The Top Idol Next Door Can't Help But Crave My Guilty Pleasure Meals-Chapter 8Volume 2 .3 - Im Glad Yuzukis Neighbor Is You

ROUND 8 – I’m Glad Yuzuki’s Neighbor Is You 3

“Mamori-san, may I ask you another question? Is your offer to cook for Yuzuki motivated by a desire to get closer to her?”

Her eyes fixed directly on me.

“I want Yuzuki to be happy with the food I make. That’s all.”

“…I see.”

There was no sign of a follow-up question.

Had she been convinced…?

It was surprising. I felt relieved, but I felt compelled to ask more questions.

“Is it too much to prepare meals every day for someone just because our rooms are next to each other?”

“Yes. It’s extremely outrageous for a complete stranger to take care of Yuzuki.”

Her words might sound harsh, but I didn’t feel the rivalry like before. Now, it seems like she was just being straightforward.

However, there was one point I had to correct.

“Yuzuki and I are not strangers.”

Emoto-san narrowed her eyes slightly.

“Friends, is it? Or perhaps a senpai and a kohai from school?”

“We’re neighbors.”

My answer seemed to catch even Emoto-san off guard.

“Ultimately, you’re still strangers. Why are you so confident? Being neighbors is a relationship that ends the moment one of you moves away…”

“It might seem that way from the outside. But to me, it’s a relationship as precious as any, not less than that of an idol and their fans. It’s like being siblings.”

It’s been about three months since I met Yuzuki.

We’ve had our disagreements, we’ve had our misunderstandings, and there were times when it seemed we might part ways.

But we’re still neighbors.

That, to me, is proof of our bond.

“What about you, Emoto-san? I understand that you care deeply for Yuzuki. Don’t you also have a reason for being so fixated on the form of your connection, just like me?”

Emoto-san and I have completely different relationships with Yuzuki, from the way we met her to how we interact with her.

Without asking directly, Emoto-san’s true feelings remain unclear to me.

“…Yuzuki is an outstanding idol.”

“Huh? Y-Yes, she is.”

I’m taken aback by her straightforward praise.

“Singing, dancing, looks, acting, talking, communication… Yuzuki excels in every aspect. I’m convinced that she will soon dominate the idol world and become an idol representative of the era.”

I tilt my head, unable to see where the conversation is heading.

Is she trying to say that I shouldn’t get in the way of the future idol queen?

“She never slacks off, she’s more passionate than anyone, and she loves being an idol more than anyone else. I’m truly proud of Yuzuki’s success in various fields… But,”

Emoto-san’s hands, wrapped around her mug, were trembling.

“But as proud as I am, I was also envious of her. It was frustrating to only be able to look up from the bottom as Yuzuki’s efforts were reflected in her results, as she was rightly recognized by those around her, and as she climbed the ladder to stardom. The more she succeeds, the more it highlights my own shortcomings.”

In their debut song, Yuzuki and Emoto-san were positioned farthest from the center.

By the second song, Yuzuki had suddenly become the center, while Emoto-san remained on the edge.

As the group began to attract public attention, Yuzuki expanded her activities beyond singing shows and increased her individual work. She was so busy with idol activities day and night that she hardly had any days off in a year.

On the other hand, Emoto-san has enough free time to sip green tea in the room of an ordinary citizen like me on a Sunday afternoon.

With such a stark difference in status, it was hard for her to remain calm.

“Or perhaps I was just dazzled by Yuzuki’s light at some point. I tried to distract myself from the frustration of not being able to shine by taking on the role of her caretaker… That’s why I was jealous of you.”

“Jealous…”

The driving force behind Emoto-san’s actions was jealousy.

“Being Yuzuki’s ‘older sister’ was my emotional support. I’ve convinced myself over the last three years that looking after her was my role in the group, establishing my place… But since this spring, Yuzuki’s behavior has gradually changed.”

The change that occurred this spring was likely due to the appearance of a neighbor.

“Yuzuki’s attitude and expressions became visibly softer. Before, she would prepare in the dressing room earlier than anyone else and practice silently right up until the show. But since becoming a high school student, she’s found a balance between tension and relaxation with each passing day, and her smile has increased. The morale of the entire group rose, and at first, I was genuinely happy for her.”

“At first?”

“After the live performance in May, Yuzuki began to push herself too hard, as if punishing herself.”

Around that time, Yuzuki left me after making a mistake in her choreography during a live performance, striving to return to being the perfect idol.

It seems Emoto-san noticed the change too.

“On the surface, Yuzuki pretended to be as usual, but right before the fan meeting, she looked as pale as if she was heading to her doom.”

Emoto-san let out a faint laugh, a mix of self-mockery and regret.

“As a leader, and more importantly as an ‘older sister’, I tried to cheer up Yuzuki during the rehearsal breaks. But…”

──Hey Yuzuki, you should take a break.

──Thank you. I’ll take a break after I check this one more time.

“…her eyes didn’t reflect me at all. She said ‘just one more time’ knowing that it would make me back off.”

That one phrase that meant to push her away must have cut deep into Emoto-san’s heart.

“I didn’t exist in her world. To me, that was like losing the past three years… Yet, I couldn’t step in any further. I was afraid of being pushed further away by Yuzuki. I kept telling myself, ‘If that’s what Yuzuki wants,’ and we parted ways that day.”

I understand that feeling. Even I had my heart completely broken at that time. It was only because of Rika’s encouragement that I thought of meddling in Yuzuki’s life again.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.