Is it Tough Being a Friend?

Is it Tough Being a Friend? v3 Epilogue

Epilogue

The sub-story involving Aogasaki Rei and the marriage proposal from Yamanashi Asao had ended.

Though the plot ended up expanding beyond what I had predicted, I think that in the end, the story managed to delve deeper into Aogasaki’s character. She was able to show off her cool side during the final battle with Balon in particular.

(However, Aogasaki found out that Ryuga’s a girl…)

That’s the only regret I have. Aogasaki is no longer a heroine character in this story. She won’t even get angry if the protagonist were to peep at her changing clothes.

On the contrary, they’ve gotten close enough to do sleepovers and take a bath together. I wonder how this will affect the story in the future…I myself have no idea.

“──Hey, Kobayashi. How’s your left arm?”

It’s August 30th, two days after the competition. There’s an opening ceremony for the new school term during the afternoon two days from now.

Aogasaki called me over to meet her at a park.

After which, we would head towards the Hinomori residence. The plan was to hold Ryuuga’s cosplay show and Aogasaki’s fashion show at the same time.

“See for yourself. The swelling has gone down and it’s fine now.”

“Asao regained consciousness yesterday. He remembered the marriage proposal he made, but he seems to have no memories about Balon’s conduct…perhaps that’s a good thing.”

King Arthur seems to think that all of what happened was by his own will.

After doing some serious reflection, he deeply apologized to Aogasaki. In reality, it seems that Yamanashi Asao isn’t some unlikeable, pampered, pretty boy.

The audience members Balon manipulated also don’t remember a thing. Once they woke up, they lost their memories of everything from the third match and onward.

Even Sasaki, who had fought Taotie, had a fuzzy memory about Kobayashi Taotierou. Well, that’s convenient for me.

“Come to think of it, did you acquire Getsushiyoukan, Aogasaki? The competition involved both parties putting their dojo on the line.”

“I won’t do that. That’s far too much for just one competition against Getsushiyoukan. I also ended up using the power of the ‘Azure Dragon.'”

“At least you’ll get some nice publicity once news of ‘the dojo that won against the famous Getsushiyoukan’ spreads around…”

“I don’t need that. It’s enough that I can protect the dojo. Oh right, Miyamoto also applied to enter the dojo for a short while. It seems that she’s become interested in our sword.”

Surprisingly, she had actually been lured away.

Based on what I’ve heard, Miyamoto had been aware of Aogasaki beforehand. As a fellow swordswoman, she secretly admired her.

Perhaps my defeat wasn’t in vain. However, I don’t really want to meet her in person. I feel like I’ve raised a flag…

“Asao has also recommended for Kazuhiko to reconsider the option of returning to his original dojo. I’ve also said ‘We’ll welcome you whenever you want to come back,’ to him.”

…It seems that Aogasaki’s environment has taken a turn for the better. It made me happy to see her speak while seeming delighted.

“So unfortunately…our kiss will have to be put on hold. I’ve decided that after considering the competition ending up how it did.”

I’m saved. It’s a relief that she’s such a serious person.

“Kobayashi. Thank you. Your support led to me having the courage to show just a bit of my ‘true self.'”

“N, no, I didn’t do anything in particular. I even lost my match…”

“I suppose that’s just how your luck went. It’s a bit embarrassing to say this, but that gallant figure you had when you pushed Miyamoto to a corner during the match…made my heart thump a little.”

Aogasaki’s cheeks reddened a bit while she a rested a hand on top of her G-cup. It seems that I didn’t manage to break my flags with her…

“I think I’m falling in love again with the man named Kobayashi Ichirou.”

“W, wait a minute! To fall in love again requires that you had fallen in love previously though!”

“Don’t make me say it out loud…You’re just being cruel now.”

Aogasaki made a slight pout.

(This is bad…not only did I fail to break the flags, I even managed to strengthen them!)

Indeed, sometimes a heroine candidate whose flags with the protagonist had been broken would become close with a friend character. It’s a sort of compensation for them.

However, that’s taboo for this story.

It’s very bad for Aogasaki to acquire the same man who the female protagonist is trying to marry. Not many people would go for something of the “netorare” genre.

“Aogasaki, please reconsider! I’m a man who aimed to expose the lower-half of his body during the last──”

I didn’t get to finish my frantic attempt to dissuade her.

“Hello! Rei and Ii! Anything happen?”

A cheerful voice called out from park entrance.

Upon looking, a small short-haired girl walked towards us while waving.

“K, Kurogame?”

Needless to say, it was Kurogame Rina. The successor of the “Black Tortoise,” and the one who quickly ran away during this extra volume.

“Rina. You came back from Canada?”

“Yep, just this morning! I was worried about your marriage interview with King Arthur, so I was planning on heading to your house!”

In that case, I think a phone call would have sufficed…a visit to Ryuuga, her next-door neighbor, would’ve worked as well…this person really is one-track-minded.

“A lot had happened when you weren’t here. The marriage proposal turned into a competition, and then the apostles got involved.”

“R, Really?! Haha~, it seems that I missed my chance to participate again.”

The “Star-Wall Guardian” scratched her head while sticking her tongue out. It was especially off-putting that she did it while wearing a T-shirt with the flag of Canada on it.

“The apostles make for good training partners, but…grizzly bears will just run away after being slapped. Grizzly bears nowadays lack guts.”

She too was a person who advocated spiritualism, contrary to Getsushiyoukan’s ideals. In the first place, I don’t understand what significance wrestling has on the Chinese art of self-defense.

“Anyways, Rina. We can talk about it in detail once we get to Ryuuga’s house. We’re heading out to meet her in a bit.”

“Alright, I understand! ….Hmm? Huh? Her?”

“I already found out about it. That is, I know about Ryuuga being a girl.”

“R, really?! You found out, Rei?!”

“Yeah. It happened by chance, but Ryuuga appeared while wearing a full on cheerleader outfit.”

“Haha~. Ryu, you’re too careless…well, whatever.”

After giving her over-exaggerated reaction, Kurogame soon smiled.

While amazed at how carefree the tortoise was, the three of us walked ahead.

“That reminds me, Kobayashi. I heard about Jyuri from Shiori.”

Aogasaki suddenly spoke. In that instant, the matter of the school nurse, Hebizuka, came to mind.

Right. Jyuri plans on working at our school. Because of all the confusion that ensued, I completely forgot about that problem!

(The second semester will begin the day after tomorrow. I’ll have to speak with Jyuri this evening…hmm? The second semester is the day after tomorrow?)

In the next moment, one more matter came to mind.

I didn’t do my summer homework at all! Because of all the confusion that ensued, I completely forgot about that problem as well!

Oumei High School is more or less a school focused on preparing students for university. The punishment for when someone forgets to do their homework is quite severe. That is, they have to take supplementary lessons and do additional work.

“What’s wrong, Kobayashi? You’re looking awfully pale.”

Aogasaki examined my expression while seeming confused.

Having her pretty face approach me so suddenly gave me the shivers, she really is quite the beauty. No wait, perhaps my shivering is because of the homework I have to do.

(Perhaps I’ll end up having to get Tie and the three princesses to help. I hope I can rely on Mion for this, but…oh right! If I could get Jyuri to brainwash the teachers…)

While thinking of such sinister tricks, the three of us turned around a corner.

“Oh, Ichirou, Rei! Even Rina!”

We came across Ryuuga, who was walking in our direction.

“Huh, Ryuga? What are you doing here?”

“This is perfect! I came to get you guys!”

For some reason, she was terribly panicked. She already knew that Aogasaki and I were going to visit…so why did she come all this way?

“Did something happen?”

“Yeah. A short time ago, I got a message from Elle…”

“From Elmira?”

“I have no idea what it meant…and I immediately tried calling her, but Elle didn’t pick up at all…so I wanted to talk with you all about it.”

I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Aogasaki and Kurogame also exchanged worrying glances.

“What message did Elmira send?”

When asked about it, Ryuuga presented her cellphone instead of explaining it.

Elmira’s message appeared on the screen.

‘To Ryuuga. I’m truly sorry for this. I, the one and only Elmira McCartney, will be allying with the apostles due to certain circumstances.’

……Excuse me?

Aogasaki, the tortoise, and I stared at the screen while dumbfounded.

“Allying with…the apostles…?”

“W, what’s the meaning of this?”

“Elle, what are you saying?”

Lowering the phone, Ryuuga feebly nodded while saying “I can only wonder.”

Since the only people here were those who knew about her secret, her tone of voice was that of a girl’s.

“I’m heading towards Elle’s condominium right now. Could all of you come along as well?”

“S, sure…”

“I can’t do something like fight against Elle. Elle is──an important companion to me.”

The competition against Getsushiyoukan had just finished.

Qiongqi, the new “Evil Spirit,” had just been hinted at.

I have a massive pile of summer homework as well.

──That scarlet-haired vampire just had to bring in more trouble.


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44 thoughts on “Is it Tough Being a Friend? v3 Epilogue”

  1. Now Ichirou will have to do something about Elmira, and that will raise even more flags. Which is sad for him, because he wants to crush flags, and return to being a side character.

      1. Because she is? She’s either unbelievably dense and insanely unlucky………..or she’s lowkey the secret mastermind and final boss. One or the other. No middle ground!

        ……………..sneaky, malicious turtle. Picking on grizzly bears in her off time….what did those bears ever do to her!?!?

        1. Thanks for the chap!

          Spoiler
          I didn’t read the chaps cause i hate taotie NTR story

          I am looking forward to Otome Mob?

  2. Will you continue with Is it tough being a friend or switch over to mob? In any case, thanks for the treat!

    1. Elmira’s an interesting one, seeing as how so far the only real interest she’s shown in Ichirou is how tasty his blood is, and shipping him with Ryuuga (but only BOY Ryuuga). Unlike any of the other heroines (or princesses…..or side characters………or the neighbours pet cat which is secretly possessed by Satan…………) she hasn’t actually shown any romantic interest in him. Not really.

      So with her, its more about raising new, DIFFERENT flags, rather than strengthening the old ones (because those would just lead to him being drained of all his blood or suffer through increasingly convoluted plots to get him and Ryuuga together………..).

      1. Until Elmira finds out that Ryuga’s a girl.

        Elmira: If you’re not a boy, then he’s mine!

  3. Please switch over to otome mob now.
    Not that this novel isn’t cool, but I liked Otome better. Pretty sure more people like Otome than this one.

  4. I also would like to see Otome Game next. Not that I don’t like Tough Friend, I just want to switch off every volume. I still want to see Lonely Attack on Another World though, shame nobodies picking up the ln or the manga.

    Btw, irrelevant, but I just reread Otome Game and am pissed at Leon for meekly handing over the necklace. He could’ve pretended that it was among the treasure that he donated to the capital and duke household. Or bring it up with the courts if he was continuously harassed by the church. Or he could have shown that Livia was the true saint by showing her barrier magic.

    For being a shady guy he wasn’t thinking properly here, you don’t just hand over an important relic, keep your cards to your chest until you need them.

    1. do you even read the chapter properly. he have another card which is the relic from dungeon. before he give the necklace he didnt know that marie already take it and use that to claim herself as saint. if he know he wont give it to the curch

      1. Also he though Marie knew the story and therefore would not try to take the items as what is needed is Livia, not the “saint”

  5. Thanks for the translation. Been busy these days for the graduation exam, yet I wont miss any chapter of yours. Keep up the good work
    Also, would be great if we have Leon next

  6. So, to be clear…………did Ichirou just confirm that IF Ryuuga had actually been a guy, then he would have had no issues with Rei wanting a piece of his overly-talented ass? ‘Cause he literally said that he’s fine with stories where secondary heroines (after failing to get the MC) end up with a friend character as a “consolation prize”.

    So if he wasn’t concerned about the possibility NTR-ing Ryuuga, he’d be all about Rei? Or is he just making convenient excuses, like he does with Ryuuga?

  7. Thanks for the chapter…

    The last 4 lines were hilarious though… Typical Ichirou..

  8. Thanks for the translation!
    Still don’t get why they don’t heal Ichirou. Initial injury was from Kurogame, was during a battle with apostles, they all like and trust him, and thanks to the competition it’s gotten worse. Hope 2L2S does Otome next and then next volume of this. Wonder if Elmira is getting pressured by clan, vampires, or some kind of council made up of beings partially or completely not human members as text seemed force. New Evil Spirit seems to be as impulsive as Taotie while host going through the motions but doesn’t seem like really cares one way or another and going with flow rather than bother to think. Guess we’ll find out next chapter.

  9. Well , see you guys after the next 2 volumes . I dont care at all for Elmira and the other heroine.

  10. Thank you for translation!

    I have a feeling, that this volume has less non-cliche moments, than first two. It is still interesting, but looks like author will use 3, 4 and 5 volimes for other heroines. Well, will he create situations where other accidentaly find out that Ryyuga is a girl?

  11. I would immediately stop reading this novel should Toetie ever NTR Ichirou.

    Anyway, thanks for the volume.Looking forward to next Mob.

  12. I saw some illustration of volume 4 and it look like a baby will be important to the plot of the volume. Most likely relation to Elmira and an Apostles. So most likely the reason behind her actions. I think Ichirou is going to kidnap said baby because he is underhanded enough to do that to force Elmira to work with the hero group. We know how he when plot isn’t going the way it should, at least in his eyes

    1. Lol. Who do you think this man is? Kiyotaka Ayanokouji? I doubt he’s quite THAT much of a manipulative sociopath. I mean, maybe. Possibly? Actually, the more I think about it, the more I remember how much I fear Ichirou’s insanity…………

      Though on the other hand, he seems to have a soft spot for kids………so, 50/50? 🙂

  13. After going to this extent to develop all of the girls’ love for him, I will not forgive the author if he doesn’t go for a true harem ending. Seriously. All of them. From kikki to ryuuga. Everyone that loves him(except for minor new characters like the glasses vice president). I don’t care if it’s, what, 7 girls? If you catch them, you marry them. Like the rule “If you break it, you buy it”. F*ck common sense and modern society’s standards. They’re supernatural, gotta have supernatural relationships as well.

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