“How’s Ayato?”
“Still dragging. Not great.”
”…I see.”
She felt responsible for his low mood. Complicated for her. She isn’t romantically interested in him but does care — she only scolds and worries about people she’s not indifferent to.
“What about Suzuno? Big bro muttered he’d done something bad to her recently.”
“Something did happen, looks like. They fought — Suzuno came home looking near-tears.”
“My brother’s usually kind to her at minimum.”
(He’s arrogant with me but he’s normally gentle with Suzuno. Curious what happened.)
“If we step in we might make it worse.”
“Best to watch.”
“Yeah — hope they sort it themselves.”
We continued through the mall — clothes, cosmetics — looking like a couple on a date.
(I’m still on hold on Kano’s confession but I’ll have an answer before break ends. Have to. The what is the difference between my Suzuno-feelings and Kano-feelings needs to be nailed before I can answer fairly.)
“Where to?”
“Nothing clicking yet?”
“Right — it’s from you, I’m being picky.”
“Take your time. I’ll come along until you’re satisfied.”
“Thanks — knew you’d say that.”
We landed at a bookshop. Maybe a book? I hadn’t considered.
“Anything you read recently that was great?”
”…Honestly, I’ve barely read. Mostly textbooks.”
(English, math, chem reference — not really reading.) She smirked.
“Then ero-manga is fair game — you had a few hidden when I came to wake you for Shining Sun, right?”
“Please drop that — three got confiscated and I didn’t read the one you left.”
“Aw — I let you keep the gal ero-manga out of mercy and you haven’t read it? I was looking forward to your review.”
“I would never give a girl an ero-manga review.”
(How does she always loop back to that?) Topic change attempt.
“What books do you recommend?”
“Plenty — but this one specifically for you.”
She pointed to the Akahon (past-exam-papers) section. Right — appropriate near-future need.
To get into Sahoda I’d have to wear these out. Top-tier private — that hard.
“If you get in straight, we share two years of college life — please succeed.”
“Now me-getting-into-Sahoda is also a baseline?”
“Of course. I believe in Yuito.”
(Massive pressure. Will have to study hard next year.) We finished the bookshop without finding anything special.
“Books are great but a birthday gift needs more weight.”
“Felt a little weak as one.”
“I’ll buy them myself.”
“That works.”
We left.
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