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Chapter 51: Pleasure to meet you.
A reply from Yoko came first thing in the morning.
I promised breakfast, so I cooked french toast as Sara requested. I made a portion for myself and Sara, and left my mother to cook for both of my parents, but then “Shiori’s home cooked food. . .” My father looked starved at the food before him. My french toast portion was replaced with my father’s bacon and eggs- – -this was a direct order by my mother.
I’m happy to eat her food, but I’d like it if this middle-aged man would stop eating French toast with teary red eyes. He also made sure to constantly take pictures on his smartphone.
This isn’t good. At this rate I will no longer be seen as the older sister Sara could rely on. Instead replaced by the image of the cute youngest child of the Sugimura family. . .I really hope it isn’t too late.
“It’s amazing, but why don’t you cook once in a while?”
“I only meant to make it for Sara. But if I have another chance I could.”
“Ahaha, thank you. It was delicious.”
Those were the words I was rewarded after getting up earlier, so I nodded with satisfaction. I’ve never made french toast in my previous life, but I managed to get it done.
In the middle of enjoying our after meal time, Yoko contacted me, it was time to talk about upcoming summer plans.
(Good morning, hope you enjoyed yourself yesterday! I contacted Tomoda. She felt too ashamed to meet her alone so I could come along for support, however, she also wanted to meet you, so that’s what happened. Also it seems like she is going to her grandmother’s house in the countryside tomorrow, so I know it’s sudden, but if you’d like to meet, it has to be today or after she comes back, so what will it be)
The first line irked me, but other than that, it was decently worded for Yoko. It’s rare for her, she always wastes time with her words filled with off-color humor.
I confirmed it with Sara and she wanted to talk with her as soon as possible, so I told Yoko that we would meet today at noon. Originally the plan was for her to go home after lunch, so we could simply fit this instead.
After lunch, my mother made sure to see Sara off, saying she’d hope to see her come again, and with that we left my home. The reason why I am going with Sara is because Yoko is coming with Tomoda-san.
“What kind of person is Tomoda-san?”
On the way I asked and she replied saying “A bright and kind person.”
Hmm, she has a pretty good impression of her even if it’s not romantic. I’m getting a little jealous.
“Well, then. What kind of person is Yoko-san?”
“. . .I wonder if it’s better if you didn’t know.”
“Eh?”
“Basically, you could say she is a good person, until she opens her mouth, then it’s all about her dirty jokes. and if given the chance she’d go straight into even asking to rub my breast, it’s those 18+ forbidden lines.”
“H-Huh. . .”
Her face stiffened. It must have been a different image of Yoko than she imagined.
It will be okay. If she says anything extra to Sara I will immediately aim for her weak points. I will protect Sara’s purity.
I’m being honest about Yoko so she doesn’t stick to anything strange Yoko says, I really don’t trust her.
“The first thing she said to me at the entrance ceremony was that she liked my face, and then one thing led to another and now we are always together for some reason. It might be better to say instead of a friend, she is bad company for me.”
“Oh, Is that so? Ah, I also like Shiori-san’s face.”
“Thank you, I like Sara’s face.”
Of course I like other things than her face, but I’ll keep those extra parts in my heart.
However, my face? I am a sub-heroine and I’m blessed with how I look, but despite that I still make sure to polish my looks. People say that with humans it’s the contents that are most important, but your face also is.
The determined meeting place was at the entrance of a large park. Yoko had already arrived, but there was another girl with her. Is that Tomoda-san, the girl with the short cut hair and the nervous expression.
“Sorry, for the way.”
“No, we just got here. . .Ahaha, you looked like a couple!”
“As always the same Yoko.”
As you’d expect her attitude was completely ignoring Tomoda-san’s tension behind her. If I have given a generous outlook, it would be like she is trying to soften the mood with jokes. Unfortunately this is just her true self.
Also this is the first time I’ve seen Yoko in casual clothes. A yellow aloha shirt with pineapple pattern and matching shorts to compliment the gaudy look. The sunglasses at her neck exuded humor. I had to sympathize a little for Tomoda-san, who had to wait with this playful appearance.
“Nice to meet you, Sara-chan. I’ve only seen your figure with Shiori on the train.”
“Y-Yes. Pleasure to meet you. Thank you for your support.”
“No, it’s all good, all good. You look really cute up close! And such a good girl!! I could easily fall in love with you!”
“”Yoko!””
Tomoda-san hit her head from behind, and I hit her from the side. It was a beautiful display, and Yoko was silenced from it.
Tomoda-san turned to me, ignoring the now passified Yoko. She looked straight into my eyes, and I could see she was a sincere person. I somehow understood why Sara trusted her alot.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, I am Tomoda. I heard many things about your character from Yoko and Sara-chan. So I always had a desire to meet you.”
“Pleasure to meet you. We are the same age, so let’s drop the formal talk. I also wanted to meet Tomoda-san.”
“Well, we’ll talk freely. Thank you for meeting me. Yoko told me she’d come with me because of my sorry state, but I thought it’d be strange for Sara-chan to meet somebody she didn’t know alone.”
“Oh, so that’s why you wanted me to come. And, meeting Yoko could be. . .”
“Yeah, that would be. . .”
Even if we didn’t say it out loud, we both knew what we were thinking. If anything, it’d be okay to have Yoko leave at this point.
“We can’t stand around talking forever, so let’s move to a more comfortable place. Oh, when you talk, rest assured that Yoko and I will be further away to give you both privacy.”
“Thank you. Shiori-san is exactly like I heard.”
“Oh? Should I ask what you heard?”
We began to walk. I was in the middle with Sara on my left, and Tomoda-san on my right. Yoko followed behind.
Sara and Tomoda-san haven’t talked so far, I’m starting to worry if they would be able to talk like this. Based on the glances I gave to Sara, she didn’t seem particularly embarrassed.
In a large park, near flower beds, the walking grounds are crowded, but if we go deeper into the pine forest it will become less popular. There are a lot of shades under the trees, so even if we stay sitting on a bench for a long time, we don’t have to worry about getting heat stroke.
The benches installed in some of the spots were also vacant, so it would be a good play to calmly talk.
“We’ll be sitting at that bench, so call us when you’re done.”
I still wonder why Yoko and I are here, but we are here now. If Tomoda-san and Sara feel more at ease with us nearby then it’s good we are here.
I bought two bottles of tea from a vending machine, and gave one to Yoko as we sat on a bench a little bit away.
“I’m sorry for Tomoda-san.”
Yoko said after taking a sip of tea.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Well, I introduced her.”
“You still don’t have to apologize. Neither you nor Tomoda-san.”
I understand that Tomoda-san feels sorry for confessing to Sara while knowing she was afraid of romance, but she doesn’t have to apologize for her love. It’s even more bizarra for Yoko, who simply introduced her.
If Sara liked Tomoda-san, then perhaps the story would have been different.
“There is no doubt that Tomoda-san supported Sara at school. That is why she wanted to convey her feelings properly to Tomoda-san with her own words.”
“I see. . .Tomoda is a good girl.”
“It seems like it.”
Looking at them it’s hard to tell what they are talking about, but their expressions seem calm. I was worried at first, but it doesn’t seem like it will be bad.
“Unlike me, who can’t say it, Tomoda-san actually confessed. . .I respect that no matter what happens.”
“I agree with that. I didn’t even confess in the end. By the way, I heard that she stayed over at your house for a few days, any progress?”
“No progress. . .”
Far from progressing, I feel like we actually took steps back.
My older sister’s dignity was degraded before her, and her deep trust for me became more apparent. Even before that, I ended up declaring to be her friend before the sleepover.
“It was just one sidedly having my heart racing, but no progress was made. Even when I pushed her down on the first day, she just trusted me so much I ended it with a headbutt.”
“Huh?”
“Yesterday she said she wanted to push me down, but I ended up running away from it and threw a pillow at her.”
“Hahh!?”
Yoko didn’t understand what I was saying.
All she needed to know was that my attempts for seduction fell flat, Sara didn’t seem embarrassed at all, for her it was just like receiving skinship from her female friend.
She didn’t need to be on her guard, but is it impossible to ask for a little self awareness?
“Being pushed down, I didn’t know how to look like a friend in that.”
“I never heard of friends who’d push each other down like that.”
That may also be the case, and I couldn’t help but laugh at Yoko’s Tsukkomi.
On the bench a little away, Sara and Tomoda are looking this way. Based on Sara’ point with a grinning smile, she may be talking about us.