I Decided to Keep a Naive Classmate. Everyday I’m Forced to Stroke

"Yuki. I'll kill you."

"Yeah, yeah?"

It was morning of the third day after the start of summer vacation when I was suddenly threatened. Hiji-nee, who appeared at the dining table, was irritated without even asking. The corners of her mouth were twitching.

"Hey, what's going on all of a sudden? You're not calm... Eh, what, are you lacking calcium? Shall we have some milk? I think it's past the expiration date."

"Don't try to make me drink something like that. Throw it away! I used to say that it's oil on the fire and holy milk is bad!?" [TN: If you can't understand it… then don't]

"I don't think anyone in the past has said that."

Ignoring my tsukkomi, Hiji-nee sits down on a chair full of dissatisfaction. Since she sat down so vigorously, the floor and chair legs rubbed against each other.

"What I want to complain about is not the drink, but the food. Didn't you have time to make it? Even after the summer vacation started, bread, bread, bread! It's a bread festival!!"

"Eh... why do you say it so violently? I'm making it gorgeous according to Hiji-nee's wishes."

As requested, I put ham and cheese on one of the two pieces of bread. I left one of the buns bare in case my sister wasn't in the mood. Until now, the Kurosawa family only had jam, but since summer vacation started, they've bought not only butter but also chocolate and seaweed.

"What are you so angry about? Even I'm struggling to make ends meet from the food expenses I was given."

"I guess so, but... I'm bored, no matter how much. Although delicious."

"Ahh, I know you're tired of it, but it's cheap and easy..."

We can't do housework, I was especially bad at cooking. So, lunch and dinner was from convenience stores or home delivery. When my sister was in a hurry, she would go out to eat—that was the case in most cases.

I decided that it would be better to spend time at least for breakfast. Rent is expensive in the city. No matter how much you're a "slightly selling manga artist" Hiji-nee, you should know the importance of saving money.

"Even so, there is a limit. As the person in charge of the current housework, I want you to do something about the dissatisfaction of the landlord. Yuki, you're missing out on summer vacation, right?"

"No, no... how about that? Even I'm busy doing homework, playing games, staying up late, and hanging out with my friends, right?"

"Oh, okay, it's free time. Well then, look, I'll do this."

Hiji-nee took out a 5,000-yen bill from the wallet she had left behind at the dining table and hand it to me. For a high school student who didn't even have a part-time job, it was a lot of money.

“You suddenly gave me some pocket money.

"That premonition is probably a hit. With this money, buy a cookbook for beginners."

“Eeeee……?”

"Oh, you can keep the change."

"Yay! …… Oops, I was picked up.”

I was tempted by the immediate money. With momentum, I accepted the order. Being poor is hard. Thus, I had no choice but to follow the path of becoming a culinary researcher──

No, I'm not serious about that. I just want to spend my summer vacation in my own way. It's the amount of heat that doesn't get in the way.

I turned my eyes to the verandah. Semi-transparent lace curtains that are closed. On the other side, it was raining lightly.

"Hmm. I'll be at the bookstore in the afternoon."

"No, I thought it was a lucky day. Why don't you go in the morning?"

"I just woke up and it's annoying... I want to laze around in the morning during the summer vacation."

"Oh, it's supposed to rain from the afternoon. Well, isn't it fine?"

◆

At 1:35 p.m., thunder rang far beyond the residential area.

"I should have left in the morning...!"

A tremendous amount of raindrops are hitting me on my way home from the bookstore. The wind was already raging to the point of exaggeration. Huh, was there a heavy rain warning before I knew it?

"Why did this happen...!"

I lamented while running on the way home where there was no one. A large amount of raindrops hitting the umbrella are trying to drown out even such a voice.

byuuuuuuu

"Oh, an umbrella!"

Despite my grip strength, it was blown away by a gust of wind and flew off into the sky. There is no longer anything that blocks heaven and me. It's cold, like a shower in front of the pool. It feels like summer... Is it time to escape from reality!?

"Let's at least stick to '100 delicious breakfasts that anyone can easily make!'"

The paper bag from the bookstore that I was holding in my left hand is now cradled with my abdomen. Even though I spent my precious summer vacation buying it, I can't stand to let it get wet so easily...!

From here to Kurosawa's (Hiji-nee Mansion), it's about a 6-minute walk. With this kind of rain, you'll be wet by the time you get there.

"Kuh... take shelter from the rain. Temporarily evacuate!"

I decided to wait somewhere until the storm slowed down, but where?

For example, that convenience store—no way. think with common sesne, how about a wet high school boy staying for a long time?  It seemed like the shopkeeper would look at me with annoyed eyes.

And I come up with How about under the big bridge near here? It's on the riverbed, so it's just right as a temporary evacuation site. [TN: I think that's a bad idea, bro!]

If you decide to do so, let's move as soon as possible. I hurried under the bridge to minimize the damage—

And I came face to face with an unexpected someone.

"Eh... by any chance, Sanaka-san?"

A talented and beautiful classmate. Arisa Sanaka was completely wet.

"Ah, it's Kurosawa-kun. Haha, it's been three days..."

Even in the pouring rain, the voice was clear and clear, but it seemed to sink into the nearby rough river. She was soaking wet at the edge of the darkness under the bridge. On the grass that is not paved with concrete.

It was also squatting in a cardboard box. The string written in that box is── "Pick it up"?

"Aah, it's been a long time since the closing ceremony...By the way, what are you doing, Sanaka-san?"

"... run away from home, I guess. Uh... yes, run away from home! I'm on the run."

I couldn't believe my ears because I couldn't believe that these words came from an honor student.

"Eh, why again... that's surprising."

"Right? It surprised me too. I can't help but get angry like this. In the morning, I rushed out without an umbrella. Haha..."

A self-mocking smile. Sanaka-san shyly scratched her translucent white cheeks. Drops of water dripping down. It seemed that her toes were wet.

“With that wetness, what was the last time you got here?”

“I left the house early in the morning and was dizzying around, but what if I suddenly got yelled at like this? Things that have no choice but to evacuate to one place.”

Sanaka-san's slender fingertips pointed toward the dark clouds. It will shine again in the distance. Then thunder. I see.

From an honor student's point of view, I feel like her expressions are a little childish.

"Hey, Kurosawa-kun, did you go shopping?"

Sanaka-san, who was still sitting, tilted her cheeks to her upper arm and asked a question.

"Yes, I went to buy a book, but my umbrella was blown away. I thought it would be a loss to go out if not only my clothes but also my books got wet, so I came here."

"I see. It's a disaster for both of us... Ah, no, did I deserve to run away from home... Hmm, I deserved it? No, no, this is Papa's fault..."

Sanaka-san put her fingertips to her mouth and complained about something.

Did something happen with her father? It's a vulgar interest, but I'm a little curious. The fact that her atmosphere is different from school may have something to do with it. But I'm just as worried about it--

"Hey Sanaka-san. What is that cardboard box?"

"What?"

"“Please pick it up” is written on it with a thick magic pen, but... did you carry this with you because you ran away from home?"

"No, no, no. I didn't do that! This was originally placed here!"

She hurriedly apologized while tapping the sides of the box.

"I've been wandering around since morning, so my legs are tired... I just used it as a rug to rest!"

"Hmph, I see. Did someone abandon a pet here? If it wasn't inside, someone picked it up...maybe." [TN: Whoa… so she replace the animal that owned that box]

"Ah... um, I hope so. I'm sure there was a kind person."

"na"

Sanaka-san must have imagined the unpleasant possibility, but neither of us said it.

 “…………”

I'm starting to feel awkward. I just went to buy a book. Like Sanaka-san, I didn't dare to run away from home. Normal and Tokubetsu. You will be reminded when will the rain stop? [TN: Word Tokubetsu simply means "special"]

"── Ah. But if it's me, Kurosawa-kun, might be able to picked me up."

"Eh…!? Wh-what is it all of a sudden?"

Since she said something outrageous, I unintentionally checked her expression. She doesn't seem to be joking. Her neat features that make her feel that she is in a foreign country are serious. But when she noticed me looking at her with a surprised face, she waved her hand in a panic.

"Ah, hypothetically, just hypothetically! Assuming someone picks me up like this, I just thought it would be nice if it was my classmate Kurosawa-kun."

"That's right. Eh, what kind of reaction should I give back? Well, I can't just pick it up like this. It's a great joke."

"Ah, I'm sorry I said something that annoyed you. Haha, forget it... No, I'll make you forget it! Forget it, forget it...!"

In the second half, Sanaka-san tried to make us forget with a grim face. Are you supposed to be a shaman from some tribe?

 "Haha"

Her low-pitched, old-fashioned performance was so realistic that I couldn't help but laugh. Sanaka-san used to make jokes like this.

“Forget it~"

A small sneeze interrupted the spell.

"Uu, it's cold..."

"It's colder here than I thought."

Besides, she had been walking since morning. She must be tired.

I'm sure she was tired and said, "I don't care if you pick me up."

"... Um. It's not an extension of the topic of picking it up earlier... but would you like to stop by at my house now?"

"Heh"

Squatting down, she blinked her eyes and looked up at my face.

"We have to run a little bit, and we'll get wetter than we are now...if you don't mind, I'll lend you at least a shower."

"Eh, but..."

"If you keep sitting here like this, Sanaka-san, you'll catch a cold, right?"

Thinking about it straight, I can't even leave it as it is. Running away from home is not normal. I thought I needed to settle down somewhere.

"Wow, I'm sorry. If it's me, um, I'm really fine! Don't worry! Besides, Kurosawa-kun's book might get wet..."

"No, I should prioritize Sanaka-san's emergency situation over books. As expected."

"──Tsu. That's right, is that so? …………Hmm"

With her cheeks resting on her toes, Sanaka-san looked down a little. Was she an unnecessary meddlesome?

"Well, I'll take your word for it--I'll be indebted to you for a little while, Kurosawa-kun."

It was Sanaka-san who approached me from a dark place. Herwhite cheeks are blushing. She may have already caught a cold. She has to move quickly.

"Then let's hurry up. I'll choose the shortest route to my house as well."

As I was saying this, I was shocked when I saw Sanaka-san standing.

"!?"

──The color of the underwear is completely transparent! I didn't pay attention to the clothes, so I didn't notice. Under the simple outfit, the lemon color that wrapped around the chest was faintly emerging.

If it wasn't for a downpour, I wouldn't be able to hold on like this. It's probably been a few minutes since her underwear became transparent, but... Sanaka-san didn't seem to notice it.

"Kurosawa-kun, what happened? I stopped."

"I, I didn't do anything. Let's run, Sanaka-san!"

"Understood! I'm fast, so don't worry about me."

Unlike the low tension at school, Sanaka-san nodded energetically. The lemon on her chest still visible. To be honest, it makes my heart flutter ten times more than my Hiji-nee's underwear ──I can't think like that. In general, it's not good to look at it like an accident like that.

Trying not to face Sanaka-san as much as possible, I trotted towards the Kurosawa family.

Huh... I can't keep my composure.

Let's take a shower early and let's go home when you calm down.