CGBTS Chapter 27

Chapter 27 – Prepared Dinner

Novel Title: あの夏から戻れない (Can’t Go Back to That Summer)

Author：宮緒葵 (Miyao Aoi)

Illustrator：笠井あゆみ (Kasai Ayumi)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 櫛原夏生 (Kushihara Natsuo -MC) & 四辻柊 (Yotsutsuji Shuu -ML)

*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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Kazuo enjoyed about an hour of the story before heading home. The reason he was leaving earlier than usual was probably because Kazuo’s father was participating in the drinking party, leaving only his mother and older sister at home. Although he seemed concerned about his sister’s fierce temper, he appeared to care about her in his own way.

“…Haa…”

Natsuo retreated into the living room and sprawled out on the tatami. The sound of the continuously running electric fan seemed strangely loud.

…Shuu…

It was still light outside, but the drinking party at the village chief’s mansion would probably have already begun. Since there were no streetlights in the village, once it got dark they had no choice but to rely on flashlights, so they gathered early and ended the party before the night grew too late. It was a little difficult to imagine Shuu drinking alcohol and making a commotion.

………..I feel strange.

The house without Shuu felt empty and chilly. It made Natsuo feel lonely and uneasy, yet somewhere inside, he was relieved.

―――“You hold me back with such a cute face and such a sweet voice, yet you won’t return my feelings. ……You’re far more cruel than Odamaki-sama.”

A week ago, after saying those words painfully and pressing his lips against Natsuo’s, Shuu had apologized, saying he was sorry.

He had promised that he would never do anything to trouble Natsuo again.

True to his word, Shuu never touched Natsuo more than necessary since then.

…But Natsuo could tell, no matter what. Shuu hadn’t cut off his feelings for Natsuo.

Because wherever Natsuo went or whatever he did, those green eyes, filled with heat, seemed to follow him everywhere.

―――“I love you. I’m in love with you. I want only you.”

Exposed to that silent confession over and over, Natsuo was completely bewildered. That was why, when he learned that he would be able to be apart from Shuu for even a few hours today, he had found himself feeling a little happy.

Unlike the other villagers, Shuu didn’t work in the fields. At most, he tended to the small vegetable garden in the yard, and spent most of his day carrying out the village chief’s duties in his place.

There was far more work involved in being the village chief than Natsuo had expected. In addition to distributing Odamaki-sama’s blessings and tending to the Sacred Flowers, he also managed the villagers’ family registers and mediated disputes, serving functions much like a government office and a police box.

While Shuu was carrying out his duties as the acting village chief, Natsuo stayed by his side the entire time, taking care of things such as organizing documents. He had offered to help with the farm work since he was young, but his offer had been flatly rejected on the grounds that someone unfamiliar with the work would only end up getting injured if he suddenly tried to do it.

At night, they slept on futons laid out side by side in the same room, so the only times Natsuo was alone were when he was in the bathroom or taking a bath. He had wished to have some time alone to think things over at his leisure, but now that his wish had actually come true, only muddled thoughts swirled around inside his chest.

…It wasn’t that he disliked Shuu. Quite the opposite—he liked him. During the ten years Shuu had been absent, Natsuo had made many other friends, but there was probably no one with whom he could understand each other and become as close as he was with Shuu.

Even when Shuu had told him that he liked him in the romantic sense, Natsuo hadn’t disliked it. Even when Shuu had stolen a kiss from him, not the slightest feeling of disgust had arisen within him. Being enveloped by Shuu’s scent and warmth made him feel incredibly at ease. To the point that, during this past week, he had even felt a faint sense of frustration at how little Shuu had touched him.

……But I don’t know.

What these feelings filling his chest were. Nor did he know how he felt about Shuu. Shuu was his precious childhood friend and best friend. There couldn’t possibly be anything more than that—and yet―――.

When he rolled over onto his side, a ‘boon’ sounded from the direction of the entrance. A moment later, he realized it was the sound of the doorbell, and Natsuo hurriedly sat up. The villagers usually called out to them from the veranda, so the front entrance was rarely used.

“――Good evening, Mr. Kushihara.”

When he opened the door, Etsuko was standing there with a large furoshiki-wrapped bundle in her hands. Remembering what Kazuo had told him, he almost closed the door without thinking, but Etsuko smiled brightly and held up the bundle for him to see.

“Big Brother Shuu isn’t here today, so you’re alone, aren’t you? I thought I’d like to have dinner with you, so I came with a bento I made.”

“……For me?”

“Yes. You must have heard from my younger brother, but I have received a marriage proposal… and I intend to accept it. I behaved terribly rudely toward you the other day, so I wanted to apologize to you before I got married, so that I could leave without any regrets… Would I be troubling you?”

“Ah, no, it’s not like that.”

Taken aback by her contrite attitude, as though what had happened the other day had been a lie, Natsuo stared at her. Relieved, Etsuko’s smile deepened, and she boldly stepped inside.

Hurrying after her slender back, he found two jubako boxes spread out on the living-room table, filled with delicious-looking side dishes and takikomi gohan.

“Come, please help yourself. I put a lot of effort into making it.”

As she held out the disposable chopsticks she had brought with her, Etsuko urged him to eat.

Natsuo hesitated for a while before accepting them. Shuu’s warning did cross his mind, but surely Etsuko alone couldn’t do anything to him.

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*Translator’s Note: Natsuo, you’re way too naive… If she really means no harm, why does she come when you’re all alone??? -K

*GLOSSARY: 

☝🏻furoshiki-wrapped bundle

☝🏻Jubako boxes

☝🏻Takikomi gohan (Japanese seasoned rice with chicken)

Next update: 2026.10.28

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