âYeahâŚ. Could you please accept my request?â
After that, I followed Shino-san and arrived at the courtyard. The request that Shino-san spoke while sitting on the bench installed there was an invitation to the party. When I heard the story, she said she need to bring a man as a partner.
Shino-san looked at me as if she prays with her hands around her chest.
âPlease. I will do whatever, anything I can to repay this!â
âŚ.Anything? It was a really attractive wordâŚ.. No, no, I should not react to that, right now I should answer her request first.
âShino-san, please donât say something like that.â
With that said, I put my hands on Shino-sanâs shoulders and stared at her.
âIf Shino-san is in trouble, Iâll gladly help you.â
I stopped the words there for a moment, then turned my serious expression into a smile, and smiled at Shino-san.
âBecause Shino-san is my important friend.â
Shino-san, who heard the words, was surprised and her face turned red.
And she thanked me with a stunned expression.
âTha, Thank you-â
It was like she had a nice dream while her eyes still opened. Her eyes were out of focus.
âŚ..Are you alright?
âShino-san? Shino-san?â
âAh!â
Shino-sanâ face became normal, perhaps because she finally regained her consciousness in response to my call.
âIâm sorry! I didnât expect to get such a reply.â
âNo, as I said, Shino-san is my important friend, so if youâre in trouble, itâs normal if I want to help, right?â
âUm, thank youâ
With tears in her big eyes, she thanked me.
âBut I donât have any clothes to wear to the partyâŚ.â
âOh, donât worry about that. Iâll prepare everything for you.â
âWhat?â
âOf course, I was me who asked you to come to the party. So, Iâll prepare everything from clothes to accessories.â
Shino-san said that to me with a smile.
âWell, I want you refrain from choosing something that is too flashy âŚâ
âItâs okay! Donât worry! Iâll carefully select the ones that suit you, Kohaku-kun.â
âReally, I think a suit is more than good enough.â
âItâs okay! Donât worry!â
With a smile like the sun, she kept telling me âItâs okay! Donât worry!â.
It was strange because when I heard that word, I felt that it was not okay and it made me worried.
âŚâŚ..No, Shino-san must have understood what I want! Yeah, Letâs think it like that. After all, thatâs better for my mental health.
Anyway, Iâve decided to go, so Iâll do my best to be her partner without caring so much about the outfit!
âThen, Iâll pick you up on the day, so stay home!â
âHmm? Youâre going to pick me up?â
âYeah, the party will be held at the hotel, so letâs go a little early. Iâll give your clothes, so change your clothes at the hotel.â
Mm? What! You just said that Iâll not know what will I wear until the day! Iâm really worriedâŚ
âAaaď˝, Iâm really glad, if Kohaku-kun refused, I donât know who Iâll ask.â
âWhat about the boys in other classes?â
âUgh!â
Shino-san made a weird face.
â⌠Hmm, I havenât know them yet.â
Well, it hasnât been so long since we entered school.
I gave a word of comfort to Shino-san who looked a little depressed.
âAfter a little more time, everyone will get used to the school life and get to know each other.â
âReally? The other boys, they seemed to be difficult to approach andâŚâ
Shino-san also said something in a very low voice.
âAs long as Kohaku-kun is near me, thatâsâŚâ
Her voice was so small that I canât hear anything she just saidâŚ
âSorry, I couldnât heard it Shino-san.â
âAh! Iâm sorry! Itâs nothing.â
âRe-reallyâŚ?â
Well, whatever?
However, Shino-sanâs face, who just said it was nothing, suddenly turned red.
She might have said something embarrassingâŚâŚ. if only I listened to it better, I could have responded! I regretted it a little, but it canât be helped.
Maybe she regained her composure, the redness has come off from Shino-sanâs face, so Iâd asked her what was in my mind.
âA party⌠how it looked like? I donât know much about etiquetteâŚ..â
Shino-san thought a little about my question and then returned the answer.
âBecause itâs a standing party, you donât have to worry about etiquette, but there are many older people, so you should be careful about how you speak.â
Shino-san continued her explanation.
âWell, I donât think Kohaku-kun need to talks much, so itâs gonna be okay. but you canât just follow anyone when you got invited! Do you understand!?â
Oi, Am I a kid!?âŚ. And Shino-san continued.
âKohaku-kun, Iâm worried that youâll be deceived and âeatenâ by some older girl somewhere because youâre so kind.â
Perhaps she thought of the scene, her expression darkenâŚ. even though she was the one who said it.
âThatâs right! Iâll give you a knife for self-defense, so in case of emergency, stab her and run away!â
âŚWhy do you come to that conclusion!
âNo, Iâll refrain from something like knifeâŚâ
âHmm? Itâs okay you know, because men are allowed to carry it for self-defense.â
âŚI know! Iâm taught about that by my maid at home! But I donât want to!
Looking at the clock, it was almost time for the class to start.
âItâs about time, letâs go back to the classroom.â
âYe-Yeah.â
She replied as if she hesitated a little.
When I asked what happened, Shino-san shook her head and said, âNothing.â
And she connected the words with⌠âitâs just thatâŚâ
âI wanted to stay alone with you a little longerâŚâ
âŚâŚ Yeah, she was a person who sometime said something cute.