Chapter 97: 97: Blond Punks, School Girl, Old Farts—Get It?

After wrapping up business, Takashi, feeling hungry, walked over to a small roadside food cart to grab a bite. Kei didn't know what he was up to, but she instinctively followed him. Takashi casually picked a spot to sit down and struck up a conversation with the vendor. "Granny, I'll have two orders of takoyaki." "Takashi, is that you? Haven't seen you in a while." "I've been busy working lately." "Young people should still take care of their health. Hold on, I'll make you a few extra takoyaki." "Love you, Granny!" The food stall was run by a grandmother in her seventies. Her hair was completely white, and her face carried a kind, gentle look. Normally, people her age wouldn't have much to talk about with young folks like them. But Takashi seemed to have some kind of social superpower. Everyone on the street knew him. Regardless of age, people would greet him warmly and strike up a conversation. This kind of easy, fearless communication ability—confident, open, and unaffected by others' opinions—made Kei a little envious. Sometimes, people lose in life simply because they don't know how to express themselves. She was a perfect example of that. She didn't actually dislike her older brother, but since she was going through a rebellious phase—and also because of Shirogane Miyuki's overprotectiveness and her fear of being seen as a siscon—she always acted cold and distant toward him. Sometimes, she even lashed out at him with harsh words. "The girl with you—is she your girlfriend? She's really pretty." Suddenly being complimented, Kei's icy expression was tinged with a soft blush. Even in her rebellious phase, being called pretty still made her shy. Though... this granny clearly misunderstood her relationship with Senpai. "No, Granny, she's not my girlfriend." Before Kei could say anything, Takashi quickly denied it. He might be down bad sometimes, but not enough to go after a middle schooler. "She's not?" the granny replied while expertly flipping the takoyaki. "You two really look like a married couple." Takashi groaned. "I've heard that line way too many times. Can't you switch it up a bit?" Nearly every couple who came to this stall had heard this granny say the same thing. And almost none of those couples ever lasted. The granny slowly picked up the takoyaki one by one, placing them on a plate in front of Takashi. "Back then I was just being polite. But today, I actually mean it." M-married couple...? When Kei heard that, she felt all the warmth in her body rush straight to her ears. Even without a mirror, she could tell how red they must be. She was just a middle school student. To her, talking about this kind of thing felt way too early... and way too intense. She instinctively glanced at Takashi. The boy had delicate features and a strikingly handsome face, like a high-res photo run through a beauty filter—fair skin, smooth complexion, not a single flaw to be found. His eyes were like a painting, filled with rich layers of color and light. They shimmered like a deep, mysterious lake—inviting and radiant, making people want to dive in and explore his inner world. Maybe it was the hot weather, but the top three buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing his elegant collarbones and the faint rise and fall of his chest. The more she stared, the drier her throat felt. Suddenly, she really wanted a drink of water. "Here you go." Just then, a cold cup of water was placed in front of her. Kei instinctively looked up—right into the gentle, time-weathered eyes of the granny. "I'm getting old. Forgot to bring you two some water." "T-thank you..." Blushing like a kid caught doing something wrong, Kei lowered her head and whispered a thank you, sipping the iced water in small, nervous sips. Takashi, completely unaware, was already munching down takoyaki one after another. Soon, Kei's order arrived too. She softly said "thank you" to Takashi, then picked up one with a toothpick and brought it to her lips. While Takashi could eat a whole takoyaki in one bite, Kei needed three. By the time she finished, it was already 4:30 in the afternoon. "I'm planning to go fishing. Wanna come?" After eating, it was about 4:30. Originally, Takashi had been feeling tired and planned to go home and rest early, but now he didn't feel sleepy at all. He'd been exhausted like a dog the past few days—now that he had a break, he had to go cast a couple lines. Kei thought about it—she was out of fish at home, and it was time to stock up anyway. "Okay, but Senpai, can you wait for me to drop my stuff off first?" She had come straight from school. Still had her backpack with her. "Sure. Let's meet up at the convenience store afterward." Takashi agreed, and added, "You don't need to bring your rod today. Use mine." He wanted to see if his constant lack of bites was due to the rod... or just him. "Got it." The two of them went their separate ways and returned home. Takashi excitedly burst through the door, only to see Hitomi had returned after being gone for a while. She was lounging on the low table, her smooth, toned legs resting elegantly on top. Her petite, adorable feet sparkled like jade; her pink toes looked like five little pearls, lined up perfectly. "You're back?" Hitomi looked down at the tablet in her hands, her toes curling slightly as if greeting him. Takashi stared for a few seconds before setting his things down. "When did you get back?" Hitomi had a habit of vanishing for a few days now and then. Takashi was used to it. "Around noon." She seemed tired of staring at the screen. She set the tablet aside, massaged her acupressure points, and closed her eyes. "Where's Kuro?" "I left him at a friend's house for now." Lately, Koha had been with Yotsuba and seemed to be having the time of his life. He hadn't shown any intention of returning. Since Takashi still saw him during morning runs, he couldn't be bothered to drag him back. As long as the dog was alive, that was good enough for him. "A friend's house, huh..." Hitomi gave a chilly smirk. "A girl?" Takashi couldn't help but feel like a husband being questioned by his wife after staying out for days. "The way you say that... makes it sound like I only hang out with girls." Takashi avoided giving a direct answer. "Isn't that the truth?" Hitomi looked at him with a half-smile. ___ 20 Advanced Chapters available on p@ tr eon (.) com/HalflingFics Also, please point out my mistakes in the comment, thank you! Don't forget to leave a review too~ Check out the other translations too ___