The Ordinary Guy Beneath the Pumpkin
The day after I somehow managed to safely rescue the Shinjo Sisters and their mother. As expected, when a robbery occurs and the police are called, the story spreads regardless of the individuals’ wishes.
“Your house is near there, right?”
“Are you okay?”
I gave a wry smile, “I’m here safe and sound, so I’m fine.”
As soon as I got to school, my friends called out to me. They’re usually just goofing off, but I was really happy that they were genuinely worried about me.
“I was surprised too, but the Shinjo-san are safe. So let’s just be happy about that.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” my friends said with smiles.
“…Haa.”
I let out a small sigh, trying not to be noticed by my friends. Yesterday really felt like a turbulent rush of time.
To tell you what happened after, I had restrained the man and ensured the safety of the Shinjo-san. The police arrived quickly, as I could hear the sirens of the patrol cars, but they were dumbfounded when they saw the Pumpkin Head I was wearing.
“What on earth is this…?”
Well, if I were in their shoes, I’d probably be speechless at the sight too. A man in a Pumpkin Head is holding down a robber… it’s not funny, but it looks like something out of a comedy sketch.
Apparently, that man had a history of arrests and a lot of problems, and it was recently discovered that he had also burglarized another House, so he was caught as he deserved.
I, the suspicious Pumpkin Head Man, was initially suspected, but the Shinjo Sisters and their mother defended me desperately, explaining what had happened in detail.
“This person is our benefactor! They’re definitely not suspicious!”
Well, I am wearing a Pumpkin Head, I thought I heard one of the police officers say, and I apologized in my heart. And then it took quite a while, but the incident ended safely, and I was able to return home safely.
By the way, the police officers saw my face, but the Shinjo-san don’t know it. I didn’t know what kind of face to make in that situation, and I didn’t want to remind them of the incident by having me as the trigger.
“Please tell us your name…”
“Who are you…?”
“Please, show us your face…”
The three of them at that time seemed to be seeking someone to support them. The sisters and their mother reached out as if they didn’t want me to leave, but I left them with a reluctant feeling.
…Well, to put it simply, it was too much for me to handle the feelings conveyed by those eyes.
“But it seems like they both came to school today, they’re strong.”
That’s right.
Even after that, the sisters seem to be attending school as usual. I heard that they were warmly greeted by their classmates.
“Well, it’s nothing to do with me anymore.”
I’m not trying to be a hero, but I don’t think I’ve done them a favor, and I don’t intend to ask for anything in return.
The only thing that has great meaning for me is the fact that I was able to help them.
“Let’s go eat!”
“Yeah!”
“Sure.”
It was lunchtime, and I headed to the School Cafeteria with my friends. My father died early, and my mother died of illness when I was in junior high school. So instead of a bento, I usually have lunch at the School Cafeteria.
“いただきます” (Itadakimasu – Let’s eat)
I put my hands together in front of the pork ginger stir-fry set meal. Just as I was about to put the main dish, the ginger stir-fry, in my mouth, the School Cafeteria became a little noisy.
“Oh, it looks like the princesses have arrived.”
“They’re as popular as ever.”
Hearing the two’s words, I turned my eyes to the entrance, and the Shinjo Sisters came in with their friends. Their exceptional beauty and outstanding style alone attract a lot of attention.
Come to think of it, it’s rare for those two to use the School Cafeteria. Well, maybe it was difficult to prepare a bento the day after something like that happened?
“They’re like unattainable flowers that are hard for guys like us to approach.”
“Yeah, yeah. Let’s just be satisfied with seeing them from afar.”
That’s true.
But, I think they’re really beautiful.
First of all, the elder sister, Arisa-san, has long flaxen hair tied to the side, and her cool beauty is characterized by her cold eyes. She doesn’t seem to smile much, and it’s said that you’re lucky if you see her smile.
And the younger sister, Aina-san, seems to have a bright personality that contrasts with her sister. Her bright brown hair is about shoulder-length, and unlike Arisa-san, she is expressive and always smiling. And what the two have in common is their violently good figure.
“Shall we sit here?”
“Sounds good.”
Oh, as I was thinking about the two of them, they sat down nearby. My two friends subtly shifted their trays to create some distance, so the two of them must be very dazzling.
“…?”
Oops, as I was glancing at her like that, I made eye contact with the younger sister, Aina-san. However, she immediately looked away as if she wasn’t interested, so I guess I’m just another person she’s not interested in. Unlike her sister’s blue sapphire-like eyes, the younger sister’s eyes are ruby-red… really, they’re beautiful in contrasting ways.
“But are you really okay? Shouldn’t you have taken a day off today?”
“You really don’t have to worry. I’m more okay than I thought I would be. That’s all thanks to the person who saved us.”
“That’s right. I wish they had at least told us their name… they were really wonderful.”
I made a clattering sound, but I was relieved that only my friends noticed.
But, yesterday’s events must have instilled fear in them. But if they’re well enough to talk to their friends with a smile like that, then there’s nothing to worry about.
“Hey, aren’t we hearing something we shouldn’t?”
“Yeah. Let’s eat quickly.”
I wholeheartedly agree with that.
My friends and I ate our lunch with few words and quickly left the place.
“Ah, that was nerve-wracking.”
“Really. But… those two are really beautiful.”
It’s not just their beauty, but they also seem to exude something that captivates others. There probably aren’t many people who are as attractive as them. They seem to have good personalities as well as looks… well, I’ve heard rumors that the older sister hates men, but I wonder if that’s true.
“By the way, Hayato, what kind of costume did you buy?”
“A Lightsaber and a Pumpkin Head, right?”
“Yeah.”
“…Unoriginal.”
“Shut up.”
Our House doesn’t have enough money to buy anything that elaborate… well, I get a decent allowance, but I don’t want to splurge on something like this. We were talking about that as we headed to the bathroom to relieve ourselves in preparation for the afternoon classes.
“…?”
I suddenly felt a gaze from behind and turned around, but no one was there.
…Am I imagining things?
“Hayato?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, never mind.”
Called by my friends, I quickly caught up with them.
“It’s rare for you to go to the restroom during a meal, isn’t it?”
“Hehe, sorry, Onee-san. My stomach was a little…”
“…Stop it, you’re eating. I’m glad I was the only one who heard it.”
“Sorry~♪”
The Little Sister, who returned without any remorse, apologized.
It’s a vulgar topic during a meal, but if you think of this lighthearted side of her as the Little Sister’s charm, it’s cute. Even so, I thought again about what happened yesterday.
The reality that we might have been at the mercy of the robber, I can’t get the man in the Pumpkin Head who saved us out of my head.
“…Haa.”
My heart aches when I think of that person. I want to know his face, I want to know his name, but he answered the police’s questions without telling us anything and disappeared. My Little Sister, my mother, and I wanted to thank him… but he disappeared, saying it wasn’t necessary.
“…Haa.”
And it seems that my Little Sister sitting next to me feels the same way.
That person who saved us, that kindness that put his hand on our shoulders to comfort us, I want all the emotions directed at me from that person to be poured into this body. That person is different from the men I’ve met so far, that person is the one I want to be loved by.
“Did you fall in love with the person who saved you?”
I shook my head at my friend’s question.
Fell in love… it may be true, but I don’t want that kind of relationship with that person. If anything, I… probably, I want to be connected. I want my existence to be eternally connected to that person’s side.
“…I want to be in Subservience.”
Yes, I want to be in Subservience to that person, even to my soul.