A Book Can't Be Judged By The Cover Chapter 22: Eavesdropping? Observation?

"Library, then I need to buy a few groceries... should I go visit my mom? No, mom and dad might still be busy. I’ll just drop by tonight."

"To the library it is, young miss." The driver said, slightly nodding towards the rearview mirror where gumi’s face was reflected. His eyes had a green color to them, emphasized by his white hair and white mustache. He wore a suit, but on most days he just wore his long sleeves to work. Today of all days was important, however, since he’d be eting his employer by the end of the day. He was worried that he might get another scolding and that made him slightly anxious. Even after working in the Kikuchi household for five years, he still couldn’t get used to eting Mr. Kikuchi.

His na is Franz Schwarz, so even call him the butler of the Kikuchi household.

Franz parked the limousine with finesse, even though he was just parking by the public parking area downtown. He was always confident with his driving skills, and that’s probably what landed him a stable job at the Kikuchi household. With one click, the rear doors opened, and out ca gumi. With a nod, Franz saw her off, and he stayed in the car for now. He still clearly rembered when gumi was much younger, and she would always complain every ti he accompanies her. Because of that, it was decided that Franz wouldn’t do so anymore, and instead wait in the car. He didn’t have to worry since he’s got the young miss’s number. And it’s not like gumi couldn’t carry herself outside. No one would even think about kidnapping her.

"Let’s see here," Franz muttered, bringing the car seat down so he could enjoy the air conditioning while he relaxed.

...

Hat and sunglasses, that’s what gumi wore to match her casual outfit for the day. Although she only told Franz that she’ll be going to the library to get so reference books, she also planned on going to the mall and grabbing a coffee. It’s only once a week when she gets to have ti for herself and she intended to enjoy it to the fullest. It was her usual reset, her breath of fresh air, and no one can interrupt her, not even her acquaintances.

"That would be four hundred and forty yen,"

"Thank you," gumi said, grabbing the frappe and the receipt from the counter.

Just as she headed out, she noticed a child, holding an ice cream, locking gazes with her. It was weird that the child watched her every move even though he was being dragged around by his mom. gumi decided to ignore the child after awkwardly waving at him. It’s as if the child was waiting for her to do sothing weird, or at least, that’s what she initially felt.

"Over here!"

A lady raising her enthusiastic call attracted her attention, prompting her to turn around in the general direction of the voice. He was surprised to see a woman in a nurse uniform, waving toward soone on the other side of the street. The woman didn’t bother with the lascivious gazes that so n gave her. But then again, it’s not like her nurse outfit was provocative, in fact, she was just wearing a regular nurse outfit from the hospital. gumi was dumbfounded at the n who were looking at her even though she wasn’t showing off her curves.

"Ah, Kirisu-san," Haji amicably greeted with a smile as he crossed the street. He was too focused on Kirisu that he didn’t notice the all-too-familiar girl who hid behind an electric pole.

And yes, gumi instinctively cowered behind an electric pole, just in case Haji’s gaze began scanning the area.

’Haji?!’ gumi’s eyes bulged as she saw her nesis crossing the street. He was smiling like an idiot as he approached the girl in the nurse’s uniform. At first, gumi thought she was hearing things but she knew she didn’t. Sothing inside her raged, and she clenched her fists. ’Did he... did he just call her by her first na? They were on a first-na basis? Then again, it’s not like I care about his relationships or anything. He can go et up with all the nurse girls she wants, for all I care.’ She ’hmph’ed.

anwhile, the little kid that had been curiously watching the girl with the huge hat and sunglasses turned towards his mom, just when his mom handed him ice cream on a cone. "Look, mom, a stalker." The child didn’t wash his words and went straight for the attack, all the while directly pointing at gumi.

"Don’t do that. Rember? I told you that it’s disrespectful to point your finger at soone." The mom lightly reprimanded before pulling the child away.

’Stalker?!’ gumi glared at the child who falsely accused her, sending chills up and down the child’s spine before he turned around and held onto his mom’s hand even tighter, not daring to let go.

Because soone called her a stalker, gumi pulled her phone out of anger and started taking pictures of Haji and the woman in the nurse uniform. ’Just you wait, Haji, I’m going to send this to our horoom teacher. Haha~ you’re done for!’

She was about to type a lengthy ssage to Akamine-sensei, explaining the details of Haji’s promiscuity when her hand suddenly stopped short. The image was already there, a close-up of Haji and the woman in a coffee shop, but sohow, her finger stopped right on top of the send button. Sothing pricked her heart, and she couldn’t explain what it was, not until she rembered the ti when Haji told her sothing.

’— if I were that kind of person, I’d have done sothing to you by now.’

That thought, adding to the weight of the fact that she was rescued by Haji, made her postpone sending the ssage to their teacher. It wasn’t right that she’d accuse him of sothing that she hasn’t seen him do. And also, there’s a good chance that everything was just a misunderstanding. In hindsight, gumi knew that Haji was dirt-poor, not to ntion that he was trying to make a living for school. ’Surely... surely he doesn’t have the ti to do that, right?’ Those thoughts drove her to approach Haji, cautiously, entering the sa coffee shop and sitting close by. She leaned in and tried to focus on her hearing, hoping that she’d catch a few words. However, it was the coffee shop’s busiest ti of day, and the noise made it harder to eavesdrop.

"Here... she... late... hospital..." gumi was listening for a few minutes but those were the only words she heard. Just as she finished her coffee, the waiter ca by to give her her order. She instinctively ducked, thinking that the waiter might give her location away to Haji. To her relief, Haji didn’t as much as a glance her way— which was also weird, in a way, but it just proved that Haji was really into the conversation.

He even handed her his hoodie?! gumi was flabbergasted by the gesture. She never once saw Haji as the flirtatious type, but now it was as clear as day.

’Sigh~~~ ’ gumi attempted to regain her composure, only for her heart rate to spike up once again as Haji handed the woman an envelope. By the thickness of it, gumi assud that the amount of money inside isn’t a asly amount.

’Gasp!’ She inwardly exclaid. The woman in the nurse uniform smiled, then patted Haji on the head. It slipped past her mind that she should’ve taken a photo of the exchange, she was too shocked to even think about anything.

"I’ll be going now." The woman said, waving at Haji. This ti, gumi heard what she said clearly. Her ears must’ve already adjusted to the noise around her.

As for the woman, she pocketed the money as if it was her most prized possession. Haji stood up as well, exiting the vicinity and heading in the opposite direction.