Touei Diary

p5
>My, Cartalet-san. You sure got your day shift work done quickly.
>Of course!
>I want to go home with Shino as quickly as possible, after all!

>Shino-
>Karen~ Let's go get some crepes at the station today!

>Wow! Who will win? Japan's crepes or London's crepes?
>I reccomend the Italian Sil-vous-plais Crepe!
>Oh, you guys going to the station?
>Youko-chan?
>Italian? French? I can't tell...
>What the heck~
>...

p6
>It's fine. I'm used to it.
>I'm not so much of a kid that I'd get all jealous
>over Shino getting all heated up by other blonde girls.
>whisper whisper

>There's less time to talk due to changing classes.
>I can bear with this much.
>...Aya?

>School's over already, Aya. What are you reading?
>Ah, this is an exchange diary I used to do with Youko.

>It kinda died off midway since Youko got so lazy returning it, though.
>It was mainly stuff about Youko having fun spending time with her family...
>...Aya.

p7
>Reading an already finished exchange diary by yourself in the classroom
>is pretty much trying to escape reality...
>Shut up, Alice! Does someone who rubs their cheeks with a kokeshi doll have any right to say that!?
>Th-That was just something I needed to soothe my soul...
>Wait, you saw that!?

>You caught my attention a little so I just kinda found out~
>That's cos Shino... Shino~~~

>...Hey, Aya.
>If it's okay with you...

>would you like to do
>an exchange diary with me?

p10
>...J-Just kidding! I just thought I'd say that to kill some boredom~
>Y-Yeah, that's just not trendy for high schoolers.
>Ahaha
>Hahaha Ahaha
>Aha

>Then why don't we try something a little different?
>For example, we'll pretend like we're writing some kind of play.

>I'll write in the diary pretending to be Shino
>>pretending
>and you'll pretend to be Youko.
>In other words, we'll write it like Youko and Shino are exchanging a diary.
>Ooh~ Sounds fun.
>I'll start off.

>Dear Youko-chan,
>Good evening, it's Shinobu here.
>It's been ages since I've written an exchange diary, so I'm kinda nervous.
>By the way, Youko-chan, during lunch in Class C, you often talk to Alice along with me and Karen, so shouldn't you talk with Aya-chan too?
>>by Aya

p11
>Aya... Did she not get embarrassed writing this...?

>But it's a strange feeling.
>Even though Shino's in the living room watching telly,
>it's like I'm really reading a letter from her.

>Let's see, I've got to "write a letter to Shino while pretending to be Youko", right?
>How would Youko respond to this...

>>by Alice
>Hm~? It's fine. I've talked with Aya plenty of times since we were kids. More importantly, Shino, are you talking properly with Alice? Don't make her feel too longely.

>AAAAAAAAAAAH! I'm writing embarrassing stuff too!!!
>What is this!? I feel cold!?

p12
>The next day

>Aya, here's the notebook you lent me.
>Thanks, Alice.

>So you lent your notebook to Cartelet-san?
>Uh, yeah... Stuff like English composition.

>Class is about to start~

>That's right... You're already sick of talking with me, aren't you, Youko...
>What's wrong, Komichi-san!?

>The next period
>Today, turn you textbooks to page 67...
>I snuggle Alice's hair every day! Viva Las Blondies!
>>by Aya

p13
>Alice~ Today, I went with Karen and Youko-chan to eat crepes together!
>I see. Were they good?
>Yes!
>I would've invited you if you didn't have day duty, Alice.
>I want to go with you some day, Alice. Good night.

>...I don't think it's been every day lately.
>Eh~? Alice tells me "once every two-three days". In fact, lately you've been teasing Karen's hair way more, haven't you, Shino?
>>by Alice

>...Is that so?

>Hah! I hadn't noticed! Would Alice like it more if I snuggled her more often?
>>by Aya
>I wonder if Alice wants to be touched more.

>I...

p14
>Your hair is really smooth, Aya. Must be a pain to maintain it every day, right~?
>N-Not really... A girl should be able to handle this much.

>These braids from the roots to the tips feel so good to slide between my fingers~
>Don't play around with me too much.

>NONONONONONONONONO
>I would never think about wanting something like that done to me!!
>What kind of delusion was that!?
>Komichi-san, do you really not need to go to the nurse's office!?

>Alice~ I'm getting in the bath~
>We'll sleep once I'm out~
>Okay, Shino~

>We sure passed around this diary a lot in one day.
>Writing while pretending is surprisingly fun.

p15
>...Do I want to be snuggled?

>>Yeah, a little bit.
>...

>No no no no!! I'm Youko right now!
>I'm writing while pretending to be Youko!

>Alice~ You've been staying up late a lot lately, haven't you?
>Nyaaaaaaa!?
>It's nothing, Shino! I'm just going a little crazy, that's all~

p16
>Let's just rub out
>"a little bit"...
>W-Well that's something you won't know unless you ask her yourself. Plus wouldn't it be weird if you were so clingy that you looked like lovers?
>>by Alice

>I guess you're right... Incidentally, Youko-chan, if you were to have a lover, what kind of person would they be like?
>>by Aya

>What's this all of a sudden, Shino?
>>by Alice

>Ufufufu. It's love gossip, of course.
>>by Aya

p17
>Love gossip, huh... Hey, Shino, what would you do if, say for example...
>>by Alice
>Alice told you she loved you, not as a friend, but as someone way more precious?

>...I'm not sure. I think I'd get really confused if someone told me that out of the blue.
>>by Aya
>[What about you, Youko-chan? If Aya-chan said she loved you more than a friend and wanted to be with you more over other girls?]

>Aya...

p18
>Shinobu~ Alice~ There's two pudding cups left if you want them.
>Isami.

>Oh, Shinobu's already asleep?
>Yeah, she's really worn out from today's PE.
>She's such a kid.

>You upset that you couldn't eat it together, Alice?
>That's not true!

>I'll leave one of them in the fridge.

>...But it really is
>unfortunate.
>Delicious...

p19
>Alice~ This pudding is delicious~
>Eating together with Shino only doubles the happiness~

>Of course, Alice's delicious blonde hair isn't gonna lose!
>Human caramel!
>It definitely won't taste good~

>What am I imagining!?
>It's not delicious! It's not delicious!

>Aya must also

>has those feelings
>of wanting to be held by Youko.
>If I were Youko
>how would I reply?

p20
>I would respond. I'd fully accept Aya's feelings. I love Aya, too... I wouldn't do anything to make Aya feel lonely.
>>by Alice

>...Too bad, Alice.

>Youko
>would never say something like that.

p21
>Komichi-san? Cartalet-san just...
>Alright. I'll talk to her later.

>Ow!

>I-I just bashed my foot against Alice's desk.
>It must've been attracted to the blonde essence...

>What's this notebook...?


p22
>I'm gonna buy a drink.
>Take care, Youko~

>Shino?

>That notebook...
>Butting into private matters
>U-Um, I only caught a glimpse of the last page.
>I didn't think it was something so scary

>It said in your handwriting
>that you love Aya-chan.

p23
>L-Look here, Shino! This is just fiction~
>B-B-But, at the right side of this page
>It says "Sorry, but you're wrong" in Aya-chan's writing.

>!?
>...?
>E-Erm... Don't worry about it, Alice!

>I'll support you if you fall in love with someone! It's just that it doesn't seem to be that close this time.
>I'm sure your fated person is out there somewhere! Keep at it!

p24
>Huh? Onee-chan, is Alice still in the bath?

>Yeah. She's having a long soak tonight.
>Fwah~ I'll go to sleep first then~...

>She's asleep.

>I have to reply to Shino.

p25
>No.
>Not to Shino. To Aya.
>I'm sure your fated person is out there somewhere.

>What is this feeling?

>...Where is Shino?

>What should I write?

p26
>Uuh...

>Why do I feel so sad?
>Even though we pass by each other so often...

>Shino treats me with great care.
>I should know that already.
>No. Is that really the case?

>Does she only pester me because I'm blonde?
>Kh
>...Ah...
>No. Shino isn't that kind of girl.

>No.
>What am I to Shino?
>What is Shino to me...

p27
>...Shino...

>Shino said some really harsh things to me today.
>It's strange. Even though I know it's normal to give your friends advice...

>Are these feelings truly love for Shino?

p28
>Ever since doing that diary with Aya, I've been having nothing but wild delusions.
>But...

>That sleek black hair that hasn't changed since back then.
>Those soft lips that have become faintly adult.

>Her hands stretching all the way down from her slender shoulders.
>Her unassuming chest.

>Everything about Shino.

p29
>...Wait!
>I look like some kind of pervert...
>No No No No No No No No!!

>I think I really have gone crazy.

>It's strange.
>Even though she's so close...

>I felt gloomy just from not getting to talk with Shino much at school
>to the point where I had Aya act as Shino.

p30
>She's so close.

>If thse feelings are real...

>I want to be even closer
>and touch you.

>If I do that
>mm....
>I might be able to tell you properly...

p31
>Yawn...
>~~~Karen~~...?

>Mmm....
>Alice..?

>Did she... go to the toilet...?

p33
>Good morning, Ayaya~

>Alice hasn't returned the diary.
>...I wonder if it's because I returned it so suddenly.
>I slipped up...
>Good morning, Aya-chan.

>Ah, Aya-chan, I've been meaning to ask.
>Have you been exchanging a diary with Alice?
>Eh?

p34
>I accidentally caught a glimpse of it.
>You wrote "Sorry, but you're wrong", didn't you?
>It's just that Alice has been down all morning and that's the only thing I could think of.
>I'm not blaming you or anything, Aya-chan.

>A-About that! I'll make sure to explain it to you later, Shino!
>Ah! Aya-chan!

>The stuff that Alice was writing about before.
>That wasn't Youko-chan! That was Alice's feelings for Shino!
>Alice...

p35
>Alice!

>Alice! I'm sorry! Shino found out about that diary...
>No, it's not your fault, Aya.

>I was thoughtless too.
>N-No, I wrote some weird things too...

>If I had played my role more properly, Shino would've realised it was just a fictional diary.
>I'm so stupid!

>Ah

>Alice~ Please cheer up~
>>Shino impression
>>giggle
>You look nothing alike, Aya.

p36
You're not Shino, after all.

>It's alright, Aya.

>That's...
>right...

>I'm sorry.
>I couldn't do anything.

p37
>Even though I should've known how painful Alice's feelings were
>just knowing about them couldn't solve anything.

>I'm not Shino.
>And Alice isn't Youko.

>All we've been doing is licking our wounds.

>In the end...

>Hey.
>What's up, Alice?

p38
>Youko.
>...
>Why are you crying?

>Did something happen?
>...
>Ah, it's okay if you don't wanna tell me.
>Here.

p39
>Youko just...

>hugged Alice
>so simply.
>Ah, I know.

>I just bought this French Bread at the convenience store!
>Doesn't the printed label for the filling look weird?
>It just says "Tsu" and nothing else~

>Here.
>Have a little bit.

p40
>Ah
>But England and France used to fight with each other, didn't they!?
>They mentioned it in World History!
>It might burn up your English blood if you ate it, Alice~

>Hahaha
>I'm kidding!
>Here.

>Did that cheer you up a little?
>...Yeah.

p41
>Thanks, Youko.

>Don't worry about it.
>That's what friends do.

>Oh yeah, I've got a coupon for that crepe place from before.
>You can have it, Alice.

>You sure?
>Yeah. Let's all go together next time.
>...That's right, Alice.
>That's who Youko is.
>Someone who's really kind.
>Someone who flings open the windows in our roundabout hearts without hesitation
>and shines light straight into them.

p42
>She's really
>so kind
>that I want to hate her.

>That's why I fell in love with her.
>Hey, Youko. What say we start up that exchange diary we used to do?
>No way. We're already in high school.