Himeouji 9 (Patreon)

9 - The Prince’s Invitation

RAW

A few days later——a strange rumor began circulating.

As the day was a little warmer, they went up on top of the rooftop tower and had lunch together.

“...So good”

“I see, I think Reiko-san will be happy.”

It seems the housekeeper was called Reiko-san.

While savoring the stir-fried egg and tomato that person made with all his might, Yuuma turned his eyes to the bicycle parking lot reflected in the edge of his vision.

“I know it's a bit late to say it now, but is it still okay to pick you up and drop you off?”

“That’s, what I should be saying though?”

The case was determined to be false accusation and the criminal group was rounded up.

In that regard, it doesn't seem to be a problem for Himeouji to go to school by train——.

“...There's no way I’ll do that, I can’t do it.”

“I guess so, sorry.”

After all that has happened, it wouldn’t be so easy to switch back.

Considering the substantial trauma he suffered, there is a possibility that he will not be able to ride any train for the rest of his life.

“...Even though you know it, you still asked me that.”

“No, like I said, sorry… but, I had to be sure.”

In the first place, he was the one who decided on the pick-up and drop-off.

If it was a burden, he always thought that it should be resolved in some way.

“I'm just having fun doing it, so if anyone was burdened, it's Yuuma.”

“I do it because I like it too. But, don't you feel tired of being imposed on, or when someone is being considerate of you?”

“...it’s not completely wrong, but I haven’t thought about this at all you know?”

As he was saying that, he may be thinking about it.

Himeouji put down his chopsticks, strangely straightened his posture, and lowered his head.

“——Thank you so much. You've always been good to me, I'm very thankful for that. If Yuuma isn't sick of it, I'd like to ask you to keep doing it for me.”

“Alright, leave it to me”

As a thank you, Yuuma procured a fried chicken breast from Himeouji’s bento box.

“Aah! Hey, that was the last one!”

Even if he said that, if he already ate it, there’s nothing he can do about it.

However, even when Himeouji replied like that, he chuckled, as if saying ‘what a hopeless guy’.

“...Thank you. You always go out of your way to make sure not to be a burden.”

“No, it’s not really——”

“But——if you treat me too kindly, I might misunderstand. If you don’t want that, please do it moderately.”

Guessing from the word ‘misunderstand’, Yuuma was annoyed.

“Ahaha, what’s with that rumor? I don’t know where that rumor came from——”

It’s not that widespread, but according to the strange rumor they occasionally heard, both Yuuma and Himeouji became lovers in a male prostitution house.*

Their relationship is deep and long lasting, and that’s why Yuuma never believed that Himeouji was a molester, and was convinced that he was falsely accused——that’s how the story goes.

“Did they start harassing us from another direction because we won't forgive them?”

“Hmm, that might be so... Well, if that's the case, then I'm sorry? Maybe Yuuma won't be able to have a girlfriend in high school.”

“...I don’t really mind that, since I have a slight distrust of women.”

Not only his sister, but also his childhood friend and senior, he didn't particularly like them.

However, even if he did, the memory and shock of being completely rejected left deep scars in Yuuma's heart.

Just because he was able to get over the shock doesn’t mean that the scars are gone.

It might be a similar wound to riding a train for Himeouji, or his distrust of the people around him.

“...it might be too late to say this, but don’t you resent me?”

“I did resent you, I just couldn’t keep doing it. Though if Ryou have the worst personality, I might resent you even until now.”

Knowing the character of Himeouji, Yuuma can accept those girls’ change of heart.

So it is not their change of heart that left a thorn in Yuuma's heart but their rejection, and conversely, he may have even relaxed his heart towards Himeouji.

“Well, that’s why——both this situation and that rumor too, it’s like I choose them. It's not something Ryou should worry about… wait, I’ve said that before haven’t I?”

“Nn—, I think it was something like… ‘it’s not something you should apologize for’”

After making such a precise correction, Himeouji closed his mouth for a while.

When he looked at him to see if something was wrong, he looked unusually distressed.

“You really don't need to worry about it, you know? Because I’m friends with Ryou, we’re eating together, and I’m also getting good side dishes, so I'm rather satisfied that——”

“Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Whoa!? What, what’s going on?”

Yuuma's words of consolation were interrupted, the beautifully arranged face of Himeouji was brought so close to his face that their eyelashes were almost touching.

And then, as if he had resolved himself, he whispered in a low voice——.

“This weekend——um, this Sunday... if you don't have any plans, can you come to my parents' house?”

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