It turns out that I have a fiancee, but she is the famous "villainess" of the school. What should I do? - Episode 38

Episode 38 Interlude. Alternatively, a story about Higashi Kujo-kun simply being really joyful.

“…*yawn*… Good morning.”

“Ara~ Good morning. Fufufu~. A sleeper huh?”

“At least let me sleep in on Saturdays.”

“Yeah, I know. I always make you get up early. You deserve to take it easy at least on Saturdays. Shall I make you some coffee?”

“Mm… Thanks. I’ll have some.”

“Alright, give me a few minutes.”

Kiryu, who was reading in the living room, started brewing coffee while smiling at me, who was still groggy from sleepiness. The rich aroma of coffee which wafted through the room awakened my consciousness. 

“Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

“What about milk and sugar?”

“I’m fine with black. I want it sharp.”

“Okay. It’s impressive that you can drink black.”

“You can’t?”

“Milk and sugar are essential. I’m a tea drinker to begin with.”

“As expected, of a young lady.”

“Huh?”

“Well you have an image of a young lady drinking tea in an elegant way. I mean, they are particular about their tea leaves.”

“Well, I guess it depends on who you ask. But I’m really not that picky. I said I was a tea drinker, because I simply like it more than coffee.”

　Kiryu takes a sip from the cup in her hand. Well, now that she put it that way, I don’t think I’ve actually seen Kiryu drinking coffee.

“… Ah right, Higashi Kujo-kun.”

“Yeah?”

“What are your plans for today?”

“Today?”

Today’s plans? I don’t really have anything special to do…

“Well, I guess lazing around at home?”

“I see.”

“Oh, is there anything you need to buy? I’ll go with you if you need help with your luggage.”

“No… Oh, yeah. Speaking of baggage handlers.”

Kiryu raises the book in her hand and shows it to me. 

Oh, I see.

“Have you finished reading them all?”

“That’s right. This one is the last.”

“Is that so… Then are we—–”

Wait a minute.

“Hey, wasn’t the last time you borrowed a book, three weeks back?”

“The Tuesday the week before the last to be exact. Two weeks and four days, I believe.”

“… I thought you said you were going to read twenty books in two weeks.”

Isn’t her current pace pretty slow then? Well, it’s still fast enough, I guess. Thinking this, I looked at Kiryu’s face. There was a slightly troubled look on it.

“I know… my reading pace has been slowing down lately.”

“Really? Why? Are you sick or something?”

“No, it’s not that, it’s just that… it’s kind of a waste.”

“A ‘waste’? Oh! You mean, you don’t want to finish reading it?”

I understand. I also get deeply emotional when I read the last volume of a manga I’m collecting and think, “When I read this, that would mark the end of the story, wouldn’t it?”.  So in the end, it took me a month to finish reading the last volume.

“No it’s not that…”

“That’s not it?”

“Yeah, that’s not it… umm…”

Saying that, she fidgeted a bit.

“… I-Isn’t Higashi kujo-kun staying at home? So…U-um… I-I want us to talk alot..~”

“…”

“Of course, I love to read, right? But-but, you know? Reading is basically a solo activity, isn’t it? While I used to be fine with that… now I think it’s a waste… and it…. it feels a bit lonely doing only that now.”

Kiryu-san declares such a thing while fidgeting and dyed cheeks, with her eyes upturned.

“..I-I see! It’s an honour!”

I thought I was going to get a nosebleed.

“..Mhm. You know? I thought that my favourite thing in the world was reading. I can do it all by myself, and while I’m reading, I get excited and thrilled. I thought there is nothing I would love more than reading.–

but now I have something I like even more than that.”

“I’m more excited and thrilled when I am with you… than when I’m reading books…”

“Ah-ha-ha.”

“Fufufu..”

“…”

“…”

“…”

” Well, well! That’s not the point! Hey, Higashi Kujo-kun!　Library!　Come on!

“O-Oh! Well, I’m free! I’ll go with you!”

… What is this sweet and sour feeling? Not that I don’t want to go with her..

“A-Alright then! I’ll go change!”

Kiryu stands up as if in a panic and opens the door of the living room with great energy, and runs out of the room. I watched her back as she disappears.

“…… Have some restraint, me.”

This will only end up with me being killed socially—correction. If anything should happen to me, it’s Gonosuke-san sending me to the Sea of Trees. 

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

“We’ve arrived!”

“What can I say, after all, a book lover is a book lover.”

“I know. I still love books after all.”

I don’t feel any jealousy, but I am a little bit embarrassed at how small my heart was and I look at the library…

“Huh? Is that Todou-san?”

“Ara~, that really is her. What are you doing, Kasumi-san?”

Todo-san was squatting in front of a large flower bed next to the library and was working on something. After a bit, she stopped what she was doing, stretched out her hands with a yawn. Then her eyes met mine. 

“Oo, What do we have here? It’s Ayane-chan and her boyfriend. What is it? Another library date?”

Todo-san waved her glove-clad hand towards us while yelling those words out loud. Please stop. The stares around me are hurting me!

“Todo-san. Please give me a break.”

“Oho? What’s wrong, boyfriend? Embarrassed?”

“It’s not like I’m being shy or just embarrassed, but… you know what? I’m not really in that kind of relationship with Kiryu. So it’s kind of annoying to hear you say things like that..”

“Hmmm..”

“What is it?”

“No, why don’t you look at Ayane-chan’s face and then say the same line one more time?”

“Kiryu’s?”

What is she saying? With this in mind, I looked at Kiryu’s face and asked, ‘What’s wrong?’ and she gave me a blank look. 

“Let me see…”

“That’s not nice, Ayane-chan. You change your expression too quickly, you know?”

“What are you on about?”

“I was talking about a minute ago. Anyway, so? You’re borrowing books again today, aren’t you. I’m a little busy today, so I won’t be able to watch you guys flirt, but, well, take your time!”

“Well, I’m not going to flirt…  besides, what are you doing yourself Todou-san?”

“Hmm? Can’t you see? I’m taking care of the flowers.”

“Taking care of the flowers… Do librarians normally do that kinda thing? I don’t know much… but what about the janitorial staff?”

“Well, usually they do it. Today is my day off, so I thought I’d at least water the plants… I found one that was a little down, so I thought I’d at least give it some nutritional supplements. I was wondering about the other places too. I ended up pulling the weeds too.”

“Are you alright?”

“I simply like flowers. To me they’re second to books.”

“Is that so…”

“What’s good about them is that when you give them affection, they come back to you. Unlike humans.”

“Those words were kinda dark…”

“Hmm? Really? Well, that’s good. I’m going back then. Take your time~.”

Todo-san says so, waves her hand in the air, and goes back. Something about that last line is bugging me…

“Kasumi-san, I wonder if she’s having a tough relationship?”

“It’s the topic you’re not supposed to touch, I’m sure.”

Good luck to you, Todou-san!

“Well, let’s continue what we were gonna do, shall we?”

“… I agree. But… flowers, right? They’re nice, don’t you think? Hey, Higashi Kujo-kun?　I was wondering if we could stop by the flower shop on the way home. I thought the house was a bit drab without them.”

“I’m fine with that but…eh? Do you like flowers too?”

“I’m a girl, too. At least I have a love for flowers..”

“Oh, well, you’re right. You always recommended romance novels, didn’t you? Of course, you like flowers, too.”

“Isn’t that a little prejudiced?”

“Really?”

Besides, for some reason, the word ” young lady” has a flowery image.

“By the way, what is your favourite flower?”

“Roses.”

“…Just as I imagined.”

They say a beautiful rose has thorns. Kiryu’s covered in thorns. Still beautiful, though.

“…I hope you’re not thinking of something rude.”

“Not at all.”

“Really? Anyway, roses are purely beautiful, aren’t they?　And the language of flowers is lovely too.”

“The language of flowers?”

“Yes. The language of roses is quite unique, you see. It depends on the number of roses.”

“Heh…”

I didn’t know that. Is that true?

“It’s basically all about love.”

“Really?”

“You see it all the time, don’t you?　In movies and TV dramas, they give a rose to the bride in the proposal scene.”

“Ah, that is true.”

“Originally, it’s the flower language of one hundred and eight red roses. It means ‘marry me’”

“That’s a bit of a stretch.”

“… The origin of that part of the story is a mystery— Wait why don’t you stop talking like that? You’ re making it sound like it’s all a silly talk”

“… Yeah, that’s right. By the way, what if it was only one?”

“It could also mean love at first sight or… you’re the only one. Two mean mutual love and affection, and three mean that ‘I love you’.”

“Heeh. That’s pretty interesting.”

“There are books on the language of flowers, if you want, check them out.　It’s a good thing we’re at the library.”

“Ahh… but well, that’s as far as I’ll go. I’ll ask you if I get curious.”

“… Leave it to someone else. Well, that’s okay.”

Kiryu looks at me with a wry smile and then stares at my face.

“What is it?”

“I’m sure you’re right. I guess I’d have to go with nine. Five or… or even eight is not so bad, but… Nine it is!”

“Nine? Nine of what?”

“If I were to give you roses.”

“…It sounds pretty ominous…So what does it mean? Cursing to death?”

“You’re an idiot. How can that be? If you care, why don’t you find out for yourself?”

I watch Kiryu’s back as she leads the way, laughing happily and saying, ‘Let’s go’. Nine? Tilting my head, I pull my phone out of my pocket.

“… Eh?!”

My face becomes hot.

“…I shouldn’t have looked it up.”

I don’t know, I’m… awfully, awfully embarrassed. It’s so embarrassing..

“…Well, I don’t feel bad… though..?”

“Higashi Kujo-kun! Hurry up!

I replied ‘I’ll be right there’ to Kiryu, who waved at me at the entrance to the library, and I looked at the screen of my phone again—-Holding a bit of a warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart, I walked to the entrance of the library.

(T/N: Five roses show your love for a special someone. Eight roses signify support. And for nine roses… why don’t you look it up for yourself 😉 

Also I won’t be doing any more chapters until the 28th of August. Got exams. Sorry about that. Uhh idk what else to say, goodbye.)