Then, on that day, Hatoyama Keiko finally realized that the boy was "late".
That was when the boy was out of school. According to the past situation, the boy at that time should have appeared at the end of their street.
But that day, he didn't show up.
After noticing this, Keiko Hatoyama suddenly became happy, as if she had finally completed a special research project that took a long time, and she excitedly started recording the time.
I didn’t expect it, I didn’t expect it~
"On time boy" you actually let me catch you not being on time!
There is a problem, there is definitely a problem!
Let me guess, what might be holding you back on time?
Did you not finish your homework yesterday? Or was he left as a punishment by the school teacher? Or maybe you finally made a good friend and have fun on the road?
Or even... did you fail in this exam? I didn't dare to take the test paper home to show my mother, so I was dawdling on the road again and again?
While constantly making guesses in her mind, Hatoyama Keiko kept track of the time accurately.
One minute, three minutes, five minutes...it wasn't until almost ten minutes passed that the boy she was familiar with finally appeared at the end of the street again.
He still walked over alone, with no one following him.
And when he came closer and Hatoyama Keiko could clearly see the expression on his face, all her previous guesses about it were all in vain.
Because there was a bruise on the boy's cheek. It was an obvious bruise left after a fight.
Apart from this, there is no difference between him and the person he was yesterday or the person he was before.
She guessed everything wrong. The boy was not punished by the teacher, failed the exam, and made no friends.
He was bullied at school.
After deeply realizing this, Hatoyama Keiko immediately threw away her pocket watch and ran down the watchtower without looking back.
She chose to escape.
Because she once again realized deeply that this boy was living in a very bad environment, and she was... powerless to do anything about it.
Therefore, escape is the best way for her to choose.
Even so, Hatoyama Keiko couldn't convince her heart.
That night, she tossed and turned in bed until very late, then slowly fell asleep.
It wasn't until she got up the next day that Keiko Hatoyama finally made a decision.
She wants to see the boy.
She must ask clearly if this boy's situation is really as bad as she guessed.
She must find out whether this boy is actually a school bully, and she is alone here, thinking that his life in school is difficult.
If this is really the case, then she will never look at this person again.
The free heart gave Hatoyama Keiko strong mobility. That afternoon, she squatted on the watchtower early.
When the boy's figure appeared at the end of the street on time as always, she immediately called the old housekeeper and rushed out of the door without even changing her clothes.
At this time, the boy happened to walk to the door of the Hatoyama family's mansion, and the two met head-on. Hatoyama Keiko rushed directly in front of the boy and stopped him with her hand.
Then, before she could say anything while she was panting, the boy she stopped spoke first.
The boy took something out of his schoolbag and handed it to her.
"Did you throw this away yesterday?"
His tone was calm and a little cold. Hatoyama Keiko looked at it in confusion. The boy's stretched out hand was a pocket watch.
A pocket watch that looked familiar to her.
Eh?
As if thinking of something, Hatoyama Keiko suddenly froze.
Isn't this the watch she lost on the watchtower yesterday? Why is it in his hands?
"When I walked past your door yesterday, it fell from the sky and hit my school bag."
Seemingly knowing Hatoyama Keiko's doubts, the boy explained. He still maintained the movement of reaching out, but his tone and expression gave people a feeling of being thousands of miles away.
"……Eh?"
Hearing this, Keiko Hatoyama looked back at the watchtower in the yard behind her, and then looked back at the pocket watch in the boy's hand.
She... almost hurt someone yesterday?
"How do you know it's mine?"
The cheeks that were already rosy due to asthma are now even redder, Hatoyama Keiko asked in a low voice.
She was very curious. The boy never looked up when he walked by her door. Even if he guessed that the pocket watch was thrown from the watchtower, there was no way he would know that it was her.
Why are you so sure?
"Because the smell on your pocket watch is the same as the smell on your body."
The boy calmly said something astonishing.
Looking at the boy in front of her who was still expressionless and still holding out his hand, Hatoyama Keiko was completely stunned.
This time, her neck and ears were all red.
Don't say such idiotic words with such a straight face! !
However, no matter how much Hatoyama Keiko complained crazily in her heart, the boy didn't seem to have any intention of taking care of her girlish mentality.
Seeing Keiko Hatoyama standing still for a long time, the boy stepped forward, reached out and put the pocket watch around her neck again.
The old housekeeper's eyes widened when he saw this scene.
"Wear it properly and don't throw it around in the future. It may hit someone."
After saying that, the boy ignored Hatoyama Keiko's reaction, directly bypassed her, and walked towards his home as usual.
Behind him, Hatoyama Keiko, who was already extremely red, lowered her head and looked at her toes with her eyes wide open.
She slowly raised her hand and gently pressed it on her left breast.
Strange, her heart just...
Jumping so fast.
"wait wait wait!"
Instinctively not wanting to think too much in this direction, Hatoyama Keiko shook her head vigorously, turned around quickly, and called out to the boy again.
Although the boy did not respond to her, he stopped and turned to look at her as well.
"you you……"
She wanted to speak, but for some reason, when the boy was watching her, she forgot what she wanted to say.
"I, you..."
Just like that, under the boy's doubtful gaze, Hatoyama Keiko stuttered. At this time, she subconsciously raised her hand and held the pocket watch that the boy had just hung back around her neck.
This did seem to bring some sense back to her, allowing her to finally remember her true purpose in stopping the boy.
So, with this remnant of reason, and with the "assistance" of her still confused brain at this moment, Hatoyama Keiko finally said those words. She was so shocked that she wanted to strangle herself to death countless times in the future. Famous sayings.
"Why do you look unhappy every day?!"
(˙ー˙)
(End of chapter)
