When I Thought I Was Reborn, My Family Turned Out to Be a Huge Landmine - Chapter 40: Arika's Visit (Upto Raws)
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Chapter 40: Arika’s Visit
“Well then, welcome again, Arika. Please make yourself at home.”
“Thank you very much, Asami-san!”
As promised, Arika came to stay over for the weekend. I was surprised by the large bag she brought, which seemed unnecessarily big. My sister mentioned it was typical for a girl… but still, it was quite heavy to carry to the room.
“Ren-kun, thank you for carrying my luggage.”
“You’re welcome. But are you sure it’s okay to stay in my room?”
“Of course. Right, Asami-san?”
“Yes, Ren. Look forward to tonight.”
“…”
I couldn’t help but feel a shiver down my spine as I watched Nee-san lick her lips. It wasn’t as if I was in any danger, but her villainous expression was chilling. Arika, laughing beside me, seemed to be my only solace.
“That’s right, Ren-kun. Let’s share plenty of love and create the best memories♪”
“…”
Maybe I need to brace myself a bit. The night is starting to scare me a little, but it’s still early in the afternoon. Nee-san and Arika are engrossed in conversation, discussing recent fashion trends and other everyday topics. Watching them, I feel a deep sense of emotion.
“It’s one of the scenes I’ve been longing to see…”
For me, having these two important people close by is certainly a comfort, but I also feel the bond of trust we share with each other. To be honest, I never expected such a scene to unfold… that’s the real truth.
If… just if, there hadn’t been this strange connection between us, I’m sure… we wouldn’t have ended up in such a relationship.
“Yawn…”
Well, there’s no point in thinking about that now. What I can do is not let go of the happiness in front of me and protect it no matter what. I vow silently to myself while watching them.
Now, as you can tell by my big yawn, I’m quite sleepy. No matter how hard I try to stay awake, it seems impossible. I slowly drift off to sleep while listening to their conversation.
When I first entered the high school I’m attending now, like anyone else, I felt anxious about the new environment. I remember feeling relieved that Kenichi and Sogo were in the same class as me. And among the classmates, there was one strikingly beautiful girl who caught everyone’s eye.
She seemed to have already made many friends, surrounded by a crowd, always with a smile at the center. I thought if I could make a connection with someone as beautiful as her, I’d be winning. Although she was eye-catching, I had no intention of speaking to her, thinking it would be enough just to be casual acquaintances… but it didn’t turn out that way.
“Good morning… um, Kamisato-kun?”
As I sat there lost in thought, she—Yumeno—started talking to me. It came as a total surprise, considering we had never interacted before, and I believe my reaction was quite understandable.
“Good morning… Yes, I’m Kamisato.”
We had already introduced ourselves in class, and my name was even written on a label at the corner of my desk, which is probably how she knew my surname. But still, why did she come to talk to me?
“Sorry for suddenly talking to you. Umm… what should I talk about!?”
“Are you okay?”
I asked instinctively.
It seemed like she had a purpose in talking to me, but her disappointed look in response to my reaction was puzzling. She seemed to struggle with what to say, mumbling and hawing in front of me.
“Ah…”
Of course, if we kept wasting time like this, the morning assembly was bound to start. Leaving me with the troubling words “let’s talk again later,” she went to her seat. Kenichi loudly asked what my relationship with that beautiful girl was, but that was exactly what I wanted to know. I silenced him with a flick to the forehead.
“…Arika Yumeno…?”
Arika Yumeno… Arika Yumeno… it sounded like the name of a trendy V-Tuber, but that thought I kept to myself.
Maybe it started from that point. I began to feel glances at me, especially during breaks, though not during class. The stares felt piercing, particularly when I talked with Shinjo-san, but not so much otherwise.
“Kamisato-kun, do you feel confident about the test next class?”
“Kamisato-kun, what did you have for dinner last night?”
As we became more comfortable talking to each other, our conversations naturally extended beyond school topics to include our home lives. I rarely initiated conversations, but Yumeno often spoke to me. In fact, there wasn’t a single day at school when she didn’t approach me to talk. It became a daily occurrence, as if she made it a point to speak to me at least once every day.
“…Have I met Yumeno before?”
I once wondered, but I concluded that it was unlikely. Yet, Yumeno’s interactions with me were not ordinary. She became a regular part of my daily life, to the point where her presence felt like a natural part of my school routine.
And then… what happened after that?
As I thought up to that point, I felt as if I was being pulled away from that world.
“Ah…”
“Oh my…”
Arika and Asami, who were deep in conversation, stopped speaking simultaneously. Their gaze fell upon Ren, who was deeply sunk into the sofa, arms crossed, sleeping with his head down. Arika and Asami, both immensely fond of Ren, seemed to have the same thought and stood up together.
“It’s okay, Asami-san. Leave it to me.”
“No need, Arika. Leave it to me.”
“Hmm…”
“Hmmm…”
The two, exchanging adorable glances, slowly extended their arms for a round of rock-paper-scissors. Arika won. She almost jumped for joy, but remembering the sleeping Ren, she managed to contain her excitement. On the other hand, Asami glared at her defeated hand as if she wanted to chop it off for losing.
Arika sat next to Ren, carefully laying him sideways so as not to wake him up. It was a thoughtful gesture to prevent his neck from getting sore, but perhaps Arika just wanted to do it.
“Yeah, there… Yes, this is perfect.”
They ended up in a position akin to a lap pillow. Ren muttered in his sleep, making Arika wonder if he was having a strange dream. When she gently stroked his head, he squirmed as if tickled but didn’t open his eyes. Instead, he snuggled closer to Arika as if seeking comfort.
“Ren-kun is so cute…”
Arika’s face beamed with the joy of bliss. Asami, though slightly irked, had to concede to Arika for now, having lost at rock-paper-scissors. Yet, the desire to dote on Ren was irresistible.
Sitting beside Arika, Asami also stroked Ren’s head, eliciting the same reaction. Like Arika, Asami too looked utterly content.
“Ren is so cute…”
…These girls might be hopeless, in more ways than one.
Nevertheless, Arika understood Asami well, and Asami understood Arika just as much. Initially, they thought they would never get along, so both of them, not just Ren, felt a bit of wonder at their current relationship.
“Asami-san, I’m feeling really strange right now.”
“What a coincidence. I feel the same.”
They exchanged glances and smiles. Then, until Ren awoke, they continued their conversation, taking turns gently stroking Ren’s head.
TLN:
I guess this is the end of side stories, as the last update was in June 2022.