Onee-chan no Midori-kun 18
Sui and Midori stare at each other in surprise.
Sui: Mochi...!
Midori: Right, what happened to Mochi?
Sui: I wasn't paying attention, so Mochi ended up stepping on glass...
Midori looks at Sui and notices how her arms (which are holding Mochi) are trembling. He tells her, "Let's go by car to the vet clinic that I'm working at. It'll be okay."
Sui: O-okay...!
Midori (speaking to Mochi): Mochi, bear with it a little, okay?
Mochi: *whine* 💕
Sui notices that her trembling has stopped.
Later, at the vet clinic, Mochi's injured paw has been nicely bandaged up.
Midori: It was just a small cut, so I believe it will heal in a few days.
Sui: Thank goodness, Mochi...!
Midori: For this, there's no need for antibiotics, but make sure that Mochi doesn't lick the wound. That should be all. Is there anything else, doctor?
Doctor: No issues.
Sui: Thank you so much...! Midori-kun too, you really helped me there. Thank you.
Midori: It's nothing-
Doctor: The only ones who can protect Mochi-chan are its family, so do be more careful next time. (It's your responsibility.)
Sui: ! Yes...! I'm really sorry, Mochi. (I definitely won't be negligent...!!)
Doctor: Oh, right, Yukishiro. Were there any issues with Tanaka-san and their dog Rikimaru-kun during the regular check up?
Midori: No problems. Rikimaru-kun was healthy and well today, too. (Tanaka-san as well, of course 😄)
Doctor: I see, he's still so youthful. huh.
Midori (checking his phone): Ah, for the next appointment...
Sui watches Midori.
Doctor: Ah, Sanae-san, you can go back now. Everything's done here.
Sui: Ah- okay...! Thank you so much for today! (Please excuse me for intruding...!)
Doctor: Sure thing. Take care.
Midori: Sui-chan, I'm glad you look well.
Sui looks a little moved. Then, she remembers something and snaps back to attention.
Sui: Well, I'm actually feeling down in the dumps seeing Mochi like this, though.
Midori: Okay, okay- Don't blame yourself anymore.
Sui: Midori-kun too!
Midori looks a little surprised and confused.
Sui: All right then, thank you for your time...!
Sui closes the door behind her. Midori and the doctor stare after her.
Doctor: ? Yukishiro, what are you blaming yourself about?
Midori: ...Ah- No. She probably meant that it's good how I look well too.
Now outside the clinic, Sui thinks to herself, 'No way, no way, no way, I- I ran into him! I met Midori-kun! I only realized it and felt surprised after calming down from knowing that Mochi was all right... Who would've known that we'd meet again in this manner...'
Sui thinks back to how Midori looked and how she said to him, "Midori-kun too!"
She narrates: I said it in that manner without thinking about it, but it's really a relief; he looks well.
After a short pause, Sui thinks to herself, '...No, I mean, somehow that kinda felt like a storm suddenly passed through... I was able to behave normally, right?'
On another day, at evening time, Sui presses the doorbell to someone's house. Momo answers the door, going, "Good job at your part-time job, Sui."
Sui: Hiya. I brought cake over for you today, too.
Momo: Thank you- Even though you brought over the cream puffs just the other day. I ought to visit your boss and give them my thanks next time. And check out your workplace, too ❤
Sui: Geh- No, it's fine even if you...
Sui's reply is covered by the television sounds. "Kazuya...!" "Miwa!"
Sui: Ah, it's the new season of Kazuya and Miwa. It started airing today. (The Marriage Blues arc.)
Momo: Yup. The first episode just ended.
Sui: Oh- The ending credits song is nice...
Sui's eyes widen when she sees Momo's name being credited as Director. "Ah! Onee-chan, your name...!"
Sui: Director, eh- (That's so cool-)
Momo: Though it's just the lowest, most amateur type.
Sui: Ah, but isn't it amazing? To become director of the new season of this drama that you like so much? (You were Assistant Director before!) I don't know much about your job, but I thought that this was expected of you, onee-chan. You've been working so hard at your job for the past 3 years, after all.
Momo (hugging Sui and nuzzling her face against Sui's): Ah- Geez, you're so adorable as usual, our lovely Sui-chan~ I'm blushing~
Sui: Stop it-
Momo: ...Well, nonetheless, I was able to give it my all, because Midori gave me the choice of breaking up.
Sui looks at her sister, then looks down.
Sui: I met Midori-kun a few days ago.
Momo (eyes widened in surprise): Eh?! What? Where?!
Sui: It happened by chance when I was out taking Mochi for a walk. (It seems like he found work at a clinic around the area where I go for walks.)
Momo: Ah-! (What a coincidence!)
Sui: ...That person has become a vet, you know. (And he unexpectedly helped me...)
Momo (looking glad and relieved): I see. Midori's a vet, huh. I see, I see- That's great. Seems like we're both doing well.
Sui: ...Say, onee-chan.
Sui: Have you thought about wanting to meet that person again? I mean! Even though you're still busy now, you're much more used to the work as compared to before. You're also more relaxed emotionally; if it's now, won't you want to get back together? Somehow, I was just wondering-
Momo: ...Ah- Nope, I don't think so.
Sui (stunned): Eh? So easily...!
Momo (smiling cheerfully): I mean, did you think I'd be that indecisive? I won't be able to face Midori-kun like that.
Sui stares at Momo in surprise and wonder.
Momo elaborates, "Well, it's been a long time, so I do think I want to see him, but it's not something I could have said in the first place."
After a pause, Momo continues, "...Making that kind of decision was no mean feat, yet until the end, he gave me the option. Towards Midori, I have only gratitude."
Momo gives Sui a small smile.
Upon seeing Momo's expression, Sui goes, "...I see. You're really cool, onee-chan." 😗
Momo (heart squeezes): Eh, what's this? Are you being meek?
Sui: Not really. I was just saying what I thought.
Momo: Alright! Stay over today, Sui! Let's have a bath together, it's been a long time!
Sui: I can't, I have classes in the morning tomorrow, so I'm going back home now. (I was just stopping by to pass you the cake.)
Sui narrates: Onee-chan is amazing. She's keeping Midori-kun dearly in her heart while moving forward without looking back. On the other hand, I can't make heads or tails of my own feelings.
On another day at the bakery, Nao approaches Sui.
Nao: Sui-chan, could you please make a delivery for us?
Sui: A delivery?
Nao: It's a shop that sells our cakes. They're a cafe in the day, a restaurant and bar in the evening. Their cakes sold out during the day, so they ordered more to replenish their stock for the evening.
Sui: I see. Understood 👍
Nao: Thank you. You can clock off for the day after you complete the delivery. (I'll send you the address of the place via LINE.)
Sui: I will make sure it is done. ✨ (She works from 1pm to 6pm on days she doesn't have lessons.)
Later, on the way to make the delivery, Sui sees the address of the store and thinks to herself that it's near to her high school.
Upon arriving at the location, Sui goes, '...Hm? This is Midori-kun's uncle's shop...!! Wait a minute, what's been happening recently...?! This kind of coincidence is too scary...'
The door to the restaurant opens.
Sui turns to see, and realizes that it's Midori. She screams in her head, 'Eh?!!'
Sui: Why are you here?!
Midori: Eh? Um, I finished with my work today in the evening so I'm here to have dinner... and I realized I left my phone in the car, so I came out to get it... That said, Sui-chan, what about you?
Sui: I'm working part-time and am here to make a cake delivery...
Midori: ...
Sui: ......Th-then, I'll leave after delivering the cake...
There's a loud stomach rumbling sound, which catches the attention of both Sui and Midori. Sui panics and clutches her belly, thinking, 'My tummy----!!!'
Someone sniggers to their female friend, "Pfft, that was a loud noise. (Could hear it even from here.)"
Sui overhears their sniggering and thinks to herself, 'T-this is the worst...'
However, Midori clutches his tummy and goes, "Ah, sorry- I'm hungry ❤"
Midori says, "Hey, Sui-chan. It's lonesome eating on my own, so won't you accompany me for a bit?"
A while later, both of them are seated in Haru's restaurant.
Haru: It's really been a long time, eh, Sui-chan.
Sui: Ah- yes.
Haru: Take your time, alright? (Thanks for the cake, too.)
Sui thinks to herself, 'He hasn't changed a bit in the past 3 years... (Is he ageless...?)'
Midori: Man- Really, our instances of encountering each other has been incredible lately. It's as if the past 3 years of not seeing each other was a lie.
Sui: It's true. (It's scary.)
Midori: But anyway, thank you for accompanying me. This kind of coincidence doesn't happen very often, after all.
Midori adds, "I wanted to take my time to catch up with Sui-chan."
Sui blushes a little at Midori's words. She thinks, '...Liar. I know. You invited me to eat together so as not to make me feel embarrassed about earlier.'
Midori then asks, "Ah, speaking of which, I'd been wondering about it since before, but you don't do them anymore? Your bunny ears."
He bunches up his hair with his hands, gesturing about Sui's twin pigtails.
Sui screams in her head, 'Too cute!', but answers, "There's no way I would. I'm already a college student, you know."
Midori: Eh! Ah, that's right, Sui-chan is already in college... (this uncle is surprised!)
Sui (flips hair): That's right. This December, I'll be 19 years old. I'm basically an adult already...
Sui gasps. She thinks, 'Oh no! Talking like this is going to make him call me a kid again-'
However, to Sui's surprise, Midori answers, "Yeah. You've really matured."
Sui: ! Dum- No-
Midori (sighing): Nonetheless, I see. It's kinda lonely not getting to see bunny Sui anymore.
Sui (holding her hair shyly): E-even if you flatter me like that, I'm not going to give in.
Looking at Sui holding her hair, Midori is reminded of how Sui used to do that too, when she was in high school.
Midori: ...Pfft, hahaha!
Sui: ?! Wh-what?! (Laughing all of a sudden...!!)
Midori: Ah- No, I was just thinking that even though you've matured and stopped doing your bunny ears, Sui-chan is still Sui-chan after all.
Sui looks at Midori in surprise.
Sui: Hah? Eh- What? Are you making fun of me again?
Midori: No, no. It's great, Sui-chan's habit when being shy ❤
Sui: Hah? What habit?
Midori: Eh, you're not aware?
Sui: No, so what is it?
Sui narrates: ...Ah, somehow, this feels so nostalgic. Before this, there were so many things happening that I was completely lost, but thank goodness.
Midori then asks, "Ah, speaking of which, is Momo well?"
Comments