デカセクト

Chapter 33

Shouko abruptly stood from her seat when she felt Nijiro placed his hand on her knee all of a sudden. Their parents turned to her in surprise and waited for her to say something.

"I just remembered I have some schoolwork to finish tonight." She made up an excuse as she badly wanted to go home.

"Must you go home this instant? You can do it later when we're all done." Shouko's mother said.

"But mo-" She was about to argue but Nijiro's father cut her off.

"Let the kid go home. You should be glad that she cares about her schoolwork." Nijiro's father said with a smile. "Would it be alright with you two if my son drives her home?"

"Oh, no! I'm alright with walking. Maybe I'll take a cab..." Shouko immediately declines the offer.

"Nonsense. A lady shouldn't walk around alone at night." Shouko's mother stated.

Nijiro snorted at this but it seemed like Shouko was the only one who noticed. She gave him a glare discreetly before turning to her parents again.

"I agree. And you're better off with Jun's boy than with a cab driver. God knows how wicked this world has become." Shouko's father muttered.

"Drive her straight home, okay? And if you want to date her, just ask her parents. Don't even think about going behind our backs, understood?"

"Dad!" Nijiro exclaimed.

The two were beet red at the words. Nijiro's father was such a comedian, even Shouko's parents laughed along with him.

"Well, I wouldn't mind having your son as my son-in-law." Shouko's father chuckled.

"Father!" Shouko blurted out.

"What? It's not like you have a boyfriend." Her dad added. When Shouko turned away, he looked at her seriously. "Wait, do you?"

"Shouko, I specifically told you that you can't get a boyfriend until you graduate!" Her mother spoke up.

"Geez! I don't have a boyfriend, okay?! I'm going home."

And with that, Shouko left the table. It was comforting to know that her parents wouldn't be coming home with her. They hated staying at the house and they always stay at a hotel whenever they're in the city.

"Shouko!"

Still, Shouko kept walking. She was too angry at everything and everyone right now. Even though it was a little chilly, it was as if she couldn't even feel the cold as she continued walking away from the restaurant. She might have been overreacting there but she couldn't stand how her parents were acting.

They have always treated her as some sort of investment. Shouko feared that she'd wake up one day, already engaged to someone she didn't even like. They obviously like Nijiro but that's only because he's their friend's son. What if one of their other friends also had a son? Will they pair her up with the guy too?

Shouko was brought out of her thoughts when she was pulled back by Nijiro who had been calling out for her. She looked up at him and Nijiro could see how empty her eyes looked that night.

"Are you okay?" He asked, truly worried about her.

If he hadn't been quick enough, she would have been run over by a truck. Shouko tried to cross the road absentmindedly, almost resulting an accident.

"Come on, I'll drive you home." Nijiro muttered, pulling her along with him.

Shouko didn't have the energy to oppose him so she just let him pull her until they were back at the restaurant's parking lot.