Himitsu no Ai-chan Chapter 7

Hi all! This manga is serialized in Cheese! I love it! Thought to share it with all of you.

Basically the manga is about Aiko who is a tomboy. She loves to play basketball and is good at it. However, Reo, a guy from her school is not only good at basketball, he is also very popular in school. She strives to defeat him in basketball and popularity but her plans often fail.

A perfect opportunity arises. Her brother offers her a job at his maid café. With a wig and some makeup, Aiko transforms into a startling beauty. Reo turns up at the maid café (not knowing Aiko is the maid), asks her for a date. Ai agrees to go out with him, thinking that she can get him to fall for her and she will dump him after that.

However, in the process, Aiko falls for Reo, and to her surprise, Reo knows that the maid is Aiko all along. Reo has always like Aiko but thinks she hates him. The last two chapter ended with both of them professing their affection for each other. However, Aiko is not ready to let her friends or school mates know about their relationship. Thus in school, they continue to bicker when they are with friends and in school but in private, they are very much in love.

Enters Ikumi. She is another employee in the maid café. She seems jealous of Aiko and compares herself with Aiko. And of course, Ikumi likes Reo too. However, Ikumi is unaware that the tomboy Aiko is the same as the beautiful Aiko (nemesis) in the maid café.

In the ending of the last chapter, Takumi (Ikumi’s brother) stumbles upon Aiko (the tomboy) and Reo kissing…

Let’s pick up from there…

Reo and Aiko are kissing passionately in store room. Aiko is suddenly aware of her surrounding. She asks Reo: “What are you doing? What if someone comes in…” Reo oblivious to anything but Aiko:” You look so cute…”

Aiko tries to push Reo away. She realizes that the door is ajar. She thinks she hears someone: “Who’s there?!” Reo not perturbed at all: "I wonder how the door gets opened?”

… as Reo opens the door, he tells Aiko not to worry. They look out and see no one. Reo asks whether it is Aiko imagination. Aiko asks to leave as she feels unsafe. Unknown to the two lovebirds, Takumi is in a corner and he sees and hears them.

The scene switches back to the basketball game. Aiko tries hard to get the ball from Reo but fails. Reo shoots in a goal. Aiko and one of the player quarrel over the call. Suddenly,…

…Takumi lifts Aiko up from her waist : “Hey, the game has ended, the girls have to practice isn’t it, Kasumi Chan (Aiko)?” Aiko turns red: “What are you doing, put me down!” Takumi is still holding Aiko. From the corner of her eyes, Aiko sees Reo seething… without Reo having to say anything, Aiko feels the stress… In her desperation, Aiko hits Takumi’s head and he lets her down…

… Aiko thinks that she needs to keep a distance from Takumi… She remembers the look in Reo’s eyes when he sees Takumi holding her.

Reo and Takumi exchange glances. Takumi gives him a sly look. Reo is pissed with the look on Takumi’s face.

One of the senior watching the game, shouts at them that they are too noisy should play decent ball instead.

Ikumi, standing beside the senior, sees all and wonders quietly: “Maybe Takumi…”

The spectators watching the game are also discussing what they have just witnessed. They are wondering whether the two are dating…

The scene switches to the classroom. Aiko is playing a game on her PSP while her two friends are planning for the upcoming Cultural Festival. They are planning the buy the materials for the costume. Both of them will not be free as they have their part time work. Aiko will have to go with someone else. They thought of Reo but one of them commented that he will be busy that day. As they were thinking of asking Takumi, Takumi appears in class. Before Aiko can stop them from asking, Takumi immediately agrees to buy the stuff with her: “We are from the same basketball group, we should help each other, right?” Aiko thinks to herself that even though she wants to refuse his help, she cannot think of a good excuse to do so.

The scene switches to Aiko and Reo going out on a date. Aiko doesn't know how to tell Reo about Takumi and her buying stuff for the cultural festival.

Reo tells Aiko that on Friday, he will not be free as he is the speaker some basketball practice session. He apologises for not being able to send her back home. Aiko tells him that she will be buying stuff for the cultural festival too. Reo: "Who are you going with?" Aiko fobs off the question and fails to tell Reo about Takumi. Meanwhile the train arrives...

On board the train, an irritated Reo tries to kiss Aiko in public. Aiko resists: "What are you doing?!" Leo: "Kiss..." Aiko: "You are being unreasonable, there are people around..."

Leo: "In such situation, people will pretend not to see..." Leo continue to lean forward : "Then you will understand." ...

... They kiss. Aiko hugs him: " I understand, you idiot!"

... Leo thinks to himself that he can't mask his childishness and wonders whether Friday things will be fine...

The scene switches to Aiko and Hiroko at a costume shop. They are trying out costumes for the cultural festival. They put on a butler costume... Aiko raises some concerns about having to wear "maid costume"...
...suddenly, Takumi enters with a maid costume. Both, Aiko and Hiroko break into laughter. They take turn to pose and take photos with him. Takumi is getting increasingly irritated: "I don't want to play!"

Aiko laughs: "I couldn't help enjoying myself...." Takumi thinks to himself that Aiko is enjoying herself...

Takumi tells Aiko that it is ok if he can make her laugh but he is concerned of the frown and wrinkle creasing her face... Takumi reaches out his hand to touch Aiko's face. Aiko is shocked at his behaviour. Takumi turns away and says he will change out of the costume...

Aiko wonders why Takumi is worried about her complexion. Hiroko suggest to Aiko that maybe Takumi likes her. The thought is too much for Aiko.

... Hiroko remembers that she has part time work today and bids a hasty goodbye to Takumi and Aiko. She asks Aiko softly whether she'll be ok with Takumi alone. Afraid that Takumi can hear their conversation, Aiko tells Hiroko she will be fine and that she should leave for her work quickly... After Hiroko leaves, Takumi takes the bags from Aiko. Aiko refuses his help...

He tells her that he finds her attractive and has seen her dressed up with long hair (he knows her other identity)

Takumi: "I like you, Kasumi Aiko." ...

That ends chapter 7. I wonder how Leo will react to this piece of news. : )))