Himeouji 14 (Patreon)

Sequel 2B

RAW

And then, after the test was over, winter break came without any supplementary lessons——The Christmas Eve.

“Welcome, would you like some special Christmas decorations?”

Even though it's the same Santa costume, isn't it a foul that it's so different?

Even discounting the fact that he wore a fake mustache, the difference between Yuuma and Ryou in attracting customers is huge.

The Santa costume, which was supposed to be somewhat comical, became a sleek silhouette when she wore it, and the sight of it always makes women on the street stop in their tracks.

With her finely chiseled features, people may think that they have hired a half-Japanese model from somewhere.

Not only ladies, but also students passing by, and even the wives in the shopping district who should be at work during the busy time, gather in front of the shop in swarms.

“Yes, we have sizes 4 and 5. The difference in price is small, so size 5 is the most popular at the moment——yes, thank you.”

She gave the women a sweet smile, introduced them to the products, handed them the box while casually touching them, and gently led them into the store.

(Ooh… this is a pro… a professional host)

Leaving the women who held the purses to her, Yuuma went to deal with the children.

“Have you been a good child this year? Santa-san has a present for you.”

For this reason, he handed out three-piece bite-sized cookies that they had prepared for this purpose, and kept them outside so as not to interfere with the parents' payment.

“Don't eat it all by yourself, share it with your father and mother. It's a promise with Santa-san, okay? Yes, Merry Christmas!”

The obedient children happily replied ‘ye—s’ and quickly took one out and scarfed it down.

At this rate, they'll end up eating it all up quickly, or they won’t leave any for their parents who aren't here.

(Well, let's respect the children's independence here——)

Even while they were pulling his fake mustache, Yuuma kept an eye on the children so that they would not stray far away, and when their parents came out, he thanked them and saw them off.

Considering that there were also separate reservations, the turnout for the day was quite good.

“Ahahaha, being Santa-san sure is fun.”

After dealing with the crowd of customers, Ryou took a breather and laughed.

“I wonder if it’s okay for Ryou to be Santa…?”

“Eh—, I’m perfectly Santa-san, aren't I? Here, look.”

Stretching the sleeve, Ryou then spun around to check the length of the outfit.

Why are you, so cute?

“Well——as long as we get customers, that's all that matters.”

“Yes, yes. The vendor’s job is to sell their product, you know.”

In that regard, Ryou is a much better clerk than Yuuma.

No, wait, isn't he normally excellent in other regards as well?

“...I don’t need to be here, aren’t I?”

“What are you talking about! Don't forget that if Yuuma wasn’t here, I wouldn't be here either.”

“No, I get it okay... in other words, what I’m talking about is, Ryou is amazing."

In any case——compared to last year, the sales have increased, probably to twice as much.

Last year, Yuuma had nothing planned, so he stayed until closing time, but this year it wouldn't be a problem if they were allowed to leave a little earlier.

As he was thinking about that, he heard the sound of the store door opening.

“Yaa, thanks for your hard work, Yuuma-kun, Ryou-kun.”

“Thank you for your hard work, manager.”

Yuuma tried to stand up and bow, but the store manager stopped him, holding out an envelope for his daily wage while laughing.

“Hm?, isn’t it a little too early?”

There were about two hours left until the store closed, and even if they only looked at the part-time job hours, they were planning to work for another thirty minutes.

“It's a little early, but you moved quite a lot. After this, we and our daughter will be able to do something about it, so that’s enough for today.”

Of course, the pay until this hour’s portion was included——he said, and handed over an envelope.

“If that's the case... Well then, I'll excuse myself for today.”

“Okay, I'll be counting on you tomorrow as well. Well, I don't think you'll move as much tomorrow, so it should be easier than today.”

The store manager said with a laugh, but is it okay to laugh at the fact that the shop is going to be idle?

Anyway, if that was the case, Yuuma will gratefully take it and leave early.

“We sure made a profit. Ah, I guess I should contact Reiko-san and tell her I'm going home early.”

“Nn?——no, you don't have to do that.”

Yuuma responded to Ryou's words while changing clothes in the changing room.

By the way——Even if they were changing clothes, all they do is just take off their thick red jacket and the trousers that they were wearing in two layers, so there is no problem even if they are in the same room.

“Eh? why?”

“Well——there's somewhere I want to stop by. It'll be just right in terms of time.”

“We’re carrying a cake though, is that fine?”

“We're not going indoors, it's just a bit of a detour, we'll be fine.”

While saying that, he put the cake on the luggage carrier and started pedaling the bike as usual.

From the shopping district to the station, and from there along the railway tracks towards her house——.

That was the route to return, but first he turned the bicycle not towards the station but the other way around, in the direction of Yuuma's house.

“This was a residential area, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah. My house is also over here.”

“Hee—... wait, eeeh!? T-then, could it be——”

What did she imagine? Yuuma wanted to see her face as she reacted loudly, but he endured as to not shake the bike as much as possible, and kept on pedaling.

“There's a little monument on the way from the residential area to the main road. I heard it's lit up.”

“Ah... Aah, I see... Hee—, so that's what it is.”

For some reason, she blatantly let out a voice of disappointment, but the fact that she seemed to regain her composure immediately must be because she is interested in the lit up monument.

“Umm… since we’re here anyway, do you want to go see it?”

“Yeah, I want to go! Or rather, we’re already heading there anyway.”

“True——”

Or rather, Yuuma was planning to lead him there while telling him that it would be fun when they get there, but he ended up failing in the surprise like normal.

“...What you heard just now, can you forget it until we reach the destination?”

“No, isn’t that impossible?”

“I know right… Ah—, I got it wrong.”

“Ahaha♪ But, that way is more Yuuma-like and it’s good——”

Completely used to riding a bicycle, she stepped on the pedals nimbly as her clear voice echoed through the sparsely populated residential area.

“I'm really glad that… Yuuma is that kind of person, you know?”

“...Is that how it is?”

“Yes, tha—t’s how it is♪”

The plan failed in all sorts of ways, but if she’s happy, well, it’s fine.

◇

“Ha—... it’s pretty isn’t it, the light up.”

“Yeah. Compared to the image I saw on the internet, the impact was completely different.”

“Eh—... you saw it in advance?, what a waste.”

“I was collecting information about places and stuff, there’s no way I couldn’t see it.”

“Aah, so that’s how it is… then, thank you.”

“Yes yes, you’re welcome.”

Thanks to his research beforehand, they were able to pass from the front of the monument to her house without detouring too much.

They arrived at the apartment at the time not too different than if they left at the regular time, the room was moderately warm and the smell of delicious food permeated the air.

Reiko-san, who prepared the food, listened to their conversation while arranging the dishes on the table one after another.

“...Just the two of you? Is that not unfair? I would have liked to have joined you.”

“It’s not unfair! This is a date between lovers”

“That is why, I should have been there with you.”

“Isn’t that strange! Reiko-san is not Yuuma’s lover you know!?”

“Well, that’s true… because I’m the concubine.”

“I didn’t approve that, because I won’t approve that!”

As soon as the conversation started, Yuuma tightly shut his mouth.

There’s a saying, a wise man keeps away from danger.

“...Yuuma, say something!”

However, in the case of danger approaching, nothing can be done.

Even wise men have things they can't do.

“Um… Is it okay to store the cake in the refrigerator?”

“I already placed it there! Don't pretend you didn't hear!”

Even if she said that, he’s not used to this kind of shuraba, so it can't be helped.

(T/N: Shuraba: scene of carnage, usually refers to when two girls fight over a boy (or vice versa, maybe).)

“...I said this at school as well, but I'm devoted to Ryou.”

“Ehehe… see, how was that?”

Ryou threw her chest out towards Reiko-san, but it's not her chest that cowers over it.*

“However, Ojou-sama… when you saw the light-up, were you two able to act like lovers? Were you not concerned about what people around you saw, and limited yourselves to more like friends?”

“Uuu… that is, but… that’s unavoidable isn’t it.”

That's right——I wouldn't mind if it was just an insubstantial rumor, but it would be troublesome if the two were actually seen truthfully acting like lovers and rumors spread.

Yuuma, for his part, doesn’t mind if only he and Ryou are thought of as such, but considering the impact on their father and even their neighbors, they should try to avoid it as much as they can.

Because of these circumstances, they cannot be open about the fact that they are lovers before it is revealed that Ryou is a girl.

Reiko-san nodded, as if saying ‘I know such things by heart.’

“If you take me along on such an occasion, I will be between the two of you. Then you can fulfil your feelings with an indirect act through me——”

“No way, rejected! What the hell is an indirect act!”

“In other words... Ojou-sama will kiss me, and then I kiss Yuuma-sama, by doing that, your lips are indirectly——”

“I didn't ask you for specifics!”

Reiko-san raised her hands up like a foreigner saying ‘my goodness’ while looking exasperated.

And regarding which one should be exasperated, it is no longer necessary to say.

“...Reiko-san, I know Ryou is cute, but please don't tease her too much.”

Yuuma, who couldn’t just watch, did a follow up, but Ryou's anger doesn't seem to subside.

“She’s not joking! She’s definitely serious, this person!”

At Ryou's flustered look, Reiko puts her hand over her mouth and giggles.

“Fufu… that’s not true you know?”

“See, even Reiko-san said so——”

“Because I think Yuuma-sama is just as cute, if not more, than Ojou-sama. I'm teasing Yuuma-sama too, aren't I?”

“That’s not what I wanted you to denyyyy!”

Yup——Yuuma completely understood that he was being teased.

Convinced, Yuuma strokes Ryou's head for the time being and soothes her ‘there, there’.

“It's okay, Ryou... I'm sure Reiko-san won't do something that Ryou really hates.”

“That's… what I believe, too, but you know…”

Even so, she was not convinced that they were being teased about the lover thing.

Yuuma understood her feelings well, so he held her gently as she hugged him and continued to stroke her back until she calmed down.

“Uuuu… Reiko-san is terrible, Yuumaaa…”

“Yes, yes, that’s true”

It would be better not to tell her, that that Reiko-san is looking at them with pleasant eyes.

“There’s no need to worry about that… because when there's no one around, we can act like lovers anyway. Our usual friend relationship is something I like too.”

“...Yeah, me too.”

“Isn’t it?”

Yuuma stroked and combed her hair as if to tell her ‘then, that’s good’... and her slightly wet face looked up at him.

“...Kiss me”

“As you wish… Nn…”

“Nn—... Nfu, Nnu… Haaa, ehehe—”

Recovering from her bad mood, Ryou started to cling to him like a cat, being spoiled by him.

Just to compensate for the teasing earlier, Yuuma flirted with Ryou right in front of her, but Reiko-san didn't seem to care.

Rather, let it be recorded here——that she somehow looked very satisfied as if she had just done the best job of the day.

…

“——By the way, Yuuma-sama?”

“Yes? What is it?”

Now then, what is she going to say this time?——he thought

Reiko-san chuckled at Yuuma who pretended to calmly reply while being wary of her.

“Ojou-sama was not wearing a necklace like that when she went out... Would you possibly know anything about it?”

“——It’s a secret.”

“Fufufu, I see… Thank you very much, Yuuma-sama.”

She said as she happily squinted her eyes.

Did you not properly act as lovers——

(T/N: Reiko always speaks extremely politely, but I don’t know how to write like that. If you have any advice, please tell me.)

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