CGBTS Chapter 28

Chapter 28 – Poisoned

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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He also felt uncomfortable simply dismissing Etsuko’s wish to marry only after she had gotten rid of her lingering regrets. Like Kazuo, Etsuko was practically family, having grown up alongside Shuu. If Natsuo had never existed, Shuu might have married Etsuko by now, and they might even have had children.

“…Thank you. Then I’ll have some.”

Ignoring the small ache in his chest, Natsuo reached his chopsticks into the bento. His favorite rolled omelet with dashi, the simmered vegetables, and the meatballs in sweet-and-sour sauce were all so well made that it was hard to believe they had been prepared by a fifteen-year-old girl.

“Does it suit your taste?”

“Yeah, it’s delicious.”

“I’m glad. Please eat plenty.”

Etsuko smiled happily and brought some of the mixed rice to her mouth.

………Huh?

Natsuo tilted his head. His mixed rice contained a finely chopped brown ingredient resembling strips of dried gourd, but there was nothing like that in Etsuko’s portion.

Was it just a coincidence? He compared his bento, which was about one-third gone, with Etsuko’s, but sure enough, there were no brown ingredients in her rice.

For some reason, his heart began to stir uneasily, and just as he set down his chopsticks, his genitals inside his underwear throbbed heavily.

“Kushihara-san?”

“…, ……..!”

The response he was about to give was replaced by a heated breath. A heat that seemed to scorch his skin from within spread like wildfire in the span of a single blink, making the blood throughout his body boil.

……Wha……what is this……?

Even though he hadn’t been touched, his feverishly heated erection began pushing against his underwear.

Desperate not to let Etsuko see the bulge at his crotch, Natsuo planted both hands on the tatami, and he heard a quiet giggle.

“It seems it’s finally taking effect.”

“…Ah…, …Etsuko…-chan?”

“Don’t call me so familiarly. It’s disgusting. I wish you’d just hurry up and die.”

There was not a trace of the demure sweetness from before on her face, which was now twisted with disgust.

With his mind growing hazy, Natsuo understood that he had been drugged. It was probably that brown ingredient… There had to have been poison in it.

…….Poison? Is this it?

His breathing quickened. His body grew feverish. Against Natsuo’s will, hot blood began gathering in his groin.

……This isn’t poison. It’s as if I’ve been made to take some kind of strange drug……

“…Why… would you… do… something… like this…”

With the hand that kept threatening to drift toward his groin, he clawed at his chest instead. Perhaps thinking that Natsuo was suffering from the poison, Etsuko curled her lips into a grin.

“There’s no way I would marry someone like Kiyoshi-san. The only person I love is Big Brother Shuu.”

Etsuko had never given up on Shuu. Shuu and Kazuo’s fears had come true in the worst possible way.

“Until you came drifting here, I was the one Big Brother Shuu cherished most. Big Brother Shuu is a special person. Once you’re gone, he’ll understand that someone as special as me is the only one worthy of being with such a special brother.”

“Even if you… do something… like this… Shuu will…”

His trembling fingertips touched the emerald pendant he was still keeping for Shuu. When he unconsciously clenched it in his hand, Etsuko’s face quickly hardened, and she raised her hand.

“You thief!”

“…Ah…ngh!”

Bracing himself, thinking she was going to hit him, Natsuo instead felt Etsuko’s hand come down sharply and seized the emerald pendant. She yanked it hard, and the platinum chain dug into his neck.

“This is mine! Big Brother Shuu said that he would give it to someone he found precious someday. That is me!”

“No… Th…this is mine…”

Determined never to hand it over, Natsuo tightened his grip around the pendant.

This was a precious protective charm that Natsuo had been entrusted with by Shuu, and at the same time, it was Shuu’s only link to his original world. There was no way Natsuo was going to let someone like Etsuko take it away.

“Let go, you insolent little nobody!”

Enraged, Etsuko pulled on the pendant with a demonic expression.

A sharp pain shot through Natsuo’s neck. If this continued, the chain might cut into the flesh of his neck and snap apart.

Even knowing that, he couldn’t bring himself to let go. …He didn’t want it taken from him. Shuu’s precious pendant… no, even Shuu himself…!

“―――Get away from Natsuo!”

A rough voice rang out through Natsuo’s consciousness, which felt as though it might melt away from the heat at any moment. Shuu, displaying a level of fury Natsuo had never seen from him before, was twisting Etsuko’s arm behind her back.

“Sh… Shuu…”

Thanks to Etsuko finally letting go of the pendant, Natsuo was freed from the pain. Air rushed into his throat, which had been unable to breathe.

“You murderer!”

Coughing violently, Natsuo pushed himself upright and could hardly believe his eyes.

Was this really happening? Gentle Shuu had not only slammed Etsuko onto the floor, but had also punched her hard in her pale cheek without the slightest mercy.

“Guaaah!”

“S-Sis…!”

Kazuo frantically rushed over to Etsuko, who had been sent flying all the way to the wall.

He was supposed to have gone home long ago, so why was he here? And Shuu, too. Wasn’t he supposed to be at the village chief’s mansion, right in the middle of the drinking party?

“Move, Kazuo.”

Kazuo spread both arms to shield his sister, who was unable to move. Shuu ordered him in a voice tinged with murderous intent.

“She went so far as to steal a Sacred Flower and try to kill Natsuo. She must receive the punishment she deserves.”

“Th…that’s true, but…! Big Brother Natsu isn’t dead yet!”

“Of course. If my Natsuo had died, I wouldn’t let her off with something this mild. I’d cut her to pieces starting from her fingertips and toes, make her suffer until she cried and begged me to please kill her, and then feed her to the fish while she was still alive.”

……Sacred Flowers? Did she mix those flowers into the food?

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*Translator’s Note: Chapter 29 and 30 are mature chapters. They will be available in my blog tomorrow and the day after. I will insert the links in this chapter and also on NU. On Knoxt, this story will go on with Chapter 31 on 31st Oct. See y’all on the other side. -K

Next update: 2026.10.29

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