Chapter Ninety-Three: Foolish Fellow

After changing into fresh clothes, Aoki Tsukasa took a bag filled with fast food and knocked on Sora’s door.

“Sora... whatever happens, at least have dinner first. If you don’t want these, I’ll go buy whatever you do want. I can even cook for you myself.” Standing outside, Tsukasa looked a little saddened.

He had not expected this matter to be so hard for Sora to accept. In his eyes, it had only been a fight. She might have been angry, but surely not to this extent.

“No!”

Sora’s voice from inside was firm and cold.

Tsukasa opened his mouth, then knocked again. “Please. No matter how angry you are at me, you can even beat me up to vent your anger, but don’t skip dinner.”

“No!!”

Tsukasa pressed his lips together and pushed the door open. He saw Sora lying on her little bed, wrapped tightly in the blanket, with only a sliver of silver hair showing.

“Get out!”

Hearing the door open, Sora’s voice turned even more furious.

Tsukasa said nothing, lowering his head.

“Put the things... here...”

Before he could finish, Sora cut him off again. “I don’t want them! Get out!”

“...Sora.”

Tsukasa set the food down by the door and looked at her with some sorrow. “Don’t be like this. It hurts me.”

In this lonely world, the only one Tsukasa truly cherished, the only one he regarded as family, was Sora. To see her shut him out like this made his heart ache deeply.

Perhaps Sora heard the grief in his voice. She did not answer, but she still did not move.

“...”

After a long silence, Tsukasa quietly left the room and stood outside the door, trying to soften his voice. “Even if you’re angry at me, at least don’t let your body...”

“You’re so annoying!”

Sora suddenly threw off the blanket and sat up to cut him off. Her lovely face was covered in tears, her eyes red, her voice shaking with fury. “You care so much about me, so why don’t you care about yourself?”

“I heard all about it. You fought them because you wanted to become the boss. What’s the point of becoming the boss? What’s the point of becoming the strongest delinquent?” She was crying as if her heart were being torn apart. “I’m scared!”

“I’m really scared!”

Looking at Tsukasa, she sobbed so hard that she could barely speak clearly. “Tsukasa, you’re not... you’re not that kind of person.”

“The gentle Tsukasa... why would you go fight someone?”

Her face was full of confusion and sorrow. “What if you get hurt?”

“What if you get beaten so badly you end up in the hospital?”

“What if Tsukasa, what if—”

She cried so hard that the rest would not come.

Tsukasa stepped forward slowly, knelt by the side of her bed, and looked into her eyes. He reached out and wiped away her tears again and again. “I’m sorry...”

“What good is sorry?” Sora flung herself into Tsukasa’s arms and held him tightly. “Tsukasa...”

“Tsukasa... I’m scared!”

Over and over, she called his name.

Tsukasa drew a deep breath, his own eyes turning red. “One year!”

“Give me one year!”

He clenched his fist silently. “Just give me one more year!”

“No!” Sora balled up her little hand and pounded angrily at his chest. “Why?”

Tsukasa held her tightly. “There are reasons I have to do this, Sora. Don’t be afraid. I won’t leave you, I really won’t!”

“Wah...” Sora cried into him, clutching the fabric at his back.

Tsukasa gently patted her back. “Really. If I had a choice, I’d listen to you, but there are things I have to do.”

“Forgive me. I won’t let myself end up in danger so easily again. I won’t make you worry anymore.” He promised, resting his chin lightly against her small head.

Only after a long while did Sora lift her face and look at Tsukasa with utmost seriousness. Sniffling, her voice rough from crying, she spoke one word at a time. “I... hate you.”

Tsukasa gave a wry smile and nodded, looking into her eyes.

In her eyes, so many emotions seemed tangled together, hazy like mist. “I hate you the most!”

“Yes.” Tsukasa smiled faintly. “I know.”

“I said I hate you!” Sora sniffled, her head bobbing.

“I know.” Tsukasa looked at her with a very gentle smile.

“Tsukasa...”

Sora lowered her head. “Idiot!”

“I know!” Tsukasa sounded relieved, smiling even more brightly.

“Idiot!!”

Sora shoved Tsukasa away and burrowed back under the blanket.

“I know! Remember to eat... Sora.” Tsukasa blinked tiredly.

“No!” came the muffled reply from beneath the covers.

“Do you want to play games together tonight?” Tsukasa sat on the floor by the bed, leaning exhaustedly against it, and slowly closed his eyes.

“No!” Sora kept rejecting him without end.

“Then how about going out again this weekend?” His voice was weak.

“No!” Sora’s voice was much softer now.

“Hmm... then do you want some chocolate sticks?”

“...Yes.” Her voice from under the blanket was faint.

“Pfft...” Tsukasa laughed aloud.

“Tsukasa... I hate you.”

“Mm.”

“...Idiot.”

“Mm.”

For a long while, neither of them spoke.

When Sora finally lifted her head cautiously from under the blanket, her swollen eyes found Tsukasa lying by the bedside, eyes closed, breathing softly in sleep, looking utterly at peace.

Looking at his face, covered in injuries, Sora quietly reached out her hand.

She traced his cheek, and the lingering bruises beneath that smooth skin made her sigh involuntarily.

“Idiot.” She said it softly, but could not stop a slightly tender smile from appearing.

Sora adjusted Tsukasa’s sleeping posture, draped the blanket over him, then carefully sat back down by the bed and leaned lightly against his shoulder. Seeing that he showed no sign of waking, she slowly closed her eyes as well.

Just for a little while. Just for a little while would be enough... Yet somehow, breathing in Tsukasa’s scent made her relax more and more.

Much later, Tsukasa opened his eyes in fatigue. He looked at Sora, who had at first been leaning against his shoulder but was now nestled in his arms, sleeping soundly with her head on his leg, and a gentle smile surfaced on his face. Just as he had drifted into that half-dreaming state, he was jolted awake by a system prompt asking whether he wanted to enter the dream training field, and then he noticed Sora’s movements. Not wanting to embarrass her, he pretended he knew nothing.

“Idiot.” Tsukasa gently shifted his posture to make her more comfortable, draped the blanket from his own body over Sora, and carefully extended a finger to touch her jelly-soft cheek. But she turned her head and pressed his hand beneath her cheek, both little hands unconsciously curling around his finger as a faint smile appeared on her sleeping face.

Tsukasa curved his lips, watching her for a long while before quietly taking out his phone with his other hand. He set it to silent, opened the messaging app, found the profile picture of Shinozaki Kokomi, and looked at the dozen-odd unread messages inside with a complicated expression.

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P.S. Ah, tastes differ, and what should be here will all be here, so everyone please don’t rush. Lately, reading your book reviews has made me feel like I’m about to lose all my hair. I don’t want to become bald... Please take pity on me and let me have a few recommendation votes or something to help take care of myself.