One week before release! A limited short story is now available on Twitter!
“Uwooooooooooon! I’m so glaad! I’m so glad, Akitooooooo!!”
“You’re suffocating me.”
The next day, Sunday.
When Riran contacted everyone, they all came to the house together.
That was fine, but Ryūya was wailing so hard that he was making no sense. Seriously, get off me, you’re crying too much. Ah, hey, don’t get snot on me!?
As I grabbed Ryūya’s head and pulled him off, Neika clung to my leg next.
“Hey, come on, Neika, let go.”
“Higu, egu…! I’m so glad, I’m so glad…!”
So you too, huh.
Even though I forced the two of them off, they kept trying to hug me again and again. Good grief, they’re persistent!
Rio watched the scene with a wry smile.
“Now, now, Akito-kun. Both of them were in a terrible state at school. They couldn’t concentrate on their lessons at all.”
“You say thaT, but Rio-san, you couldn’t concentrate on practice eitheR.”
“Hey, Riza-san!”
Rio shouted, her face turning red. So that’s how it was. I really did cause everyone a lot of worry.
“Senpai… Honestly, just how much are you going to make everyone worry? I’m pouting now, really!”
“That’s right, Onii. I… I… waaaaah…!”
“Geez, Kotono, you’re crying too much… hmph… waaaah…”
Kotono and Noa were both bawling their eyes out as well. I really made them worry this much, huh…
“I’m really… sorry, everyone. And thank you, for my sake.”
“Let me offer my thanks as well. Thank you, everyone.”
I bowed my head alongside Riran. I couldn’t help but bow. Everyone’s memories, and my memories with Riran. I don’t think I could have remembered without them.
“No, i-it’s by fauld… it’s my fauld, so please raise your head…!”
“It’s also our fauld for nod sdopping Ryūya…! I’m sorry…!”
“Waaaaaaaah! Onii, I’m so glad!”
“Waaaaah! Senbaaaai, senbaaaai!”
“Everyone, calm down… ugh…”
“This is bad, I’m starting to cry toO…”
No, seriously, everyone, calm down?
◆
After somehow managing to soothe everyone, we moved to the living room. Riran, Neika, Rio, and Kotono were in the kitchen preparing food. Since today was a celebration for my recovery, we decided to have a party at the house.
Just in case, I went to the hospital yesterday for an examination, and no abnormalities were found in my brain. When they asked me what the trigger was, I thought I would die of embarrassment…
“Rira~, where are the cooking chopsticks?”
“In the right drawer.”
“Okay, then I’ll make the potato salad.”
“In that case, I’ll season the meat.”
Seeing girls who are used to cooking working together is quite enticing. It’s a feast for the eyes, thank you very much.
“Ane-san’s and Kotono’s home cooking… I’m looking forward to it, Senpai!”
“Yeah. …Wait, you’re not making anything?”
“I’m a professional eater ☆”
“Ah, now that you mention it, I did receive some cokes back on Valentine’s Day.”
“Oh stop it, those were truffle chocolates!”
Being able to make truffle chocolates that hard and crunchy is, in a way, a sign of pure talent.
As I was reminiscing about those days, Riza-san spoke up.
“By the waY, what exactly was the trigger for your memories to returN? It seems they came back much sooner than expecteD… Was the Dark Scarlet Thread involved after alL?”
“I don’t know if it was involved… ah, no, it’s nothing.”
“Oho? Oho ho? Come on, with that reaction, I can only assume something happeneD?”
Don’t smirk like that, it’s annoying.
“Senpai, did you do something naughty after all? Did you do something naughty!?”
“Don’t say it twice! And I didn’t!”
“Ehh, suspicious.”
Noa and Riza-san glared at me with cold eyes. What’s with those eyes?
“Haa… I seriously didn’t. Really.”
“Huh? That’s actually impure in its own way.”
“Isn’t the standard move to get all excited and spend the whole night going ‘BEEEP’? Like in an erotic doujinshI.”
“What do you want me to do?”
Also, Riza-san, please don’t use weird internet slang. You’re using it wrong anyway.
While the two of them were whispering and looking at me, Ryūya calmed them down with a “Now, now.”
“Let’s stop teasing Akito. Okay?”
At Ryūya’s words, our eyes widened in surprise. Huh? Uh, Ryūya? What in the world…? Noa seemed to think the same thing and tilted her head.
“Ryūya-senpai, what’s wrong? Aren’t you usually the one doing the teasing?”
“It pisses me off to agree with Noa, but she’s right. What’s up, Ryūya?”
“Ah— no… You went through a lot because of me, so I thought I’d behave from now on.”
Ryūya scratched his cheek and looked away. This guy, he’s been worried about it this whole time.
But…
“That doesn’t sound like Ryūya-senpai at all. You must be an impostor!”
“Wait, Anrakuji, stop poking me in the side!”
Noa started messing with Ryūya as if to cover up the awkward atmosphere. Watching Ryūya like that, I felt as if a small hole had opened in my heart… or so it felt.