Vol 7 Chapter 14 (2/2)
“He said he is helping et closer to me is quite obvious Well, if I turn down his offer, it’s like I’ popular is quite troublesome—”
“That’s excellent”
Hi
“Hey~are you listening?”
Since she wouldn’t turn around and face ed her in the ribs
Hime made a “nhyu” sound and curled up She finally turned around and looked at me
“Mana, do you like that guy?”
“Huh~? You really weren’t listening to ress was out of my control, I had no choice[7]!”
“But Mana, you look really happy”
After being told by Hime, I instinctively touched my face, surprised
“Th-there’s no such thing—! I think this is really troublesome! I’ll just use him until he breaks and dump him afterwards, dump!”
“So that’s how it is”
Hi a breath
“So, Mana, did you find any outstanding works?”
“Mht, how about this? ‘My butler seeht’”
I handed over theto her
Hime instantly shook her head
“I don’t reco na, there’s no rooenre”
“Hmm, I see”
Even the world of doujinshi+ have their own hardshi+ps
“The new genre you’re talking about, can you be more specific?”
“You should take a look at this”
Hiame
The setting looked like an aquariu each other with a fish tank in the background
This is ‘My Dolphin and His Whale’, a h it’s still relatively unknown for now, I think it will experience a surge in popularity once it releases the sequel next month So if ant to do it, we should do it now”
The gender neutral boy on the packaging attracted me
For some reason—he looks like Kaoru
Although that guy’s hair is a bit shorter than the one on the packaging, the shape of the face and the eyes are almost the same
No, the real one has slightly longer eyelashes……
“Mana, what’s wrong?”
Hi to read my expression, and that pulled me back to reality
“Do you like the prince that much?”
“Prince?”
“That’s the nickname for the character; you’ll understand once you play it”
Hiame on my knee
“How about you try playing? If Mana likes it, we’ll register with this genre as our debut”
“Mm, okay”
Since Hime said that, I’ll try it out
Well, it’s just a gaet addicted
♦
And so, after school practice tiain”
“What happened to your face?”
The instant I appeared in the park, Kaoru exclaimed, surprised
“Those are sos, and your eyes is really red, did you stay up all night?”
“Um, well, I did stay up for a bit……”
“If you’re not feeling well, how about you go home for now?”
“It’s fine It’s not like I’m tired”
Really, I feel like, when I look at Kaoru, I just don’t feel tired anymore
“His eyelashes are really longer than prince’s……”
“Eh? Who’s this ‘prince’?”
I realized I said it out loud and shook my head
“Le-let’s not talk about this; help me today too will you!”
“I know”
I started riding Celine-chan shakily
If it was a norround out of fear of falling; but there’s no problem today
Because Kaoru’s here
“Ah, look out”
That’s what I mean
I lost balance after reaching the first tree shakily, and Kaoru stopped my fall properly
“Your condition is not really good today huh?”
“I said that’s not the case Let’s move to the next, the next”
I did the sa twice, thrice
The fourth tiood!
Although I started off shakily, I stabilized after I raised my speed
“Woow……”
I can’t help but squeal with happiness
This, this is what I was looking for! The feeling of splitting the wind apart! This is the feeling I was looking for when I started riding a bike!”
“Very good very good, keep it up!”
Kaoru, as running by me, also sounded hyped
When I stepped on the pedal to go faster, the front wheel made a “crunch” sound from an impact
I stumbled on a small stone
My hand, which was holding the handle, went numb and I lost balance My body was thrown off the saddle and leaned forward, and just as I was about to hit the ground—
“Mana!”
When I was inches away froht me
His slender hands circled around round with me
His face, so close
“Are you alright!? Did you fall on your head?”
Honestly, this isn’t the time for that
Kaoru’s long eyelashes were right before me
I couldn’t move my eyes away from his
Our chests were pressing tightly against each other
I wasn’t sure if he could hear ……
“……you look like you’re fine”
Kaoru’s body moved away from mine
He stood up and patted the dust off him, with his back turned to me
“I’o back”
—eh?
“Wa-wait up, what happened? Hey?”
“I just re important to tend to”
Kaoru didn’t even turn to look at
I stood up and went after him
“I’ you what happened, hey! I said hey!”
“Mana—what do you think of me?”
Kaoru stopped in his tracks and asked without turning his head
“Wh-what?”
“Do you think I’ you learn how to ride a bike?”
“W-well, yeah…”
No matter how our encounter went, I don’t think he’s a bad person
“So Mana thinks so too”
“What do you mean?”
“I—am not the type of person you think I am”
Kaoru turned toa somewhat lonely smile on his face
“Actually, I’, and I’htthese roles; nobody knoho the real me is, not even the best friend whom I love”
“So you’re saying that it’s painful?”
So, you don’t want to help me practice anymore? Because you’re tired of it?
“When I’ you fall, I feel like I can just be myself”
“Th-then, isn’t that fine?”
“…………it would be nice if it can continue being that way”
He made a dark expression that I’ve never seen before
At this moment, his face overlapped with someone I was very familiar with
A sad woman who plastered lies over lies, woreher real self throughout all of it
I can’t leave someone who makes this face alone
“If that’s the case, then let’s do it this way”
I pledged to Kaoru
“I’ll learn how to ride a bike alone, and you’ll stop playing one of the ‘roles’ you’re playing After a month, we’ll meet here and compare our results, how about that?”
Kaoru stared blankly
“Don’t you feel like the rules are a bit unbalanced?”
“NO[8] Is continuing to not be able to ride a bike fine? Is continuing putting on a façade fine? In the end, both are about ‘is staying this way fine’ This is a problem related to our pride!”
Kaoru thought about it silently for a while
Before long, he answered with a weak smile
“I understand, since Mana said that”
“Now you’re talking!”
While ere talking, the sun fell in the west, and the area turned dark
When it struck five, the speakers in the park started playing “The sun sets in the faraway mountains[9]”
“Then, we’ll meet in a month”
I walked aith Celine-chan
The brand new red bike was quite dirty, since I fell quite a few tiet back
“Mana, red colours fits you well!”
Kaoru waved his hand
“If you ride that red bike with your blonde hair fluttering in the wind, I think it’ll definitely be as beautiful as a drawing”
“Yes yes, see~you~”
I si Kaoru
♦
Even after walking quite a distance,heartbeat did not return to normal
I touched my face and found it hot to the touch
His “red colour fits you well” is still resonating inside my ears
“Wh-what should I do……”
What should I do what should I do What should I do
I’m way too simple!
♦
Ever since that day, I have practiced riding my bike super seriously
The first teeks were totally not goingdown the pedal is the practicewithout pedals let nificantly As expected of His to me!
By the fourth week, I was already fully capable of riding it
If I’ to the convenience store, I ride therethe limousine
Although the driver-cuerous” and “it’s hard to protect you”, when I answered him with “why don’t you follow me on a bike?” he became obedient I actually want to see how Yasuoka looks like on a bike
However, I don’t ride my bike to school
Not yet
I decided to meet Kaoru first, and show hi so
And so, after school on the day we decided on—
I sat on the park bench where I first met him
A week ago, I went to the bicycle shop and installed a backseat for Celine-chan I’ll let Kaoru sit behind this ti
……is he not here yet?
It’s already past four in the afternoon Although we didn’t set a time, normally, it wouldn’t be weird for him to be here way earlier than this Is he late because he has things to tend to in school or so? How impertinent
That’s right, I need to ask him the name of his school!
Nohen I think about it, I don’t even know if he’s a h school student
Will he be a Hane high student?
If that’s the case, I will make up my mind and attend the same school as Hime
Hhts Dammit, me
……
…………
“He’s la—te!”
What is that guy thinking
Did he forget about his pro about his pro me! Does he kno much effort I made in one month’s time?
It can’t be that he fell sick or injured hiht
I don’t kno to contact hi now can I? I can’t visit him either
Then, more time passed by
The speakers were playing “the sun sets in the faraway mountains”
Although both s were at five o’ clock, the area is darker and colder than last ti, I would’ve wore a coat
“Why is he not co”
The words I rass
That guy, already, about lish=”” have=”” different=”” sentence=”” structures,=”” incomplete=”” sentences=”” tend=”” to=”” be=”” a=”” problelish=”” ood=”” idea=”” of=”” what=”” the=”” character=”” is=”” trying=”” to=”” say=”” and=”” change=”” it=”” to=”” english=”” for=”” to=”” say=”” kaoru=”” forgot=”” about=”” her=”” or=”” just=”” doesn’t=”” care=”” about=”” her=”” or=”” otherwise--=””>
Footsteps could be heard
I instantly raisedfor
“Idiot!”
I stood up and roared
“How long did you want me to wait! Y-y-yo-you made me worried!”
“I’m sorry”
Kaoru answered softly
At thatweird
He earing a skirt
Actually, it’s more of a uniform
Although I couldn’t re the female uniform of a nearby school
“What’s this, you developed a crossdressing fetish in the short time we have not met each other?”
“It’s not like that, Kleinsmith-san”
He was pronouncing the name that he once said was hard to pronounce fluently
“I’er twin sister, Asoi Kaori”
Sis,
ter
“Wh-what are you talking about? Are you serious?”
“That’s true Although I said that, I have no way of proving it”
The Kaoru who called himself Kaori remained expressionless
Is she really someone else?
Such si twins, is it possible?
“My brother won’t come; he couldn’t hold up his side of the promise”
“Eh……”
This unexpected line made me speechless
“Th-then ask him to come and explain it himself!”
“That’s impossible”
“Why!?”
“Because, you……”
Kaori looked like she was trying to find her words for an instant, and then—
“You are starting to fall for Kaoru, aren’t you?”
“————“
I couldn’t make a sound
Maybe it was because she got it right, but it isn’t that simple
Hearing those words fro
It’s like an important treasure that you try to hide fro exposed
“My brother’s body can’t fall in love”
Kaori continued coldly
“If girls fall for hi he can do is to leave the”
“Role” again, huh
Just how i?
“So, that ain?”
“Yeah”
The silence continued on for a while
I flexedto calm myself down
“Then, why did he talk to irl who couldn’t ride a bike?”
Kaori took a deep breath and answered
“That’s because you looked really happy, no?”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you worked hard for that small pride of yours”
A cold wind swept by, taking away Kaori’s voice
The leaves on the trees that are also decorating the bicycle route have already started their change in colour
It shouldn’t be long before they are dyed in a fla red colour
“Just like I have heard; this is a really great bicycle”
Kaori looked at Celine-chan and said that
“I can ride it properly now; I fulfilled my promise”
Kaori did not reply to that
“Then, I shall take my leave”
“Please hold on for a moment”
I sat on Celine-chan
“Sit behind me”
“But, aren’t two people riding on the same bike not allowed?”
“Enough, just get on!”
Kaori hesitated a little, but she got on in the end
“You should grab on properly”
The instant I rabbed my waist
The feel of her touch sparked my memory
……so, this girl is really……
“You really learned how to ride a bike”
Kaori’s voice from the back sounded a bit hoarse
“—tell ”
“Alright”
“What school does Kaoru attend?”
After a short moment of silence that felt like hesitation—
“Prefectural Hanenoyah school”
“Is that so? Thank you”
I o faster
My blonde hair fluttered in the wind
The scenery I shared with Kaoru flew past me one by one—
♦
It’s decided
My school of choice will be Hanenoyah School
My aim is to make Kaoru fall head over heels for me
I’ll hold hiet his “roles” and what not
And then—I’ll throw hie!
Translator's notes and references
Juarten to university directly without any entrance exams
Juround
Jump up↑ This line ritten in katakana, it’s just Mana’s inability to understand the word
Jump up↑ A result of a collaboration between japanese tire estone and French fashi+on brand Céline, the Bridgestone Celine limited edition bike, extremely rare
Julish
Jump up↑ Self-published works
Jump up↑ Both “out of inally, しかたなく
Julish
Jump up↑ ”Tooki Yama ni Hi wa Ochite”, also known as “shi+nsekai” (New World) Music composed by Antonin Dvořák in his “Symphony No 9”, also known as “New World Symphony”, lyrics written by Horiuchi Keizou