The Classmate Who Is Adored by Everyone Smiles Teasingly Only at Me-Chapter 2Volume .1 - Late Night Caramel
Late Night Caramel 1
“Sōma-san, Sōma-san!”
Sōma was on his way home after school when Chika came running after him like a puppy that had found its owner.
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“Ah, um, there’s a place I’d like to go today, would you mind accompanying me? It’s a little far, but it’s an interesting place—”
“Sorry, but I’m going to pass this week.”
Chika eagerly tried to talk about the place she wanted to visit while out of breath, but Sōma, who had stopped at a red light, gestured with his hand to stop her.
“Do you have some other things to do?”
“Not errands, but I have to study for the test.”
The midterm test was less than a week away. It was a time when he had to buckle down at his desk and hammer the knowledge into his brain.
“The scope of the test this time is pretty wide, right? If I don’t get serious about studying, even I might not get the usual average score——what’s wrong?”
Chika was staring at him as if she had seen something unbelievable.
“No, it’s just that…”
She said, readjusting her grip on her school bag that she almost dropped,
“…I just didn’t know you were the type to actually study, Sōma-san. It’s surprising.”
“I’ll knock you out, you jerk!”
He glared at Chika, who had just said something incredibly rude with a straight face.
“But-but, Soma-san, you’re always talking about sweets and never seem to be serious about studying. Even at the last study session, you weren’t focused.”
“It was too early for me then. And don’t talk about what happened to my lack of concentration back then.”
He did study, but not because he liked it. Motivation wouldn’t come unless the test was right around the corner.
“I can’t believe it at all.”
“I mean, I intend to be a serious high school student.”
However, thinking back on his usual self, he couldn’t blame her for saying that.
Just like Chika says, his head is usually occupied with sweets, and there’s hardly any room left for studying.
“I’ve decided to seal away the sweets and study properly during the test weeks. I have to score decently on the tests, or my parents might start saying things like banning me from making sweets.”
Getting good grades on tests is the quickest and easiest way to keep parents and teachers quiet.
“Sōma-san, you actually care about that kind of stuff. I thought you were the type to do whatever you wanted without caring about what your parents think.”
“You’ve been rude this whole time…”
“But I really do think that way!”
She says such things with an expression completely devoid of malice.
He started to feel a bit anxious, wondering how others perceived him.
“Well, it’s true that studying isn’t my top priority. From my point of view, making sweets is definitely more beneficial for my future than studying.”
“For the future, huh?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I can’t even imagine how classical literature would be useful in a patissier’s job.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Her face turned into that of a child left behind, looking lonely.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve never really thought about the future at all. I guess I’m different from Sōma-san. After all, I’ve just entered high school. I haven’t even decided whether to go on to further education or to get a job.”
She looked forlornly at the other students passing by.
“Isn’t that the same for everyone? I don’t actually know what will happen to me in the future either.”
The only thing decided about Sōma’s future was ‘to become a patissier.’ There was nothing concrete about it.
He tried to console her, but Chika’s downcast expression did not clear up at all.
“At times like this, I really feel like I’m still a child. I hate being spoiled by my parents and friends, and though I say I want to be a proper adult, in reality, I haven’t thought at all about what being an adult means. It’s embarrassing.”
“All you have to do is look for what you want to do from now on.”
“That’s true, but…”
Seeing the difference between herself and Sōma, Chika became completely disheartened.
“…How do you find a future goal?”
That question was a tough one for Sōma.
His dream of becoming a patissier wasn’t something he searched for and found. It just rolled my way on its own.
So, he has no idea how to go about looking for future goals.
He didn’t know what advice to give or what words would be encouraging.
“Um, well, you see…”
While looking at the pedestrian signal that had long since turned green, he searched for the right words.
“I don’t know if Chika will be able to find her future goals, and I can’t help with that. You have to find those things yourself. Even if I found something and handed it to Chika, it’s just pushing my own goals onto you.”
“…I guess so.”
Chika looked downcast, as if she was being scolded.
“That’s why I can’t be of help, nor can I give advice.”
“…Yes.”
She becomes even more downcast.
“But, I can cheer you on. I’ll always be by your side to support you until you find your goal.”
“Support…?”
Chika lifts her face as she ponders on Sōma’s words.
“The role of Sōma-san is to ‘watch over me when I try something I want to do.’ Saying you’ll ‘support me until I find my future goal’ feels a bit different.”
“Don’t fuss over the small details. If it bothers you that much, I can add cooperation to the promise.”
“But then, that would mean Sōma-san has two things to do, and I only have the task of tasting. It can’t be called equal if Sōma-san’s responsibilities increase.”
“I told you don’t fuss over the small details.”
It wasn’t something he had thought deeply about. He just wanted Chika to cheer up.
“I wanted to support you, Chika. So I’ll support you. That’s all.”
Hearing this, Chika looked at his face for a while before chuckling softly.
“It’s strange. If Sōma-san is cheering for me, I feel that everything will be alright somehow.”
“You’re just simple-minded.”
Feeling embarrassed being stared at so directly, he snapped back with a sarcastic remark to hide it, and Chika stepped closer.
“But, is it really okay for you to say such things so lightly?”
Even though she had been downcast until just moments ago, her eyes now sparkled mischievously, and a playful smile played on her lips.
“What if I can’t find my future goal? Will you keep supporting me forever?”
‘Even though someone is trying to comfort her, this girl…!’
It’s good that she has regained her spirits, but this kind of energy is not always pleasing to him.
Determined not to be taken advantage of, he thought hard and then said to her.
“In that case, I’ll be by your side forever. No matter how much you dislike it, I’ll stick with you until you find your goal.”
He expected her to be surprised or creeped out.
That would be the normal reaction if a classmate said something like this with a grin.
However, Chika’s reaction was completely different from what Sōma had expected.
She smiled even more happily. Then, she reached out to touch his cheek.
Perhaps exposed to the autumn breeze, Chika’s hand was unexpectedly cold. Her chilly hand seemed to draw away Sōma’s body heat.
They were in front of a crosswalk at dusk, with many people and cars passing by.
The passersby sometimes glanced at them; they must have been wondering what these two were doing.
Yet, Chika didn’t seem to care at all about the surroundings and continued to gently stroke Sōma’s cheek.
“If I can’t find a goal but Sōma-san stays by my side… that might be okay too.”
The green light began to flicker on and off.
“You’ve made a promise. You can’t forget it, okay?”
After emphasizing this, she removed her hand from his cheek and crossed the crosswalk.
Forgetting that he too had to cross the crosswalk, he was left staring after her in a daze.
“Did I just make some kind of crazy promise…?”
Watching Chika’s receding figure become smaller, he muttered so to himself.
