NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 22
Chapter
Come to think of it, I really was different from other high school girls.
Yeah, I know I’m just a high school girl in name only. It’s obvious. I was in my 30s in my previous life and suddenly fell into Japan with all those memories intact. So, it’s only natural that I’m out of place.
Not only am I not used to being a high school girl, but I’m also completely in the dark about Japanese culture in general.
Well, that’s beside the point. This body was meant to be inhabited by someone else, so it’s only natural that I’m clueless about Japanese culture.
The most important thing is that I’m quite distant from high school girl culture.
“So… you don’t watch dramas, don’t see movies, and don’t listen to music, right?”
“…Yeah.”
I dumbly nodded at Yuuki’s question as we sat across each other in a family restaurant.
Thinking about it made me a little frustrated.
I mean, everyone else is falling into a weird world, gaining insane powers, building harems, and living well, and here I am—falling into Japan, bleeding if I overuse my powers, having no money, and being a weak high school girl without a single home appliance!
I don’t have a single advantage except for being a ‘high school girl’.
Yuuki’s expression turned a little dumbfounded at my answer.
He must be picturing my cramped little room.
Maybe they brought me here because, considering the things I’ve been through, that gloomy, damp room had serious problems.
Seeing that expression made me feel even more let down.
Normally, this kind of protagonist would be quite distant from a ‘normal high school girl’, but besides slaying yōkai, Yuuki was kind of your everyday high school guy.
I slowly began to recall faint memories from 20 years ago.
Well, when you think about it, the content of that novel was pretty disjointed in time.
In volume 1, the protagonist meets the heroine face to face after defeating a yōkai.
But in volume 2, the setting is summer vacation. Yuuki and Sasaki have already become good friends, and Yuuki’s personality has turned quite tsundere. The teasing hints at the end of volume 1 had bloomed completely.
So, what happened between volumes 1 and 2?
The subsequent volumes 3 and 4 were a collection of short stories covering that gap.
I’m caught in that ‘interlude’. Between the exceptionally mundane daily life and the strangely distorted incidents.
If I had to nitpick, I’d say it’s a ‘story too vague to become a series’.
“So… what do you usually do at home?”
“…Homework.”
I answered like that.
“And?”
“…I read some books I borrowed from the literature club.”
Ikeda was pretty generous about lending books. I mean, he probably didn’t buy them with his own money, anyway. Even if I read the books, it’s not like I’d tear them up and hand back the pieces.
“Oh… I see.”
A brief silence fell between us.
Yuuki fidgeted with his hands as if unsure of what to say next.
Anyway, he’s kind. The time was slowly nearing midnight. If you exclude places like this family restaurant and convenience stores, almost all shops were about to close.
Well, the gyudon shop would probably still be open. Yuuki didn’t seem like the type to consider going there, though.
…Thank goodness it’s a relief for me too.
It would probably be tough to go there now. Emotionally speaking.
“Here are your French fries.”
As we sat in silence for a bit, the restaurant employee arrived with the menu Yuuki ordered.
Yuuki nudged the dish toward me with a finger.
“Eat.”
“…What about you?”
“I’m gonna eat too.”
Seeing him pick up a fry, I also reached for one.
“Thank you for the meal.”
As I said that, Yuuki chuckled a little bitterly.
I grabbed a fry and popped it into my mouth. It seems there wasn’t any ketchup on the side. Instead, the salt was generously sprinkled.
I bit into it.
It was salty, with that distinct savory flavor of French fries. It had that fried oily taste, but— it was delicious.
The outside was crispy golden brown, while the inside was a soft potato texture. It was a little hot, but that freshly-fried sensation made it even better.
As I quickly reached for another, Yuuki finally looked relieved.
…Although it is a bit odd, people seem to think that food is the best way to clear someone’s mood.
Well, it’s true. I usually wouldn’t afford to eat something like this.
Wait, thinking it over, I guess I could have McDonald’s now.
…Maybe I should think more on that.
“By the way, about the person in the room next door.”
“…The person who helped me.”
“Yeah, not trying to be critical or anything.”
Yuuki asked with a serious expression.
“Is there no one else who’s come out from there?”
“…….”
Nope.
But frankly, I can understand it.
When I lived in a shared house in Korea, I never thought about calling the police while hearing the people downstairs yelling and arguing.
I guess I just thought it was nothing serious. A personal bias, I suppose.
In reality, they were merely yelling and fighting, and nothing catastrophic happened.
Given my profession, I know I shouldn’t have taken that attitude, but honestly, just before I got here, I was feeling quite disillusioned about my entire life.
I could have easily felt similarly on this side as well.
“I see.”
Yuuki let out a deep sigh again.
“…….”
Then, after a moment of thought, he said.
“You mentioned working in Akihabara?”
“Yeah.”
“When do you finish?”
“Why?”
“When do you finish, I said.”
Yuuki’s expression, as he asked again, was somewhat resolute.
“…Eight o’clock.”
I think I have a clue about what Yuuki’s thinking.
But by that time, secondhand stores would almost all be closing.
“Alright then.”
Yuuki spoke as if making a declaration.
“We’ve got plenty of time.”
“Time?”
It seems Yuuki isn’t thinking of the method I had in mind.
What is on his mind?
“Come on, eat up before it gets cold. French fries get soggy and greasy when they’re cold.”
“…….”
But Yuuki was just telling me that, as if hiding his own thoughts.
I grabbed another fry and popped it in my mouth.
It was delicious.
I know I shouldn’t be cheery in a situation like this, but the taste was unbeatable.
I’ll have to remember this place.
*
Yuuki bought a bunch of snacks on the way back.
“With this, we won’t have to worry about expiration dates.”
“……Goddess.”
“Yikes.”
At my compliment, Yuuki seemed startled, but he didn’t look too upset about it.
“I’ve got my underwear, so don’t worry. I also have toothpaste and a toothbrush. I even have my school uniform.”
After all, I had to attend school the next morning.
“…Thanks.”
At my words, Yuuki stopped his speech for a moment.
Then, scratching his nose, he turned his head toward the window.
After a long pause, Yuuki sighed and turned back toward me.
“So… um, do you have any interests? Things you like?”
Things I like.
I liked games. RPGs, mainly. Usually, when I bought one, I would slowly clear it over several months. After all, I didn’t have that much time.
I also enjoyed reading manga and watching movies.
“……”
But could I like those things in this world too?
No, it’s not some self-loathing thing.
It’s a matter of plausibility.
Since Yuuki had seen my room, he would immediately know why I only eat bread rolls every day.
The money issue.
If I said I liked dramas in a place where there’s no TV, what could I say about where I watched them? And how can I enjoy games without a game console in a room?
I read books, but I wasn’t exceptional about it. Especially since the literature club wasn’t filled with light novels but rather mystery novels or pure literature.
So what’s left—
“Movies.”
“Movies?”
Yuuki responded, surprised for an instant, but quickly mumbled out his next words.
“What kind of movies?”
“Action movies.”
I sat hugging my knees and spoke.
We didn’t really have any cushions to sit on, so we were sitting side by side on the blanket. Snacks were spread out next to the blanket.
“When did you see those?”
“When I was little, with my mom.”
Yeah.
I called KAGAMI back to mind.
She wasn’t exactly someone who could be called ‘very cooperative’, but she’d definitely be ‘generally cooperative’. If I asked for a match, she’d likely comply.
And I wouldn’t feel too guilty using KAGAMI for a lie at times like this. Isn’t it kind of villainous? If you’re a villain, it’s fine to act like one.
“My mom…”
Yuuki muttered absentmindedly.
Was he surprised to find out I had a mom? Or because he didn’t have one? Whatever it was, it’d be better to remain silent rather than pretentiously act like I knew something.
“So, where is your mother?”
Yuuki asked, trying to remain composed, and I took a moment to think before responding.
“I met her today.”
“Uh… So, you mean you don’t often meet up?”
“Yeah. She rarely comes home.”
Concern filled Yuuki’s face.
“Where did you meet?”
“At the police station.”
“Weren’t you together?”
“She left quickly.”
Yuuki looked like he’d stepped on something wrong, but he didn’t seem inclined to withdraw. How brave of him.
“Umm… did she leave you with any messages or anything?”
“…….”
What should I say?
If I said too much here, I’d only end up triggering Yuuki’s guilt.
As I debated quietly, Yuuki lightly grabbed my arm and said.
“I’d like to know.”
“…….”
I took a brief moment to gather my thoughts and then spoke.
“……She said she so doesn’t consider me her daughter.”
Yuuki froze up.
“…….”
“…Is that it?”
Yuuki asked, seemingly unable to believe it.
“No, wait a second. There must be more to it, right? Huh?”
Sure, there is more, but given his reaction, I think it’d be better not to reveal it.
KAGAMI might get angrier.
“It doesn’t make sense. Your abilities didn’t just pop up overnight. It should have been something passed down from the family line.”
So, how should I answer?
I thought for a moment and decided to reveal just a bit about my situation.
“My mom has a religion she believes in.”
Yuuki, who was gripping my shoulder, suddenly froze.
“I… I couldn’t accept that religion. So…”
Well, to dig deeper would turn the story somewhat different, but fundamentally, the reason I lacked money was tied to that.
Yuuki stood there with his mouth agape, then slowly lowered his hand from my shoulder.
“I… see.”
Yuuki would probably share this with his grandfather.
It’ll be a help to Yuuki. If a day ever comes to eradicate that cult, that is.
Surely someday, I’d undoubtedly dismantle it completely. That’s how stories go.
…By then, what will become of me?
“…….”
“…….”
Both Yuuki and I fell silent, each lost in our own thoughts.
*
If a stalker had come after me while working in a maid cafe, what would I do the next day?
It was simple. I’d go to work at the maid cafe.
That guy was crazy; it wasn’t my fault the job went wrong!
To begin with, the maid cafe doesn’t engage in any riveting conversations with customers. The staff just wears their maid outfits.
In contrast, whether I worked at a convenience store or served at a family restaurant, that guy would have followed me anyway.
But fortunately, that guy probably wouldn’t attach himself to me anymore.
In that case, I don’t have any reason to give up my job that paid ¥850 an hour. Right?
Last night, after calming down my mind sleeping with Yuuki, I thought a little. It seemed that the stalker followed me from the gyudon shop, not the maid cafe.
He saw me there and forayed to pretend to be a customer at the maid cafe, then followed me again.
Yesterday was Wednesday. I didn’t work at the maid cafe that day.
What he suddenly blurted out, “Where were you today?” came from the fact I hadn’t passed by the gyudon shop at the scheduled time.
Well, I’m human too, so I probably wouldn’t visit that gyudon shop for a while. But I need to think more about giving up my earnings.
“Hello!”
“Hey.”
Shii greeted me as she spotted me.
Sasaki’s little sister.
A few days had passed since we met, and Shii had told me to call her by her name instead.
In Korean pronunciation, it sounds like “Sayeo” (思惟). That ‘Sayeo’ is indeed correct when you say “to think deeply.”
Her name was probably given to signify she would become a person who thinks deeply.
I wondered if it was her parents or grandparents who named her. I’d guess it was her grandparents. Although the novel doesn’t specify, considering her parents, they wouldn’t have relayed meanings behind names.
Since her brother was Sasaki, and she was also Sasaki, if I just called them ‘Sasaki’, it might confuse who I was referring to.
The sheer truth is I rarely see both Sasaki siblings together.
“Senpai, is there something going on?”
“…Huh?”
Already dressed in maid clothes and preparing to work, Shii asked as she looked at my face.
I felt my face to see if there was anything unusual. I didn’t think it was too different from usual.
“No, nothing’s going on.”
I replied like that.
“Ah….”
Why the sad puppy face?
I left Shii behind to go change my clothes.
*
The work… well, I still managed quite well.
When I think about it, I might be pretty resilient after all.
I went to school properly, did my job properly, and even ate my lunch.
“Hey… are you feeling unwell?”
However, when people looked at me, they kept asking that.
Even the boss asked me that. At least the customers seemed to have not noticed.
“I’m fine.”
“…….”
After hearing my answer, the boss tilted his head suspiciously.
I greeted him and headed down the building stairs with Shii.
Shii seemed hesitant to speak to me. Was she still thinking about the conversation we had earlier?
Since I hadn’t answered Shii properly and went off to change, she might think I was angry.
In reality, I just didn’t know what to say.
“…Sasaki is doing well?”
“Yeah? Ah, yeah! He’s doing well!”
“Is it alright to leave your brother alone?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. He said he’s working with a senior.”
“…I see.”
Well, Sasaki wasn’t a little kid. Though he might worry for his little sister, being home alone wouldn’t be much of a problem.
“…Still, doesn’t he worry about you coming home too late?”
“Uh, yeah… he does seem to be a little concerned.”
Shii’s expression grew slightly dim.
By the way, I still don’t quite grasp the reason she’s always around me. Did I make that much of an impression?
As I stared at Shii, she tilted her head.
Well, she probably had her own thoughts on the matter.
I mean, when I was in middle school, I used to walk through alleys at night to attend cram school. That said, I was a boy, so it might feel a bit different for her.
“…But your brother worries you.”
“Is that so…?”
While we were talking, my phone rang.
It was Yuuki.
I answered the call immediately.
[Are you done with work?]
“Yeah.”
[Got it. Just wait a moment out front.]
I looked around, but I couldn’t see Yuuki.
“Senpai?”
Shii looked wondering and was about to ask me when—
The sound of a car came.
A rather large SUV pulled up and stopped in front of me.
The passenger window rolled down, and Yuuki’s face peeked out.
“Kurosawa, get in. I’ll give you a ride.”
For a split second, I thought Yuuki was driving, but then I realized that in Japan, the driver’s seat was on the opposite side from Korea.
“Who’s this?”
“This is a school friend. Sasaki probably knows him.”
“Huh? Sasaki?”
Yuuki turned his gaze to Shii.
“Here’s Sasaki’s little sister, Shii.”
“Ah, so you’re Sasaki’s little sister.”
“Do you know my brother?”
“Sasakikar…”
Yuuki looked surprised by the way Shii spoke.
Yeah, that’s interesting.
To a daughter of a shrine maiden, it would sound odd to hear something like that.
“Mmm… want to join? I have plans with Kurosawa today. I’ll give you a ride.”
“Uh, is that alright with you?”
Shii looked over at me, and I shrugged my shoulders.
“Then, I’ll gladly accept…….”
As I opened the door for Shii, she hesitated a bit but got into the car.
Well, that makes it better. I would have felt terribly uneasy if I let Shii go alone.
“Huh? Are you Kurosawa’s friend?”
“Yeah, she’s a junior.”
“Her name is Sasaki Shii.”
“Got it, Sasaki, huh.”
“Ah… Are you heading to Kurosawa-senpai’s house?”
Shii asked curiously.
Yuuki looked at me through the rearview mirror.
I nodded.
“Yeah. I have plans.”
“Ah… I see.”
Shii nodded.
“But how do you know my older brother?”
She asked Yuuki, looking intrigued.
“Senpai?”
“Shii attends Hanagawa Middle School.”
“Ah, that’s the school uniform.”
Yuuki nodded, seemingly understanding.
“I sit right behind Sasaki. But we don’t often talk.”
“Is that so…?”
But while she said that, it appeared Shii was deep in thought.
Well, if she wanted to think that far, it might take a long time.
I pondered in silence looking at Shii.
*
“Thanks for today.”
“Nah, it was on my way anyway.”
Yuuki leaned out slightly through the window as he said so.
“Who knows, I might get to give you another ride like this next time too. Then take care of me again.”
“I’ll also take care of you.”
Shii bowed and waved her hand at me, then shouted, “See you tomorrow, Senpai!”
“Yeah.”
I waved goodbye to Shii as she disappeared into the distance.
Even though she said she was fine just being dropped off near the station, my grandfather drove Shii right up to her neighborhood. I don’t know exactly where her house is, but it shouldn’t cause any major issues on the way.
Just in case, we parked briefly to quietly watch Shii’s receding figure.
Even with her petite frame, somehow I felt she looked dignified.
“Now then, shall we head to Kurosawa’s place?”
“I dug around in the storage.”
Yuuki said with a laugh.
“I found an old TV, and it’s still quite usable. Plus, I found a few more things you might find useful.”
“You found a Super Famicom from when you were a kid too.”
“…That’s totally grandfather’s doing.”
Even as of 2004, it was still a pretty old system.
“It’s alright.”
I told Yuuki.
“Just that alone is way more than enough.”
“…I see.”
Yuuki smiled faintly, gazing at me.
Honestly, just listening to the list of items made my heart race excitedly.
Just receiving a TV alone would have me feeling thankful enough to bow, let alone receiving a game console along with it?
There’s absolutely no reason for me to refuse that.
“…Thank you.”
“…….”
At my small gratitude, Yuuki just offered a slight smile in return.