Onee-chan no Midori-kun 14
On another day, Sui is in her bedroom when her mother calls out to her.
Sui's mother informs her that the dry cleaners returned the kimono and asks her to store it. Sui thanks her and proceeds to hang the kimono in the wardrobe. She thinks, "Until next year... I guess."
Sui also thinks to herself that a lot of things happened this summer festival.
Now that the summer festival is over, in the blink of an eye, it's already August. She's already halfway through her summer break.
Momo is at home, looking at her tablet and seemingly thinking hard about something. Sui notices her and asks, "What's up? Work stuff? Geez! You should properly rest on your precious day off."
Momo clarifies that she's indeed resting. However, Midori's birthday is this month, so she was wondering how to celebrate for him and what gift to get.
Sui's eyes widen in surprise from learning that Midori's birthday is soon and during the summer.
Momo: I'm already a working adult, so I was thinking of taking him to a fancy restaurant with a nice ambience to celebrate. We've never had such a lavish celebration before, so it's a bit tough.
Sui: ...Hm- I don't think you need to think so hard about it, though? As long as Midori-kun can be together with onee-chan, he'll be happy.
Momo looks surprised.
Sui: Even if you just celebrate it as you've always done, or serve him natto as his birthday meal, he'll definitely be really happy, that guy.
Momo: Ahaha, you're exaggerating it.
Continuing to munch on her ice lolly, Sui thinks to herself that it isn't exaggerated at all. She can imagine Midori happily going, "It's filled with Momo-chan's love ❤"
Momo continues, "...Mmm- Well, I have to do my best nonetheless. I've made him endure a lot, so at least for his birthday, I must. If I don't, it'd truly be inexcusable... As Sui knows, I ended up bailing on him for the summer festival. In the end, we haven't seen each other at all, let alone once a week."
(Momo's text exchange with Midori on the day of the summer festival:
Momo: I'm really sorry about today.
Midori: It's totally fine. Speaking of which, I ran into Sui-chan.)
Momo becomes quiet as she reflects on herself. Sui notices the dark circles under Momo's eyes and huffs a sigh to herself.
Momo looks surprised.
Momo: Eh?
Sui: It's fine and all to do your best, but onee-chan, you've been so busy recently that it's gotten so bad! Your panda eyes!
Momo: Eh?! Really?
Sui: It's true! You need to take better care of your health. If you don't properly rest when it's time to rest, you won't be able to celebrate when it's time to celebrate. (Geez.)
Momo: Sui-chan, won't you marry onee-chan? ❤
Sui: What, why? No way.
Sui narrates that what happened at the summer festival made her feel rather concerned, but she now thinks that it seems all right.
Meanwhile, we see Midori lying down and checking his phone. His text exchange with Momo goes:
Momo: Keep your 15th free, okay? I'll celebrate with you.
Midori: 😀
Midori: I'm glad, but will you be fine? Don't push yourself~
Momo: It's fine. I will definitely be free that day.
Midori doesn't look happy as he looks at the messages.
Sui narrates: I'm sure that Midori-kun will be super happy.
On another day, Sui is out with Ayame. (It's Ayame's otaku day and Sui has been roped in to accompany him.)
Ayame: I see- So you planned Midori-kun's birthday together with Momo. I'm jealous.
Sui: Jealous of what? In the end, I wasn't of much help. Onee-chan did most of the thinking herself.
Ayame: That's good. If I think about it, Sui doesn't even have a boyfriend, so there's no way you'd be able to plan something like that.
Sui: Hey! Pot calling the kettle black!
Ayame: I've celebrated the birthdays of countless girlfriends before. ✨
Sui: From your games. 😒
Ayame: Anyway, look forward to your birthday, Sui. This time, I'll make your affection meter for me explode...! (As a revenge for the summer festival!)
Sui: You're thinking too far ahead. Also, I'm not even your girlfriend.
Ayame and Sui stare at each other in a moment of awkwardness. However, Ayame answers, "It's for someone I like, so it's the same, right?"
Sui blushes from Ayame's straightforwardness.
Sui: Lik... Can you not so casually just say something like that?
Ayame: Nope. I'll say it whenever I get the chance. It's my true feelings anyway.
Sui: Tch-
Sui trembles and grabs her ponytails in indignation.
Sui turns away in tsun style, going, "Okay, this topic ends here! Now what? Which store are we going to next?!"
Ayame thinks to himself that Sui is adorable. He also points to a store, going, "Ah, here."
Sui huffs to a corner of the store and tells Ayame in tsun style that she'll hang around here, so he can take his time to browse the store. Again, Ayame looks at her silently and thinks that she's adorable.
While Sui pouts to herself in the store, she notices a shelf of soft toys in front of her. The one that catches her eye is the hamster design. She thinks to herself that it looks very similar to Midori's hamster, Pii-chan. (Midori's hamster has over 10k followers on social media.)
Sui thinks of the various things Midori had given her in the past - practice papers, a good luck amulet and the card case. She thinks about how she's received so much from him, yet she hasn't done anything to express her gratitude.
Sui considers buying the hamster soft toy as a thank-you gift and birthday present for Midori. While she thinks, Ayame approaches her.
However, Sui suddenly slaps herself, startling Ayame. She tells herself, 'No, it's a bad idea!!'
Ayame: Eh- Sui?! What? Are you practicing masochism...?
Sui: No, um, I was just getting rid of my silly thoughts.
Ayame: Eh, it's unusual that you didn't pick the dog design... Hm? Wait a minute, why does this hamster look so familiar...
Ayame recalls, "It's Midori-kun's hamster!"
Ayame: Huh, Sui, could it be that you plan to treat it as Midori-kun and sleep together with it...?
Sui: That's perverted! 😤 It's not like that. I haven't given him my thanks for tutoring me and for other things, so I thought of giving him something for his birthday. But I won't after all!
Ayame: Why? (I think it's a good idea...)
Sui: It's nothing much. It's just no good for me to give Midori-kun a present!
Ayame: It's just to express gratitude, though.
Sui: I say that, but as long as I still have feelings for him, no matter what the reason for the gift is, I can't guarantee that I don't have any ulterior motives behind it.
Sui: Also, considering the motive behind a thank-you gift already makes it ingenuine.
Ayame: ...Well- Sui, you're always only thinking about others. It's fine even if you think about yourself a little and be selfish.
Sui looks surprised at Ayame's remark.
Sui: No, not really. I'm totally being selfish.
Ayame: ?
Sui: You see, I said to him during the summer festival that I wanted for both of them to get along well. That's my own selfish feelings.
Ayame looks at Sui, then suddenly says, "...Sui, I want to concentrate a little and carefully select my goods, so sit on that bench and wait for me, okay? (Be right back.)"
Sui is confused, but lets him leave, thinking that he's quick.
While waiting, Sui thinks to herself, '...Hah. I really need to reflect on myself. For a moment there I was going to buy it as a present. What on earth was I getting carried away for...?'
She looks downwards at her feet. Then, she notices Ayame's shoes. He's returned.
Ayame: Thanks for waiting. I'll sit, too.
Sui: That was fast. You bought them? The stuff you wanted?
Ayame: Yup.
Ayame: The accessory, acrylic stand and clear file of Rika in collaboration with Thorn Rabbit - I got them all! ✨
Sui: Heh- Rika and Thorn Rabbit had a collaboration, huh.
(Thorn Rabbit is a widely liked rabbit character who always looks peeved.)
Ayame (handing Sui a paper bag): Yes. Also, here. This is for Sui.
Sui: Eh? What, so suddenly... (Thank you...)
Ayame: It's fine, so open and see. Quick!
Sui: Eh? Okay. You don't have to be in such a hurry...
When Sui opens the paper bag, she finds a Mochi soft toy. It's holding a flower.
Sui (exclaiming): It's Mochi! Eh- What's this, it's too adorable. It looks so much like Mochi. (It's even holding a flower.)
Ayame: Right? Your collection of Mochi goods has increased yet again.
Sui (trembling with happiness): Yes. Thank you, Ayame... Ah, I'll return you the money...
Ayame: You feeling better?
Sui looks at Ayame with a surprised expression, while Ayame stares back.
Turning away from Ayame's gaze to look at the Mochi soft toy, Sui narrates: So it was like that...
Sui: ...Not really. I've always been fine.
Ayame: Liar. (You were looking down just now.)
Sui: Anyway! You say that I'm always only thinking of other people, but Ayame, you're the same!
Ayame: Eh?
Sui: I'm always receiving things from others, yet unable to reciprocate.
Ayame looks at Sui, who looks disappointed in herself.
Ayame: Nope, you're mistaken. I'm just doing things for myself and selfishly doing whatever I like.
Sui: Eh?
Ayame: Even though I do have the intention of making Sui happy and to feel better too. All of it has a direct connection to my ulterior motive! (Just like what Sui said earlier!!)
Sui: Hah?
Ayame: You said that you can't reciprocate; Well, if you could fall for me, it would make me happy, but I know that it's not that simple. I'm really just doing whatever I feel like doing, that's all.
Sui looks touched as she processes Ayame's words. Ayame brings out another Mochi soft toy that looks exactly like the one Sui is holding.
Ayame: By the way, because of my ulterior motive, I bought this as a matching set! (I'm going to put this in my room!)
Sui: ...Pfft, what's with that, that's so silly!
Sui laughs and Ayame looks charmed by her smile.
Sui: I wasn't smiling.
Sui narrates that she's once again been saved by Ayame.
It's now the 15th of August - Midori's birthday. In the Sanae household, Momo calls out to Sui to inform that she's heading out.
Sui: Onee-chan, itterasshai! (Have a safe trip!)
Momo: Yeah.
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