Chapter 249: Natsuno / Half a Return (1/2)

Chapter 248: Taiyou / A Little Trust Here and There Chapter 250: Natsuno / Sharp-Eared Yami-chan

Translator: Reflet

Editor: ryunakama

「Natsuno-kun, can I have you for a second?」

It was nighttime at Taiyou Castle, and they were in Taiyou’s room.

It was a Japanese room with eight tatami mats, just a bit wider than the other rooms.

That was where Taiyou was relaxing as Aoba sought him out.

「What is it?」

Taiyou asked, motioning for her to come closer. Aoba had been standing at the door, so now she entered the room, sitting beside him.

「Right here」

Aoba was about to say something, when Taiyou spoke before her.

He pointed repeatedly in front of himself, sitting cross-legged.

Pointing at the top of his knees.

「……」

While her cheeks were flushed, Aoba timidly moved over to where Taiyou was, sitting in the center of the ring that his feet were making.

She snugly fit.

Taiyou enveloped her shoulders in a gentle hug.

「So what did you want to discuss？」

Taiyou asked her naturally, chatting her up.

「So it’s about Youran…」

「Youran? What about her？」

「I heard from Kohaku-san…She apparently said she wanted to make Natsuno-kun the king？」

「Yeah, that she did. Seems she wants to make me the『King of Juunishima』」

「Okay then」

「What about it？」

「Yeah, so I was wondering how I might assist with that」

「Huh？」

Still hugging her, he peeked her face in from the side.

「Assist？」

「Mhm」

「You wanna make me the king or whatever too？」

「Not really. Ah, I don’t mean that in a bad way. I’m not saying I don’t care about Natsuno-kun」

「I know」

While smiling, Taiyou poked his head into hers.

There was no pain. The skinship was itchy, if anything.

「I get that, but I don’t get why you want to assist」

「Well, Juunishima is Youran’s hometown, right? I know it’s on a different scale than us, but that’s her real home, right?」

「Real home, eh……It’s true you could think about it that way」

「Yeah. I don’t know how Youran herself feels, but when it comes to real family……I just feel like, I wanna help, y’know?」

「……Makes sense」

When it comes to real family…

Aoba had condensed everything about herself with that one statement.

By this point, there were practically no ill feelings, but that didn’t change the fact that the term 『real family』held a special place in her heart.

「Alright, so assistance…」

「Mhm. How about it?」

Aoba asked.

She slightly leaned against him.

She was depending on him, pestering him.

Taiyou felt that.

（Pestering, eh?）

He repeated that in his mind.

He had once thought it to be ridiculous for one’s loved one to pester the other, but he was no longer of that opinion.

（Plus……she’s not even doing it for her own sake）

It wasn’t for her sake, but for Youran’s.

Taiyou suddenly remembered something.

「What does Aoba think about Youran？」

「What…do I think?」