Chapter 31 – After the Storm

“I’m really sorry about that.”

It was evening, after Itsuki and Chitose left, and Amane apologized to a clearly weary Mahiru.

The latter was immediately harassed by people she did not know, and her secret was revealed. It was likely she too felt perturbed and weary.

Amane had a feeling this was a deja vu from the last time Shihoko visited.

“No, it was because I was careless.”

“She’s noisy, isn’t she?”

“…A real lively person.”

“You can just say she’s really noisy.”

“She is just a little energetic, but an interesting one, I think.”

“What do you mean, a little…….……well, I guess it’s fine if you don’t mind.”

Amane felt that Chitose was a loudmouth, but the courteous Mahiru was merely being demure about it, it seemed.

Luckily, it appeared she did not dislike Chitose, but he did not know whether it would be a good thing to be friends.

They had different personalities…and it might be interesting for them to be friends, probably.

Of course, if she said anything that left Mahiru troubled, he intended to remind her, but he decided to just watch for the time being.

“I do not have such people around me, so i am a little happy.”

“Well, it’s rare to see someone like Chitose…smack her on the head if she gets too aggressive, you know?”

“Vi-violence is not good. I will try to coax her with words.”

Both of them felt Chitose would go crazy at times, and there were times she would be passionate about strange things, so such a reminder was necessary.

So he swore to remind Chitose later in his heart, and turned towards the window, looking at the falling snowflakes.

If not for this weather, this secret would not have been revealed to that couple…but snowfall might be a blessing to the lovers, so he could not complain too much.

It appeared Mahiru too liked the snow, and once she noticed Amane staring at the snow, she too enjoyed the sight.

The sun had set early as it was winter, the scenery darkening.

It was dark enough to be called night, and little snow fell, so one could faintly see snow from the lights in the room

“It is a white Christmas.”

“I guess. But it has nothing to do with us.”

“But they are pretty. Is that not fine?”

They were not dating, so the meaning of White Christmas was irrelevant to them…but since Mahiru liked it, perhaps the snow was not bad after all.

The fluttering little snowflakes founded a white coating to the darkening world. At the rate the snow fell however, there would not be much piled up, even if it snowed the entire night.

“But if it snows too much, public transport will be paralyzed. Moderation is best.”

“You’re being realistic now.”

“People cannot live on romance after all.”

“I guess so.”

This little conversation might be thanks to the snow.

Both of them chuckled, and Mahiru stood up.

“I shall bring dinner over.”

“Eh, bring?”

“I made beef stew just now. Also, two people alone cannot finish a roast turkey.…”

“I never thought about roasting a turkey entirely.”

“Well that is because you cannot cook well, Amane-kun. Tomorrow’s lunch will be omelette rice with beef stew.”

“Sounds delicious for some reason…”

He knew before eating that it was going to be delicious, so he was already looking forward to the next lunch before he had this dinner.

“I prefer the eggs a little more cooked.”

“A coincidence. I do prefer this traditional style instead. I shall bring the pot here.”

Mahiru teetered out of Amane’s apartment and returned to her own, and as he stared blankly at her back, he recalled the commotion that had occurred in the day.

It was really unexpected that they were found out.

Amane himself was being doubted by the couple, and expected them to be increasingly suspicious of him, …but he never expected that Mahiru would show her face at this moment.

Results-wise, they explained themselves, they got people who understood them…but he was feeling a little conflicted.

……If only the secret only to them could last a little longer.

What am I thinking?

At the very least, he did not need to play hide and seek with those two, and it would be easier on his life, yet he felt a little gloomy. He too felt perturbed, not knowing what it was.

It was not a bad result, but he just felt something was amiss.

“Is something the matter?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Mahiru returned with the pot in her hands, tilting her head in confusion as she stared at Amane, but after all, he could not express this ambiguous feeling to her outright.

As he struggled to maintain the same facade, Mahiru tilted her head in confusion the entire time, not understanding why.