Honest Tsundere
Tl: Bogdi
Ed: Bogdi
Toru-kun, right?”
Aino said in a beautiful voice.
Toru was surprised that she remembered his first name. Then she called him by his name, “Toru-kun,” which tickled him.
It had been quite a while since he had been called by his first name. I don’t have any family, and I don’t have any close friends. Even my childhood friend Chika doesn’t call Toru by his first name now.
I’m hugging a girl. Even if the story is that I saved a girl from falling off a step stool at a bookstore, the situation is still the same: I’m hugging her from behind.
Suddenly, Toru began to be aware of this.
It was the same for Aino. She wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“…… Let go of me.”
“I’m sorry.”
Toru hurriedly tried to move away from Aino. However, Aino who has fallen is in Toru’s arms, in a position where she leaning against Toru.
You can’t leave as it is.
Toru gently let go of Aino’s body and then gently tapped her shoulder.
It seems that Aino also realized the situation. Aino looked up at Toru, embarrassed. Toru shrugs and smiles.
“Can you stand up by yourself?”
Aino nodded, adjusted her posture and slowly separated from Toru.
She then stared at Toru.
Her blue eyes were clear and transparent.
I think she’s being careful.
She was being hugged by a man she barely knew, and I could understand why she didn’t like it.
(But it’s not my lucky day when I’m looked at with disgust instead of gratitude for my immediate help.)
After thinking about this, I fell into self-loathing. I didn’t help her because I wanted to be thanked.
I didn’t mean to sound smug or condescending, like I was glad she wasn’t hurt.
I was just going to walk away.
However, when Aino lowered her eyes, she let out a small voice as if she was gathering her courage.
“Oh, um, …… Renjo-kun.”
“What?”
“Did you help me because I was about to fall?”
Aino said in beautiful Japanese. I think I’ve heard rumors that she’s been in Japan since she was a child.
She may be Finnish in appearance and birth, but she’s a native Japanese speaker.
“Well, yes.”
Toru nodded vaguely.
It was unavoidable, but my intention was to help Aino. I couldn’t afford to leave a person who was about to get seriously injured.
Aino’s face brightened up and her eyes sparkled with happiness.
(She also has this kind of expression. ……)
Toru was a little surprised. Aino, who was full of emotion, looked very cute and lovely.
I’m not sure what to make of it. But to Toru, she was nothing more and nothing less than that.
But now, as a real, same-aged girl, she is in front of Toru.
The exact meaning of Aino’s bright expression is unknown to Toru.
But it seems that she was happy that Toru had saved her.
It seems that she doesn’t hate him at all.
However, Aino immediately changed her expression and puffed up her cheeks. Then she glared at Toru with a fierce glare.
However, her cheeks were still red.
“Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t have to ask Renjo-kun for help.”
“I don’t think so”
Involuntarily, Toru murmured so. If it had been that way, it would definitely have been a fall accident.
Toru thinks that he realized that it was just a show of strength, and that there was no point in denying it.
There is no reason to make this girl moody.
However, Aino snapped her mouth shut and fell silent.
Aino then folded her hands and wriggled, looking embarrassed.
I’m out of tune.
I didn’t mean to get involved.
A warning sound goes off in my head.
If I get any further involved with this girl, I’m going to be in big trouble. I don’t have any reason to believe it, but my intuition tells me so.
And yet, when Aino glanced at the bookshelf, what came out of Toru’s mouth were words that even he hadn’t expected.
“If there are any books you need, do you want me to take them?”
“What?”
Aino tilted her head in confusion.
“If I’m tall enough, I can probably reach it using a step ladder.”
Toru said so.
It’s not good if Aino overreaches and the same thing happens again.
I could call the clerk, but it would be faster I took it.
I make such an excuse in my heart.
If it’s true, I should just walk away.
It would hurt me if she refused to mind her own business, and I would hate it even more if she thought I had ulterior motives.
Then why am I making this suggestion?
Toru couldn’t understand it himself.
Aino stared at Toru with beautiful eyes reminiscent of sapphire jewels.
The petite girl’s face glistened with anticipation.
Toru couldn’t help but smile gently and ask, “Which book were you trying to get?” He asked.
Aino points to the top of the shelf.
“That one, ……, The Long Goodbye.”
“Chandler?”
Aino seemed to be a little surprised by Toru’s immediate answer.
Chandler is an American author of hard-boiled novels. His masterpiece is “The Long Goodbye”.
(EDN:Hard-boiled novels are detective novels, btw this book is real, you can seach it up, it’s by Raymond Chandler)
“Have you …… read it?”
” Well, yeah.
Toru is a reader in his own right, so he read it because it is a masterpiece of hard-boiled fiction. It’s also available in an easy-to-read new translation, and although it’s thick, it’s interesting and I was able to read it right away.
“I see……”
For some reason, Aino’s cheeks lit up with happiness. For Toru, it was different from the image of Aino reading such a book. He climbed up on the step stool, reached out a little, and lightly picked up the blue and white cover paperback. It was thick and hefty, but not too heavy since it was a paperback.
“Here you go, Luthi-san.”
Aino took the book with reluctance.
“It’s not that I wanted you to take ……,” she said quickly, as if to hide her embarrassment.
You don’t have to be so embarrassed.
“If that’s the case, I’ll put it back.
Toru jokingly said that, and Aino swelled her cheeks.
“Renjo-kun is mean”
“I think it is Luthi-san who is the mean one.”
Toru said calmly, but Aino trembled.
Then, she holds the paperback book in her chest and looks down.
“I’m sure you’re right, it’s ……. Oh, thank you. I really wanted you to take the book. And I’m glad you helped me …… when I was about to fall.”
It was a mess, but Aino certainly thanked him.
The appearance of squeezing courage was cute even from the perspective of Toru.
I’m sure she’s not used to saying thank you. She may be a surprisingly shy type. But when she needs it, she can speak honestly, even if she hesitates.
For a short time, Toru understood Aino a little.
Aino murmured.
“It’s …… my bad habit to act tough.”
“I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad habit.”
Aino’s blue eyes widen in surprise.
“Really?”
“If it’s necessary to protect yourself.”
Aino has been lonely in class.
She deliberately keeps a distant attitude, as if she doesn’t need help or friends.
There must be a reason for that. There is a reason behind the cold attitude.
(But I’m not going to get into that.)
I don’t think it’s an area where an unrelated stranger can step in insensitively.
Even Toru has that aspect. I don’t want others to tell me that I’m living a idle life with a superficial relationship.
And ……. I don’t want to go through what I went through with Chika again.
Aino is a special person. When I get involved with such a person, I realize that I hate my mediocrity.
So Toru decided to leave the place early.
That’s why Toru wanted to leave the place as soon as possible.
However, Aino seemed to be different. Aino mumbled to herself, “If it’s necessary to protect myself,” she said.
Apparently, she liked those words. Then, Aino giggled happily. Her golden hair swayed softly.
“Renjo-kun is …… kind.”
“Me? I’m not kind.”
“If you weren’t kind, you wouldn’t hold your classmates back or get on a stepstool and take their books.”
“That’s what everybody does.”
“I don’t know. But even if they did, Renjo-kun would ……”
Aino cut her words short and stared at Toru as if observing him.
I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know that I’m not the only one.
(What did Luthi-san try to say?)
He was curious about the rest of her words, and then Toru realized.
I’ve stayed too long.
There was nothing more Toru could do for Aino. I’ve done something out of character,but that’s over.
I don’t want to seem to be kind because I have some ulterior motives.
If you are a beautiful girl who stands out as much as Aino, there will be many such people.
Toru smiled vaguely.
“I’m glad I could help you. Well then, I’ll leave you to it.”
Aino looked puzzled.
Then she looked flustered and mumbled something small. It sounded like she was saying, “Wait,” but it was too quiet.
Toru spun around on his heels and left the place quickly.
As he left the bookstore, he realized that he hadn’t bought the book he wanted after all. After all, he had forgotten to buy the book he wanted.
Sighing, he reconsidered, “Oh well. I can stop by the bookstore tomorrow or the day after.”
All Toru had to do was to return to his peaceful and boring life.
(I’m not the type of person who would get involved with Luthi-san, The blond-haired, blue-eyed solitary goddess)
I don’t think I’ll ever get involved with Aino again.
However, Toru did not understand this girl, Aino.
He couldn’t have predicted that he would be with Aino every day after this day.
(EDN: It’s getting spicy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
