The Top Idol Next Door Can't Help But Crave My Guilty Pleasure Meals-Chapter 7Volume 1 .3 - Thanks For Walking Me Home
ROUND 7 – Thanks For Walking Me Home 3
After finishing our snacks, we were walking side by side along the school’s route.
We make our way home, keeping as much distance as possible from passersby.
After all, it’s always better not to be seen together with Yuzuki. Better safe than sorry.
On open streets, it’s easy to spot people from afar, but the problem is in areas crowded with stores and houses.
The buildings and walls obstruct the view, so we need to proceed carefully.
This time too, I sensed someone’s presence around the corner.
I gestured with my hand and hid with Yuzuki behind a nearby vending machine.
The ones who appeared from around the corner were a group of boys in uniform. Moreover, these uniforms were from Orikita High School.
We held our breath and waited for them to pass by.
“…you know, there’s this second-year student named Mamori who confessed to Arisu Yuzuki on the day of the entrance ceremony.”
“No way, that’s like hero-level courage. So, are they dating?”
“As if. The other person’s an idol, okay?”
They were so engrossed in their chatter that they didn’t seem to notice us at all.
It’s still hot news even after a month since the entrance ceremony.
The rumor that I confessed to a popular idol seems to have become common knowledge in our school.
It seems our efforts to move around secretly have paid off.
Once the group of boys was completely out of sight, I rebooted the search engine in my brain.
From the routes I’ve taken to and from school, for detours, and shopping, I calculate the places with the lowest population density and convey the strategy to Yuzuki.
“Let’s take a detour through another block. This street has too many convenience stores, and we might have another close call with students from Orikita.”
“Y-yeah.”
We crossed the road and moved to the next block.
This street has fewer shops, so the risk of running into someone we know should be significantly lower.
Just as I think this and step onto the street, an unexpected figure emerges from a house on our right——
“Hozumi…!”
It’s a friend I know well, and he’s in casual clothes, meaning this is Hozumi’s house.
Whenever we hung out, we always met at the nearest station to our destination, so I never imagined he lived within walking distance from my apartment.
“Yuzuki, hide!”
We quickly retreat and decide to take cover in an alleyway between buildings.
After ushering Yuzuki to the back, I peek out from behind the building, keeping an eye on Hozumi, who is focused on his smartphone.
Yuzuki also popped her head out from behind, trying to take a look at the street.
At that moment, Hozumi suddenly looked up.
I turn around and try to push Yuzuki further into the alley, but in doing so, I stumble and instinctively grab her shoulder tightly.
This is bad.
At this rate, I might knock Yuzuki to the ground and cause her to get hurt.
In an attempt to correct our posture, we ended up doing a half-turn like some sort of bizarre dance.
As a result, Yuzuki ends up with her back against the wall, and I find myself with my hand placed near her face——a classic ‘wall slam (kabedon)’ pose.
Yuzuki, clearly surprised—blushed while opening and closing her mouth without making a sound.
“…Sorry.”
I turned my face away and observed the street again. Hozumi was already gone.
“A-alright,, let’s just dash through it all at once.’
The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.
“…But, won’t we run into someone else again?”
“That was an ultra-rare case. Given the time, we might only bump into the housewife crowd going to the supermarket if we move carelessly now.”
“I think that’s better than running into someone from Orikita…”
“That’s not necessarily true. There could be parents from Ori High among the housewives. You shouldn’t underestimate the parent network. Information like who was walking with his girlfriend (彼女) can spread like wildfire. It could turn into a situation like that Resource Room incident.”
As I turned around to lead the way, I noticed Yuzuki had a somewhat dazed expression on her face.
“…you said ‘girlfriend’…”
“Ah, no, that was kind of a slip of the tongue…”
“…Hmm”
Yuzuki glances at me——Not teasingly, but seemingly not convinced either.
I wonder what she was feeling.
“A-anyway, Yuzuki, just focus on protecting your image as an idol.”
“…Okay, got it.”
Yuzuki nodded slightly.
For some reason, her gaze was directed at my hands.
About fifteen minutes later, we somehow managed to get through the crisis and returned to the apartment.
Along the way, Yuzuki kept glancing at me. Yet, without starting a conversation, we just walked side by side in silence.
We passed through the entrance and got into the elevator together.
The distance between us is less than ten centimeters.
“Right, I’ll dispose of the FavoChick wrapper here. Sorry for making you hold onto it.”
“…Thanks.”
Yuzuki, standing to my left, handed me the wrapper with her right hand.
I take it with my left hand, crumple it up, and stuff it into my coat pocket.
Yuzuki’s right hand and my left hand are now free.
——In an instant, a spark shot through my brain.
” ….. “
——It might have been my imagination or just a coincidence.
But I don’t have the courage to confirm it with my eyes.
I could feel a faint warmth at the tip of my left little finger.
Yuzuki, without a word, stared straight ahead.
The connection of just a pinky finger—There is no conversation between us.
The elevator arrived on the eighth floor, and we exited at the same time.
Strangely enough, our walking pace was perfectly in sync, and the position of our hands did not shift.
Even though I know it’s meaningless, I couldn’t help but wish that this moment would never end——
——I savor the few meters past room 809, up to the corner, room 810.
“…Thanks for walking me home, Suzufumi.”
“Do you need to say it at this distance?”
As I make a light joke, Yuzuki giggles softly. I also let out a smile.
—Our fingers, they part.
“I have rehearsal tonight and then I’ll be staying over at the office’s nap room. See you later.”
“Yeah, see you.”
As I raise my left hand, Yuzuki responds with her right and then heads back into her room.
“…Seriously…”
I squat down on the spot.
I remembered the sensation that had lit up in my left pinky finger.
——Like just after waking up from a happy dream, only a vague warmth remained.
