I Like the Me That Likes You

Translated by rsa16
Edited by bachi
It's been a long ride.

Read the PDF version of this -> HERE

⛧─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⛧

This might be a bit of a late realization, but RoboBus is a game from when I was in elementary school—a few generations ago.

So, playing it means you need hardware from a few generations ago as well... but when I finally pulled my old console out of the storage after all this time, it had already passed away from old age.

Naturally, the next logical step was to play it using the hardware in the Literature Club room—a place I was more than familiar with. Of course, I planned to play alone. As much as I wanted. 

Completely alone.

“Hey, Yamato-kun, can I attach this to the robot?”

...So, why is my ever-complaining ex sitting next to me?

“That part doesn’t match well with it, so I wouldn’t recommend... wait, hold up. Why the hell are you here?” I instinctively started to give her advice before glaring at her as she operated the controller.

She tilted her head in confusion. “Huh? Well, because I felt like playing games. Also, I was the one who found this place first. So obviously I’d be here.”

“...You sure it's okay to ditch the friends you just made up with?”

I was a little concerned, but Yuzu puffed out her chest like it was no big deal.

“It’s fine! I’m a girl who can handle both gaming and social relationships flawlessly!”

“You didn’t handle it at all, which is why I had to make a big scene out of it.” I smoothly countered. 

Yuzu let out an irritated grumble before glaring back at me. “What, are you that unhappy about me being here?”

“I’m not unhappy, I just don’t get why you’re here.”

“Friends don’t need a reason to hang out together. Well, I suppose a loner introvert like you wouldn’t understand.”

“You have a very non-friendly way of explaining friendship, you know that?” I deadpanned. 

Yuzu laughed, having fun teasing me. “But you said you like me better when I’m like this, right? So, I figured I’d return the favor and respond to your love.”

“Stop twisting my words. There is no love involved here.” I firmly shut her down. 

But once Yuzu got going, there was no stopping her.

“Huuuh? You totally said something like, ‘I love seeing Yuzu smiling from the bottom of her heart. I adore you, let’s always be together.’ Your love for me was just so overwhelming.”

“Hey! Don’t alter my words to change their entire meaning!” I exclaimed. I let out a deep sigh, overwhelmed by intense regret. “Ugh, dammit, I messed up again. I knew she was cuter when she was feeling down! And I still went ahead and did all that, so now I’m stuck dealing with this. Do I ever learn…?”

In contrast, Yuzu looked like she was genuinely having the time of her life.

“Well, I think I like myself better this way too. I can totally see why you’d fall for me. Yeah, I definitely like the me that likes you ^[1] better than the me from that time.”

“...You’ve been a narcissist ever since the first time you confessed to me. That hasn’t changed one bit.”

I was exasperated, but at the same time, I couldn’t deny that I was enjoying myself a little too.

I’m someone who enjoys being alone. Yuzu’s someone who thrives in a crowd of friends.

And yet, every once in a while, when we both feel like seeing something a little different from usual, we naturally end up gravitating toward each other.

There’s something comfortable about the distance between us.

This whole thing—it’s probably like the epilogue that plays after the ending. A reward given to those who have finished a story.

The beginning of something new.

“Well, unlike in the beginning, I really do like you now, Yamato-kun.”

“Wha—?! Where did that come from all of a sudden?”

“I just spoke my honest feelings, that’s all. I mean, I always thought I was the perfect woman, but who knew my fatal flaw would be having terrible taste in men?”

“Well, I just found an even bigger flaw! You are officially the worst person in human history at confessing!”

“Come on, don’t be mad. This is just my best attempt at hiding my embarrassment, okay? Anyway, I’ve used up all my courage, so if you’ve got any complaints, it’s your turn to confess next.”

“No, no, no! There’s no way I have a heart of steel strong enough to confess after getting insulted like that!”

“Jeez, such a coward. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make me your real girlfriend, you know?”

“That does not look like a chance to me!”

…Well, getting dragged around in her wake from time to time is just part of the charm too, I guess.

—And just like that, our epilogue continued.

Translator's Notes:

[1]: Notice how both the first chapter and this epilogue share the same title. I don’t think you understand the absolute GENIUS significance behind this decision, and how this is an insane hint drop for later volumes.

Foxaholic, the original group behind this, mistakenly mistranslated this phrase (like myself at first too, though I was blessed with the wisdom of Crizy) and believed it had an ambiguous meaning. However, the meaning is perfectly clear: 君が好きな私が好き. “I like the me who likes you.”

This is portrayed as Yuzu simply being narcissistic within the first chapter. She liked the “her” that “liked” Yamato because she thought she was amazing to be able to put up with it. In this chapter, however, you might notice that she simply says so plainly, merely comparing it to the ‘her’ from when she had fallen out with her group. We, as readers, likely see this as her simply being narcissistic once again—Yamato writes it off in a similar manner. But, in fact, this is a hint. She meant that she liked Yamato. As in, she likes her BECAUSE she currently likes Yamato. Now this isn’t necessarily in a romantic context, but it is a HUGE hint. Interpret as you will.