The Top Idol Next Door Can't Help But Crave My Guilty Pleasure Meals-Chapter 7Volume 2 .4 - Suzufumi no Bāka ②
ROUND 7 – Suzufumi no Bāka ② 4
“From the next day, Ruru-san wouldn’t just say, 『Good morning』 whenever she entered the studio. She’d come over and hug me. It was so sudden that everyone else was taken aback at first, and I was surprised too. But Ruru-san must have been trying hard to reach out to me. Eventually, it became the norm, and Ruru-san looked like she was about to cry when I hugged her back one day.”
The first day I met Emoto-san in the apartment, I was taken aback by her passionate hug.
I guess it wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment thing, it was the embodiment of the trust they had built.
“Having an ally is really reassuring. Because Ruru-san was there watching over me, I was able to pursue what I wanted to do. Thanks to my ‘older sister’, I’ve made it this far.”
Honestly, I had thought the sisterly relationship between Emoto-san and Yuzuki was unbalanced at first. But it seemed that Yuzuki cherished her older sister just as much.
“We used to hang out almost every week. Karaoke, cat cafes, bowling… we spent time together in various places and even got matching nails once. She also took me to delicious places in Tokyo… though, being a junior high schooler, it was mostly chain restaurants. I remember the Japanese restaurant we went to just before our debut. It was so good. That was also when she told me to stop using formal language outside of work. It’s nostalgic, our little pep rally just for the two of us.”
Looking back on the past three years, Yuzuki’s expression was cheerful, without a hint of gloom.
“If Emoto-san means that much to you, maybe it’s time to let bygones be bygones…”
“That’s a different matter!”
Yuzuki then covered her head with the futon, and like a squirrel peeking out of its burrow, she timidly showed her face.
“…I don’t understand myself. Why I’m still dragging this out. I can’t seem to come to terms with my feelings no matter how much time passes. Every time I think back to the day we fought, I start to dislike myself for being so petty.”
Yuzuki must have long accepted that Emoto-san’s misdeeds were not intentional. She just didn’t know how to forgive her.
I let out a smile.
“Yuzuki, you really love Emoto-san, don’t you?”
“…Why does it turn into something like that?”
“I’m jealous of Emoto-san. You wouldn’t get that angry with me, would you? It’s proof that you trust your older sister enough to prioritize your emotions over your reason.”
“…”
Facing Yuzuki’s puzzled look, I decided to convey my thoughts to her honestly.
“If it hadn’t been Emoto-san who messed up in the traditional etiquette room, but instead a school sensei or a classmate, wouldn’t you have just smoothed things over with your usual idol mode?”
“That… I wonder I would have…”
Looking at Yuzuki’s anxious gaze, I pondered.
How could I encourage Yuzuki to be true to her feelings?
No one wants to face or admit their weaknesses.
But without acknowledging them, you can’t move forward. After all, the only one who can confront you is yourself.
It takes courage to put your feelings into words.
That’s why I decided to break a vow I had made to myself, to give Yuzuki even a little push.
“…Ah, Suzufumi?”
I placed my right hand over Yuzuki’s left hand.
Not a handshake, not just a pinky, but a firm handhold.
“…If it were that easy to come to terms with, you wouldn’t have a hard time. But with people we love, it’s not all about liking everything about them. That’s just how it is. Knowing that, it becomes even tougher when we find it hard to forgive them for certain things.”
Even if I could empathize with the frustration Yuzuki was carrying, I could never truly understand it. Because I haven’t shared the “everyday life” with Emoto-san like she has.
“But you don’t need to deceive yourself about your feelings. No matter how much you try to cover it up with lies, the lies never disappear. You don’t have to lie to your own feelings.”
Yuzuki’s fingers started to pull away for a moment, but then they laid back over my hand.
“It’s okay. I’m right here listening to you.”
I repeated “it’s okay” over and over again.
Eventually, Yuzuki took a small breath.
“…It’s infuriating.”
The grip on my hand grew stronger.
“I can’t forgive her for roughly handling the meal that Suzufumi made for me.”
“I see.”
“I wish she wouldn’t meddle in my personal life. It’s my business who I spend time with and what I do.”
“That might be true.”
“Also, the hugs are getting stronger each year, and honestly, it’s becoming a bit suffocating.”
“She’s quite passionate, huh?”
“…But still, I like it.”
As each dark emotion is removed one by one, a faint light begins to shine through from within.
“I don’t want things to stay this way forever. I want to laugh with Ruru-san again… I want to make up with ehr.”
I gripped her trembling hand tightly.
“Then, all that’s left is to tell the person directly.”
“…Yeah.”
Yuzuki narrowed her eyes as if relieved.
After a while, she tapped the back of my hand with her index finger.
“Hey, Suzufumi.”
“Hm?”
“…Is it okay if I just sleep like this today?”
“Sure. Hold on as long as you like.”
“Then, I won’t hold back.”
Yuzuki snuggles even closer to me.
Then she lets go of my hand for a moment and slides her fingers between mine.
“I like this way better.”
Yuzuki’s fingertips caress the back of my hand, feeling it over and over again.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
“…Is this also one of your usual idol moves?”
“No, it’s just what I want to do right now.”
I’m sure the innocent smile in front of me is different from the one she wears on stage.
The untouchable unreachable idol isn’t here.
“Suzufumi, are you happy?”
“…Yeah, I’m happy.”
“Me too.”
With those words, Yuzuki dives under the covers.
Her expression is no longer visible.
I wish the sound of my pounding heart could reach her.
Eventually, we both fall into a deep sleep. Only our breathing quietly resonates in the room.
☆ ☆ ☆
