The Fourth Class Is Modern Chinese (Continued)

Just then, I suddenly heard a bicycle bell.

Even though this was in front of the station, the bell still rang clearly through the night. I frowned, thinking, What's all that noise? Then the bell rang again—several times in a row.

Jeez, how annoying—I looked over, intending to tell whoever it was to be quiet, only to see a familiar face waving at me.

"That's so funny. You actually ignored me."

"...What's funny about it?"

Orioto Kaori rode her bicycle closer, shuffling forward with the foot she had on the ground. She was probably on her way home from work and had spotted me along the way.

"Hikigaya, are you heading home?"

"Yeah."

I answered briefly, and Orioto patted the bicycle's rear rack.

"Want a ride?"

"Uh, ride what... That's a bicycle... And it's freezing..."

She tilted her head without changing expression.

"If you ride a bicycle, you'll warm up."

That assumed I would be the one pedaling. You woman. How could you say that without batting an eye?

I was about to click my tongue at her, but someone beat me to it.

Nervously, I looked over.

A salaryman who seemed to be on his way home too (thirty-four years old, male, single) was glaring at us with a vicious expression that said, Quit showing off or I'll kill you, you little punks... Eek... Salarymen were terrifying...

Faced with that threat, we had no choice but to leave the line. If we kept chatting here, we might cause trouble for the others...

Giving up, I left the bus stop and walked over to Orioto. She clapped her gloved hands together and got off her bicycle.

Then she tried to hand it over for me to ride.

"I'll leave it to you, then—"

"No, I don't give rides on bicycles."