CH 4.4

The One Who Wants A Ride. (Part 4)

It was almost time for Hinagata to finish her club activities, so I walked to school at night, dragging my disappointment with me.

I found Hinagata parting with Uchinokura-san near the gate and called out to her.

“Hinagata.”

“Ahh, Ryuunosuke.”

Hinagata waved her hand lightly under the streetlight.

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought it was time for your club to finish.”

If I think about it, why am I here to pick her up when I didn’t even make a promise?

“I-I see…”

Hinagata looked embarrassed and troubled, slumping over.

“…Th-then… Let’s go back together.”

Prompted by Hinagata’s oddly polite language, I walked next to her.

I was at a loss for what to say, so I could only ask a few rough questions.

“How has it been recently?”

“Recently? It’s good.”

“I see. Have you made any progress with that guy…?”

I didn’t want to be in silence, so I said the first thing that came to mind.

“That guy? You mean the guy I like?”

“Yes. I was just wondering if there was anything peculiar about him.”

Nahh, said Hinagata. She then told me one of her worries.

“I can’t talk to him well these days.”

Can’t talk well, huh?

“…I’m not very good at extending conversation either, and if I ask something, the subject ends too soon.”

Apparently, she can’t keep up with conversations for very long.

“He often muddles things up by saying it’s nothing or that he’s fine, so I’m wondering if he doesn’t want to talk with me much… I feel like he’s being distant…”

Hinagata was plainly disappointed.

“He’s kind of secretive, isn’t he?”

I mean, that’s definitely not me, the guy she likes.

“I don’t know if he’s secretive or not. Maybe I just wanted to know too much and had too many weird ideas.”

She’s worried that she might have stepped on a landmine with this guy.

“Distance is a challenge.”

“I know right.”

She couldn’t help but agree with me.

I felt a look from next to me as if she had noticed something, jeez.

“Ryunosuke… is there someone you’re interested in?”

Her glassy, emotionless eyes were staring at me the whole time.

“W-What makes you think that, by the way?”

“When I talked to him about it, he wasn’t listening to me at all. He only went along with me with an air of, ‘huh, hmm’ “

Very perceptive, Hinagata.

“And yet I’m feeling it today.”

You’re a detective.

“He’s not here for real.”

He’s not here, or rather, she can’t say he’s here.

Hinagata, squinting somewhat sadly, was walking while looking at her toes.

I changed the subject, but it should have been Hinagata’s consultation, not mine.

“Back to the point, we’re not having a successful conversation, are we?”

“…Yes.”

After thinking about it for a while, I said something that hit me.

“Then, why don’t you ask him what he might be interested in?”

“Something he might be interested in?”

“I think if you ask him what he likes and what he is interested in, you can talk to him much more easily.”

“I see.”

It seemed to be an effective answer, and she appeared to understand.

…But… This advice might also help us to get along…

When I think about it, I can’t help but wonder why on earth am I giving her advice.

“I’ll give it a shot.”

“Good luck.”

Hinagata pulled out her cell phone and did something with it.

Is she going to send a message as soon as possible?

“…A few remarks about recent professional baseball players.”

“What?”

What’s up with that rough question?

Well, I can’t speak for others either.

Perhaps she could tell that I was puzzled, but Hinagata looked at the cell phone screen again.

On the screen, the sports section of a search site was displayed.

“Ryunosuke, what is your favorite team?”

“I don’t have a favorite team.”

“…I see.”

…After I told her to ask me what the guy was interested in, she started talking about baseball.

Huh? Am I the guy she likes?

“Then if you have to choose one then, just one player, please tell me.”

“There is one. I don’t have an image of him, so I just wondered which team he was from.”

In fact, I rarely go to a ballpark to watch a game.

“If I like the player, I will support that team.”

“Fufu~ Is that so?”

“I don’t watch the games from start to finish, though… They don’t broadcast that team’s games in our area. I just check the nightly news for the results.”

“Ohh. Basketball is almost never on national television, so you can hardly watch it on TV.”

“That’s too bad.”

“I don’t have a favorite team or player.”

“No team or player?”

“Fufu~ I get sleepy when I watch them.”

“I can understand that, I like to play, but I find it boring to watch.”

“Me too.”

We found ourselves having a natural conversation that we haven’t had in recent times.

As long as it’s limited to sports, we’re both interested in each other, so we can have a good conversation there.

“Ryunosuke, this way is my house.”

I turned towards Hinagata’s house on the parting road without saying anything, and she asked me doubtfully.

“I will walk you.”

“T… Thanks.”

It’s not that far from the parting road to her house. After passing under the streetlight several times, I arrived at Hinagata’s house.

When it was time to say goodbye, I abruptly stopped. Perhaps this is the only time I would get to say it.

“About the part-time job.”

“Yes?”

“I’m thinking of riding my dad’s motorcycle, and I’m trying to save up some money.”

Even if Hinagata remembers what happened that day, I don’t know if she remembers the conversation. But I hope she remembers that as well.

“I’d like to ride, but I’m afraid to do so. So I want to ride with you, Ryunosuke.”

“Then I’ll have you ride with me someday.”

We were in early elementary school, I think. We had this conversation in the garage. It was a simple promise, but I still remember it.

“…That’s why you are working part time?”

“Yes.”

“I see. Thanks for telling me.”

Hinagata smiled quietly, like the moon showing up.

She probably doesn’t even remember that conversation, since she didn’t respond to me in any way.

“Does anyone else know about the motorcycle?”

“Honma.”

“…”

The smile that had been floating on her face disappeared.

“Why didn’t you tell me first?”

Her eyebrows furrowed in discontent.

“Why… do you ask?”

Hinagata, who seemed to be at a loss for a response, perhaps not expecting me to cut her off, said, “Um,” or “uh,” or such unspoken things. Her cheeks were tinted so darkly that I could tell even in the dim light.

“I-I’m your childhood friend. That’s why I want you to tell me things first.”

After saying this, Hinagata turned away and ran into her house.

I don’t think there’s much difference between telling someone first and telling someone later…

As I was not able to explain, Hinagata peeked out of the door.

“G-Good night… See you later.”

She realized that she forgot to say goodbye. She’s a very disciplined person.

I replied, “See you later,” and started walking home. When I looked back, she was still waving at me, so I gave her a small wave back.