Chapter 116

"Great work, everyone. That was fun, wasn't it?"

When Goro gathered the club members and spoke, they replied in drained voices.

"Yeeees..."

They hadn't even trained on the morning of our departure, yet everyone was slumped over like they'd just finished a full-speed sprint.

The training had been grueling, but they were young and had spent the whole time having fun together. Now that it was almost time to part ways, they had to be feeling a bit wistful.

"I'm seriously considering holding another one right before or after the break, so don't be too sad. And..."

Goro launched into a lengthy speech about martial arts.

A hint of boredom settled over the club members' faces.

Looking at them with pity, I hauled the equipment to the bus alongside Chinami.

Seeing Chinami tucked inside the luggage compartment, a certain urge surged within me.

A narrow, enclosed space where no one could see us.

Having sex in a place reeking of dirt and mustiness...

It felt like it would offer a completely different kind of thrill.

"Phew...! That's about half of it done."

Chinami sounded refreshed as she finished organizing the luggage we had loaded. I glanced around and tilted my head.

"Didn't we move everything?"

"We have to move it all back once we arrive at the Academy. We still have to finish cleaning the Bogu the members used, too."

"True."

"Does the future look bleak already? Once we reach the Academy, you can head home first, Junior."

"Why would I leave you behind and go first, Master? Don't say such strange things."

Rebuking Chinami with a straight face, I wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead with my finger.

Blinking her large eyes at my utterly natural gesture, Chinami quickly grew shy.

I looked down at her with a gentle smile and said, "My car is in the Academy's Parking Lot anyway. Should we get some ice cream together on the way back?"

"Ah...! I'd love to. I'll treat you, then."

"Let's do that. Shall we go now?"

"Yes."

Finishing our work, Chinami and I walked side by side over to Goro. Upon spotting us, he suddenly started clapping.

He was praising our hard work, but his method was just so... Goro-like.

"Everyone, thank our managers for being a huge help in making the training run smoothly."

"Thank you!"

Their voices certainly grew loud the moment his boring speech showed signs of ending.

This kind of teen-drama development... I really wasn't a fan.

The bus ride back to the Academy was quiet.

Most of the club members were fast asleep.

Drinking parties had sprung up all around the Lodging after we'd returned from our sparring matches, and it seemed the aftereffects were kicking in.

"Junior. Please try some of this."

Chinami offered me something soft and apricot-colored.

It was the peach-flavored gummy I had been eating during every break throughout the training camp.

Letting out a helpless laugh, I took the gummy, popped it into my mouth, and chewed vigorously.

With a radiant smile, she asked, "It's good, isn't it?"

"Yeah. It's delicious."

"Hehe... Seeing you like it makes me happy too. Would you like some iced tea? I brought some in a thermos. I even got some ice from the cafeteria for it."

"Is it the golden ratio?"

"Of course."

While the atmosphere between Chinami and me was warm and cheerful, the seats next to us were incredibly quiet.

That is to say, the seats where Tetsuya and Renka were sitting.

Both of them seemed to be thinking about what had happened yesterday.

Tetsuya was probably feeling helpless after I defeated him before he could even try anything.

And Renka was likely feeling troubled after losing three times to me, someone who hadn't even been learning Kendo for a few months.

Or maybe they were thinking about the wishes.

"It wouldn't be right to ask the managers, who have been working hard since before the camp even started, to do menial chores right up to the end, would it? Everyone grab a box. Move out."

Saying that, Goro stacked two boxes filled with heavy equipment and lifted them.

Seeing him take the initiative and lead by example was quite touching.

This was technically a manager's job, but Chinami and I were club members doubling as managers.

Knowing that we were sacrificing time meant for learning Kendo, none of the members complained. With around thirty people helping out, the cleanup was finished in no time.

We still had some final cleaning left to do, but I was satisfied just by the fact that the time had been significantly cut down.

It would have taken quite a long time if the two of us had had to sort through all that luggage... What a relief.

After dismissing the members in front of the Club Room, Goro headed into the director's office, saying he had something to discuss with Renka.

I had wanted to flirt with Chinami in the empty Club Room, but...

Swallowing my disappointment, I saw Tetsuya, a bag slung over his shoulder, about to leave the Club Room with a first-year classmate.

Seeing how he was trying to ignore me and leave when he would usually say goodbye, I could clearly tell what the guy was feeling.

What a petty guy...

Mocking him internally, I called out to Tetsuya loudly.

"Miura! Are you heading out first?"

Tetsuya flinched at my call, turning his head to flash an awkward smile.

Pointing a thumb at the ordinary-looking classmate next to him, he replied, "Yeah. I'm going back with Ryota."

'His name was Ryota?'

'That's the perfect name for a protagonist who gets his girl stolen in an NTR story.'

"Is that so? Got it."

"Good work today. I'll get going."

Giving a perfunctory reply, I was about to head into the Storage Room where Chinami was when I bumped into Renka coming out of the director's office.

"...Ugh...!"

Renka flinched upon spotting me.

Watching her eyes dart back and forth, I spoke.

"Good work today."

"...Good work to you too. Do you know where Chinami is?"

"She's in the Storage Room. Should I call her if you have something to discuss?"

"No, it's not that... I thought I could help with the cleaning."

"We only have the Bogu left to clean, so we'll be done soon."

"It's better if it's finished sooner. Plus, I was planning on heading back with Chinami."

"The Master agreed to get ice cream with me."

"What? Why?"

"What do you mean, why? We're getting some because I asked her. Would you like to join us, President?"

"...I'm good."

Shrugging at her cold reply, I reached for the Storage Room's doorknob.

Just then, Renka called out to me with a hint of urgency in her voice.

"Hey...! Matsuda."

"Yeah?"

"I have something to say about the wishes."

"We're talking about that again?"

When I made an exasperated face, Renka flared up and confronted me.

"It's better to clarify any ambiguous parts...! Who knows if you'll use your final wish to ask for more wishes?"

The moment I heard those words, I burst out laughing.

I couldn't hold back my laughter when I imagined Renka agonizing over whether I'd say such a thing.

Gritting her teeth at my reaction, she continued.

"A-Anyway, I just wanted to say that something like that isn't allowed."

"I won't do that. Unless we make another bet, I'm only going to use exactly three."

"...Right."

"But it feels like the restrictions are steadily increasing?"

"It'd be troublesome for you too if I made a wish like that. Isn't it a fair restriction...?"

"True, you have a point. Let's make it clear while we're at it. The expiration date is one month from today, no sexual wishes, no using a wish to cancel out a wish, no using a wish to add more wishes... These are the current restrictions, right?"

"Right."

"Anything else to add?"

Renka's eyes darted around.

'I can hear the gears turning in her head... I really can.'

"...Demanding things like money or valuables is also forbidden."

"You must have been anxious I'd ask for that figure, huh?"

"I absolutely did not think that. Don't go jumping to conclusions."

"Understood. What's next?"

"Nothing. This is enough."

"Alright. Let's head in, then. I'll drive you home once we're done cleaning."

Renka's eyes widened at that.

"You really don't have to go out of your way..."

"Since you said you aren't getting ice cream, you can't head back with the Master anyway. It'll probably be boring going alone. I don't mind if you refuse, but the Master might be disappointed."

"..."

A long sigh escaped through Renka's nose.

She looked like she was debating what to do.

After a moment of that, Renka gave a small nod.

"Then... I'll take you up on that."

"Alright."

After dropping Renka off and having a quick ice cream with Chinami, I parked the car in front of her apartment building.

"Calling today's yogurt peach a heavenly flavor wouldn't even be enough to describe it."

She wore a blissful smile as she unfastened her seatbelt.

Having worked hard throughout the training camp, she seemed to be in an incredibly good mood after eating her favorite dessert.

I grabbed Chinami's bag from the backseat, placed it on her lap, and spoke.

"You've worked hard. Hurry inside and get some good rest."

"You're the one who worked hard, Junior. I feel a bit sorry that you drove me all the way home."

"It's not far from the ice cream shop anyway, so there's absolutely no need to feel sorry."

"Okay... See you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

Fidgeting with her fingers as she said goodbye, Chinami got out of the car and bowed to me at a ninety-degree angle.

As a bonus, the bag on her back slid forward, causing her to stagger.

Chuckling at her clumsy display, I started the car once she dashed into the apartment building, clearly not knowing what to do with herself out of embarrassment.

Arriving home just like that, the corners of my mouth lifted at the familiar, welcoming feeling.

Only three days had passed, but it felt like fifteen.

My mind felt at ease. So many things had happened between the day before yesterday and today, and I just wanted to go inside quickly, pull up a thick blanket, and sleep.

After parking, I unlocked the main gate with my key and went inside.

Passing the stone path and stepping up onto the engawa, I opened the window leading to the living room-slash-bedroom, and a wave of chilly air drifted right in.

Cold, yet cozy... I felt that sort of contradictory emotion.

Home really is the best. Judging by how all my strength drained away and lethargy set in the moment I arrived.

I turned on the boiler and flopped down onto the futon, my eyes naturally drooping.

I was terribly short on sleep due to Tetsuya's snoring the day before yesterday and the members' drinking party yesterday. Combined with the physical exertion and the driving, the wave of drowsiness crashing over me showed no signs of stopping.

I had to wait for Miyuki, who would be here soon... but holding out was difficult.

'She has a key, so she'll let herself in, right?'

[I'm going to get some shut-eye for a bit.]

Sluggishly leaving that text for Miyuki, I let my eyes fall shut.