Chapter 34

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"Um, Onii-san. I'm really sorry to interrupt, but..."

Hearing a very apologetic voice, Yugen came back to his senses. Ailisa, too, seemed to have come to her senses and put some distance between herself and Yugen, as if she had suddenly snapped out of it.

Her face turned red, and she lowered her head.

"Ah, what's wrong, Ayako? Is there something you need?"

The voice belonged to Yugen's younger sister, Ayako Kasegawa.

She didn't sound mocking; rather, her tone and expression were genuinely apologetic, which made the situation even more awkward.

"Well, actually, there's something I need to tell Ailisa-san."

"Me? What is it?"

Ailisa cleared her throat dramatically before turning to Ayako. Her expression had returned to its usual calm, though her face was still red.

"Ailisa-san, it's a bit of a problem. The train has stopped."

"‘Eh?’"

According to Ayako's explanation, a minor accident had just occurred. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but as a result, the train had been temporarily halted.

There was no estimate for when service would resume. Even if it did, the trains would undoubtedly be very crowded.

"So, what should we do, Ailisa? Personally, I don't want to send you home on a crowded train in the middle of the night. It's dangerous."

Yugen's father, Kazuya Kasegawa, spoke to Ailisa in a gentle but firm tone. Even with Yugen as a bodyguard, a crowded train would be dangerous.

"That's true... But then, how should I get home...?"

"I think the best option is to drive her home."

Kazuya muttered, "It's a bit late to ask the driver, but..."

Of course, the Kasegawa family had a dedicated driver.

However...

"But the roads will be congested, won't they? It will take a long time."

Yugen's mother, Ayako Kasegawa, expressed her concern about the traffic. The roads were already congested due to the festival, and with the train stoppage, the number of cars from people using taxis or private vehicles would only increase.

"True, but Mom, we can't let her walk home, and we can't send her on the train. Isn't a car the most reasonable option? What do you think, Ailisa?"

Yugen asked Ailisa, who nodded slightly.

"Yes, it's not her fault that there was an accident... I'm sorry to cause trouble for you and the Kasegawa family, but I would appreciate it if you could drive me home."

At this, Ayako grinned and interjected.

"Hey? You were calling her by her last name just now. When did you start calling her by her first name? You must have gotten pretty close, huh? What were you doing when you were hugging?"

Ayako's teasing words made Yugen feel his face heat up. Ailisa, too, seemed to recall her earlier indiscretion and lowered her head in embarrassment.

"This is... awkward..."

"Oh my..."

Kazuya chuckled, while Ayako laughed delightedly. Yugen cleared his throat dramatically.

"Right now, that's not important. What's more important is how Ailisa will get home. If we're going by car, we should leave as soon as possible..."

"I have a great idea, though. Can I share it?"

Interrupting Yugen, Ayako said. Everyone's attention turned to her.

"How about staying over?"

Ayako said confidently. Yugen frowned, wondering what she was suggesting.

"No, that's not... appropriate..."

"It's fine, really. You won't be sharing a room. Besides, it's dangerous to drive at night, and it would be hard on the driver. Ailisa-san must be tired too. Wouldn't it be better to stay overnight and leave in the morning with a clear head?"

Ayako's suggestion seemed reasonable. While it would be inappropriate for Yugen and Ailisa to stay alone together, with their parents and sister keeping an eye on them, nothing untoward would happen.

After all, Yugen and Ailisa were already a couple, so even if something did happen, it wouldn't be entirely unforgivable... but sleeping under the same roof should be fine.

"But what about clothes for changing? Ailisa only has her regular clothes and her yukata."

Without being specific, Yugen knew that as a girl, Ailisa would not want to spend the night in the same underwear. It would be uncomfortable to sleep in regular clothes, and the yukata would wrinkle...

"Can't she borrow a nightgown from Mom? And you can buy underwear at a convenience store. We have towels and futons, so I don't think it will be a problem for one night."

"True... that makes sense."

Yugen muttered and looked at Kazuya and Ayako, who both nodded in agreement.

"I don't mind either way."

"I'd like her to stay. I want to hear more about Yugen from Ailisa-chan."

With their permission, Yugen turned to Ailisa, who looked confused.

"Right. If you don't mind, you can stay. Don't worry about being a bother; choose what you prefer. ...What do you think?"

"...That's true."

After a moment's thought, Ailisa nodded.

"Then... I'll take you up on your offer."

Thus, Ailisa's overnight stay was decided.

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This is Chapter 2.

Originally, I planned to include a side story where an uncle drinks alcohol, but since it would have been out of place in the timeline, I decided to skip it.

Chapter 1 was like the run-up before getting on a bicycle. From Chapter 2 onwards, we'll be riding the bicycle and shifting gears.

Thanks to everyone's support, we've reached the top of the monthly ranking in our genre and are in the top ten overall. Thank you very much. I hope you will continue to support us.

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True Dere Degree: 5%

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