Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.
Title: Here’s a present, Yuunagi-san\n
“It’s the Sakuraba family’s special hamburger. Go ahead.”(Sakuraba)\n
Dinnertime.\nAt Aina’s suggestion, I decided to have dinner with them.\n
Lined up on the living room table was a colorful plate with a thick hamburger steak in a shining demi-glace sauce as the main course.\n
It was exceptionally nutritionally balanced, colorful, and satisfying.\nEven though I was a better cook than most people, I was still impressed with the results.\n
“Aina-chan you’re amazing!!”(Yuunagi)\n
“Thank you.”(Aina)\n
In response to my words, Aina looked a bit embarrassed, and she bashfully bowed her head.\nShe was unreasonably cute.\nAs her future sister in law, I really wanted to pat and caress her.\n
“Itadakimasu!”(Yuunagi)\n
The three of us clasped our hands together and then grabbed our fork and knives.\nI immediately tried a bite of the hamburger steak.\n
“Delicious!!”(Yuunagi)\n
“That’s good. It seems to fit your tastes.”(Aina)\n
“It really is delicious! Even though you’re a middle schooler, you’re amazing!”(Yuunagi)\n
“Because I cook frequently.”(Aina)\n
“It’s because both of our parents work. On the days neither of them are here, one of us is on duty for dinner.”(Sakuraba)\n
Sakuraba offered this explanation.\nSo that’s why their parents are gone until late today.\n
Wait?\nThat means that Sakuraba also…..\n
“Onii-san, even on the days you’re on duty, you don’t really cook much.”(Aina)\n
“No that’s……It’s because Aina makes it first.”(Sakuraba)\n
“It’s because you normally get caught up in a book or movie, and you end up not starting when you have to. If I didn’t start, then, no matter how long I waited, the food wouldn’t be ready.”(Aina)\n
“When you’re focused, you lose track of time, okay.”(Sakuraba)\n
“It’s your own fault that you forget.”(Aina)\n
When Aina firmly told him so, Sakuraba quickly fell silent.\nApparently, the younger sister Aina is stronger.\n
“…..B-, By the way Sakuraba-kun?”(Yuunagi)\n
“Hmm, what?”(Sakuraba)\n
Sakuraba turned towards me with a blank expression on his face.\nHe has a thin face, but his eyes seem to suck you in and his white skin is both cool and beautiful.\n
Maybe I see him this way because I like him.\nBut, even if that’s the case, it doesn’t matter.\nFor me, Sakuraba’s face and voice are definitely the coolest.\nAnd that’s what love is.\n
And that’s precisely why I’m so worried.\nI’m so anxious and I’m so worried, so I want to find out.\n
“To- tomorrow afternoon are you free?”(Yuunagi)\n
Tomorrow evening. I’m looking forward to it.\n
It was impossible for me to push the messages Mikura exchanged with him from my mind.\nBut I didn’t want to let Sakuraba know that I had looked at his messages.\nSo, in order to not get found out, I asked him in a roundabout way.\n
“Tomorrow evening is……I feel like I have something going on then.”(Sakuraba)\n
“Something going on?”(Yuunagi)\n
“Ummm, I wonder what it was….”(Sakuraba)\n
“Hey, what is it!”(Yuunagi)\n
“Umm….Anyway, I’m not free. More importantly, why are you asking about that?”(Sakuraba)\n
“Ummm……no, well, no particular….”(Yuunagi)\n
“….You’re being strange. Well, it’s fine.”(Sakuraba)\n
It’s no good….I didn’t figure anything out.\nBut Sakuraba, aren’t you doing something with Mikura tomorrow evening?\nIs he hiding it? Or did he really forget about it…..\n
“….Hm?”(Yuunagi)\n
Feeling a strange gaze on me, I looked up.\nAina, who was sitting across from me, was staring directly at me.\n
Wh……What?\nWhat in the world is happening?!\n
Even when I met her gaze, she didn’t avert her eyes whatsoever.\nYet she didn’t say anything to me as I finished up the dinner, which made me feel a strange sense of pressure.\n
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“Well then, sorry for having bothered you.”(Yuunagi) [TLN: Someone help suggest a better way for me to translate Japanese formalities]\n
It was getting really dark, and it was time to go home.\nIn the end, I hadn’t managed to clear up the two uncertainties about Mikura and Aina.\n
But it was good to be together with Sakuraba.\nWe weren’t alone together for that long, but I feel like the distance between us has shortened a bit.\n
“Sorry for not being able to walk you home.”(Sakuraba)\n
“No, it’s fine. We don’t want to be seen by anyone. Thank you so much for today.”(Yuunagi)\n
“See you later. Be careful.”(Sakuraba)\n
Saying this, Sakuraba gave me a small wave.\nI smiled and waved back at him.\nWhen the door shut, I turned around and began heading home.\n
“……Haa.”(Yuunagi) [TLN: Sigh]\n
As I walked, I began to think about that issue.\n
As I thought, Mikura is definitely aiming for Sakuraba.\nPlus, she’s faster than I thought she would be.\nIt’s crazy to think that she already has something planned with Sakuraba……\n
And on top of that it’s in the evening!\nThe evening!\nI don’t like that!\nAt least make it at noon!\nNoon isn’t fine either though!\n
“Shizuno-san.”(Aina)\n
As I was feeling really troubled, I heard a familiar voice coming from behind me.\nWhen I turned around, I saw Aina, who I had just left a few moments ago, rushing up to me.\n
“It’s good that I managed to catch up to you.”(Aina)\n
“Aina-chan, what’s wrong?”(Yuunagi)\n
“You forgot this.”(Aina)\n
Saying this, Aina took out and handed me a handkerchief that should have been in my pocket.\nIt seems that, while I was having dinner, I must have put it on the table and then just left it there.\n
“You came all this way just to give that to me? Thank you….!”(Yuunagi)\n
“No, don’t worry about it.”(Aina)\n
I took the handkerchief from Aina and put it into my bag.\nI feel guilty for having her bring this to me in the middle of the night.\n
“Shizuno-san.”(Aina)\n
“Hm, what’s wrong?”(Yuunagi)\n
“Do you like my brother?”(Aina)\n
“Huh?! …….Um…..That.”(Yuunagi)\n
Aina asked me something surprising and then smiled a little.\nI had no idea that the sister of the incredibly dense Sakuraba was so perceptive…..!\n
“But you aren’t dating yet, right?”(Aina)\n
“Um….yeah, well, that’s true….”(Yuunagi)\n
Sorry Aina!\nSomeday I’ll properly tell you about it…..!\n
“It’d be better for you to be on guard since Onii-san is surprisingly popular. On top of that, there’s the way that he behaves too.”(Aina)\n
“……That’s true. Yeah….I’m in the middle of a crazy battle right now.”(Yuunagi)\n
“Battle…..So there are people that can compete against you, Shizuno-san.”(Aina)\n
“….To be honest, I’m in a bit of a pinch.”(Yuunagi)\n
“I’m rooting for you, I really am. Because I like you.”(Aina)\n
Kyuuuuun!\nAina…….what a good girl!\nI want her to be my sister!\n
“Thank you! I’ll try my best!”(Yuunagi)\n
“Yes. Then why don’t we exchange our contact information?”(Aina)\n
“Is that okay?! Let’s do it, let’s do it!”(Yuunagi)\n
Both of us took out our smartphones and exchanged our contact information.\nWith this, I can send Aina messages anytime.\nShe’s a fairly reassuring ally.\n
“Then please be careful.”(Aina)\n
“Okay! Thank you so much! See you later!”(Yuunagi)\n
After parting from Aina, I once again began heading home.\nI feel lighter on my feet than I did before.\n
Something like getting supported by his younger sister– this is more than substantial approval from his family!\n
“Puron”[TLN: Phone sfx]\n
“Huh?”(Yuunagi)\n
A notification sounded from the smartphone that I had just put away.\nI wonder who it is…\n
When I looked at the screen, I saw that it was a message from Aina.\n
Aina-chan has sent you a picture [TLN: I swear there is a chan there. Yuunagi added Aina to her contacts with a chan lmao]\nA picture……?\n
I unlocked my smartphone and opened the chat screen.\nAnd what was there was…..\n
“This-, This is……!!”(Yuunagi)\n
Aina-chan: As a sign of our closeness, here’s a picture of Onii-san. It’s from last year when he wore a yukata.\n
“Kyaaaaa!!”(Yuunagi) \n
On my screen, a pinned photo of Sakuraba wearing a dark-blue yukata and making a moody expression was displayed. \n
Clicking the fastest I had in my whole life, I saved the picture to a folder.\n
Thank you, Aina…..!!\nWith this, I, Yuunagi Shizuno, will be able to continue to do my best!!\n
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TLN: Thought about it and tbh though I have the first chapter of another webnovel series done I’m not going to release it until I’m done with this series. I feel like if I do that I’ll stretch myself too thin and then updates for everything will be slow. Instead, imma try to increase speed I translate this(2-3 updates a week hopium). Might take a LN up on the side though, since I don’t think people will care as much if I’m slow with that.\n