Akai Ito [Chapter 14]

Dripping wet from the rain, Chihiro wonders what to do for she has no way of taking that step. Sho calls out for her, what she is doing and quickly come in. Embarrassed Chihiro exclaims, yes. Sho asks her what’s with that ‘yes’ and he’ll get a towel for her. Chihiro asks him about his family, won’t she cause trouble for them. Sho tells her that during this time, no one is at home so do not mind it. This made Chihiro more nervous. Then, she notices that her bra can be seen through her wet blouse. She uses her bag to cover her chest. She thinks that even if it is convenient to go here with him but is this really okay, and nothing should happen right. Chihiro mutters that she’ll be intruding. [<-ojama shimasu] Sho calls out to Chihiro and tells her here’s the towel. Chihiro freaks out that Sho is already topless. Turning around, Chihiro exclaims that the rain must have stopped so she’ll be going home. She opens the door and it is still raining complete with lightning and thunder. Chihiro gloomily thinks that there’s no sign of it stopping soon. Somewhat smiling, Sho tells her to come in first inside, okay. Chihiro sheepishly says then, ojama shimasu. In the living room, while drying herself with the towel, Chihiro notices the multiple awards and trophies in Sho’s house. Holding some clothes, Sho says that if his older sister is around, he’ll lend her some of his sister’s clothes but if he just goes in her room without permission, she would definitely get angry at him so, just wear his clothes first. Holding his clothes, Chihiro is quite embarrassed to wear them and she couldn’t calm herself down since Sho is still half-naked. Sho notices that she’s looking him that he uses his arms to cover his chest and says, ‘Lewd’. This made Chihiro embarrassed that she tells him to quickly put some clothes on. Sho says that it is hot and come with him if she’s going to use the dryer. He opens a door and tells her this way. Nervous Chihiro says that actually, she really likes! This surprises Sho until she tells him that [she really likes] the feeling of a thoroughly wet blouse that it is quite good as if wearing tight fitting clothes. Sho says that’s quite a new and original way of saying it. Putting his hands on her shoulders, Sho pushes her to the door. He tells her that from this door, go to the end of the corridor and the toilet is at the left side. Holding her bag tight, Chihiro protests that it is okay for her to be like this.

Leaning to her ear, Sho threatens her that if she won’t go, he’ll carry her ala princess-style and force her to go there. And inside, Chihiro exclaims if it is at the left side end. Sho mutters that’s quite fast. He sighs for he thought that she was saying ‘like’ towards him. The door opens and Chihiro tells him to properly wear clothes and be careful not to catch a cold. Then, she closes the door. After a pause, Sho laughs over this. Behind the door, Chihiro mutters that surprised her and it made her more nervous when he talked to her ear. She wonders if she ought to be wearing his clothes. She unbuttons her blouse and decides to wear it. As she hold out his clothes, Chihiro thinks that she wasn’t mistaken, it is his kendo uniform and he particularly folded it thickly so that she won’t easily notice it. She wonders if it was deliberate. Sho knocks the door and asks if Chihiro is alright for she’s inside for a long time. He asks if it is inconvenient. Chihiro says that it is okay, more or less. Sho snickers and says is that so, more or less. Blushing Chihiro thinks that he’s definitely laughing and what’s up with that ‘are you alright’ and this really frustrates her if this keeps up. Looking smug, Chihiro comes out wearing the kendo top uniform. Sho looks at her. Chihiro looks proud of herself for she was able to do it, make him look stunned and his eyes had turned into peas[-shaped] so this means that she wins, right? “But, why is he still half-naked!!” Sho exclaims that she actually wore it. This surprises Chihiro. Sho hugs her tight and exclaims that she’s so cute♡ This embarrasses Chihiro that she quickly pushes him away and exclaims no. Then, she goes inside again and locks the door. Nervous Chihiro wonders what was that just now, as if she pressed some magical switch. Sho knocks on the door and tells her to come out. Chihiro exclaims no. Sho asks if she’s planning to take it off. Chihiro shouts that she is going to take it off. He tells her not to be reckless for this is his house and he is the law so WEAR IT. Blushing Chihiro exclaims what nonsense is he talking about and she doesn’t understand what he’s saying. Sho begs her not to take it off for he’s serious, it is really cute on her. Chihiro blushes for being called cute but then, he is definitely teasing her just like before. She’s very suspicious of him.

Then, she looks at her bag and realizes something. She looks inside it and thinks, that’s right. The door opens again but this time Chihiro is wearing her kendo manager [/gym] uniform. Chihiro sheepishly says that she recalled it being in her bag, and she planned to bring it home to wash it. Scowling and pouting, Sho thinks that it’s really boring. He turns around and tells her that he knows already, he’ll also go wear something. Chihiro wonders if it is still raining and until now, there is no strange-type of mood but what about afterwards..if it really changes into that mood..would she go with the flow.. She pulls open the curtains to see that it is still raining. She thinks that no matter how many times she looks at it, it is still the same. “And, even if I’m quite happy together with Hinase, but at the same time, I’m also somewhat afraid.. Although right now, this feeling isn’t intense but it would have been better if I should have persisted on saying that I’m going home. Hinase, he’s quite nice. If I tell him that I’m uneasy, he perhaps might understand. Even so, I couldn’t say it.. And, by the way, what is Hinase thinking? Perhaps, I’m thinking too much and perhaps, he fundamentally isn’t thinking much and would accompany her home.. Ah.. *holds stomach* It’s because I’m too nervous that my stomach is starting to..” Sho comes back and laments that he couldn’t find his gym uniform so that they could be a ‘lovers pair’. Chihiro sweatdrops and asks if he is kidding. Sho notices that Chihiro isn’t feeling well that he asks her if she’s alright for she looks awful. Chihiro asks is that so. Then, she says, it’s like that, she isn’t feeling well, and it is probably because she got drenched in the rain. Chihiro has decided to pretend that she’s sick though it is true that her stomach isn’t feeling well, so she’ll keep on pretending and fool him until the rain stops. Sho smiles and says, is that so. He suddenly princess-carry her and shouts that it would be better for her to sleep. He walks towards a room as Chihiro shouts for him to put her down. As Sho opens the door, Chihiro shouts for him to stop. Then, there is a loud stomach growling sound. Sho stops and asks if that was hers. Chihiro is speechless-embarrassed. Sho pouts then lets out a laugh. He exclaims that it’s amazing, just now is quite amazing, and how hungry is she. She pinches his cheeks and tells him that there’s no need for him to laugh like that. Sho exclaims that hurts and don’t pinch him.

Chihiro is embarrassed for it turns out that her stomach doesn’t feel well is because she’s hungry. She notices how close she is to Sho that she pushes him away. Sho loses his balance and the both fall down the floor. Sho asks her what she is doing. Chihiro apologizes. Sho recalls that he planned that they eat something before he goes home but afterwards, they didn’t eat and right now, he unexpectedly feels hungry. He looks at Chihiro and tells her that he’s hungry. <- meaning, Chihiro make me some food. Soon, they had finished eating. Sitting on the bed, Sho praises Chihiro for being really good at cooking. Chihiro says that he’s exaggerating for she only made onirigi [rice ball] and miso soup. He says that she’s just being modest but she denies it. He asks her if her stomach is now okay after eating something. Thinking that it is simple hunger, Chihiro says that it is okay after eating. Then, Chihiro feels that there is this strange[/awkward] silence. Their hands are quite near to each other. Sho sits closer to Chihiro. This made Chihiro move away and laugh by saying that his room is quite neat and he properly tidied it up. Sho asks if that is true since he doesn’t think that way. Noticing a couple of magazines on the floor, Chihiro says ya, if she looks at it in detail. After desperately thinking of a topic, Chihiro asks to see his album. Sho says that’s quite old fashioned but it doesn’t matter. He takes an album from the bookcase and gives it to her. After thanking him, Chihiro looks at the album and plans to find a topic to talk about using it as source so that the mood won’t become strange but then, with him beside her, she couldn’t concentrate on the pictures. Sho asks her if the past him is interesting. Chihiro tells him of course, it’s very interesting. Sho sighs. Then, Chihiro sees a man behind young Sho in the picture. She asks him if that is his father. He says ya, but when he was in grade 5, he had passed away. Chihiro apologizes. He tells her that he doesn’t quite like people showing apprehension[/anxiety] towards him so don’t mind it. Chihiro says that she’s always been very curious before if his father also practiced kendo. Sho asks, ‘before?’ Chihiro apologizes for seeing what’s inside his omamori [amulet] that he dropped before. Sho tells her that those awards and trophies in the living room are mostly his father’s and he heard that he’s quite strong. “He would always join major competitions and he learnt kendo from Shijo Academy.” Chihiro says is that so, their school. She realizes why he chose that school.

Chihiro says that his father is quite handsome just like him. Sho asks if in the end, it’s like father, like son. Chihiro laughs and says that he can say that. Chihiro thinks that Sho really likes his father for talking about him, his face looks gentler. Looking at the album again, Chihiro smiles for it seems like she has found out a different side of him. Then, she notices Sho is sitting quite close to her again and she couldn’t look at him. Sho takes the album from her and kisses her ear. Then, he holds her and kisses her on the lips. As he touches her face and lips, he smiles and tells her that he told her he’ll make her careless. Chihiro pouts and says, geez.. She takes the album and says that she still wants to see it. Still holding it, Sho says that she saw enough. Holding her hair, Sho tells her to look at him. She did as told and they kiss again. Chihiro thinks that she wants to know more about Sho when obviously she feels afraid about continuing to know but then, every time this happens, she totally couldn’t think..when she obviously knows that this won’t do, and she has totally not accept Sho’s [/she has no] courage. Then, Sho’s hand touches a piece of paper. He looks at it and wonders what it is. Chihiro looks at it, too and realizes that it is Nanjou’s contact number and email. Sho asks if it is Nanjou’s telephone number. Chihiro wonders why it is there, and by the way, she shoved it in her bag and totally forgot about it. She wonders if it also got out when she took out the uniform. Sho says that no matter how he thinks about it, it is hers. Chihiro wonders how to say it but then, she didn’t do anything that would give her a guilty conscience. She explains that South Junior High is going to join the main competition and Nanjou is asking for the graduates to come and give them support. Nanjou is the one tasked to contact people about it and he said that if she can go, just contact him through phone or email so he left that note. She nervously looks at Sho who smiles and says is that so. She nervously smiles and says, that’s right. She wonders if it is Sho, he shouldn’t be angry over this little thing, right? She is surprised when Sho suddenly pushes her down on the bed. He goes on top of her. She is going to call his name but he looks very serious. Then, he goes for her neck. She says that hurts. He backs away and has left a hickey on surprised Chihiro’s neck. She wonders if he’s angry. Blurb: “Next, Nanjou finally makes a move--!?”

Comment: For some reason, the first half makes me think, ah, that would most probably how their honeymoon would be like. ^^; She could be wearing a sexy night gown, and getting embarrassed that she ends up wearing pajamas. ^^;; Then, he’s carrying her to the bed and she’s hungry because she didn’t get to eat much during the wedding =P In a way, this seems like a ‘slow paced’ shoujo but it isn’t exactly quite ‘innocent’ as the other series that are ‘slow paced’. It turns out that Sho’s father has indeed passed away and he wants to follow his father’s footsteps. It is too bad that they got a bit interrupted over Nanjou’s note. Talk about indirect interruption by the love rival. ^^; Well, it seems that Chihiro isn’t quite ready for it. Anyway, it made Sho jealous enough to leave a hickey on her. Will that be all or will there be more to this in the next chapter? If there is, I feel that there would be other interruptions like Sho’s sister coming home. And, from the blurb, Nanjou is going to cause trouble soon. I’m guessing that Sho might accompany her to the competition or he changes his mind and join it, if that is the same competition which he was offered to join. There’s no way he’ll just let Chihiro go there alone or only with Rino especially since he still views Nanjou as a love rival. Hm..it makes me wonder if this will turn out a love rivalry between the guys and Chihiro is oblivious about it. ^^;; Scans by 深雪汉化组

Quote of the day:

Love like rain, can nourish from above, drenching couples with a soaking joy. But sometimes under the angry heat of life, love dries on the surface and must nourish from below, tending to its roots keeping itself alive. ~ Paulo Coelho, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept