"Really... it really is you?"
"Mm."
I smiled, but didn't say much. The man beside her looked confused and asked,
"Hey, who is she? You know her?"
The man glanced at me, then turned to look at his wife.
Well, they were probably married, right?
"Of course I know her. She's—!!"
The woman heard his question, and her expression immediately darkened as she shouted at him. She was just about to say something when
she suddenly stopped and glanced at me,
then wilted at once, her lips moving faintly before she fell silent.
"She's what? What?"
"Who knows~ What am I, anyway?"
The man turned to me with a puzzled look and asked, "What?" in that Northeastern dialect. I shrugged and smiled.
"You woman... Honestly!!"
The man glanced at me, then said no more. By then, the car had stopped beside my motorcycle.
"This is your vehicle, right?"
"Mm. Thanks. Wait here a moment."
With that, I pushed open the car door and got out. I found some food in the car, went over to the off-road vehicle, opened its door, and tossed the food inside.
"Consider this payment for that little box. Thanks..."
After I finished, I shut the door and went straight to my motorcycle to fix the tire.
I was just about to lift the motorcycle when I suddenly heard a car door open behind me. Then the woman's sharp voice rang out.
"Get out and help her! Get out!!"
"But... she got to watch for free, and now I have to help her? Are you out of your mind?"
"Are you getting out or not? Are you helping or not?!"
"Fine, fine~ You win. I give up, okay? I'm getting out, right now!"
When I turned around, the man had just climbed out of the car.