"I’m sorry for the late introduction. My name is Nene Takeshita."
"Ah, I’m Yamamoto."
Since this Takeshita girl bowed deeply, I stood up from my chair and returned the gesture.
I never imagined we’d have a reunion like this.
Honestly... I was spooked.
I wasn’t unnerved by some "twist of fate" that brought us back together or anything like that. I’m not a romantic. That kind of thing is just creepy. It made my skin crawl.
No, what actually had me shaken was the woman currently boring holes into me with her gaze.
So you can actually make a face like that, huh?
Kasahara’s expression was terrifying. She looked like a Hannya mask. Well, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration. At the very least, if I’d said that out loud, she probably would have decked me.
During the time we were dating, my body was constantly covered in fresh wounds...
Wait, no, that wasn’t part of the story.
"Um..."
"Ah, yes?"
"Thank you so much for yesterday. That handkerchief is very important to me. I was terrified at the thought of losing it."
"It must be quite a precious item then. It’s good you didn't lose it for good."
"Yes. Thank you, truly."
But man...
Having someone bow to me this many times was awkward. I scratched the back of my head. Honestly, I wanted to escape this place as quickly as possible—before the woman sitting in front of me decided to do something to me.
"Um, if it’s alright, could I offer you a reward as thanks...?"
"Eh?"
A clearly displeased sound escaped my throat.
"Is that a no?"
A reward, huh?
Well, if the handkerchief was that important, I suppose I could understand her wanting to give something back. What did I want? Setting Kasahara aside for a moment, did I actually want this girl to thank me?
I took a moment to consider it.
"No. It’s unnecessary," I finally answered.
"Eh?"
"I just picked up a handkerchief. That’s all."
The girl looked stunned.
"From my perspective, I only did what was natural. Being rewarded for that feels like an imposition of goodwill. It makes me uncomfortable."
"Ugh..."
A voice muttered. It was Kasahara. It was a heavy, leaden sound—the kind of voice someone uses when they are completely and utterly repulsed by another person's actions.
Weren't you the one who didn't want us to meet again? I retorted inwardly.
Despite her telling me to just accept the penalty game regarding the promise with Hayashi, she was acting like this. I really was always at the mercy of her whims.
"...But it really was a very important handkerchief."
"In that case, I don't need a reward. Just take preventative measures."
"Preventative measures...?"
"Exactly. Measures to ensure you don't let it fly away next time."
"...Measures."
"It’s a serious issue, isn't it? Do you intend to go through this whole routine of thanking people every time your handkerchief gets caught in the wind and someone picks it up? That’s inefficient. And what if you're told they don't want a reward, just like I did? You'll just end up agonizing over it indefinitely."
"So you are aware you're making her agonize over it?"
"What is it, Kasahara? You’re acting immensely exasperated."
"I am immensely exasperated. You really are... Honestly."
"'Honestly' doesn't tell me anything. If you have something to say, say it clearly."
"I'm saying that learning how to read the room is important, okay?"
"...Hmm."
Is that how it works? Well, if Kasahara said so, I guess that’s just how it was. Man, I really was constantly being jerked around by her.
"...Then," Takeshita-san said, interrupting our bickering. "If I asked you to help me think of those preventative measures, would you give me some of your time?"
"...Hm?"
"I don't want to lose my handkerchief, or offer rewards, or agonize over being rejected anymore. So, will you help me figure out what I should do?"
"No, wouldn't you normally just put the handkerchief in your bag instead of your skirt pocket?"
"..."
"If you do that, you won't fail to tuck it away properly. Even if you did drop it or it blew away, it would only happen right before or after you used it, so surely you'd notice then, right?"
"...I suppose... you're right."
"Good. Just be careful from now on."
"Yes..."
"Let's go, Kasahara."
"...Ah, right."
Leaving the girl behind, we walked out of the cafeteria.
"...As expected, Yamamoto-kun. You really are a flag crusher."
"Huh?"
"I'm talking about how many girls you must have made cry like that."
"...Well, at this point, I've lost count of how many people I've made cry by causing trouble."
"That's not what I meant... though I guess it's close enough."
"...Anyway, you were the one who told me not to get involved with her."
"Oh? Did you use that blunt tone just to keep your promise to me?"
"...Is that what you think?"
"Knowing you? Not a chance."
It was a relief she was so quick to catch on... or maybe it wasn't.
"You don't tell lies. So when you said it felt like an imposition of goodwill and made you uncomfortable... that was your honest answer, wasn't it?"
"...Yeah."
"You really should learn to sugarcoat things."
"If I could do that, people like you wouldn't be calling me a troublemaker!"
"Fair point."
Kasahara burst into laughter. What a rude woman, laughing like a maniac over something like this.
Still, in the end, the promise with Hayashi had been broken. It couldn't be helped. I’d have to give up and accept the penalty game—letting Hayashi buy the cleaning tools and giving up on my plans to organize them.
Good grief... Seriously, what part of this is actually a punishment?