Chapter 41: Initial Narrowing of the Distance
"Let's take a break for a while. After all, club activities are over, and there's no need to keep reading books..."
After Aki Tomoya left, Aragaki Takiya couldn't help but speak up. Actually, he wasn't just saying this to himself, but also to remind Kato Megumi. After all, this girl with a very low presence had been studying game development books with him since just now.
As for Eriri, well, ever since she had that conflict with Aki Tomoya, she had been playing with Aragaki Moeha. For her, 'resting' was likely her constant state.
"Hmm... I feel like Aki-san was a bit unhappy today."
Putting down the book in her hand, Kato Megumi said softly.
"Huh? That guy has always been like that. Just ignore him. In a few days, he'll go back to being his usual heartless self."
Eriri, who was nearby, couldn't help but complain after hearing what Kato Megumi said.
In fact, it wasn't just Eriri; even Aragaki Moeha, who was being held by Eriri, felt that the big brother from earlier was a bit annoying. Of course, she didn't know the whole story, but her reason for disliking him was that her mother disliked him too, so she naturally had no good feelings toward Aki Tomoya.
"It seems Sawamura-san knows Aki-san very well."
Kato Megumi blinked and said from the side.
"Know him? I suppose so. After all, I've known him for a long time, it's just that he's so irritating..."
As she spoke, Eriri thought back to what happened just now. This caused her heart, which had just calmed down, to flare up with anger again. She had worked so hard on those drawings.
The priority she gave these illustrations even surpassed her doujinshi manuscripts, yet the other party didn't even look for a reason before flatly stating she was unqualified. No normal artist could tolerate that.
The more she thought about it, the angrier Eriri became. Unconsciously, the strength in her arms increased quite a bit. Aragaki Moeha, being held by her, naturally noticed this. However, she didn't say anything; instead, she directly hugged Eriri and gently patted her back with her small hands.
The Little one's sudden action hit the soft spot in Eriri's heart. The girl with the Tsundere personality immediately hugged the little one back and pressed her face against the other's cheek. Well... only such an intimate gesture could express her current emotional state.
"Eh, has Sawamura-san's relationship with Moeha become this good already?"
Sitting next to Aragaki Takiya, Kato Megumi saw Eriri making such an intimate gesture toward Aragaki Moeha, and seeing that the latter didn't resist, a faint expression of surprise immediately appeared on her face.
"Because Moeha likes Eriri very much. Although I don't know the reason, she is as close to Eriri as she is to her own mother."
Regarding Kato Megumi's words, Aragaki Takiya naturally knew the answer. However, he didn't choose to tell it, but instead chose to make a small joke. Well, the answer was only known to the two of them anyway.
Aragaki Takiya was speaking, but the content of his words reached Eriri's ears. At this moment, her mood was simply better than words could describe.
As everyone knows, Eriri never lacks admirers. Not only peers, but even teachers would occasionally give her privileges. It's just that Eriri never abused these privileges because, to her, whether those people admired her or liked her, she didn't have any special feelings about it.
But Aragaki Moeha was different. From the first moment she saw her, Eriri had a different kind of emotion for this child.
How should she put it? Friendship? No. Love? Certainly not. If she had to say, it was a bit like family affection. Because of this vague and indistinct feeling, she always had a desire to protect the other party, and she couldn't quite describe what that feeling was like.
But it could be summarized in one sentence: she seemed unable to live without Aragaki Moeha anymore.
"Is that so?"
Hearing this, Kato Megumi didn't say much, but quietly watched the two golden bundles nearby. Even so, Aragaki Takiya could still sense a different emotion—how to put it, it felt like envy?
"By the way, Aragaki, I can come to play with Moeha often in the future, right?"
Eriri, who was feeling the warmth in her heart, suddenly thought of something and turned her head to ask Aragaki Takiya.
"Hmm? Of course you can. Whenever you want, Eriri, you can come over anytime..."
Regarding Eriri's request, Aragaki Takiya chose to agree without a second thought. After all, he had no reason to refuse. One was the mother and the other was the daughter; he didn't have the authority to keep them apart.
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