Kore wa ai de koi janai [Chapter 4]

Yusei and Ren are surprised when Manami suddenly grabbed Yusei’s arm and shouts, “No...!” Ren asks Manami what is it. “Ah, Ren, *points at the bracelet* you also think this color looks good...?”

Manami looks embarrassed. She looks at Yusei then mutters, “Ah... I... ...I’m sorry.” Then, she runs off. Ren calls out to her. Yusei wonders out loud, what’s up with that girl--- While dark clouds loom over the sky, in her room, Ren holds up her hand that now has the bracelet.

She thinks that Manami is acting strange today. “Since I’m worried, I’ll send her a message on LINE in a while! *start to remove her shirt* The skirt’s pocket? It seems that something is stuck in it...?”

Ren takes out what’s inside to see a bracelet with broken beads. She wonders, “Wh...what is this!? It is the same light blue bracelet-- Perhaps, this is... the bracelet that Hidaka said that he gave imouto before...? *recalls Yusei telling her that he bought the same bracelet to Manami before.*...

But how come it’s inside the pocket? Could it be that during the accident, imouto-chan is always wearing it? Ah, wait... So, she still treasures it this much that she would always wears it...this thing that was bought for her from a long time ago...?

This means that for imouoto-chan, this is very special-- *recalls Manami stopping Yusei from giving the bracelet to her and Manami offers to hold her hand instead of Yusei* ---no, perhaps, towards Hidaka, imouto-chan...? Are we blood-related siblings?!”

While having seafood pasta, Ren asks, “...about that... brother, for you to love me so dearly, it is because of family love...?” Yusei asks, “Ha? What are you talking about?” Ren says that actually, they are not blood-related sibling...!!!

Yusei slightly chops her head and says what nonsense is she talking about. Ren tensely says th..that’s right... She thinks that imouto-chan’s expression today is definitely jealousy. “But it feels that compared to acting like that towards one’s brother, it is more like the jealousy towards someone one likes---...”

Yusei worriedly asks what had happened. Ren shouts that it is nothing, she is just confirming things...confirming. Yusei asks if she’s confirming her memory. Ren says yes.

Yusei says that she ought not to have forgotten about the term exam. Ren’s eyes widen because she has forgotten about the term exam so this isn’t the time to talk about that. Soon, it is raining hard. Ren looks at the math book and Manami’s notebook.

She thinks that it is over...second year middle school math...it’s over, she couldn’t... “The me three years ago originally ought to know how to do it, right?? What-- to do... if I fail, it will add trouble to imouto--... By the way, before... when I had math problem, Hidaka taught me.”

Flashback: The teacher angrily told Ren that she has to retake the test tomorrow at 8. “Hidaka, you’ll teach her.” Ren exclaimed in disbelief. Yusei said that he doesn’t want to since she is an idiot whom one cannot teach.

On her notes, there is a doodle of a cat with the words, ‘Important!’. Holding her notebook, Yusei scolded her that it is because she drew this kind of doodle that she didn’t listen to the lesson, idiot. Ren protested that it isn’t a doodle, she is just making her notebook a bit cute!!” End flashback.

In order to pass, Ren goes to Yusei’s room and asks him if he can teach her math. Yusei asks isn’t she really good in math... “Forget it, I can teach you but it will be very expensive. Salary for a tutor.”

Surprised Ren shouts in disbelief that he is making money from his imouto!? “Fine, I’ll give you a pudding. Hold out your hand.” She thinks that even if his mouth is very toxic and he’s a guy who is really infuriating but this is the kind Hidaka that others doesn’t see. “I don’t hate him at all.”

Taking off his glasses, Yusei says that is what [pudding] he brought on the way home... Later on, aghast Yusei cannot believe that she did that math problem wrong. Ren asks how to solve that one then...

Yusei exclaims that she should be able to do this since it is the [math] foundation during first year middle school, right!? “Could it be that all of your memories had just flown away!?”

Irked Ren says that he’s so annoying, she couldn’t remember it at the moment!! She pouts and says, “Obviously, you can be a bit more patient in teaching me...” This surprises Yusei. He says that’s right, sorry.

Pointing at the book, he says, “In short, you must memorize this formula.” Ren says, ah, okay. Yusei wonders why he would suddenly get angry like that... “It always feel... It’s possible that I have gone crazy...”

Then, he notices Ren writing the math formula on the notebook. She doodles a cat with the words ‘important!’ Ren looks a bit scared from the thunder. Yusei’s eyes widen and he mutters, “...this doodle--”

Ren asks what? The lighting flashes. Then, there’s a loud thunder. Covering her ears, Ren shouts, No-- Then, she goes to Yusei. Realizing that she’s leaning on him, Ren quickly backs away and shouts, “So.. Sorry, Hidaka!! *sound of thunder* No... *covers her head with a book* ooo...”

Yusei tells her to be a bit quiet and it turns out that she’s that afraid of thunder. Ren shouts, “Of course, can’t I!? If you want to ridicule me then go ahead. Calling me sweet naïve girl, then go ahead and say it.”

Yusei holds her shoulder and asks, “...Yaotome...?” Ren says, what is it? While Yusei still looks at her, Ren looks surprised. She thinks it’s over, it’s already exposed!!! “No? It’s quite good that it has been found out...”

Yusei tensely asks if this is for real. “Although I always felt that it is very strange... Manami isn’t that afraid of thunder... And besides, the writing on the note you left before... the cat doodle is a drawing that Yaotome drew before... And also, you said some things when you were in the hospital...”

Ren looks surprised. Somewhat blushing she asks if he remembered all those things? She thinks that anyway, she doesn’t want to hide this switching bodies incident at all... Holding the notebook with the doodle, Yusei says that it always feels that she’s like an idiot. “More and more like Yaotome.”

Flustered Ren says, ha? “What... don’t call me idiot.” Narration: “I didn’t think that the one who’ll find out about it first is unexpectedly, Hidaka.” Hidaka asks where did Manami go. Ren says that she had become Yaotome Ren. Yusei gloomily thinks that is why ‘Ren’ is giving her that kind of pure [innocent] feeling...

Ren says that she doesn’t know how to change back to their original bodies. “So, before changing back, we can only live each other’s lives... Me as imouto.”

Holding his head, Yusei says yes, ah, before he treated her as his imouto so... Somewhat blushing, he says, “It seems that I’ve said some embarrassing words...” Thinking of embarrassing words, Ren imitates him.

Holding out her middle finger, she says, “What are you doing to my cute imouto? Or perhaps, I will absolutely properly protect you! What?” Pinching her mouth, Yusei darkly says that she’s so annoying. “Shut up and forget it.” Ren says, “Don’t be embarrassed, brother♥”

Yusei tells her not to call him brother. “By the way, that is Manami’s body. If you do things as you like and something happens, then don’t beg me to let you off, okay?” Taking his hand off her face, Ren says that she understands.

Puzzled Yusei asks how come she is suddenly so well-behaved. Looking at him, Ren says that it is because she really knows that he really values his imouoto... “So, I’ll do my best in protecting imouto’s body well. *holds out her arm* So, I’ll do my best not to fail in math!! So, I’ll ask you to teach me!!”

Pointing at her, Yusei tells her that if she were to fail, he won’t forgive her. “If Manami’s grades decline, you just wait and see.” Ren shouts, brother~~!!

Later on, Yusei goes to the living room and sees Ren sitting while hugging a pillow. He asks how come she isn’t sleeping yet. Ren says ah, it is because there’s still thunder. “You just go to sleep and don’t mind me.”

Yusei sighs and says that it is simply thunder yet she is in such a sorry state. Aghast Ren says, ha, you came over just to say that— She is surprised when he suddenly throws a blanket on her head. She exclaims, what are you...

Then, she is puzzled that he is sitting beside her. He tells her to quickly sleep. Blushing Ren wonders what? “Could it be that he came to accompany me...? ...it’s impossible. Anyway, it’s impossible that it’s for me. It is simply because he’s worried about his imouto’s body.”

Noticing that she’s looking at him, crossed arms Yusei asks what is it. Ren pouts and says that it’s nothing. Narration: “Do not misunderstand, my heart.”

Soon, she falls asleep and leans on Yusei’s shoulder. Yusei mutters, “Geez, such a troublesome girl.” Narration: “Sorry, imouto-chan. I obviously said to report to each other everything. *Yusei carries sleeping Ren to her room* It seems that I have something that I cannot report to you--...”

At Yaotome residence, Manami looks aghast. She just read a message from Ren saying that Yusei has found out about the body switch so it is already exposed!! Manami mutters, “---why... if it’s like this, then it totally boring [/has no meaning to it]...”

Comment: Yusei has finally realized that his ‘imouto’ is Ren. And it is indirectly thanks to math. =P His attitude towards her had also changed when they taunt each other. Perhaps, she won a few points from him when she said that she wanted to take care of his imouto’s body.

In the end, Yusei can have a soft spot towards a girl that he even accompanied her and brought her to her room. Ren has also become suspicious that Manami loves Yusei. It is amusing that she’ll even bluntly ask Yusei about it.

Since Yusei didn’t react like someone who is in love, it is most likely a case of one-sided feelings from Manami. Anyway, Manami’s reaction to the revelation is puzzling. It seems that she doesn’t want the truth to be found out. On hindsight, she was also the one who persuaded Ren to give up on convincing others since they won’t believe them anyway. Scans by 正宮汉化组 

Quote of the day:

The truth will always find a way to make itself known. ~ Author Unknown