CH 27

(This is Makoto’s POV)

Mai’s bento-making wouldn’t seem to end. 

“Fuahhh~” 

On our way to school, Mai gave a big yawn. She carried her school bag on her left shoulder and her lunch bag in her hand as I clasped her right hand in mine.

“Sleepy?” 

“Yeah… I have History in the first period today, so maybe I’ll sleep then…” 

Mai’s eyes were half-open as she moved her legs, seemingly by instinct. 

Because she kept making bentos, Mai always seemed sleepy in the morning. The frequency of her being in a daze on the way home increased as well.

“Well, History can easily be reviewed later.” 

If she felt sleepy, she didn’t have to make bentos. That would be the exemplary answer, the words I have to pass on as a good brother. 

Back then, I would have been able to say that without hesitation, but I didn’t feel like saying it now. For some reason, I didn’t even understand why. As an older brother, saying that would be the best thing to do. I couldn’t do what I wanted to and it frustrated me. Should I just push Mai off from somewhere like the pedestrian bridge instead?

(T/N: when killing someone is easier than understanding your own feeling – Makoto)

When I stole a glance at Mai, I saw her lunch bag in her hand. The school bag slung over my right shoulder also contained a lunch bag of a different colour and with different contents. 

Even though I shouldn’t have been able to tell it apart from the weight of my textbooks, I could feel a certain weight from the lunch bag I was carrying.

“Oh, right. Can we stop by the supermarket on our way home today? I need some ingredients for the bentos.” 

“Alright.” 

When I replied, Mai, smiled happily and said, “Great!”. Looking at that smile, I felt frustrated. 

“Today’s bento is great, but tomorrow’s bento will be even better.” 

“… Okay.” 

Mai sacrificed her time to make bentos for me. On the other hand, all I could do was thank her. I felt frustrated about it.

Before, I found it troublesome to help and thank others, and I would only do it if it was beneficial to me. There were only two types of people: those who I felt might benefit me, and those who would annoy me. 

However, when it came to Mai, I felt frustrated. 

Why couldn’t I say “thank you” sincerely? Wasn’t there anything I could do? I kept thinking about that. How unpleasant. I climbed the stairs of the pedestrian bridge with Mai as a haze filled my head.

When I stole a glance at Mai, I saw her lunch bag in her hand. The school bag slung over my right shoulder also contained a lunch bag of a different colour and with different contents. 

I shouldn’t have been able to tell the weight of the lunch bag apart from my textbooks, but I could feel its certain weight from the bag I was carrying. 

“Oh, right. Can we stop by the supermarket on our way home today? I need some ingredients for the bentos.” 

“Alright.” 

When I replied, Mai, smiled happily and said, “Great!”. Looking at that smile, I felt frustrated. 

“Today’s bento is great, but tomorrow’s bento will be even better.” 

“…Okay.” 

Mai sacrificed her time to make bentos for me. On the other hand, all I could do was thank her. I felt frustrated about it.

Before, I found it troublesome to help and thank people, and I would only do it if it was beneficial to me. There were only two types of people: those who I felt might benefit me, and those who would annoy me. 

However, when it came to Mai, I felt frustrated. 

Why couldn’t I say “thank you” sincerely? Wasn’t there anything I could do? I kept thinking about that. How unpleasant. I climbed the stairs of the pedestrian bridge with Mai as a haze filled my head.



T/N: Hello, as Makoto’s chapters are short, I can finish early. And I got help from Cinnamon as a proofreader too, so it’s getting a bit easier. Thank you very much for helping, Cinnamon-san!

So, what do you guys think of the flow of the story now that we have a proofreader? I hope it is even easier to understand and nicer to read than before!

Anyway, because it’s short and I was excited by how kind Cinnamon-san explained to me how to use the right wording to sound better for the reader, I finished translating 2 chapters, so enjoy chapter 28 too!