Chapter 7 – The Insanely Cute German Girl?
Ayano's POV
And so…day two of the once-in-a-lifetime Golden Week has arrived. What made this day different from yesterday is how I had to attend that welcome back party for Tsukasa-chan and Kei-san. It's not that I don't want to hang out with them more…it's just that I'd rather spend time with Misao than deal with Izumi-san's nonsense, Kagami's tsundere-ness, and Kirin's…well…actually, her as a whole.
It would be nice to not hear an innuendo every 5 seconds…
The two of us were eating breakfast together while watching whatever anime re-run was on at the moment. It was a pretty relaxing morning. We were so relaxed that nothing else mattered at the time.
Hell…we were sitting on the floor with nothing but a warm blanket. Our naked bodies cuddled up together for extra warmth.
"*sigh* This is nice…" Misao said.
"I know…" I replied. "…never did I think that sitting around naked with a warm blanket would be SO relaxing. I would've never done this if it weren't for you."
"*giggle* I'm depleting your innocent charm, Aya-chan. Keep this up and we'll be having sex in no time."
"Don't get your hopes up…" I retorted with a sweatdrop.
*RINGTONE CHIME*
"Huh…Ayuko's calling me." I said before answering my phone. "Hello?"
"Hey, Sis~. How's being home alone doing for ya?"
"Eh…fine, I guess. Though, I'm not really alone. Misao's with me."
"Hey, Ayuko!" Misao said from behind me.
"Huh? But I thought Misao was on a trip with her family."
"Yeah, well…things kinda changed. So, now we're spending Golden Week together."
"I see. I get you, Ayano~…*giggle*"
"Wh-What are you implying with that?" I gained a slight blush.
"Anyway!" Ayuko completely ignored my question. "Listen, I need a quick favor. I forgot that this package was being delivered this week and it just came. Can you go get it for me?"
"Uh…sure, I don't mind. The post office is a few minutes down the street, anyway."
"Great! But…it's not at THAT post office. It's in Kichijōji."
"Wh-What?! Why is it in Kichijōji?!"
"W-Well, you see…this particular item is something that Mom and Dad would NEVER allow in the house. Especially Dad…"
"Geez, what did you buy? A marijuana plant?"
"Misao…" I said to her with an exasperated look.
"What? It seems like the most logical answer."
"I HIGHLY doubt Ayuko would by that dumb enough to order a marijuana plant and bring it here. Right, Sis?"
…
…
…
"It's a marijuana plant, isn't it?"
"PLEASE DON'T TELL DAD!" Ayuko shouted in a huge panic.
"*sigh* Fine, whatever. I'll go get your stupid weed plant."
"Thanks, Sis! I knew I could count on you! And I got the perfect thing to make it up to you, too! Later~!"
"H-Hey, wait!" I had something else in mind. But Ayuko hung up the phone before I could even get another word out. Leaving me slightly more annoyed now than before.
"*sigh* Damnit…"
"Ayuko's growing a weed plant…didn't think she was into that stuff." Misao said.
"It's probably because of that boyfriend of hers. He's kind of a deadbeat." I then removed myself from the blanket. Exposing my naked body to cool air around me. "Anyway…I'm gonna get dressed. You wanna come?"
"You gotta go to that welcome party later, right? Nah, I'll stay. It'll be an extra stop for ya anyways."
"Fair enough."
*NOTIFICATION CHIME*
"It's Ayuko again. What is she asking me to do no…EW! WHAT THE HELL?!" I shouted as I dropped my phone in disgust.
"What?"
"Fr-Freaking Ayuko sent me a naked picture of herself and her boyfriend! They're at some camping sight in Sapporo!"
"Oh…"
…
Misao then picked up my phone and took a peek at the picture. Gaining a small blush on her face.
"D-Damn, he's huge…"
"DON'T LOOK AT IT!" I yelled as I took my phone back.
"Fine, fine. Sorry. Still, though…you better go before the post office closes. Pretty sure they close early during Golden Week."
"Ugh. What a day…" I grumbled to myself as I made my way to my room to put some clothes on.
…
But not before I deleted that damn picture. And texted back Ayuko with a middle finger emoji.
How the hell am I the younger one?
About a half-hour later, I arrived in Kichijōji. And as pure usual, it was crowded. I mean, why wouldn't it be? Kichijōji is that one place in Japan that EVERYONE wishes to live in (myself included). So, there was no doubt in my mind that it would be busy.
And the fact that it was Golden Week made the excessive crowding make even more sense.
Right now, I was walking around the place looking for the post office. This was my first time coming to Kichijōji. So, I had no idea where to go. I could ask someone…but with this place so packed, I highly doubt people are going to stop just to give me directions.
Why did Ayuko choose Kichijōji for her damn plant? It's so freaking far from Kasukabe.
As I continued being lost in a city I've never been to…trying to figure out where to go from here…I felt a light tap on my shoulder. It kinda got my worries up since this was a highly-populated area and there are perverts out there who use places like Kichijōji to their advantage.
I was prepared to tell the creep off and kick his ass if needed to. But when I turned around, I saw that it wasn't a perverted old guy and instead it was a rather cute girl. With long light blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She waved at me…but I was too mesmerized by her freaking beauty to notice.
Then it hit me…as I kinda knew someone who was this insanely cute.
"Oh. Hosokoji-san."
(Hello, A-Y-A-N-O-senpai.) Hosokoji-san signed with her hands. (I did not think I would see a fellow schoolmate here.)
"So, you've come back to Kichijōji for the break?"
(Yes, I have. It feels so good to be home. It makes me wish I did not move from here. Even if I had to continue with the excessive random love confessions.)
"I see…"
She did mention that was one of the reasons why she moved…
(So, what brings you here, A-Y-A-N-O-senpai? Are you visiting as well?)
"Well…kinda. I'm looking for the post office but I've never been here before. So, I'm basically lost."
(I see. Well, I can show you where it is. This is my home and all.)
"Really? You don't mind?"
(It is fine with me. I am free at the moment.)
"Well, in that case…I'll be in your care, Hosokoji-san." I said with a smile.
Hosokoji-san showed me the way to the post office and I was able to get Ayuko's package just before it closed for the holidays. Nobody seemed to ask what was inside of it (despite leaving a significant smell). So, it was good on my end that I was able to get in and get out without any issues.
I was REALLY gonna make Ayuko pay if that were the case…
To thank Hosokoji-san for her help, I offered to buy her something at a café nearby. She was rather hesitant at first…but I managed to convince her. If it wasn't for her, this would've been a wasted trip. So, I was really showing my gratitude.
We were sitting at an outside table talking with each other (or at least…reading what Hosokoji-san was signing. Kinda weird how she's still not aware of the subtitles.) when an interesting topic came up. Being about an item of hers that took me this long to notice. Due to her cuteness and all.
"Woah…you got a hearing aid?"
(Indeed I did. I have had it for about a month now. Though, I have not used it much since.)
"Why not? It lets you hear, doesn't it?"
(Yes, but…there is an issue with it. Mainly with me.)
"With you? I don't understand…"
Hosokoji-san didn't reply with much and started messing around with her hearing aid. Once a green light came on, she actually tried to talk for probably the first time in her life.
I was actually pretty excited to hear Hosokoji-san's voice for the first time. I always wondered what it sounded like. Maybe it could sound as beautiful as her insanely cute looks. It would make sense if that were the case.
"Hallo. Das ist meine echte Stimme."
But what actually came out was definitely NOT what I expected.
"Uh…what?"
(I said "Hello. This is my real voice" in German.) Hosokoji-san signed.
"Huh? W-Wait, you're German?!"
(Well, not fully. I am half-Japanese and half-German. My father is Japanese and my mother is German.)
"Woah…I would've never thought of you as a halfsie, Hosokoji-san. At first glance, you look like the perfect Japanese woman."
(Yes. I get that a lot.) Hosokoji-san gained a sweatdrop. (But even though I look like a Japanese beauty, I cannot speak the language of one. Or English, for that matter. All I know is German. Which makes it…) Hosokoji-san then stopped signing and gained a sad look on her face.
"I see. I think I get it now. You haven't used your hearing aid yet because you fear that you won't be able to communicate with others due to you only knowing German. Is that it?"
"Ja! Ja, das ist es! Endlich versteht jemand meine Sorgen!"
"Wh-What?"
(Oh. Sorry.) Hosokoji-san signed after calming down from that sudden outburst. (It is just…I was so excited. You are truly the first person to understand my feelings about this. Not even my parents have figured it out yet they forced me to start wearing it again.)
"Wow. I'm shocked. Then again, I am the type of person to sympathize with whatever problem a person is going through. Probably because of my Yamato Nadeshiko trait."
Hosokoji-san gained a huge sweatdrop from that. Possibly meaning that she had no idea what I was talking about.
Someone's gotta explain the 4th wall to her soon…
"By the way…if you only know German, then how were you able to understand what others are saying?"
(I have been able to read lips since I was 3. It is a technique most deaf people use when talking to the hearing.)
"I see. That does make sense."
…
(Now that I think about it…how are all of you able to understand what I say? I know that Patty-san does to some extent, but…)
"Well…honestly, we've just been reading the subtitles."
(Subtitles?) Hosokoji-san looked confused.
"The text in parentheses that appear whenever you sign."
(What do you mean whenever I…)
…
(Wait…what are these words? Where are they coming from? How do they know what I am about to sign?!)
"Well, Hosokoji-san…there's this thing called the 4th wall…"
(4th wall? What does that mean?! Are we trapped somewhere?!)
"No, no, no. It's not that. It's just…"
This is actually harder than I thought…
As I was trying to calm down a panicked Hosokoji-san, the alarm on my phone went off. Telling me that it was nearly time for something else I had to do today.
"Aw, geez. Look at the time. I gotta drop this thing back home and head over to that party."
(Party? Of what kind?)
"It's just a small party to welcome back two of our friends who moved to a different area. They're visiting for the holidays."
(I see. Well, I do not wish to delay you any longer. Thank you for this interesting chat, A-Y-A-N-O-senpai.)
"Interesting…" I then thought to myself. "…hey, why don't you come with me?"
(Huh? Why?)
"To use your hearing aid. You want to communicate with others, right? If you tell the others your situation, I'm sure they'll help you learn Japanese and English."
(Really? Are you sure?)
"Sure I'm sure. And besides, the other second-years will be there. So, you can at least count on them."
(Well…okay. If you truly think this will work, then I guess I can tag along. Thank you for inviting me, A-Y-A-N-O-senpai.)
"You're welcome, Hosokoji-san." I replied with a smile.
And so, The Insanely Cute Half-German Deaf Girl (geez, that's a mouthful) guided me back to the station. Heading back to Kasukabe to attend this party that I…now that I think about it…got dragged into going.
It still beats sitting at home, I guess…
Author's Note: Konno's true identity has been revealed. As a deaf half-Japanese half-German girl, she fears that she won't be able to communicate with others anymore due to her not knowing Japanese or English. But Ayano may have an idea…
This chapter was originally part of the previous chapter. But I split it up to make it easier to read. It was kinda long for a single chapter.
Thanks for reading. Later.