(Un)Fortunately the Yandere is Not After Me

Social Distancing

"I can tell something is bothering you." Arata was once again doing his usual duty of caring for Hine's garden. With the cold approaching, he wasn't going to be doing this much longer. So she wanted to make the most of their time left. Except from the way he was talking in their conversation, she could tell something was wrong.

"Nothing gets past you." He replied. "I guess that's why you're always trying to give me advice."

"I wouldn't say that I'm always just giving you advice." She told him. "Hopefully, you don't just see me as some old person that you can just run to for help."

"Oh no, I didn't mean to say that I'm using you-"

"Don't worry." She laughed. "I enjoy our little talks."

"Right, I do too." When he first met her, he had no plans of making a friend out of her. Just someone that was paying him for an easy job. But if you spend a lot of time with someone, then forming a relationship is almost unavoidable.

"So, are you going to answer my question?" She asked again. "I assume that there's some trouble going on at school, isn't there?"

"How do I put it? I guess you could say that I've gotten blackmailed again." He explained. "Unlike the other time..." Saying that made him realize how sad that must've sounded. "I don't know who's threatening me, so I just decided to give them what they want."

"And what would that be?"

"To stay away from Yogi." Hine knew from what she saw with that friend group, that would also basically include everyone else.

"I see." She thought about it for a moment. "A bit of a shame that you continue to choose and hide yourself." Funny that she said that, considering he had already heard something like that from someone else.

"I've heard that too many times to count." He responded. "But I think people wouldn't really care for me if they knew I was an otaku."

"Really? I know about you, and I think you're a pretty remarkable young man."

"Ah geez, you don't have to say that..." He got bashful. "It's not like anyone else says that about me."

"That's because you don't allow them to get close. How can anyone truly like you, if they don't know a thing about you?" From the way she was talking, he would've thought she was with them when they were talking with the librarian girl.

"You say that, but I'm still not budging." He had no plans on being honest, "I'll just deal with this my own way. I'm sure things will work out." There was no guarantee to that statement, but he was going to try.

"If that's what you want. I won't force you." While she may be viewed as pushy to him. Hine did understand that he was growing to be his own person, and sometimes the best way to grow, is to fail.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." Arata knew that these conversation weren't going to last. Not when he was about to be done for the winter.

"I actually wanted to ask another thing." She said. "I know that you're about to be done with the garden, but would it be too troublesome to ask if you come over sometimes, and spend time with me?" The truth was, that Arata wanted to ask her this, but was too concerned that he might seem too clingy to her.

"I'd love..." He faked a cough to hide his overreaction. "I mean, sure. If you don't mind me coming over."

"How does every Sunday sound..."

It was now the next day. Arata got up as he always did every morning. The only difference was that he got up a little later than usual. Not really a problem, since he wasn't going to be late for anything. Just that he would be late if he was going to meet up with Yuriko and her sister. The key word being if.