Kaiwa mo shinai tsurekko no imouto ga, naganen issho ni baka yatte-kita Netoge no friend datta

“But it isn’t something to hide now, is it? But if you do, tell the people around …”

“No.”

She was so forceful that I wasn’t even able to complete my sentence.

“No, you see …”

“Absolutely no.”

Those eyes were blank, reflected nothing, and filled with a cold, dark gloom. It was so intense that the rejection of the guy just before felt like nothing in comparison. … It was a space that should never be stepped into.

After so long, the atmosphere had turned friendly, but now it was eroding into something worse with every passing moment. I sighed heavily, as if to shrug off the gloomy atmosphere lingering around me.

“Is that so …, but you know, your face looks more charming when you’re frolicking around like just before.”

“Na–, NAH!”

The first thing to do is to make Nanjo Rin react in a ridiculously loud tone. The plan was a success, with her face turning redder as time went on. I think I was grinning as I watched the sight.

“SH—SHUT IT!!”

“Oopsies!”

And so, with a pouting face, I was kicked at my feet like a child revolting with a tantrum.

―Just watch what will happen to you if you dare talk about this to anyone!

Nanjo Rin, saying such, re-donned several of her cat-like disguises on herself and walked away. I don’t know why she even puts on a cat’s disguise. Well, it’s not like our relationship is close enough for me to even ask about it anyways, and it’s not that I am even interested in her in the first place. If there is indeed some hidden circumstance, let’s try and not touch on that matter.

[TL: Yeah… don’t want a premature death…]

The plain self or the cat-disguised self. Which one is the real … Hiyori? That’s all I cared about.

“―Damn.”

I swallowed onto karaage along with my hazy feelings I had in me.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Subaru?”

“Nothing really, I’m just … bored.”

As soon as I finished eating, I found my feet heading towards Yasutora’s classroom.

Was I actually concerned about Hiyori up to that degree? I unconsciously started searching for her figure all the more.

“Is everything all right, Yoshida-san?”

“Why did you come all of a sudden? Do you have your medicine?”

“Do you want to go to the infirmary?”

“I’m fine. … I’m sure I’ll feel better soon. …”

When I looked at the scene, I saw the figure of Nanjo Rin taking care of Hiyori along with others. Putting her hands on her stomach, Hiyori, who was sitting on her seat, somehow looked pale.

At first it appeared that she was concerned about the girls who were looking after her, but upon looking at her lips, – which was glistening slightly as if wet with oil. … no matter how you look at it, it was definitely due to over-eating Karaage. 

“Are you ok Yoshida? Is your menstruation paying a heavy toll on you? Let’s get some medicine from the infirmary!”

“Hey! Sakuta-kun!?”

“You’re the worst Sakuta, you got no delicacy!”

“Even when Yoshida-san was going through a hard time!”

Despite not having such qualities, Yasutora attempted to show Nanjo Rin that he was a capable man who cared for others, only to end up backfiring when he delivered a line that lacked any sense of delicacy whatsoever. Really, what a dunce.

And speaking of Hiyori herself, she was blushing and hanging her head down with shame due to the words of Yasutora and the concern shown by her friends.

“Yasutora, you …”

“Sakuta… such an idiot!”

“Even though it was not an appropriate ground for a man to meddle in.”

“Ha Ha HAa… lemme go and apologize then.”

Being made fun of by even the boy-classmates, he became a laughing topic.

… ha ha. No, guys. The thing is that Hiyori was in such a state due to her overindulgence. The only reason she was shy was because people were freaking out around her, having a strange misunderstanding about what had actually happened. Really,  she’s the same clumsy person over here as well –.

“Kuh, not you too Subaru!” 

[TL note: about a small giggle which escaped from Subaru]

“Haha, sorry.”

–Oh, so it was because of this.

Well, either way – Hiyori-san is Philia-san. When I thought like that, I  couldn’t control the  corners of  my mouth from going up.

After school,  I traced my way back home while reminiscing about Hiyori from earlier today.

If you look pale and hold your stomach, anyone can get worried in that way.

But I know it’s just because of overeating. Even I, a boy, was leaning on my stomach quite a bit over a bento with only Karaage. It must have been something tough to digest for someone with a line-like slender stomach like Hiyori. However, seeing Hiyori abashed by the misunderstood surroundings made an emotion of delight  swell up within me.

Only I knew the truth. When I thought like that, my mouth nonchalantly  formed a grin.

“I’m home, -tto”

 It was the middle of November, a period when the lingering heat  was severe. After I returned home, I made myself comfortable in the cool air. Near the entrance, Hiyori’s scattered loafer that had been thrown off was still there, and I could see that she was in a hurry or at least hurried on to her room.

Were you looking forward to those collab-avatars to that degree? Thinking about such things, I headed to the kitchen and unloaded the plastic bag I was carrying. I returned home after shopping. Since yesterday, Yaeko-san had been going to our father, who was leaving alone. Thus, we had to prepare dinner all by ourselves.

(So, for some time I will be together with Hiyori alone huh …)

In any case, it’s not anything new, nor was it something unusual. However, this time, I have become strangely conscious of her for some reason. Somehow, feeling restless, I took out a cutting board and a kitchen knife and started preparing food without changing out of the uniform I was in.

———————————-End of Chapter————————–