CH 74

Translator: AJ1703

Editor: Matsu

“Ah no… I’m the one who’s responsible for ruining the atmosphere…”

After Yō apologized first, Marin bowed her head apologetically and said she was sorry.

The aura of displeasure that had been emanating from her whole body earlier had disappeared.

“No, Akimi did nothing wrong after all. I’m sorry, even though you were looking forward to it.”

Yō knew full well that Marin was not at fault this time.

So he told Marin in a gentle voice so that she wouldn’t blame herself.

Then Marin looked up at Yō’s face and her eyes began to moisten. 

“O-Oi, you didn’t have to cry…”

“Ah, n-no… this is nothing, really…”

She tried to speak, but she couldn’t get any more words out.

In the meantime, tears were welling up in her eyes, and they gradually began to overflow.

Why can’t she stop crying― she can’t control the situation and she doesn’t know what to do.

“…………”

As Marin began to wipe her eyes, Yō placed his hand on Marin’s head.

Then he began to slowly and gently stroke her head.

“…Gosh, that kind of thing… is not good…”

When Yō stroked her head, Marin warned him about stroking a girl’s head, but his expression was softer than the thoughtful look he had just given her.

She seemed relieved― and somewhat pleased, to be at the mercy of Yō’s hands.

In fact, she began to press her head against Yō’s hand, whether she was aware of it or not.

Yō was relieved that his half-reflexive action had worked, as Marin looked like a cat with a pleasant expression on her face.

“If you don’t like it, you can run away.”

“…You’re such a tease, as always.”

Marin replied to Yō’s words in a frustrated tone, but her expression remained strangely smiling.

She did not run away, of course, but was left at Yō’s mercy.

Even though it was on a train, the atmosphere here was like a different space.

“―Wow, you’re still so oblivious to your surroundings.”

Nagisa, who had taken a seat and was watching Yō and the others from a distance, couldn’t help but let out a sigh of surprise.

Seeing her friends as if they were in a world of their own, she was truly glad that she was far away from them.

It was early in the morning in the rural area, so there were hardly any people in the car, but it was not completely empty.

The two of them are currently attracting the attention of everyone in the car, but they don’t seem to mind, which is quite amazing.

“―So what are you going to do now?”

This time, Nagisa called out to her former friend, who was sitting diagonally in front of her, staring at Yō and the others.

Kasumi, who was currently radiating an aura of jealousy all over her body, turned her attention to Nagisa when she was called out.

“I can’t afford to lose my temper right now.”

“You’re scaring me.”

Nagisa immediately understood how bad the situation was for Kasumi, as she didn’t want to be provoked, but rather warned her.

In short, Kasumi was trying to tell her that if she tried to pick a fight with her now, there was no telling what she might do.

Nagisa knew that if she really tried to fight, she would not be defeated, but even if she knew that, the power of Kasumi’s words almost overwhelmed her.

However, she had expected this situation and tried to do what she had to do.

“The situation was self-inflicted to begin with, right? Didn’t you come here today to make some kind of deal with Yō-kun?”

Nagisa had only known Yō for a short time compared to Kasumi, but she still understood what kind of person Yō was.

Yō appeared to be an unmotivated and irresponsible man, but Nagisa believed that he was actually a very calculating man who was willing to do anything for the people he favored.

Nagisa thinks that Yō would never take a monkey out in front of a dog without any preparation.

“Shut up.”

Nagisa pointed out, and Kasumi turned her gaze out the window in a bad mood.

Nagisa was convinced that she was right, so she decided to go further.

“You even went to the trouble of dressing like that. You didn’t really dress like that for Yō-kun, but for Marin-chan, did you?”

“What’s this, you’re still going to do it after Akimi-san got mad at you?”

When Nagisa mentioned that Kasumi was dressed like a secretary, Kasumi gave Nagisa a very sullen look.