Toradora! Vol. 1 Read online

  “…”

  Aisaka heaved her shoulders and huffed in overdramatic exasperation. She lowered a contemptuous stare. Somehow, it seemed she had regained her spirit and, well, what could you do?

  She’s really irritating. What a bizarre person, Ryuuji thought. But, right now, Aisaka was faintly smiling, so…for now, he decided he would shut up and forgive her.

  It wasn’t a big deal.

  ***

  Their homes were slightly apart from each other, but they still shared the same route home.

  Up ahead, Aisaka stopped just in front of the school gate. From there, the athletic fields were visible from between the gaps in the hedges.

  “What is it?”

  “…It’s the softball club. Minorin is there.”

  Minori was running energetically in the twilight where Aisaka pointed. In Ryuuji’s eyes, a spotlight suddenly shone down right on her and only her.

  But he understood. Aisaka’s gaze didn’t follow the place she indicated with her pointing finger. Instead, her gaze was focused over on the boy’s division as they stretched. She had taken note of Kitamura in the middle of the group, and his undyed black hair.

  Aisaka stood quietly still, right where she was. The orange sunset outlined the silhouette of her profile with gold. Even though a slightly chilly breeze blew, Aisaka’s back did not budge.

  It seemed that, somehow, she really, truly did like Kitamura Yuusaku.

  “Hey. Come to think of it, I haven’t asked you but…why Kitamura?”

  Aisaka turned at the sudden question but didn’t answer. She just blinked, and stared back into Ryuuji’s face with her transparent eyes, colorless in the sunlight. Then…

  “I’m going home first, so why don’t you stay here for a little while?”

  It seemed like a dodge, but it was enough for Ryuuji, because he was trying to figure out why he’d just asked the question.

  “…What do you mean, you’re going home first?” he said.

  “You want to ogle at Minorin some more with that gross look in your eyes. You can watch her, but you shouldn’t expect anything ridiculous like you being with her any time soon. I know she’s beautiful. I completely understand why you chose Minorin. I’m not so cruel as that. Oh, and come at eight o’clock to make dinner. Well, then—see ya.”

  See ya, she says. No, it was the part about dinner—that was the real kicker… No, it was the see ya.

  She left him no room for questions. She turned her back to him and started walking off by herself. Then, immediately…

  “…Wah!”

  She turned on the klutz power at full blast. She reached slightly uneven ground and tumbled over. Everything in the bag she was carrying flew out. Like a child, she was defenseless.

  “Uggh. What is wrong with you?”

  Sighing, Ryuuji ran to her. He helped Aisaka up, while she shouted things like you’re nosy and leave it. Then he put the bag in her small hand and brushed off the dirt that had gotten on her skirt. That’s when he noticed them. There were scars all over her defenseless kneecaps… She must have fallen countless times, over and over again, while no one was looking.

  How can I leave someone like that by herself…? He sighed again. Then, he raised his head and looked at Aisaka straight in the face.

  “How are we going to do dinner? I get to eat some too, right? And I get to bring some home for my mom. Oh, and your house’s fridge is completely empty, I can’t make anything with just that, so we’ve gotta stop by a supermarket. You’d better be paying for all the ingredients. Oh, also—to assault that kitchen, we’ll need to buy mold killer and bleach!”

  Guess there’s nothing for it, he thought.

  If Aisaka told him to do something, he couldn’t turn her down. He understood well enough after that day and the day before. At any rate, she was stubborn, and pushy and unfair and self-centered, and her threats were nothing to laugh at. And once she decided on something, she would definitely do it. Because of that…she was someone to seriously watch out for.

  Because of that…he couldn’t leave her alone. There was no helping it.

  Not to mention the fact that the Aisakas’ kitchen island was so dirty he couldn’t even dream of looking away.

  Chapter 5

  “Hey. Move your head. I can’t see the TV.”

  The head blocking half of Ryuuji’s vision didn’t even turn. All that he got in return was monotone backtalk. “Shut up. You can just watch from the side.”

  “Excuse me?! This is my house’s TV! If you’re gonna say stuff like that, just go back home! It’s right outside the window!”

  “…”

  “Don’t! Ig! Nore! Me!” he shouted at her, and finally Aisaka showed him a glimpse of the side of her face. From under her long eyelashes, the curved surface of her eye held a misty sheen.

  “I’m watching TV. Can’t you be quiet for a little while? It’s things like this that make me wonder if you’re even housebroken, mutt.”

  He gave her a cold glare. “Y-you…”

  These were always the kinds of moments that made concerns

  about that dreaded two-word phrase, “neighborhood nuisance,” disappear from Ryuuji’s mind. He leaned forward on the dining table and attempted to prod at the self-appointed head of the house, who had planted herself right in front of his TV. But

  then…

  “Ryu-chaan, don’t be so louuud.” He was gently rebuked by Yasuko, who appeared from behind the sliding door, which opened with a rattle.

  “Y’know, yesterday, I got in trouble with the landlady. She said that we’ve always been a noisy family, but lately, we’ve been especially loud.”

  “Well, it was because this… Argh! You’re naked!”

  At Ryuuji’s voice, even Aisaka turned around with surprise on her face. Inside her birdcage, even Inko-chan made a face as she looked at Yasuko, as though gasping in surprise. All three gazes pierced into Yasuko’s white skin. But she was perfectly calm.

  “Am nooot. That’s just how this outfit’s made to look. And I’m going to wear thiiis on tooop.”

  She bent down in her string style dress, which was way more skin than string. In her hand was some kind of ridiculous fluffy jacket, sporting a faux leopard-fur print.

  “…That outfit is way over the line.”

  “Hee hee! It’s cute, right? Taiga-chan, whaddya think? Hee hee!” Yasuko swung the hem of her skirt around.

  Aisaka looked at it with an unchanging expression. For some reason or other, Ryuuji held his breath.

  “…Look there.” Aisaka’s small hand swiftly pointed at the center of Yasuko’s rear. “Your underwear’s showing.”

  “Aaaah! You’re riiight!”

  But without missing a beat, Inko-chan shouted, “But that’s the good part!”

  She didn’t even hesitate. How stupid. Who would listen to a bird? Ryuuji knitted his brows as, before his eyes, his very own mother’s face lit up. She was completely eating it up. Still holding onto the hem of her skirt, Yasuko made a full twirl with her panties completely showing.

  “Then I guess this’ll do! I’m off to work!”

  With a giant smile, she jiggled her giant breasts. Then, she happily cradled her one Chanel bag (which she’d diligently saved up for) and childishly waved both her hands.

  “See you, Ryu-chan, Taiga-chan. I’m going out!”

  “Okay, be careful. Don’t drink too much. If someone strange bothers you, call home.”

  “Yuuup. Oh, Taiga-chan, don’t stay out too late.”

  “I won’t. See you later.”

  The old iron door closed with a clunk, creating a heavy partition between the world and the Takasu household.

  Simply put, their subsequent activities went more or less like this:

  “Phewww. I’m having tea.”

  “Make me some, too. And snacks.”

  “Snacks? I wonder if we have anything… You know, you could do more than just chow down. Why don’t you try making yourself useful and brin
g over some food yourself every once in a while?”

  “…”

  “I was just telling you not to ignore me!”

  Before they knew it, Takasu Ryuuji and Aisaka Taiga had gotten completely used to each other. They acted just like family. That was only natural, however, as their lives had grown almost completely interdependent.

  In the morning, in order to keep Aisaka from sleeping in, Ryuuji would pick her up from her condo. He made the bento boxes at home and brought them over, and while Aisaka was dressing, he prepared a simple breakfast.

  Then, they both left home together, and after reaching Minori, they put some space between themselves. With a subtle feeling of distance, they walked to school.

  Once they got there, they came up with new strategies to capture Kitamura on a daily basis. When it came time to actually execute the plans, however, they generally failed.

  When they went home, they went to shop at the supermarket, and until recently, they made dinner at Aisaka’s house. That was where things got problematic. Ryuuji could eat with Aisaka, but making Yasuko’s dinner was a bother. Making one dinner and then going home to make another meant twice the time and effort. And he just didn’t feel like making one at Aisaka’s place and carrying it the few meters it took to get home.

  With that in mind, it made sense for him to cook at the Takasu household and for all three of them to eat together. They had come up with that idea on a whim and from there, it had gained momentum. Thinking back on it now, maybe he’d finally got fed up with the obligations of a double life. It might have also been because, although Aisaka’s kitchen was squeaky clean, it was surprisingly hard to use. But that might have just been because he was frustrated at the dull knives and lack of plates.

  Yasuko, for her part, unexpectedly accepted Aisaka as a normal fixture, and Aisaka was equally unconcerned about Yasuko’s unique personality. They just ate dinner together, and whenever Yasuko left to work her odd hours, Aisaka would wave goodbye along with Ryuuji.

  At first, Aisaka would walk home with Yasuko when she left for work, but because of the TV, because of the manga, because she didn’t feel like it, because she was tired, because of something about Kitamura-kun, because Kushieda-san did something, or because of any number of reasons, her stays at the Takasus’ grew longer and longer.

  “…Ah!”

  By the time Ryuuji realized it, it had already come to this.

  He rubbed away his drool with the back of his hand and, in a fluster, called out across the table.

  “Hey, Aisaka! Wake up!”

  “…Hm…?”

  At some point, it seemed they had both fallen asleep while leisurely watching TV. They were still lying around on the tatami mat, Ryuuji in his tracksuit and Aisaka in her frilly dress. It was three o’clock in the morning.

  “No matter what, you can’t just sleep over here. C’mon, get up and go home! You can snooze in your own bed!”

  “…Nnn.”

  He couldn’t tell if she understood or not, but she rubbed her face into the floor cushion she’d folded into a pillow and scratched at her belly under her clothes. Jeez, you’re just like an old man. He tried to pull the cushion forcefully from under her head, but…

  “Uh…mnn…nn…”

  The back of her head hit the tatami mat, and she furrowed her brow for an instant. Eventually, she rolled her head around to feel out the tatami mat, and, position more or less stabilized, she once again started breathing the deep, peaceful breaths of sleep.

  Beside her, Ryuuji sat with his legs folded under him. He tilted his head as he looked down at her sleeping face. Just how close of a relationship did they have? To think there would come a time when he would so naturally spend time with a girl… No, this wasn’t the time to think about that. She wasn’t just any girl. His opponent was the Palmtop Tiger. But was this really the same Palmtop Tiger who once roared so ferociously?

  An imprint of the cushion showed on her pink cheek. Near her mouth was the hot milk she’d been drinking before falling asleep. Her hair was delicately tangled over the mats and there was not even a trace of nervousness on her peaceful, sleeping face.

  Even though she was sleeping in a boy’s house.

  “…Hey. Aisaka… Aisaka, wake up.”

  In the silent two-bedroom house, the only sound was the faint hum of the refrigerator motor. It was too early for daybreak and there was a little time before Yasuko came home. Under the cloth, Inko-chan was also sleeping in her peaceful, ugly way.

  “Aisaka Taiga.”

  Her eyelashes cast a long shadow over her cheek. When he looked closely, her slender neck quivered with her pulse. Thinking he would speak closer to her ear, he turned over her upper body. Then, suddenly, she stiffened. A mysteriously sweet smell made Ryuuji’s nose quiver. This was Aisaka’s scent.

  “I swear, if you don’t wake up…I-I’ll…molest you…?”

  He didn’t mean it for real. The thought of really having his way with Aisaka didn’t so much as enter his head. There were already other people he treasured inside his heart (Minorin…) and he didn’t want anything like that. Seriously. …But still.

  She was just so shameless about not waking up. He wanted to shock her, and those words came out. That was it. Really, he thought she would suddenly get up and tell him off.

  But she didn’t respond at all. Instead, he noticed something. A single piece of straw from the tatami was stuck to one of Aisaka’s cheeks. It probably prickled…but it didn’t seem to bother her… It did bother him, though. So, purely out of goodwill…he considered just picking it off for her. With a gulp. Ryuuji swallowed his spit. Then he slowly reached his hand out…

  “Ngah!”

  And was thrown across the room.

  “Mnn…? What are you doing…?”

  “N-nothing…”

  That was just way too lucky to be a coincidence. He’d collided with Aisaka’s arm as she was sitting up. She’d gotten Ryuuji with a firm hook to the chin right upon his approach.

  Pulling up her hair, she sat up. She raised her brows. A suspicious look lingered in her eye as she glared at Ryuuji, who’d just turned a somersault.

  “…You’re so gross. What are you doing, making all that fuss all by yourself? It’s the middle of the night. You’ll tick off the landlady.”

  “L-leave me alone.”

  If Aisaka had been awake, Ryuuji probably wouldn’t be alive. He only got off this easy because she’d been sleeping.

  Aisaka really was the Palmtop Tiger. The ferocious DNA that ran through her veins flowed throughout her whole body. She was a girl who lived impulsively, biting anyone she pleased, without a care as to who they might be—it was just in her aggressive nature.

  Although he had learned how to get along with her, Takasu Ryuuji had just re-affirmed her identity by taking the opportunity to touch her.

  ***

  Testimony #1

  “I’m Haruta Koji, from second-year class C. I’m totally positive I saw it! It was when I was on the way back from club. I was thinking of getting something to munch on for the trip home and stopped by the supermarket near the station. It was definitely Takasu and the Palmtop Tiger. Takasu was carrying a shopping basket and picking out fish or something, and the Palmtop Tiger tried to put meat in and got in trouble. He was like, ‘Nope, we’re getting boiled fish today,’ and then she put it back on the shelf. Then, the two of them bought green onion and Japanese radish and stuff, and then, when they got to the front of the register, Takasu was like, ‘Take one thousand yen out of the communal purse.’ And then the Palmtop Tiger actually listened and took out the wallet. Dude, who has a ‘communal purse’? Doesn’t that sound like a husband and wife thing to you?”

  Testimony #2

  “I’m in the same second-year class. My name is Kihara Maya. I saw them in the morning while going to school. I live on Chari Road, but there’s a really luxurious new condo pretty close to school. Whenever I go by, I always think about how I want to live in a place l
ike that—and that’s when I saw them. Suddenly, who would you know but Takasu-kun comes out. And just when I was thinking ‘Huh, you live here?’ Aisaka-san came out like she was following him, and then she was, like, saying she was sleepy. And she was like, you should have woken me up earlier. And just as I was thinking, No waaayy, Takasu-kun turned around and yelled at her, ‘I tried waking you up more than once!’ That’s, like…you know…right?”

  Testimony #3

  “Um, I’m Noto Hisamitsu from second-year class C. Takasu and I were in the same class our first year, so we still hang out a lot. But lately, whenever I’ve been thinking of going home with Takasu, he disappears. And I was like, ‘What’s up with that,’ y’know? Yesterday, a band I like dropped a new album, so I wanted to go to the CD store with Takasu to check it out, and during lunch I tried asking, but…it was definitely weird. He said something like, ‘Wait a sec,’ and then says, ‘Hey, Aisaka, I won’t go home with you today, is that okay?’ And then he goes, ‘I’ll be there at 8 o-clock.’ Like…where? To do what? And then while we were looking at CDs, I asked him, what was that all about? But he was like, ‘Don’t worry about it,’ and that was it… Talk about weird, man.”

  Testimony #4

  “I’m Kushieda Minori from second-year class C. First off, I’m close friends with Taiga, but…I’m certain that she’s hiding something from me. We meet up every morning and go to school together, but it’s like…Takasu-kun is there…and he walks a little further back and pretends like he doesn’t know us. They’re totally a twosome. They’re lovebirds. But Taiga says, ‘We met by chance,’ and, ‘Oh? I didn’t notice,’ and stuff like that. Well, last year she would sleep in one out of every three days, so I think it’s good she’s not being late anymore, but…I don’t like how she’s being so dodgy with me. And when they get to school, they’re always whispering secrets to each other…and I was like, wait, maybe this feeling…maybe it’s envy?! Now what’s that thing about the rose’s thorn, and the red and white sisters…how does that go again?! Oh, I can’t think of the word that’s used nowadays!”