Ch.49Episode 10. Comforting the Loners (1)

“Ah, g-good morning!”

“……”

I stared at the person standing in front of me, barely able to open my eyes properly.

Yu Ari was holding a plate full of inari sushi with both hands.

“Tsk. Um… you know.”

“Y-yes?”

“It’s 6 AM right now?”

I showed her my phone as I spoke. She nodded her head enthusiastically.

“Yes. I-I know.”

“And it’s Sunday.”

“Yes. I know.”

If you know the time and day, shouldn’t you also know what an inconvenience it is to come here like this…?

“Somehow… it seems like you’re coming to my room earlier and earlier?”

“I-I wanted to make you breakfast.”

“Breakfast?”

“Well… I’ve been living alone since high school. I’m a good cook. S-sort of?”

That’s not really the point I’m trying to get at here…

I scratched my messy hair.

After debating whether to let Yu Ari in, I reluctantly opened the door wide.

“Come in if you want.”

“Yes!”

“…You really don’t need to make me breakfast.”

It would be better to sleep at that hour.

There was no rush anyway since I could eat while the students were in their morning classes.

“I-I want to do it for you.”

“…I see. But where did you make this?”

“Oh, I asked the dormitory cooks to let me borrow the kitchen for a bit. I p-properly shared the inari sushi with them too…! Don’t worry!”

She gives me a thumbs up as she speaks. What am I supposed to be worried about…?

“I would have preferred to m-make it here directly… but that seemed too intrusive.”

“You’re already being intrusive by coming here.”

I said as I tousled her hair. Yu Ari accepted my touch and smiled contentedly.

“I’ll enjoy it anyway.”

I picked up a piece of inari sushi from the plate on the table and put it in my mouth.

Having just woken up, my mouth felt dry. Putting food in such a parched state made my throat feel tight.

But as I chewed the inari sushi, its distinctive sauce acted as a lubricant, relieving the discomfort.

As the salty and tangy flavors spread in my mouth, my drowsiness completely disappeared.

“…This is good.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah. Try some.”

I pulled out chopsticks from the utensil holder on the table and held them out to her. She took the chopsticks and stared at them intently.

“The instructor’s chopsticks…”

“What?”

“N-nothing! Um, h-how many times have you used these chopsticks?”

“…Why? Are they dirty?”

“Of course not! Actually, the more they’ve been used, the better… well, not really, but… utensils are like a d-deep cultural h-heritage!”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

I picked up a piece of inari sushi with the chopsticks and popped it into Yu Ari’s mouth as she rambled on. She stared at me blankly with her mouth open.

Yu Ari’s eyes slowly drifted downward. It was a movement to confirm what had entered her mouth.

I pulled the chopsticks out of her mouth.

“How is it? Delicious, right?”

“Ah, uhhh…”

I was puzzled by her strange sound and flustered reaction.

It’s not like I put my mouth on the chopsticks, so what’s wrong with feeding her? There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

Looking at her blatantly reddened face, I picked up another piece of inari sushi. Seeing her chewing despite her embarrassment, it must taste good.

“Huh? T-those chopsticks went into my mouth and then…”

“So what? It’s not like you’re going to die.”

I replied indifferently as I ate the inari sushi.

Hmm. It really is delicious.

“I-indirect kiss!”

“…What are you, a child? Making a fuss over something like that.”

“T-then what would be appropriate to make a fuss about?!”

“You already know everything, don’t you? Why act surprised now?”

“Knowing something and e-experiencing it are different!”

She snorted in rebuttal and put an inari sushi in her mouth, chewing vigorously.

“…Are you a virgin?”

“Pfft!”

Cough! Cough!

She coughed violently and stood up.

Is that reaction really necessary…?

“N-not exactly a virgin…!”

“So you have experience then?”

I grabbed some wet wipes from the top of the drawer to clean up what she had spit out. At my words, she desperately tried to recall her past, rolling her eyes around.

“In k-kindergarten…?”

I smiled wryly at her hesitant answer.

The fact that she phrased even her kindergarten experience as a question suggested it wasn’t a definite fact.

It was a desperate attempt to preserve her last shred of dignity, but it was just a futile excuse.

“…Heh. The more you talk, the more pitiful it gets, so just sit down and eat.”

“Instructor, you’re r-really mean.”

“Wasn’t it funny?”

“It wasn’t funny at all!!”

“You’re so energetic.”

She denied it with all her might. I chuckled and popped another piece of inari sushi into my mouth.

Keep showing me that bright side of yours from now on.

* * *

“I only have cheap coffee.”

I said as I placed a cup of Maxim coffee in front of her. Yu Ari bowed slightly, accepted it, and immediately took a sip.

“It’s f-fine. I’ll d-drink anything!”

I sat down diagonally across from her and took a sip of coffee.

Now, with my stomach full, how should I get rid of this kid?

She did say I could bother her, but bothering me on the weekend too? Come on!

Let me look for an opportunity to gently coax her out.

“Look at those dark circles you got from making sushi so early in the morning.”

I was about to touch under her eyes but noticed she was wearing makeup and withdrew my hand.

Makeup so early in the morning…

She must want to look good for me. Is it romantic feelings?

“Next time, think about yourself first. I can take care of my own breakfast.”

“Am I b-bothering you?”

“No. Not at all. I’m grateful for the food. But you must be tired from training and studying hard every day.”

“It’s okay, I can just sleep during class.”

“Pay attention in class, damn it…”

I was dumbfounded.

While grades might not be crucial for hero activities, maintaining a certain academic standard was necessary to obtain a hero license.

Does she know that?

No, if she knew, she wouldn’t say such things.

“Midterms are pushed back a bit, but they’re still the week after next. Are you studying well?”

“I hate studying.”

“What are you, an elementary school kid?”

“B-but I really hate it…”

“Even if you hate it, you have to do it. You want to become a hero, right?”

I said in a coaxing tone.

“A hero…”

Yu Ari held the cup with both hands and repeated the word “hero” several times. After watching her press her lips together, I carefully asked.

“Are you afraid of becoming a hero?”

“…Do I d-deserve to be a hero?”

“Yes. You do.”

Slurp.

I answered immediately in a casual tone and then took a sip of coffee. Her eyes widened at my response.

“Aren’t you a-answering too lightly?”

“It’s the same logic we discussed before. Your past is no longer an issue. No one tells heroes to stop being heroes just because they’ve killed a villain or two. Besides…”

“B-besides?”

“There’s no hero in this world who doesn’t get criticized. Why? Because everyone has their own standards. Based on those standards, there’s no hero who escapes criticism.”

“Is that so?”

She seemed doubtful and couldn’t easily accept it.

“Then let’s think about it differently.”

“How?”

“That day, if you hadn’t killed that robber, someone else, including you, would have died. Looking into the villain who tried to kill you, he had already committed six crimes before breaking into your home. He had even killed three people.”

I spread three fingers as I spoke.

The fact that he was a “repeat offender” played a significant role in why she could claim self-defense.

“Now, what if you hadn’t killed him when he broke into your house?”

“Like he broke into my house… he c-could have broken into o-other houses and k-killed people…?”

“That’s it.”

I pointed at Yu Ari and grinned.

“By killing that robber that day, you not only protected yourself but also indirectly saved people you don’t even know.”

“I s-saved someone…”

“Heroes are people who sacrifice themselves to protect others from villains. Thinking about it that way, Yu Ari, haven’t you been qualified to be a hero since middle school?”

“I’ve never, n-never thought about it that way. I d-didn’t know such a perspective existed.”

“Yes. So you don’t need to feel guilty about your past anymore. Qualifications or whatever. Don’t worry about such things, and live with pride.”

And someday, show me how you save people.

“…Yes!”

She clutched her clothes, her eyes welling up.

Hearing my answer, it seemed she wouldn’t be shaken by her past issues anymore. I guess I’ve helped Yu Ari button up her issues properly.

Good. That should wrap up our conversation.

Time to see her out.

“Instructor Yujin.”

“Yes?”

Just as I was about to speak, she beat me to it.

“Um… t-today… would you s-spend the day with me?”

Ah, is she referring to the promise I made yesterday?

She’s using that today of all days?

“…Sure.”

All I could do in response to her request was nod with a generous smile.

There goes my entire weekend.