“…Sorry for calling you.”
He normally says to leave the fence set near the foot of the mountain open, but not this time. That’s enough for me to understand that Aikawa is scared of something. I’m not too optimistic, because it reminds me of what happened with Katsuragi.
When I get to his house, I see Rin wrapped around him, and half close my eyes.
He didn’t call me here to get Rin off him, did he? I can’t do that.
Ten is also close to Aikawa, but approaches us when we arrive. It’s a really big snake, so I wish it wouldn’t.
“…So… What happened…?”
Aikawa looks really troubled. And still handsome with that expression. I get the feeling my face would just look twisted if it was like that. The unfairness of being an average guy…
“…It’s really pathetic, but can you hear me out…?”
“Yes, sure.”
It might be something heavy, but I have no choice but to listen. Rin finally lets go of him, and after getting their permission to let my chickens eat bugs and grass (this is important!), I enter.
I’m served tea with a fancy teapot into a fancy cup. It’s weird how every time I come into this house it feels like I’m in another world.
I guess Rin and Ten are leaving with Pochi, and Yuma is staying next to me as always. Thanks.
Today I’m getting pickled cucumber with my tea. I think Aikawa is pretty meticulous in the kitchen.
“Ah, it’s good.”
“That’s nice. I got carried away and made too much, so can you take some with you?”
I feel like I’ve heard that before.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I keep munching, and Aikawa sighs. It’s like he’s thinking about where to start, but he eventually opens his mouth.
“Hum… There have been a lot of incidents with girls being stalked in recent years, right…”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“And in those cases men are the stalkers, but…”
I see where this is going. It’s not unthinkable with a handsome guy like him.
“If the stalker is a girl…”
“…Is that why you moved to this mountain?”
“…Yes.”
Being stalked by a girl is something I can’t even imagine, but apparently that’s what it is.
“I can’t even imagine it, but it sounds pretty rough.”
“Yes… We worked in the same place, but all of a sudden she decided I was her boyfriend, got a copy of my key made, and went through my stuff at home…”
“Uwah…”
That’s worse than I thought. Isn’t it a crime to just copy someone’s key?
“So… What then?”
Of course, it made it difficult for him to work, so he talked to his boss. And apparently she lashed out when the boss confronted her directly. In the end, the police got involved, and it became difficult for him to stay in that company. That story left me with a bad aftertaste.
“She was ordered to stop stalking, but I was still scared… I know how pathetic that sounds.”
“No no no no, it does sound scary!”
He made some money with stocks, so he quit his job, and bought a mountain through a connection from an acquaintance.
The hunting license he got so he could feel at ease while looking after the mountain, but he got lonely from time to time. And so, he went down to the village when there just happened to be a festival going on, and bought two snakes. They were ten centimeter long baby snakes, but they grew very fast. And for some reason, one became a woman from the waist up after a year. That’s Rin… Is she a lamia?
Let’s leave that aside for now and focus on the stalking.
“…Did she go to the village?”
“…No… I saw her when I went shopping in the nearby town…”
“Eh?”
The nearby town, meaning the one that can be reached by going further west through the road leading to the mountain to the west.
“Hum, the N town?”
“Yes.”
“Is there a chance you saw someone else and thought it was her?”
“…No way. I went shopping yesterday, and I contacted a lawyer with that idea in mind. The lawyer checked, and sure enough, she moved into this prefecture this year…”
“Eeeh…”
That makes me shiver. Actually, sorry for moving to the mountains for something as trivial as my marriage being a bust.
“So she hasn’t come to the village…?”
“I don’t think so. But I’m already scared…”
“Sure.”
I’m scared just thinking about it.
“Sano! I’ll help you look after the mountain and everything, so can you come with me when I go shopping!?”
“Ah, eh, yes…”
It’s not like I have anything to do in particular anyway.
“By the way, when you go to town, Rin…”
“Stays in the passenger seat.”
Rin is a reliable partner, but she probably wouldn’t be able to deal with it if something happened in town. Even Rin doesn’t get off the mini truck in town.
“I’m so pathetic…”
It’s getting warm, so the front of his work clothes is open. His abs are visible under his black tank top, and he looks like the type that looks slender in clothing.
He’s about ten centimeters taller than me too, so it feels kind of weird for a guy like him to be afraid of a female stalker, but that’s not the sort of thing where your physique matters.
“No, I can’t even understand your fears, so I don’t think you’re pathetic.”
I say flatly, and his eyes widen. And then he laughs.
“…You’re gonna make me fall for you Sano.”
“Gimme a break!”
Look at these goosebumps!
“I’m kidding. But I’m feeling a little better. Thank you.”
He then laughs loudly, something he doesn’t normally do. I want to think it’s just a coincidence that said woman was in the neighboring town, but if it’s not, that means trouble. I’ll try to get information about her, but I’m actually glad I have someone to go to town with me. And he even said he’ll help me with my mountains.
After having lunch, I go back to my mountain.
“…Human relations really are a pain. Pochi, Tama, Yuma, I’m really glad you’re here.”
I say that earnestly, and for some reason, the three chickens get bigger the next day.
“…Why?”
I measure them, and see they’re about a meter tall now.
“How come…!?”
“Howcome?”
“Howcome?”
“Howcome?”
Like I said, don’t ask me that.
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