ICYM Ch 40

Episode 40

It was undeniable that getting too excited about my score had been the reason for my mistake.

“Feels like we’ve only been studying… Is there anything you want to do?”

Half of it came from the thought that I should repay him, and half out of guilt that I’d treated him like nothing more than a study shuttle, so the words slipped out suddenly.

Honestly, I hadn’t thought Kendrick’s answer would put me in a difficult position.

Kendrick, who had been holding his phone as if in thought, set it down and made an unexpected suggestion.

“Then, want to go out?”

His gaze sparkled with expectation, as if he had been waiting for the chance to say what he wanted.

“…Huh?”

“I feel like we’ve been stuck inside too much.”

“…Where…? The garden?”

“No, the garden is still part of the dormitory.”

“…You mean, outside?”

“Yeah. We’ve never gone out, not even once.”

That was true. Our range of activity was limited to the dormitory.

The garden.

Or my room.

How did people in secret relationships usually do it?

Once, I had flipped through a magazine stacked in the lounge because its cover had a big feature about secret dating tips.

To sum up the long, drawn-out article, it went like this:

1. Thrilling skinship in a secluded, quiet place.

2. Invite friends and enjoy a secret date!

3. Just come clean and make it public♡

Number one was useless for us. We hadn’t even held hands, so going somewhere secluded would only feel awkward. I remembered the time my lip muscles had stiffened from blowing soap bubbles.

And since I had just said we should meet outside because all we did was study, I couldn’t very well suggest we just study again.

Number two was unfortunately impossible.

Neither Kendrick nor I had any friends.

We could try treating the weekend activities like a date, but if the potato squad saw us alone together, they would definitely kick up a fuss.

After all, even Sunbae had looked at me with that disapproving gaze before.

So naturally, option three was also out.

It’s nothing but a head full of flowers^[1] nonsense with not a single solution.

I remembered thinking that clearly at the time.

“Hmm…”

When I didn’t answer easily, Kendrick must have noticed that I was more worried about someone finding out. He named a specific place.

“What about XX Mall?”

It was a shopping mall two neighborhoods over. Since a multiplex mall had opened in our neighborhood as well as the next one over, people from our area no longer bothered going there.

The fact that he named a place so specifically made it seem like he had looked it up because he really wanted to go.

What do I do?

Would it be fine, just once? It wasn’t like I was some celebrity. If I went just once, what were the odds that kids from our school who knew us would happen to be there?

I don’t even have friends!

Kendrick sat there waiting quietly, looking like a big dog with its tail and ears drooping, and I couldn’t help but nod.

“Alright!”

It worked out perfectly. I had been planning to take a closer look at Kendrick today anyway. Even though it had only been a few days, he already seemed like a completely different person from the one the rumors described.

But since I had seen some things, I decided to approach this carefully. The best way to see a new side of someone is to go somewhere unfamiliar, not in a familiar environment.

Let’s make good use of this opportunity.

I clenched both fists tightly where Kendrick couldn’t see and spoke to myself with determination.

Violence could never be justified, but what if the person who had been hit had been the enemy of his parents?

Up to that point, I hadn’t even realized that I was already convinced Kendrick had his own circumstances.

* * *

Since it was the weekend, the mall was crowded. That actually worked in our favor. With all these people around, there was no chance anyone who knew us would recognize us.

And contrary to my worries, it wasn’t as awkward as I’d feared.

As we wandered around, the place we lingered the longest was a store with a big sign featuring a dog and a cat.

“Should we buy this?”

“Yeah.”

I held up a diet snack, and Kendrick nodded without hesitation.

“What about this one?”

“Sure.”

“This looks good too.”

“Let’s get it.”

By the time I came to my senses, Kendrick had agreed to everything I said, and our cart was overflowing with things.

“Wait, I think we put in too much.”

“I wanted to buy them, so I put them in.”

Kendrick spoke defensively, like a child who didn’t want to give up his toys, but I had no intention of giving in so easily.

“Yeah, but some of these will be cheaper online. And carrying them all will be a hassle.”

Snatching the cart away from him, I pulled out several things, including some that Kendrick was still holding.

“…Okay.”

“Here, go put these back.”

“Okay.”

Despite his large frame, Kendrick moved nimbly, returning the items neatly to their places.

“No, really, I’m telling you, I’ll pay for them.”

“I put them in because I wanted to buy them.”

When I asked, “Should I buy this?”, he gave nothing but compliant answers, as if he had no opinion at all. But when it came time to pay, he was stubborn to the level of a lone general, refusing to listen to anyone.

“…I’ll pay for dinner then.”

“Alright.”

“What do you want to eat? You can even pick something expensive.”

The total had been higher than expected, and a single meal wasn’t nearly enough to make up for it.

Besides, wasn’t today supposed to be about me repaying Kendrick?

It feels like we only went to the places I wanted to go.

Thinking back, this was the first time since my transmigration that I’d gone out privately like this, so I had gotten overly excited.

After some time had passed and I calmed down, all the energy drained from my body. I wanted a strong coffee, but it was already time for dinner.

“Should we go to a café?”

But Kendrick spoke up as if he had read my mind. When I looked at him with wide eyes, he added an explanation.

“Let’s just eat dinner a little earlier and then head back.”

“Dinner?”

I hadn’t really thought about what we’d do until then, but it seemed Kendrick had already planned that far ahead.

“Yeah. Let’s eat outside today before going back.”

“Well… Shall we, then?”

I had planned to spend the whole day out, and as long as we got back before curfew, there was no reason to refuse. When I readily agreed, Kendrick’s expression brightened immediately.

The more time I spent with him, the easier it became to read the expressions of the Kendrick I had once thought was expressionless.

After spending so long at the pet supplies store, we stopped to rest and grabbed a light bite at a café.

“They said there are no seats inside.”

“Is it okay if we sit outside?”

The outside section was only separated from the walkway by some stanchions with belts.

“Yeah.”

By then, I had already let go of all tension, so I nodded without a second thought.

But I shouldn’t have.

Halfway through eating my sandwich, one of the people passing by suddenly froze in place.

“Oh! Ken!”

Why did pointless coincidences like this have to happen?

Kevin Orley, who had been walking with Laura, spotted us and cheerfully called out Kendrick’s name.

“…What are you doing here?”

Kevin looked between Kendrick and me, raising his eyebrows as if surprised by the unusual pairing.

“……”

“You’re… in our class, right? What was your name again?”

“…Hayden Verratti.”

At my answer, Kevin clapped his hands as though he finally remembered.

“Ah, right. Hayden. I didn’t know you two were close.”

“You.”

Kendrick, apparently not so pleased by his friend’s sudden appearance either, skipped answering and instead pressed him with a low voice.

“We came to buy some props for the Halloween party.”

“Hi.”

Laura, who had gone on ahead but came back to where Kevin was, recognized Kendrick and greeted him.

Then she made a suggestion that neither of us could possibly welcome.

“Mind if we join you? We were going to a café, but there weren’t any seats anywhere.”

“…No.”

“Sure.”

The first was Kendrick’s answer, the second was mine.

If Kendrick turned them down for no reason, it would only spark more curiosity, so I nodded as if it was nothing.

“We said we’d buy some things for the dorm, so that’s why we came out.”

“An errand?”

“I’m aiming to be the next dorm leader.”

Of course, I had no such plan, but it was the only excuse that sounded plausible.

“…Really?”

Kevin seemed unconvinced, studying me as if weighing my words, but I smiled without showing any sign of unease.

And so, the four of us sat together awkwardly.

Of all people, why did it have to be these two showing up here?

I pretended to be calm, but my head was already in chaos. What made it worse was the next thing Kevin said.

“Ken. You wouldn’t even meet up when we said we’d celebrate your birthday, but you’ll come out for this?”

Birthday?

I felt like I had just heard something I shouldn’t have. I whipped my head around so fast it almost made a whooshing sound, staring at Kendrick. His troubled expression confirmed that Kevin’s words were true.

His face was already an answer in itself, but I couldn’t help asking again.

“…It’s your birthday?”