Chapter 20
Look in the mirror!
I held the mirror that Endo-senpai gave me in my hand and looked at my own face. I muttered to myself.
I had not seen my own face since I had put in the brown contacts that Endo-senpai had before putting on my makeup, and I blinked several times as I gazed into the mirror at the results.
My eyes were drawn with thick eyeliner, and long, bushy false eyelashes were placed slightly out of place around my eyes, making them seem one size larger than the original eyes. Moreover, two layers of false eyelashes were placed on top of each other, making me feel as if they weighed me down. The false eyelashes under my eyes were also put on and even if you only look at my eyes, I look like a completely different person. It looks like someone else's eyes.
The blush is a little darker orange, and the eyeshadow is brown-based. The lips were done in a gradation of pink and red, and according to Endo, she tried to add a cute touch to the mature look.
Other than that, Endo's greatness can be seen in the small details.
I had worn makeup in my previous life, but I had never worn makeup that changed my face to this extent.
Mr. Hanamiya looked at my face and said, “Quintessential Rei-sensei, you look wonderful this time as well.” He was nodding his head while putting his hand on his chin like a critic teacher.
Endo-senpai…amazing…”
It took me a long time, but it's worth it, isn't it?
Yes, this is already a work of art…”
“Makeup is drawing with your face…”
The most important thing to remember is that you can't just buy a new pair of shoes and boots and expect to be able to wear them for a long time.
When I asked her what she was doing, she replied, as if it were a matter of course, “I'm choosing Marilyn's clothes. she replied with a lengthening of the end of her sentence.
I looked again at the clothes Endo-senpai was holding.
No, wait a minute. The one you are holding in your hand has an open back. Or rather, isn't that underwear?
When I put my hands in front of me and said “eh eh,” raising a strange voice toward Endo-senpai, Endo-senpai said “yeah, I think it's this. and came back toward us with those clothes.
I don't know if the clothes fit, but…well, try these on anyway.”
The clothes she handed us were a white camisole with a V-shaped opening at the bust, a large black ribbon at the chest and lace at the hem, black hot pants, and a black tube-top bra.
…These are things I'm not supposed to wear.”
I said and tried to return the clothes to Endo-senpai, but she ignored my words, saying, “Hurry up and put them on.” I said, ignoring my words.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I've never worn anything like this before!
“Oh, you're so confident…”
“Sis, you should try it on. Show it to your uncle.
“Do you want to wear it, Hanamiya-san?”
I'm not going, so no thanks.
I gently pointed my clothes at Hanamiya-san, who was making old man-like comments next to me, and she pushed them back toward me with both hands.
For a while, the two of them were saying to each other, “I can go for it. Hurry up and put it on. Marilyn can do it. She's got an ass-kicking ass. I reluctantly turned my back to them and changed my clothes.
I knew before I put it on that it would never suit me. I knew that even before I put it on. I struggled with these thoughts as I changed, and then turned to the two of them.
You don't look good on me!
“It looks good on you.
“You're so cute.
No way…”
I crouched down and held my head in my hands as the two said this to me.
Endo-senpai said, “You look like a neat and tidy gal. and made a peace sign with both hands.
When I asked for at least a jacket, she lent me a black cardigan.
I put the cardigan on and then Endo ironed my hair to complete the look.
I had to wear the white mules I had worn because my shoes didn't match Endo-senpai's size, but I still wasn't aware that I was going to RED. It seemed like something else.
However, even though I thought so, as time went by, the reality of the situation gradually came into view and I became more and more anxious.
Endo-senpai said it would be fine, but I wondered if it really was. What if there were scary people there?
To be honest, I wanted to stop going. I wanted to punch myself for saying I wanted to see Toraga so thoughtlessly.
Endo-senpai, perhaps noticing my uneasiness, smiled gently and asked me, “If you don't think you can make it, can we do it on another day? If you think you can't make it, we can do it another day?
It seems that I am an innocent person, and when Endo-senpai said that to me, I wanted to go. I want to go, I want to see Toraga. I want to see how Toraga is spending his time at RED. Besides, Endo-senpai has done so much for me, but it will all go down the drain.
I shook my head, thinking of so many things in one moment.
I shook my head, “It's all right. Thank you, Endo-senpai.”
Endo-senpai smiled and said, “You're welcome. And my name is Reika. She said, “I'm a senior in high school. I told her that I was a senior in high school and I didn't want to call her by her name, so she said, “Rei-chan, Rei-chim, Rei-yan, or Reimeiro. Which one do you prefer? I thought it was some kind of spell. I thought it was some kind of spell.
It seemed to be the only choice, and I decided to call Endo-senpai Rei-chan. I decided to call Endo-senpai “Rei-chan,” and Hanamiya-san “Shinshiro-chan” too.
We then went out for dinner to get me used to the outfit, and when we returned to Endo-senpai's house, the three of us talked about the characters we had guessed.
We talked about what we thought of the character when we first saw it, what we liked about it, and what we wanted to do with it.
Endo-senpai immediately answered, “I want to get married,” and Hanamiya-san immediately answered, “I want to be in a relationship. I blinked my eyes at how quickly they answered.
I was dazzled by their ability to answer immediately. I envied them. These two people have their own will and clearly have a future that they want to be with the character they are guessing. Their response gave me the resolve to discuss something I couldn't discuss with anyone else.
I shifted my gaze from them, looked at the black carpet, and after a short pause, opened my mouth, “You know…” I said.
I can't imagine Toraga falling in love with me. I want him to go out with someone who likes him the way he likes me, but I still want …… him to like me. I think I'm so brazen, and I feel like I'm so small. Does this mean I'm selfish? Is it wrong to feel that way?”
When I told them what I was thinking, my heart felt lighter. After all, when a person has someone to listen to them, that alone is enough to make them feel at ease. I thanked them for listening to me and waited to see what they would say, feeling a mixture of anxiety and relief.
The first person to speak to me was Endo-senpai.
Isn't that normal?
What?
Endo's words made me raise my head and look at his face.
I looked up and saw her face. I think so too.
I looked at Hanamiya-san who was speaking after Endo-senpai, and I shifted my face to Hanamiya-san.
I'm sure every woman in love has such feelings. I think it's stupid for me to go out with Yukarin.
I think so too. I don't want to give it to anyone else, so I want to go out with Huang Yang-kun.
“It's natural to want to go out with someone because you like them. It's not about the character you like, it's about the person you like.
So, isn't it normal to want the person you like to think you like them?
She was afraid of being liked too much. The most important thing to remember is that you can't just take a look at your own personal personal information. The most important thing to remember is that you should not be afraid of the things that you do not want to do. That's why I'm afraid every day.”
When the two of them said this to me, I felt the scales come out of my eyes. Or rather, I almost cried in the name of scales.
I thought to myself, “I see, this feeling I'm having isn't strange at all. Everyone else is feeling the same way.
Yes, because I like him, because I like him too much, I'm scared every day, I want him to like me, but I still wonder if I'm the right person for Toraga. He told me he wanted to like me, and I told him I wanted him to like me, but I still felt that the story was somewhat like a dream.
I wonder if Toraga will like me…”
I asked them with tears in my eyes, and they encouraged me, “I'm sure he'll like you. They encouraged me.
I felt sorry for them for encouraging me when I knew they were anxious because they were feeling the same way I was.
Endo-senpai told me that my makeup would come off if I cried and handed me a tissue, which I gratefully accepted and used to cover my eyes.
At six o'clock, Hanamiya-san went home and it was just me and Endo-senpai.
I asked her what time she was going to be there, and she told me 8:00 a.m. I waited for the time in between with a sense of excitement.
Endo-senpai had told me during the day that I should stay at his house since I would be late today, so I did not have to worry about the time. Endo-senpai gave me a pair of unused underwear that he said was too small for me to use, and I packed them in my bag so that they would be easy to find.
Time flew by as I talked about love with Endo-senpai and watched TV. Time passed so fast that I thought it was too fast.
Toraga's here!”
Endo-senpai's words made my heart skip a beat.
I was going to RED dressed like this. I would be able to see Toramasa at night. I was so embarrassed, scared, and curious at the same time, that I couldn't move my hand while clutching my bag.
Endo took my hand gently and led me outside. Let's have a look. Endo said cheerfully to me.
We walked side-by-side with Endo-senpai and talked about the time we arrived at RED, being wary of the nighttime streets since it was only a 10-minute walk from the RED.
We were walking side by side with Endo-senpai when we arrived at RED. She came here for summer vacation. Marilyn's name is Rin Fujita, and we call her Riichimu.
Rin, you got it.
Toramasa will probably be at his usual seat on the sofa in the middle of the room, so we'll sit at the counter a little further away and watch from there.
I'll leave everything to you, Rei-chan.
Endo-senpai, you've thought of everything!
I had no idea about her alias or what kind of connection she had with Endo, so I gave her a look of respect.
I am so sorry for everything. I bowed down to Endo-senpai, who was also making various other detailed settings, as I listened to his story.
After Endo-senpai entered a small street in the shopping arcade and walked for a while, I saw a store with a red lamp.
I knew immediately that it was RED without being told, so I grabbed the hem of Endo-senpai's dress without thinking.
When Endo-senpai opened the door of the store, I saw the dimly lit interior and heard the music playing in the store at the same time.
I was in the store with Endo, hiding behind his back.
Reika, it's been a while!
Ryota, how have you been? How have you been?
“I was dead because Reika wasn't here.”
“That's funny. Live on.”
As soon as I entered the store, a man came to talk to Endo-senpai, to which Endo-senpai answered.
The first time I saw him, I knew his gaze was on me, and I gently shifted my gaze.
I was so happy to see him. What's your name?
This girl's name is Rin. She has a boyfriend, so don't aim at her.
“Really? Too bad. Have fun today, Rin.
Of course. I'm really going to have fun.
“You're the quintessential Reika, aren't you? I'm not sure what to do.
I knew it, but Toraga is here. I knew that, but I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest at any moment and I wanted to run away.
Ryota is in my way.”
Endo-senpai shooed the man away with his hand, and the man laughed and said, “Reika, you're cold. The man turned his back and went to where the woman and the man were at a little distance away.
I sat down at the counter with Endo-senpai and put my bag under the counter.
While I was waiting for my drink, Endo-senpai said in my ear, “Look, that's Toramasa over there. He gently showed me with his eyes.
I followed his gaze and there was Toramasa sitting on a sofa in the middle of the restaurant.
Next to Toramasa sat a man with many tattoos, who he told me was Endo-senpai's older brother.
There were people gathered around them and they were talking about something.
From where we were sitting, I couldn't tell what they were talking about, but I could tell that they were having a good time, laughing loudly from time to time.
However, Toraga's face remained wrinkled between his eyebrows, with an angry default expression on his face.
He was holding a bottle of sake in his hand, and as he drank it, I couldn't tell whether he was listening to what the people around him were saying or not.
To be honest, he looked really cool.
I knew that Toramasa was cool, but seeing him in a different light from the Toramasa I usually see made me feel very fresh and very excited.
Oh, I guess I like Toramasa after all.
I thought vaguely with my racing heart.
I like him. I love him so much. I love you. I love you more than anything else in the world. I can't suppress this feeling.
Because he's such a cool and wonderful guy, he's like a collection of all my tastes and all the things I love. It's crazy not to like him….
Someone like that wants to like me. I am very lucky.
I want to be next to him and stay by his side until the day he says he loves me.
Riichimu, you're looking very feminine right now.
I returned to reality at the teasing voice of Endo-senpai sitting next to me, my face flushed red, and I patted him on the shoulder.
Wow, he's good looking. The way his arms peek out through his short sleeves, the way he drinks in the most erotic way, the angry expression on his face…everything is just too good to be true. Is that Toramasa at night? The wrinkles between his eyebrows are darker than when he's with me…he seems to exude a cold atmosphere…I think. Maybe I'm being egotistical, but I think Toraya exudes more of a gentle aura when he's with me. ……
I like both gentle and cold Toraya. I don't like the cold attitude, but from a third person's point of view, it's cool and I like it.
The more I look at them, the more I like them.
I like them, they are cool. That's all I can say. I love Toramasa, his existence, everything about him.
When I was looking at Toramasa, Endo whispered to me, “Don't look at him too much or he'll notice you. I hurriedly turned my face back to the front.
I turned my face back to the front. “Well, I don't think he'll notice you because you're wearing makeup.
Endo laughed, took a drink, and lit a cigarette.
Rin-chan, are you also interested in Toraga?
I shook my head as I felt my face turn red.
Then Ken-san said, “Toramasa is cool, isn't he?” I nodded with a smile.
Rin came at a good time. He hasn't been here recently, and today was the first time in a really long time.
I see.
The most important thing to remember is that you should never forget to take care of your own health and well being. So, Rin, be careful not to fall in love with Toramasa.
Oh, I have a boyfriend. ……
The actual a lot more the better.
As I was drinking my Coke and glancing at Toramasa again, Toramasa suddenly raised his gaze and our gazes met.
I froze for a moment in the same position and then hurriedly returned my gaze to Endo-senpai and whispered, “My eyes met Toramasa's.” Endo took my words seriously.
Endo gave me a serious look and said in a whisper, “……Yes, I see you're watching. He whispered to me and told me how Toramasa was looking at him.
He said, “Yeah, but you haven't noticed…, have you? Because you're wearing makeup and our eyes only met for a second…”
“I don't think she would have noticed, but…she's still looking at me.”
“…Is it unusual for me, a newcomer…?”
I don't think so… I'm not sure if it's a newcomer or not…” “I don't think so…” “Toraga basically doesn't care about his surroundings.
I think it's time to call it a night…”
The first time I was talking to Endo in a whisper, I heard a voice from far away calling out “Reika” to Endo.
The voice was that of someone I knew very well, and we stopped moving at the sound of her voice.
The voices of those who were talking around us disappeared at the sound of Toraga's voice.
Toraga, it's been a long time!
Who is that guy?”
After a pause, Endo spoke to Toramasa cheerfully, and Toramasa sharply said, “Who is that guy?
I don't know yet, but somehow I think this trend is dangerous.
I turned my face toward Endo-senpai so that he couldn't see my face, and drank a Coke to calm myself down.
This girl is my friend's cousin. She has a boyfriend, so don't mess with her.
…… what's her name?
Rin. She says you can call her Riichimu.
Show me your face.
I glanced at Endo at Toraga's words. Endo smiled with a troubled look on his face and said, “You probably won't notice. He then put his hand on my shoulder and spun me around to face Toraga.
He turned his body toward Toraga. Was that what Toraga liked?”
Endo's joking words were not answered by Toramasa.
I just looked at the stain on the wall, trying my best not to make eye contact with Toramasa.
I was so nervous that my throat was parched. A different kind of nervousness strikes me than the nervousness I feel when I'm with Toraga. It's the same kind of nervousness, like fear or anxiety.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Toraga staring at me with his hand on his chin as if thinking about something.
I told myself it was okay and waited for Toraya's response.
It had been quite a long time, but no one around us was talking or looking at us.
Then Toraya opened his mouth.
Come here for a minute.
“Toramasa, I told you this girl has a boyfriend.”
“Shut up, don't tell me what to do.”
Shut up! You should have said something to me!
“Sorry, Reika. I've never seen Toraya like this before.
The endo's brother, sitting next to Toramasa, seemed to be watching from the sidelines. He is looking at me and Toramasa with his arms crossed.
Endo had his mouth close to my ear and said, “We're going to talk to Toramasa, so you should run away while we're talking to him.” I shook my head.
I shook my head. I shook my head. I couldn't cause any more trouble for Endo-senpai, who had done so much for me.
I think I'll be fine.”
I smiled at Endo with a nervous twitch on my face and got up from my chair to go to Toramasa.
The distance between me and Toramasa, who is sitting on the sofa, gets closer. The gazes of the people around me pierce me.
When Toraya's arm comes within arm's reach, I stop and look at Toraya.
Toraya is staring at me with a deep wrinkle between his eyebrows.
Toraya suddenly reaches for the cell phone on the table and presses it to his ear.
At that moment, I heard the music of an incoming call coming from somewhere. A love song by a famous singer, which I have heard many times, was playing in the restaurant.
The people around me looked around and then stared at me as if they had noticed me.
As if in a last ditch effort, I looked around with a blank expression on my face, but the people standing near me looked at me as if to say, “It's you…” I looked around with a blank stare as if to say, “It's you!
I looked at Toraga, who was sitting in front of me, and he was looking at me with a grim expression on his face.
I fearfully took my cell phone out of my pocket, rejected the call, put the phone to my ear and said in a back voice, “Hello? Toramasa in front of me said in a back voice, “You idiot! He called me again.
I gave up and pressed the call button.
Hello?
What the hell are you doing here?”
Toraya looked at me with a disgusted expression on his face as he looked me in the eye and said, “I'm sorry.
I put the phone away and put it in my trouser pocket.
I was amazed that Toraya could tell it was me.
I was surprised at how much the makeup had changed my face, but Toraya still recognized me.
I was so happy that I naturally smiled and opened my mouth to Toramasa.
I naturally smiled and opened my mouth to Toramasa, “I wanted to …… see Toramasa-san different from usual…?”
I don't understand.
I wanted to see Toramasa-san at night.
I thought he was different because he's with Reika, and he is…
Reika and I became friends.
You really… in many ways I don't understand you.”
He held out his hand toward me.
I already know the meaning of the hand that was offered to me.
I almost fell over, but Toraya took the opportunity to put me on his lap and looked at my face from close up.
I thought…you were going to avoid me.”
After saying this, Toraya gently hugged me. I could smell the usual Toraya smell and alcohol.
I could hear people around me buzzing about Toraya's behavior.
“No way!”, “That's Toramasa's? or a woman's scream or something like that.
But I, who was sitting on Toramasa's lap, listened to the voices as if I was a stranger to them and said, “There is no way I would avoid Toramasa-san. I gently put my arm around Toramasa's back.
I'm leaving.
No, Toramasa, don't leave under these circumstances.
“Mr. Ren, you knew about this?”
I didn't know either. I didn't know either, I was just told by Reika to call Toraga.
“So that's what you mean…. I thought it was strange because you were even more clumsy than usual.
Sorry, I can't resist a pretty little sister.
I'm not sure what to do with the money, but I'm sure it will be worth it. I said to him and went over to Endo-senpai who was sitting at the counter.
He said, “I'm sorry, Rei-chan. And thank you for bringing me here.
Endo gave me a toothy grin and said, “Don't worry about it. He handed me my bag that he had left under the counter.
As he took the bag, he said, “Let's play together again, okay? I returned to Toramasa and we left the store.
After walking in silence for a while, I noticed that Toraya was heading toward my house, so I called out to him, “Toraya-san, it's Rei-chan today.
Toramasa, I was going to stay at Rei-chan's house today.”
Toraya glanced at me and said, “…I see.” and started walking away without stopping.
I don't know how Toraga took my words, but as we walked, I noticed that we were heading toward Toraga's apartment, and I gave a small smile.
We stopped at a convenience store near the apartment, bought some drinks, etc., and headed back to our destination.
