(Sutamai) Character Main Story - Arakida Sosei, Vol 0 Ch 3

[nhp]

CHAPTER INDEX

 

 

3.1.

 

 

My body moved without thinking.

 

In a flash, I held out my arms to Izumi who had slipped on the stairs.

 

 

Arakida: … OOF—!

 

 

I wasn’t hallucinating nor was I seeing things.

 

Somehow, I managed to catch Izumi’s falling body.

 

But being unable to support the weight of the drop, I was knocked down with staggering force just the same.

 

 

Rei: A-Arakida-san!?

 

Arakida: … —hurts… 

 

 

There came a shocking impact, and a thud rang out.

 

By the sound of it, I apparently hit my head against the hallway.

 

I grimaced from the pain at the back of my head as I opened my eyes.

 

 

-Boarding House: Hallway-

 

Rei: A-Are you okay?

 

Arakida: …!?

 

 

Izumi Rei was saddling me.

 

 

Arakida: … What the…

 

Rei: W-What are you doing here, Arakida-san!!??

 

Arakida: (… That’s what I’d like to ask.)

(Why is she here…)

 

 

I was tongue-tied.

 

As a police detective, I aimed to expect running into all sorts of scenarios day-in and day-out.

 

But even for me, this situation went beyond my understanding.

 

 

Rei: Err…

Um… That is—! I—!!

 

Arakida: … Hngh… 

 

 

There was a relatively lifelike and soft sensation pressing down on my body. 

 

 

Arakida: (Heck, what the hell am I thinking?)

(… It’s not like that.)

 

Rei: … I’M SO SORRY!

That is… I’ll take proper responsibility, for sure!

 

Arakida: What…?

… Are you hurt anywhere?

 

Rei: Huh? Oh, yeah! I’m totally fine!

 

Arakida: … In that case, hurry up and get off of me.

 

Rei: O-Oh.

O-Of course—! I really am sorry—!!

 

 

Izumi bowed her head, looking apologetic as she remained mounted on top of me.

 

 

Arakida: (… You’re unnecessarily close!)

(What in the world is wrong with her…)

 

 

When I suppressed my forehead with the palm of my hand, there was the sound of footsteps coming from outside once again.

 

The sliding door opened with a rattle, and a far too cheerful voice came bouncing down the hallway.

 

 

Sugano: EVENING, AUNT SAEKO!!

Thanks for letting me have dinner… with… you… 

 

Arakida: ………… 

 

Sugano: ………… 

 

 

The state of the hallway was in plain view from the front door.

 

Natsuki had come over, and our eyes met dead on.

 

 

Rei: … Err, umm… 

 

Arakida: (… You’ve gotta be kidding me.)

 

 

All three of us stiffened.

 

And then…

 

 

Sugano: AAARRGGHHH—!!

 

Rei: A-AAAARGH!!???

 

Arakida: (… Shut up.)

 

Sugano: S-Sosei-san’s brought home a girl!

 

Saeko: Oh my, it’s kind of lively in here, isn’t it?

There was a loud sound, but… 

Goodness me. Rei-chan, Sou-chan—what are the two of you doing?

 

Rei: Ooh, Saeko-san!

Well, ummm… 

I lost my footing on the stairs, and then Arakida-san saved me from falling, then… 

Actually, why are you here, Arakida-san!!???

 

Sugano: Y-Yikes…

I feel like I just witnessed a shocking crime scene.

 

Arakida: (God, my head hurts…)

 

 

Natsuki showed up at an unbelievable timing to boot.

 

Come tomorrow, and this story would have probably become widespread news throughout the First Division.

 

 

Arakida: (This is the worst day of my life…)

 

* * *

 

-Boarding House: Dining Room-

 

Saeko: … So you see, just when I was feeling ever so distressed by the roadside… 

Rei-chan, who was passing by, called out to me out of concern.

 

Sugano: Hmm. How kind of you, Rei.

 

Saeko: On top of that, she helped me with carrying the groceries all the way home.

Can you believe that she’s being so thoughtful to a complete stranger like me?

Isn’t she such a wonderful young lady?

 

Rei: No, please.

I just happened to be passing by on my way home from work… 

 

Arakida: (… Right. So that’s why she was inside the house.)

(Wait, this isn’t the time to be nodding along.)

 

Rei: But I really was taken for a surprise.

I had heard that you were a landlord… 

And that you were renting out rooms to the people boarding in this house, but… 

I didn’t think for a second that Arakida-san was the one living here.

 

Sugano: There sure are amazing coincidences in this world, huh.

 

Arakida: (… What the heck is going on here…)

 

 

Aunt Saeko, the landlord—and Natsuki, me, and then Izumi.

 

After what happened earlier, for some reason, the four of us were sitting around the dinner table.

 

… My head was hurting for an entirely different reason.

 

 

Rei: Oh, right.

A-Arakida-san, is your head okay?

 

Arakida: Don’t phrase it in a weird way.

… I just bumped it a little. I’m used to rough handling.

 

Rei: If you do happen to go to the hospital, then please send the medical bill my way, okay?

I’ll take proper responsibility in that regard, for sure!

 

Arakida: I’m not so weak as to let something of this level get to me.

 

Sugano: Don’t sweat over it so much, Rei.

Sosei-san is super sturdy, after all.

 

Arakida: … Why are you the one answering?

 

Sugano: Oh, Aunt Saeko—another helping please!

 

Arakida: (He’s not even listening to me…)

 

Saeko: How about you, Rei-chan?

 

Rei: If it’s not too much to ask, then may I also please have another serving?

Your cooking is incredibly delicious, Aunty Saeko!

 

Arakida: (This one’s got quite a lot of nerve on her as well…)

 

 

In contrast to me, who was hardly eating at all…

 

The two of them were devouring their meals with gusto.

 

 

Saeko: And you, Sou-chan?

 

Arakida: … I’ll pass up for today.

 

Rei: Sou-chan…

 

Sugano: That’s what Sosei-san is called here.

Isn’t it adorable?

 

Rei: … Pfft, pfft… “Sou-chan”, was it…?

 

Arakida: … Don’t laugh so creepily.

 

Rei: H-Huh? Hey now!

It’s rude to call it creepy!

 

Sugano: By the way, I’m “Nacchan”.

 

Rei: Oh, yeah, I can more or less accept hearing that no problem.

 

Arakida: Hey.

 

Saeko: My, it really is lively and fun with a lot of people.

I used to rent out more rooms back in the day.

But lately, there have been even less people coming in.

 

Rei: Yeah, I guess… boarding houses aren’t all that common, huh.

 

Arakida: ………… 

 

 

3.2.

 

-Boarding House: Dining Room-

 

Saeko: But to think, even you were acquainted with the both of them, Rei-chan… 

Although I was surprised, I’m pleased to hear that.

The world really is a small place, isn’t it?

 

Rei: Umm… I don’t exactly work at the police department, but…

I work in a similar sort of job.

We even somewhat have a kind of rivalry with Arakida-san’s team.

 

Saeko: My goodness. Does that not make your job stressful then?

If you’d like, I’m happy to prepare your share of dinner as well.

Do come on over again anytime you want, my dear.

 

Rei: H-Huh? … Are you sure?

 

Saeko: Of course.

You’re always dropping by, aren’t you, Nacchan?

 

Sugano: Uh-huh, yeah. So you’re welcome too, Rei.

 

Arakida: Like I said, why are you—

 

Rei: Yaay! Thank you!

 

Arakida: …………

 

 

Me, the person who was supposedly boarding here in the first place, was being completely left behind in the conversation.

 

… And so, the strange dinner time went by in this noisy manner.

 

 

* * *

 

-On the way home-

 

Rei: Sorry to make you go out of your way and walk me to the station.

 

Arakida: … This area’s hard to nav, right?

Plenty of people get lost around here, after all.

 

 

By the time we finished eating dinner, it had gotten thoroughly late.

 

She said that her house was in the opposite direction to Natsuki, so I was seeing her off to the nearby station.

 

 

Arakida: You’re living in Yamanashi… No, Saitama city, was it?

 

Rei: I’m still within the Tokyo region, you know. Just barely, though. 

 

Arakida: … It’s rather far out, huh.

 

Rei: I suppose, maybe it is a bit far away.

But it’s a nice place. We’ve got a famous temple with azaleas and all.

 

 

While laughing, Izumi told me the name of her station.

 

It wasn’t simply a matter of being a little way away—it was a considerable distance out from the city central.

 

 

Arakida: … It’s amazing that you can put up with the commute everyday.

 

Rei: It’s no big deal once you get used to it.

 

Arakida: (Seems like she’s got it rough with a bunch of things too…)

 

 

She was probably also having a hard time of it with one thing or another because of her strange genetic make-up.

 

But all said and done, I didn’t think those reasons would cut down her expenses either.

 

 

Rei: Thanks for dinner today.

Aunty Saeko’s cooking really was delicious.

 

Arakida: … It was my first time seeing a girl ask for seconds.

 

Rei: Ahaha, I was hungry, okay.

The whole boarding house thing was a tad bit unexpected, but…

Aunty Saeko seemed like a really nice person.

What’s more, if that meal was served everyday, then it’s only understandable.

 

Arakida: (What are you doing, convincing yourself of that on your own?)

(… Well, I guess it’s better than being unnecessarily probed about.)

… Hey.

Don’t say anything about today to those NCD guys.

 

Rei: H-Huh? What about today do you mean?

The “Sou-chan” bit? Or how you’re living in a boarding house?

 

Arakida: … You’ve got a horrible attitude.

 

Rei: Ahaha, I’m kidding.

We’ll keep it a secret just between the two of us.

 

Arakida: (… A secret…)

 

 

Izumi shook her shoulders, looking like she was having fun… She sure laughed a lot.

 

 

Arakida: ………… 

(… Why the heck did my heart skip a beat just now?)

(It’s ‘cause she put it in a weird way…)

 

Rei: Arakida-san?

 

Arakida: … Move away from me a notch.

 

Rei: O-Oh. S-Sorry.

 

Arakida: (… There’s never been a girl who’s come this close to me before.)

(So I can’t really tell with the sense of personal space…)

 

Rei: I’m sure I caused you trouble, but…

Today was heaps of fun.

Thank you.

 

 

In front of the ticket gate, Izumi lowered her head politely.

 

Her fingers were perfectly brought together, and her back straightened out.

 

… The image it gave off was of a strikingly beautiful bow.

 

 

Arakida: ………… 

 

Rei: Is something wrong?

 

Arakida: … No.

(What the hell was I doing, staring in fascination?)

(… I don’t know what’s gotten into me for a while now.)

 

Rei: Oh, yeah.

There was something that I thought for a second time just before.

 

 

After passing through the ticket gate, just once, Izumi turned back around.

 

 

Rei: Arakida-san…

I was right. You’re a good person.

 

Arakida: (What is she even saying?)

… This isn't anything special.

 

Rei: A-Ahaha. Have a nice night.

 

Arakida: (… She really is an odd one.)

 

 

Izumi let out another small laugh, and then went down to the station platform.

 

For some reason, when I looked at that back of hers, I was unable to move from my spot.

 

 

Arakida: (Izumi’s a girl, but it feels like she’s different somehow compared to all the ones up until now.)

………… 

(No, scratch that thought.)

 

 

There was something on the verge of turning over within me, so in a panic, I denied it.

 

It didn’t change the fact that she was pretty much still a female.

 

I shouldn’t be letting her get close to me any more than this.

 

 

Arakida: (But as long as nothing happens in STAND…)

(Then I reckon we won’t be getting that deeply involved with each other either.)

(Guess it’s not something I really need to worry about…)

 

 

I cocked my head slightly, and sighed.

 

When at last, I could no longer see Izumi’s figure at the other end of the stairs… 

 

I finally turned around, and quietly left from that place.