Chapter 18: You Have to Like Me the Most!

During the New Year, Kenma Kotsume received a handheld console from his parents as a gift, and the Game Ban was lifted.

He spent days in his room, completely absorbed in playing games, as if trying to make up for all the time he had lost.

Yoriko Arisu watched the obsessed Kenma Kotsume with worry, and quietly asked Miwako Kotsume, “Is it really okay for Kenma to be like this?”

Miwako Kotsume was very indulgent.

“It’s just a few days of vacation. Let him have fun.”

As a kindergarten teacher, she understood the balance of stick and carrot well. Only after getting enough sweetness would Kenma obediently listen.

For some reason, looking at Miwako Kotsume’s smile made Yoriko Arisu shiver.

Mother’s smile is so strange.

She rubbed her arms and thought.

To celebrate the joy of receiving a new handheld console and a new game, Kenma Kotsume eagerly invited them to play a multiplayer Game together.

Unlike the 2D Games they used to play, the new Game was 3D.

Yoriko Arisu either died instantly or was on the verge of dying the whole time.

Every time she encountered a monster, she would panic, frantically mash the Game Controller, the camera spinning wildly, and then get killed—each time relying on Kenma Kotsume to pull off a miraculous comeback.

Yoriko Arisu felt deeply ashamed.

Embarrassed, she handed the Game Controller to Tetsurou Kuroo, whose Game skills were better than hers, so most of the time, the two boys played while Yoriko Arisu watched or slept beside them.

Yoriko Arisu hadn’t really thought much of it at first.

Until one day, she woke up from a nap and saw the two childhood friends fiercely discussing how to beat the boss.

Hmm.

She couldn’t understand a single word.

Something felt wrong.

She climbed off the bed, reaching for the juice on the table, deep in thought.

Was she being excluded?

During the New Year, the Club was on vacation, and Tetsurou Kuroo was also on break, so he had plenty of time to play games with Kenma Kotsume.

The two vowed to finish the Game before the holiday ended, their spirits high.

Then what about her? What was she supposed to do?

Kenma Kotsume didn’t really understand her indignation.

“Arisu, you can watch us play.”

Wasn’t that how they always did it before?

“Though that’s true…”

Yoriko Arisu crossed her arms and frowned, not really understanding her own feelings.

It just felt like she couldn’t be left behind.

She squeezed between the two, making a serious declaration.

“I want to play too!”

Tetsurou Kuroo kindly handed her the Game Controller.

“Then you can use mine, Arisu.”

Ever since he opened up about his family, their relationship had become closer.

Specifically, they spent even more time together.

The three of them already spent a lot of time together, but now it was even more.

And Tetsurou Kuroo treated them even better.

If, before, Tetsurou Kuroo looked after them out of an older brother’s sense of responsibility—almost like playing house—now he was much more genuine.

It was like he had finally found a way to fit in, and confirmed his Friendship with them, making him more confident.

In Kenma Kotsume’s words, his affection level had gone up.

Sharing secrets really does bring people closer.

For some reason, every time Kenma Kotsume saw Tetsurou Kuroo looking at them with a gentle smile, his hands started to itch, wanting to press the attack button.

Yoriko Arisu took the Game Controller and dove into the Game.

Then died instantly.

Restarted. Died again.

And kept dying.

***

After who knows how many deaths, Kenma Kotsume let out a soft sigh.

He had already memorized this path.

The light sigh drifted like a feather.

Yoriko Arisu, already feeling guilty, shivered and hurriedly handed the Game Controller back to Tetsurou Kuroo, then quickly scrambled back onto the bed.

“You guys play, you guys play.”

She decided to just watch.

Then she fell asleep again.

Half-asleep, she heard Tetsurou Kuroo whisper,

“Isn’t it kind of bad for us to leave Arisu out like this?”

Yoriko Arisu’s drowsiness instantly disappeared.

She perked up her ears, eavesdropping on their conversation.

Then she heard Kenma Kotsume speak.

“No? Didn’t we also watch the Animation she wanted before?”

“But Arisu looks really bored.”

Kenma Kotsume thought seriously for a moment.

“Well, Arisu’s Game skills are really bad. There’s nothing we can do.”

“Kuro is way better than Arisu at Technique.”

“Wha—”

Yoriko Arisu felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

Their relationship had secretly improved without her knowing!

It’s all the Game’s fault!

Yoriko Arisu was angry, Yoriko Arisu was sad, Yoriko Arisu threw herself onto Kenma Kotsume in outrage, shaking him.

“I’m just lacking practice! If I get serious, I’ll totally destroy both of you!”

She puffed up, snatched the Game Controller from Kenma Kotsume, and started a new Save File.

She declared,

“I only sucked because I joined midway and didn’t know the controls. If I start from the beginning, I’ll get the hang of it fast!”

Then she died.

Kenma Kotsume rubbed the shoulder she’d bumped into and commented blandly.

“Game skills aren’t something that improve overnight.”

“Ugh, one more time!”

That night, Kenma Kotsume didn’t get to touch his beloved Game Controller.

If resentment could raise Game Level, Kenma Kotsume would be max level by now.

That night, Yoriko Arisu had rare insomnia.

Whenever she closed her eyes, she heard Kenma’s praise of Kuroo echoing in her ears.

[Kuro is way better than Arisu at Technique.]

She couldn’t sleep!

So frustrating!

Come to think of it, their trio’s bond wasn’t very stable after all!

Especially since Kenma and Kuroo were both boys, and same-gender bonds always seemed closer.

Why couldn’t Kuroo be a girl?

Yoriko Arisu rolled around on her bed hugging her Shark Pillow.

Her Game skills had always been lousy, but before, Kenma had no one else to play with and had to stick with her.

Now that he had Kuroo, he didn’t even want to play with her anymore!

It’s all Kuroo’s fault!

Should she just take him out tonight?

She thought darkly.

The roofs of their houses were connected, with only a narrow gap in between—just a light jump would get her across, and as long as the window was open, she could sneak in.

Sometimes, when she was too lazy to walk, she used this trick to climb into Kenma’s house.

No sooner thought than done, Yoriko Arisu crawled out of bed, forgetting to check the time.

It was 2 a.m.—when everyone should be sleeping.

Quietly sneaking to Kuroo’s window, Yoriko Arisu opened it.

The window slid smoothly, not making a sound.

Good, he hadn’t closed it.

Wait.

“I have to remind Kuroo tomorrow to close his window at night. It’s dangerous.”

She muttered softly, climbing through Tetsurou Kuroo’s window.

Their rooms were directly across from each other, and the long, flat rooftop made it easy for her to cross, even if she slipped.

Once inside, Yoriko Arisu pulled open the curtains, letting the moonlight shine in—

—illuminating a raised butt.

Tetsurou Kuroo was already asleep.

Yoriko Arisu stood by the bed, lost in thought.

She had run over without even thinking about what to do next.

But—

“So this is how Kuroo sleeps, huh.”

She murmured, eyeing Kuroo lying face down with his head sandwiched between two cushions.

No wonder his hairstyle was so weird.

But wouldn’t sleeping like that make it hard to breathe?

Curious, Yoriko Arisu crawled onto the bed, trying to observe how Tetsurou Kuroo was breathing.

Maybe her gaze was too intense—Tetsurou Kuroo frowned, struggled a bit, then opened his eyes.

And was scared half to death by the face right in front of him.

Yoriko Arisu, unaware of how much she startled him, greeted him cheerfully.

“Kuroo, you’re awake?”

Tetsurou Kuroo pressed himself into the corner, clutching his wildly beating heart.

“Why are you here?!”

She pointed at the window.

From that angle, her room’s light could still be seen.

Tetsurou Kuroo was shocked.

“That’s way too dangerous!”

“It’s fine. I do this all the time to get to Kenma’s place.”

She waved her hand nonchalantly.

But to get to Kenma’s, she’d have to go through their study’s window.

Yoriko Arisu quickly dropped the topic, moving closer to Tetsurou Kuroo’s face in amazement.

“So your hairstyle is made by sleeping like this, huh.”

Tetsurou Kuroo managed to speak.

“…You came to my room in the middle of the night just to see my hair?”

“Of course not!”

Yoriko Arisu was about to state her purpose, then stalled.

She pressed her fingers to her temple, deep in thought.

“What was it again?”

Three minutes passed.

Tetsurou Kuroo:

“If you can’t remember, let’s just sleep for now?”

He was so tired.

“But I think it was really important!”

Yoriko Arisu hugged her head.

But she really couldn’t remember, so she obediently went back.

“Goodnight, Kuroo.”

“…Goodnight, Arisu.”

Back in her own room, she lay in bed, closed her eyes, then opened them.

“No, wait.”

For the second time that night, Tetsurou Kuroo was ambushed.

He patted the arm wrapped around his neck in exasperation.

“What are you even here for?”

“To assassinate you.”

“…Can you say it in a way I can understand?”

“It feels like Kenma likes you more.”

Yoriko Arisu said angrily.

“He’s supposed to like me the most!”

Tetsurou Kuroo was confused.

“Can I ask how you came to that conclusion?”

“He praised your Technique this afternoon!”

Tetsurou Kuroo: …Ah, so it was about that.

He patted Yoriko Arisu’s arm.

“Let go of me, let’s talk, okay?”

Somehow, this turned into Yoriko Arisu sitting on Tetsurou Kuroo’s bed, while he kneeled on the floor.

Tetsurou Kuroo silently raised his hand.

“Why am I kneeling?”

“Hmph.”

“…Fine, I’ll kneel.”

He rubbed the back of his neck helplessly.

“That was just a casual compliment, okay?”

Yoriko Arisu stared at him, slowly reaching for a Cushion on the bed.

Tetsurou Kuroo felt a chill down his spine and quickly changed his tune.

“Kenma definitely thinks you’re number one in the world!”

Password incorrect.

“How do you know what Kenma thinks?”

Yoriko Arisu huffed.

“We’ve known each other longer than you have—I definitely know him better!”

Uh-oh.

Tetsurou Kuroo thought with a headache.

Looks like I won’t get to sleep tonight unless I cheer up Arisu.

Having an Older Sister made Tetsurou Kuroo skilled at comforting girls.

Thinking back, he realized this kind of thing had happened between him and his sister, too.

His sister was three years older.

Because he was younger, Mother often spent more time with him, and he’d sometimes see his sister looking sad.

Guess this applies to Friendship, too?

Like, feeling neglected or lonely?

What did he do back then?

If he couldn’t say it from Kenma’s perspective, then he could just speak for himself.

Tetsurou Kuroo looked at the black-haired girl, and carefully tested the waters.

“…Is it not okay if I like you?”

Password correct.

Yoriko Arisu froze, as if she hadn’t expected him to say that.

Her expression became blank.

She muttered,

“…Kuroo likes me?”

Tetsurou Kuroo:

“Yeah. Didn’t we say before we’d get married?”

After a while, Yoriko Arisu’s brows relaxed.

She stared at him thoughtfully.

“I see.”

She touched her chin, thinking seriously.

“So, between me and Kenma, who do you like more?”

Tetsurou Kuroo’s survival instincts were strong.

“Of course it’s you!”

“Really?”

“Really!”

“Why?”

Tetsurou Kuroo paused, seeing Yoriko Arisu’s brows starting to furrow again, and quickly spoke up.

“Because you’re cute!”

Once he got the first words out, the rest flowed more smoothly.

“It’s my first time having a girl as a friend, so at first I didn’t know how to get along, but you were warm to me, gave me tasty food, and played volleyball with me…”

Though still a child, Yoriko Arisu already showed the beautiful features she’d have when she grew up—fair skin, round eyes.

She loved fashion, always changing her hairstyles.

Sometimes a single ponytail, sometimes cute pigtails, sometimes complicated braids.

Now her hair was loose as she sat on his bed in pajamas, looking full of life.

Because he was looking at Yoriko Arisu as he spoke, Tetsurou Kuroo became embarrassed, his face turning red.

Staring at her, he noticed a tiny mole at the corner of her eye.

He didn’t know why, but it made her look even prettier.

It was at this moment Tetsurou Kuroo realized—

There was a girl in his room at night.

His heart raced, and he didn’t even know what he was saying anymore.

He tried to sum up with difficulty.

“…Anyway, you’re really special to me.”

Yoriko Arisu finally smiled.

“Then remember that!”

She hopped off the bed, tapping Tetsurou Kuroo’s chest with her finger.

“Promise me—you have to like me the most!”

“I’ll always like you the most!”