Chapter 125

It was past ten o'clock. What could bring her here at this hour?

I opened the window and stepped out onto the engawa. I spotted her hopping lightly along the stone path, sticking to the pavers to avoid the grass as she made her way toward me.

"What are you doing?"

"You're still awake?"

"I had just lain down to sleep, but got back up. Hurry up and come inside."

Miyuki hurried over and stopped in front of me.

She had something resembling sand clinging to her hair.

I carefully brushed it out and scolded her.

"I told you to call if you were coming over."

"I thought you might be asleep..."

"Didn't I tell you to wake me up even if I was? Don't you remember?"

"I remember, but I didn't want to wake you."

"Typical. What's all this stuff stuck to you, anyway?"

"I think it's sand. I was at the playground."

"The playground?"

She must have met Tetsuya there... Did she come straight here after seeing him?

I tilted my head in thought, but as a cold breeze blew past, I quickly ushered Miyuki inside.

Miyuki sat down by the space heater next to the TV, blowing on her hands.

I dropped down next to her and asked.

"What do you mean you came straight from the playground?"

"Well... I was originally just going to go home, but Tetsuya split his head open..."

"Huh...?"

What had I just heard?

Split his head open? Tetsuya did?

Did Miyuki cave the bastard's skull in with a hammer?

As I sat there dumbfounded with my mouth slightly agape, Miyuki let out a sigh and began to explain.

The situation was this.

Miyuki had called Tetsuya out to the playground to interrogate him about what happened today. While listening to her from the swings, he suddenly fell backward.

He smashed the back of his head against a rock hidden in the sand and started bleeding, which landed him in the emergency room.

Miyuki had helped him up, taken him home, accompanied him and his parents to the hospital, and had only just returned.

She had told Midori that since she was near a friend's house anyway, she would just sleep over.

"...It was probably a rock some little kids were playing with and forgot to clean up. They really need to put up a warning sign or something."

What kind of ridiculous event was that?

This bastard Tetsuya really was just an unlucky guy.

I let out a hollow laugh and asked.

"Is Miura okay?"

"He bled quite a bit, but the tear was just wide; it wasn't serious at all. The doctor told him to come back tomorrow morning, but he should be home by now."

"Really? But why did he fall?"

"It looked like he lost his balance and fell off."

Seeing Miyuki fretting over Tetsuya with a deeply concerned expression, I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in.

"Still, it's a relief it wasn't anything major."

Miyuki leaned her head against my shoulder and looked up at me with those large eyes of hers.

"Matsuda-kun, I have something to ask you."

"Ask away."

"...Never mind. I'll tell you later. For now, I just want to apologize first. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Just... this and that."

Did she think she was partly responsible for Tetsuya saying those things?

Or was there something about her attitude earlier that made her feel guilty?

Whatever it was, it was cute seeing Miyuki's delicate emotions on such clear display.

I stroked her arm and gave her a gentle smile.

"I'm sorry, too."

"Mmhmm..."

She suddenly let out her signature nasal hum and squirmed.

She looked quite touched. She probably hadn't expected me to apologize in return.

Or maybe she just liked the sound of my husky, late-night voice.

"You couldn't even bring your bag... I guess you'll have to stop by your house early tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah..."

"Are Miura's parents taking him to the hospital?"

"Probably."

"Got it. Should we shower together?"

"..."

Miyuki had definitely smelled the shampoo in my hair.

Even so, rather than insisting on showering alone, she just shyly nodded.

I was glad to see her feelings for me growing even stronger.

I stood up to run the water, but chuckled when Miyuki grabbed my wrist and refused to let go.

"What are you doing?"

"T-Today, I'm tired, so we're strictly just showering... Matsuda-kun is a pervert, so... if I don't say it in advance..."

"All right. Who said otherwise?"

"..."

As I shrugged casually, she gave me a sullen look and finally let go of my wrist.

I let out a soft chuckle, pressed a light kiss to her forehead, and headed for the bathroom.

Something with a slightly blunt tip pushed its way between my lips.

Warm and moist with the scent of plums, it swept across the soft flesh inside my upper lip, brushed against my gums, and slipped right out, only to repeat the exact same action a moment later.

At the sensation of my defenseless mouth being violated, I blearily opened my eyes. "..."

I burst into laughter as I caught Miyuki swiftly turning her body away.

"What are you doing...?"

"..."

"Hey, I asked what you're doing..."

I tapped Miyuki's rear as she lay with her back to me, pretending to be asleep. She slowly turned around with a look of utter defeat on her face and asked.

"You're awake...?"

"Who wouldn't wake up when you're doing that? What time is it?"

"Half past six..."

That was the time we had agreed to wake up yesterday.

Waking me up like this... Our Miyuki's sexual curiosity is growing by the day.

I sluggishly sat up and grabbed Miyuki's hands as she reached out, asking me to pull her up too.

This fresh, youthful feeling... It felt like it had been a while.

We ate the vegetable bento boxes we had at home, amicably brushed our teeth side by side, and took separate showers.

Once we finished getting ready, we got in the car and stopped by Miyuki's house.

After she sneaked out with her bag, we headed to the Academy together.

We were exchanging greetings with our classmates and getting ready for class when the classroom door opened and Tetsuya walked in.

Trudging over with his usual vacant eyes, the bastard had a bandage wrapped around his head.

Thanks to that, his already bushy hair was puffing out everywhere. He looked exactly like the Kappa costume he'd worn during the cultural festival, and I nearly burst out laughing on the spot.

"Tetsuya-kun, what did the doctor say?"

Miyuki ran over and asked Tetsuya, who was currently the center of everyone's attention.

The guy gave a weak smile and replied.

"Just what I said yesterday. They told me to be careful not to get any water in it."

"Are you feeling dizzy or anything?"

"Not yet? Oh, right, my mom and dad asked me to tell you thank you. They want to treat you to a meal sometime... Make sure you come."

"Got it. Anyway, be careful. What kind of grown man falls off a swing?"

"I have no excuse..."

"Still, I'm glad to hear you're okay..."

Relieved, Miyuki pointed at me sitting at my desk, said something to Tetsuya, and then returned.

Then, she poked me in the side.

Seeing her silently urging me to make up with him, I smacked my lips as if I had no other choice. I walked over to Tetsuya, who was surrounded by students asking about his bandage, and pointed toward the hallway.

"Can you step out for a second?"

"Ah... sure."

Tetsuya excused himself and followed me out into the hallway.

I looked down at the dawdling bastard and spoke.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh...?"

"I said I'm sorry. For slapping you yesterday."

"Uh... I'm sorry, too. I should have been the one to apologize first..."

I fully expected him to keep acting like a disgraceful mess, but to think he would actually apologize.

Did cracking his head open knock some sense into him?

I gave a vague nod and gestured toward his bandage with my chin.

"Is your head okay? I heard you fell off a swing."

"...It's fine. Did you hear about it from Miyuki?"

Guess not.

Seeing him bring up Miyuki, he was still at rock bottom.

Including how he emphasized the words 'make sure' when telling her to come over for dinner earlier...

What the hell was I expecting from this bastard? I should really reflect on myself.

"Yeah. Will you be able to do club activities? I thought you weren't supposed to sweat?"

"No, it's fine. The doctor said light training won't hurt."

Right. For a guy like you who craves attention from girls, you'd absolutely have to go, if only to receive Renka's comfort.

Wait a minute... Thinking about it like this, could this bastard Tetsuya...

Have deliberately cracked his own head open?

I lightly patted Tetsuya on the back and spoke.

"Let's go back inside."

"Yeah..."

Just as I expected, Tetsuya received Renka's sincere comfort during club activities.

Watching him exaggerate his pain and act like a crybaby annoyed me a little, but imagining Renka distancing herself from him after she was fully trained, and ultimately coming to despise him, made me feel at least somewhat better.

I went about my managerial duties as usual, and as soon as club activities ended, I headed to the parking lot with Chinami.

I didn't spare Tetsuya a single glance.

It was to create distance. I had no intention of letting him carpool with us from now on anyway.

Driving him around up until now was enough. If I played the pushover any longer, the backseat would end up reeking of his stench.

"Is there anything Junior Hanazawa likes?"

Lost in these thoughts as I walked, I turned my head at the sound of Chinami's voice beside me.

"She likes pretty much any kind of book."

"Hmm... Junior Hanazawa is quite good at her studies, isn't she?"

"Yes. She's never missed the top spot."

"That's amazing. In that case, having a conversation about studying wouldn't be a bad idea."

Why is she trying to converse about such a normal topic? How unexpected.

Come to think of it, Chinami was good at studying, too.

If Miyuki and Chinami bear my children, brains certainly won't be an issue.

"She'll like talking about whatever you bring up."

As we casually chatted our way to the parking lot, Miyuki, who was already waiting for us, bowed her head deeply at the sight of Chinami.

"Hello, Senior Nanase!"

An energetic tone of voice that naturally put the listener in a good mood.

Chinami, a beaming smile spreading across her face, bowed at the waist to return Miyuki's greeting.

"Hello, Junior Hanazawa! I look forward to spending time with you today!"

The first real step toward building a smooth-sailing harem doesn't look half bad.

The atmosphere felt like they would become fast friends.

Yeah, having a threesome with people who are close to each other is way better than doing it with awkward strangers.

I hope the two of them develop a deep bond of friendship.

Watching the two of them already engaged in small talk, I unlocked the car doors with the smart key.

"Get in."

"Ah... okay!"

Miyuki took the passenger seat, and Chinami took the back.

As the two of them got into the car, a sweet fragrance filled the interior.

The harmony of plum and peach scents... It was incredibly nice.

"The yogurt peach flavor is the best at the place we're going,"

Chinami said as she fastened her seatbelt. Miyuki turned around and gave a radiant smile.

"Then should I try the yogurt peach too?"

"You should have whatever flavor you want, Junior Hanazawa. I would never force it on you. I'm merely making a recommendation."

She probably said that meaning she wouldn't force her preferences on someone she barely knew, but when she ate with me, she made me get three scoops of yogurt peach without even asking for my opinion. Yet she gave Miyuki a choice...

Utterly absurd. This is terrible behavior that I can't just let slide. I'll have to punish her with a massage.

"By the way, Junior Hanazawa, do you happen to know of a character named Momo-sama?"

"Momo-sama? Of course I do. I heard she's really popular."

I glanced through the rearview mirror at Chinami, who was already starting to reveal her wicked true colors, and wordlessly drove the car toward the ice cream shop.

This is the final registered chapter.

"Wow...! This is really delicious...?"