Chapter 82: Advice Detected
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“Wow, look at you hanging out with Ninka.” She spoke in congratulatory tone, though it was only a mask for her true feelings. She knew what she sniffed up on his sheets. It seemed that Hakuta might actually be an indecent boy trying to take advantage of her and her friends.

Well, he hadn’t seemed to try to take advantage of her yet, but Shiuka was certain she would be the next target after Ninka. The worst part of this all being that he lied about saying he wasn’t interested in any other girls. Though the part about letting these girls know about their living situation behind her back was bad too.

“It wasn’t that special.” He replied in that manner of slight embarrassment. He wasn’t incorrect in this assessment, but that would be leaving things out such as when he got a nice long introduction to Ninka’s butt. “We did chat a bit for a while. You know, she’s actually a pretty cool girl.”

“Really?” Being aware of what she knew now, Shiuka couldn’t help but believe he was only saying this with bad motives underneath.

“Yep, I guess I was wrong about you gals. Really, I should be thanking you for helping me open up.”

“It’s no problem.” She strained to take his supposed compliment. If this boy was going to keep this up after all the things he had done with Rouko, then she knew he was only saying these nice things to take her for a ride. “So I guess you’re just going to just hang out with Ninka all day?”

“I don’t think even she wants that.” He looked over towards where the rest of their friends were hanging around by the water. They both saw her heading towards there instead of waiting up for him. “I swear you girls always want to lead the way everywhere and I’m stuck playing catch up.” Hakuta sighed and beckoned her to come with him as they walked along the beach to return to their friends.

She followed, as it would be weird not to do so. However, Shiuka hated every single step their took together besides each other. The girl was beyond livid and being alone with him only made her blood boil even more. It was rare for her to feel hatred towards any one individual and unfortunately it was all targeted towards her roommate. All this anger was giving her issues and it was at this moment she regretted not taking Omihiro on his advice to come talk to him when it came to his offer on helping her out.

She had driven herself so mad that she found herself hallucinating that same man right on the beach with some strange metal detector. “Strange, I wonder what Iruka’s dad’s up to right now.”

“Huh?” She was stunned to hear Hakuta acknowledge the man’s presence. “You mean you can see him too?”

“Um, yeah?” He responded confused as he was unaware of her current internal turmoil. “It looks like he might be doing some work for your dad.” This was his assumption, but the boy also felt this could’ve just been some simple hobby for the man. The only reason he wouldn’t believe this to be the case was that he didn’t seem interested in seeing his own daughter, who was just down the beach from where he stood and in plain view from his position. “So we probably shouldn’t bother him.”

“Actually, I can bother him.” She took her chance from this highly improbably occurrence. “I am his interim boss after all. And I did need to ask him something, so just go on ahead without me.”

“Whatever you say.” He continued on his path, shaking his head. Hakuta wondered how bad it must’ve felt to have a young teenage girl for a boss. “I was just going to talk to Iruka anyway.” As he moved along, she ran as quickly as possible to the older man. Which was harder than it sounded considering the soft sand sinking in on every footstep.

“Noto!” She called to him when she got closer. “What are you doing here?”

“Hmm?” He had on a pair of headphones to use with the metal detector, so Omihiro could only barely hear her over that and the sounds of a popular beach. “Oh, I didn’t think you’d actually come talk to me.” He had already seen them on the beach, as it was no surprise to him that they’d be here. After all, his daughter had already talked to him about this exciting day. “Anyway, you’re father called and told me there might be something important down under the sand here. So that’s why I’m here.”

“Whatever.” She didn’t really care about it. Shiuka only feigned interest as an excuse to talk to him. “Anyway, remember when you told me if I needed to talk to you. I just need to ask?”

“Well what is it?” He immediately dropped the metal detector and headset onto the sand. “Your father might be my real boss, but you’re the niece I never got to have.”

“Thanks.” She breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t too busy at this time to lend her an ear. Shiuka glanced over to her group of friends, taking in what she knew needed to be said. “I think Hakuta’s been sneaking around with the girls.”

“That’s quite the accusation.” He responded. Were there a chair, he would’ve fallen into it. Instead the man took a quick plunge to the ground where the soft sand cushioned his blow. “I talk to that boy every chance I get and there’s no a bone in my body that believes he could be a bad egg.”

“But we both saw the video.” She responded, sitting besides him as they looked out into the ocean. “The way he was with Rouko. That wasn’t normal.”

“I’ve never once been wrong in assessing a person.” He told her. Even with her dad, he knew everyone he was getting himself into just from the way he talked. There was no doubt in his mind that this was the job he wanted, even with all the potential risks along the way. “Whenever Hakuta talks to me, I always get the sense he wants us to keep our distance because he knows what it’s like to hurt.”

“His mom did pass away when he was younger.” She told him, which reminded her of her own loss.

“That’s truly unfortunate.” He responded with a somber tone. “Forgive me for sounding harsh after information like that, but I’d be willing to bet it’s because of that is why you think he’s doing what you think he’s done.”

“What?” She was taken aback by his accusation, if only because he was correct. “How did you…”

“You kids are pretty easy to read like a book.” He laughed, giving her a hearty pat on the back. “It’s also partially why I wanted you to come talk to me about this instead of your friends. I think they’d be too biased. Tell you crazy things like dumping him off into the streets.”

“Yeah.” While she knew she couldn’t just tell either of friends about this due to the circumstances. But it was certain between her and them that they would always have each other’s backs when it came to bad people. At least that’s what she used to think, but Rouko’s actions seemed to indicate differently.

“I want the both of you to be happy.” He told her, looking over at Hakuta as that boy approached his daughter. “I can tell because of what’s happened with his mom, he’s the type to be wants to do things right with the ladies. That he doesn’t want to have to lose someone because of his own actions.”

“I want to say you’re right, but I’m still so mad at him.” She kicked up a bit of sand in frustration. It would’ve normally been nice to hear someone speak so highly of the boy. But when she knew what she did, it made it nearly impossible. “I smelled her perfume on his sheets. It’s so obvious what they did together right under my nose.”

“You sniffed Hakuta’s bed sheets?” It was a piece of information he could’ve lived his life without knowing. “I’m hoping that’s just cause of the situation and you don’t make a habit of it. But either way, I guess it’s not so easy to just explain that one away.” Omihiro was at a loss for words on the idea, but also found it practically impossible to believe. “Still, do you truly believe it in your heart?”

“Of course I do.” She responded in a tone which made it difficult for him to believe her lies. “Okay fine, I don’t actually think that.” Shiuka knew if she truly believed that the boy did the deed with one of her best friends. She would’ve already confronted him. Either that or poisoned his breakfast this morning when he wasn’t looking.

“That’s what I figured.” He gave out a heart laugh once more. “This is Hakuta we’re talking about. That boy probably loves his game console more than he could ever love a girl.” While he was being factious, there was a part of her which understood why the boy was the way he was. “You kids need to have a serious heart-to-heart. None of this beating around the bush trying to figure things out because you’re too prideful in yourself. Believe me, I know that’s a bad idea. How else do you think I got married to my wife?”

“I’m sure it was a sweet love story.” She stood up, preparing herself to make the confrontation she needed to make happen.

“Well it was a story all right.” The way he put it made it sound like there was an adventure involved, but one that didn’t sound like something from a shojo manga. Either way, she didn’t care as there was more important matters to deal with right now.

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