Ch. 91.1 - The Ways of a Scumbag Pt1
“Sorry, excuse me, coming through.”
Apologizing softly to the passengers around him, Harutaki hugged his sister, Ayaka, and squeezed their way toward the other side of the carriage.
It felt exactly like one of those obstacle-course challenges on TV.
The hardship packed into that single meter was impossible to put into words. He had to protect Ayaka in his arms while enduring the irritated, annoyed looks from other passengers. Without a thick enough skin, Harutaki might’ve retreated halfway through.
Still, he thought, difficult as the challenge was, the prize at the finish line wasn’t some refrigerator or microwave.
It was a girl who was priceless and important to him.
For that reason alone, even if pushing through a packed train was a bit inconsiderate, he was determined to reach Shihou.
Whether it was because the train was too loud, or because Harutaki kept his voice low enough, Shihou showed no reaction at all by the time he reached her side with Ayaka in his arms.
“Shihou-senpai feels kinda pitiful…” Ayaka whispered into his ear, clinging to his shoulder. Her warm breath brushed his ear, making him shiver slightly.
Pitiful?
Harutaki looked at the girl holding the handrail in front of him. She was staring blankly out the window, watching the tunnel walls race past. Now and then, a strip of white light flashed by, briefly illuminating her face and making it look faintly pale.
“I mean, they went out together, but on a train this crowded she ends up all alone… Anyone would feel awful, right?”
A low, dejected air clung to Shihou. To Harutaki, the girl standing by the edge of the carriage looked like a lone stray cat—pressed against a wall, wandering through a bustling city all by herself.
“And that’s exactly why this is your chance, dummy Harutaki~”
“Running into a friend and saying hello, and you make it sound like I’m doing something evil and NTR-ish.”
Harutaki shot his sister a glance, utterly confused by her inexplicable excitement.
That phrasing also reminded him of some anime he’d watched as a kid. Thanks to his decent memory, the scene resurfaced vividly in his mind—
“Now’s your chance, Haru! Go for it!”
“Huh, so even you know you’re an idiot, huh…”
What do you mean, know I’m an idiot?
Hearing Ayaka’s jab, Harutaki whispered a righteous defense.
“You’re both single—how is that NTR…?”
He went on about “mutual consent” and “sincerity for sincerity,” making Ayaka chuckle. In an instant, a light, cheerful atmosphere filled the space between the siblings.
Beep.