How Should I Suppose To Answer You?

“Do you want me?”

“Are you okay, Aimi? Why are you asking me that question suddenly?”

“Just forget about it. Look, we have arrived at my house. Thank you for the ride and see you tomorrow,” she said while getting out of my car.

“See you tomorrow too, Aimi.”

While driving back to my house, Aimi’s sudden question made me think is she serious about that? I don’t know why she is asking me that. We have been friends for ten years, but I don’t think there were times that we showed interest in each other. I think maybe she is so upset with what happened earlier. I hope she will be okay tomorrow. I feel tired today. I don’t want to go to work tomorrow…

The next day, at the office, I saw that Aimi was already focusing on her work. Her desk is behind my seat. Meanwhile, Ryo whose desk is next to mine asked me to go toilet with him. In front of the toilet, Ryo asked me, “Makoto, did you send Kiriyama-san home yesterday?”

“Yes.”

“Is she fine? I feel so guilty after what happened,” Ryo is so worried about Aimi after what happened at that group blind date.

“She’s fine. By the way, sorry for yesterday. I don’t know that will happen.”

“You don’t need to worry about that! Satou understands what happened and asking me to properly apologize to Kiriyama-san.”

“Really? You have a nice girlfriend. By the way, why do you do group blind dates? I mean you and Akira-san are a couple.”

“Do you still remember Tsuda-san? Satou and I trying to pair you with her!”

“Are you serious? Why?”

“Don’t you realize? She likes you, Makoto!”

“Wait! Since when? And I don’t even have met her before!”

“Really? But it is weird then. She said she had met you before this. Never mind. So, what Is your opinion about Tsuda-san? She is so pretty, right?”

“I think she is so pretty! I can't believe that she likes me. This is truth right, Ryo?”

“Of course! If you want to meet with her, I can give you her phone number!”

“I will think about that!”

After that, Ryo and I went back to our desk. Before Ryo sits at his desk, he goes to Aimi’s desk.

“Kiriyama-san, I want to apologize for what happened yesterday!”

He is so brave. I mean Ryo trying to apologize to Aimi is respectable. But not in this office with all the workers looking at them! What is Ryo thinking?!

“Hakuta-san, its fine! So, can you go back to your seat now? Look, other people watching us!”

“Alright!”

Then, a lot of people go to Aimi’s desk, asking what happened between her and Ryo. I can't hear what they are saying properly but I guess it all ends well.

“Meet at the usual café. After work.”

Her usual message is coming back. What is her next problem now? At the café, she and I sat in front of each other. The most important thing, why does she look so angry? Did I do something that irritated her? I try to recall what I did today, but nothing comes to my mind.

“Aimi, why do you look so angry?”

“What did you and Hakuta-san talk about earlier? Don’t you know it's hard for me to create a lie to follow up on the spot for what happened between me and Hakuta-san?”

“Wait! That was his plan! He said he felt guilty for you, but I don’t expect him to do that during that time!”

“Really?”

“Believe me!”

“Okay, then.”

“But I can see you and Ryo are a bit similar to each other.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean both of you are quite straightforward. Look at how both of you act before making me think that the two of you are so similar.”

“Can you stop talking about that? “

“Sorry.”

“It's okay. Now, I have something to ask you?”

“What is it?”

“Do you want to go beach with me this summer?”

“Why do you want to go there with me? You can bring your friend instead of me.”

“All of them will be busy spending their time with their boyfriend. That’s why I’m asking you. If you don’t want to, it’s fine then. Maybe I will spend time at my parent’s home this summer.”

What should I answer? I can see Aimi’s expression become sadder.

“I will go with you.”

“Are you sure? I'm not forcing you by the way.”

“Yes. I’m afraid that you will be bored spending time alone during summer. You should appreciate me, you know?”

“I appreciate you, Makoto! So, can you pay for me this coffee?”

“Wait! I don’t think this is right. Are not you supposed to pay for me?”

“Please?”

She is saying that while trying to make a cute expression.

“You know that you do not look cute doing that. I will pay for you, but you need to pay me later.”

“Thank you!”

“You are welcome.”

I thought she would become more depressed today but when I saw her expression earlier, I thought she would be doing fine. Luckily, I still have some money to pay for Aimi’s coffee. I forgot to withdraw money this morning. As I enter my car, I can hear someone calling me from behind.

Makoto! Wait for me!”

“Aimi?! What happened?”

“I forgot where I put my house key!”

“Don’t you think it's on your desk at the office?”

“I think so but you know right the office is closed right now. Where am I supposed to sleep tonight?”

If this were in anime, I would say ‘You can sleep at my house!’ but how am I supposed to say that here when both of us are adults now?

“I know! Makoto, can you let me sleep at your place?”

“Of course, no! How can I let you sleep at my house?”

“Come on! We are childhood friends, right?”

“But we are adults!”

“So?”

“Anything can happen when man and woman sleep together!”

“That’s mean you will do something to me when I sleep?”

“No! I mean…”

How should I explain to her?

“I can sleep on the sofa if you don’t want to sleep with me. And you don’t like me right?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you forget my question last night? You don’t even answer and try to run from it. So, that means you don’t have any feelings for me other than friendship, right?”

“That’s…”

“In conclusion, you don’t have feelings for me and that means you aren’t interested in doing something to me while I sleep. In the end, it's fine to let me sleep at your house.”

I don’t think I will win this conversation.

“Fine. Come one, get into my car!”

“Okay!”