FTL/TLC: Alisa
Editor: Kakarotto (aka G-String), verycreativeusername
Note: Alisa bought the official volume on Bookwalker JP and translated directly as a raw reader. Kakarotto (aka G-String) and verycreativeusername made final edits and checked for any irregularities in sentences.
Shout out to our beta readers.
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***Part 1***
On my way home from visiting Yamazaki-kun’s house with Yua, we stopped at a large bookstore nearby.
As I thought, we got taken away but I guess that was to be expected.
Although there was a good reason that I was asked by Kurasen, it was also in my interest to comply.
From his perspective, I showed up at his place, a man-slut shithead he naturally didn’t like, bringing a cute girl with me so I could score points with her. I tried to find out the truth, but in the end, all I did was rile him up.
No doubt even now, he must be fuming about popular kids and how much they sucked.
That’s why I, who wasn’t even his friend or anything, had decided to find out more about his personal life and have a heart-to-heart talk with him. To that end, the very least I could do was try to read those light novels he had just mentioned.
“Thanks for coming along.”
Yua blushed a little when I said that, looking slightly flustered.
“I don’t mind at all. But I can barely remember the titles of the books Yamazaki-kun mentioned, so I may not be of much help.”
“Oh yeah. I think I only managed to memorize around half of them myself.”
“I’m surprised you can remember half of them with him speaking that fast.”
“Well, I decided to read them as soon as he started listing the titles, so I listened intently to the second half.”
Because the titles of the books were quite different from the ones I usually read, they stuck in my mind. Still, I could only recite one or two from memory. In front of the light novel section of the bookstore, I scanned the spines to see which titles sounded familiar.
Yua giggled lightly.
“This kind of thing… it’s just classic Saku-kun.”
“I think you’re referring to my awesome information retention skills here, which are at odds with my handsome face and prowess with the ladies?”
“And that, right there… that’s also classic Saku-kun.”
I felt like she was exposing me here. Feeling a little embarrassed, I refocused my attention on the bookshelf in front of me.
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***Part 2***
In the end, we only managed to find four of the light novel series Kenta had mentioned in the bookstore.
However, because these light novels were all long-running series with several volumes, the paper bag was filled with nearly twenty books.
Since I had already made up my mind, I couldn’t exactly go back on my word now, but there were still six more series Kenta had mentioned and I was running up quite an expensive bill here.
As I struggled my way through my hazy memory, it had already become dark outside.
“Yua, let me walk you home.”
“Thanks, but I’m actually feeling a bit tired right now.”
Well, that was expected.
“Shall we stop somewhere for a drink?”
“Sure!”
I suggested it casually, but Fukui was not a town where there were cafes everywhere where you could sit down and have a drink.
We bought drinks for two at the convenience store and sat on the nearby riverbank.
I realized once again that it was already spring.
In the sparse glow of the streetlights, the unlit cherry blossoms floated above like pink clouds. The night breeze, which was still carrying the last traces of the winter cold, felt pleasant against my skin.
“Hey, Saku-kun….” Yua spoke, holding a hot hojicha latte with both hands. “What do you think of Yamazaki-kun?”
I sipped my iced latte and then answered.
“I think he’s a pure-minded guy.”
“Pure-minded?”
“You’ve seen me get roasted, right? So you probably know this, but people aren’t always nice to others. Someone you thought was nice might be bad-mouthing you behind your back. That happens more than you think.”
In fact, something that was supposed to be confidential had a way of finding itself posted on the anonymous school forum. That was quite depressing.
“I’m aware it happens to me a lot, but don’t most high school students have at least one or two experiences like that?”
“Hmm, I guess you’re right.”
Yua smiled wryly.
“Yamazaki-kun didn’t seem like the type who really knows how to talk to people. Maybe he encountered this kind of trouble for the first time at this age. That’s why he gets so defensive and aggressive towards others.”
The main risk with this kind of thing was descending into self-hate. Or when being attacked directly by someone who clearly hates you, it could make you feel like you’ve been betrayed by a friend, and that leads you to be harsh with everyone you meet after that.
Still, we barely got to talk to him, so at this stage, we could only really guess.
Yua continued in a soft voice.
“I’m amazed you have so much compassion for someone who said such mean stuff just after meeting you.”
“Well, I’m used to being bashed. But to be honest… it does sting more hearing it in person.”
I continued;
“Still, sometimes you end up getting to know someone well even though the first impression was not good. Like a certain someone.”
“I’d really prefer if you didn’t remind me of that.”
Yua blushed, and I couldn’t suppress a burst of laughter. She pouted just a little, but then she couldn’t stop herself from laughing, too.
“If..” I began. “If Yamazaki-kun comes back to school, let’s make him take back his words.”
“About the harem skank?”
“Yep, and then we’ll do a fist bump and be friends.”
“Hehe, then I’ll have to scold him, too.”
The sound of the slumbering water echoed. From somewhere, a bicycle bell rang briefly. The full moon hung in the sky, shining gently in the depths of the darkness.
Were the curtains in Yamazaki-kun’s room still drawn tightly closed? If so, what a waste when such a beautiful evening was flowing outside the window.
The paper bag filled with light novels rustled in the breeze.
I wonder what will happen next.
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Translation notes – None
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Plebian Translation 