Tokyo: Oreimo

I wanted to bury my face in his chest and smell the scent of laundry detergent mixed with his own body odor.

I want to fall asleep in that temperature, like a cat curled up next to a radiator, without thinking about anything.

Ryosuke, on the other hand, was still sleeping like a log.

His arm would unconsciously wrap around her waist, his chin would brush against the top of her head, and occasionally he would mumble some indistinct words in his dreams.

Ling Nai would wake up at 5:30 every morning and then slip away from his arms in the most stealthy way she had ever done in her life.

For so many days in a row, I haven't been caught even once.

"...I'm probably a criminal genius."

She muttered something to herself while looking at the screen, her tone carrying a complex emotion that she couldn't quite explain.

Am I proud? I think so.

Feeling guilty? Of course, I feel incredibly guilty.

But more often than not...

Ling Nai buried her face in her knees, her golden hair slipping down from the sides of her hat brim, obscuring her slightly reddened ears.

It can be addictive.

That temperature, that voice, that feeling of security that welled up from the depths of my body when I was held in someone's arms, like being enveloped in warm water.

It's addictive.

She is now completely unable to sleep in her own bed.

The forum page refreshed again, and a new post was pushed to the top, with its title highlighted in bold red.

Breaking news! Aniplex's official website has been updated with a trailer for a new game!

Ling Nai's pupils contracted slightly, and her finger moved in faster than her brain could react.

The post was very simple, consisting of only a screenshot and a single line of text.

The screenshot is taken from the Aniplex official website homepage.

Against a black background, white lines outline the shape of a floating castle, with its top piercing through the clouds, above which lies an excessively blue sky.

The title consists of only one line.

Sword Art Online.

Below is a line of smaller print: "This may be a game, but it's not something to be taken lightly."

Release date is yet to be determined.

The comments section of the post has exploded.

"They're here! They're here! I knew Aniplex wouldn't keep us waiting too long!"

"SAO? Sword Art Online? Is this a fantasy theme involving swords and magic?"

"Judging from the title and silhouette, it seems to be an online game theme? Like an MMORPG?"

"Wait, isn't Aniplex a galgame developer? How do you make a galgame with an online game theme? Play an online game within a game?"

"Upstairs, have you forgotten what everyone was saying before Steins;Gate was released? 'How do you make a sci-fi visual novel?' And then what? Are you embarrassed now?"

"Stop talking, my face still hurts."

"To be honest, I'd buy into the combination of Shigaze-sensei and Rumiko Takashiro even if they were doing a grocery shopping theme."

"I just want to know if there will be an 18+ version this time. There have been so many films already, shouldn't there be one by now? Shouldn't there be one by now?!"

"Give up, upstairs. It's already been revealed in the advertisements, and there's still no such content."

"Idiot! Is the club president not good enough?"

When Ling Nai saw this, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The laughter grew louder and louder until it was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Ryosuke pushed open the door and entered, carrying a stack of study materials.

"What's so funny?"

Ling Nai glanced at the clock; half an hour had passed since dinner, and it was time for academic tutoring.

After finishing the game, I resumed my daily tutoring routine.

She quickly closed the forum page.

"You bastard, you came into my room without my permission."

Upon hearing this, Ryosuke smirked.

This guy.....

She came to my room at night without his permission, didn't she?

He hadn't had a good night's sleep for a whole month, all thanks to the girl in front of him.

"Stop talking nonsense. The academic ability test is in two months. It's good that there are no new games to distract you during this time. Study hard."

"Your father must have high hopes for you, like getting into university and such."

Takashiro Yuu had some expectations for Ling Nai's studies.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I should start thinking about university when I'm almost finished with my senior year of high school.

You can apply to any university in Japan; as long as you meet the required score, you can get in.

Given Ling Nai's deviation value, if you want to push it a bit, you can try Waseda or Keio.

"Hmph, aren't you being a bit too nosy? I still have over a year to go. But you, which university are you planning to go to?"

The blonde girl didn't take it seriously at all.

She's only a sophomore in high school; there's no rush for this.

The thing I'm most concerned about is Ryosuke's whereabouts.

Wherever this guy goes, I'll go too; that's always been the girl's thought.

That way, they can still go to and from school together.

"I haven't decided yet whether I need to go to university."

But Ryosuke's answer surprised her.

"What? You're so smart, you're not planning to go to university?"

"Because I don't have time."

After all, there are still companies to run, and he had already been distracted by high school, so although he held the title of president, he was practically a hands-off manager.

Ryosuke placed the study materials on Ayano's desk and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Really? You're not going to college?" Ling Nai turned her chair around to face him, her eyes wide. "What are you planning to do after graduating high school? Work full-time at the company?"

"I was practically a full-time employee by now anyway."

Ryosuke opened the workbook and tapped the first question with the end of his pen. "The things at the company are only going to increase, and I have to spend several hours in the classroom every day in high school. To be honest, it's too inefficient."

He was telling the truth.

As Aniplex expands, projects come one after another. Although Saori tells him to focus on his creative work, she can't completely relinquish control over business decisions.

With writing scripts, monitoring production progress, and dealing with various parties, high school coursework had long become the least cost-effective expenditure of his time.

“But…” Ling Nai’s voice trailed off, her fingers unconsciously twirling the bunny ears on her pajamas hood. “If you don’t continue your studies after graduation, then I’ll be the only one left going to school.”

Ryosuke paused for a moment.

"Don't you still have Aragaki to keep you company?"

“That’s different!” Ling Nai’s voice suddenly rose half an octave, then she seemed to realize something and lowered it again. “...I mean, you have such good grades, it would be a waste if you didn’t go to university. Waseda or Tokyo University, you could definitely get in if you wanted to.”

Ryosuke turned his head to look at her.

Ling Nai turned her face to one side, the edge of her earlobe tinged with a faint red. She rolled and unrolled the ears of the Buffy rabbit with her fingers, then rolled them again.

"...It's not something that's already decided." Ryosuke heard himself say this.

Ling Nai's ears twitched.

“I just feel that there’s no need to treat going to university as the only option, like a regular high school student.” He put down his pen and leaned back in his chair. “But if there’s something I really want to learn or a place I want to go, it’s not something I can’t consider.”

"What? Give me a straight answer!"

Ling Nai pursed her lips.

"What do you mean by 'yes' or 'no'?" Ryosuke picked up his pen again and tapped on the workbook. "Let's do today's problems first, we can talk about that topic later."

"It won't be long, right? If you want to take the college entrance exam, you should start preparing now. Also, I'm talking about your business, don't drag me into it."

Ling Nai scooted her chair forward, staring at his face. "Your grades are so good. If you don't go to university, Aunt Meihui will be heartbroken, won't she?"

"Ok?"

Ling crossed her arms, raised her chin slightly, and adopted a posture that said, "I'm disciplining you on behalf of my elders."

"Although Aunt Mieko doesn't say it, she definitely hopes you can go to a good university."

“Your grades have always been among the top in the grade. Every time she talks to the neighbors, she mentions you, saying, ‘My Ryosuke is in the top three in the grade again this time.’ Didn’t you notice the look on her face?”

Ryosuke did notice this.

Mihoko wasn't the kind of mother who would openly express her expectations, but every time he brought home his report card, she would look at it over and over again before carefully putting it away in the living room drawer.

However, when it comes to decisions about his personal future, his mother wouldn't interfere too much.

Mieko has always respected him on this point.

“And Father.” Seeing that he didn’t speak, Ling Nai added, “Although he never mentions it, I heard him talking to Mom in the entryway when he came back from drinking with his colleagues last time.”

“They said, ‘That Ryosuke kid is even more promising than I thought.’”

Ling lowered her voice and tried to imitate Takashiro Isao's rough tone, but the imitation was not good at all. However, Ryosuke still laughed.

"What are you laughing at? I'm serious." Ling Nai pouted. "If you just don't go to university, they'll definitely be disappointed. Besides, you're so smart, don't you think it's a waste not to go to university and see what it's like?"

Ryosuke looked at her.