9. The Yeti's friend

"Phew... And another day of work is done..."

After finishing my shift at the family restaurant, I was walking out the front door when I saw a student leaning against the wall of the street and playing on his cell phone, probably some gatcha game.

Blond hair and with a focused look, he didn't seem like a friendly person, quite the opposite.

You could say he was the perfect image of the thug to avoid.

Unfortunately for me, I knew how it would end for me if I ignored him.

Approaching him, I greeted him.

"Yo, Asakura."

"Yo, Fujita. Give me a second to finish this fight. Go, KanaGori! Use your NP and blow up the boss!"

"... Are you still on Holo/Grand Order? Isn't that a pretty dated game?"

"They just updated it with a new story chapter and the plot is getting more and more interesting! You know the author is a genius at this!"

"I don't have time for gatcha anymore..."

"It's really a shame, you're missing out on a lot of interesting stories."

With the fight completed, Asakura put his cell phone in his pocket.

"Well done for today as well."

With added pat on the shoulder, Asakura was smiling.

"... If you showed this expression to the girls, you'd be much more popular and wouldn't have to take refuge in the restaurant where I work to get away from home..."

"Is this Mr. Ladyskirts, who caught the Princess' attention?"

"..."

I must say, I dug my own grave.

"Come on, tell the details."

On the way home, I sighed deeply and confessed my concerns.

"Do I look like I have time to devote myself to a girl? Then, does it seem like I'd purposely garner the gaze of the entire student body, filled of envy and malice?"

"Wow, sounds like one day in the spotlight has really worn you out."

In a tone that not even remotely showed his concern, Asakura was laughing good-naturedly.

"Are you sure you want to walk me all the way home? You live in the opposite direction."

"The less I'm in that house, the better for me."

"Asakura..."

"I beg your pardon! But I need a breath of air once in a while!"

Sensing my change in tone, Asakura immediately went into a defensive stance.

Sighing, I knew he merely wanted to vent.

"Is your mother demanding the best from you again?"

"Exactly! She can't ask me to study from morning to night, the human body isn't able to live without checking gatcha games every hour!"

"Gatcha games are an invention of the last century though..."

Listening to Asakura's complaints, I knew he was doing his best.

Simply, what was required of him and what he was used to did not coincide, resulting in a buildup of stress.

Having met his mother personally, she was not a bad person, but incredibly strict.

It's normal for a mother to demand the best for her child... isn't it?

"Fujita?"

"... Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts."

Without realizing it, we were close to the apartment building where I lived.

"Sigh... It's not even funny when you're like this.... But I've seen enough, so I'm going to give you a pass tonight."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Are you still going to tell me there's nothing going on between the two of you?"

With his thumb, he told me to look up at one floor of the apartment building.

Though only her back was visible, I saw the unmistakable flutter of blond hair.

"Don't keep the Princess waiting too long, okay?"

"... Alright..."

Knowing it was pointless to hide it any further, I confessed my crime.

"I expect an explanation for next time. Have a nice evening!"

Without further ado, Asakura decided to turn around.

... I was grateful that he was giving me time to organize my thoughts.

It was going to be a hassle to explain, but I know he's not going to go spreading rumors about us.

The only thing left...was to greet the Princess.