“Hiyorin-san, you’re banned from drinking beer for a while.” (Souma)
“Wha…what?” (Hiyori)
*Clang*
The empty glass falls from Hiyorin’s hand onto the table.
“Hiyorin-san, you do want to lose weight, right? You can’t do that if you’re drinking beer.” (Souma)
“Ugh.” (Hiyori)
It seemed that Hiyorin herself understood this deep down, as she moaned while slumping over the table. As she set the fallen glass upright, I continued talking.
“Sake isn’t good either. If you want to drink, go for shochu or whiskey.” (Souma)
Actually, I wanted her to reduce her overall alcohol intake. However, demanding such a drastic change out of nowhere might not be sustainable in the long run. The key to consistency is to start with what you can do and slowly build from there.
“I guess I can’t keep going on like this… I’m not that young anymore…” (Hiyori)
“Well, I think you’re quite young.” (Souma)
According to her profile, Hiyorin is 26 years old. While she may be older than everyone in Souma-kai, she’s still undeniably a young person by most standards.
“Anyways, I’m already… an old lady…” (Hiyori)
She mumbled while resting her forehead on the table. Today, Hiyorin seemed to be in more of a negative mood, this is probably worsened by the effects of alcohol.
“Actually, I don’t think you’re overweight at all. In fact, you look great…” (Souma)
I wanted to compliment her to boost her self-morale, but it came out a bit strangely. Maybe I was a bit drunk myself.
“…Really?” (Hiyori)
Hiyorin tilted her head and peered at my face as if searching for my true intentions. Strangely, her eyes were red and puffy. Had she been crying all this time?
“Well, uh… I did buy your photobook, after all…” (Souma)
“!?” (Hiyori)
Hiyorin leaned back dramatically, and her cheeks, already red from alcohol, turned even redder. She tumbled down from her chair, then huddled on the floor, pressing her face with both hands.
“…You’re kidding, right? It’s so embarrassing…” (Hiyori)
“Wha… What’s embarrassing about it?! You looked absolutely beautiful!” (Souma)
Hiyorin’s strange behavior made me anxious, and I felt like I had said something odd again.
By the way, I had sealed away Hiyorin’s photobook, thinking, “Since we’ve become neighbors, it would be bad if I looked at it.” However, I couldn’t resist and peeked at it recently.
The photobook, titled “Secret Journey”, featured Hiyorin frolicking1 on foreign beaches in swimsuits, relaxing in light clothing on a hotel bed, and enjoying local cuisine with a smile on her face. In short, it was an incredibly alluring… I mean… nice photobook.
“Stop, don’t saaaay thattt…” (Hiyori)
Hiyorin, who was huddled on the wooden floor, cried out and rolled to her side while clutching her knees. She rolled in such a way that her backside was facing me, so I quickly averted my gaze. She was way too defenseless.
“I don’t want to remember it… It’s just that the manager and others got too excited, and it somehow became much more extreme than intended… It wasn’t supposed to end up like that…” (Hiyori)
When Hiyorin drank alcohol, she tended to become more vocal, but today she seemed to be even more drunk. It’s not often that she gets this out of hand…
Hiyorin promptly tucked her head into her loungewear like a turtle and spoke in a notably softer tone.
“…But you know… I’m not the same person I was back then… *sigh*…” (Hiyori)
I found myself without a single card to play against the completely curled-up 26-year-old Hiyorin. However, I had a feeling that it would be a good idea to comfort her. Trusting my instincts, I approached Hiyorin.
“Don’t worry, you’ll surely get back in shape soon. Let’s work on the diet together, okay?” (Souma)
“…You’d do it with me?” (Hiyori)
“Of course. Hiyorin’s my oshi after all. I want to be there to help you whenever you’re going through a tough time.” (Souma)
“…*Sniff*… Thank you, Souma-kun…” (Hiyori)
“Don’t mention it. Shall we call it a night for today?” (Souma)
“…Yeah.” (Hiyori)
“Alright, here, I’ll give you a hand.” (Souma)
I moved over and lifted the curled-up Hiyorin. I couldn’t help but notice that I was holding her in various places, but I decided not to dwell on it. If I were to constantly worry about stuff like this, I wouldn’t be fit to be Hiyorin’s drinking companion.
Using the spare key, I entered her house and made my way to the bedroom. I gently placed Hiyorin on the bed, and she rolled onto her side and came to a stop against the wall.
“Make sure to brush your teeth before bed, okay? Well then… good night.” (Souma)
“Good night…” (Hiyori)
I closed the bedroom door behind me and let out a deep sigh. After settling the matter, the various sensations from before flooded my consciousness. It sure is tough being a 20-year-old man.
“…You’re too kind, Souma-kun…” (Hiyori)
I thought I heard something from beyond the door. It might have been sleep talk.
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
Well, I mean 26 years old is quite young… it’s just that being surrounded by younger people doesn’t really make you feel any better.
Thanks for the chapter!
What are you talking about, Hiyorin? You’re young, and Souma is definitely attracted to you not just as an oshi!
Thanks for the update ~