Chapter 122

"Go on in."

"Yeah. I have somewhere to stop by tomorrow, so I'll go alone."

"Is that so? Got it."

"Thanks for the ride."

Tetsuya offered his thanks in a flat tone and got out of the car.

Thud! The rear door slammed shut a little too forcefully.

He did that sometimes, but it was quite a coincidence that it happened today of all days.

Why was he such a loser?

It solidified my belief that he would have just faded into obscurity if I hadn't set up that event for him.

A surge of annoyance rushed over me. I was about to roll down the window and snap at him, but seeing Miyuki's face, I sighed and pretended to swallow my anger.

Watching my reaction, Miyuki, who had been glancing back and forth between the rear door and Tetsuya as he walked home, spoke cautiously.

"Matsuda-kun... don't be too mad. I'll say something to Tetsuya."

"I'm not mad."

"Liar... You're upset because he slammed the back door. It's not even his car. I'd be angry too if it were me."

"No, it's fine. It's not like it broke or anything. I should just let it go."

It was important to show a forgiving attitude in situations like this.

That way, my reputation would rise even more, and the karma Tetsuya was accumulating would hit him even harder.

"...You're really nice, aren't you?"

"In my head, I've already punched him a few times."

As I made the joke and started the car, Miyuki giggled and placed her hand over mine where it gripped the analog gearshift.

Then she began to gently stroke the back of my hand.

"Did something happen between you two?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know... the atmosphere in the car was a little weird. Should I say it felt somewhat hostile? I just got that feeling."

"Yeah? Nothing really happened."

"That's a relief, then... But Matsuda-kun... you've really matured..."

"Are you trying to make me blush?"

"I'm just saying it because I like it..."

"You like me?"

"Yeah. I like you a lot."

"Then what should you do?"

"About what?"

"I'm asking what you should do if you like me."

"I wonder?"

It was ridiculous how she played dumb when she knew exactly what I meant.

Such a sly little fox...

Shaking my head, I arrived in front of Miyuki's house and parked the car.

Miyuki smiled brightly, unfastened her seatbelt, leaned all the way over, and pressed her lips against mine.

Her tongue peeked out from between her moist, plump, soft lips.

Feeling it explore and caress the inside of my mouth, I wrapped my arms around Miyuki's slender waist and pulled her closer.

Feeling her hot, panting breath tickling my upper lip, I shared a brief but passionate kiss with her.

Then, just as the air inside the car started to heat up, I gave her rear a gentle pat.

Miyuki pulled away with a hazy look in her eyes.

Looking completely flustered, she gave me one last peck before grabbing her bag and opening the door.

"I'm going..."

"Yeah. But aren't you going to give me my reward?"

"Reward...?"

"Fourteenth place on the midterms."

"...I already praised you for doing a good job... And I sent you pictures while I was away at the training camp..."

"How is that a reward? Should I just claim it myself?"

"W-what are you going to claim? In what way...?"

"I'll tell you later."

"..."

Rolling her eyes in thought, Miyuki obediently stepped out of the car.

She was clearly anxious about what kind of prank I might pull next, but her refusal to pester me about it—as if she held a tiny bit of anticipation—was cute.

"...Get home safely."

"Got it."

The drive back home after sending Miyuki off.

I was following the traffic lights and about to make a left turn into the alley leading to my neighborhood when...

Thump.

Along with a heavy sound from behind, my upper body jolted forward, knocking the breath out of me.

"Haa..."

It was a fender bender.

Of all days, today... To get into an accident on the very day Tetsuya was acting up...

I felt completely suffocated with frustration.

'God, why throw an event like this at me? I don't even have a heroine with me right now.'

'Besides, a light tap would have been fine, not a loud thud.'

'My faith is just about to vanish. Are you married by any chance?'

'No, no. Let's think positively.'

'God was just letting me off easy from what normally would have been a severe accident that totaled the car.'

'Still, I had grown attached to it since it was the first car I bought after coming to this world... The heartache just wouldn't go away.'

Blowing a harsh breath through my lips to shake off my troubled thoughts, I stepped out of the car.

"I-I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... Are you hurt anywhere...?"

A woman apologized profusely the moment she saw me.

She had a face that exuded the sultry charm unique to an attractive middle-aged housewife.

The wedding ring on her left hand also caught my eye, and for some reason, it reminded me of the heavy storylines typical of NTR porn.

"I'm fine."

Raising a hand with an expressionless face, I checked the rear bumper.

It wasn't severe, but there was a dent.

Since it was a popular car model with easy-to-find parts, I could probably get it fixed within a day if I rushed straight to the mechanic.

Scratching the side of my head as I inspected the damage, I spoke.

"It doesn't look too bad. But how did this happen... Did you miss the signal?"

"I took my eyes off the road. It's my fault. I'm so sorry..."

'Hmm... She was an honest person, quite unfitting for such a harsh era.'

'She was pretty, too... I'd let her off the hook.'

"It wouldn't be right to just let it go entirely, so just give me 20,000 yen and I'll take care of it myself."

"What...? It looks like it needs to be replaced... Won't that cost far more than 20,000 yen?"

"I can just fit a used part in there."

"T-thank you so much...! Just a moment..."

Fussing nervously, the woman paused as she pulled money from her wallet.

Her gaze was fixed on the uniform dress shirt I was wearing.

More precisely, on my name tag.

"Um... Are you a student at Yeboni Academy by any chance? Your uniform..."

'I hadn't expected this reaction...'

'For some reason, I got the feeling a heartwarming story about me was going to spread.'

'Was she the principal's daughter or something?'

"Yes. Why?"

"Oh, it's nothing... Thank you so much... Here you go..."

She offered the money with both hands and bowed deeply.

Taking it, I spoke.

"Have a good day, then. Drive safely."

"Ah, yes...! Thank you...!"

"Why did you suddenly ask to meet at the station? Are you... planning to get that reward?"

That was Miyuki's question when we met in front of the station the next morning.

Amused by her drifting into her own delusions, I chuckled and shook my head.

"It's nothing like that. My car is at the mechanic's. They said it'll take a day to fix."

"The mechanic's? Did it break down?"

"No. Got into a fender bender."

"Whaaat...?"

Miyuki's eyes widened.

She stood there blankly for a moment, but upon seeing my serious expression, she bit her lip.

Then she slapped me on the chest.

"If something like that happened, you should have told me beforehand...! Why are you only telling me now?"

"It wasn't even a big accident..."

"How can you be so carefree about this...? You're weird sometimes, Matsuda-kun... You act like an idiot."

"An idiot couldn't get fourteenth place."

"That damn fourteenth place... You're probably going to milk that until the final exams... Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I told you, it was just a fender bender. A minor one."

"Did you go through insurance, then?"

"No. She obediently admitted it was her fault and apologized, so I just took a little cash and let her go."

"Oh, really...? What's with you lately...? Did you eat something weird?"

'Even if she wasn't going to praise me for doing a good deed, asking if I ate something wrong...'

'I'd punish her this weekend.'

"Let's just go. We're going to be late."

"Okay... You're really not hurt, right?"

"I told you I'm fine."

Waving my hand dismissively to move past the topic, I slung my arm around Miyuki's shoulder.

At that, she freaked out and swiftly ducked away.

"What are you doing...!"

"Is it really something to dodge like that? Can't we even put our arms around each other?"

"N-no... That's not the issue..."

"Then what's the issue?"

"..."

Looking around, Miyuki lowered her voice.

"It touches...!"

"What touches?"

"Your arm is too long, Matsuda-kun... Your hand touches my chest..."

'She wasn't embarrassed by the arm around her; she was shy because of that.'

'Come to think of it, having my hand resting on her large upper chest would probably attract some attention.'

"N-no arms around the shoulder. Just hold my hand..."

Smiling at her words, I asked.

"Are we allowed to hold hands? Won't we get penalty points?"

"You only get those for deviant behavior...! And by that logic, putting your arm around me earlier would earn penalty points too... Just give me your hand."

Saying that, Miyuki snatched my hand as if claiming an object and intertwined our fingers.

With flushed cheeks, she glanced back and forth between our clasped hands and my face before taking the lead and walking down the station stairs.

'There were a few Yeboni Academy students around here too... Was it fine to show this much affection in public now?'

'The cliche of an affectionate couple going to school together... Not bad.'

'It's a lifelong regret that Tetsuya isn't here to see this.'

Inside the crowded train during the morning commute.

Placing Miyuki in the corner and blocking the crowd with my body, I quietly teased her as I picked a white speck out of her bangs.

"You've got dandruff on you."

At that, Miyuki, who was practically pressed against me with our fingers still intertwined, lightly smacked my stomach with her free hand.

"How is this dandruff...? Stop with the childish jokes... Is it fun?"

"Yeah."

"I just shouldn't react..."

Trailing off, she wiggled her hand.

She showed her fresh affection by tugging at my pinky or pulling our clasped hands up to press her lips firmly against the back of my hand.

Since it was far sweeter than anything erotic, I gave a soft smile and quietly accepted Miyuki's displays of affection.

Upon arriving at the station near the Academy, I took Miyuki and stepped off the train.

Afterward, I excused myself and went to the restroom.

When I finished my business and came back out, I saw Miyuki talking with a familiar-faced man in front of the station stairs.

That man was Tetsuya, who had said he was going alone today because he had somewhere to stop by.

"Is this that one? The notebook I like."

"Yeah. The one we bought together last time. I actually ran out of mine too, so I stopped by the stationery store and bought some. Yours included, of course."

"Oh, really? Then I'll give you the money when we get to class."

"No, it's fine. I'll pay for it this time, so you can buy it next time. But what brings you on the train? Where did Matsuda go?"

Listening to their conversation, I got a rough idea of the situation.

He didn't like that Miyuki was using the notebook and writing utensils I had bought for her, so he was trying to replace them again.

When it came to being shady, he was far superior to me.

Seeing him pull such a useless stunt made me frown.

It seemed they had bumped into each other by chance... In that moment, a thought flashed through my mind.

'Did God orchestrate that fender bender yesterday just so I could put this very thought into action?'

'It certainly seemed like it.'

'Right. As long as I'm the protagonist of Doki-Aka with the mission to steal the heroines from the pathetic Tetsuya, I can't go without an event like this.'

Striding over to Miyuki, who was still chatting with him, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and nonchalantly greeted him.

"Hey, Miura. When did you get here?"

"Huh...?"

The thick arm wrapped around his childhood friend's shoulder, and the large hand lightly touching her upper chest.

Seeing that, Tetsuya's jaw dropped.

He couldn't hide his bewilderment. The provocation seemed to have worked perfectly.

"Matsuda-kun...! I told you not to do this...!"

"Sorry, sorry."

Releasing Miyuki, I evaded her and headed down the station stairs.

Huffing in annoyance, Miyuki told Tetsuya to hurry up and started chasing after me.

A heroine trying to scold the protagonist who pulled a mischievous prank.

It was an essential cliche in rom-coms where the protagonist was a playful, boyish guy.

If there was a difference with the current situation...

It would be that the presence of one extra loser gave it a bit of an NTR vibe.