The Villainous Uncle in the Adult Game Gets Unusually High Praise from the Heroines - Chapter 34

“Hmm-hmm-hmm.”

Sitting comfortably on the living room sofa, Hinomoto-san happily ran her pencil across her sketchbook. 

Ever since that day, when she’d received her parents’ silent approval, she had taken a portion of the savings—money she had saved up herself and funds her parents had gradually contributed for her—and used it to buy tools for her art. 

A computer, digital drawing equipment, sketchbooks, and pencils were among her purchases. Apparently, she had also bought markers called Copic, though she said those were a lower priority for now.

“First, I need to focus on my drawing fundamentals—like making sure I can draw people that actually look human.”

That was her take on it. I wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about these things, so I decided to trust the words of “someone working hard to chase her dream”.

Chasing a dream.

It was a wonderful phrase.

At the very least, I, as a “good girl”, had never even considered holding onto a dream like that. So, yes, in a way, she seemed dazzling to me. 

Whether or not I felt envious was harder to say—I wasn’t quite sure. I knew enough to understand that the path she was choosing was far from easy.

Straying from the well-trodden path most people would take meant walking a road riddled with hardship and pain. That much was clear.

And yet, her expression now was incredibly bright. She seemed genuinely happy.

Perhaps because I could never be like her, I deeply admired her. Of course… I’d never admit that to her.

“Hey, Hinomoto-san, how about taking a break?”

“Hmm, sure thing, Sakurako-san,” she replied, lifting her face from her sketchbook. 

She gently closed it with a soft pat before standing up. Now that I thought about it, I wondered when she had started naturally calling me “Sakurako-san”.

Back when Take-san was around, she’d sometimes use my name to avoid any confusion, but now it seemed like it was her default. What had changed in her mind? 

I wasn’t sure, but having her casually call me by name, as if we were friends, felt… strange. Embarrassing, maybe… Or maybe, just maybe, it made me happy. Yeah, it probably made me happy.  

“By the way,” I began, eating a piece of pudding Take-san had prepared in advance (it was overly firm—a failed attempt, apparently). Something had been on my mind, so I decided to ask.

“How are things with Take-san lately?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Don’t get defensive, it’s just small talk.”

“Nothing really. Same as always.”

“It’s just, from what I’ve seen, it feels like you two have been a bit distant lately. Did you have an argument or something?”

“N-no! We didn’t argue or anything,” she stammered, quickly looking away and muttering under her breath.

“It’s just… embarrassing.”

“…?”

“Well, you know! When you really look at him, Take-san is kind of… handsome.”

Her sudden statement left me blinking in confusion.

“Wait, are you into looks, Hinomoto-san?”

“It’s not like I care about the face of someone I don’t lo—”

“Hm?”

“Hm?”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Uh, just to clarify,” I said, breaking the silence.

“Y-yes?”

“There’s at least a ten-year age gap between us and Take-san.”

“So? Age-gap marriages are pretty normal these days, aren’t they?”

“No, I’m pretty sure society would label Take-san a creep and criticize him heavily.”

“B-but I have, like, a really… mature body.”

“Did you seriously just say that about yourself…?”

“S-shut up! What’s wrong with that!?” she pouted, puffing out her cheeks like a child.

“What about you, Sakurako-san?” she suddenly asked, turning the tables on me.

“What about me?”

“Do you like him?”

“…As much as you like Take-san, I suppose.”

“Hmm,” she said with a sly grin.

“So basically, you’re saying you’re in love with him.”

I could almost see her determination to drag me into the fire alongside her.

“I-I mean, it’s not like Take-san and I can get married or anything.”

“Normally, the word ‘marriage’ wouldn’t even come up at this stage,” she pointed out with a smirk.

“Y-you’re loud! Besides—”

Before I could finish, the doorbell rang. For a second, I thought Take-san had returned from shopping, but he wasn’t the type to ring the bell when coming home. Curious, I went to the intercom to check, and my brow furrowed in confusion.

Standing at the door was none other than Yozuki Kongo. 

“Why?”

Leaving her out there seemed rude, so I headed to the entrance. Opening the door, my confusion deepened. Behind her was… a suitcase?

“Um, Yozuki-san?”

“Hello.”

“…Hello. So, what brings you here?”

“Well,” she said with a playful tilt of her head and a cheeky tongue out.

“I ran away from home.”

…

“…What?”

—

And so, the Dreamer’s Story continued.

…She never stopped walking.