on cooking for myself, I hadn’t even noticed there were ingredients like that in the freezer.

As she stood in the kitchen defrosting the food, Sara-san’s gaze fell on the trash bag…

The remains of cup ramen were piled up in that bag.

Crap, I was planning on cleaning that up today…

「Honestly, Kazunari-san. Didn’t I tell you so many times that instant ramen is no good?」

「S-sorry… it’s just a habit.」

Before I met Sara-san, there were times when I’d have ramen for all three meals, and when I’m alone, I just can’t shake that habit.

「It’s a no-no, okay?」

She walked over slowly and lightly poked my forehead with her index finger.

Our usual, casual daily life had returned.

Sara-san had come back.

The Sara-san I’d wanted to see for so, so long was smiling right in front of me.

That made me so happy that I’d forgotten about my anxiety before I even knew it…

After we finished eating and were taking a breather, Sara-san’s phone rang.

「Yes, I’ll go pick it up then. …Kazunari-san, it looks like Okaa-san arrived out front, so I’m going to go get the bags.」

「Ah, I’ll help too. She said she had something to talk about, right?」

I figured I might as well listen to what she had to say, so I decided to help and went outside with her.

A car was stopped there, and it looked like Mayumi-san was waiting outside the car.

「Thank you, Okaa-san.」

「Geez, Sara-chan, suddenly saying you’re staying over. Here, take this.」

It was a travel suitcase and… the garment cover was her school uniform.

That’s right, I’d forgotten because I had so much on my mind, but school starts tomorrow.

「Takanashi-san, sorry about her staying over so suddenly. Here, Sara-chan, take this inside. I’m going to give my greetings to Takanashi-san.」

「Understood. Well then, Kazunari-san, I’ll head inside first.」

Maybe because she’d heard there was something to talk about, Sara-san took the bags and obediently went back inside first.

「Well, even if I call it a ‘talk,’ it’s nothing big. Since you’re a boy, Takanashi-san, I think you probably know what I want to say.」

…When put in such a roundabout way, I could pretty much guess.

But there’s no need to worry about that.

「It’s okay. I understand perfectly.」

「Yeah, that’s why I said the talk would be quick. Sara-chan still has parts of her that don’t fully understand her own actions, so it’s a bit of a burden, but I’ll leave her in your hands, Takanashi-san.」

As a parent, she must be worried about letting her daughter stay over at a guy’s house.

Still, since she trusted me, I’ll absolutely never do anything to betray that.

「Yes.」

「Well then, good night.」

Mayumi-san got back in her car, waved at me, and drove off.

When I watched her go and went back inside, Sara-san was checking her uniform and bags.

「Welcome back. Did my mother say anything strange?」

「No, she just said she was sorry for the suddenness and to look after you.」

I wasn’t lying.

It should be fine.

「I see… It’s true that I decided without even checking with you, Kazunari-san, even if it was in the heat of the moment. I am sorry, it’s a bit late to ask, but was it really okay…」

Sara-san asked with a slightly anxious expression, but of course it’s no problem for me.

「It’s fine. If I were the type to refuse something like this, I wouldn’t have given you the key. More importantly, I’m going to head to the convenience store now. Will thirty minutes be enough for your shower and changing?」

Naturally, I should be the one to be considerate about this kind of thing, so I told her what I’d been planning to say once the clothes arrived. Actually, I wanted to say an hour…

Sara-san seemed surprised that I’d brought it up first.

「Thank you. Then I’ll take you up on that offer. But, it’s fine for you to stay in the room, you know? Didn’t I wash your back before, Kazunari-san?」

It’s true, now that she mentions it…

Wait, is it really… okay then?

「Well, I’ll borrow the bath then. I am sorry, but please wait for a little while.」

With that, Sara-san headed off to the bath quite casually.

I wonder if I should just take this as her trusting me completely…

Now then, while I have the chance.

While Sara-san was in the bath, I decided to send a message on RAIN to Yuji.

To report what led up to this, and that I’d finally made up my mind to talk…