Revenge of the Fallen Angel Soprano-chan ch6: ...I Did My Best to Hold Back...

What an innocent smile...!

Look, Mirei-chan. This is when
you helped me after I tripped
and patted my head.

Shimeji no Oka
Menma no Hayashi

[tn: Parodies of the popular snacks Kinoko no Yama (Mushroom Mountain) and Takenoko no Mori (Bamboo Shoot Forest) using legally distinct variations that translate to "Shimeji Mushroom Hill" and "Menma Shoot Woods" respectively.]

Brings back memories, huh...
True, when she puts it that way,
it is probably something to look back on...

but it feels like I'm being tortured here...!!
This is different from what I expected!
And here~

Shimeji no Oka and Menma no Hayashi

Did you remember
what you did to me?
It's all stuff the present me would never do...!
Holding hands and patting heads...

Or rather, is Soprano-chan okay looking at this stuff...?

And this is~

This is...

Mirei
Soprano

...Hey, Soprano-chan.

Would you mind if I asked
why you were crying earlier...?

...
If I tell you, can I ask you for something in return?

What's with this pattern...
...Alright.

...I'm sure there's a few reasons, but...

it's because the me and Mirei-chan of the past
looked really happy.

I feel like there's something we lack now...
that we had back then...

...You may be right.
That's why... I want to try something out.

I'd like for the current us to try
what we did in these photos.

Shimeji no Oka and Menma no Hayashi

Maybe then we'll understand what that something is...

Going to the beach...
Having sleepovers...
We're doing that one right now, though...

...Come to think of it, back then,
we used to take baths together too...

...What if today,
we took one together... for example...

~!!!?

D-Don't tell me that's your request...
...I'm kidding. Next time, okay?

Th-That didn't sound like a joke to me...
Next time...?
Mirei? Mind if I come in?

Mom! You're home earlier than expected.
Welcome back.
Your father drank too much and fell asleep midway...
I'm home.

Pardon... the intrusion.

Oh my...!

It's Sop-chan!!
My~ Look how pretty you've become...
Long time no see.

Um...
Thank you
for the high school thing.

Heh?

The heck...?

Menma no Hayashi

You're the one who told her, Mom!?

Sop-chan's mama and I were good friends back then, right?

About six months ago, I got a call from her
saying that Sop-chan
wanted to go to the same high school as Mirei.

Why didn't you tell me about this?
Ah, that's because Sop-chan said to not say anything.

She must've wanted to surprise you.

p10

I was so happy
when I got that call.

Even after Sop-chan moved away,
she still thinks so much about you.

And also... now that Sop-chan's back,
maybe you'll go back to being cheerful like you used to, Mirei.

Mirei's been so down in the dumps since you moved away~
So even my family could see how depressed I was...

p11

Y'know, Mirei-chan's been
such a bore to be around lately.

Well... I'm aware of it, though...

Okay, I'm turning the lights off.
Okay.

Making a model sleep on the floor
makes me feel kinda guilty...
Hey, Mirei-chan.

About my request from earlier... Can I make it now...?

p12

Today, I want you to hold my hand
until I fall asleep.

Honestly... I want to sleep next to you, but...

p13

I don't think the current me's heart could bear it,
so I'm okay with this for today.

...Mirei-chan.
Just like you did for me at the rabbit hutch,

I want you
to hold it tightly.

...So this is what the past me
did to Soprano-chan.

p14

The meaning behind it is way heavier than it was back then,
but... I can't go against
these feelings of guilt.

Your hand... is trembling.
Of course it is.
I've been a loner for five years, so nothing's changed.

Not my weaknesses...
nor my feelings for you...

p15

I came all this way
so I could become your lover, Mirei-chan.
That day when we talked in the nurse's office.
I wonder what Soprano-chan was truly thinking.

She seemed so confident back then,

but really...

For now, I'll keep this relationship
a secret between the two of us.

Nurse's Office

p16

Well then, I'm gonna go see the PE teacher.
You head back to class, Mirei-chan.

p17

Hah Hah

p18

...I did my best to hold back...

so at least let me off with this for today.

...Pure love.

Warning