Chapter 64

This is the fifth chapter of the eleventh volume and the sixty-fourth chapter overall of the More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers manga series written by Yūki Kanamaru.

## Summary

Jirō tells Sadaharu about what happened between him and Shiori the other day. Sadaharu tells him to stop worrying too much.

Akari arrives at their apartment. Jirō helps her with her bags. Standing side by side, Akari thinks about how happy she is to see him and wonders if the feeling is mutual. They talk about this and that when Akari tugs at Jirō's pants. She playfully gestures for Jirō to hoist her up from the floor to which he does. Akari asks if he's eaten breakfast. Jirō blushes at the sight of her cheerful face. He pulls her in for a hug and welcomes her back home.

A while later, Akari finishes preparing for their meal from a recipe she learned from her mom. Jirō gives them a taste and tells her that they're so delicious that he could them every day. She jokes about how they should live together after graduation so he could eat her cooking.

After their meal, Jirō goes on to study. After answering some practice questions, he decides to take a break. He steps outside to the balcony and finds Akari. He opens the idea of living together after their practical and asks Akari if she was serious when she asked this earlier. He tells her that it would be nice if they did. He says that it would be more convenient if they did because his family was more peaceful when he wasn't home, and he would be closer to the university he would be going to. He feels that continuing his life with her was the most natural thing. He trails on, thinking to himself that he needs to tell her how he really feels since she must have realized it by now.

Unfortunately, Jirō thinks that if he confesses to her and if she doesn't feel the same and gets rejected, he wouldn't know how they would be for their remaining time together during their marriage practical. He knows how he felt when he rejected Shiori's confession and doesn't want to burden Akari the same way if she rejects him, too. He tries to find the words to confess to her and Akari sees him struggling.

Akari lightly places her hands on his shoulders. She tells him that if they lived together, they'd be doing the same things that they were doing now. She tells him that they can't live together because during that time, they wouldn't be husband and wife or even lovers. She says she's also been thinking about it and that she has decided that after graduation, she doesn't want to do those things with anyone else unless it's her lover.

She asks him if he only wants to live with her because it's convenient―if it's because he wants to eat her cooking or if he just wants someone to talk to. She tells him that that isn't a good enough reason to live together. Akari looks at him with sadness and apologizes. She tells him to forget what she said and bids him good night.

Inside her room, Akari thinks about how much she missed Jirō during the break and how she thought that just seeing him and holding him would make things better. However, she cries when she realizes that those things aren't enough anymore.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

Akari Watanabe
Jirō Yakuin
Sadaharu Kamo chat

## Chapter Notes

* Jirō and Akari see each other again after some time apart.
* Jirō tells Akari that he'd like it if they continued to live together after graduation.
* Akari tells Jirō that she knows he's wondering what's going to happen to them after the marriage practical. She says that the things that she's doing with Jirō now during their practical are the things she'd wouldn't do with anyone else unless it's her lover.
* Akari asks Jirō why he wants to continue to live together and says that if it's because he wants to eat her cooking or that he wants someone to talk to, it isn't a good enough reason.
* Akari thinks that just being with Jirō isn't enough anymore.