MTLNOVEL Chapter 47
Regaining his composure, Hayashi began to eat his meal quietly. It seemed he had no intention of bringing up the topic of me having no friends anymore.
“You know, I think it’s good to have friends. Having friends you can be yourself with gives life some spice,” he said.
Actually, it seems like he did want to bring it up.
As if it were only natural, Hayashi said,
“Hmm…”
“What, don’t want to make friends?”
“Well, rather…”
As I finished my meal and stacked up the dishes, I continued,
“I don’t really know how to make friends.”
It was Hayashi who dropped his chopsticks with a clatter.
“What?”
“Really.”
“That’s serious.”
“Well, I figured it out because we’ve been together for a month.”
“You… how have you been making friends all this time without knowing how to make friends?”
“That’s why I’ve been telling you, I don’t have any friends.”
“Oh, right.”
Although I won’t say it because he is being serious, you are being quite rude, aren’t you?
“Sorry…”
“Don’t apologize seriously. It hurts.”
I said,
“So, you don’t know how to make friends, huh.”
“Yeah.”
“But, you’re brave for admitting that you don’t understand what you don’t understand!”
“That sounds like something you’d say to praise an elementary school kid.”
“Oh…”
In a very obvious way, Hayashi was feeling down. Seeing him like this made my situation feel all the more serious, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Wait, this isn’t a laughing matter, is it?
“Hey, Hayashi, how do you make friends? You should know, right?”
“Huh? …Well, if you make eye contact, you’re pretty much friends, right?”
“You must have hundreds of friends.”
“…Come to think of it, how do you make friends?”
“You… how have you been making friends all this time without knowing how to make friends?”
“They just seem to happen on their own. Hehe.”
Hehe, it’s not.
Do you think you can get away with anything by saying it in a cute way? That’s only for cute people, you know? So, Hayashi, you’re forgiven.
Damn it. Is it all about looks in this world? Is it?
“Alright.”
“What’s ‘alright’, Mr. Hayashi?”
“Yamamoto, today, start a conversation with a guy in the same department.”
“Ew, no.”
“No good.”
“No way.”
“No good!”
“No way! Why is this turning into a childish argument?”
Without thinking, I retorted. Hayashi is quite stubborn, and these kinds of things happen quite often when we have conversations. Usually, I give in first, but this time, given the circumstances, I couldn’t back down.
“What’s so bad about it? All I’m saying is to have a chat and build a friendly relationship.”
“Why do you think you can build a friendly relationship by starting a conversation?”
“Isn’t that how it works?”
“No, if I start a conversation, people will just be put off.”
“I don’t think that’s the case.”
I thought to myself, you hated me in high school, how can you say such a thing? But I didn’t say anything.
“Anyway, talk to a guy today. It won’t turn out bad.”
“No, it will. I absolutely don’t want to.”
“No good. …or else.”
“Or else?”
“…Ah, I’ll spread rumors at work that we’re living together.”
“Oh, well, that’s fine. It’s not a rumor, it’s a fact. I’m bound to be looked at strangely, but I guess there’s nothing I can do about it since I’m relying on you. Well, if you still stay in this room even if strange rumors spread… I would be happy, I guess.”
“…Fine, never mind.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure!”
Hayashi is very emotional today.
“…then, I won’t cook anymore.”
“I don’t mind, but are you sure?”
Hayashi doing the housework in this room, I thought, was a kind of her absolution. She hasn’t received her first paycheck from her part-time job yet, and she’s renting the room from me for free.
“…No good.”
“I see. You didn’t need to worry about it.”
“…I understand. I understand.”
Phew. It seems she has finally given up.
“I’m throwing away the cleaning tools.”
“!? What?”
What?
Did she just say… she’s throwing away…
My cleaning tools…!
Did she just say she’s going to throw away my cleaning tools!?
“Ah, sorry. Throwing them away is a bit too much.”
So… it was a joke.
“I’m selling them on Mercari.”
“!?!?!?!?!?!”
My heart was making a racket like never before in my life.
That…
That can’t be…
Are my cleaning supplies being thrown away?
No, sold?!?!?!?!
“You can’t possibly think I’d allow that, right?!”
“What’s the big deal?”
“What?”
“You just have to have a little conversation with a guy.”
“That… that’s…”
“Of course, all the money will go to you, Yamamoto. It’s perfect. The closet is stuffed with cleaning supplies. There are even duplicates just in different colors. It’s time for some decluttering.”
“But… but…”
“Yamamoto.”
“…What?”
“You can do it.”
“Grrr…”
I glared at Hayashi. My glare was as intense as that of a child staring at the murderer of their parents.
“Fine. I get it. I just have to talk, right?”
“Yup. Then, I’ll be waiting, preparing dinner.”
“Okay! I’m off!”
I stormed out of the house.
“He values cleaning supplies over me. Unbelievable. I never had any intention of selling anything even if he couldn’t talk to guys… Really, maybe I should sell everything.”
As I was leaving, I heard Hayashi’s muttering. However, I couldn’t make out what she was saying.