Chapter 30 The Rainy Visitor꞉ An Unexpected Sleepover and Omurice
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The rainy season had finally arrived, and the forecast called for a warning-level downpour that very night.¹ School was out, and just as I was heading home, a few isolated drops started falling. It was starting earlier than the weather report had predicted. I pictured what I had in the refrigerator and quickly sent Manami a message on social media telling her not to come over today, just in case the rain made it impossible for her to get home.
When I got home, Bogie immediately began begging me to take him out for a walk. I told him no because of the rain, but he wouldn’t listen. Since Bogie hates getting wet, I picked him up and showed him the outside, and he seemed to finally give up.
I turned on the TV. The rain wasn’t particularly heavy where I was, but they reported that some train lines were stopped because the river the trains crossed had exceeded its danger level. I fed Bogie and played with him for a bit. The sound of the rain outside had grown loud enough to hear clearly inside the house. I was thinking that canceling Manami’s visit was the right call, when the doorbell rang. I checked the monitor and saw Manami and Miyama-san standing there.
”It’s Nakanishi, and I came over to ask a small favor…”
I grabbed two bath towels and went to the entryway.
”Yuzuki was having trouble at the shoe lockers because her train stopped, so I brought her along. I hope that’s okay?” Manami inquired.
”It’s totally fine. Are you two wet? Please use these bath towels.”
Perhaps hearing Manami’s voice, Bogie came sprinting to the entrance and began winding himself around her legs.
”Bogie! Stop that!”
It was the usual phrase she used when Bogie was begging for attention while she was trying to cook. Bogie looked up at my face, then moved away from Manami.
”My socks are all soggy and wet from the rain. What should I do? My skirt might be a little wet, too.” Miyama-san worried.
”The shoe dryer is right there, so use that one after the other. We can toss the socks in the washing machine to dry. I have a pair of shorts I just bought. If they’re okay with you, you can borrow them?”
”I’ll take them,” Manami instantly declared.
”I have training pants in my bag, so I’ll be fine,” Miyama-san replied.
I brought the washing net and the shorts. I had them put their socks into the net and then guided them to the changing room. After putting the socks in the washing machine, I set up the drying rack and a circulator in the Buddhist room.²
The two of them came into the living room holding their skirts, so I led them to the Buddhist room. After Manami hung up her skirt, she put her hands together in front of my parents’ altar. It was the first thing she always did when she came over.
”Manami, what are you doing?” Miyama-san asked.
”Hiro… I attended Inamori-kun’s parents’ funeral, and since I’m visiting the house, I’m just giving my respects.”
”In that case, I will, too…” Miyama-san also put her hands together and offered a prayer.
”For now, just make yourselves comfortable in the living room. Would you like something cold to drink?”
”If you have orange juice, I’d like orange juice.”
Manami loves orange juice, so I always make sure there’s some in the refrigerator.
”I’ll have the same, please.”
Miyama-san looked around my house as if she were seeing something rare.
”You keep things so incredibly organized! You’re smart and tidy—I really respect you.”
”Thanks to that, my weekends end up getting eaten up by cleaning and laundry, though.”
Bogie, remembering my earlier warning, was watching us from a distance.
”Your dog is Bogie, right? Bogie, come here.”
When Miyama-san called out, Bogie bolted toward her immediately.
”He definitely knows a beautiful person when he sees one,” I joked.
”Inamori-kun, are you the kind of person who makes jokes like that? That’s unexpected,” Miyama-san marveled.
”Is it?”
I glanced over at Manami, and she was shooting me a glare. She’s surprisingly the jealous type, I thought.
We were watching the TV, which confirmed the trains were completely stopped.
”What am I going to do? I might not be able to get home today,” Miyama-san fretted. She commutes to school using the train from a city two towns over. Her father uses the car for his commute, so he couldn’t pick her up until he got back.
”In that case, why don’t you stay at my place?” Manami offered.
”Wouldn’t that be too much trouble for Manami?”
”I have an extra room here, if you want.”
”That would be even more out of the question!” Miyama-san quickly denied.
It turned out Manami’s mother was sending home a co-worker who also commutes by train.
”Ah, Mom says she’s going to be late because of the traffic, so we should just eat whatever we find. She’ll come pick me up here, so you should just stay the night at my place,” Manami said.
”I don’t have much, but why don’t you eat dinner here?”
”Really? What were you planning on making today?”
”Since the rain started, I didn’t get to stop by the supermarket. Probably frozen fried rice, dumplings, and instant egg drop soup, something like that.”
”In that case, let me make dinner as thanks!” Manami volunteered.
”I’ll help, too, as a way to thank you!” Miyama-san added.
The two of them headed to the kitchen. It was a fresh, unexpected sight to see two of the most popular girls at school happily chattering while cooking. What they ended up making was Manami’s specialty: omurice, along with consommé soup and a salad.
”I’m shocked by how good Manami is at this!” Miyama-san praised.
”I just got more chances to cook after my mom started working,” Manami replied.
”I was also shocked that not only the house but even your refrigerator is so organized!” Miyama-san marveled.
But Manami is the one who organizes everything, I thought to myself.
During dinner, the conversation turned to the sophomore from the soccer club (the bully).
”Inamori-kun, when that guy’s parent showed up, why didn’t you bring me up? You should have just said it was revenge because I dumped him,” Manami pressed.
”He seems to have had his pride hurt by me telling him he wasn’t a man. Also, he injured his wrist when he pushed me. He kept saying things that made it sound like I was the bad guy, so what does Miyama-san have to do with it?” I reasoned.
”Even so, I was the reason this whole thing started because I broke up with him…” Miyama-san insisted.
”That has nothing to do with it. The fact that I don’t have parents was probably an easy target for him, that’s all. So, I had my lawyer, who acts as my guardian, come in on a different day.”
”And?”
”Once my lawyer showed up, the parent just said his son was wrong and quickly left.”
”That explains it. He’s been going around saying that Inamori-kun is a scary guy,” Manami informed me.
”Just let the guy say whatever he wants to say.”
”Inamori-kun, you talk this much? Your image at school is completely different,” Miyama-san observed.
Manami just listened to the whole exchange, smiling gently.
Manami’s mother came to pick them up a little after eight, and the two of them headed out. As they were leaving, Miyama-san was surprised when her skirt had already dried, but it was Manami who insisted I should buy the circulator so I could dry clothes with the fan’s wind before the rainy season started.
—
Summary:
The sudden downpour traps Manami and Miyama-san at Inamori-kun’s house after the trains stop. This leads to an unexpected domestic evening, with Manami showing off her top-tier cooking skills by making her specialty, omurice, with Miyama-san’s help. The three of them also discuss the fallout from the soccer club incident, where Inamori-kun calmly explains how his lawyer shut down the bully’s parents, confirming the bully is now just spreading rumors about Inamori being ‘scary’. The chapter ends with a sweet moment as Miyama-san realizes the depth of Manami’s influence on Inamori’s tidy life.
—
Character Insight:
Inamori-kun’s composure and organized life—thanks largely to Manami—is highlighted. His loyalty to Manami and his dismissive attitude toward the bully shows his maturity. Manami’s immediate prayer at the altar proves her respect for his family, and her quick flash of jealousy confirms the possessive side of their relationship. Miyama-san is a good foil, allowing Inamori-kun’s true, more relaxed personality to show.
—
Behind the Scene:
This chapter is crucial for showing the established, comfortable domesticity between Inamori-kun and Manami, contrasting it with his ‘lone wolf’ reputation. The presence of Miyama-san acts as a witness to their unique dynamic, especially how much Manami cares for Inamori’s home and how often she is there (evidenced by the orange juice and her familiarity with the altar).
—
T/L:
¹ The tsuyu (梅雨) or rainy season in Japan is notorious for causing travel disruptions, making this a perfect plot device for an unexpected sleepover. ↩
² The butsuma (仏間) is a room or space in a traditional Japanese house containing the butsudan (Buddhist altar) for honoring ancestors. Manami’s action of putting her hands together here shows a deep, non-casual level of respect for Inamori-kun and his late parents. ↩
Notes:
• Bogie – A dog whose name is inspired by Humphrey Bogart and serves as a convenient reason for Mana and Hiro to spend time together outside.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply