Episode 32 – Hey, when are we going to start dating?
Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093093152263860/episodes/16818622170980744231
“This is so annoying!”
Three days after the school festival, after school at Asahina’s house.
Asahina is throwing a tantrum, looking at the pile of letters on the table.
“Damn it! Damn it!”
“Don’t throw a tantrum in your own house.”
The letters contained fan letters from school, love letters, and requests for interviews from various media outlets. After just one performance, Asahina’s popularity seemed to be slowly returning to what it once was.
“Ryo kun, throw all of these away!”
“Hey, hey, hey!”
“Where’s the salt?”
“There’s no such thing in this house! You should buy some seasoning.”
While muttering complaints, Asahina stacked the envelopes one after another.
“Everyone is praising you, but aren’t you happy, Asahina?”
“I am happy, but I don’t like it. It’s troublesome and scary.”
“Scary?”
“Yeah. I’m tired of people expecting things from me and then being disappointed.”
The true feelings she let slip had none of the strength she had shown on stage. Yeah, it was the usual lazy Asahina.
“Ryo, want to make some roasted sweet potatoes?”
“You’re definitely going to use those letters as fuel! Besides, it’s not even the right season!”
“Tch”
I had told Asahina before that “it’s not good to disregard someone’s kindness,” but this was too much. If I accepted all of it, Asahina would break down.
“Let’s not throw it away for now. There might be something important in there. I’m sure anyone who really needs it will come and tell Asahina directly.”
“I have one more thing I want to get angry about!”
“What the heck, all of a sudden!”
Asahina leaned forward abruptly, glaring up at me with her eyes.
“Ryo-kun, you forgot the reward!”
“But it’s been tough since then, right? Surrounded by interviews and all that.”
“I’m going to stay cooped up until things calm down.”
“Here we go again with that…”
Her eyes were serious. She really meant to hide away. What she was saying sounded like a criminal trying to escape after doing something wrong.
“So, what kind of reward do you want? You said you’d tell me after avoiding failing.”
“Muuu…”
“Asahina?”
“That!”
Asahina cutely tapped my chest.
“Call me Toka! Stop calling me Asahina all the time! I have a name, Toka!”
“Eh? Is that okay?”
“T-that…”
“Come on, we should start preparing dinner soon, Toka.”
Now that she mentioned it, it was unnatural for me to keep calling her by her last name when she was calling me by my first name. I didn’t feel embarrassed like I did at the festival, and if she said so herself, maybe it was okay to call her by her first name.
“Ugh…”
Asahina, or rather Toka, lay down on the bed with a teddy bear in her arms.
“I’m dying…”
“Dying?”
Asahina buried her face in the pillow and squirmed around. Today is definitely a day when Asahina’s odd behavior stands out…
“I’m going to prepare dinner.”
As I said that and headed toward the kitchen, Asahina followed me, holding the bear stuffed animal. She looked like a cute little duckling.
“Ryo-kun, Ryo-kun.”
“What’s wrong?”
Holding the teddy bear in front of her face, Asahina called out to me. What is she trying to do now? It’s like I’m talking to a bear.
“Actually, I’m a bit of a clingy person.”
“I know.”
“Right now, I really want Ryo-kun to stroke head.”
“Huh?”
I patted the bear’s head.
“Not there!”
Asahina lowered the stuffed bear and glared at me with a stern look.
“Ryo-kun is so insensitive!”
Asahina pouted. No, she was just trying to cover up because she was embarrassed…
“This is how you pet!”
“By yourself!?”
Asahina grabbed my right hand and brought it to her head!
“Tell me I did well.”
“Yes, yes, you did well. You’re great.”
“Hehe.”
Asahina had become completely spoiled. This gir doesn’t give a damn about my rationality…
“I want to go on a date as a reward.”
“Hey! How much of a reward do you need?”
“Infinity.”
“Could it be that the devil of infinite rewards is here…”
“I’m not a devil, I’m an angel. A fallen one, though.”
“Don’t say that yourself.”
I clenched the hand that had been stroking her head into a fist and lightly hit her.
Still, it’s really strange to feel this way now. To be with someone who can do such amazing things.
“Oh, I’ll go shopping alone today.”
“Why?”
“Because Toka really hates it when people talk to her outside, right?”
“Ugh…”
“I’ll do the shopping for a while. It’s like support for you being a shut-in.”
“Sorry. Then, I guess I’ll ask you to do it…”
“Okay, by the way, do you have any requests for dinner?”
“I want omelet rice! I want you to draw a face on it with ketchup too.”
You’re like a kid! No, you’re like a child actor! I’m starting to figure out what Asahina likes to eat. I’m sure she loves the standard kids’ lunch menu.
“I’ll be going now.”
“Okay, be careful. Come back soon.”
Saying that, Asahina hugged me from behind.
…I could never say that her lines sound like a newlywed’s in front of her.
Since the cultural festival, Asahina’s expression has become much brighter. I think she must have reached some kind of turning point within herself. There were various things with the drama club, but I’m really glad we participated in the cultural festival.
Yeah, things are going smoothly. I’ll keep working hard to nurture her. If I do, I’m sure Asahina’s emotional wounds will heal before I know it…
“Asa… Toka?”
Huh, what’s wrong? I have to go soon, but she won’t let go of me at all.
“…Hey, Ryo-kun.”
Her voice floated over my shoulder.
“when are we going to start dating…?”
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