My Plain-looking Fiance is Secretly Sweet with Me Volume 2 - Chapter 17

Chapter 17
Isn't there someone who would raise their voice an octave higher when on a call?

A few days after the field trip was over.

Yuuka and I didn’t go to anywhere and decided to spend our summer holiday at home.

“Hey, Yuu-kun! Nihara-san wants me to go with her to the summer festival this weekend!”

Lying on the sofa in her casual clothes, Yuuka looked away from the phone in her hand and said that with a big smile.

She didn’t tie her black hair, making it sway gently around her shoulders. Her eyes that usually tended to look droopy were now very sparkling, making me who saw her like that unconsciously giggling.

“I also got a RINE message like that from her. She said, ‘Let’s go to the summer festival with Watanae-san!’”

When we came back from the field trip, Nihara-san insisted that we must exchange RINE ID, so I give her my ID. And just like me, Yuuka also exchanged RINE ID with Nihara-san.

After receiving a message from Nihara-san, Yuuka put her phone on the table and stood while humming, and then, she closed her eyes and traveled to the world of delusion.

“Ehehehe, hang out with my schoolmates..., moreover Yuu-kun will also come, I’m really looking forward to it! Later, let’s visit the stalls that were set up. Oh right, I wonder if I still have a yukata that fits me?”

After returning from the field trip, Yuuka always behaved like this.

In between the chats we had, she would usually talk about Nihara-san. Even on Sunday, she would wake up very early to try to watch a tokusatsu movie.

In short... a lot of what she did had something to do with Nihara-san.

Well, even though at school Yuuka’s communicative disorder was so extreme that she had a salty image, but basically, she was the type of person who was like a little dog. Hence, the more someone got to know Yuuka, the more she would show her true nature.

“Nihara-san looks like she’ll look pretty in a yukata! The gap between her gyaru impression and yukata looks like it’s going to be interesting, and she’s definitely going to look sexy!”

“Well, I guess you’re right that she’ll make for an interesting gap.”

“...But, you can't keep looking at NIhara-san, you understand?”

Even though she brought up this topic herself, but Yuuka suddenly looked up at me and tugged at my sleeve.

“You don’t even have to tell me, I wouldn’t do that.”

“I’m not sure, you’re basically the one who always looks at women’s breasts after all...”

“Isn’t your accusation too terrible?! Sigh..., you’re still being so inexplicably jealous as ever.”

“…Do you hate me if I'm that kind of person?”

Saying that, Yuuka grabbed my hand and shuffled around to hide her face.

And then, she lowered my hand slightly to reveal her eyes, and looked at me.

“Jiiiiii...” // *Sfx looking at people”

“.........”

“Jiiii——”

“.........”

“Jiii—! Jijijijiji—!”

When I purposely ignored her, she started muttering ‘ji’ over and over.

Geez, she truly loves to get attention.

“No, no, I don’t hate you. Also, I’m not the one who always looks at women’s breasts.”

“...Eheheh, that’s good then!”

With a smile that seemed to melt, Yuuka started shaking my hand.

Even though there were still a few more days until the summer festival... but she already had gotten excited this quickly.

 

——Brrrt♪ Brrrt♪ Brrrt♪

 

Just then, Yuuka’s phone that she had placed on the table rang.

On the screen of her phone, Nihara-san’s photo appeared, which apparently, it’s was a RINE call.

“A-A call from Nihara-san?! W-What should I do, Yuu-kun?!”

“Even if you ask me... shouldn’t you just answer normally? Maybe she has something she wants to talk to you about.”

“Tell me specifically how the normal is?! I’m not used to calling my schoolmate, so I really didn’t know what to do... Or should I answer her call like this, [Yahoo, it’s Yuuka ☆]?”

“I think just like your usual self would be fine...”

What the hell does she mean by, [Yahoo, it’s Yuuka ☆]? If she suddenly answered with such a strange tension, Nihara-san would definitely be confused and immediately hung up the call.

“I-I see... just like my usual self, just like my usual self...”

Muttering like that, Yuuka answered the call and activated the speaker button.

[Yahoo, Watanae-san? Are you doing well?]

“Normal.”

Heck, what’s become as usual is the salty response.

Sigh, where is Yuuka who was talking about Nihara-san while smiling just now?

With a stern expression, Yuuka continued to stare at her phone.

[Why did you go back to your cold way of speaking? Whereas on the field trip you spoke kindly to me...]

“This makes no difference.”

[We’re already friends, right? Isn’t you attitude to terrible? You’re going to make cry, you know!]

“You so noisy!”

(TN: Just now, Nihara uses the way of speaking with the ending jan-yo jan-yo which is usually used by Yuuka.)

Oh, she's starting to return to being like she was just now.

In response to Yuuka’s reaction, Nihara-san who was on the other side of the phone was giggling.

[You’re really cute, Watanae-san.]

“Jeez, don’t say that like I’m a toy.”

[Hahahaha! So  Watanae-san... at the summer festival... I also invite Sakata to come with us.]

Because my name was suddenly mentioned, I unconsciously straightened my posture.

Even though Yuuka and I have talked about this before... but it felt a bit awkward when I heard Nihara-san bring up this topic.

[At the festival later, the three of us will get together first, right? So, when the timing is good, I’ll go—and after that, you two will be alone.]

“B-But... won’t you end up feeling bored, Nihara-san?”

[It’s okay, it’s okay! As long as you and Sakata get closer—that would be the best thing for me. Or if necessary, after that you immediately bring him to your house? Kyaaa  ~!]

Well, I don’t think that Nihara-san would expect that we actually already lived in the same house...

On the other hand, whether it was due to thinking the same things as me, Yuuka had a complicated expression on her face.

“E-Erm, Nihara-san...”
 
[Oh, no! Kamen Runner's special program has begun! Sorry, I’ll call you later about the details, bye!]

——Pip♪ pip♪ pip♪

Cause wanna see a special program, Nihara-san hung up the call before Yuuka finished speaking.

“Nihara-san... she is a really good person, isn’t she? Although there is no benefit to her, she is very supportive of my love story.”

“You’re right, Nihara-san’s mindset is similar to the hero, though not all tokusatsu fans will have that mindset”

Come to think of it, on Tanabata Festival, Nihara-san wrote [World Peace] on her tanzaku.

I thought it was a joke or something, but when I think about it now—maybe it really was Nihara-san’s pure wish.

“At first I thought that I wouldn’t match Nihara-san’s hype, but now... I feel like getting closer to her, and I think I like her.”

 

——Brrrt♪ Brrrt♪ Brrrt♪

 

“...Hm? She said she want to watch a special program, but why did she call again?”

Even though she just ended the call, now Yuuka’s phone started ringing again.

Tilting her head, Yuuka answered the call with the speaker still on.

“Hello? Aren’t you going to watch the special program you talked about earlier?”

[Special program? What are you talking about, Yuuna? Also..., is that the way of speaking of yours?

A cool and beautiful voice rang out from Yuuka’s phone which made the atmosphere around us instantly freeze.

The moment Yuuka heard that voice—she instantly froze where she stood.

This voice sounded familiar to me too.

I’m sure, the owner of that voice is the Sixth Alice, the voice actress of Ranmu-chan—Shinomiya Ranmu.

[Yuuna? Did you hear me? It’s me, Ranmu.]

“Eh, ah, yes, yes! E-Erm... erm...”

She was so confused, making her words stutter.

But then, with a business smile—Yuuka finally spoke.

“Yahoo, it’s Yuuna☆”

---

[Yuuna, you should have more self-awareness as a voice actress. If this call came from the director or producer, what do you think would be happen to you?]

“...Yes. I’m regret it, I’m sorry, Ranmu-senpai.”

Even though the other person couldn’t see her, but Yuuka put her hands on her knees and bowed.

Well, Shinomiya Ranmu was the senior voice actress in her office, so it was understandable that Yuuka would act like that. But despite being called a senior, Shinomiya Ranmu should be the same age as Yuuka.

It’s just, how should I put it... even over the phone, her dignity feels so great.

[As a voice actor, you can't be careless all the time. Be careful in your behavior so you won’t be embarrassed whenever someone sees you.]

“Yeah, I’m sorry! I’ll do my best to be more careful!”

[...Sigh, you, it’s only in these kinds of things that your way of speaking becomes good.]

I think she’s right, Yuuka’s current way of speaking is completely different from when she talked to Nihara-san just now. Both the voice and the tone have a slightly higher frequency.

Seeing her like this, I vaguely thought that not only in daily life, but also depending on who she was talking to on the phone, Yuuka’s personality would be different.

On the contrary, Shinomiya Ranmu, even when she called her co-worker, the impression she gave was still the same as when she was at an event or online radio. She is cool, unassuming, and stoic about her job.

Izumi Yuuna and Yuuna-chan are similar in many ways, and it seems... Shinomiya Ranmu and Ranmu-chan are also quite smilar.

 

[—Then, I’ll be counting on you.]

“Yes! Let’s do our best together, Ranmu-senpai!”

It seems that while I was thinking about various things, their conversation about their work was over.

Holding my breath, I silently turned gacha on Alice Stage, and as I raised my head.

[By the way, Yuuna, are you at your house now?]

“Hm? Yes, I’m!”

[Then... is your ‘brother’ there?]

Instantly, Shinomiya Ranmu’s tone changed, causing quite a tense atmosphere to spread between the two of them.

“Erm... what’s wrong with my ‘brother’?”

[If he’s there, may I talk to him?]

“Erm... why do you want to talk to him?”

[I just wonder what kind of person your beloved ‘brother’ is. And also I wonder if he would be an obstacle for you to reach the height of your career as a voice actress for Alice Idol.]

God damn it, this Shinomiya Ranmu is making a very ridiculous request.

As for me, the so-called ‘brother’ here, feeling so scared that I don’t dare to make soudn.

“...No!”

In response to Shinomiya Ranmu’s request, Yuuka spoke in a very affirming tone.

[Why?]

“Because my ‘brother’ is my private matter. Even if the other party is you, Ranmu-senpai... I won’t allow you! Indeed, t’s a fact that I really love my ‘brother’, but I’ll also do my best as a voice actress! My ‘brother’ will not be an obstacle to me, but otherwise—he is an important partner who always supports me!”

[...Partner? We’re talking about your ‘brother’, right?]

“Yeah, now we’re talking about my ‘brother’!”

No, no, no. Come to think of it from any perspective, isn’t your tension too much when it comes to talking about your ‘brother’?

[Is that really okay? Then, what about your big fan who is called ‘Grim Reaper in Love’? That person always sends you letters no matter you are happy or sad, right? So even if that important partner you said was your ‘brother’... I’m still concerned.]

Sorry, but both the ‘Grim Reaper in Love’ and the ‘brother’ you’re talking about here is me.

[Well... okay. If you who are usually not so insistent would go so far as to say that much, then I’ll believe your words.]

Shinomiya Ranmu sighed, and at the end, she spoke in a fairly firm tone.

[But, if you were to neglect Alice Idol because you were too busy with your ‘brother’—as you senior, I won’t acknowledge you.]

“...Bot my ‘brother’ and Alice Idol, I’ll definitely cherish both of them highly!”

Just like Shinomiya Ranmu, Yuuka—Izumi Yuuna also replied with a firm tone.

And so, when their call ended...

“...Haaaah~, I feel tired!”

Yuuka stretched her body and plopped down on the sofa. And then, she hugged the pillow that was near her hand and started rolling on the sofa.

“The pressure from her is really extreme.... as expected from Ranmu-chan’s voice actress.”

“Ranmu-senpai is very similar to Ranmu-chan, isn’t she? She’s stoic about Alice Idol, and she’s cool and I respect her..., but even so, I got really nervous because of her!”

While lying on the sofa, Yuuka patted my knee with a faint smile as I sat beside her.

It’s different from the impression that is still a bit stiff when on the phone with Nihara-san, and also different from the attitude of a junior when she calls Shinomiya Ranmu. Right now, Yuuka was being casual and innocent, which made me smile when I saw her like that.

Because out there she’s always working hard, so at least at home—You can relax however you want, Yuuka.

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