kscans

Chapter 417 - The Handover

The master of the room appeared almost immediately after she rang the bell.

Tilting his head in confusion, he froze mid-motion as he pushed the door open, wondering what to do. His reaction was perfectly understandable.

So, it was up to her to start the conversation.

"Sorry for the 'next opportunity' to be so soon. I have something I'd like to discuss, so could I have just a moment of your time?"

Cutting to the chase, she stated her purpose. He blinked a few times, and then—

"Um... I have all the time in the world, but."

—though he answered quickly enough, he looked troubled, his gaze darting between the inside and outside of the room.

He was probably wondering not about the 'time,' as he said, but about the 'place.' From Hiyori's perspective, she was relieved that he didn't give some smooth, flirtatious response like, "Of course, come on in," without a second thought.

However, she would have to dispense with her own hesitation.

"Just by the entrance would be fine, but would it be... too much to ask to come inside for a moment?"

"Well, um... I think it's probably not okay for a number of reasons, but."

He sighed deeply, his expression growing more troubled.

"It's about my best friend, isn't it? I'm sure you have a mountain of things you want to say, and I can tell from the atmosphere that this is a serious conversation, so..."

As he spoke, he shifted his body to the side, still holding the door.

"————Let's just say this is a special invitation for you as her 'guardian.'"

The layout of the living room he led her to was identical to her friend's new home. It wasn't what you'd call boyish... though that might be a stereotype, but it was spotless from corner to corner.

Without a doubt, the room her friend would be living in would become messier in just a few days. The fact that he could clean properly was a point in his favor.

...Not that she had come here to act like some nagging in-law.

"Here you go, if you'd like."

"Thank you. I will."

Was it prepared for guests? She accepted the coffee served in a stylish paper cup, the kind you'd see at a cafe chain, and said her thanks—while swallowing a wry smile.

She understood he was being considerate, but it was a bit much, or rather, too thorough. The fact that he had deliberately torn open a new sleeve of paper cups was one thing, but his actions while making the coffee were another.

He had gone out of his way to work with his hands always in view, making him look oddly awkward, so she had figured out his intention right away.

Given the situation, she understood how he felt, but that made Hiyori feel guilty about his over-the-top display of harmlessness.

He had mentioned offhandedly that Nia was 'younger,' which automatically made him at least two years younger than her as well... but frustratingly, he didn't seem that way at all.

Should she just force herself to accept it, thinking, 'As expected of a famous ranker'—but as the one who had caused this, she felt she should at least apologize.

"I'm sorry, for making you so cautious."

"Haha... Well, I thought it best to be thorough, to ease both of our anxieties."

He laughed, and just like now, sitting across the table, he had maintained a 'wall' of furniture and other objects between them ever since inviting her into the room.

It was appreciated, yet it also made her feel sorry for him, and a bit 'pitiful.'

She had heard about the scandal that was currently causing a huge uproar, so she felt some sympathy for him, thinking he must be going through a lot.

In the sense of having multiple people of the opposite sex interested in him, she had plenty of similar experiences, albeit on a different scale—well, that's another story.

"Alright then... let's hear what you have to say."

Since he seemed ready to listen, she decided to get to the point quickly. She had told her friend she'd 'be right back,' so she had to be as swift as possible.

"Then let's get right to it... How much do you know about her circumstances?"

"About Nia, you mean. As for her real-life situation, honestly, almost nothing."

When she tilted her head at his reply, he must have sensed she was prompting him for the details of that 'almost.'

"I've heard she has aphonia. I don't know the 'when' or 'why.' I don't think I need to know for now, so I haven't asked."

"............I see. For the record, she doesn't hide that fact from others. I don't think Lilia would mind either, so shall I explain?"

"Hmm...? No, if that's not the main point, then it's not necessary."

"...Ah, um, I'm sorry."

It wasn't that she had overstepped—not really. It was a lighthearted remark based on the certainty that comes from being so close to her, from knowing each other's thoughts and what is permissible.

But to a third party, it wouldn't seem that way.

So even if she tried to maintain a composed face, she couldn't fool herself when she was flustered. Had she, uncharacteristically, misjudged the distance right from the start—

"Ah, no, it's not that I think 'that kind of thing should come from her own mouth.' It's simply that I'm not 'interested,' so it's not 'necessary.'"

—he said with a cool expression, as Hiyori tried to compose herself.

Strong words. But judging from his expression, he had chosen them intentionally. As for what that meant... well, she'd put that aside for now.

His calm, chestnut-colored eyes were prompting Hiyori to continue her story.

"Well, you're right... the 'when' and 'why' aren't really relevant, but it is related to the fact that she lost her voice. As you wish, I'll skip the details, but."

"Hmm."

"To put it simply, I'm something of Lilia's guardian and supervisor. When she came to Japan because of her 'voice,' I, having a close family relationship with her, was entrusted with her care... That's more or less how it happened."

"I see... Are her parents in Russia?"

"Eli-san... Lilia's mother is, yes. Her father is here in Japan, but he's a very busy man, so he's always traveling around the country."

"I see. So here, Saegusa-san, you're acting as a guardian for the young lady from another country."

"That's right."

"........................"

"........................"

"But wait, aren't you a busy person yourself?"

"Ahaha."

His question was very reasonable. Hiyori had her own work and life, and couldn't be with her friend twenty-four seven—but Nia wasn't a small child, either.

"She's always been a bit of a homebody and basically never leaves the house... so, as long as I can help her when she needs it, there's no problem. She's been here many times since she was little, so there were never any cultural or language barriers from the start."

On top of that, her former residence was also in a room in an apartment building owned by the Saegusa family... or rather, Hiyori's family. Naturally, their rooms were right next to each other, so there were no security issues or other miscellaneous troubles to speak of.

It had been three years since she had come to Japan. The only 'care' Hiyori had struggled with was calming her down during her first love-related turmoil.

"—And so, until now, she has been living peacefully on family property, but."

"Now that she's moving here, that's no longer the case..."

"Or rather, the need for a handover has arisen."

At that, a look of understanding finally dawned on his face.

"Ah, I see... Right, I think I mostly get what you're trying to say now."

Pushing aside the empty coffee cup, the young man's eyes turned to look straight at Hiyori. He was quick on the uptake, had high comprehension, and a sincere attitude.

Another point in his favor.

"She might seem like that, but she's actually quite dependable, you know."

"I know. Sometimes she treats me like I'm the younger one."

"So I'm not that worried, or rather. The one and only [Sword Queen] herself has said she'll 'take full responsibility' for her, so I'm more in the mindset of 'I'll leave her in your care with peace of mind.'"

"Personally, I think that Iris—Iris has been a bit out of control lately, so I'm not sure if she's someone you can be at ease with... but well, I think you can trust the security here."

"And on top of that, her next-door neighbor is her dependable first love, isn't he?"

"Th-That's.................."

Weak to surprise attacks—it seems that information was correct.

As the young man showed a look of being utterly defeated, Hiyori let out a small smile and, as if remembering, took off the sunglasses she had been wearing.

"Not being able to speak, I think there are a lot of anxious and scary things. So, as much as you can, please don't leave her alone... That's what I wanted to say."

"............"

"Fortunately, I was given an entry pass, so I'll come to visit sometimes. But still, she's now moved out of the range where I can immediately reach out to her, unlike before."

Meeting his sincere gaze, she bowed her head.

"Please take care of Lilia."

In a 'double sense'—she had no intention of being so sly.

When she lifted her head, the expression on his face, which she saw, was one that seemed to understand that correctly, but... as expected, it was one of being at a complete loss.

"Being asked, and answering... I don't feel like I'm the right person for the job...

"Hehe, I know... But I 'wanted' to ask you."

"And why is that?"

"That's already decided, of course."

The exchange of intentions was over. As if by mutual agreement, the stiff atmosphere dissipated, and they both adopted a more casual tone, a sign of their understanding.

Who could possibly refuse such a request? To her best friend's crush, who had let out a gentle, wry smile, Saegusa Hiyori smiled back mischievously.

"Because you're the gentleman that the friend whose judgment I trust most in the world—of all things, fell in love with at first sight."

With a proud smile that resembled her friend's—it was unclear which of them had inherited it—she finally reached for her coffee. Even though it had cooled a bit, it still tasted quite good.

He's good at making coffee.

Another point in his favor.

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The omitted details will probably be shared by the person herself eventually, maybe.