Chapter 144

Renka's Excellent Reactions

"Matsuda-kun, why did you buy a Laptop?"

Is that really the first thing you say the moment you wake up?

She must be curious about what's inside.

You'll find out soon enough.

I wiped the sleep from Miyuki's eyes and rubbed my own before answering.

"It's just nice to have a computer around."

"That's true, but... isn't it a bit out of the blue? You never mentioned buying one."

"I don't think it's that out of the blue."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Did you have a good trip to your relative's place?"

"Yeah. I brought back some meat for yakiniku, so let's have it at my place later. Mom said she'd love for you to join us, Matsuda-kun."

"Sure."

"Oh, and Mom said something strange. She said I..."

Miyuki recounted what had happened at her house before she came over.

Listening to her story in my half-asleep state, I flashed a triumphant smile.

"See? I told you she knew everything. You make it so obvious, how could she not notice?"

"...Your expression is incredibly annoying right now..."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"What else is there to do? I've already been caught, so I might as well own it. I just hope she doesn't try to meddle."

Unless someone specifically asks for relationship advice, there's nothing more annoying than uninvited meddling.

Anyway, does this mean we're officially recognized by her family now? It took long enough.

I smoothed down Miyuki's wildly messy hair and replied.

"She won't. But it sounds like she also figured out you spent the night out. It's going to be pretty awkward when you go back, isn't it?"

"I think Mom deliberately didn't mention it out of consideration for me. I don't plan on bringing it up first, either."

"Good idea."

Pitter-patter.

I was enjoying a relaxed conversation with Miyuki when the sound of rain against the window caught my attention.

Miyuki noticed it too. She cracked the window open, welcoming the sudden shower.

"It's been so dry lately, and now it's suddenly pouring. The forecast didn't say anything about rain."

Miyuki remarked, her face brightening as she sat up in bed.

I squeezed her calf over her jeans and nodded in agreement.

Miyuki gave me a dumbfounded look and scolded me.

"What are you doing the moment you wake up?"

"Feeling up your calf."

"I know, but why are you feeling up my calf..."

"I'm hungry. Want to go get some food? How about that ramen place?"

The shop where we had left that sticky note with the drawings of our characters.

At the mention of the shop, Miyuki's face lit up.

"I'd love that."

"Let's go, then."

"Okay."

The rain that had started yesterday came down so fiercely it felt like the monsoon season had returned, with no sign of stopping today.

A day like this would have been perfect to spend in bed with Miyuki... I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

I sat through my classes in the muggy classroom. Once lunchtime rolled around, Miyuki, Tetsuya, and I headed to the cafeteria.

We chatted casually as we ate.

"Miyuki, come to the School Store with me for a bit. I'll buy you some Strawberry Milk."

"Huh? All right."

"Should we share an umbrella?"

"No. I have my own umbrella."

"Oh, right..."

I scoffed at the sight of Tetsuya awkwardly trying to hit on Miyuki and getting firmly shot down.

He wasn't even real competition anymore, so why did it feel so incredibly satisfying to watch him squirm?

He was a truly mysterious guy.

"Do you want to come too, Matsuda-kun?"

Miyuki sidled close to me, tilting her umbrella as if offering to share it—a complete 180 from how she had just treated Tetsuya.

She had grown much bolder lately... and I absolutely loved it.

I waved a hand dismissively.

"No. I have to stop by the Club Room with Senior Nanase to turn on the dehumidifier. The Bogu can't get damp."

"Sounds like hard work. Okay, see you later. Say hi to Senior Nanase for me."

"Will do."

I watched the two of them walk away, a glint in my eye.

They were walking side by side, but the physical distance between them was much wider than before.

Of course, part of that was just because they were holding separate umbrellas...

But given how firmly Miyuki had just shot down Tetsuya's offer to share one, it seemed like she was consciously putting up a wall between them. I liked that.

I tilted my umbrella back to look up at the gloomy sky and breathed in the earthy scent of the rain before turning to head back to the classroom.

Just then, I spotted Renka walking out of the cafeteria and immediately changed my mind.

"Hello, President."

I strolled up to her and offered a dry greeting, making Renka instantly contort her face in displeasure.

"Ugh...!"

Her expression twisted as if her mortal enemy had just stabbed her. It was quite a sight.

Why hadn't I seen her inside the cafeteria, though? Chinami and Renka were always joined at the hip, and they stood out wherever they went.

Did they eat in a corner somewhere? Probably.

"Lovely weather today."

"...The rain is coming down so hard. What's lovely about it?"

"I guess you aren't much of a fan of the rain?"

"I hate it. It's too gloomy."

We were facing each other under our respective umbrellas, looking straight out of a scene from a teen romance, yet our conversation was anything but.

"I happen to like it."

"And what exactly am I supposed to do about that...?"

"I'd like it if you, our President, could learn to like it too."

"That will never happen as long as I live."

Then I'll just have to make you like it.

"When would be a good time to do that cosplay?"

At that, Renka frantically glanced around.

She tried to hide her face behind her umbrella, but did she really think that would work? With hair as long as hers, she stood out no matter what.

She could be surprisingly clumsy sometimes.

The area outside the cafeteria was silent, save for the steady patter of the rain.

Relieved to find no one else around, Renka marched up to me and hissed a warning.

"Keep your voice down...! Why are you bringing that up here?"

"It's better than bringing it up in the Club Room. I only mentioned it because nobody else is around."

"..."

"So? When are we doing it?"

"My penalty wish just ended. Why are you in such a rush...? Just wait a bit."

"Because it turns me on."

"W-What...?"

She looked visibly flustered by my blunt admission.

She stumbled back a step, her shoes kicking up the wet dirt as the color drained from her face.

"I-It turns you on...?"

"Yeah. I want to see it as soon as possible."

"Are you out of your mind...?"

"I already ordered the outfit. It's supposed to arrive sometime tomorrow."

"Hey...! Why would you order something without even consulting me first...!"

"We only need to consult each other on the date and time. I'm pretty sure I have the sole authority to decide what outfit you wear."

"I mean, yes, but... what exactly did you order...?"

She lowered her head slightly and peered up at me nervously. It was adorable.

I gave her a sly smile. "You'll find out when you see it. I'm sure our President will love it, too."

"I highly doubt that... A-Anyway, let's talk about this some other time... You could have just texted me."

I'm going to call you instead, though? I want to hear your voice.

I swallowed those words. Just then, I spotted Chinami walking out of the cafeteria, wiping her mouth as she headed our way. I broke into a bright smile.

I jogged over and held my umbrella over her.

"Master, did you enjoy your meal?"

Chinami gave a sweet smile and nodded.

"Yes. Did you eat well, junior?"

"I sure did. Oh, and Miyuki says hello."

"Oh! Junior Hanazawa? We haven't kept in touch much lately, so I should reach out to her soon."

Renka had quietly walked up beside us, continuously scoffing under her breath.

She seemed utterly dumbfounded by my polite, friendly tone, which was a complete contrast to how I spoke to her.

Would she eventually start getting jealous, too?

Noticing Renka's reaction, Chinami tilted her head in confusion.

"Hm? Is something wrong?"

Renka flinched and quickly waved her hands.

"O-Oh, it's nothing."

"I see. Would my close friend like to head back to the classroom first? I need to get things ready for cleaning with our junior here."

"I'll help too."

"There's no need for you to help. We just have to turn on the dehumidifiers in the Club Room and do a quick check on the shinai and Bogu. It won't even take fifteen minutes."

"Many hands make light work, though. Right?"

"I suppose that's true, but..."

"Then it's settled! Let's get going. You can share my umbrella."

Watching her desperately try to save Chinami from my evil clutches was almost touching.

I truly hoped that precious friendship of theirs would never change.

Renka kept a close eye on Chinami and me while pretending to inspect the Bogu.

Her guard seemed to have shot all the way up after I revealed my particular tastes to her on Saturday. But did she realize she was the only one I acted like that around?

I was pretty sure I had explicitly told her that I reserved that side of myself strictly for our President.

I tilted my chin at Renka, whose face was pointed at the Bogu but whose eyes were glaring right at me.

"President."

"...What."

"That Bogu you've been staring at for the past two minutes? I already checked it."

"You still don't have a good eye for these things. You're inexperienced, so I'm double-checking your work."

Nice save. She hadn't even batted an eye before firing that excuse right back at me.

"Is that so?"

"It is."

"Could you teach me, then? I'd love to learn what parts I should be focusing on."

With that, I took a large step sideways and pressed myself right up against her.

Renka sucked in a sharp breath, her arms flailing.

Her strength had completely left her for a moment.

She barely caught the Bogu she almost dropped by squeezing her wrists tight, then gritted her teeth.

"B-Back off...! Do you want to die...?"

Renka whispered her threat so quietly that Chinami wouldn't be able to hear.

It seemed she didn't want her precious friend to catch her swearing.

"Why? I'm just asking you to teach me. By the way, what shampoo do you use?"

"Why do you need to know that...?"

"It smells great."

I threw in the casual compliment, and Renka's face rapidly flushed crimson.

Her humiliated expression was absolutely gorgeous.

I chuckled, fully intending to tease her some more.

"What are you two whispering about over there? Is something wrong with the Bogu?"

Chinami walked over with a puzzled look on her face, and I flashed her a warm smile.

"I was just asking our President to teach me how to properly inspect the Bogu. Master already gave me great instructions, of course, but I figured learning from someone else's perspective would help me improve even more. Besides, our President is just as experienced as Master... so I was hoping to soak up some of her knowledge."

"Oh...! What an excellent attitude...! I can literally see our junior's virtues as a Kendo practitioner blossoming...!"

Chinami clapped her hands in delight.

Renka watched her friend's innocent display and let out a soul-crushing sigh.

"I'm going to lose my mind... What other perspective is there to inspecting Bogu..."

Renka muttered almost inaudibly, then suddenly snapped her head up.

She grabbed the closest Kote in annoyance and pointed at its interior.

"Put your hand inside first. Check if it feels damp."

"Understood. But wait, is this Kote yours, President?"

"It's mine?"

"Yeah. You just grabbed it from the cubby labeled 'Ino Renka'."

"What...?"

Renka flinched and checked the name tag on the Kote.

Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, I quickly shoved my hand inside her Kote.

All while flashing the slimiest, most suggestive smile I could muster.

Slip...

My hand intruded into the slightly cool interior of her gear.

It felt exactly as if I were thrusting something into Renka's pure, bare flesh.

"Mmm... It's a little damp in here. I'll make sure to clean it out real good for you today."

Did she catch the weird, suggestive undertone in my words and the way I probed the inside of her glove?

Renka's face rapidly cycled between bright red and furious pale.

I had phrased it deliberately to spark a misunderstanding, but judging by her reaction, her mind had really gone straight to the gutter... So you have a perverted side to you as well.

Her reactions had gotten so much better since the other day. It looked like my time at the Academy was going to be a lot of fun from now on.

Plus, it was about time to give Chinami her final massage, so I was going to have a very busy week ahead of me.