LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 34 - The Reason for Tears?
Misuzu looked at me with a face about to cry.
Do you accept her as a companion?
▶ Yes
“I would never abandon you. Misuzu, you’re an explorer too. You’ll join my guild, right? I just wanted to check on your plans.”
“Senior!”
Misuzu, on the verge of tears, hugged me. Lately, she’s been doing that a lot.
Abandoned by her parents, Misuzu craved affection. So, Kenya, even for a short time in this shared life, had resolved to protect her like a brother.
“For now, let’s go to sleep. We’ll think about the future later. The real estate agent will show us properties this Saturday, so why don’t you come along?”
“I will!” “Me too!”
“Kenya, should I go too?”
“Since it’ll be the guild’s headquarters, you should come, Reina.”
“Understood.”
The four of us planned to meet after school tomorrow to look at the new guild headquarters and living space.
“So, I’ll sleep here tonight. The three of you use the room.”
Kenya left the room and laid out a futon in the hallway between the entrance and the living room.
“Senior, you can sleep with me if you want to sleep here.”
“I don’t mind sharing a futon with my brother again.”
“I don’t mind sharing a futon either.”
“I mind! Good night!”
Kenya quickly left the room. The head of the household sleeping in the hallway—what a situation. But he wouldn’t be able to rest in the other room with his crush sleeping beside him.
“Good night, Senior.”
“Good night, big brother.”
“Good night, Kenya.”
As I crawled into my futon, the three of them also laid out their futons and started preparing for bed. I could hear their girl talk through the thin door.
“Hey, Reina, do you have a boyfriend?”
“I don’t. I don’t really understand those feelings.”
(Yes!)
I did a fist pump under the futon. Reina didn’t have a boyfriend. It wasn’t unexpected.
“What a waste, being so beautiful! But you can’t have Senior, okay?”
“Why not?”
“Just because!”
“Okay, I understand.”
(She understood!)
My triumphant fist pump lost its vigor. Why did my sister have to deny me too?
“Do you two have boyfriends?”
“No!”
“Neither do I.”
“But maybe I like someone. Maybe!”
Misuzu emphasized the “maybe,” as if wanting someone to hear.
Their idle girl talk went on as the night deepened. The laughter of two and the voice of one filled the quiet night. Tonight, I was a side character, sleeping in the hallway.
The floor was cold and hard, making it difficult to sleep. I needed to find a new house soon.
…
At some point, I fell asleep. The sunlight streaming through the window burned my face, insisting it was morning. Without curtains on the entrance window, I couldn’t shield myself from the light and woke up. Fully awake, I washed my face and checked on the room where everyone was sleeping.
The three of them were sleeping in a “river” formation. Even now, I couldn’t believe it. A top model and a hero, Reina, was sleeping in my room.
Despite knowing I shouldn’t, I felt an urge to see her sleeping face. I imagined it would be beautiful and peeked at Reina’s face.
Unable to resist, I looked at Reina’s face. I almost let out a sound, but stifled it.
(She’s crying?!)
Reina was shedding tears. Was she dreaming, seeking help? She wore such an expression while crying. Even her long hair couldn’t hide it.
I couldn’t forget that expression. Nor the words she mumbled in her sleep.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
…
“What was that about, those tears, and saying ‘sorry’…”
Sitting at my desk in the classroom, I muttered while watching Reina, surrounded by classmates. Was there a reason, or was it just a physiological reaction like yawning?
The school bell rang. Reina was still surrounded by a crowd.
In contrast, no one was around me. Mostly because of Sato, I hadn’t made any friends.
“Alright, let’s go to the dungeon today. I want to see what my next evolution will be.”
Today was another uneventful high school day. Thinking that, I stood up and started to leave.
But my peaceful, mundane life ended when she walked through the crowd like Moses parting the sea and spoke to me.
“Kenya, are you leaving? Please go home with me. I haven’t memorized the way to your house yet.”
“Huh?”
A strange sound escaped my mouth.
“Huh?”
The crowd echoed my confusion.
Reina tilted her head in puzzlement and dropped another bombshell.
“I thought you gave me permission to sleep with you yesterday.”
“Huh?!”
The crowd erupted in confusion.