Yandere Imouto ni Aisaresugite Kozukuri Kankin Seikatsu - Chapter 12- Best Friend

「How about that coffee shop, Suzumu？」

「Okay, sure.」

「Well then, let’s go.」

After I nodded my head in agreement, for some reason, Tomaro started walking on the opposite side。

I followed, and went inside the store as well。

The store had a signature wooden interior and a calming atmosphere。

I sat at the corner table, facing Tomaro。It was a lazy weekday, and the store looked virtually empty, even though it was open。

「Isn’t the atmosphere nice here?」

Tomaro gladly said。

「This coffee shop doesn’t look shabby, so I like it。」

「……I do think the ambiance could be a bit livelier, though」

「People with troubling socializing would want to visit this place」

「Do you also go through such times?」

「I guess. There are times when I just wanna be alone」

Then, a waitress came to take our order。I ordered iced coffee。

「How about you？」

「I’ll have iced coffee, too。And a pannacotta as well」

「Do you like sweet stuff？」

I casually asked him after the waitress left。

「Please tell me whenever you decide to drop by places such as these」

「Is that so?。Well, we haven’t spent any time together until now」

Then they brought our orders out, one by one。

One iced coffee for me。

「Woah。It looks delicious.」, Tomaro commented.

The pannacotta had lots of strawberry sauce。Seems like it’s this shop’s specialty product。

「I’ve heard about this one story」, Tomaro said while scooping up some pannacotta with a spoon。

「About four months ago, I think a high school girl committed suicide around this area.」

「Did it happen close by?」

「Yeah」

「Oh, is that so?」

I said while I took a sip of my iced coffee。

「Why did you tell me that？」

I don’t really know Tomaro that well, but I knew that he wouldn’t do, or say anything meaningless。

Tomaro ate the pannacotta with strawberry sauce。

「―― Hmm, it isn’t too sweet, but it does have a nice flavor.」

……Whenever he acts this way, I know that he is usually a good-natured person。

「It’s too bad that you look disappointed, though.」

「Huh? What were you saying？」

「Oh, nevermind. It’s nothing.」

I replied as I drank my coffee。

「So？What about that student who committed suicide？」

「Well, I don’t exactly know much about the details.」

「I see。Do you think it has something to do with me？」

「Maybe yes, maybe no?」

After finishing the pannacotta, Tomaro wiped his mouth with a moist towelette 。And then he said,

「As for the student who committed suicide。She looked like Hiiragi Ayaka.」

「What do you mean? Are you sure about that?」

I asked as I leaned from the table。

「Is that the reason you brought this story up?。A coincidental resemblance。With a friend。Possibly?――」

「It was……Ayaka……」

「So, that’s why.」

Tomaro, then, forced a smile。

「That’s impossible, and besides, we don’t know the full story.」

「I see…… I guess you’re right.」

I pictured Ayaka’s face。She looked a bit blank, but she properly struck up a conversation。

She did ignore me at first, though。

「I think I should ask around school about her.」

「Why would you even go through such lengths?」

「But calling it an ‘investigation’ sounds much better, doesn’t it?」

「I suppose……」

I said out of shock。

「So, do you think Ayaka is involved?」

I asked without expecting an answer, but with a serious look on his face,  Tomaro responded with,

「I can smell dead people…… And Hiiragi reeks of that smell.」

「That doesn’t sound like you.」

「Teehee。It does now.」

「Look, I know you’re serious, but it’s impossible。Besides, I’d feel uneasy if anything bad happened to my best friend.」

Tomaro suddenly became speechless。Have I said something wrong？

「What’s wrong, Tomaro?」

「……Do you still remember what I told you yesterday？」

「Yesterday？」

「I told you to stop Hiiragi.」

「Oh, ‘that’.」

「To which you answered『I deal with my own problems/Mind your own business』」

「Yeah.」

「I was born as an heir to a big company。I’ve had a hard time until the third year of middle school。My parents expected too much from me, and my teacher couldn’t even contend with them。No one treats me as ‘Tomoshibi Tomaro’, the individual。I had no idea who I really am。And I still thought that way, even after getting into high school。」

Tomaro has always seemed like a chatterbox。However, there is a bit more to him than that,

「Thanks to you and your younger sister, I am who I am now。You see me for who I really am。I can tell you anything without holding back。And moreover, I’ve come to realise how foolish I was to care only about my appearance, or what other people saw me as。I’m really grateful to you。 I have to protect you…… Because you’re my best friend.」

Tomaro said, before finishing off a glass of coffee。

「Okay, then. Ask me anything you want.」

「Oh, yeah…… I won’t.」

「What’s wrong? Don’t you admire my unscripted behavior?」

「Don’t worry…… It’s fine. Don’t mention it。I’ll be leaving everything to you for now, Tomaro。」

Tomaro chuckled upon hearing what I just said。

「Alright. You can leave it to me, my best friend。」