Chapter 21 Part 2
The grand battle had just ended — the silence almost deafening.
Shhhhkh!
I twitched at the window sliding open.
"Hey, Koru-chan! What happened here?" Naruko asked — puzzled. The real Naruko.
"Mm... well... Wait — Naruko-chan, what happened to YOU?!" My awkwardness evaporated. Naruko climbed inside — and she looked... noteworthy. Golden hair chaotically tangled — covered in something white. Her t-shirt was a mess of smears — something indeterminate. And her embarrassed face? Smudged with a dozen different stains.
"Ah... well, um, i..." She fidgeted under my stare — even more flustered. Looked at her hands — tried wiping them on her shirt — but there wasn't a clean spot left. All attempts: futile. "Mm... Here!"
She finished her meaningful speech with that exclamation — leaned out the window — and thumped a big wooden box onto the table.
"Is this... breakfast?" I identified.
"Um — it's o-bento!!" Naruko nodded, hands on hips — proud. "I made all of this myself!!!"
"So THIS is your 'surprise.'" I was impressed: the box was huge. Four tiers high. Finally clear what she'd been doing all morning. She'd been COOKING!!!
"H-here. I tried... I made it myself! Yeah — myself!" She smiled — proud and shy at the same time. You could see how happy she was with herself. I was genuinely impressed. Under my gaze she faltered — bashful — nervously scuffing the floor: "So, anyway... you... try it, okay?.. I made it like you taught me... yeah. As my teacher... check it! I... I didn't look exactly... how it came out.. But! I think it's tasty. I tried really hard!.. Heeere! P-please evaluate it!"
And she was gone — out the window — leaving me alone.
"That was way too cute." I couldn't help smiling. For such a reckless tomboy — her cute side hits like a truck. Apparently today she'd decided to show me everything she'd learned. What a feeling... is this the legendary Teacher's Pride? Either way — she worked so hard. I have no right not to evaluate her efforts.
"Still — she didn't have to put my whole house under total lockdown," I thought, a little grumpy, checking out the bento box. Impressive. And the smell... smells edible! Looks like Naruko really outdid herself. Damn — I'm actually proud of her!
"Well — let's see what's inside?" I murmured, a little trepidation as I pried the lid open. The smell from the crack was mind-blowing. I licked my lips — and looked in.
...
I carefully closed the lid.
Blinked.
Thought for a moment. Scratched my nose.
Blinked again.
Lifted the lid. Looked inside again.
Snap! — slammed it shut.
I doubted my own eyes. Rubbed my eyelids. Squeezed them shut. Shook my head. Slapped my cheeks.
Inhaled. Exhaled.
Opened the lid and looked at the bento.
The bento looked back at me! A vague, squirming mass gurgled — revealing a yellow eye inside itself. The eye squinted — welcoming. A thin brown tentacle rose to the edge of the box and draped its tip over the side.
I hiccupped. The bento gurgled — revealing a beak-like maw.
KAMI-SAMA!!!
I grabbed the lid!
The Bento's tentacle grabbed ME!
Snap-crack! — I slammed it shut, pinching the slimy limb.
Silence.
Gurgle-gurgle!
Thump! — the box lurched under me. Tentacles started squirming out! I threw my whole weight on the lid.
Thump-thump-thump! The box was HEAVING!!! Fighting the pressure, I wrapped my whole body around it. Jolted by the continuous bucking — I fell off the table — still squeezing the berserk box.
Kami! Kami-kami-kami! What IS this?! What IS IT?! WHAT IS THIS THING?! Is it a sarlacc?! A goddamn SARLACC?! IT'S like it crawled straight out of some perverted tentacle hentai! I'm not a goddamn magical girl!
Exorcise! Exorcise this Abyss-spawn back to Hell where it came from!
NOW!
I-I'm gonna—! For so—! LONG!... CAN'T! HOLD IT!
"Never!"
"Never!"
"AGAIN!!"
"Will I!"
"COOK!"
"NNNNNnnnnnAaaaaaaaRuuuuuuuKOOOOOOOooooooooooooo!!!!"
Naruko practically burst into the house — beaming. How could she not?! Today was the culmination of all her hard work! She! Had! Made! A Giant! Bento!
"Hee-hee! Hope Koru-chan likes it!" She chirped — dancing over to the bed and flopping face-first onto it. Today she'd given it everything! All her skill. All her determination — even chakra! — she'd worked so hard to make food for her friend. Her teacher. ...Probably.
"Uummmuummuummuu! Kami — why is this so HARD?!" Naruko groaned — grinding her face into the mattress. Yeah. It was hard. Really hard.
After "that" incident, Naruko desperately needed help. Problem: no close girlfriends. Honestly — no girlfriends at all. Just acquaintances — nowhere near close enough for this. But she did have a sworn "big sister" — Ayame. Older. More experienced. Knew everything. Naruko was absolutely sure Ayame would listen — and give good advice. Had to.
Still — she agonized all day before finally working up the courage. But contrary to her fears — Ayame took it completely seriously. Got her dad's permission — then firmly marched the faltering Naruko home and made her spill every detail. In her "big sister's" room, Naruko was painfully shy — but — stumbling, tangled — she managed to get the core of it out.
At first Ayame was... surprised. But after a few questions — she just sighed, sad, hearing the girl knew absolutely nothing about "special lessons for girls." Knowing Naruko — she'd simply skipped the Academy the day they taught sex ed.
"Silly, silly little imouto." Ayame shook her head, tiny smile — figuring out how to handle such an intimate topic. She couldn't just leave it. Who else but Big Sister would guide this clueless kid onto the right path?! And honestly — Naruko'd really become a genuine little sister to her.
Naruko didn't leave Ayame's room until almost night. The whole time — the older girl patiently, clearly explained everything no one else would. And honestly — after that talk, Naruko felt a little lighter. Turned out — she wasn't "weird." Naruko was shocked when Ayame — "in total confidence" — told her all girls, sometimes even grown women — even AYAME!!! — did "IT" sometimes. And it wasn't "dirty." Wasn't "wrong." Just... not something people talked about. It's just that one day a girl's body "wakes up" — and that means she's becoming "almost an adult." And then girls start really liking boys. And sometimes want to be close to them. And sometimes do... that. Ayame said this was how girls prepared to be brides. And Naruko shouldn't stress too much about what happened — as long as it didn't cause problems. But she must never — NEVER — do "it" in the wrong places. Or in front of anyone. And if there was a boy she really, REALLY liked — she had to be absolutely sure before letting him do "something embarrassing." Ayame hammered this point — making Naruko squirm. Way too embarrassing. Even for someone as wild and shameless as me.
So Naruko calmed down — knowing nothing "terrible" had happened. But now other thoughts were eating at her. She just didn't understand herself. Contradictions. Doubts.
She loved Sakurai!!! She knew it. She was sure! So WHY had she done those shameful things thinking about her friend and neighbor instead of the love of her life?! Even remembering it was mortifying. She thought she'd never be able to look Kaoru in the eye again. Couldn't even be near him. Guilt. For "using" my friend in my "dirty fantasies." Guilt toward Sakurai — for "betraying" him. Betraying my love for him.
Crushed. Completely confused.
Because I DO love Sakurai. That just CAN'T be wrong! Even with the distance he kept — Naruko was sure. Never gave up. Time after time — throwing herself at him. Every failure — she told herself: next time. He'll notice next time. He'll feel the same way. But next time never came. Or the time after. Or the time after that... Still. Never gave up. Believed in my heart.
It couldn't be fake! I love Sakurai! Really love him! RIGHT?!
But now — that unshakable faith had cracked. She refused to believe it. Couldn't betray her love. Just couldn't! So she decided to test herself. Act normal. Prove she was just a little mixed up. Everything was the same as always.
Her hopes shattered. Total shock. She hung around Sakurai like always. Tried to be close. Talk more. Touch — grabbing his arm. But... everything was different. That flutter in her chest whenever she was near him? Gone. His voice didn't sound magical anymore. The "pink haze" around him — that made him seem so wonderful — had vanished. She still thought he was cute, but... everything had disappeared. So painful. So unfair. I wanted to cry.
And now — thinking about Kaoru... With Kaoru, it was different. Completely different. The feelings he gave her were nothing like what Sakurai used to. Confusing. I can't even find the words. Unlike Sakurai — Kaoru was... warm. Her heart still fluttered — but it was a totally different flutter. With Kaoru, there was no "pink haze." Instead — something softer. Comfort? Peace? No intoxicating sweetness. Just a gentle aftertaste of vanilla and honey. That's what it feels like.
She couldn't understand her own feelings toward her friend. But is he still just a friend? Could I... have FALLEN IN LOVE with my BEST FRIEND?! But he's... he's a FRIEND! How do you love a friend like a boy?! She'd never had close friends before — so this revelation completely blindsided her. Love was love. Friendship was friendship. And now those two separate things had crashed together in one person — shattering her whole worldview. Really — it's amazing what simple kindness can turn into someday. Naruko didn't realize it — but this unusual boy had already carved out a huge space in her heart.
She thought about it a lot. Tried to understand. Accept. Meanwhile — tried to act normal. As normal as she could, given the circumstances. And it seemed like it was working. At least — she thought so.
So — gradually — Naruko's picture of the world reassembled itself. But even so — she was still embarrassed. Still full of hesitant thoughts — totally unlike her. And she had no idea what to actually DO. This situation was fundamentally different: she didn't need to chase attention. Kaoru was always there. Never said no — training together, private lessons, just helping with little things. That's what threw me. I don't know how to act any other way. All I know is what I did with Sakurai. But she understood perfectly: she didn't need to be pushy with Kaoru. The opposite — that'd probably cause him trouble. She didn't want to be a burden. And before — she'd been so focused on GETTING the boy's attention, she never thought about what came AFTER. No experience. Not even theory — just scraps of gossip overheard here and there. She tried to find truth in the mess of contradictions — but her thoughts kept veering... off course. Leading to more... indecent thoughts.
"I'm not... messed up, am I?"
She sighed, gloomy. Big Sister Ayame said it was really okay — but Naruko still felt uneasy. Her "Ane-san" — a little embarrassed — confessed lots of girls did "it" because it helped relax. Shed stress. Or just... feel good sometimes. Embarrassing — but I get it. It really does feel... really good. And afterward — so light. Body and soul. She'd confirmed that already. Once... a few times.
"Ummm! Bad thoughts — GO AWAY!!!" She ordered herself — feeling her mind slipping toward dangerous territory again. She was already ashamed. Didn't need more reasons to feel like a pervert.
"Um... I hope... Koru-chan doesn't think my bento's totally gross?" She asked herself — confident, but knowing deep down her first completely solo cooking might not be as perfect as she imagined. "Oh! I still need to clean up, tebane..."
Naruko sighed — peeling herself off the bed. Her path led to the kitchen — which, honestly, could now serve as a vivid illustration of a particularly chaotic warzone. After all — my Path of Cooking is still way too thorny.
"Begone, spawn of Cthulhu!!! Seal the eviiiiil!!!"
"Bees!!!" Sneezing deafeningly, the girl coughed. "Cough-cough!.. Mmmoooo! Stupid flour!!"
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I started a new translation and I would be very happy if you decided to check out my new translation for a rather rare fandom. It's a crossover based on Mondaiji (Problem Children Are Coming from Another World, Aren't They?)
Mondaiji: Am I A Dragon Species? https://www.webnovel.com/book/36661423108025005