Tokyo: Oreimo

Page 236

"Ling Nai seems a bit strange today."

Mieko carried the bowl and chopsticks into the kitchen, her tone tinged with worry.

"It's probably that. Girls have a few bad days every month."

The old father turned to the next page of the newspaper and said in a knowing tone.

"A brave man!"

Mieko's voice came from the kitchen, tinged with a hint of reproach.

Ryosuke was truly at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

This old man's thought process can be quite peculiar at times.

.....

Ling Nai walked down the road with her head down, not even noticing that her backpack strap had slipped from her shoulder to her elbow, just hanging there limply.

The morning light slanted in from the east, turning her golden hair a light honey color, the ends bobbing up and down with each step.

She walked very fast, as if something was chasing her.

As Ling Nai turned the second corner, she saw that familiar figure.

Ruri Aragaki stood next to a telephone pole, carrying her schoolbag in one hand and putting the other hand into the pocket of her uniform jacket.

The morning breeze made her short hair stick up slightly, revealing a small section of fair skin above her ears.

"Ling Nai."

When Aragaki Ruri saw her, a faint smile appeared on her face, but that smile froze for a moment when she saw Ling Nai's expression.

"You didn't sleep well?"

"...Yeah, I had a nightmare."

Ling Nai walked to her side, and the two walked forward side by side, their paces naturally synchronized.

Liuli turned her head and glanced at Ling Nai.

Nightmare?

Having known Ling Nai since elementary school, Aragaki Ruri knows every little habit of her best friend.

You're lying, Ling Nai.

But she didn't ask. Even as a close friend, there needs to be some boundaries. Besides, based on her understanding of the girl, she knew that even if she asked, she might not get an answer.

Because 'Takashiro Ryouno' is such a frank girl.

Rather than doing that, it's better to rely on your understanding of her to guess.

"Liuli".

"Ok?"

Ling Nai slowed her pace, her gaze fixed on a spot just in front of the toes of her shoes, as if she were considering something difficult to say.

"you....."

She paused, slung the backpack strap back over her shoulder after it slipped down to her elbow, and then took a deep breath.

Have you ever dated anyone?

Ruri Aragaki paused slightly, a look of surprise on her face, before continuing to walk forward.

"No, why are you suddenly asking about this?"

She was secretly pleased, as this was the first time her friend had ever paid attention to her love life.

Suddenly, I had a strange feeling, like someone I liked was confirming whether I was single.

"It's nothing, I was just asking."

Ling Nai kicked a pebble on the roadside, and the pebble rolled a long way before disappearing into the grating of the drainage ditch.

The silence lasted for about ten steps.

"That....."

Ling Nai spoke again, this time even softer than before, as if afraid of being heard by anyone except Liu Li.

"What about kissing? Does Ruri have any experience kissing?"

Ruri Aragaki almost choked on her own saliva.

what?

What did she just hear?

She abruptly turned her head to look at Ling Nai, her black hair whipping through the air in a sharp arc, a clear look of panic on her face.

There was also some shyness.

Suddenly playing this kind of straight shot?

Could it be that her brother and Ling Nai said something? If Ling Nai were to ask "Do you like me?" again, wouldn't that be the same as confessing her feelings?

"Ling Nai... what are you talking about...? Of course not."

Ruri Aragaki stammered in reply.

"Is that so? I think so too."

Liuli did not respond.

Her eyes were looking straight ahead, but the focus of her pupils was not on any part of the scenery.

Ling Nai asked about the topic of love.

Ling Nai asked about kissing.

Ruri Aragaki stopped abruptly, standing at the edge of the sidewalk.

Ling Nai took three or four steps before realizing that her side was empty. She turned around and saw her best friend standing there with a somewhat subtle expression.

"Liuli?"

".....nothing."

Ruri Aragaki started walking again, keeping up with Ayano's pace.

Her heartbeat had not completely calmed down.

The panic I felt just now was real, and the lingering heat on my cheeks was real too. After all, being suddenly asked by someone you like, "Do you have any kissing experience?" would make anyone overthink.

But Liuli's mind works very quickly.

She knows Ling Nai too well.

Under what circumstances would this guy suddenly become interested in dating topics?

Under what circumstances would I come to school with dark circles under my eyes, looking distracted and absent-minded?

A similar incident occurred some time ago, and based on that...

There is only one answer.

It's not about "wanting to discuss relationships with myself," but rather "having experienced things related to relationships myself."

And that object...

Ryūri's mind conjured up the image of Takagi Ryōsuke.

The girl lowered her eyelashes, her bangs concealing the fleeting disappointment in her eyes.

It turned out to be the case.

Last night wasn't a nightmare.

Is it related to my older brother?

'It's already come to this? Utter defeat, a complete and utter defeat. There's no possibility of victory left.'

Liuli's hands slowly clenched in the pocket of her uniform jacket.

She wasn't unprepared.

Ling Nai had guessed it last winter when she became so depressed because of Ryosuke that she didn't even want to go to class.

Ling Nai likes the older brother who is not related to her by blood.

At that time, she was by Ling Nai's side, watching the person she liked cry so much for someone else, and her heart ached as if it were being squeezed.

But she didn't say anything.

Because Ling Nai's happiness is more important than my own.

If Ling Nai likes Ryosuke, and if Ryosuke can make Ling Nai laugh, then she can step back to the position of "best friend" and become a qualified bystander.

That's why when I met Ryosuke that day, I cried and said so much to him.

She thought she was able to understand her place now, but seeing Ling Nai's current behavior was still hard for her to accept.

"Liuli? Your face looks a little scary."

Ling Nai's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Ruri Aragaki blinked, and that gentle, soft smile reappeared on her face.

"Really? You probably didn't sleep well last night either."

"Huh? Liuli had a nightmare too?"

"Hmm, I dreamt about someone I really disliked."

Liuli's voice was light and airy.

What kind of dream?

"I dreamt that someone stole something very important from me, so I pushed him off the building."

Ling Nai slightly widened her eyes.