Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“Were you thinking about another woman just now?” she asked quietly. “How’d you know?! Oops…” He immediately regretted his knee-jerk response, but it was already too late. A cold sweat ran down his spine as he realized just how terrible his response was. Crap, crap, crap! Daydreaming about another girl from your past while the heroine is confessing her love for you is one of the top ten things a rom-com protagonist shouldn’t do! I think it was number two when I checked the polls! Incidentally, the number one thing you shouldn’t do was ignore her. Not only would that ruin things with the heroine, but it would also lower the reader’s opinion of you, so it was something that should be avoided at all costs. Is this really the time to be thinking about rom-coms?! Masachika shut the door to the nerd room in his mind that he had been using to escape reality. However, he had zero experience with love in real life past elementary school, so he had absolutely no clue how he was going to get himself out of this situation. And unfortunately, Alisa spoke up with a chilling smirk before he could figure something out. “Hey.” “Y-yes?” “Didn’t you just say you were going to be by my side and support me from now on?” “Huh? Oh yeah. I did say that. Yep.” It was a little embarrassing hearing her repeat what he said, but Masachika wasn’t smiling bashfully under her cold, piercing gaze. His face was just twitching. “And yet you immediately start thinking about Yuki.” “I wasn’t thinking about Yuki.” “…Hmph.” “Hey?! Ouch! That seriously hurts!” The instant he admitted it wasn’t Yuki, Alisa squeezed his right hand like a vise again, causing him to scream Whyyyy?! to himself. “Kuze.” “Eep?!” “If you want me to forgive you, then don’t say another word and take what’s coming to you.” “…Okay.” After noticing Alisa slowly raising her left hand, Masachika closed his eyes, Page 139 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
knowing what was coming. Immediately, a powerful shock hit his cheek like a bolt of lightning, sending him flying back, literally. “Heh… Heh-heh… Nice slap.” “…You’re an idiot.” He gave her the thumbs-up, despite being pathetically curled up on the ground. Although she rolled her eyes, she forgave him just like she promised and extended a hand. After accepting her help up to his feet, Masachika brushed his pants off. “Ready to go home?” “Sure.” And just like that, they started their journey home side by side. They were neither snuggling up nor keeping their distance, but they were close enough to naturally hold hands if they tried. “Whew. I’ve never been slapped by a girl before. I feel like a real man now.” “Did you hit your head on the ground when you fell?” “I didn’t get a head injury!” “Yes… Unfortunately, your brain has always rattled inside that head of yours.” “I’ll have you know they used to call me the prodigy.” “‘The prodigy’? Uh-huh…” “Wow. You look like you don’t believe me.” Relieved they could still banter like they usually did, they were walking slightly closer to each other now, and by the time they reached the entrance to Alisa’s apartment complex, her expression included some concern. “…Is your cheek okay? Do you need some ice?” “Nah, I’m fine. I can’t really feel my right cheek, but it’s not so bad if you imagine you just got your wisdom teeth taken out,” cheerfully replied Masachika with a slight grimace as if it was unconsciously bothering him. “That doesn’t sound ‘fine’ at all…” Alisa shrugged while rolling her eyes when she suddenly looked up as if she had realized something, then held out her index finger and rubbed Masachika’s right cheek. “Do you really have no feeling in your cheek right now?” “Oh, no… I was joking. I honestly still can’t feel much, though,” he replied, his heart slightly racing. “…Uh-huh.” Page 140 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Alisa smirked, then immediately placed a hand on his shoulder as her smile softly drew closer toward him. “Huh?” A soft sensation tickled Masachika’s right cheek, and he heard a gentle smack. “Huh?” His eyes opened wide in astonishment while Alisa swiftly leaned away and sent a scornful look his way. “What are you so shocked about? It was just a little cheek kiss.” “What…? I thought you only touched cheeks when you cheek-kissed…” “Yes, but you also making a kissing sound when you do it.” “But… Huh?” That sensation… Was that her cheek or a kiss?! “Anyway, see you tomorrow.” “O-oh, right… See you tomorrow.” Masachika was there in body but not in spirit when he watched Alisa wave good-bye and walk inside. But after he could no longer see her, he placed a hand on his cheek and crouched. “Uh…?! S-seriously! Which was it?!” He rubbed his still-warm cheek, desperately trying to remember the sensation, but no matter how long he thought about it, he couldn’t find a definite answer. “Alyaaa! Can I at least get a hint in Russian?! Please!” Masachika’s pathetic cries echoed down the dark night street. Page 141 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
послесловие Afterword Nice to meet you all. I am the author of this series, Sunsunsun. First, I would like to thank you all for purchasing this novel. If you borrowed this from a friend and made it this far, buy yourself a copy as well. And to the people reading this at the bookstore? Please walk yourself over to the register. Oh, and you? The person who’s thinking I’m being a little aggressive in the afterword of my debut novel? Well, I hate to break it to you, but this is how I always drive. You were fooled by the cover jacket. If anything, I’m going as legally fast as I can without the editor getting after me. I’m usually way more of a— (I apologize for the author’s embarrassing behavior. Please give me a moment.) Anyway, that’s the gist of it. Wait. What? I still haven’t even written a full page? I was sure I had cleared a thousand words easily. Anyway, I’ve had my fun, so now it’s time to get semiserious. I know I mentioned this on the cover jacket when I introduced myself, but I started out writing web novels on the website Shousetsuka ni Narou. I was never someone who seriously considered having my novel published (like the serious authors). I only did it for fun. I never worked seriously on a serialized series and only stuck to short stories whenever I had an idea. This novel, Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, was originally posted on Shousetsuka ni Narou as a short story until it caught the eye of the editor, and we ended up using the concept to create a brand-new series. It was one of those lucky situations where it started as a oneshot story and leveled up into a serialized series, which you often see happen in weekly manga anthologies. I never dreamed that something like this would happen to me. Since this was going to be a brand-new story, I had to create a new protagonist and heroine as well. What did you think? There’s nothing I want more than for you to feel the heroine was cute or the protagonist was cool. Yuki? Yeah, I know she’s adorable, so I’m not worried about her (I know). Anyway, before I go, I wanted to give special thanks to the following Page 142 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
people: Natsuki Miyakawa, the editor who has helped me so much in writing this novel; Momoco, who drew the beautiful illustrations; Tapioca, who made the perfect short manga; Sumire Uesaka for doing the voice of the heroine, Alya, and Kouhei Amasaki for doing the voice of Masachika; Shimesaba and Kyousuke Kamishiro for the helpful comments; and everyone who picked up this book. I want to give you all the biggest thanks of the century. Thank you so much! I hope we can meet again in the next volume. Until then. Page 143 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Page 144 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Page 145
Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
COPYRIGHT Translation by Matthew Rutsohn Cover art by Momoco This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. TOKIDOKI BOSOTTO ROSHIAGO DE DERERU TONARI NO ARYA SAN Vol.1 ©Sunsunsun, Momoco 2021 First published in Japan in 2021 by KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo. English translation rights arranged with KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo, through TUTTLEMORI AGENCY, INC., Tokyo. English translation © 2022 by Yen Press, LLC Yen Press, LLC supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact the publisher. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights. Yen On 150 West 30th Street, 19th Floor New York, NY 10001 Visit us at yenpress.com • facebook.com/yenpress • twitter.com/yenpress • yenpress.tumblr.com instagram.com/yenpress First Yen On Edition: November 2022 Page 146 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Edited by Yen On Editorial: Leilah Labossiere, Rachel Mimms Designed by Yen Press Design: Liz Parlett Yen On is an imprint of Yen Press, LLC. The Yen On name and logo are trademarks of Yen Press, LLC. The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Sunsunsun, author. | Momoco, illustrator. | Rutsohn, Matt, translator. Title: Alya sometimes hides her feelings in Russian / Sunsunsun ; illustration by Momoco ; translation by Matthew Rutsohn. Other titles: Tokidoki bosotto roshiago de dereru tonari no Arya san. English Description: First Yen On edition. | New York, NY : Yen On, 2022- Identifiers: LCCN 2022029973 | ISBN 9781975347840 (v. 1 ; trade paperback) Subjects: CYAC: Language and languages—Fiction. | Friendship—Fiction. | Schools—Fiction. | LCGFT: Humorous fiction. | School fiction. | Light novels. Classification: LCC PZ7.1.S8676 Ar 2022 | DDC [Fic]—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022029973 ISBNs: 978-1-9753-4784-0 (paperback) 978-1-9753-4785-7 (ebook) Page 147 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Thank you for buying this ebook, published by Yen On. To get news about the latest manga, graphic novels, and light novels from Yen Press, along with special offers and exclusive content, sign up for the Yen Press newsletter. Sign Up Or visit us at www.yenpress.com/booklink Page 148 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com