Vol 3 Chapter 9 (1/2)
14th of May, Tuesday
Ie of Blows
I thought as we ate ho the lunch break
Mariko see, I could tell from the atmosphere
I should have been happy with her as well, but as if I was trying to seights, le, I tried being merry
Mariko said ”you seee?”, suspicious
As not to show I'h by her In that case, I should have acted depressed froht that
Once again, I ended upothers While I could be honest with my little sister, Selene, I couldn't do so with Mariko I was pathetic for not being able to
I thought I didn't want her to worry, but I ended up uy having others pay attention toand disliked
Not for someone else, for myself
I tried asking Mariko
”Do you have anyone you could tell anything, like, what you really think or feel?”
Mariko made a troubled expression, but answered properly ”Yup Fauess”
That was surely not so cultivated over long tiht
While I thought there's also a need of refrain and consideration with family, I felt envious of Mariko's fa
After school, I erased my will and headed for Tomomi's room
Meeting her for the first time after the quarrel, was hard
The day before yesterday too, it seems like Tomomi too wanted me to speak honestly
After that though, we collided with each other and broke
I rang on the interphone and put my hand on the doorknob
Because I experienced being locked out by a chain lock, I was extra cautious
When I gently pulled on the doorknob, the door opened without the chain getting in the way
I breathed out in relief
The door opened, but Tomomi didn't come to the entrance
My leg carriedroom
Toer was mixed in with her stare
Now, facing her like this, I didn't knohat to do At loss, I spoke as if to run away
”Um, s-sorry The day before yesterday, I didn't act like older brother That's why, uize”
”I won't accept such an artificial apology at all And so, I absolutely won't forgive it”
”Then, what should I do?”
Standing upright she folded her arrin, Tomomi declared
”Nii-chan If you want to have a lovelove birthday party with Mariko-chan, you have to beat me first!”
If you want to proceed, you have to defeat me first
”Are you a game character or what?”
”Anyway, let's have a match, Nii-chan!”
She pointed energetically at my face
”No way, you're not going to say we decided it with a gaht?”
”In a game Nii-chan has no chance! That's why, it's ame”
”Even if you tell me to”
With an irritated expression, Tolared at me
”The battle has already begun If you're not attacking, I will! No chickening out, Nii-chan! Holing up in your room just because it turned into a quarrel, you're too sissy!”
”I thought that if I stay there, ater it was my consideration as older brother!”
”Consideration? Don't h You won't admit you ran away and still say it's consideration?”
”Yeah, I ran away, I escaped! Back then I didn't want to hurt or be hurt any more!”
”Thinking the fa unable to stand up after stu just once, is Nii-chan that weak?”
”That one ti an insult to the injury?”
”If you lie on the ground and wait for someone to save you, I'll kick you like this!”
Tos of low kicks on spot She must have been familiar with martial arts, as they were unexpectedly sharp
”Kicking soe”
”It's Nii-chan's fault!”
”Yeah, it's my fault It was my fault!”
Suddenly, anger disappeared from Tomomi's expression
”I' that's what's bad”
”W-what now”
Staring at me with a lonely look, she continued
”When you need help, say 'help me' properly”
She wanted to hear s to provoke s
”Sorry not Thanks To about me”
”S-stupid! I'm not!”
Blushi+ng, her voice sounded weird
Then she pointed at me and shouted
”If you're going to blame me with embarrassment, I'll use my trump card! So, in the end, childhood friend Mariko-chan is Nii-chan's what?”
What's ”bla about Mariko now
I could tell my face suddenly turned hot
”W-what you ask, Itime just a childhood friend”
Proceeding a step forward, Tomomi peered into my face in wonder She was at a distance where I could feel her breath, though
”Really just that? For such a reason she'syou a lunch box every day? Would just a childhood friend whom you didn't meet for years,remember your birthday and want to celebrate it?”
I ended up turning my face away Tomomi took my face in both her hands and turned it towards her, she spoke with a just a little of tears in her eyes
”That's definitely, because she likes Nii-chan”
I've made it so that I don't think of that, ever The sense of distance I have with Mariko noas co away from her was even more scary
”The l-lunch box is 'cause Mariko said she wants to practice cooking, u! I'm disposal unit of her creative cuisine!”
”Houhou go on, c'mon? By the way Nii-chan, what's the favourite ho of Mariko-chan's?”
Her cooking was mostly delicious, but if I were to nas
Heck, at this rate I'll be fully dragged into Tomomi's pace
”Why do you ask !”
”Obviously, because I'irl is Mariko-chan!”
”It has nothing to do with Toht?”
”It does Nii-chan said he's quit being nii-chan, but for me, whether he stops or not Nii-chan is still Nii-chan after all”