Chapter 34 – Someone Special
Chapter 6, Part 1
Novel Title: 融愛~Melt Down~ (Melted Love ~Melt Down~)
Author：風結子 沙野 (Fuyuko Sano)
Illustrator：雅良 水名瀬 (Masara Minase)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 葉越海理 (Yougoshi Kairi -MC), 葉越翼久 (Yougoshi Tasuku -ML)
*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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Can humans really become this shameless when pushed to the edge?
The incestuous relationship with his younger brother, something that should never be known by others, has now been fully revealed to Naofumi. Even so, he still gets up properly every day and goes to work.
He was attached to the job itself. And more than anything, he didn’t want to quit Sakuraba Foods. The only reason he was hired by Sakuraba Foods was because he could go to university. If he had dropped out of high school, he wouldn’t be where he is now. This present life was given to him by Tasuku.
Even abnormalities, when prolonged, can become part of everyday life.
His relationship with Tasuku was gradually being integrated into him, becoming a component of who he was, and smoothing out into something flat and even.
But Naofumi wasn’t able to accept it so easily.
He would sometimes show complex expressions in fleeting moments. However, he never touched the parts of Kairi that he didn’t want to be touched. He just watched over him carefully, worrying whether Tasuku was forcing him into something unreasonable.
That great kindness from Naofumi is both something he’s grateful for and deeply feeling pain for.
“My feelings for you won’t change that easily,” Naofumi had said that about two weeks ago.
Since they’re work partners, they spend a lot of time together. That’s why he made every effort not to give Naofumi any hope with his actions or words.
He really hoped Naofumi finds someone suitable for him soon.
That person will surely be happy.
That day, Naofumi and him were sitting side by side at a long table in the company cafeteria, having lunch. Aiko came over carrying a tray with a crab cream croquette set. Being a food manufacturer that enriches tables all over Japan, the Sakuraba Foods cafeteria offers delicious food with a well-rounded menu.
“Mind if I join you?” Aiko asked cheerfully.
“You’re always so lively, Tajima-kun,” Naofumi said with a smile to Aiko, who had just plopped down in the seat across from him. When Naofumi smiles like that, most of the female employees blush and look dazed. But Aiko responded with a radiant smile, not backing down.
“Well, I lead an exciting life, both at work and in my personal time.”
Kairi teased Aiko with his usual smile; “Still partying it up as always, huh?”
“Of course! By the way, Yougoshi, we’re having a drinking party soon. Why don’t you join us? We’ve got a lineup of cute girls, with me at the forefront.”
“I’ll pass.”
“What?!”
Aiko pouted her lips, when Naofumi chimed in from the side.
“I’ve heard that Yougoshi may have found someone special.”
Kairi froze for a second.
He couldn’t stand the thought of going to be interrogated in the usual way. But Aiko, with her big eyes growing even bigger, fell silent. An awkward silence settled over them.
“Tajima-kun, why don’t you invite me instead? I’m still looking for someone,” Naofumi said casually. Aiko glanced at him, then looked down and mumbled.
“So it’s not Naofumi-sama…”
Maybe Aiko had sensed the delicate tension between Naofumi and Kairi. The way she figured out that Tasuku was his brother shows just how sharp her observational skills are.
――Perhaps that’s why every product Tajima touches becomes a hit.
As Kairi broke out in a cold sweat, he reminded himself that, as a colleague in the same marketing department, he couldn’t afford to lose. He needs to sharpen his own antennae and be more proactive.
While listening to Naofumi and Aiko discuss the drinking party, he picked up his chopsticks and dug into his bowl of ramen.
***
The rain kept falling in a steady rhythm. The dimly lit room had its ceiling light turned off. He had experienced a strange change in his emotions. Ever since he accepted Tasuku in the depths of the darkness, he had started to find comfort in things close to darkness. He had also grown to dislike bright lights. On perfectly sunny days, just getting ready for work in the morning would depress him.
A gloomy rainy holiday like today is perfect. He finally had a full day off after a long time.
He felt like lying in bed until the afternoon, entwined with his blood-related brother, was something only the dimness and the rain could wrap and hide them from the world. They kissed like it was second nature as their bodies intertwined. The pleasure they sought was calm and gentle. At some point, Kairi drifted off to sleep, only to wake again, as if surfacing from the bottom of a calm body of water.
“Is everything going smoothly with that pasta restaurant you’re opening?” Tasuku asked, running his fingers through Kairi’s black hair.
“It looks like we’ll be able to open by the end of the month. Several magazines will run articles on it next month.”
A women’s magazine, where one of Naofumi’s acquaintances works as a deputy editor, had already started a column series on it. Naofumi’s photograph in the article had a strong impact. Blogs on the internet had already started talking about it as ‘a restaurant produced by the handsome guy from Sakuraba Foods’. In fact, female employees kept pestering Naofumi, asking for introductions to the ‘guy from the column’.
“Are you enjoying your current job, Aniki?” Tasuku asked.
“Yeah, I am.”
“Really? That’s good,” Tasuku said, hugging Kairi and pressing down on him. Their bare skin touched. Kairi could feel his heartbeat slowly rising. Tasuku’s body, filled with energy down to each cell, was warm and densely packed. The body that had been both the target of his hatred and his affection since he could remember was now pressing down on him.
Tasuku buried his face in Kairi’s neck.
As Kairi stroked Tasuku’s soft, sweetly coloured hair, Tasuku let out a big, satisfied sigh that made his back rise and fall. Then, he muttered quietly, “I should probably get back to society soon… Can’t keep up appearances otherwise.”
Tasuku hadn’t worked at the host club for about a month and a half.
“Are you going back to ‘Blossom’?”
“…No.”
Tasuku licked Kairi’s collarbone, causing Kairi to flinch slightly. Sensing this, Tasuku pressed down harder.
“I’m quitting the host job.”
“What?”
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*Translator’s Note: Poor girl must have been shipping Tokiya-san and Kairi so hard only to find out that Kairi is seeing someone else hahaha. -K
*GLOSSARY:
- Onii-san / Onii-chan / Nii-san / Nii-chan / Aniki = (Big/Elder) Brother
☝🏻I’ll be using these throughout my translation.
Next update: 2025.01.29
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