Reading Ginharu Very Slowly #19
Bet you thought this blog was long dead? Unfortunately not. Now that the translation project seems to be dead in the water, I've decided it's time to finish this VN and bring this blog back. 
My Japanese powers have doubled since the last time I read this in Japanese, so it's actually going a lot smoother this time around. It's also nice that DeepL exists now, it's incredibly helpful when I'm having trouble figuring out what the hell they're trying to say in some convoluted sentence or something.
Quick summary of the end of Bethly's route for all the 0 people that read my blog but don't want to read the actual good translation:
The gang becomes friends with Jake, their group gets into some studying and extracurricular shenanigans. Bethly decides she wants to focus on making illustrations for children, and Yukito decides he wants to help her with that rather than doing some other marketing work. The two move back to Japan, where we get a much more in-depth view of what it's like moving to Japan as a spouse than I expected, and yes, the two get married.
Also, while reading Hinata's and Momiji's routes, I realized that each route has something of a recurring theme.
Bethly: Delayed gratification. Whether it's waiting until they can get the pill to have sex, waiting until they graduate to get married, or waiting until they have the money to afford a fancy wedding ceremony, they spend a lot of time "waiting" in this route, for the sake of a better outcome.
Hinata: Following your dreams. When Yukito thinks about becoming a vet but isn't sure if he can manage it, Hinata convinces him to go for it anyway, and he even ends up taking over for the vet that inspired him. And Yukito supports Hinata in her dreams of making jewelry and accessories as well.
Momiji: Trusting one another. Perhaps slightly less prominent than the other two, but throughout the route the two make a point of being open with each other about their thoughts and feelings, particularly because both of them are fairly reserved people.
As for the two routes I haven't read yet, well, who knows? And who knows if I'll even pick up on it when I'm reading it with my Japanese that, 4 years after I originally started this blog, is still extremely lacking.
Now, on with the show.
At first, even now that her route has begun, Yuzuki is a bit embarassed about calling Yukito "Onii-chan."
Yuzuki: "Good morning, Onii-chan"
But she does it anyway because she really wants to be a good imouto. He then helps her fix her bed hair.
Yuzuki: "Are you going to become a hairdresser, Onii-chan?"
With how varied Yukito's professions are between the routes, from PR manager to veterinarian, I honestly wouldn't even be surprised. When he asks her about who she wants to be when she grows up
Yuzuki: "Hmm... open a patisserie?
I'll be surprised if she doesn't end up doing that.
When they come down to the living room, they talk about her habit of falling asleep while changing into her uniform, which she claims she no longer does now that she's a middle-schooler. To which Yuuko-san (her mother (and Yukito's step-mother, in case anyone forgot)) says that if she's a middle-schooler, she should be able to go to school on her own. This upsets her greatly because secretly she just wants to go to school with Yukito, so she's happy when he says that even if she knows the way, they should go together anyway.
Yuzuki: "Ah, yeah. I'll go with you, Onii-chan"
Her mother comments on how she's calling him "Onii-chan" now, and how it's nice that they're growing closer as siblings. 
On the way to school they talk about how real siblings normally act, and Yukito points out that real siblings often fight.
Yuzuki: "I'd have to fight you!?"
In the end, instead of fighting, they go to school while holding hands. Like all siblings do.
They also decide to ask the others what they think at their One Room Classroom.
Bethly: "I don't have siblings."
Momiji: "I've mentioned this before, but I'm also an only child. I've always wanted a brother or sister though~"
Hinata: "Mizuha-san too?"
Mizuha: "Indeed"
Hinata: "I don't have any siblings either, senpai and Yuzuki-chan are only ones with siblings here"
Hinata also quickly picks up on Yuzuki calling him "Onii-chan"
Hinata: "Oh! Did you just say Onii-chan!?"
Hinata: "You started calling him that! Good for you!"
Then they start talking about what siblings do.
Momiji: "My friend said her brother helps her with homework~"
Bethly: "If you hug, you're good friends"
At which point all the girls pile on to hug Yuzuki
Hinata: "Me too, me too~"
Yuzuki: "Save me, Onii-chan!"
Hinata: "If you're close as siblings, you can things like bathing, or sleeping together"
If Hinata says so, it must be true. And note that she means "sleeping together" in the literal sense. She's a perv, but not that much of a perv, I guess.
Momiji: "Isn't that something you'd do when you're younger?"
Hinata: "No way~, if I had such a nice Onii-chan, I'd want to sleep together with him. And bathe together too"
Yukito: "...bathing together. Now that you mention it, Mizu-nee and I did that when we were little kids"
Yuzuki, Hinata, Momiji: "You did!?"
Hinata: "Amazing!! Bathing with someone as famous as Mizuha-san!"
In the end, they come up with a few more ideas and Yuzuki diligently writes them all down.
Yuzuki: "Bathing together... Sleeping together... Giving pocket money... Massages..."
Hinata: "Good luck, senpai! ...or should I say Onii-chan!"
That same night they end up taking a bath together (in swimsuits, of course), and falling asleep in the same futon. Like all siblings do.
That night, Yukito has a dream about the time his parents got divorced.
Maria: "I'm sorry... Yukito..."
In the morning, Yuuko-san found them asleep together, but decided it wasn't anything bad. Since that's what all siblings do, I guess. They also talk about how much he spoils Yuzuki.
Yuuko: "Hmm, I think you might be a bit overprotective of her"
Yuuko: "But siblings are all different, so maybe there's no point in worry about "normal" too much?"
She also suggests that they go out and have some fun on the weekend. Is it just me, or does that sound like a date?
Hinata: "Oh, a date with senpai? Lucky you~"
I guess it's not just me. They deny that it's a date, of course, and decide to go to the arcade's photobooth, as well as stop by some cake shops.
Yuzuki: "I'd go anywhere, if it's with Onii-chan..."
Momiji: "Oh~ You're such lovey-dovey siblings~"
They also talk about their own ideas for where to go on a date.
Bethly: "Going to the park was fun, I like Hololo"
Hinata: "I'd like to go to a dog cafe"
Momiji: "I'd like to go see a movie~"
Mizuha: "Skating while holding hands sounds nice, haha"
The next day Yuzuki wakes him up bright and early, probably because she's so excited for their not-date. They take the tram into town, and he gives her some candy that he got for her, like he apparently used to do last year when he would take her to and walk her back from elementary school.
Yuzuki: "Ehehe, itadakimasu"
He really spoils her rotten, huh?
Yuzuki: "C-can I have one more...?"
He really does spoil her rotten.
They take some photos at the arcade, like all siblings do.
"I want sweets"
She tries to bring him to a cake shop, but she's terrible with directions and Yukito ends up having to look it up and take them there. She ends up wanting two different pieces of cake, so Yukito offers let her try both, and finish whatever she can't eat for her. They even get a free cupcake, because apparently they have a promotion
Waitress: "We give free cupcakes to couples"
Yuzuki: "Couple!?"
They end up not saying anything and taking the free cupcake anyway. After that, they ended up going to two more cake shops before visiting the TV tower that they've apparently both visited with their parents before.
Yuzuki: "I've also been here before, with my dad..."
Unfortunately unlike Yukito, whose parents got divorced, her father passed away.
Yuzuki: "My father used to say that the view from here looks delicious"
Yuzuki: "Because he was a patissier..."
I guess that's why she likes sweets and baking so much. They talk a bit about how they were mistaken as a couple in the first cake shop they visited, and although embarrassed about it, Yuzuki says this
Yuzuki: "You and I are the only "us" in the world, so our relationship is also one of a kind"
As in, there's no point in trying to adhere to a "norm". Might this be the route's theme?
A few days later, Yukito ends up having to wake her up twice in the morning, because he lets her sleep a little longer the first time. And she gets flustered about not remembering the first time she was woken up when he points out that she said "Good morning" twice. Honestly, relatable. She drinks a lot of milk for breakfast, for "growth", apparently.
Yukito: "I think you're fine the way you are"
Yuzuki: "But I want to be a bit bigger..."
I think they might be talking about slightly different things.
Then, after school
Yuzuki: "Ah, Onii-chan!"
Hinata: "Me too, me too~ Onii-chaaan~"
Yuzuki: "That's not fair, Hinata-chan...!"
Hinata: "Oh, looks like Yuzuki is being possessive~"
Hinata: "Must be nice. I'd like to have an Onii-chan like senpai too~"
Yuzuki: "Y-you can't..."
Hinata: "Ahaha. I won't steal him from you, don't worry"
Hinata: "But senpai~ Won't it be tough when you get a girlfriend~?"
Yuzuki: "W-when that happens, I'll just say "congratulations"...?"
She doesn't sound too sure about that.
Hinata: "How admirable! When that time comes, I'll let you cry into my chest as much as you like"
At the One Room Classroom, Bethly shows everyone how to do a "cheek kiss", or as she calls it "a bisoux." Not even a kiss, really, just rubbing cheeks. All the girls end up doing it among themselves while Yukito watches like a creep.
After school, Yuzuki helps Yukito with the chores, like cooking and laundry.
Yuzuki: "N-no...!"
For some reason she gets flustered when she sees her brother folder her laundry, including underwear. Despite that, she gives him a good night bisoux.
Yuzuki: "Good night... mwah"
Apparently making the kissing sound with your mouth is still mandatory for it. Must be some weird thing the French came up with.
Skip to two months later, and they've upgraded from taking a bath together to going to the pool together. For once, it really is like all siblings do. He even teaches her how to swim, and when she's learning to float while he support her from below she decides it feels like a princess carry. Not a whole lot happens here, just the usual pool episode. A bit of learning to swim, a bit of bonding.
Another few months later, and Yuzuki is deep in thought on their way to school.
Yuzuki: "...it's your birthday soon"
Their parents are going to be busy working, so she's worried it'll be a lonely birthday, but Yukito says he doesn't mind if they just eat dinner together. However over the next few days, Yuzuki buys some supplies and spends a lot of time hidden in her room, until finally, when he comes home on his birthday...
Yuzuki: "Happy birthday, Onii-chan!"
Yuzuki: "Thank you for all you do, Onii-chan"
She tells him how she's grateful for all the things he's done for her. Walking her to elementary school, buying her treats, chatting with her, then going to middle school with her, bringing her to the One Room Classroom, making sweets together, and just being there and helping her in general. Aside from the decorations, she also made strawberry shortcakes, although she says she got the sponge cake part from the grocery store and just decorated it herself, but Yukito seems impressed nonetheless. She says they should eat them after dinner, but can't stop starting at them.
Yuzuki: *staaare*
So Yukito decides that since it's just the two of them, it's fine if they have dessert before dinner. She mentions how it would have been nice if she had made them from scratch, but that she doesn't have faith in her own abilities, and that even when they were making sweets together in the One Room Classroom, she couldn't have done it alone, but Yukito convinces her that she should have more self-confidence and try it some more.
Yuzuki: "Ehehe. If you say you'll eat it, then I'll do my best"
They take another (swimsuit) bath together, but halfway through Yukito starts feeling weird about it and gets out first, saying he's getting dizzy.
About a month later, it's almost Christmas time and they go to their local Christmas market.
Yuzuki: "...so pretty. It feels like a completely different world"
She finds a cake shop using just her sense of smell. It's called HexenHaus, which apparently means "house of sweets" in German, and they sell baumkuchen among other things. She says that her father taught her that. They buy a slice of baumkuchen as well as two other German cakes, whose names I didn't manage to figure out for the life of me. After they eat, she does the trope of cleaning some whipped cream off of Yukito's cheek and eating it, before they both realize what happened.
Yuzuki: "I-I'm sorry"
And on the way home
Yuzuki: "I want to... hold hands"
She's getting more demanding now. Poor Future Yukito is going be completely at her beck and call at this rate. He also seems to be becoming more aware of his feelings.
On Christmas Eve, Yuzuki tried to make a Yule Log, but ended up burning it a bit.
Yuzuki: "But, the taste is a bit weird..."
Yukito tells her it's still good, but she seems to be a lot more picky about it.
Yuzuki: "My dad used to make Yule Log cakes, so I was hoping it would turn out well..."
Yuzuki: "...I'll make it again next year. And if it doesn't turn out well, the year after that too. And then the Christmas after that"
She's certainly dedicated, I'll give her that.
Yuzuki: "But thanks for saying it tasted good, Onii-chan"
Yukito: "Merry Christmas, Yuzuki"
Yuzuki: "Oh, that's right, Merry Christmas, Onii-chan"
On New Year's Eve, they try to stay up to watch the countdown, but Yuzuki gets too sleepy so they watch it in bed on their phone instead.
Halfway through the night, Yukito is woken up by another dream from the time his parents got divorced. He tells Yuzuki about it and she says
Yuzuki: "You're not alone, Onii-chan"
Later on in the night, she wakes up and goes to her room to listen to the music box Yukito got her for her birthday, almost a year ago, and flashes back to that day.
Yuzuki: "...a music box?"
Her birthday is also on Valentine's Day, so she gives him chocolates she bought with her mom, and he treats her to some chocolates too, because he knows she has a sweet tooth. And they go for a nice walk on the snowy, candle-lit street.
Yukito: "Let's come here again next year, Yuzuki"
A couple of weeks later, they're just hanging at home, like all siblings do, when he wipes a rice grain off of Yuzuki's lips, and once again becomes a bit more aware of his feelings for her. That night he has a mildly suggestive dream.
Yuzuki: "Hold me tight, Onii-chan"
Nothing too overt, but probably still not dreams you should be having about your (step) sister.
The next day he almost oversleeps, and Yuzuki ends up having to wake him up. On the way to school almost slips, and asks to hold his hand.
Yuzuki: "In that case, let's hold hands"
But for once he says no, telling her that she shouldn't always rely on him and should try to be more independent, though it's clearly just an excuse.
Yuzuki: "...oh, okay. I will..."
But he ends up letting her hold onto his sleeve anyway.
During their One Room Classroom, after goofing around with Hinata for a bit, she remarks how Yukito looks a bit pale, and Yuzuki agrees. After school, Yuzuki offers to take a bath together and to wash his back, because he seems tired and always does so much for her.
Yuzuki: "I'm really glad we became siblings"
Yukito: "But what we're doing isn't what siblings do..."
Uh oh, he actually said it. He tried to brush it off, but she seems distraught. That night, he stays up thinking about his feelings, and how he might like Yuzuki as more than just a little sister.
A couple of days later Yuzuki tries to ask her mom about it.
Yuzuki: "Mom, Onii-chan seems to distant with me lately..."
Yuuko: "Maybe you've been acting too spoiled lately"
Yuzuki: "But Onii-chan is so nice, and kind..."
Yuuko: "Yes, yes. You have a really amazing brother"
Yuzuki: "...yes. He's amazing... which is why I want him to spoil me..."
Yuuko: "You really are a brother's girl"
Yuzuki: "...is it wrong to get spoiled...?"
Yuuko: "It's fine, but maybe you shouldn't be too spoiled?"
She goes to listen to her music box, since it's only a week before her birthday, but she finds that it's broken and isn't playing. A few days later she decides that she'll take it to the music box store to get fixed, all on her own to show how independent she is. Unfortunately she's still terrible at navigating, and ends up getting lost for hours, and... for some reason neither asks for directions, nor looks anything up on her phone. Oh, and she also doesn't notice that Yukito messages her multiple times, causing him to go looking for her in a panic. At least the note she left mentioned roughly where she went, so he knew where to look, and when he finds her she's in the middle of the street, on the verge of tears.
Yuzuki: "...I'm sorry"
Yuzuki: "I didn't want to just be a spoiled little sister who you'd start to hate"
Yukito: "I could never hate you..."
Inner voice: "After all, I like Yuzuki... as a girl"
Inner voice: "But I can't let anyone know about these feelings"
Yukito: "Let's go get your music box fixed. The store is still open at this hour."
And after they get it fixed, she reluctantly walks behind him because of what he said about them not acting like siblings before.
Yukito: "It's fine, we'll make our own sibling relationship."
Yukito: "You told me before. You and I are the only "us" in the world."
Yukito: "So it's fine if our relationship is also one of a kind."
Yuzuki: "I'm glad we came here again this year, Onii-chan"
Two days later, it's Yuzuki's Birthday and Valentine's day.
Yuzuki: "This is for you, Onii-chan"
Yuzuki: "I'm glad I could give you chocolates first today..."
He thanks her, but starts to wonder who else she's planning on giving chocolates, and starts to feel slightly jealous. As they walk to school, he holds her hand again to keep her from slipping.
Yuzuki: "...I'm glad we're holding hands again..."
When they're back home and finished with homework, he gives her his present.
Yuzuki: "Wow! A pudding jar!"
I'm guessing this is Japanese milk pudding. As they eat, Yukito finds out that she made the chocolates she gave him by hand, and not only was it easy, but also cheap. Looks like she's going to grow up to be a great patissier. She also says that she gave chocolates to Hinata, which puts Yukito at ease. He also mentions that he got some obligation chocolates from Momiji, and then says that since they're siblings, Yuzuki's chocolates are also obligation chocolates.
Yuzuki: "Th-they're not obligation chocolates! I made them specially for you"
Yukito: "Thanks... then, they're heartfelt chocolates"
Yuzuki: "Huh... heartfelt?"
Yukito: "That's what they're called, when you give chocolates to the boy you like..."
Yukito: "...I-I guess it's hard to come up with a good name for them."
Yuzuki: "How about... "chocolates I want Onii-chan to eat"?"
2 months later, a new school year starts. Mizuha graduates to high school, and Bethly has to go back to Canada. They talk about how they're hoping they each stay in the same class as their respective friends, Hinata and Momiji.
Yuzuki: "...do you like Nashiro-san?"
But he assures her that she's just a friend, and Yuzuki seems relieved to hear it.
Hinata: "It's kind of lonely here without Mizuha-san..."
Momiji: "When we graduate, it's going to be just Hinata and Yuzuki, huh..."
They mostly talk about how nice it would be if they all managed to go to the same high school.
In the evening, they take a bath together again, for the first time in a while... like all siblings do. Yuzuki is surprised that he agrees, but he quickly decides to get out first after he catches himself staring a bit too much. He still agrees to sleep in the same bed with her, although he asks why she wants to do these things again when they haven't in a while, and she says it's because they only have a year left of going to the same school.
Yuzuki: "...I know I shouldn't let myself get too spoiled by you..."
Yukito: "It's fine. We're still siblings even if we go to different schools, right?"
However she's worried that her grades wouldn't be good enough to go to the same high school as him, but he reassures her that he'll help her study.
Fast forward to months later, and Yukito is struggling more and more with his feelings towards Yuzuki, to the point where he asks the only person who can help him... Momo-chan-sensei. He doesn't give her any details, other than that it's a girl he can't confess to, and she suggests that he make some distance between them.
Momiji: "Huh!? You're going to an all-boys boarding school!?"
He tells her it's because he wants to become more independent, and not to tell anyone because he wants to tell them himself.
Momiji: "Okay. Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret"
Momiji: "But there goes the idea of going to the same school... haha, it's going to be a bit lonely~"
Fast forward a few more months, and Yukito gets his acceptance letter. Or rather, letters, because he applied to a bunch of schools and got accepted into all of them. He'd already told Yuuko about his plans, and told her the same lie about wanting to be independent, and she suggested that he apply to as many places as he could anyway, to not close off any doors prematurely. They hold a small party for him with just the 3 of them, and a few weeks later when he's in his room writing his enrollment letter to his school, a day before the deadline, Yuzuki walks in.
Yuzuki: "What's that?"
He flips it upside down before telling her it's his enrollment letter, but thinks nothing of it.
The next day, when he comes home after school first, and goes to put his letter in the mail...
Yukito: "No way... why...?"
No letter on his desk. He immediately comes downstairs and sees Yuzuki with the letter.
Yuzuki: "...Onii-chan, you're going to this school?"
He apologizes about not telling her earlier.
Yuzuki: "...no"
It seems she's willing to take a stand on this.
Yuzuki: "But why...? You said we'd always be together....?"
He tries to give her the same independence lie, but
Yuzuki: "Tell me your real reasons"
She knows him well enough to know that he's already fairly independent, and that he wouldn't make such a big choice for a reason like that.
Yukito: "At this rate... we'll stop being siblings"
She's not convinced though, and runs out, letter in hand.
Yuzuki: "No way."
Yuzuki: "You idiot!!"
Yuzuki: "You liar!! Saying things like "we won't be siblings""
Yuzuki: "I know that that's a lie!!"
She runs through traffic, barely avoiding getting hit, and because of the cars Yukito can't catch up to her before she catches the tram into town. He follows her into town and starts looking, all the while reminiscing the time they've spent together. Finally, he ends up going up to the TV tower.
Yukito: "Yuzuki"
Yukito: "Please... give it back"
Yuzuki: "No! There's no way I'd let us get separated!!"
Yuzuki: "Why are you going so far away!? Why!?"
And after she presses him for an answer for a bit more
Yukito: "Because I love you"
Yukito: "...not as a little sister. I've fallen in love with you as a girl"
Yukito: "But... if that's the case, then we can't be siblings..."
Yuzuki: "I love you too!!!"
Yuzuki: "Not as my Onii-chan, but as the boy I like!!!"
Yuzuki: "I like you! I love you! So please don't go...!"
Yukito: "If our parents found out..."
Yukito: "We wouldn't be able to stay as siblings, don't you understand!?"
Yuzuki: "I don't care! No matter what happens, you'll be my Onii-chan!!!!"
Jeez, the number of exclamation marks just keeps increasing. And after a bit more back and forth, she finally convinces him.
Yukito: "I'm sorry..."
Time goes quickly after that. Yukito graduates, Yuzuki cries during the ceremony. But is determined to go to the same high school as him, and so a year later, when it's her turn to graduate, she absolutely nails her entrance exams. It seems they hadn't mentioned their confessions for an entire year, so when Yuzuki, exhaused, falls asleep on the sofa, Yukito reiterates his feelings for her.
Yukito: "I... love you"
And gives her a kiss, while she's still asleep (or rather seems to be), which wakes her up, and they talk some more about their feelings.
Yukito: "Since when were you awake?"
Yuzuki: "...I'm not telling"
Yuzuki: "Ehehe... I love you too"
Yukito: "I want... you to be my girlfriend"
Yuzuki: "Okay... I'll be your girlfriend..."
And so they share another kiss, and we transition to the second part of Yuzuki's route, which will have to wait for another day. I'll try to keep these at one blog entry per route segment, so one for each of Yuzuki's and Mizuha's middle school, high school, and adulthood arcs, but we'll see how that goes. Maybe I'll abandon the blog for another 2 years, anything can happen!
Edited by Flutterz
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