Just Like a Simp

Just then, Hiroshi Nohara came home. Seeing that they had already started eating, he muttered under his breath.

"Hey, hey, hey, why didn't you wait until I got home to eat... Have some respe—"

Then Hiroshi Nohara spotted a beautiful figure and froze.

"Where did this beauty come from? Is she Misae's friend? When did she meet someone so pretty... Wait, she looks kind of familiar..."

Nanako noticed Hiroshi Nohara had just come home. She stood up, bowed, and spoke to him.

"It's been a long time, Uncle Nohara. I'm Nana. Do you remember me?"

Only then did Hiroshi realize who she was.

"Oh! It's Nana! No wonder you looked so familiar. It's been so many years! How have you been lately?"

"Yes, I've been well, thanks to you."

Hiroshi suddenly gave her a lecherous look, rubbing his chin as he looked her up and down.

"You've really matured since I last saw you. You've become a real beauty, Nana!"

"You're too kind, Uncle."

Hiroshi was about to make another lewd remark when he noticed his son glaring at him as though he wanted to devour him. Hiroshi scratched his head and gave an awkward laugh.

When did this kid get so fierce...

Just then, Misae slapped Hiroshi on the back of the head, making him yelp in pain. He was about to get angry when he saw the veins on Misae's forehead twitching as she spoke through gritted teeth.

"You... When are you ever going to break that habit... Giving a girl of the younger generation a lecherous look!"

Nanako gave an awkward laugh...

After dinner, they chatted for a while before Nanako got up to leave. Shinnosuke hurried after her.

"Sister Nana, I'll walk you home!"

"There's no need, Shin-chan... I live only about a kilometer from here. I can get home on my own."

"No... I usually work out around this time anyway, so I'll walk you home while I'm at it."

Nanako couldn't talk Shinnosuke out of it, so she let him have his way.

Misae and Hiroshi watched the two leave. Then Misae whispered to her husband.

"Honey, did you notice? Shin-chan still hasn't given up on Nana, and I think Nana feels the same way..."

"Huh... No way, right? Nana's already so grown up. How could she possibly like a little kid like him? If anything, an older guy like me is more appealing..."

"What did you say?!! You shameless man!!"

"No, that's not what I meant... Ow! Stop hitting me! Ah!"

Nanako looked surprised. She pointed to the two large tires Shinnosuke was dragging behind him.

"This is the workout you were talking about..."

Shinnosuke nodded sheepishly, then took off his tracksuit and tied it around himself, revealing the white tank top underneath.

Nanako looked at Shinnosuke's bulging muscles, his tank top stretched tight over them. At that moment, her heart felt like a little deer bounding wildly in her chest.

She quickly turned her head away, the dark night concealing her shyness. She hurriedly took a deep breath to calm her racing heart.

Shinnosuke couldn't make out Nanako's expression. He only noticed that her breathing had suddenly quickened.

"What's wrong, Sister Nana? Are you feeling sick?"

Sister Nana's body trembled, and she rubbed her face.

"N-no, I'm fine. By the way, Shin-chan, do you work out like this every night...?"

Shinnosuke smiled.

"To be precise... I train in the early morning and at night every day."

"Huh... Are you going to enter a boxing match or something, Shin-chan?"

Shinnosuke slowly raised his head, moonlight falling across his face.

"It's just so I can stay alive..."

Hearing the answer from the young man before her, Nanako felt an inexplicable pang in her heart. She suddenly ached for him, wondering what had happened to him over the years. She could no longer see his former innocence in his face...

After walking Nanako home, Shinnosuke turned and left. The way he walked away so coolly made him look just like a simp...

He slapped his face hard and began his daily workout!

The next day, after Shinnosuke arrived at school, he asked his regular teacher for leave, then ran up to the rooftop.

As soon as he stepped inside, the others, who had been lying in wait for quite a while, surrounded him. He looked up and saw Inoue Ryushi staring at him angrily!

"What are you guys up to this early in the morning..."

Inoue Ryushi gripped Shinnosuke's shoulders tightly and spoke through gritted teeth.

"Shinnosuke! You bastard! Come clean, now!"

"Huh? Come clean about what??"

Shinnosuke looked at him in confusion.

"Go already told us! How do you know his ridiculously beautiful aunt?! He said you two were making eyes at each other! Spill it, now!"

The corner of Shinnosuke's mouth twitched. Bang, bang! Two punches sent Ryu crouching on the ground with his head in his hands, where he stayed for quite a while recovering. Then Shinnosuke briefly explained the whole story to everyone.

"Huh? Your wife and all that... Miss Ohara is fifteen years older than you!! How could she possibly marry you?!"

Shinnosuke glanced at the agitated Inoue Ryushi.

"Why the hell are you getting so worked up about whether she'll marry me? You're the one who can't get women to like you. Don't get jealous as hell whenever someone else knows a pretty woman. Are you an idiot?"

"Damn it!!! You're the one who can't get women to like you, bastard!!!"

Shinnosuke couldn't be bothered with him and left him to rage helplessly on his own. Just then, Go spoke up from the side.

"If it's you, Shinnosuke, I won't object..."

Hearing that, Inoue Ryushi's eyes went bloodshot with jealousy. He grabbed Go by the collar.

"Bastard, that's not what you said when I asked you to introduce her to me!!"

Lying on the sofa, Shinnosuke picked his nose. Jealousy really does make people ugly...