Chapter 31: A Woman You Can't Take Your Eyes Off

A Woman You Can't Take Your Eyes Off

After parting ways with Ayanokoji, I headed to the backyard.

Searching for Onizuka.

"Onizuka!"

"Shut up!"

I called out his name in the deserted backyard and got an immediate reply.

However, he didn't appeared.

Is he a mythical creature or something?

"Onizuka! Where are you?"

"I'm taking a nap! Don't disturb me!"

The voice came from above.

I wondered if he's climbing the tree and sleeping again.

Isn't it dangerous to sleep on a tree?

I looked up and looked around for a while.

There was a tree with green leaves and red hair that stood out between them.

"Okay...!"

I hooked my fingers and feet into the tree and started climbing.

It had been since elementary school that I had climbed a tree, so it took me a while to get the hang of it.

"Hey, what are you doing?!"

Onizuka's agitated voice came down, but I'm doing my best to climb the tree.

Although I was out of breath because she wasn't used to wearing a skirt and it has been a while since I last climbed a tree, I somehow managed to reach Onizuka.

"Onizuka!"

"Women shouldn't climb trees in skirts!"

"Oh shut up."

It's okay because no one can see it.

"Stop sweating the small stuff, you'll go bald"

"Don't jinx it!"

Seeing Onizuka's shocked expression, I brought up the main topic.

"...Did you know about the circumstances of Ayanokoji's family? The one where she's being forced to marry an old man she doesn't even love."

"...Did you hear that too?"

Onizuka shifted slightly from the thick tree branch he was sitting on, making space for me to sit down.

Thank you, I'll move there.

"...I know. I've heard about it ever since I was a kid. Back then, we didn't really understand what it meant, and by the time we did, there was nothing we could do about it."

"…………"

That's right.

There's no way an elementary school student could understand things like betrothal or marriage.

As they grew older and became junior high school students and began to understand the meaning, Ijuin's mother passed away and the three of them drifted apart.

All in all, the timing is just too bad.

Seeing me remained silent, Onizuka frowned, wondering what I was thinking.

"Even if you make that face, it can't be helped."

"But……!"

"...We're just high school students, we can't do anything."

Even if we become a high school student, we're still a child.

We can't do anything.

That's right.

Surely Onizuka is right.

But for me, it's not about whether I can do it or not, or whether it's right or wrong.

I want to do what I can for Ayanokoji!

"I'll ask Ijuin too!"

"Oh, hey, wait!"

I shook off Onizuka's warnings and headed for the student council room.

"Pardon the intrusion!"

"Are you challenging the dojo?"

The door to the student council room slammed open.

As usual, Ijuin was alone, doing his paperwork.

Ignoring Ijuin's cold gaze, I boldly approached him.

"Ijuin! I want to stop Ayanokoji's marriage! What should I do?"

Bang, I slammed his desk.

Ijuin blinked his eyes and sighed.

"...Are you stupid?"

"I'm not stupid! I'm seri–!"

"I can't do it, and neither can you."

Clean cut.

It was cut in half like a sharp blade.

"...Why not?! I have to try it...!"

"You can tell without even trying. There's a clear 'difference in status'."

Difference in status.

This is one of the reasons why Onizuka couldn't attend Ijuin's mother's funeral.

To Ijuin, who knows this firsthand, I must appear to be a naive commoner who knows nothing and is obsessed with peace.

Now that you mention it, that's true.

There's no way a high school girl from the common class could prevent a rich people from marrying someone else.

"...I know."

"Then..."

"I know it's impossible, that's why I'm asking you guys!"

It's easy to assume you can't do it.

But maybe there is something that can be done, finding a way to do it is another story though.

Both Ijuin and Onizuka seemed to have some thoughts about Ayanokoji's marriage.

They must be feeling a little frustrated at the fact that there is nothing they can do.

The image of Ayanokoji's smiling face as she happily munched on her lunch box despite the cold spring breeze flashes through my mind.

It's completely weird that such a cute and kind girl can't be happy!

Children, social status.

The hurdles to overcome in order to save Ayanokoji are high.　

But!

"I don't care about age or social status! I'm going to ruin Ayanokoji's matchmaking right now!"

"Hey, Saotome...!"

After giving Ijuin a warning, I ran out of the student council room.

The goal is to go to the high-end restaurant in Tokyo.

I don't have any strategy in mind, but I have to go and try.

What can I do for her and what can I give her?

Rather than worrying about it, the first thing I need to do is take action!

The girl I like is in trouble!

It's time to show your manliness, Saotome Otome!

"Good grief..."

Ijuin was stunned for a moment as Saotome ran out, leaving the door to the student council room open.

"She's crazy."

A smile unexpectedly forms on Ijuin's lips.

"That's why we can't take our eyes off her."

"Onizuka..."

Ijuin wasn't surprised when Onizuka appeared from behind the door, and agreed with his opinion.

"Yeah, really... we can't just leave her alone."

"Right."

The two of them ran after Saotome, shoulder to shoulder.

Like when they were good friends.

"Is she going to have an arranged marriage meeting in a place like this...?"

It's too big.

Standing before a high-class Japanese restaurant with a courtyard, I was a little intimidated.

It's more like a traditional Japanese restaurant than an inn.

A noren curtain hangs at the entrance, which is decorated with a plaster wall and a tiled roof.

I wonder how much annual income you need to dive there.

I crouched down and peered through the noren curtain.

It seems that I can't enter the restaurant right away, but have to cross stepping stones and walk a little way through the garden before I reach the restaurant.

It seems that the entrance with the noren curtain merely serves as an arch or partition.

It was already past three o'clock, the time for the matchmaking session that Ayanokoji had mentioned.

Ayanokoji should already be somewhere in this restaurant.

I held my breath and went through the curtain so that the staff wouldn't see me.

If you follow the stepping stones straight ahead, you will soon come across a building that looks like a traditional Japanese restaurant.

On the left side was a garden, with a pond filled with koi, shrubs, and various types of trees, making it a truly Japanese garden.

The abundance of nature makes it easy to hide, which is helpful.

In addition, being short, I could easily hide in the shade of any grass by crouching down.

I have to find the room where Ayanokoji is quickly...!

If I don't hurry, Ayanokoji's matchmaking might be over.

Her future, her misfortune, may be decided.

I was getting anxious.

That's why I didn't notice.

─While I was operating in complete stealth, I noticed a figure behind me.