English Novel
Chapter 461: Manager
Chapter 461: Manager
Translator: Reflet
Editor: ryunakama
“Why?”
“…Because I’m the only one who’s powerless without Natsuno-kun around.”
Aoba said sadly.
“Everyone else can do great things without Natsuno-kun around, except me…”
“Hmmm…”
“Akiha, even you’ve been getting stronger lately. I heard that you succeeded in cutting through pistol bullets.”
“Yeah, but that’s like one bullet in five.”
“It’s still amazing.”
Aoba was becoming more and more depressed.
The fact that her best friend had taken instruction from Ruri as her master and tried to overcome the human barrier just drove her further into depression.
“I understand how you feel, but there’s just one thing I gotta revise there.”
“Revise?”
“Mhm. You’re wrong, Aoba. You act like I’m fine without Taiyou being there, but it’s exactly the opposite. I’m pretty sure that if Taiyou were to disappear right now, everyone would be all shaken up. I estimate at least three of us would follow him.”
“Follow…ah.”
“That’s just how major Taiyou is to us. So that’s a huge mistake to say we’d be fine without him.”
“Yeah…you’re right.”
Aoba nodded.
“But I still think I haven’t done anything significant.”
“True.”
Akiha just admitted it.
“Then you could try doing something about it?”
“I don’t know what that something would be. I’m normal after all.”
“Then I’ll help you figure it out.”
“Eh, but…”
“I’ll think of a real good one. This is all for you, Aoba. I’ll think about it even if you don’t want me to.”
Akiha said. Her pure, Aoba-centered thinking was back at it again.
Aoba’s face softened a bit at her friend’s usual demeanor.
“Well there’s always this. To borrow Taiyou’s word choice, your objective is what’s crucial here, Aoba.”
“Objective?”
“Objective and method.”
Akiha said, taking Aoba aback.
“It’s still fine if you want to compete against everyone. For instance, since you have the best figure out of everyone, you could try going the model route, or I happened to overhear that you can be the student council president. Anything really.”
“Anything?”
“Well yeah, if that’s what your objective is. You could even take me to Koshien stadium right now.”
“No, that’s not possible.”
“I just mean you can do something of that scale. But that’s a bit meh, so I recommend a different direction.”
“A different direction?”
“Mm.”
Aoba thought about it, contemplated it in deep thought.
In the evening glare, the ponytailed girl thought harder than she ever had before.
Until at last, she muttered a few words.
“You really are completely Natsuno-kun’s bride, huh.”
“Where’d that come from?”
“By this point you’re way more smitten over Natsuno-kun than I am, right?”
Aoba cracked a smile.
“No way! I still like you, Aoba.”
“But you like Natsuno-kun more, right? Otherwise you’d never go through such rigorous training.”
“Eh?”
“I know, okay? You were always slipping in some training…ascetic practices, was it? You were doing that.”
“That was! I swear I was just doing normal practice that Master told me to.”
“But your master was worried about you. Said you were clearly overworking yourself.”
“Fwaah!?”
Akiha let out a voice of disarray.
“She wouldn’t tell you because you wouldn’t listen, but she was super concerned.”
“Master was…ah.”
Akiha was looking down when she realized something, her face slamming back up.
“It’s fine, I haven’t told Natsuno-kun.”
Aoba said before Akiha got the chance.
“You don’t want him to know, right?”
“Y-Yeah.”
“That’s what I said to Ruri. Whenever you were out there training, she found a way to divert Natsuno-kun’s attention. I told everyone else a bit about it too, and people like Sakura-san would entertain Natsuno-kun while you were out there. Stuff like that.”
“No way…I didn’t know…”
“Everyone was happy to help out. Kohaku-san even said ‘The more she trains, the more time I have to flirt with Danna-sama, ja’.”
“…You did all that, Aoba?”
“Because I had everyone’s help in it.”
Akiha clung to Aoba.
It was an embrace that felt a bit different, with a slightly different feeling in it.
Aoba accepted it and gently pulled Akiha closer.
“Thanks, Aoba.”
“It was to help you, Akiha.”
“Mm, thank you. Looks like I wasn’t able to comfort you but ended up being comforted myself. What do you have to say for yourself, girl?”
Akiha was already back to being herself.
Aoba knew that she was faking it, but that was also part of Akiha’s personality and very endearing to her.
“You’re fantastic, Akiha.”
“Where’d that come from?”
“Yep, you’re fantastic.”
“I sorta feel like the nuance in that last statement was different.”
“No, not at aaall.”
Aoba said jokingly.
The two friends messed around. Their relationship was now farther along than before, farther along than it had always been.
Aoba was all better now.
☆
Nighttime, the Miyagi residence.
Aoba was standing before Atsuko.
The other two mothers had an errand they went out for, and the only one left in the estate was Atsuko.
“What’s this all of a sudden? You coulda just sent a letter saying you were returning to your former home, y’know.”
“Oh c’mon Mama! I see you’re joking around as always.”
“But you say it’s Mio-san?”
“So serious that it’s cringy.”
“Right!?”
The mother and daughter laughed together.
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