episode_0043

Jiiing──!!!

A vibration that is so familiar that it has become affectionate.

Rohan climbed up the indoor ladder and rummaged through the top of the bookshelf, then put his hand into his apron.

[ Clara: Oppa. Is it okay if I use hot water on Monday…? ]

A message that rarely contains emoticons, giving it an impulsive vibe.

Of course, that’s okay. The timing is a bit weird, but you’ve finally made a decision.

Rohan replied, “Of course,” and continued what he was doing.

“Monster molar classification table by September writer. There’s one left here.”

“Thank you. I will pay you right away.”

As I walked to the cash register with the customer, I began to think about my after-work days.

‘Should I pack some food for the room?’

Today, I need to tell you the location of the academy dormitory and unlock the window.

If you’re at Clara’s level, you should have no problem climbing walls and you should be able to get in more quietly than anyone else.

“I’ll come again.”

“Thank you! Take care!”

After seeing off the last customer, the Kkotmura Bookstore became quiet as usual.

The chaos from before seems fake.

‘It’s not like it’s lunchtime or anything.’

This is the first time that customers have flocked to us like this, but I think we’ve handled it well.

“Whew···.”

Rohan let out the breath he had been holding in and walked towards the corner where the two people were.

Because I kept wondering what would happen to Noah and Clara.

“How are you?”

As Rohan appeared with his voice, their gazes naturally turned towards him.

It’s nice to see smiles that each have their own unique color.

“Are you finally free now?”

“, thank you for your hard work···!”

Clara’s message may have been the result of a discussion with Noah, but there was no need to mention its contents in advance.

Noah waved his hand to attract Rohan’s attention as he leisurely organized a nearby bookshelf.

“Hey! Let me ask you something.”

“Hmph···.”

The girl sitting next to Noah held her breath in nervousness, knowing what he was going to say.

Rohan can only be suspicious of Clara’s behavior of avoiding eye contact and giving off an air of incomprehension.

“What is it?”

Could there be any timidity in the personality of the girl of the water?

Noah asked directly, wagging his tail from side to side.

“Isn’t Clara pretty? She looks like a doll?”

“···.”

How will Rohan answer Noah’s question?

Clara listened with half anticipation and half fear.

Rohan let out a hollow laugh as if he had heard a sharp question, then moved his hand that had stopped and continued organizing.

“I wondered what he was asking··· Of course he was pretty.”

“!!!”

Clara’s head shot up. The aforementioned cheeks turned red.

‘Is this the correct answer?’

Many thoughts crossed Rohan’s mind as he came up with this answer in that split second.

Wouldn’t Clara be uncomfortable with being told she’s pretty, given her personality? Wouldn’t it be hurtful to say no or give an ambiguous answer?

But I think it would be okay to answer coolly while sitting here without running away.

Noah and Clara may not know that these numerous choices are the answers that came after they had been hammered into their consciousness.

“Oh! It’s refreshing?”

“Because any other impressions are blatant lies.”

“Yes.”

Noah was immediately convinced by Rohan’s words.

Even if it’s not my taste, it would be a blatant lie to say that Clara’s flawless face is ugly.

‘Is this really okay?’

Clara’s gaze is looking down again.

Rohan tried to playfully ventilate Clara, fearing that she might be feeling burdened.

“But isn’t this bullying Clara? If it was, tell Ichinose and make her solve the workbook?”

“Bullying! Clara told me because she lacked confidence in herself.”

“Hmm···.”

“It’s true!”

When Noah complained, Rohan looked at him with suspicion.

Because I was able to get a rough idea from those words.

“Even so, this method might be burdensome to Clara──.”

Ding-ding─!

Before Rohan could finish speaking, a customer opened the bookstore door.

─ Excuse me? Is there no staff?

“Yes! Let’s go!”

Rohan left a message telling them to play for a while and quickly walked to the checkout counter.

Today was an unusually busy day.

*****

“Sorry. Was it hard waiting for you to get off work?”

“Oh, no···.”

Rohan walked along the road where the sun had set with Clara.

Not three, but two. Noah is not here now.

The girl who was reading a comic book suddenly said she was hungry and called Ichinose on the phone, then got up and left.

He loudly announced that he would come again next time, but by the time Rohan could respond to his voice, he had already disappeared out of the bookstore.

Afterwards, Rohan approached Clara, who was now alone, and told her that he would tell her about the dormitory.

The girl was now left to wait until Rohan got off work.

“Rohan Oppa.”

“Huh?”

Clara, who was walking beside him, turns her gaze to the envelope in one of Rohan’s hands.

What was more thrilling to Rohan was that he was now walking beside her instead of following her from behind.

“Let me hear that···!”

“It’s okay. It’s not heavy.”

Inside the envelope are 24 comic books.

Noah bought a comic book, read it, and recommended it to Rohan because he thought it was fun.

Thanks to the gift of a comic book that still had some crispness, Rohan was holding a heavy paper bag in one hand.

‘It turned out well.’

Rohan decided to take it and leave it in the dormitory without reading it.

Because I think Clara might watch it when she’s bored.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Yeah! It’s okay.”

“But you still have to eat. When you get to the dorm, should I make you something simple?”

“Oh, oppa himself···!?”

Clara opened her eyes wide as if to ask if it was true.

Rohan met her eyes and smiled.

“I’m not great at it, but I’ve learned how to cook basic dishes while living alone. It may not be delicious, but it’s not completely inedible.”

“···!”

“Or should I just buy something nearby and go? Actually, that’s a guaranteed taste.”

Let’s stop on the street and look around to find Rohan’s restaurant.

Clara grabbed his collar and whispered softly.

“I want to eat what oppa made···.”

“Then let’s just stop by the mart before we go.”

“Yeah!”

A road that takes a diagonal turn from the destination and heads towards a nearby mart.

Clara couldn’t hold back the curiosity that was pounding in her chest and let it out.

“Noah and her brother are really close···?”

“I think today is the first time I had a serious conversation with Noah? We ran into each other by chance when I went to buy a gift for the store manager.”

“Huh!?”

Is that possible?

In Clara’s eyes, Rohan and Noah seemed to be close friends.

It seemed absolutely impossible to set it below that. Rohan calmly replied that it wasn’t to that extent.

“As you saw today, he’s a very sociable guy. We’re in the same class, but I don’t even know his number.”

“Oh, I see···.”

Clara felt an inexplicable sense of relief at Rohan’s words.

An unknown emotion makes the corners of my lips twitch.

“Didn’t Clara exchange numbers with Noah earlier?”

“Yeah···.”

“If you forced the exchange, don’t worry, I’ll explain it to you. If it’s burdensome, don’t force it.”

“That’s okay, but I don’t know how to reply to my sister···.”

“Reply?”

Clara showed her phone to Rohan, asking him to look at it.

You see a hot message that just arrived.

[ Sister Noah: Huh! ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ ]

Rohan understood what the problem was.

Clara would be okay with a message that shows the length of the answer, but this one is confusing because it doesn’t make sense.

“There’s no particular meaning to it. Did he just send it because he’s a tiger person?”

“Would it be okay to respond with a normal greeting···? What if there is some kind of etiquette for messages between people···.”

“There’s no such thing, so take it easy.”

Wait for Clara, who is typing on the keyboard in a fluster.

Rohan moved his feet again.

I bought some simple ingredients at the mart and also bought a container to store the side dishes in.

I also needed spoons and cups for Clara to use, so I started packing them in while picking them out here and there, and there wasn’t a small amount.

Rohan now carries a load in both hands, and Clara also has something in one hand.

“This is the Academy Men’s Dormitory Building.”

“Wow···!”

“You have to take your student ID at the entrance, and there’s a camera, so I have to come in through the window. Is that okay? Or you can cover it all with something like a big hoodie.”

Clara nods after seeing the height of the building and feeling the material of the wall.

“I think it’ll be okay to go to the window···.”

“Give me your luggage. I’ll go up and open it for you. Just wait a moment.”

··

··

Rohan opened the door and came in, turning on the light to brighten the room.

Next, put the luggage you are holding on the floor and unlock the window.

Knock knock.

I open the window and Clara is looking down at me.

He made a lot of gestures with his hands to signal for me to come in and moved his body out of the way.

Clara climbed up to the windowsill without a sound.

“This is oppa’s···.”

Clara scanned every corner of the room with interest.

He also checks the smell with his prominent nose.

“The shoe rack is over there.”

“Yeah!”

Clara took off her shoes and sat on the windowsill, landing with a light movement.

He came back after putting his shoes in the shoe rack.

“Shall we eat first? Then I’ll tell you where the items are.”

“Do whatever you want, oppa…I’m fine with anything.”

“Let’s start by cleaning the cup and spoon.”

Rohan rummaged through the plastic and rustled around to find something.

Clara spoke from behind.

“Rohan Oppa.”

“Why?”

“It’s the Academy’s male dormitory, so women are not allowed in?”

“Not only women, but outsiders were originally prohibited from entering.”

“Huh, huh···.”

Clara walks around, snorting awkwardly.

Rohan thought as he felt Clara’s presence.

Today might be a good day to have a serious talk with Clara.

For each other, for the future.