Ch. 75.2 - Nogami’s Invitation Pt2
She snickered, and then her tone softened.
“Your voice sounds a little rough. Go get a drink of water, okay…?”
“Uh… yeah…”
This was bad…
She always threw emotional punches without warning.
Sure, the hoarseness was mostly from talking too long with Shihou last night, but that was definitely something he could not mention.
Not over the phone. Not now.
Fortunately, ever since adopting a “water before bed” habit, he kept a sports bottle in his room.
Gulp gulp.
The cold water hit harder than a splash to the face, instantly shocking the fuzzy sleep from his mind.
“Whew…”
“Better now? Good. So, does Nogami-sama require her loyal attendant to handle some pressing trouble?”
“Do you think I’m the kind of girl who’s nothing but trouble?!”
To be fair, yes.
“O-Of course not…”
“Hmph. Anyway, are you free today… No, you must be free today.”
Who talks like this?!
He could almost see the question mark floating above his own head.
Well… it was very on-brand for her.
“I’m free, I guess…”
“Good. Then get to Shibuya PARCO, first floor, Café Marly. Before 10:30.”
So direct. Couldn’t she be even a little subtle when asking someone out?
“Uh… just the two of us?”
“Y-You idiot! That would be a date!”
…Wasn’t this already a date?!
He barely kept himself from blurting it out. Experience kept him alive.
Even through the phone, he could imagine Nogami right now, bright red face puffed up in outrage.
“Sae and Minako will be there too!”
“So you want me to— ”
“Are you coming or not!?”
Nogami cut him off mid-sentence, her tone leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.
Just from the way she said it, it was obvious there were no options other than “go.”
Still, having Sae and Minako there too actually worked perfectly for him.
He still needed Nogami’s help dealing with that senior Yobitani. The guy was a minor and technically only attempted a crime; if he put on a show of apology, he’d be released in a matter of days.
And besides, he had another idea:
He wanted Nogami and Shihou to become friends.
It sounded ridiculous on the surface, but when you considered their personalities, backgrounds, and psychological traits… it wasn’t impossible. In fact, it might work.
Nogami looked down on ordinary people with no talent and too much ignorance. But Shihou, in both intellect and upbringing, was every bit her equal, and could truly become her fourth friend aside from Sae and Minako.
As for Shihou, she admired Nogami’s freedom and boldness, the way she treated her own “specialness” as though it were nothing at all. And if Shihou wanted to reveal her true self, to stop wearing the mask of “Shihou Chouko,” then aside from him, Hoshikawa Harutaki, Nogami was the best possible person she could open up to.
Spreading rumors or leaking secrets… with Nogami’s pride, she would never do something like that.
“I’ll definitely be there on time~”
He accepted Nogami’s “invitation” on the spot, then smoothly added:
“But I do have one little thing I’d like to ask Nogami-san for help with… Oh, also, can I bring someone with me?”
“Who?”
“Shihou-san.”
“……”
“If you don’t want to, I can forget it.”
There was a moment of silence. Then Nogami’s confident voice came through the phone again.
“Tch. Whatever. Don’t make it sound like I’m petty. Adding one Shihou Chouko doesn’t bother me.”
…?
“Much appreciated.”
……
The tamagoyaki was lightly browned on the outside, soft and springy within; half a perfectly grilled, crispy-skinned salt-mackerel; a bowl of mild miso soup with tofu and wakame; and a small dish of vinegared spinach and carrot,
No offense to his sister Ayaka, but there was no way she could’ve made something this elegant.
It could only have been Shihou. Harutaki was certain.
He was about to thank her, still in the kitchen washing dishes with Chiaki and Fuyuno, when Ayaka grabbed his arm and dragged him into a hidden corner near the entryway.
“Ayaka…?”
“I think this Shihou-senpai is really nice.”
Harutaki froze.