Redo of a Romanceless Author’s Life Devoid of Love; Another Chance at Youth Chapter 328

Chapter 328. Troubling Developnts: Giving my Co-worker a Ride. (1/3)

We continued with our shift as usual until it was nine. The two of us coincidentally exited the store at the sa ti and turned in opposite directions. I took a few steps in the direction of the parking lot where I’d parked my bike while she went her own way. However, only a few steps after exiting the door, she abruptly called out to .

“Hey, Ran…”

“What is it?”

“About your question earlier today…”

“What question?”

“The one where if I had to pick who I’d want as a boyfriend out of the three options available.”

“Huh? That was still on your mind?”

“I’d have picked you.” She said that coolly like it wasn’t a big deal.

When I glanced back over my shoulder, she was walking away without looking back.

I could have said nothing in return, but sothing in made want to tease her. “Hahaha. You know,” I pointed at her and continued, “you look like a girl who missed her chance at love right now.”

“Shut up. I didn’t miss anything.” She turned around and snapped back at .

“By the way, don’t go quitting your job because you’re heartbroken or sothing.”

She rolled her eyes and scoffed, “I’m not so weak little girl from a shoujo manga who’d go crying if so guy has a girlfriend already.”

The two of us were just joking around as usual.

“You’re right. I totally couldn’t see that happening at all. But can you cry this one ti so I can take a picture and send it to Rosa to prove I turned down your undying love?”

She walked up to then pinched the corner of my eyes and stretched them out. “Why don’t you cry so I can take a picture and send it to that girlfriend you’re so head over heels in love with? Hmph! Turned down my undying love? You have so nerve saying that when I don’t even like you. I only like one person, and that person definitely isn’t you.”

I raised my brows in surprise. It was the first I’d ever heard that there was soone she liked.

“You like soone? That’s quite a surprise.”

“Yes, I like soone. Is there sothing so strange about that?”

“I can hardly believe it. Is it soone who works here?”

“No.”

“Soone from your university?”

“No.”

“Huh? Neither from work or school? Then where?”

“Oh? Are you curious?” She smiled.

“Just a little. For soone to win you over, it’s pretty surprising. What sort of weirdo must they be?”

“They’re not weird.”

“Really though, who is it?”

“Hmm… well, even if I wanted to tell you, I couldn’t.”

“You couldn’t? What do you an?”

“I don’t really know them.” Her eyes made it clear she wasn’t kidding.

“You… don’t know them?”

“Yeah.”

“You like soone you don’t know?”

“Yeah.”

“I really don’t get it.”

“They don’t know either.”

“That’s even more baffling. Are you suggesting you don’t know who they are and they don’t know you either, but you like them?”

“Yeah, is there sothing wrong with that?”

“Unbelievable. How does that even happen? You must have a few loose screws. If they don’t know you, you’ve never talked to each other, right?”

“Not even once.”

“Have you tried to talk to them before?”

“I don’t know how to talk to them.”

“I’m even more confused than ever.”

“Ah! My bus!”

I looked over to the side where she was looking and a bus was already driving past the bus stop. It was too late to catch it.

“No waaaay… haaaaaah. Why’d you have to say sothing stupid and distract ? The next one won’t be here for another hour.”

“Ouch. Sucks to be you.”

“It does. Student loans suck. You can only afford public transit and can’t get approved for financing a car without a guarantor.”

“Your parents won’t act as a guarantor for you?”

“They don’t like that I’m doing an arts degree in literature and refuse to support my decision in any way. They wanted to do a science degree, but I outright refused. Get a real job with a proper degree. Haaaaaah… I can’t even rember how many tis they’ve told that.”

“Hey… you really plan to wait for the next bus instead of calling a taxi?”

“Yeah, I don’t want to waste money on a taxi.”

Honestly, I felt a bit sympathetic toward her when I recalled my own experiences with missing the bus and sotis having to wait or walk for hours because funds were tight.

“You want a ride?”

“A ride? You an on your bicycle? No way, I’ll pass. You’d tire yourself out for no reason.”

She still wasn’t aware I’d upgraded.

“Haha, don’t worry about that, I’ve got my license now.”

“What? You an… you… got a car? How! I can’t even get approved for financing but you’re telling you did? What’s with this injustice? You’re even younger than , what’s this extre sense of defeat and inferiority I’m feeling right now?”

“Well, it was sort of a birthday present. Plus, it was used and really cheap. I could have still afforded it. It would have been privately financed between and the seller, but sohow things worked out and it was paid in full all in one go.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt this envious before in my life.” Yuna shook her head in dismay.

“Well? You want the ride or not?”

“Uh… if it wouldn’t be too much trouble…”

“Then follow .”

“Sure…”

I led the way and Yuna followed directly behind . I ca to a stop between my motorcycle and the driver’s side of a car. Yuna was… on the passenger side. Haha, it was only natural she’d misunderstand.

“Yuna, what are you doing over there?”

“Huh? What do you an? This isn’t your car?”

“It’s over here.”

“Over… there?” She hesitantly walked around the car, skeptical as she continued, “But-”

“Oh, I forgot to ntion I got a motorcycle, not a car.”

“Huh? A... motorcycle? Doesn’t that an-”

“Yeah, you have to ride on the back. Is there a problem?”

“On second thought- wha-” Cut off mid-sentence she let out a small yelp as I grabbed her by the wrist l, pulled her forward, and leaned her up against the back seat. I picked up my passenger helt, pulled it down over her head then strapped it on.

“Huh? Uh?” She seed a bit flustered.

“What’s wrong?”

“N-Nothing.”

“Where’d the cool beauty act go?”

“... shut up… if you’re going to drive ho… just do it.”

I mounted my motorcycle before she ekly sat down behind and lightly clutched onto the back of my jacket.

I turned the key in the ignition and shifted out of neutral into first gear. As soon as the wheels rolled forward a bit, Yuna, startled, removed her hand from my jacket and clasped onto both sides of my waist from behind.

“Haha, what’s wrong? Scared?” I taunted.

“I’m n-not scared at all. It’s just a motorcycle, no big deal. There’s nothing to be scared about.”

“Alright, then I’ll pick up speed.”

I cranked the handle toward and quickly accelerated up to the speed limit.

Yuna’s arms wrapped around the front of my waist as if afraid she’d fly off if she didn’t.

“If you’re scared just say so, I can drive slower.”

“I’m not scared.”

“Then you don’t mind if I get onto the highway?”

“I mind. I absolutely mind. That wouldn’t even be the right way to get to my place.”

“Right, right. Just tell the way to go.”

“Keep going straight. I’ll tell you when to turn. Uh… but it’d be nice if you went a bit slower… if you go too fast you might miss the turn.”

“Haha, right, right. Because I might miss the turn. Sure.”

“I’m being serious…”

“Whatever you say.”

I slowed down to about two-thirds the speed limit.

Yuna’s vice-like grip around my waist slackened and I felt her body gradually relax as she grew accustod to the slower speed as we drove.

A few minutes of silence passed before she opened her mouth and said, “Make a left at the next light.”

“Alright.”

I changed into the left turning lane and slowed to a stop before the intersection as the light was red.

When we ca to a full stop, the side of the helt Yuna had on tapped against my back. She didn’t move it away and rested it there.

“A drive on a motorcycle at night is strangely calming. How unexpected,” Yuna quietly mumbled to herself.

“It is, isn’t it?” I completely agreed with her sentint.

“I might be able to write sothing good tonight when I get ho.” Her voice was soft and at ease.

“Oh? A bout of inspiration?”

“Yeah, a little I guess...”