I Planned My Escape Because I Knew Her Secret - Episode 31

For now, I boiled water and made tea to have for breakfast.

In the meantime, Madoka was washing her face and taking care of her morning routine in the bathroom (unit bath) with a mirror.

Waiting for Madoka to come out of the bathroom, we said “Itadakimasu” together and then ate the rice balls.

“How about going for a walk after breakfast? I want to breathe some fresh air, clear my head, and then think and talk things over.”

“Yeah, I want to go.”

“Well then, while we’re at it, let’s stop by the shop later and say hello to the boss and the others.”

“Huh? Then I have to do my makeup and change my clothes.”

“You don’t have to stress yourself out that much. If there’s a perfectly made-up beauty in formal attire standing next to a balding guy in a wrinkled shirt, it would be so out of place that everyone would be put off, right?”

“But I want to greet you properly.”

“Then how about just doing your makeup? You can wear loungewear. After all, the captain usually wears a tracksuit at home.”

“Hmm, well then, let’s do that. Being too formal might make them feel uncomfortable.”

“That’s right.”

In the end, Madoka spent about 20 minutes in the bathroom, putting on the jeans and hoodie she had brought herself, styling her hair, and doing some light makeup.

By the way, I have a shaved head, so there’s no hairdryer in the room. Madoka brought one herself. She didn’t book a hotel, so she must have intended to stay here from the beginning.

“Masakun, sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Somehow, it feels nostalgic.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, back in the day, when I used to go pick up Madoka, she was never ready and I often had to wait. I remember she would come down from the second floor saying, ‘Sorry for the wait, Masa-kun.'”

“Is that so? But I was getting ready according to the meeting time, you know? It’s because Masa-kun always comes early.”

“Of course. I can’t keep a girl waiting, so I’ll head out early.”

“By the way, let’s go for a walk.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Madoka came in high-heeled pumps, so I lent her my crocs sandals and draped a spring coat over her.

When she left the room, Madoka

“Masakun, can I hold your hand?”

“Yeah, sure.”

When I replied, before I could extend my hand, Madoka grabbed my left hand.

“Masakun’s hands were this big? They’re really rough and tough.”

“Hmm, I can’t tell if they’ve gotten bigger, but they’re rough because I make udon every day, so my hands are covered in calluses. From kneading the dough and doing water work, they’re rough and coarse.”

“Oh, right, you’re a craftsman.”

Madoka said that, then took my left hand, which she was holding, to her face and rubbed her cheek against it.

“Compared to before, they’re really rough and tough, but they’re strong and manly hands. They look cool.”

“When you work at a restaurant, everyone is like this. Of course, it doesn’t get this bad at a family restaurant, though.”

“But it’s been five years, right? We’ve both changed a lot, haven’t we? Me and Masa-kun too.”

“Hmm, I don’t feel like Madoka’s appearance has changed that much. Did she just cut her hair short?”

“Because I was always taking care of my beauty and figure so that I would look good whenever I met Masa-kun.”

“Hmm?”

“Masakun, you liked me for my looks, right? But if we met again after a long time and I had become fat or wrinkled like an old lady, you might run away again. I absolutely didn’t want that, so I never slacked off on beauty and maintaining my figure.”

“Is that Madoka’s stubbornness and tenacity… I thought she was still beautiful as ever, but it must have been tough to keep it that way.”

“But, that effort paid off, didn’t it? Hehe.”

Come to think of it, Madoka has always been like that since back in the day.

Even though she hates being pampered for her looks by others, she wants me to call her “cute” or “beautiful.” She has high standards for beauty, but it feels like all of that is directed at me.

In fact, there was a time when you said, “Even if someone other than Masa-kun calls me cute, I don’t feel happy at all.”

As I walked hand in hand with Madoka, strangely, only nostalgic memories came to mind rather than unpleasant ones. Maybe it’s because I haven’t touched a woman’s skin in a while, and I’m feeling a bit exhilarated. Or perhaps it’s because chatting with the beautiful and compatible Madoka is genuinely enjoyable.

Either way, it seems like the backward thinking from five years ago won’t be coming back.

Yesterday, I was completely shaken by the sudden event, but I hope we can have a proper and positive discussion today.