March Towards Tomorrow (4)

Oreki took out the coupon.

Fine...

It was indeed the shop he had visited that morning.

The name was just too small.

He had only seen the mountain of discounted desserts and failed to notice the fine print in the corner.

What a failure of a layout.

If Oreki ever found out who designed it, he would certainly have some choice words for their family.

"Hey, are you listening?"

"You are listening, right?"

"Oreki Hou—"

Oreki covered the phone's speaker.

He leaned toward Shiina Hiyori.

"When did you get here?"

"I've been here the whole time."

"?"

"Oreki-kun is prone to jumping to conclusions."

"Jumping to conclusions?"

"Yes. For instance, you assumed I was going off to investigate just because I stepped away for a moment."

"...I see."

Oreki uncovered the speaker.

How should he put this?

Situations like this really put one's abilities to the test.

If one lacks the skill, it's easy to end up in a BE.

A bad ending, that is.

For a concrete example, one need only look at Ito Makoto.

"Sorry, I'll explain the details to you when I get back tonight."

"...Is that so?"

"Yes."

"I understand. I'll wait for your answer tonight, then."

"Thank you."

"Beep, beep—"

The call was disconnected.

Oreki let out a sigh of relief.

He looked at Shiina Hiyori with a helpless expression.

"Don't pull a prank like that again."

"Mm, sorry about that."

"It's nothing, it'll just make things a bit troublesome tonight."

She acts like she doesn't care... but she clearly does.

Oreki thought to himself.

Should he call it bravado?

Or a lack of confidence?

Or perhaps, it's just something most people experience.

Regardless of gender.

"Let's go get lunch."

"Mm."

Shiina Hiyori clutched her book and followed by Oreki's side.

This intimate gesture.

It was as if nothing had happened just moments ago.

Lunchtime usually passes by in a flash.

Oreki was intercepted the moment he stepped outside.

It was Kamuro Masumi.

She leaned against the glass window, looking at Oreki with a speechless expression.

"Pulling a stunt like that... are you an idiot?"

"...No."

"You really are an idiot. Whatever, take it."

Kamuro Masumi held out a beret.

It was the one Sakayanagi often wore on her head.

"You've been a huge help."

Oreki accepted it and tucked it into his messenger bag.

With this item, things would be much easier to handle when the time came.

It was essentially borrowing the fox's borrowed power from the tiger.

Using the prestige of the Sakayanagi family to intimidate those people.

If that middle-aged man were around, this wouldn't be necessary.

But as luck would have it, he wasn't.

It was likely related to Sakayanagi's Father leaving so suddenly that night.

"By the way, why do you need this?"

"Just using it for a bit."

"Eh..."

"It's not what you're thinking. Besides, why are you and Sakayanagi thinking the same things?"

"Obviously because I told her."

"...So you're the one stirring up trouble."

"Stirring up trouble? That's quite rude."

Kamuro Masumi left shortly after.

To her, this was nothing more than running an errand for Sakayanagi.

There was no need to get involved in the affairs between Sakayanagi and Oreki.

Things were already troublesome enough as it was.

"I'll be heading off first."

Oreki looked toward Shiina Hiyori on the sofa.

She was busy eating a matcha pudding.

"Mm, see you later."

Shiina Hiyori waved goodbye to Oreki.

"See you later."

With that, Oreki walked out of the restaurant.

--To be continue