Chapter 97

R̈êãd̃ ̈ön̂ ̈Ḱât̃​R̃ëäd̈ĩn̂​g̃C̀äf̃è

—
Ichinose Natsu, speaking… (4)

**If you’re wondering what happened after that—well.**

To put it in one word: **I ran away.**

**”It’s not your first time coming over, right, Yeoreum?”**
**”…Yeah.”**
**”Yay~”**

Just a short while ago, Koyuki had been all gloomy, worried she’d been a burden to me. But now that I came to visit her house, she seemed in pretty high spirits.

Maybe it helped that I repeatedly told her it wasn’t her fault.

Anyway, my coming here was half an impulsive decision.

I just couldn’t pretend like nothing had happened this time.

**”Even if it’s not Toya’s problem… it’s mine.”**

I felt like I couldn’t face Toya until I calmed down from this embarrassment.

Of course, I did tell her where I was going so she wouldn’t worry.

If I’d left without a word, it would’ve basically been a runaway.

And that would’ve made Toya panic like crazy.

Since I also made sure she knew I was just going next door to Koyuki’s place, she wouldn’t be too worried.

**”So, why’d you suddenly come over like this, Yeoreum?”**
**”Ah, well… um…”**

When Koyuki asked me that with her big innocent eyes, I almost answered on reflex but just barely managed to hold it in.

This sly little fox…

Those eyes had the kind of power that could leave you drowning in guilt for life if you lied to her face.

I barely dodged the question this time, but only because telling the truth would’ve been _way_ too embarrassing.

Honestly, there’s no way I could say it out loud!

**”I watched your stream.”**
**”…Ah.”**

Even without saying it, she knew.

Right. Koyuki used to be a Totomo fan, so it wasn’t weird for her to be watching my stream.

Yeah, makes sense. She was one of the people who knew I was Ichinose Natsu.

Honestly, getting caught outright like this felt more relieving than being on edge wondering when I’d be found out.

…

**Okay no, it didn’t.**

**”AAAAAAHHHHHHH?!?!”**
**”Ahaha, Yeoreum’s totally broken!”**
**”F-Forget it! You saw nothing! Nothing at all! Nothing happened!!”**
**”But human memory doesn’t disappear that easily, you know?”**

I grabbed the nearest pillow and started smacking her with it, but Koyuki just laughed.

Hey! I’m hitting with all I’ve got here!

In the end, I was the one who got tired first. Koyuki, aside from having messy hair from all the pillow blows, looked totally unbothered.

Ugh, of all people to catch me at that moment…

My face was burning. I couldn’t meet her eyes.

**‘More importantly…’**

**”Oh, you’re fixing my hair? Thanks~”**
**”Well… I’m the one who messed it up in the first place…”**

Just being with me seemed to make Koyuki happy—she smiled so brightly.

Ugh, she’s so pure. I mean, I _know_ that smile has some calculation behind it, but it’s still so pure!

Looking at her expression made me feel like the bad guy, even though I hadn’t done anything wrong!

**”All done!”**
**”Thanks. Oh, hey—can I ask you something?”**

…

Judging by the look on her face, I knew exactly what she was going to ask.

**“What did it feel like when Toya confessed to you?”**

I couldn’t say it out loud, so I kept my mouth tightly shut. Koyuki widened her eyes and stared at me.

Uh, I mean… um…

I couldn’t look away, so we just stared at each other for a moment.

**”Ah, I think I get it. Be right back, okay?”**
**”…Where are you going?”**

Koyuki smiled innocently, but something about it felt… off.

Uneasy? No, maybe more complicated than that…

As I blankly watched her suddenly jump up and run off, I stood up slowly.

Yeah, I should probably follow her. Just a hunch.

Koyuki wasn’t exactly fast, so I could keep up with a brisk walk.

**”Koyuki, what’s going on? Why are you running?”**
**”Minori, I have something to tell you.”**
**”Something to tell me? Like what?”**

Peeking around the corner, I saw Koyuki looking up at Ragu-sensei with both fists clenched tightly.

Hmm… even if her voice sounded normal, she looked pretty tense.

I didn’t know what exactly made her nervous, but she looked like someone about to make a big confession.

Or maybe… a _literal_ confession—?

**”Will you date me… with marriage in mind?”**
**”_Gasp?!_”**

For the record, that gasp came from me, not Ragu-sensei.

Wait, wait wait wait WAIT!!!

You can’t just use the same line Toya used on me! That’s cheating!

Still, rather than interrupt, I watched the scene unfold.

It really did feel like something out of a romantic comedy manga.

**”…You really had me for a second there, Koyuki.”**
**”I’m serious.”**
**”…You are?”**

Ragu-sensei tilted her head to the side.

Had Koyuki joked like this before? I mean, she _was_ pretty playful, but…

As Ragu-sensei kept looking at her with that tilted head, I wondered if maybe she was starting to sense something from Koyuki’s serious face.

…Or maybe not?

**”Family members shouldn’t do that.”**
**”Ugh, that’s so unfair!”**
**”Until I hear you’re fully recovered, I’m not answering. Ever.”**
**”…Totally unfair. You dummy.”**

That ended way more peacefully than I expected.

Koyuki didn’t seem too upset—maybe she hadn’t really expected a positive answer anyway.

Huh. That’s it? Really?

I thought there’d be more, but it ended pretty anticlimactically.

I mean—not that I _wanted_ more to happen! Of course not!

—

**”…I’m such an idiot, aren’t I?”**
**”Yup. Total idiot. You just crushed all the affection you’d built up~”**

I threw a pillow at Inari, who was teasing me from the side, but she caught it like she saw it coming a mile away.

Ughhh, if only that dumb fox wasn’t around, none of this would’ve happened!

I glared at her, but she just whistled innocently like she had no idea what I was talking about.

No use blaming others now. It _was_ my impulsive decision in the first place.

**”Kidding aside, don’t you think you’re just embarrassed? You said you’ve never even had a girlfriend before, right?”**
**”Well, yeah, but…”**
**”And you said you _did_ tell her where you were going, right? So why are you so panicked, dummy Toya?”**
**”You don’t get it, sigh…”**

I let out a long sigh. Felt a little better.

Ugh. What was I _thinking_ saying something like that—on stream, no less?!

If I could go back in time, I’d punch myself right in the mouth for saying that.

Honestly, part of me hoped Yeoreum would come back on her own once she calmed down.

**”But still… didn’t you say it because you really meant it?”**
**”…I dunno.”**
**”Wow, so Toya’s true love was Nacchan after all~? I mean, Tonatsu _has_ been famous for a while now~”**
**”…Quit teasing me.”**

Back then—when Yeoreum was still Han Yeoreum—people used to call us “Tonatsu” a lot.

After Yeoreum retired, the name kind of faded away, but once she debuted as Natsu, it started popping up again.

Back then, “Tonatsu” felt more like a unit name. Now it felt more like “soulmates.”

Honestly, I thought we got along really well back then, but now it’s… like ten times better.

**”Isn’t it weird? I never felt this way when Yeoreum was ‘Yeoreum-san’… but now that she’s Yeoreum again, I suddenly feel this way. To the point I just blurted that out on impulse.”**
**”That’s exactly the point, Toya.”**
**”…What point?”**
**”That kind of feeling doesn’t just appear ‘suddenly.’ That’s the key.”**

…What does that even mean?

I stared at Inari as she cheerfully cut a slice of cake and popped it into her mouth.

Hey, how about _explaining_ first before you start eating?

Actually, wait. That’s—

**”—That’s my cake, you dumb fox! You glutton!”**
**”You told me I could eat whatever was in the fridge!”**
**”Even so! There are clearly things that scream ‘don’t eat me’ when you look at them!!”**
**”Ah, I see. You were just afraid I’d eat your special cake, huh? You’re such a baby~ Here, I’ll split it and share, happy?”**

Don’t act like you’re doing me a favor, you idiot.

She cut the cake in half and served me a slice with a smug look. I sighed deeply.

Being around this idiot really makes me feel like I’m becoming one too…

I grumbled to myself, but for now, I focused on the sweetness in front of me.

As expected, the cake was delicious.

…Though, it probably would’ve tasted even better if I were eating it with Yeoreum.

—

Fables