Tokyo: Oreimo

"Is the NAME drawing finished?"

"what?"

He was a little taken aback.

"Death Note, you haven't stopped writing lately, have you?"

"As expected, you start slacking off when I'm not watching you!"

Ling Nai turned around on the stairs, put one hand on her hip, and pointed her index finger at Ryosuke with the other, her face showing an expression of 'I knew it'.

Ryosuke couldn't help but chuckle.

"Oh."

"Haha."

The laughter grew louder and louder.

"What are you grinning about, you idiot?"

Ling Nai snorted softly, looked down at him with her arms crossed, staring at him with displeasure, but didn't say anything, just waiting for him to finish laughing.

"I didn't slack off; I finished drawing it a long time ago."

Ryosuke wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes and said softly.

"...What? Have you changed your ways? I told you you were going on hiatus, but you still finished drawing it."

The blonde girl was somewhat surprised.

"After all, if you come to your senses and there's nothing for you, you'll throw a tantrum."

"Who would throw a tantrum!"

Ling Nai turned her face away and gave a soft snort.

"So you've decided not to suspend publication?"

Ryosuke then asked.

"Don't get me wrong, it has nothing to do with you. I just didn't want to put Nomura in a difficult position. That guy sends me several text messages a day, it's driving me crazy."

Ling Nai stretched out her index finger and flicked her eyelids, then made a face at him.

After saying that, she turned around and ran upstairs, her golden ponytail swaying merrily behind her, a stark contrast to the lifeless figure she had a month ago.

Ryosuke stood at the top of the stairs, watching her disappear at the end of the corridor, and let out a long sigh of relief.

It's finally back to normal, huh?

If she continues in that state, she will not be the Ling Nai I know at all.

"Om."

His pocket vibrated, and he glanced down at his phone. The screen displayed a message from Saori Hououin:

"nailed it."

"How about that? Pretty impressive, right?"

This was followed by a smug expression.

Ryosuke smiled, typed a few words, and sent them:

What did you say to her?

The reply came quickly, and it was still those two words:

"secret."

Ryosuke looked at the message, leaned against the stair railing, and felt as if something had finally settled down in his heart.

Just as he was about to ask something else, his phone vibrated again.

"By the way, remember to make time for Christmas Eve."

"?"

"We haven't officially gone on a date yet, have we, Mr. Shi Yuze?"

"I want to go to the beach. The sea in December must be so romantic."

Ryosuke paused for a moment, then typed:

"Is not It Cold?"

"I'll go even if it's cold, you'll definitely give me your coat anyway."

It was followed by a tongue-out emoji.

Ryosuke chuckled, but before he could reply, a third message followed:

"It's settled then, no take-backs allowed."

"I'm going to a meeting now, remember to think of me."

.....

The days that followed felt like they were on fast-forward.

Two weeks passed quickly after my younger sister returned to her usual lively self.

Ling Nai resumed her evening tutoring sessions, stopped going to Aragaki Ruri's house, and instead took over the chair in Ryosuke's room.

The place for studying changed from the girl's room to Ryosuke's room.

She would listen to Ryosuke explain the problems while munching on an apple. Occasionally, when she got impatient, she would draw little figures in the blank spaces of his notebook. After finishing, she would think it was childish, erase it with an eraser, leaving faint pencil marks.

The serialization of "Death Note" has also resumed.

On Monday evening, Ryosuke called the other party to inform them.

Hideo Nomura almost cried on the other end of the phone, saying "That's great" seven or eight times, and then cautiously asked, "CLAMP-sensei, could we add another issue?"

Ryosuke glanced at Ryouno.

After his academic tutoring session, this guy stayed in his room and didn't leave. He found a comic book and lay on his bed reading it.

Hearing the voice on the phone, the girl rolled her eyes at him.

Tell him you don't want to add it.

"do not add."

Ryosuke said into the phone.

Hideo Nomura's voice visibly weakened, but he quickly perked up again: "It's alright, it's alright, it's already a blessing that the serialization has resumed! There are still seven chapters left in the draft, I'll make good use of them!"

After hanging up the phone, Ling Nai closed her comic book and said without looking up:

"That guy is so annoying."

"Well, Nomura is a pretty responsible editor. He was terrified when he received your notice of suspension of publication a while ago."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Really? Didn't you say just a few days ago that you resumed the serialization because you didn't want to put him in a difficult position?"

Ling Nai paused for a moment, then looked up and glared at him.

"You're so long-winded."

Ryosuke chuckled and shook his head.

He then pulled a plain CD case from his backpack and tossed it in front of Ling Nai.

The sudden noise startled Ling Nai.

"what is this?"

"Before you go to Ureshino, ask me for the things I asked for."

Ryosuke winked at her.

The girl held the CD in her hand; a string of English letters was written on the box with an oil-based pen.

Over the weekend, Saori had already given the master copy of "White Album 2" to Uncle Yamazaki for preparation, and specially burned a copy to send to Ryosuke.

He had completely forgotten to save a copy for Ling Nai and hadn't specifically mentioned it to Saori, but he didn't expect her to do it on her own initiative.

"You actually remember something like that?"

Ryosuke even asked her that question.

Since the two met privately, they've developed a relationship where they greet each other politely at the company.

Although Ling Nai's attitude was a bit harsh, that guy doesn't treat everyone like that; he only reveals this side of himself when they have a good relationship.

"My sister wants it, right? Isn't it my job as her girlfriend to take care of my boyfriend's sister?"

As she said this, Saori lifted his chin, her gaze almost stealing his soul.

Thinking of this, Ryosuke still mentioned it.

"Anyway, Saori specifically asked me to bring this back for you, so remember to thank her next time we meet."

Ryosuke assumed that since Ayano had returned to normal, she must have agreed to his relationship with Saori, so he didn't think much of it when he said that.

Moreover, there was no tense atmosphere when the two of them were together.

But to his surprise, Ling Nai glared at him immediately upon hearing this.

She then jumped off the bed and walked over to him.

Ryosuke was sitting in a chair at the time, unaware of what was happening.

The next moment, the girl plopped down on his lap.

"What are you going to do all of a sudden?"

Ryosuke was startled and was about to push Ling Nai away when she grabbed his wrist and pressed it firmly against the armrest of the chair.

Blonde hair brushed against her cheek, a girlish fragrance wafted to her nose, followed by warm breath on her neck, and...

The excruciating pain in my shoulder and head was as if my teeth were grinding against me.

"Awoo!"