Date Her Instead Vol. 1

Chapter Ten: A Gal's Curiosity (Or Maybe It's Just Stalking)

"So that's it huh?" Chiyo said to Akio as he sipped his tea. The two had agreed to go to a café to talk, and after about an hour of trying, Chiyo had gotten little more than vague answers to her questions. From what she had gathered, Akio Miyashita seemed to want Haruna and Kanako to be together, but to what extent and even what exactly that meant was still unknown. What Chiyo found especially frustrating was that she couldn't seem to squeeze the actual reason for the deal out of Akio.

"Yep, that's it," he said simply as he set his cup down. "Y'know, you haven't really like, told me anything," Chiyo said with exasperation. "Haven't I?" Akio responded. Chiyo had realized that replying with a rhetorical question was something of a habit in Akio's conversation. That was also getting on her nerves. "Why do those two girls like this guy?" she started to wonder.

Akio Miyashita wasn't someone Chiyo was unacquainted with. In fact, there had been several times when she had either been in the same class as him in junior high or in the same group for a trip. Whenever she had talked to him in the past, he seemed just like any other guy. Sure, he was nicer than most and wasn't at all a flirt, but other than that, Chiyo had thought he was perfectly normal. But now, after talking to him about Haruna and Kanako's deal, she got the sense that there was some deviousness hidden behind that gentle smile Akio gave off.

"If you're worried about me having impure motives or something like that, I can assure you that that's not what I'm after," Akio said, causing Chiyo to look surprised. "Sorry, you just had this expression that made it look like you thought I was a suspicious person," Akio said with a laugh. "Well can you blame me when you won't just tell me what your goal is?" Chiyo said sternly. Akio finished off his tea. "That's a fair point. However, that's not enough to convince me to show you my hand. If we're done here, I'm going to go home now."

Standing up to leave, Akio smoothed out his uniform somewhat, grabbed his bag, and left his share of the bill on the table before exiting the café. As Chiyo watched him do all that, she continued to have the same thought: "I know there's more to this."

Growing up, Chiyo had always been told that she was a bit nosy. She had a tendency to get into other people's problems and business, and most of the time when it happened, the other person was angry at her. In fact, it was that particular personality trait that had ended numerous relationships for her. At first, Chiyo would go steady with a guy, but as time went on, she'd keep asking more questions and thought she was helping when the guy would say he was struggling with something. Then, Chiyo would take action, thinking it would help. Once the guy would find out, instead of being thankful, he was usually mad. That had become the main reason why Chiyo usually went for one-night stands instead of relationships anymore.

Thinking back on all of that, Chiyo sighed. "Sometimes guys just have way too much pride." For a moment, Chiyo considered that possibility with Akio, but decided it didn't fit. "This isn't about pride... But I don't think it's about seeing two girls get together either..." It was a situation that Chiyo just couldn't quite get her head around. "What to do..."

"I know!" she suddenly exclaimed, surprising the waitress behind the bar in the café. "I'll follow him!" It was the best idea she could come up with, but it wasn't like it would be pointless either. Chiyo had noticed Akio hiding here and there recently to keep an eye on the progress of the deal he made, so Chiyo figured that she'd at least learn something that way.

Resolving that that would be her plan, Chiyo got up and paid for the rest of the bill and headed home herself.

The next morning, Chiyo woke up with a bit more enthusiasm than usual. Getting ready quickly (or as quickly as a gal possibly could), she grabbed a quick breakfast and dashed out the door. The hope was that she could spot Akio on the way, and sure enough, it wasn't long before Chiyo spotted the brown-haired boy hiding behind a bush just past Haruna and Kanako's houses.