Last Game [Chapter 24]

It is already 2am. Kujou stretches after studying when she notices a text message from Tachibana asking if they can meet tomorrow before the club activity starts. Wondering what she wants to talk about, Kujou replies okay. The next day, standing behind a tree in front of the university, Tachibana is nervous even if she was the one who called out Kujou. She tells herself to act calmly and not make the same mistake before wherein she exposed herself = told Souma that she used to be fat. Souma arrives and starts quarreling with Tachibana since he cannot take anymore her constant texts and calls for him to help her out. Then, Kujou arrives. Tachibana thinks that because of Kujou’s deadpan expression, she has no way of knowing what she is thinking. Trying to know if Kujou knows who the person in the picture is, Tachibana starts by telling her about the picture she dropped at the amusement park. Kujou thinks that Tachibana is so cute yet she thought of those rude things [<- not wanting her to come back because of Yanagi?]. Kujou decides to smile to be more cheerful and make Tachibana closer[/approachable] to her. Kujou ends up smiling wickedly and asks what about the picture. This horrifies Tachibana and makes her think that Kujou knew because of that dark expression, and could it be that, this is Kujou’s personality. Continuing with the wicked smile as much as she could, Kujou tells Tachibana that she learned how to cook Western food and she really put attention on the nutrition value so she can relax about that. Since Tachibana is too scared of Kujou’s smile, she blurts out if she’s threatening her and is Kujou telling her that there’s nothing to be afraid of her [Tachibana] who used to be fat. “So, you already noticed that the fat person in the picture is me, right?!” Looking surprised, Kujou says, “Huh?” While Tachibana is in shock, Kujou says that she didn’t know that it was her in the picture. Tachibana starts laughing and says that even if she’s pitiful right now, no one loves her when she was fat. She urges Kujou to laugh at her. Kujou wonders if Tachibana is this kind of girl. Kujou tells Tachibana that she doesn’t think that way and she doesn’t know what’s wrong with being fat, and isn’t it an amazing thing that she worked hard to become this cute now. Clenching her fist, flustered Tachibana mutters that this is what she is particularly angry about her.

They were interrupted when Yanagi arrives and asks Kujou if she isn’t going to the club. While Kujou is clueless, the other three has an awkward moment = Yanagi seemed to have rejected Tachibana, he likes Kujou, and Souma seems to like Kujou. Tachibana complains why things won’t go smoothly. She tells Kujou that she absolutely won’t admit that she lost. Kujou asks about what. Tachibana shouts that she absolutely won’t give up on Yanagi. With that, she runs off. Yanagi asks Kujou what they are talking about. Kujou realizes something and tells Yanagi that she won’t tell him. When Yanagi asks what that is about, Souma tells Kujou that the bento before was very delicious and let him taste it again next time. Kujou says okay. Jealous Yanagi asks Kujou what that is about. Kujou explains to him about studying Western food and Souma has been taste-testing it. Yanagi exclaims why she didn’t ask him. She tells him that he was busy when she called. Souma tells them that he’s going ahead when the couple asks why not go together for they are going to the same direction. This surprises Souma then he pouts. And, they go together to the club. At home, Tachibana cries over running away again and showing her weak side to the enemy. She tells herself to be brave and not to give up to despair like this since she is just repeating things. The next day, Fujimoto tells the others that they are going to observe the sky from the roof. Peeking in the room, Tachibana thinks that if they talk about her, she is going to leave. To her surprise, Fujimoto and others welcome her back. Tachibana is relieved yet frustrated that Kujou didn’t tell the others. Kujou tells Tachibana that she’s quite surprised that she suddenly left before. Tachibana thanks her for not telling anyone but she still won’t admit defeat. Kujou wonders what she is talking about and it seems that she has become someone else. Soon, it is dark. The club members complain that it is dark already and for astronomy, this rainy season days are the most difficult. Fujimoto asks Tachibana if she wants to try out the telescope. Miyabe watches Tachibana trying to set up the telescope when she acts cute by saying that it is difficult, she don’t understand so how about getting Yanagi..

To their surprise, Miyabe calls out Souma instead because first years should interaction with each other to strengthen their relationship. While President tries to volunteer, Souma and Tachibana look at each other. Tachibana sweetly says that she’ll be under his care [yoroshiku]. Souma mutters disgusting. Pause. Tachibana angrily whispers to the others that Souma actually [likes] Kujou. This made the Souma and Tachibana whisper-argue about that when they notice that Kujou is watching them. To their aghast, Kujou says that their relationship is quite good and speaking of that, they were also together a few days ago. President exclaims what is that, he wants to hear that in full detail. Kujou is somewhat happy that she vaguely protected the two whereas the two wonder Kujou is thinking [about them?]. While President is harassing Souma about Tachibana, Kujou starts to think over the people she met since she started to have social interactions with others. They’ve treated her nicely, accepted her and spoiled her. She thinks that the reason Yanagi won’t tell her why he is listless and why he started working is because she isn’t reliable. She is determined to become someone reliable for Yanagi because he is her most important friend. And, because of him, she had this feeling of wanting to be reliable.. And, she becomes fretful upon seeing Yanagi with Tachibana who is setting up the telescope together. While Fujimoto is calling Kujou, Kujou shakes her head and is puzzled how come she doesn’t feel anything when Tachibana is together with Souma but when Tachibana is with Yanagi, she feels ill-at-ease. Meanwhile, Yanagi tries to tell Tachibana that he likes Kujou but Tachibana interrupts by saying that she knows but Kujou told her that Yanagi is an ‘important friend’ so that means, she still has hope. Someone calls out to Tachibana so she leaves Yanagi alone. Yanagi nervously thinks that would be annoying to death but the crucial point here is that there is still no progress between him and Kujou. The outsiders who were hindering kept on increasing. He thinks that he is still in the ‘friend’ status so what should he do to brighten up his future prospects. Also, when he leaned his head on her shoulder, is that still a friend, so where’s the division [between friend and lover] for Kujou. He begins to wonder if Kujou is letting others do that to her aside from him.

Souma goes to him and tells Yanagi that he got involved into that [with President] because of his [Yanagi] girlfriend. Wanting to vent on something, Yanagi grabs Souma’s collar and asks if he can hit him just once. Fujimoto asks what’s going on between them. Souma says that Yanagi has gone crazy for he is saying about letting him hit him. This snaps Yanagi out of it. Later on, Fujimoto says that there are no more drinks. Yanagi offers to go buy them and Kujou says that she’ll go, too. Yanagi is happy that Kujou took the initiative until Kujou says that she wants to be reliable so she’ll carry the heavy things that he couldn’t. Yanagi asks if she is looking for a quarrel. Soon, they take a shortcut through the park. While Kujou is looking over the list of drinks to buy, Yanagi thinks that she took the initiative to hold hands at the amusement park and Kujou said that she was nervous when they were at the packed train before when she was sticking to him. For the future, Yanagi decides to explore up to how far is the borderline in Kujou’s heart. Yanagi tells Kujou that he’s going to do something to her and if she hates it, tell him. Kujou asks if it is an experiment. Yanagi says that it is somewhat like that. He holds her hand and asks if she hates it. Kujou shakes her head and says no. He strokes her head and asks if she hates it. She says no. Yanagi is aghast for her heart is unexpectedly wide. He decides to pinch her cheek because before he dreads that she would send him flying for that. Kujou giggles and asks what this experiment is. Then, he touches her face with both hands. She says that it is ticklish. She is surprised to see somewhat flustered yet soften expression of Yanagi. Yanagi bends down to her. She mutters his name. Yanagi stops when their lips are just a few inches away. He lightly knocks her head with his. She says that hurts. Moving away from her, blushing Yanagi exclaims for her to resist for he thought that she’ll quickly stop him. Kujou says that she’s surprised by that, was he taking her body temperature. [<- putting his head on hers to know if she is hotter than him = fever] Feeling guilty, Yanagi wonders what he is doing for it is like he is committing some malice towards a pure girl. Yanagi tearfully tells her that even if he has no right to tell her but she must go ahead and hit people who would do these kinds of things to her. Kujou replies, “Ah, ya. But, because the other party is you, Yanagi, I don’t hate it at all..although I’m a bit startled that my heart is beating fast.” Yanagi is stunned. As Kujou tells him that they should go, Yanagi kept on endlessly thinking, “What the heck is a friend..!!”

Comment: Hehe, it seems that Yanagi is too focused with the term ‘friend’ that he didn’t notice that what Kujou is sometimes doing or in this case, letting him do to her has already passed the friend borderline. After all, I think most already knew that it is more than that except Yanagi. ^^; Yanagi even suspects that Kujou is treating every friend like how she treats him. ^^;; As for Kujou, it seems that having that ‘important’ included in friend is already a big deal. She is really clueless about love relationships that she is puzzled why she doesn’t feel good when she sees Yanagi with Tachibana. Whether good or bad, apparently, no one bother to tell her because they probably want Kujou to discover it on her own. Well, she has just started with social relationships with others so I guess it is inevitable. ^^; With all that bickering and Souma knowing Tachibana’s real nature, it seems that to their dismay, Souma and Tachibana would always be mistaken as a couple. I think Kujou doesn’t know how to smile naturally that Tachibana misunderstood it and blurted everything out. ^^;; That reminds me of Kimi no Todoke’s Sawako and that was a bit funny. I think Tachibana had somewhat given up on Yanagi but her pride won’t let her admit it. Of course, her hope/excuse is Kujou’s cluelessness. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing either since it would help Kujou know more about jealousy. It is nice though that Tachibana thanks her for keeping quiet about her secret. In a way, for both Tachibana and Souma, they cannot really hate the couple because they still treat them as friends and are nice to them. Anyway, with that experiment, I wonder what Yanagi would plan to do next or would he let things be for a while as he overthinks. =P Scans by 红莲汉化组.

Quote of the day:

Life is an experiment in which you may fail or succeed. Explore more, expect least. ~ Santosh Kalwar