Tokyo: Oreimo

"Alright, alright." Saori chuckled and walked over to help Ling Nai tuck her slipped yukata sleeve back in. "Why don't you take her back yourself? Her room number is 207."

"What about you?"

"Me? I reek of alcohol. I can't rest properly like this. I'll go soak in a hot spring."

Saori turned around and winked at him. "The moonlight is so beautiful tonight, it's a bit of a waste to soak alone. Do you want me to wait for you and we can go together?"

"Don't joke like that!"

Ryosuke almost broke his defenses.

He had been teased not long ago, and just hearing such frivolous jokes made him blush.

They're all such a worry.

"Hehe, then I'll be going now." Phoenix Inu Saori chuckled playfully.

Without waiting for Ryosuke's reply, she turned and walked towards the other end of the corridor, her wooden clogs making a crisp sound as they stepped on the tatami mats.

But after taking a few steps, he turned back and said, "By the way, don't do anything weird while Ling Nai is drunk, okay, Shi Yuze?"

"Who would know how to do that!"

.....

The corridor fell silent, save for the distant murmur of the Ureshino River and Ling Nai's occasional muffled murmurs.

Ryosuke adjusted his posture, put one arm around Ryouna's waist, and used the other hand to hold onto the wall as he slowly walked towards the room.

The girl was a head shorter than him, and she leaned against him, her steps unsteady. He was practically half-dragging and half-carrying her forward.

"...You're such a bad guy..."

The girl on top of him mumbled incoherently, her voice as soft as a dream.

"Ok?"

Ryosuke glanced down at her. Her eyes were closed, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and a blush spread from her cheekbones to her ears.

"You always bully me..."

"?"

Who's bullying whom?

Ryosuke couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

Whether at home or outside, you're the one who gets bullied, right?

"...always giving me stories without endings...and those sad endings..."

"..."

If it's about this kind of thing, Ryosuke admits he really can't refute it.

But we can't entirely blame him. It was clearly Ling Nai who insisted on experiencing it first, and he couldn't stop her.

"...She's never even been in a relationship...but she's really good at writing about life and death..."

"Looks like you're really holding a grudge against me. You're so drunk and you still care about that kind of thing."

Ryosuke was both amused and exasperated.

Seemingly having heard Ryosuke's reply, Ling Nai in his arms shifted slightly, lifted her head from his shoulder, and looked over with a slightly dazed gaze.

"...No, I didn't."

The blonde girl made a slightly disgruntled expression, but because of her drunkenness, it sounded more like she was being coquettish.

"What did you say?"

"...I said, I don't hate you...I like you..."

Ryosuke was startled and stumbled, almost causing Ryo to fall down with him.

"...the work... hiccup!"

The girl frowned, as if the bumpy ride had made her uncomfortable.

If you can't even explain yourself clearly, you should just shut up.

Ryosuke broke out in a cold sweat and braced himself against the girl.

His words seemed to have an effect, and Ling Nai fell silent for a brief moment.

The corridor was quiet, with only the sound of two people's footsteps passing each other.

"We've finally arrived."

Ryosuke stopped at the door of room 207 and pushed the sliding door open with one hand.

The room was already made up with bedding, and a folded bathrobe was placed next to the pillow.

He helped Ling Nai inside and carefully laid her down on the bedding.

The girl finally released her grip on his neck, sprawling out on the bedding like a lazy cat, her blonde hair scattered on the white pillow, the hem of her yukata slightly open, revealing a section of her fair calves.

Ryosuke pulled the blanket over her, but just as his fingers touched the corner of the blanket, his wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Ling Nai opened her eyes at some point, her eyes misty with tears, staring straight at him.

"Hey..."

"What's wrong? Do you want some water?"

He thought she was thirsty and turned to pour her some tea.

But Ling Nai didn't let go; instead, fueled by alcohol, she pulled hard.

Ryosuke lost his balance and fell forward, barely managing to steady himself by bracing himself on the pillow next to her ear with one hand.

The two were too close; he could see his own panicked reflection in her eyes and smell the lingering scent of alcohol in her breath.

Ryosuke's breath hitched.

The girl's fingertips, burning hot, slid from his brow bone to the bridge of his nose, and finally landed on his lips, where she gently pressed them.

"Hey...you're actually quite good-looking..."

"Stop fooling around, get some rest. You've had way too much to drink."

He tried to grab the mischievous hand, but Ling Nai was faster. Her fingers slipped into his hair and gripped the back of his head.

"I didn't drink too much."

The blonde girl's voice was hoarse and languid, with a sticky quality unique to alcohol.

She looked at him with a hazy gaze, and a silly smile slowly curved her lips.

Ryosuke looked at her face and almost burst out laughing. It was the first time he had ever seen such an expression on his sister's face.

His silly look was surprisingly cute; he just felt it was a pity that he didn't have a camera at hand.

"Alright, let go now!"

"Don't let it go!"

"I'm going back to sleep."

"...I'll sleep here."

Ryosuke twitched the corner of his mouth.

What nonsense is this guy spouting?

"You're not so drunk that you don't even recognize me, are you?"

"I know who you are."

He tried to prop himself up to create some distance, but Ling Nai stubbornly refused to let go of the back of his head, and their noses almost touched.

"You are..."

Ling Nai blinked, her thick eyelashes fluttering like fans, her eyes reflecting his face.

"My brother."

Chapter 175 After the Hangover

Ryosuke was stunned.

After saying that, as if the alcohol was taking effect, Ling Nai's strength loosened, and her hand slowly slid from his hair to the bedding.

The blonde girl closed her eyes, the blush on her cheeks still lingering, but a reassuring smile curved her lips as she curled into the blankets.

"This guy, really..."

Ryosuke gave a helpless smile, reached out, and gently tucked the stray hairs from her face behind her ear.

Ling Nai was unwilling to admit it, but it seemed that she had been recognized by the other party for no reason.

She's not a straightforward person, but sometimes you can actually find certain aspects of her personality quite endearing.

He stood up, took one last look at Ling Nai curled up in the blankets, and only after confirming that she was sleeping soundly did he turn and walk towards the door.

.....

The next day, Ling Nai was awakened by birdsong. The morning light shone on her face through the glass window, making her feel a little dazzled.

The girl squinted and turned over. The softness of the bedding made her not want to move, but it felt like someone was drumming in her head.

Thump, thump, thump, one dull thump after another, a dull pain spread from my temples to the back of my head.

"Ugh..."

She reached up and pressed her hand to her forehead, her fingertips touching her burning skin.

My head hurts so much...

Last night... I think I drank too much.

I didn't feel anything while drinking it; it was sweet and made me feel a little dizzy.

But Ling Nai never expected to feel so bad the next day, her nasal cavity filled with the unpleasant smell of alcohol.

This made it impossible for her to fall asleep peacefully, and she started to roll around in bed in a state of considerable agitation.