Onee-chan no Midori-kun 9

This chapter focuses on Ayame's perspective and his thoughts! 😇

Ayame narrates: For as long as I can remember, she has been my neighbour. To me, Sui is not just a childhood friend, but also family. We're as close as siblings, and all this time, she's always been special to me.

Flashback of when Sui and Ayame were in kindergarten.

A game character called Misaki on Ayame's gaming console screen says cutely, "This is a secret between Ayame-kun and I, okay? ❤". Ayame repeats the line to himself and trembles in exhilaration, thinking to himself that Misaki is such a tease.

Two of Ayame's classmates notice him and one of them goes, "Ah, Mizukawa, you're playing games again."

Ayame (looking up from his game): Saeki, Suzuki.

Saeki: What are you playing?

Ayame (holding up his gaming console): It's 'Endless Love - The Promise We Made Under The Tree".

Saeki, Suzuki: Huh? What's that?

Ayame: It's a bishoujo game.

Suzuki: Bishoujo…?

Ayame: It's a game where you can date adorable girls and at the end, promise to love each other forever. A love simulation game. Well, even though it's called a bishoujo game, the game has nurturing aspects too, not just on love - I really enjoy the love stories, though.

Saeki: Gross.

Ayame: …Eh?

Saeki: I don't get the appeal of falling in love with girls in games. (Games like Fortnite are much more interesting.)

Satake: Girls in real life are much cuter anyway, don't you think?

Ayame looks at Misaki in his game console and thinks about what his classmates said: Gross.

Later, in Ayame's room, Sui goes, "Somehow, you don't seem well today, Ayame."

Ayame: Really?

Sui: Yeah. It's unusual that you haven't touched your games even once. Usually, you'd be so quick to throw your homework aside and start playing your games.

Ayame: …It's nothing. I'm not feeling unwell.

Ayame: Am I gross?

Sui: Huh? (What's with that sudden question?)

Ayame: …At the kindergarten yesterday, when I was playing Endless Love, Saeki said that I was gross. I've never given these things much thought before, but somehow, I think that if there are people who find bishoujo games gross, maybe it'll be better if I hide the fact that I like them.

Trembling with indignance, Ayame adds, "Because of me, even my beloved characters were belittled and insulted...!"

Sui: That's gross.

A (staring at Sui blankly): I guess Sui also thinks this way after all… (You just kept quiet about it all this time…)

S: No, I'm not saying that you liking bishoujo games is gross. I'm saying that you thinking that way is gross.

A: Eh…

S: If your liking bishoujo games causes inconvenience for others, that would be gross indeed, but Ayame, you're not like that.

Sui: No matter what others say, if you like it, just boldly do it. Doing this is more like Ayame's style.

Ayame looks at Sui, touched by her words.

Sui angrily huffs and continues, "In the first place, you don't need to bother yourself with what Saeki says. He's just a classmate whom you're not even that close to! Even though it's true that there are people who don't understand, he is the one who's gross for saying such things to a person's face!"

Blushing lightly, Ayame says, "…Sui, you really like me, huh. You got so mad on my behalf."

Sui (getting flustered): Huh?! Gross! I just don't like Saeki! It totally wasn't for Ayame! (I just really dislike that kind of person!)

A: Oh---?

Sui (tugging on her ponytail shyly): Also, we're childhood friends, aren't we? Isn't it to be expected that I'd take your side?

Ayame blushes while staring at Sui being tsundere.

While Sui continues huffing, "That's why! It's not like I like you or anything, okay! (Don't even think about it!!)", Ayame's heart gets shot by a cupid's arrow as he thinks, "Tsundere..."

Ayame narrates: I guess it most likely started from that time.

He recalls Aoi's (his younger brother) comments (from Chapter 8) asking him why he likes tsunderes so much, because he wasn't like this last time.

Ayame thinks to himself, 'What I like isn't tsundere; instead, it's…'

End of flashback.

Ayame opens his eyes while in bed and sees Sui.

Ayame: ...Sui?

Sui: Ah, sorry, did I wake you up?

Ayame (sitting up on his bed): Why are you here?

Sui: I'm visiting you since you're ill. (Aoi opened the door for me.)

Ayame notices the clock and realizes that it's already evening. He thinks to himself that he slept for a long time and even had a nostalgic dream.

Ayame removes the fever tab on his forehead. (His bedhead is cute 😄)

Sui: How are you feeling?

Ayame: Ah- I'm fine. I slept a lot, so I'm feeling alright now (my fever has subsided too).

Sui: That's good, then. Nonetheless-- If you weren't feeling well yesterday, you should have just told me straightaway. I got such a shock when I saw your text this morning. (To think that full-attendance-Ayame would call in sick.)

(Ayame's text message to Sui that morning: Got a fever. Gonna rest.)

Ayame: Yesterday?

Sui: During the barbeque, I felt that you were being strange, Ayame. Your face was red too when we were playing with the sparklers. You were already having a fever since then, weren't you?

Ayame stares for a moment at Sui folding her arms at him. Then, he answers with a thumbs up, "Yes, that's right. It's exactly as you said."

Sui sighs and huffs, "Why didn't you say so, then? (Well, it's good that you're better now, though.)"

Ayame narrates: …It's not like I fell sick or anything. This fever that I got today was most likely caused by yesterday's shock and confusion - a teething fever of sorts.

(We see Ayame and Sui's interaction yesterday: Ayame saying that it's nothing and telling Sui to just play with the sparklers. Later that night, Ayame lay in bed thinking so much that he got brain-fried and developed a fever.)

Ayame thinks to himself that it's a relief how Sui was able to justify his strange behavior yesterday by herself. Back then, his body had acted on its own before his mind could react. He realized that his face was so hot that he could feel himself blushing.

Ayame narrates while thinking about Sui: Obviously, you've always been special. However, before I could realize it, you'd become more than just a childhood friend to me. I never imagined this.

Still lost in his thoughts, Ayame thinks, '...I guess it should be fine, as this is what it really is. I don't have any experience with 3D so I have no confidence, but this is fine, right??'

Meanwhile, Sui has been calling out to Ayame and has climbed onto his bed right to be right in front of him.

When Ayame returns to his senses, he realizes that Sui is very close.

Sui: You're still having a fever, aren't you? I called out to you several times but you continued to just stare into space.

Ayame: Uh, no...

Sui puts her hand to Ayame's forehead and checks his temperature. She then says, "Ah, as I thought, you're still hot, aren't you? Your face is red too."

Ayame (deciding to lie down): …Yeah, somehow the fever's coming back. I'll sleep a bit more.

Sui: Okay, you do that. (I'll go back home, then.)

Ayame's heart squeezes as he concludes to himself that this is indeed a 3D love. He also thinks that his affection meter for Sui has already reached max level.

Just then, Sui remembers something and speaks to Ayame again.

Sui: Since you're like this, shall we cancel our weekend plan to visit that themed cafe? I'd be totally fine with it if we didn't go.

[Previously, Ayame had told Sui, "I want the Rika coasters, so go with me to the themed cafe next week. (There'll be maid cosplays for a limited time!)" and Sui responding with, "Tsk, again?". Ayame regards Sui as someone who helps increase his chances of getting the items he wants.]

Ayame's eyes instantly open wide at the question and he quickly sits up in bed to look at Sui.

Ayame: I'll definitely go! Leave it to me, I will make sure that I'm fully recovered by the weekend.

Sui: Heh- I thought I was able to skip out on something troublesome.

Ayame then realizes to himself: Wait a minute, aren't we skipping to the date event right now?

It's the next weekend. Sui and Ayame are together in the themed cafe. It's filled with guys. There are announcements being played in the background of the cafe, going, "Thank you very much for visiting us today ❤ I'm not that happy about it, ok!?", which is making Ayame tremble with excitement. Sui remarks, "I think this every time, but I feel so out of place. (So awkward.)"

Sui: Anyway, which character's coaster are you hoping to get?

Ayame: I'll be happy with any character, but getting Rika will be the best!

(Rika is a character in his game - Tsundere kohai, Kusumi Rika.)

Ayame explains seriously, "I'd like to save my part-time job earnings for next week's prizes, so hopefully I can get the coaster on the first try… in the worst case scenario, I at least hope to get it on the second try."

Sui answers that they've already ordered two dishes and three drinks, so it should be fine. However, Ayame pounds his fist on the table and says that she's too naive.

Ayame: This time, they're giving out the portrait and chibi versions of each of the five members. In total, there are 10 types of coasters possible to obtain. If I use that kind of flippant attitude, Rika will never come to me…!

Sui (sweat dropping): Ah- I see.

Sui: Well, even if we have to order another four meals and drinks, I can still finish them, no problem. In any case, just hurry up and satisfy that consumerist side of you.

Ayame stares at Sui, while she confidently adds, "I still have some celebratory money from my grandmothers for getting into high school, so I still have deep pockets."

Ayame: Eh? Usually, you'd always say to stop right there. What's with you today? (Not that I intend to burden you, though.)

Sui (looking away): Nothing much-- After all, you've listened to so much of my problems regarding Midori-kun. I just thought that I'd reciprocate a little.

Ayame stares at Sui and thinks to himself, '...Ah, I see.', when the waiter arrives with their drinks.

Waiter: Thank you for waiting~ May I know who ordered 'Rika's Tsundere Lemon Ginger'~?

Ayame: Ah, yes, it was me. (Two glasses.)

Waiter: Here you go~ As for you, this is 'Himeno's Little Devil Chocolate Milk'~

Sui: Thank you very much.

Waiter: I'll put the coasters here~

Sui: Ah, okay.

While the waiter serves Sui her drink, Ayame stares at Sui and thinks to himself, 'Even though realizing my feelings has made me giddy with excitement, this romance was over since the beginning.'

Reaching out to the coasters (which are currently face-down), Sui says, "Alright, Ayame.", causing him to snap out of his thoughts.

Sui: Let's flip them together on three?

Ayame: Ah, yeah. (He thinks to himself that he needs to focus.)

Sui: Are you ready?

Ayame: Yup.

Sui and Ayame: One, two, open!

The two coasters are exactly what Ayame wanted! Both Sui and Ayame's eyes widen in surprise, and they both look at each other, exclaiming, "Rika!"

Ayame (happy): It's a Rika pair...!

Sui: Isn't this great? All in one go!

Ayame (trembling with excitement): Wah~

Sui remarks, "Even though I don't have an interest in this, it still makes me happy, getting what Ayame wants…"

She then blushes and flinches when she realizes what she uttered. Trying to cover for it, she embarrassedly adds (in tsundere style), "W-well, good thing I didn't end up wasting my money!"

Ayame's affection meter for Sui shoots up again and he can only tremble in happiness, thinking to himself, 'Suiiiiiiiii-- That was magnificent...!!'

Sneaking a peek at Sui, who has embarrassedly decided to start sipping on her drink, Ayame thinks, '…After realizing my feelings, I now understand that it's not just about how she is tsundere. It's also the way she has no interest, yet is still willing to accompany me… and the way I feel happy when I'm together with her. It's simply not enough to have just one love meter to represent my feelings.'

Blushing and glancing at Sui again, Ayame thinks, 'If I were a character in an otome game, I'd be conquered by Sui so quickly...'

Noticing Ayame's gaze, Sui asks (in tsun style), "What? You got any complaints?", and Ayame's affection meter shoots up yet again.

Ayame: Please stop looking at me like that. (My heart can't take it.)

Sui: What?

Ayame narrates: Even if it's already over, I still like what I like, after all. Why wasn't I able to realize my feelings for Sui earlier?

Later, Sui and Ayame are on their way home and Ayame is glowing from happiness and satisfaction. He says, "Ah- I never thought that I would be able to get the Rika badge in one try too. I'm so happy to have both her portrait and chibi versions as well."

Glancing at Sui, he adds, "It's all thanks to Sui for coming."

Sui looks back at Ayame, then turns away, saying, "There's no point in flattering me like that."

Ayame: Yes. Even so, with this, I can save some more money for the prizes next week.

Sui: Yeah, yeah, that's great…

Sui pauses in her steps as she gets distracted by something. Noticing Sui stopping, Ayame goes, "Sui? What are you looking at..."

Following Sui's gaze across the street, Ayame realizes that it's someone whose profile looks like Midori. Ayame watches Sui as she looks at the person.

Then, Ayame covers Sui's eyes with his hand, telling her, "It's not Midori-kun, you know. That person."

Sui: Ah, what? I know. (Take your hand off.)

Ayame: Then why were you staring?

Sui (swiping Ayame's hand away): I wasn't staring, okay? (You're annoying.)

Ayame: You were.

Sui: I said I wasn't.

Ayame (firmly): You were. You were looking.

Sui looks at Ayame with a pained expression, then shyly admits (while tugging on her ponytails), "…I just thought that his profile looked a little like Midori-kun. That's all."

Ayame narrates: …You're right here with me, and Midori-kun isn't even here. Yet, your thoughts are filled with Midori-kun. No matter how much you think about him, it will only bring you pain.

Looking pained, Ayame thinks to himself, '...Seriously, why wasn't I able to realize my feelings sooner? If I had realized my feelings sooner, perhaps I-…'

Ayame grabs Sui's wrist, surprising her. She asks, "Ayame?"