Hi.
Oh, good morning.

　The next day.
　After an awkward breakup with Amana's mother, Minami-san, I went to work with a guilty feeling in my heart, and returned the greeting to Miya, who greeted me cheerfully.

''Huh?　You're not in good spirits for a guy who's just met Amana-chan.
How do you know?

　I was trying to make it look like it was nothing, but this guy seemed to see right through me easily.
　Do I have no talent for acting?

'Rather, let's be aware of how sickeningly energetic you are after being healed by Amana?
'Seriously? There's that much difference in tension?
It's all there.
Ggh.....

　After receiving Amana's healing, I certainly didn't have the words to say anything back just because I was in good spirits.
　And it's annotated with the words 'unpleasantly so'.
　But from now on, I might not have that kind of energy anymore.

''So?　What's going on?
Well, it's a bit of a thing with Amana...
'What?　I didn't think you'd finally get your hand...!
I won't tell you if you keep messing with me.
Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to get carried away...

　I'm in a groove, but I'm not in a good groove.
　I'm in serious trouble, and yet....
　Well, I understand that Miya is trying to encourage you in his own way, but....

　After moving to a different location so that no one else can hear, I begin the conversation.

"──I met Amana-chan's mother.
Really?
And that's just the moment Amana-chan hugged me.
'Wow I can only say wow in two ways...'

　Sanya's expression when she said that was one of complete pity for us.
　The fact that he was hugged by a young girl and that his mother, of all people, witnessed it.
　If I wasn't a party to this, I would have reacted the same way as Miya did.

I was able to avoid reporting the incident for now, but they nailed me for not getting involved with them more than a business relationship.
Ahh~. If that's the case, I won't be able to receive any more healing from Amana-chan.
It's not my choice. It's a job I can't afford to lose, even if it kills me.
'Oh~ Quite professional. I only have a name that sounds like I was born to be a courier.
What did I tell you about not doing that stuff?　I'm going to blow you away, okay?
I'm sorry...

　I made a clenched fist and held it up as soon as I made a clenched fist and withdrew it as soon as Sanya spoke lightly about what people were concerned about.
　I don't want my parents to touch me too much, since I've gotten a lot of teasing from them for that kind of stuff.

I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to do that.
'What?　What?

　I wondered if Minami-san had guessed the other reason for such an attitude, and when I added it back, Sanya made a mysterious expression on her face.

"Amana-chan's mother is....









　Was she pretty?
Hey.

　That's what bothered me until I got a serious look on my face.
　The question was so anticlimactic that I turned my frustrated gaze on Miya, telling him to read the air.
　But the other person doesn't show any remorse, and instead comes closer to me.

"Because that Amana-chan's mother!　Then it's a stretch to tell me not to get my hopes up!
I know what you're thinking, but it depends on the time...
'Right?　And?　And?　What was the real story~?

　Yuck.....
　This is the one I'll never back down from if I don't tell you.

''Well some people will think it's better than Sakai, won't they?
'Seriously?　You're too jealous of your husband to have an angelic daughter in addition to a wife who's as beautiful as Mao and her husband!
And by the looks of it, he's younger than us.
'Isn't that too much of a rear end!　d*mn it!

　When I responded by comparing her to Sakai, a beautiful woman close to me, Sanya showed astonishment and jealousy.
　If I didn't know anything, I would have reacted the same way as this guy.
　And it's hard to see her as a married woman with a child at that young age.　

　But Minami-san's husband and Amana-chan's father are already gone from this world.
　Since he had no intention of teaching Sanya that much, he could only let it slide with a bitter smile for now.

''Huh.......I'm already entering my late twenties, why are we living a life without her letters and without any color.......''
'Stop going through the cooler side of things and suddenly falling to the bottom.

　While I was thinking this, Sanya, who had finished spewing out a curse on the rear end of her spell, spoke out with a hint of emptiness.
　It's a good idea to have a tweak in return, but that shouldn't make the loneliness of being single feel better.

　To be honest, it's because the work is so hard that I don't have the energy to look for a boyfriend on my days off, but...
　Hmm?
　You're not even popular to begin with.
　I know that.　　

　How awkward it was for both of them to formulate, in an awkward air that was hard to describe, Sanya, who regained her composure, opened her mouth.

''So──and?　Did you go along with the proposal?　Even though Amana's healing is gone and her energy is gone?
''Listen ... me and Amana-chan are friends, but we're originally a delivery man and a customer. What you say, Minami-san, is fair enough.
I mean, come on...　

　As if she has something to say, Sanya scratches her head and looks me in the eye as she replies.

'Have you confirmed what you want to do, Amana-chan yourself?
'It's... not that I didn't, but she's only in the first grade and her mother said she'd do it...'
That's true. It's not a reliable thing for an adult to say, but it's still a child's word, and I've only met her once, so I can tell you that she can think for herself and speak her mind.　But if you make a decision on your own because of what your mother says, you'll be talking about what you became friends for.
....

　What Miya says is not wrong.
　The only reason I became friends with that girl is because Amana herself wanted that relationship.
　Normally, it's a rare thing to even think about, let alone say, wanting to be friends with an adult man who is nearly 20 years older than you... I'm sorry to say it, but I trust people too much.

　Just like Minami-san, it's only natural that the world would see me as having blown the whistle on that girl.
　Of course, I have no intention of doing anything about Amana-chan myself.
　Otherwise, I don't think anyone would have said anything about wanting to be friends with that little hand, even to the point of cutting their fingers off.

　So..........

"...Then what should I do?

　I can't help but spill such a question.

'Oh, no, that was...'
Gaining Amana's mother's trust. Well, I'm going to go make a delivery now.
Oh... oh.

　By the time I noticed, Sanya had already handed me a response, and I just said it and went to work.
　On the other hand, I was just dumbfounded and left to my own devices for a while.

　I'm going to be able to gain Amana's mother's trust, huh....

　Her trustworthiness towards me is, frankly, a negative.
　It's so easy to say that it's a positive thing to do.
　But if you don't do it, it won't change.
　If that happens, even Amana-chan and her friends will end up breaking their promises.

　This is more painful for me than being pointed back at by the world.

I've got to go deliver the goods!

　I suddenly remembered that I was about to make a delivery, so I rushed out to the delivery truck.