Chapter 26: But he’s a man!!

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Translator: Soafp

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After riding double on the bicycle and arriving at Sora’s house, Ginji was led to the workshop on the first floor.

“I-I'm going to do the final check. Don't you dare peek, okay?”

“O-Okay. Take your time.”

Pushed back by Sora's oddly excited energy, Ginji sat down in a chair in the workshop.

“…How many has she even drawn?”

There were easily dozens of sketchbooks piled on the shelves. Completed canvases were stacked in the corner of the room, never displayed. The trash bags were stuffed with garbage from paints and art supplies. The oil stains on the floor had been cleaned over and over, but the effort to remove the marks seemed to have been abandoned.

It was clear she had spent a staggering amount of time alone in this space. Ginji wondered what kind of feelings she must have had while working in this room. He then noticed a brand new canvas still mounted on a stand. He sat wide-legged on the small chair in front of the untouched white canvas.

“……”

A quiet world enclosed by cold concrete walls. Was this the world Sora longed for?

Ginji didn't understand it yet. But to him, it felt sacred—fragile like glass, with a depth bordering on madness. Feeling like he might be overwhelmed, Ginji gave himself a pep talk.

“Don't chicken out, Ginji Momoi . I promised to make Sora happy, didn't I?”

A blank canvas before his eyes—maybe one day, he'd have to step into this world. That might mean hurting Sora. Even so, if that's what he truly wanted, he would never betray him. He had sworn it to himself.

As Ginji regained his resolve, Sora came hurrying in behind him, almost steaming with embarrassment.

“S-Sorry for the wait. I think everything's good now… You were staring at the blank canvas?”

“Yeah. It's kind of nice… facing something like that.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Nothing important. Hey, next time, let me watch you draw.”

“Eh…? But it's boring, you know?”

“I still want to see it.”

Though Ginji's request was a bit forceful, Sora nodded, looking a little puzzled.

“If it's you, I guess it's okay. Anyway, come on up.”

“Yeah, I'll try not to get in the way.”

Changing gears, Ginji climbed the stairs and came to a wooden door with a lock. Next to it was a shoe cabinet.

“We wear shoes in the workshop, but up here, take them off, okay?”

“Weird setup, huh.”

He put away his shoes, and Sora opened the door.

“Whoa, totally different vibe in here.”

“R-Really?”

It was a spacious living room. Unlike the first floor, the walls were covered in white wallpaper, and the floors were wooden.

What stood out the most was a large bookshelf dominating the left side of the room. At a glance, it was filled with art books and other volumes related to drawing. In the center was a sturdy-looking table, and next to it, a sofa big enough to be used as a bed. Toward the back, there seemed to be a kitchen.

“…Mind if I check out the kitchen?”

“Huh? Sure, go ahead.”

Ginji, being a cooking enthusiast, began inspecting the kitchen like a pro. The worries he'd had downstairs seemed to vanish as his eyes sparkled.

“Hey, you’ve got the latest Hell〇o oven! Man, now I wanna make roast beef.”

“Yeah, it’s really good. I make it pretty often.”

“You've even got all the spices. I've never seen half of these!”

On a wall-mounted rack were nearly twenty small spice jars.

All the tools were arranged within arm's reach. It was clearly the kitchen of someone who cooked regularly.

“I just end up collecting them. Like with paints—if something's missing, it bugs me.”

“I totally get that.”

“‘Totally'? Anyway, let's get to studying.”

“…Right.”

“Ahaha, what's with that look? You're like a dog that just got told to wait.”

Watching Ginji longingly stare at the Hell〇o oven, Sora couldn't help but laugh.

“I just really admire that oven, okay? Isn't that the one that lets you fry stuff with steam or something?”

Seeing Ginji's eyes sparkle, Sora impulsively reached up and patted his head.

“Yeah, you can. Takes longer than regular frying, though. Mou, you're so cute sometimes, Ginji.”

“Cut it out, don't pat me!”

“Oh, come on. You're always the one patting me, aren't you?”

“…Yeah, that's true.”

“You actually admitted it…”

Still smiling, Sora pulled Ginji's arm and had him sit at the table.

“I'll go grab the workbook. I'll also change into something comfy.”

Sora headed upstairs—apparently her room was on the top floor—while Ginji took out his textbooks from his bag.

“Alright, I'll review the material until you're back.”

A few minutes later, Sora came back down.

“Thanks for waiting. Which workbook do you think is easiest to understand?”

“Just when my brain was warming up… wait.”

Ginji froze when he saw Sora.

She was now dressed in a baggy shirt and shorts, exposing her pale arms and legs, not a single hair in sight. With her glasses off, the delicate lines of her face and neck, and the glimpse of collarbones from the oversized shirt, gave her a coquettish charm.

“…W-What is it?”

Sora seemed a bit fidgety, clearly waiting for a reaction. Her gaze was expectant.

“Oh, I get it. This is that ‘But he’s actually a guy' moment. First time I've seen one in real life.”

“…Ginji, sometimes I really don't understand what you're saying.”

The conversation went nowhere, and Sora dropped her shoulders with a sigh.