"Hello, these are the raffle tickets your boyfriend won by making baskets."
There were more than thirty of them.
Nagasaki Sose had passed this supermarket countless times and seen other people enter the raffle, but this was the first time she'd entered one herself. She'd even forgotten to clarify that she wasn't Riki's girlfriend.
"Come on, let's claim our trophy."
Riki walked up to the raffle box and reached in for two balls. Consolation prizes: two packs of classic, stylish pocket tissues.
Riki looked up at the attendant.
You'd better have an explanation.
The attendant was sweating. "This is normal. There are definitely prizes in there."
Fine. I'll believe you this time.
It wasn't like the Hanasakigawa girls, who'd spent their money on a raffle at the shopping arcade, was it?
Oh, wait. That was exactly what you were doing.
Riki drew two more balls. Consolation prizes.
Riki looked up at the attendant again.
I'm about to turn red-hot. You'd better do something.
The attendant was sweating buckets, looking awkward. He couldn't exactly tell him he had the luck of a paintbrush.
That wouldn't be in accordance with the employee handbook.
But you really do have the luck of a paintbrush.
Nagasaki Sose couldn't watch anymore. She came over and said, "Let me try."
Her fair, delicate hand reached into the raffle box and drew out a ball marked with a "1."
First prize.
Riki frowned at Nagasaki Sose.
Sose...
Shut it down. There's no point.
Riki carried the giant bear plushie on his back. Its soft, cuddly face was so charming that no 162-centimeter girl with the surname Nagasaki could hold a candle to it.
Nagasaki Sose held the wrapped-up Akari in her hands. The night breeze brought a faint flush to her cheeks. "Th-that was pretty impressive, what you did just now."
Wasn't I always that awesome?
Under Riki's puzzled gaze, Nagasaki Sose tilted her head and smiled at him. "You always say annoying things, and you're not very likable. You always make me mad... But you're actually—
"Not bad."
The night breeze stirred Nagasaki Sose's brown hair. The girl smiled brightly.
I ended up writing a bit more than expected, so this came out late.
Throw me a vote.
Chapter 53: Sister Sose, Stop Squeezing. My Head Hurts
"Beep—"
Student ID.
Riki followed Nagasaki Sose into the upscale Celestial Dragons apartment building. Breathing in the fresh air made him feel like his own demeanor was becoming more refined. Anyway, first things first: grab a bottle of 1982 Coke!
"Come in, and remember to take off your shoes. My place is very clean." Nagasaki Sose braced one hand against the wall and used the other to pull off her shoe by the heel as she spoke to Riki.
What are you implying?
Is my place dirty?
And you dare take your shoes off in white stockings in front of me, your porridge buddy? You've got a death wish!
"Before we cook, could you change the light in my room? Once we've eaten, you can head home." Nagasaki Sose said.
Understood. We've reached the kill line.
Miss Sose, are you a fan of some LPL club with a three-letter name?
Riki stepped into Nagasaki Sose's room. The floor-to-ceiling windows reflected Tokyo's nightscape. A soft bed sat in the middle of the room, and a faint fragrance lingered in the air—the same girlish scent as Nagasaki Sose.
Riki looked at the light in the center of the ceiling. "There's nothing to stand on, and the chairs in your house are way too short. Just so we're clear, I'm not hinting at any particular brown-haired lady. Are you afraid of the dark?"
"Not at all." Nagasaki Sose rubbed her fingers together and smiled. "But it's better to have a little light in the room."
"Then forget it." Riki turned and breezed out.
"Click."
Nagasaki Sose closed the door, put on a sweet voice, and smiled. "Since you're already here, you might as well change the light."
Since when did you learn to say things like that?
Damn it, the Chinese have always been ahead of the world in the technology of social niceties. And now a mere Japanese girl had cracked it. Unforgivable!
Riki looked at Nagasaki Sose, thinking.
Nagasaki Sose froze for a moment before she realized.
It wasn't just this room—this whole apartment held only her and Riki. And she'd just shut them both inside her bedroom. It was the first time she'd been alone face-to-face with a boy in her room. Nagasaki Sose felt as if she could almost hear him breathing.
And why was he staring at me like that?
He really was a pervert, wasn't he?
Nagasaki Sose couldn't help getting nervous. She swallowed with difficulty as her heart thumped wildly. If this guy tried anything, should she fight back? No, of course she should! What was she thinking? She didn't even like him!
"W-what are you looking at?!"
Riki rubbed his chin. "How about I lift you up there and let you change it yourself?"
"Huh?"
Nagasaki Sose's voice rang out in anger and displeasure.
He really didn't have any improper intentions toward me? Damn bastard!
Was I that undesirable?
Drop dead, idiot!
Nagasaki Sose sat on Riki's shoulders with her legs resting against them. As he slowly stood, she grabbed his hands in a panic. "You're really not going to fall, right?! You're not going to drop me on purpose, are you?"
Riki sounded offended. "What kind of person do you take me for?"
I treat you like a friend, and you play mind games with me.
Damn it, next time there's a banquet, you can sit at the adults' table. We don't want you at the kids' table.
As the floor grew farther and farther away, Nagasaki Sose nervously clutched Riki's shoulders and squeezed her legs around his head. Looking up at the ceiling light just within reach, she said shakily, "That's enough. Hurry up and hand me the light."
I'm ready, too.
Sister Sose, your thighs are a little plump. What do you eat to get them like that?
And could you stop squeezing?
My head hurts.
Riki held Nagasaki Sose's legs. The girl's soft, gentle scent filled his nose. Her warm legs, tense with nerves, squeezed around his head. They were longer and more shapely than he'd imagined, slender and well-proportioned, with a little of the softness of a high school girl still growing into her figure.
"Y-you just blew on my leg, didn't you? You pervert!" Nagasaki Sose stammered. She balled up her pale little fist and thumped Riki on the head.
"What do you think I am, the Lich King? I need to breathe!" Riki protested. Sure, he was kind of a weirdo, but he really wasn't a pervert.
Riki handed her the light.
Nagasaki Sose's cheeks were bright red. She took the light, removed the old one, and slowly handed it to Riki.
"Right, now install the new one. Make sure you do it the right way..." Riki directed from below like a coach calling plays in the canyon.
"I know." Nagasaki Sose answered irritably. Before she and her mother had moved into a high-rise apartment, she'd often watched her mother change the lights.
"Done." Nagasaki Sose patted Riki on the head. "Put me down. Lower yourself slowly."
But Riki turned in a different direction. Nagasaki Sose tensed and squeezed her legs around him, grabbing his shoulders. "What are you doing?"
"The view from your room is pretty nice." Riki looked out the window.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Tokyo's neon lights stretched out before them, dazzlingly beautiful.
Nagasaki Sose had long since grown used to the view. But this time, gazing at the same familiar scenery with Riki, she couldn't help thinking that it was truly beautiful.
"Well, it's all right." Nagasaki Sose turned her head and spoke quietly. "If you want to see it, you can come to my room."
Wait, no. I should've said my place.
Why did I say my room?
"Forget what I just said." Nagasaki Sose hurriedly took back her words.
"Seriously? You're that stingy?"
"Because... Hey!"
Nagasaki Sose spoke in exasperation, moving too much and throwing Riki off balance. They both toppled forward and landed on the bed with a thump.
Riki looked down at Nagasaki Sose in his arms. "Miss Sose, I'm a little sore from that fall."
"Shouldn't you first ask if the girl got hurt?"
So you want to throw hands?
Then take this swaying punch!
Nagasaki Sose looked up at Riki, who was holding her tightly. Her cheeks turned red. In that moment, Riki had reacted immediately and protected her in his arms. He'd done it even before he could think—pure instinct.
Am I that important to him?
Nagasaki Sose couldn't help wondering as she felt Riki's warmth in his arms.
He actually smells pretty nice.
"Sose, can you get up now?" Riki asked after a while.
If you don't get up soon, I'm going to get up.
You know how it is with bodily reactions. The little brother doesn't take orders from the big brother.
Nagasaki Sose blushed and quickly stood up. After hesitating, she reached down and pulled Riki firmly off the bed. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"You scared me when you played the feminist card just now."
"Then you're fine." Nagasaki Sose said coolly. "Come on, let's go cook."
Riki watched Nagasaki Sose's retreating back. It seemed like she hadn't objected to him calling her by her first name just now. Before, she'd always denied him permission.
That evening, Nagasaki Sose walked Riki downstairs.
"Could you tell me to have a safe trip?" Riki asked her.
"Goodbye." Nagasaki Sose said coolly.
As she watched Riki leave the apartment building, Nagasaki Sose felt strangely hollow inside.
Riki was noisy, but somehow, having him around made her feel more at ease.
"Why are you still staring at him? He's already gone."
"Huh, Mom? When did you get back?" Nagasaki Sose exclaimed, covering her flushed cheeks in surprise.
Before you continue