Chapter 62: Chapter 61 - The Secret Room of Rika Saionji

Returning one manga volume from Rika Saionji may have made Kuro Kurogane rethink all that he knows about Rika Saionji.

But somehow, that it actually did.

It happened like this it started after class finished.

It had threatened to rain outside for a long time and most of the students had already left for home.

Kuro found himself standing at the entrance of the library holding an awkwardly crumpled up one manga volume.

The reason for this is apparentlyRika forgot to take the volume home with her yesterday.

Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, but the volume was apparently a limited edition, and it was carefully wrapped, had tons of handwritten notes throughout, and many bookmarks marking specific pages.

To put it in simple terms the volume was important.

To factor that into his equation, Kuro decided he should go personally deliver it back to Rika.

The downside is that, when Kuro mentioned to Rika that he was returning it, she appeared to panick when he was referencing it.

"You came all the way here?"

"Yeah?"

"You could have just brought it to me tomorrow."

This worred Kuro a little.

After a few seconds of pain in sharing the moment together.Rika began to quietly sigh.

"I guess its too late now."

"I don’t understand?"

"It doesn’t matter."

This was an obviously dangerous-for-me comment.

Twenty minutes later, Kuro found himself in front of a posh-looking appartment complex wondering how he ended up there.

Next to Kuro, Rika adjusted her glasses nervously. Rika was someone the people around her trusted. Because she never appeared to be nervous.

"...You don’t need to come in if you are busy."

"You invited me."

"...True."

"...Still."

Kuro blinked a bit and realized that Rika was truly nervous about something.

The first thing he noticed about the apartment itself was the light’s warmth along with a clean, sophisticated atmosphere complemented by all of the bookshelves throughout the apartment.

Then she opened her door to her room.

And Kuro’s brain shut down.

The only thing he could think to say was "Oh." Because the contents of Rika’s room erased any feelings Kuro had about her being cool or mature.

There was manga everywhere.

Anime posters.

Figures of characters from various franchises ,artsupplies ,sketchbooks ,merch from video games and a giant pillow hiding behind a curtain.

This made it very much an otaku paradise.

Very much a hardcore otaku paradise.

Slowly Kuro turned his head back to Rika and then back to her room. Then back to Rika.

"...Saionji-senpai."

Rika immediately brought her hands to her face.

"...Don’t say anything."

That ship had already sailed.

Kuro slowly stepped further into the apartment as he processed the emotional damage caused by what he had discovered.

"You are really deep into this."

"...Right."

Kuro could hear the defeat in Rika’s voice.

"I thought I could maintain some dignity."

"Mission failed."

"...That’s cruel."

But Rika stared at Kuro, as if she were afraid.

Kuro had a sudden realization.

This was more than just embarrassment.

Someone had shared an part of themselves.

It was something real.

Then Kuro suddenly started to feel good about it.

"...You know what? You actually look good with this type of stuff on."

Rika’s face turned completely still.

"...Huh?"

"You look so much happier with this stuff."

And then there was total silence.

But after a few seconds Rika couldn’t hold back.

Her face was turning a slight red, she slowly looked down.

"...That isn’t fair at all."

It seems Kuro struck a chord.

Kuro walked over toward a shelf with a ton of sketchpad books laying on it.

"...Can I see?"

The second Kuro said, ’Can I see’

Rika freaked out.

"...WAIT."

But it was too late.

Kuro had already opened one up.

And he stopped.

The art inside was amazing.

Professional, Manga-style character sketches and expres­sions and amazing scenes and horrible, hysterical romantic images.

And, surprisingly, all the images of Kuro and Rika in these drawings were really highly emotional, and directed to their relationship.

Kuro had to blink at least three times.

"...So, you drew all of this?"

Rika stood back next to him, feeling awkward.

"...Yeah."

"...This is really excellent."

"...Is it really?"

Kuro turned his head and responded completely honestly.

"...Of course."

And at that very moment, Rika beamed.

Nowhere near the composed or the ordinarily elegant expression he had become accustomed to from being out at school.

Kuro was so happy in that moment.

He didn’t know why as it happened, seeing Rika made Kuro’s heart start to beat faster than it ever had before.

And then without warning when the bedroom door swung open with a bang.

"RIKAAAAA—"

In walked a lady with a big bag of new stuff. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Tall lady with very, very dark hair. A woman with very sharp features and an amazing smile.

And when this lady turned and saw Kuro.

There was a moment of complete silence.

Then that woman just opened her mouth, and Rika looked completely horrified!

"...Big sis."

The tall lady looked at her sister and blinked once.

She blinked twice.

Then she smiled an evil smile!

"YOU BROUGHT A BOY HOME?"

"...ALWAYS STOP TALKING! "

The lady, Yuna first time Kuro ever heard her name, threw her shopping bag away and quickly ran over to Kuro!!!!!

"I’M YUNA SAIONJI!!! oh!!! so you’re the boyfriend???!!!"

"...not boyfriend" said Kuro, instinctively.

Rika has the chance to slam her head on the table.

"...please kill me."

Yuna completely ignored Rika! . Instead, she walked around Kuro and looked at him with her evil eyes.

"Hm.... normal face, good standing, looks like he’s probably already tired of Rika."

"....not inaccurate," said Kuro.

"Oh good! Rika likes you."

"...Big sis ."

In that moment Kuro was staring blankly at the two girls because Rika looked as though she was about to burst into flames from embarrassment.

Then all of a sudden, Yuna looked around the room in the most over-exaggerated way!

"Wow!!! She even showed you THIS room!!"

Rika stopped moving.

"What???"

Yuna smiled like a girl who’s just received a Christmas gift.

"She never lets anyone in THIS room! "

Both Kuro and Yuna were very very quiet.

Kuro was staring at Rika, Rika could do nothing but look away.

Unfortunately, it was the truth.

What this room held .

Her hobbies ,insecurities ,true self ,hidden passions.

The side that no one else knows.

But for some reason, she let Kuro see it.

And at that moment, that thought had a strange heft to it.

And at the same time it felt warm.

A few minutes had gone by before the tension in the air shifted a little bit.

Eventually, Yuna left after killing Rika’s self-esteem for ten minutes straight.

That left Kuro and Rika alone, and there was nothing but an awkward silence between them.

Then, very quietly, Rika sat at her desk, staring blankly down at the ground.

"I’m sorry."

"For what?"

"This. My room. My hobbies. My sister."

Kuro looked back at the room again.

Then, Kuro said softly, "I like it."

Rika’s eyes blinked slightly in disbelief.

"Really?"

"Really. It feels like an honest expression of you."

Then gradually, Rika smiled again.

It was a small smile, but there was relief in it, and there was truth in it.

But from Kuro’s perspective, he had just made a dangerous realization.

Seeing Rika in this way genuinely comfortable made him want to stay longer.

Adding to the fact that the desire to stay longer was an unfortunate reality for him.