manynovel Page 221
Page 221
[Interacting with Ichika Nakano...]
[Acting Skills]
Nakano Ichika's stubborn, almost desperate, deep blue eyes gradually became uneasy under Aoba's gaze.
The breath she had been holding during the forceful kiss suddenly stopped and became rapid.
Even the pretense of maturity vanished in that instant, as if a great burden had been lifted.
Beneath the white shirt, her subtly curvaceous figure clung perfectly to Aoba's body.
Her soft, delicate body seemed slightly weak. [The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated.]
The hands that had initially mustered the courage to hug the boy's neck had somehow somehow wrapped around Aoba's collarbone and held him tightly.
That pretty face was pressed tightly against Qingye's chest.
Even though he couldn't see the girl's expression, the slight dampness on her chest made Aoba chuckle softly.
"Haha~"
The laughter sounded like a gunshot breaking through the thick wall between the two.
Nakano Ichika rested her chin on Aoba's chest, her eyes feigning a fierce and mature look: "Hmph~ What are you laughing at?!"
"It's nothing, I just didn't expect Ichika to have grown so much." Aoba smiled and put his arm around the girl's slender waist.
The soft, boneless curves of her waist make it seem as if the bones are not even there.
But that soft ball was completely unreasonable.
In every sense, the girl in front of me has grown up.
Nakano Ichika stared at Aoba as she read his words, which sounded like words of comfort to a child.
"I've grown up now~"
"Ah."
She was a little angry.
That was my first kiss!
Aoba looked at the other person with amusement.
"Ichika has become very beautiful. I didn't even recognize you when you came to see me yesterday."
"Then why did you recognize me now?"
The girl blinked her blue eyes.
I have absolutely no recollection of yesterday.
I recognized it right away.
Who believes it!
They're only a few years older than me, and in the prime of their youth...
Does he have such a bad memory, like an old man?
Damn it~!
The grown-up Aoba-nii is no longer as reliable as before!
Just then, Aoba suddenly flicked the girl's forehead with his finger.
Want to know why?
"...I don't want to know."
Ichika Nakano turned her head away, not wanting to look into those eyes.
Or rather, she didn't dare to look.
I haven't seen him for years, and I've clearly grown up, so why has Aoba-san gotten even more handsome?!
Is this guy aging in reverse?!
Although the girl appeared completely uninterested, her hands showed no sign of loosening their grip.
wait.
Wait quietly.
Wait patiently.
Wait. . .
As if sensing something, she suddenly raised her head and stared intently at Qingye.
Aoba blinked innocently.
"what happened?"
"Why...don't you say so?"
"say what?"
Tell me how you recognized me.
"Didn't you say you didn't want to know?"
"...Tell me or don't, it's up to you!"
Ichika Nakano wanted to angrily retaliate like Nino, but the moment she let go, she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Having already left Aoba and lost her mother, she didn't want to lose anyone else.
Looking at Aoba's teasing smile.
The girl bit her lower lip, then suddenly stood on tiptoe, preparing to punish that mouth.
But the result...
"Ok?"
Aoba followed her movement and slightly raised her head as well.
"boom."
The girl bumped her chin.
"Hahaha."
Aoba laughed loudly.
Nakano Ichika blushed deeply and buried her face in her chest.
She bit her lower lip, feeling unwilling to accept it.
Fortunately, taking advantage of the boy's relaxed state of mind, he pounced on him again.
This time, the target is not the lips.
Instead. . .
"Hi~!"
A cry of pain made Ichika Nakano laugh triumphantly.
"Haha, we're even now."
Ichika Nakano stuck out her tongue in retaliation.
Aoba was not surprised at all.
He just smiled and patted the other person's head.
"You can use a little more force..."
He was speaking.
With his other hand, he held the girl tightly in his arms, just like when they were children.
"It must have been tough after Rena left, right? Even though she's my older sister, she's still just Ichika in my eyes..."
"...Um."
The girl raised her head.
That mature gaze, usually reserved for adults, suddenly seemed to have found its home.
It melted completely on the boy's chest.
The sunlight streaming through the window fell on the boy's cheeks, along with a warm smile.
"I'll live more freely from now on."
"...Your opinion doesn't count."
Aoba reluctantly released the girl, let out a long sigh, and then looked at her.
"You could have just told me yesterday, why did you have to make me guess? And you even made me your tutor..."
"I just wanted to see when you would recognize me."
The girl with short pink hair winked playfully and gracefully twirled in place.
"I never expected that Brother Qingye would be so dense that he could only recognize us when the five of us were together."
"Because we haven't seen each other for a long time."
Aoba smiled and answered, ruffling her hair before heading to the dining table to start tidying up.
He tidied up, head down.
Sunlight streamed across the window sill and fell on his seemingly thin but actually reliable shoulders.
His slender figure became a tall shadow on the wall.
He was in the light amidst floating dust.
It was as if he was muttering to himself.
"It's really nice to see you again."