Chapter 6:
Her Royal Highness, the Convenience Store Clerk
A little while later, after Ao and I had our shocking revelation, all three of us were inside my apartment.
We explained our situations and why we hadn't realized we were neighbors until now.
「So, that's how it is. That's pretty amazing, don't you two think? You've been neighbors for at least three weeks and didn't notice it. Also, it's pretty funny...」Kiyo said, laughing loudly afterward.
「Geez, Kiyo. Stop laughing. It's just a coincidence, a complete coincidence. Hmph.」Ao replied in irritation.
She was right; it was just a coincidence. I mean, normally, you'd know you're neighbors within a week. It was quite amazing, really. I could agree with what Kiyo said. But even now, I was still shocked that she had been my neighbor all this time.
But wait... did this mean she miscalculated again?
With that thought, I couldn't help but burst out laughing again.
「HAHAHAHAHAHAHA」
I couldn't hold it back and was laughing uncontrollably in front of them.
「What's wrong, Yoshino? You're laughing so much!」Kiyo commented on my sudden laughter.
「You're weird, Yoshino! Even you're laughing now?! Hmph.」Ao said, looking grumpy.
I couldn't help it... I mean, she miscalculated again? I thought she had done her investigation of this area thoroughly, but it seems she didn't do it very well.
「Come on, Ao... this isn't the first time you've miscalculated...」I said, giving them the reason for my laughter. But maybe... I had made a mistake again?
「Eh? What do you mean, Yoshino? Ao?」Confused, Kiyo asked both of us.
For some reason, Ao just answered calmly and said, 「Remember I told you someone from school found out I was working?」
「Yeah? What about it?」
「It was him, Yoshino.」
And then, a moment of silence... until Kiyo burst out laughing.
「AHAHAHAHAHA IT WAS YOU, Yoshino?!」She laughed, almost in tears.
「Yeah, why?」
「It's because I told her what happened that day and the day after.」Ao answered instead of Kiyo.
That explained why Kiyo was laughing so hard she was nearly dying. Come on, my emotions that day were perfectly valid, weren't they?! Why was I the one being laughed at...
Not long after, Kiyo calmed down a bit and continued talking.
「You're a funny guy, Yoshino. You're a great funny guy...」she said, still laughing with tears in her eyes.
「Yeah, he is. Fufu...」Ao said, just to add insult to injury.
「That hurts, okay, you two?!」
These two... they were really mean friends, laughing at me together.
「Well, well, sorry about that, Yoshino. I was just caught by surprise about that...」Kiyo said and then continued, 「Anyways... what's with all the books there?」
Kiyo noticed the stack of books I had borrowed earlier, pointing at them with a look of interest.
「Ah, those. I borrowed them from the city library this morning to read this weekend. I don't have the funds to buy my own books right now, so yeah, that's the situation.」
「Ooh, you borrow books from the city library, huh? Let me see them!」She walked straight to the books, eager to look through them.
Ao, on the other hand, was just sitting on the sofa, looking intently at me. Curious about her gaze, I asked her.
「What's up, Ao? You're looking at me so intently.」
Ao, seeming to snap back to her senses, replied.
「Hmm. Nothing. I just thought, you like books a lot, huh? You're different from the other guys at school.」
「Well... I don't really like going to karaoke or after-class parties. I don't see the fun in it, is all.」
「I see...」She said, as she took a deep breath and continued,「...I guess you're fine just the way you are!」As she said that, she's smiling softly at me.
She then joined Kiyo, who was already checking out the books I had borrowed.
While me?
I was blushing from her statement. Like... what did she mean by that?!
What did she mean I was fine just the way I was?!
With that, Ao and Kiyo stayed at my apartment until sunset. As for me, I ate lunch and took my time reading alongside both fo them while having some snacks they'd bought earlier.
After hours of us hanging out inside my apartment, talking about the books I borrowed and other things, it was 6 PM. The sun was setting, and Kiyo needed to go home.
「Well, it's already this late, huh. I guess we should end it here!」Kiyo said, realizing the sun was setting from my apartment's balcony.
She stood up and walked toward the door. We followed suit to see her off.
Standing outside my apartment, we said our goodbyes.
「It's been a nice day for me, Yoshino! And for you too, Ao! I'll see you guys at school! Oh, and before I forget, I made a group chat just for the three of us! Hehe.」Kiyo said, showing us the group chat on her phone.
「But why, Kiyo?」Ao asked, confused.
「Why, you ask? It's because I now plan to hang out with you guys every weekend now! Hehe. So you'd better be ready! Bye bye!」As she confidently said that, she ran away, heading home.
「That girl... She's really so irritating.」
「But wouldn't that be a nice plan by Kiyo?」I said to Ao, who was now alone, in front of me.
Now, it was just Ao and me in front of my apartment. It was also time for us to go into our own apartments.
「I guess, I can agree with you there.」She said, smiling while staring at the sky.
It was a beautiful orange sky. The sun was really setting soon, and it would be nighttime.
Ao turned to me, extending her hand and saying, 「Well then, it's nice to meet you, my neighbor!」
「Yeah, same here. Nice to meet you.」I replied, shaking her hand.
And in that moment, we had no idea that a change in both our worlds was beginning to shift in a way neither of us expected.
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