Chapter 44: A Date With Azaki Hye-assist
TL: Scaramochi
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[Sasaki's POV]
Aihara, who had a lunch set with a drink bar, and I, who only had a drink bar, came to get drinks together.
With a regular meal, you have to take off your mask, and with just a drink, you can drink from under the mask with a straw. It's a perfect stand-up routine.
"I want corn soup, so you go back first, Sasaki."
"Sure."
Aihara got in line for her corn soup after filling her drink, and I poured myself a cup of oolong tea and returned to my seat.
"Huh?"
When I returned to my seat, there was only Mojamoja at the table.
Mojamoja was tapping his phone and moistening his lips with cold water.
I'm alone with this guy, or worse.......
"Hey, where's Makishima?"
"Hm? If it's Makishima, he turned red, he said he'd cool his head, and went away."
"Hmm."
Maybe that prank I pulled earlier worked?
I just tickled him a little...... weird.
"Hey, Sasaki."
Mojamoja looks up from his phone and calls out to me.
"You only brought oolong tea? You're surprisingly healthy-minded, aren't you?"
I ignore Mojamoja and sit down on the couch.
If I listen to him, I'll lose. He's not my type, he's annoying, and he's a jerk.......
As soon as it became one-on-one, Mojamoja started staring at me.
"Hmmm, hehe, huh."
It's already the worst...... help me, Makishima.
"If I look closely, Sasaki is cute too. Next to Aihara."
"......Ugh."
"Shinohara Sasakura, you left the last party with Makishima, didn't you? To be honest, do you like Makishima?"
"......Nothing."
"So, you do like him..."
"No, I don't like him!"
"Yeah, yeah, I understand. Makishima is a nice-looking guy, but he doesn't know how to play with women, and he's a nice guy."
......Well, what he says is not wrong.
Mojamoja takes a gulp of water and puts his phone on the table.
"Lately Makishima, he's going to play in the Emperor's Cup! and he's very motivated anyway. It's the Shinonohara effect, isn't it?"
"......Oh, of course! Makishima is no good without me!"
"Yes, yes. So, you should be around Makishima more and praise him a lot. He doesn't have enough self-esteem for his ability, and if he gets praised by Sasaki, I think even Makishima will be more confident. Please keep up the good work."
Mojamoja said, changing his tone of voice from the unpleasant one he had just used to a normal one.
I thought he was just a creepy guy, but when he talked about Makishima, I could see that he was surprisingly friend-oriented.
"That's right! Our Makishima is always taking care of me, so I'll give him this as a thank you."
Azaki took out two tickets from his wallet and put them on the table.
"I was going to give them to a girl from Chiba I met on SNS yesterday when we made friends, but after I did all I could do, she was salty about them."
"What are these tickets for?"
"An aquarium in Chiba. The camp ends tomorrow morning, so I thought I'd go there afterwards....... But now, you can go there with Makishima, Sasaki."
"Is that okay?"
"In exchange ...... Makishima might say something strange afterwards, but please help him through with it."
"Hm?"
"O---kay?"
"Oh, O---kay:......"
I still don't understand this guy.
I took the ticket and put it in my bag.
Just then, Aihara returned with a cup of corn soup and a drink.
"Sorry I'm late. I like corn soup and...... is that it? Where's Makishima?"
"Oh, Makishima went outside."
"Outside?"
"He wants to get some exercise before dinner. I think he's running in front of the restaurant."
"What kind of ritual is that?"
After a while, Makishima returns, his face back to it's usual appearance.
"I'm back......."
I wonder if he is angry at me for playing a prank on him.
Eh? I was just trying to make fun of him.
"Makishima, are you all set? Are you ready to eat?"
"Ready? What do you mean?"
I sipped my oolong tea and looked at Makishima sitting in front of me.
When should I give him the ticket?
The aquarium is more like a couple than any other place I've been, and the atmosphere makes me want to do something more advanced.
While I was thinking about that, a waitress brought our food.
"Here you go."
Oh, by the way, I just heard Mojamoja say something about "Makishima says something strange."
"Ah! Aihara! Um, you know..."
Suddenly, Makishima calls out to Aihara with a trembling voice.
"What's wrong?"
"I heard that Azaki's twisted his hand when he fell down in ...... a match, and he wants someone to feed him."
I see. So he wants me to go through with it.
Beside Makishima, who was talking in a panic, Azaki raised the corner of his mouth with a grin.
I knew he was the...... worst.
I wonder what he's going to do, Aihara.
"Heh. Then why don't you feed him, Makishima? It's close by."
""Eh.""
Aihara gave the two men in front of him a counter with a cold smile that was different from his usual.
"You think so too, don't you, Sasaki?"
Aihara's 'probably angry' smile is directed at us.
"You think so, don't you?"
"U...... yeah."
"Hey, Sasaki!"
"Here, Makishima, here's a fork."
Aihara pulls out a fork from the fork case in front of him and hands it to Makishima.
"Here we go, Azaki."
"......come on, Makishima."
I sipped my oolong tea as the two guys showed me how to eat.
I was a little...... envious.
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