Who Can Resist Nakano Nino? [165]

Shirase got home first, left a note on the table for Kana—Not eating in tonight—then headed straight to the Nakano residence.

When the door opened, he was surprised to see Nakano Nino standing there.

Compared to his mild surprise, she looked completely unfazed, a faintly smug smile tugging at her lips. “You’re here for Ichika, right?”

“Yeah,” Shirase admitted.

“And you’re planning to go out with her?”

“That’s right.”

Having guessed twice in a row, Nino couldn’t help but beam proudly. “Just as I thought. Ichika’s job isn’t that simple, huh?”

Shirase hesitated for half a second. “Strictly speaking, yeah, you could say that.”

After all, not everyone could handle acting.

Nino stepped aside gracefully, speaking with quiet confidence. “I know Ichika’s been hiding something from me. She probably even made you promise to keep it secret.”

Shirase didn’t step in—he was just there to pick someone up—but her words made him smile faintly. “Actually, I could tell you. But you’d have to pretend you didn’t know later, or Ichika would be embarrassed.”

“Really?”

For a second, Nino’s eyes lit up. But then she quickly tilted her chin, striking her usual proud pose. “You don’t need to tell me yet.”

After all, she’d already teamed up with Kana-nee. They had their own “investigation” underway.

It was just Ichika—how could the two of them possibly fail to uncover her secret?

Shirase looked at her, a little baffled. “Why not just hear it straight from me? Don’t tell me you’re not curious.”

“Of course I’m curious,” Nino said, crossing her arms, “but I already have leads.”

She glanced toward Ichika’s room, a self-satisfied smile curling at her lips. “Give us five days. We’ll have the truth by then.”

“‘We’?” Shirase echoed, catching the key word.

Nino cleared her throat. “Don’t worry about small details. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Shirase couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m offering to tell you right now, yet you’d rather make it harder for yourself. You do realize that’s kind of stupid, right?”

“You’re stupid!” Nino shot back immediately.

As they bickered lightly, Ichika’s voice floated out from inside. “Is Shirase here? I’ll be right there!”

Moments later, she appeared with her purse in hand.

Her eyes flicked from Nino—looking far too composed—to Shirase, who was completely calm. For an instant, a flicker of doubt passed through her expression, but she brushed it off with a smile.

“Sorry, Nino,” Ichika said sweetly, clasping her hands together in mock apology. “I’m borrowing your Shirase again tonight.”

Nino narrowed her eyes. “Ichika, your secret’s already been exposed.”

“Is that so?” Ichika replied, unruffled. “Little tricks like that won’t fool me~”

“Tch. You can keep acting smug for a few more days.”

“Every extra day counts,” Ichika said lightly.

Seeing her older sister so relaxed, Nino lost interest and turned to Shirase instead. “Be careful out there.”

Then she disappeared back inside.

As soon as Nino was gone, Ichika let out a long breath, pressing a hand to her chest. “That was close. I almost panicked in front of her!”

Shirase stared at her silently. So that calm act just now—completely fake.

As they entered the elevator, Ichika glanced at him anxiously. “You didn’t tell her, right?”

“Nope.”

After a beat, Shirase added, “But you do realize you can’t keep this up forever, right? Why not just tell your sisters? If you want, I can help you explain.”

Ichika smiled gently and shook her head. “I know I can’t hide it forever. Especially since your scene got a bit of attention online… Just a little, though. Still, if those fangirls recognized you on the street, you’d be mobbed instantly.”

“Exactly,” Shirase said dryly. “So why not just come clean? They’d probably just tease you a bit and move on.”

“Just a little longer,” Ichika said softly. “At least until filming wraps up.”

“…You probably won’t last that long,” Shirase murmured.

He didn’t push further. Nino’s attitude earlier had already told him enough—she was confident because she’d already found a trail to follow.

...

Sure enough, once Shirase and Ichika left, Nino went straight to her room.

After locking the door carefully, she took out her phone and dialed.

“Kana-nee, it’s me. Shirase and Ichika just left… Yeah, just now. Actually, Shirase seemed ready to tell me the truth, but I turned him down. I mean, since we already agreed to investigate on our own, wouldn’t taking his answer now make us look pathetic?”

On the other end, Kana froze mid-sip of her coffee.

She slowly pulled the phone away, staring at it like she couldn’t believe her ears.

Across from her, Kirisu Mafuyu walked in with tea and snacks, noticed Kana’s blank expression, and stayed quiet, waiting for her to finish the call.

“Kana-nee? Are you listening?”

“I am listening! Nino, are you an idiot?!”

“Eh?!”

“If Shirase was about to tell you, you let him! We could’ve pretended not to know in front of Ichika, let her stay smug for a bit, and then hit her with the truth! Would’ve served her right for keeping secrets!” Kana ranted. “You said yourself how frustrated you felt not knowing—and when the truth was handed to you, you turned it down?!”

“Wait—so that’s allowed?” Nino asked blankly.

Kana facepalmed.

Clever as she was, Nino was still too young to grasp the nuances of adult-level scheming.

When the call ended, Kana dropped her phone onto the table and sighed deeply. “Such a perfect chance wasted. I practically handed her victory on a silver platter.”

Mafuyu set a cup of tea in front of her and asked mildly, “Something wrong?”

Kana didn’t even look up. “Just as I thought—girls with big boobs really are idiots.”

Mafuyu froze.

Her gaze drifted downward… then to her own equally generous chest. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.

She just stood there, tea in hand, utterly speechless.

Am I getting scolded out of nowhere?

Did she just include herself, too?

So who exactly lost here?

Kirisu Mafuyu had no idea.

...

On the other side, Shirase followed Nakano Ichika into a clothing store. Since she’d already said she’d handle formalwear, his job was just to show up and put it on.

Men’s suits don’t vary much. He was out of the fitting room in under five minutes.

“You look fantastic, sir—born to be a clothes hanger,” the shop owner gushed.

“Thanks,” Shirase said, unmoved. Sales talk is sales talk.

He straightened his cuffs and collar in the mirror. Seeing himself in a suit for the first time felt odd—but fun.

About ten minutes later, the other fitting room door opened. Shirase turned, but no Ichika.

“Where are you? Why aren’t you coming out?”

“Well… this is my first time wearing an evening dress. I’m warning you—no laughing,” came her quick, flustered reply.

“Why would I laugh?” Shirase grinned. So she had shy moments, too.

Maybe that gave her courage, because she finally stepped out.

A teenage girl in her springtime prime, showing this side of herself to someone familiar for the first time.

The black gown traced the soft lines of her figure. Short hair neat, light makeup brightening her face. Her skin held a nervous flush; lashes trembled; her eyes—clear and soft—blinked once, full of expectation.

“Beautiful.”

Seeing the hope in her eyes, Shirase just said it.

“Thank you.”

Ichika’s smile bloomed; the blush lingered, her voice airy with shy pride. “Honestly, I almost didn’t come out. First time dressed like this.”

“Same here,” Shirase said, tugging at his lapels.

“That’s different. Yours is just a suit.”

“How is that different? Are you being sexist?”

“I meant the clothes.” She huffed. “You—always with the weird lines.”

Thrown off by his nonsense, she rolled her eyes, smiling as the tension eased from her shoulders.

“We should go to the hotel.”

Shirase followed.

They took a taxi.

On the way, he noticed she was still wound tight. First party, maybe even meeting seniors she admired—of course she was nervous.

“They’re calling it a ball,” he said. “We don’t actually have to dance, right? Can I just live at the buffet?”

“I don’t know either.” Ichika gave a small, embarrassed laugh. “I told you—I’ve never been to a ball. After all, I—”

“—The future super-celebrity Nakano Ichika—is still just a junior actress,” he finished.

Her smile warmed. “Thanks for the compliment. I’ll keep working for it. By the way—can you dance?”

“Not really.” A few days of waltz basics didn’t count.

And there were enough variations to trip up insiders, let alone him.

Hearing that, Ichika actually relaxed. “You can’t? That’s a problem. If someone asks us to dance, we’ll need an excuse.”

“Or we swap the track to a DJ set backstage. Then everyone just bunches up and nods on beat.”

“Ugh. There you go again.”

She propped her chin in one hand, sounding troubled. “If I’d known, I would’ve called Nino and the others. I’d feel braver with them around.”

Shirase pulled out his phone. “Want me to text them now? Perfect time to come clean. I can hype-man the reveal.”

He was joking, but the moment he lifted his hand, her cool, delicate fingers caught his wrist.

Under his surprised look, color rose in her cheeks; her smile turned bright. “Nope. I borrowed you from Nino, remember? I’m not returning you tonight.”

“So I’m merchandise now?”

“Mm~ You could say that. For tonight, you’re mine.”

“Maybe try a different word. ‘Merchandise’ sounds like objectification. Careful or I’ll go full feminist on you.”

“As expected of Shirase—spouting your trademark idiot lines. You sound dumb just saying them.”

“Hey, keep that up and I’ll get mad.”

“I know, I know. You’re not merchandise. You’re my date—and also my…”

She paused, eyes gentle, a shade shy. “My one-and-only dance partner. For life.”

Maybe it was his imagination, but when she said it, her smile felt intoxicating—like there were stars in her eyes.

Stars that spark and catch you in a glance.

They can dazzle like flowers.

Or ache, soft and close.

---

This is a fan translation of 谁能拒绝中野二乃呢？by 六花吖六花. Rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!