Chapter 42 – Sensitive to the Cold

 

TL: Agni

TLC: Kriz

Editor: Kai

QC: Wafflez

First Published on Ainushi

 

I had arrived late for the rendezvous on the day of the date. (Andou)

 

Shit shit shit shit! Damn, it’s already ten minutes past the meeting time…..Would Asakura-san get angry over it…….Aargh, it took more time than I thought to get changed into the clothes for the date that I bought yesterday! Damnit! If it’d come to this, I should have asked for Asakura-san’s contact beforehand!」

 

The meeting point should be at the west entrance of the nearest train station, Asakura-san is——- There she is! (Andou)

 

「……………」*sob*

 

He is not coming……Ehehe, I’m an idiot ♪ I was too excited to have a date with Andou-kun that I came to the meeting point 2 hours early ♪

Haah. I know it, I came too early, didn’t I? Though, unexpectedly, I found it fun to wait for Andou-kun. Even though it wasn’t the time for our appointment yet, every time there were people coming out from the station, I searched for his figure inside the crowd whilst thinking ‘Andou-kun is probably here?!’, and as I waited I couldn’t help but grin, imagining a date with Andou-kun. Ufufu, I also remember, about 30 minutes before the meeting time I thought ‘It’s strange, Andou-kun should have been here by now!’, then even though I was told that the meeting point was at the west entrance, I went and searched him at the east entrance just to be sure. Despite that, I did enjoy thinking about when Andou-kun would arrive. But…….when a minute had passed from the meeting time, each time the thought of ‘maybe Andou-kun is not coming’ crossed my mind,  anxiety slowly swelled up inside of me……

I’m really an idiot ♪ Perhaps Andou-kun finds it detestable to have a date with me while I’m the only one who was being carried away without even considering it——- (Asakura)

 

「I’m sorry! Asakura-san! I was late! H-have you been waiting for long……?」

「Ando-kyun! No, I didn’t wait at all! I just arrived too!」

 

T-thank god~~~ I see, she was running a bit behind too. Haah, I’m really relieved I didn’t make her wait for ‘10 minutes’…… (Andou)

 

It’s a lie! The truth is I waited for a very looooooooooooooooooooooooong time! I thought of giving him a slap once he had arrived, but…………it was blown away the instant I saw Andou-kun’s face, and I’d blurted out ‘I didn’t wait at all’ before I even noticed iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit! (Asakura)

 

「I’m really sorry. While I was getting ready, the clothes were a bit confusing for me……」

「I-I see! To be honest, I wasn’t aware that the time had passed as I chose my clothes and because of that, I just arrived. That’s why, you don’t  have to apologise so much for that!」

 

It’s a lie! The truth is I took an hour choosing my clothes the night before, so I had some time to spare in the morning!  Yes, I came here two hours earlier! And yet, Andou-kun, you actually came late, I absolutely will never for——— (Asakura)

 

「Nn……..The clothes you have on today is pretty. It really suits you. You look like the heroine from one of DDD’s bunko 『I knew there was something wrong with my potato starch pasta*』. 」

 

——-give you. (Asakura)

 

「R-really? Thank you…….Andou-kun, you also have quite good taste. Your clothes are just like Detective Orihara-san who appeared in Thunderbolt’s bunko, ‘Hyurarara’*. It looks good on you. 」

「Ahaha, I’m glad you like it. To be honest, this was chosen by my younger sister just for today.」

「Eh, just for today?!」

 

A-Andou-kun………did you buy new clothes just for today’s date?! In other words, this date with me meant that much to you?! (Asakura)

 

Fuuuh—-I’m glad my sister chose the clothes for me——

 

『Listen, onii-chan? No matter how much you like black, wouldn’t you look just like a kurogo* if your entire body was clad in black? If you want to use black in your ensemble, then boldly match it with a white shirt, or change your pants into a navy blue instead. Look over there, how about you purchase the same clothes that’s on display on that lovely mannequin? Haaaaah?! You can’t talk to the shop assistant because you’re shy?! 』

 

——–she really saved me then. (Andou)

 

「But, Asakura-san, you really didn’t wait at all? Because when I found you, you were staring blankly downwards…..」

 

Asakura-san is quite punctual, she doesn’t give an impression of someone who will come late to an appointment……….Rather, she will come slightly earlier. Still, it won’t be to the extent of coming 30 minutes earlier. Hmm…….if it’s Asakura-san, it wouldn’t be strange if she showed up 10 minutes before at the appointed location. (Andou)

 

Uugh…..Andou-kun is surprisingly perceptive. It can’t be helped then. But I’ll only tell him a bit of the truth so that he won’t blame himself too much. (Asakura)

 

「T-To be honest……..I had arrived a bit early.」

「I know it! Uwaah, I’m really sorry for being late! How long did you actually had to wait…….?」

「Umm…….I arrived 5 minutes before.」

 

As I thought——then, including the time it took to get here, I made her wait for 15 minutes! How can you be so foolish, me! (Andou)

 

「Asakura-san, is there something I can do to make up for my lateness?」

「Something you can do?T-then…….」

 

Since in reality I waited for 2 hours, it’s alright to be a bit selfish, right? (Asakura)

 

「T-that……」

「Nn?」

「Andou-kun! I-I want to——–hold hands with you…….」

「Heh?!」

「No, b-baka! It’s different! It’s not like what you think! In short, my hands are cold because I waited for you! Therefore, until my hand warms up, Andou-kun is ‘responsible’ for it! I’ll warm my hand using Andou-kun’s hand! Got it?」

「Eh, but Asakura-san. Now is…..…May, or rather, it’ll be June soon. To say it’s cold is—–」

「I’m sensitive to the cold! Don’t fret over it, hurry up and give me your hand!」

「Y-yes!」

A-Andou-kun’s hand……. (Asakura)

A-Asakura-san’s hand……. (Andou)

 

「…………」 *thump thump*

*squeeze*

「…………」 *thump thump*

 

is warm……. (Andou & Asakura)

 

「…………」 *thump thump*

「…………」 *thump thump*

 

Wait, why is Asakura-san’s hand warm too…… (Andou)

 


Translator’s Notes:

  1. I knew there was something wrong with my potato starch pasta – Actually refers to Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru or fondly known as OreGairu.
  2. Hyurarara – An easier reference. Anyone watch Durarara?
  3. Kurogo – Japanese stagehands dress in black.

fb84bf6b8baab19a119ea0876622b661.jpg

Kurogo

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