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460 – Foolish Woman!
🕑 Added 2025-08-19 15:00:18 +0000 UTCThe morning mist slowly dispersed, and the faint sunlight began to carry warmth.
Nishimiya Shouko’s light brown hair, tied neatly into a bun at the back, glowed with a soft pink hue under that sunlight.
Unlike Eriri and the others, who were huddled around Sakura waiting to be tricked, Shouko simply lifted the porcelain teapot and poured black tea for herself and Yukino.
‘Sakura definitely has a special talent,’ Shouko thought with quiet certainty.
‘Not just because she was my first friend… but because she was Kyousuke-kun’s first friend too.’
That being said—Shouko herself had already been duped by Sakura plenty of times.
This time, she’d leave the stage to the others.
With elegant composure, she picked up her teacup.
Dressed in a black skirt and white blouse, she leaned back gracefully against her chair.
After taking a gentle sip of the warm tea, she shared a knowing smile with Yukino Yukari, seated beside her.
As a teacher, Yukari was also far too calm and rational to fall for Sakura’s antics.
To the two of them, the way the others eagerly waited for Sakura’s so-called “answer” was far cuter than whatever nonsense Sakura was about to say.
“People often ask me, ‘Cute little Sakura-chan, why are you always so full of energy, so cheerful every single day?’”
Sakura spun a biscuit stick in her hand, her tone suddenly grave.
‘Who asked you that?! Tell me who actually asked you that!’
Although Eriri’s mind screamed those words, her face betrayed her—eyes wide, clearly curious.
Kasumigaoka, who was about to cut in with a snide remark about Sakura making up random lines, stopped short when she caught sight of Eriri’s expression.
At once, she decided it must have been Eriri who asked such a stupid question in the first place.
Who else could it be?
“In the past, I always told them it was because I had no reason to be unhappy. Nothing ever drained my energy.”
“If you keep spouting nonsense, I’m leaving!” Eriri snapped.
“Wait—don’t you skip opening cutscenes when you play games?” Sakura countered.
“Of course I do! Skipping them is just common sense!” Eriri declared proudly.
But all she received in return was a pitying look.
Sakura suddenly pulled Eriri into her arms, cradling her head against her chest. “Skip too many things, and life itself will end in an instant. You’ll never get to savor its real joys.”
Normally, Eriri would have wriggled free and shouted back, but pressed between two very soft peaks, her head filled with another thought entirely:
‘Why does this feel so practiced? And… is it just me, or does she smell a little like Kyousuke?’
“Don’t get all preachy with me! Someone like you, who cuts corners at every opportunity just like Kyousuke, has no right to say that!” Kasumigaoka interjected sharply, standing in for Eriri’s flustered silence.
“Hehe~.”
Sakura released poor Eriri and stuck her tongue out playfully.
Honestly, it wasn’t just game cutscenes—she found even tying up garbage bags troublesome.
If possible, she’d rather throw the entire trash can away.
But then again, that would involve sorting the garbage… what a pain.
Maybe she should just eat the trash along with the packaging?
“But really, I wasn’t just talking nonsense! Happiness comes from having nothing to be unhappy about. But until now, I only told people my ‘secret’ to being happy. Today, I’ll share the ultimate reason why nothing ever upsets me.”
Eriri told herself Don’t expect anything! It’s Sakura—we all know she’s going to say something ridiculous.
Yet her sky-blue eyes shone with hope all the same.
“Now then, allow me—very humbly—to present my unparalleled, one-of-a-kind talent!”
‘Humbly?! Where the hell is the humility in that?!’
‘If this isn’t good, I swear I’ll make you the tragic heroine of my next manga!’
“Ahem, ahem~.” Sakura cleared her throat.
“My special talent is…”
She raised her chin dramatically.
“I live in Suimon City. Our house is nothing fancy—just the kind of place an ordinary salaryman could buy with a thirty-year mortgage.
But! My parents love each other dearly. My dad works incredibly hard and is already the branch manager of his company.
I’m sure with his caring wife and adorable daughter supporting him, he’ll only climb higher in the future—”
“Stop! Stop right there! How is that your talent?! That’s Yamauchi-uncle’s talent!” Eriri slammed the table.
Kasumigaoka, meanwhile, leaned back casually in her chair, looking utterly unsurprised.
She already knew where this was going.
After all, she herself had the same “talent.”
Hojou Mikiko, Sakura’s mentor and someone who had deeply shaped her life, wore an expression full of nostalgia and warmth.
For her, this really was a precious kind of “talent.”
Sakura shot Eriri a sidelong glance, one that practically said:
‘So impatient, aren’t you? Bite into taiyaki too fast and the filling will just burn your tongue.’
“Anyway! On top of my hardworking dad, my mom dotes on me endlessly. Even if I told her today I was quitting school, she wouldn’t scold me. She’d just ask if there was something else I wanted to try instead.
Sure, we’re not Tokyo elites with fancy houses and cars, but thanks to my parents, I live without any worries.
More importantly, to them, my happiness matters more than my ‘success.’ So unlike most people on this planet, I don’t need to slave away for my family or carry any burdens of guilt!
That’s why ninety-nine percent of ordinary people’s troubles simply don’t exist for me.”
Her words flowed like an avalanche—fast, clear, steady, and overwhelming.
As Eriri stared at her, eyes wide and throat dry, Sakura lowered her head in a graceful bow as though ending a performance.
“Forgive me for boasting of such a trivial yet magnificent talent. Something everyone envies, but no one can simply achieve through effort.”
Eriri turned to glance at the others.
Naoka had already averted her eyes.
Kasumigaoka wore an expression that said, Of course. I expected this. And Aunt Mikiko looked utterly satisfied.
“D-don’t you feel ashamed saying all that?” Eriri asked hesitantly.
“Not at all! On the contrary, I think those who criticize me while secretly envying me are the ones who should feel ashamed.”
Sakura straightened with pride.
As a child, her dream had been to become someone like Aunt Mikiko—beautiful, confident, carefree, living a life so radiant even time itself would envy it.
Someone who was obviously, unmistakably loved by the world.
“Just like Momotarou! Every day, he eats, sleeps, and plays when his master’s home. Can you really blame him for not working as hard as a stray dog? Would you demand he go scavenge garbage instead?”
At the sound of his name, Momotarou the dog perked his head up, tail wagging instinctively.
When he saw it was Sakura speaking, he shuffled closer, curled up at her feet, and went right back to sleep.
Eriri lowered her gaze to Momotarou.
She wasn’t too pleased that the silly little pup hadn’t chosen to curl up by her feet, but even so, she couldn’t picture this fluffy white ball fighting stray dogs for food.
And honestly, Sakura wasn’t wrong—having a warm, well-off family meant most of life’s worries simply didn’t exist for her.
But… but…
The more she thought about it, the more Eriri’s brain started to short-circuit.
Her eyes turned into the classic spiral swirls, and her body swayed like she was about to collapse.
“Wait a sec! Even if that’s true—what does any of this have to do with your whole ‘as expected of me!’ nonsense?!”
Suddenly snapping back to her senses, the “invincible beautiful girl” stood up, glaring at Sakura with the desperation of a gambler on a losing streak.
Kasukabe gave her a silent look, already guessing what Sakura would say next.
With a sigh, she set her teacup down, smoothed her skirt, and walked toward the cherry blossom tree.
Maybe it was because she couldn’t bear to watch Eriri dig her own grave any deeper—or maybe she just didn’t want to get caught in Sakura’s nonsense herself.
“Ehhh~~”
Sakura let out a dramatic sigh, then gently pulled Eriri back down into her seat by the hand.
“Perhaps my modesty caused you to misunderstand—my talent isn’t limited to just that little thing.”
“That wasn’t even talent to begin with! And don’t you dare twist the word ‘modesty’—your definition’s completely wrong! The only one more full of herself than you is Kasumigaoka Utaha!”
Eriri’s hands clenched and unclenched in frustration, ready to explode.
Sakura, of course, ignored her entirely.
“My talents aren’t just about having a hardworking dad and a kind mom… I also happen to have a childhood friend named Hojou Kyousuke. As long as I—”
“I get it, I get it! I understand everything, please just stop already!” Eriri shook her head furiously, desperate to silence her before she could finish.
Meanwhile, standing beneath the glowing artificial cherry blossoms, Kasumigaoka watched with a faint, bitter smile.
She tilted her head back, gazing at the petals clustered in dazzling bloom.
Her teeth clenched, and in her eyes flickered something sharp—something quietly shifting.
“…So, Eriri. You finally understand my talent now, don’t you?” Sakura’s smile was triumphant.
“I understand! I completely understand! It’s truly magnificent!” Eriri yelled with her eyes squeezed shut and her hands over her ears.
“Hehe~ Actually, I think you’ve got talent too, Eriri. Why don’t you become Aunt Mikiko’s disciple as well?”
After showing off to her heart’s content, Sakura was merciful enough not to push further, and instead giggled as she offered to help Eriri “develop her talent.”
But in this area, Eriri was leagues behind her.
Despite having more money than she could ever spend in three lifetimes, Sakura could still enjoy life so carefreely, while Eriri…
“…I can’t.” Her lips trembled, her eyes dimming. “I could never do it.”
That kind of carefree, thoughtless joy was far out of her reach.
She still had too many unfulfilled dreams, too many things left undone.
She wanted to create countless masterpieces with Kyousuke.
She wanted to be the number one illustrator in his eyes.
She wanted to be the girl everyone remembered whenever they spoke his name.
She wanted to leave her mark on the world—together with him.
And thinking that, her gaze drifted to Sakura beside her.
Her delicate features came together into a face that seemed to shine with energy.
That smile—radiant, dazzling—was brighter than the morning sun itself.
Not a single shadow could be found on her expression.
Sakura truly had lived up to her words.
She had taken her “talent” and pushed it to the very limit.
But that was something only she could do.
Even someone in nearly the same situation as her—Eriri herself—couldn’t live so effortlessly, so happily.
“Sakura, you—”
But Eriri’s words were cut short, just as she had cut off Sakura’s earlier.
“Mwahahaha~ Onii made super tasty crepes for Kasuko!!”
A peal of bubbly laughter rang out as Kasuko came skipping from the kitchen, carrying a plastic plate.
Her little face was flushed pink with excitement, eager to feast, but her tiny steps were careful, deliberate.
When she reached the edge of the living room, she plopped down, scooting one leg at a time onto the grass.
She held the plate like a treasure, terrified of dropping the treat her brother had made for her.
Her big round eyes darted between the plate and the ground, and the way she protected it so carefully melted everyone’s hearts.
Kasumigaoka even jogged over, bending down to shadow her steps like a mother hen, terrified the little girl would trip while distracted.
Kasuko had never once called Hojou Kyousuke “Onii-chan.”
To her, he was always just “Onii,” spoken in crisp, serious tones like a baby learning to talk.
Once, Eriri had smugly thought it meant Kasuko was closer to her—after all, she was “Eriri-onee-san.”
But now she knew better.
For Kasuko, “Onii” was a name far more special than any brotherly title.
She only ever used “Onii-chan” when she wanted to emphasize her role as his little sister to outsiders.
For example—
Standing on tiptoes, Kasuko lifted the plate high above her head.
With Utaha-onee-san’s help, she set it carefully on the table, then let Sakura-onee-san guide her into a chair, before finally allowing Shouko-onee-san to tie on her apron.
Fork in one hand, knife in the other, her little mouth opened wide in anticipation.
She stared at the honey-glazed crepes before her, eyes sparkling.
This was the breakfast her brother had made just for her!
Watching the scene, Eriri’s emotions tangled within her chest.
Before she knew it, the words slipped out:
“Kasuko-chan, can you let Eriri-onee-san have a bite too?”
Ah, crap. She’d become one of those awful adults teasing a child. But… but it felt so fun!
Seeing Kasuko’s wary little frown, Eriri felt bubbles rising in her chest, fizzing like soda.
She was sure Kasuko would share.
After all, she had always been so caring toward her. And besides, if it weren’t for her, Kyousuke wouldn’t have even noticed Kasuko hadn’t eaten yet.
No matter how you looked at it, she deserved at least one bite!
“Nooo! This is the breakfast Onii-chan made just for me!”
Kasuko’s tiny arms circled protectively around the plate as she glared up at Eriri with those big black eyes.
She didn’t even need to finish her sentence.
Eriri felt the sting of humiliation pierce through her anyway.
From those bright, unblinking eyes, she could almost hear the unspoken words:
“Someone like you thinks you deserve a taste of Onii-chan’s cooking?”
The blonde princess froze, mouth agape, her blue eyes wide with shock.
“K-Kasuko-chan! I thought… I really thought…”
‘I thought I had become your best friend.’
