Chapter 206

Miyuki, who had been dozing on my shoulder, rubbed her eyes and spoke.

"Tetsuya and I decided to study together."

"Oh, really? Should we expect big things for the second-year midterms, then?"

Come to think of it, once the short, uneventful third term ended after winter break without any exams, we would soon be second-years.

Unlike most actual Japanese schools, our class rosters would stay exactly the same going into our second year.

It might get boring, but on the other hand, it made adapting easier, so it wasn't a bad thing.

Having to keep seeing Tetsuya's fucking face was annoying, but well... I'd just have to deal with it.

I could just tease him a bit and then ignore him.

"We'll have to see the results of this exam first, won't we?"

"You're on the Student Council, so you know when they come out, right? Give us a hint."

"They should be out before the break."

Listening to Miyuki and the Vice Representative, I subtly turned my head to look at where Tetsuya was sitting.

He was sprawled out asleep. That sullen look he'd worn since this morning remained on his face even as he slept. That was a talent in itself.

Tap.

The moment their conversation ended, Miyuki draped a towel over my shoulder again, leaned her head against it, and let out a long yawn.

Watching her, the Vice Representative shook her head like she was a lost cause and spoke.

"Couldn't you just recline your seat?"

"This is more comfortable."

"You two look cozy. You were stuck together like glue at the ski resort yesterday, and during the sightseeing today too."

Miyuki offered a faint smile instead of an answer and closed her eyes.

I draped my coat over her, then flashed a grin at the Vice Representative—who was clicking her tongue as if the sight made her eyes burn, just like on our way here—and gestured for her to keep quiet.

. . .

The eventful trip had come to an end, but the Academy was the same as always.

We attended classes just like before, and went to club activities just like before.

However, since the final exams were over and the students' minds were already focused on the winter break starting tomorrow, the teachers gave us a lot of slack.

"Junior, Junior."

Chinami called out as she approached me. I had just finished my relaxed classes and changed my clothes in the Club Room.

Feeling like I hadn't seen her in a while, I smiled brightly.

"Yes, Master."

"Did you have a good trip?"

"Of course. By the way, I really enjoyed the photos you sent."

"Ah, how were they?"

"I was just happy to see that you seemed to have had a fun time too, Master."

It was nice seeing Chinami and Renka smiling so brightly at the tourist spots.

However, since Chinami's face had flushed when I asked her for photos last time, I had been secretly expecting something a bit more risqué. It was a little disappointing not to get anything like that.

"Fufufu... I really liked the warm and balmy Okinawa. Renka felt the same way, so we decided to go on a separate trip together later."

I would definitely have to tag along for that.

Looking down for a moment at Chinami, whose eyes were dreamy as if she were still intoxicated by the lingering feeling of the trip, I asked her a question.

"What are you going to do during the break, Master?"

Chinami vigorously shook her head to snap herself out of it and replied.

"I was originally planning to laze around at home, but I decided to go to the countryside with my parents."

"Is that right? When will you be back?"

"It's not decided how long we'll stay, but I think I'll be there for quite a while. About ten days...? Maybe fifteen at the longest? I plan to be back before the next winter tournament."

I needed to see Chinami at least once every couple of days to recharge my soul...

This was a bit problematic. We could video call, sure, but what I really wanted was to grab Chinami's soft, plump ass.

I had been planning to invite her over to my place... but it was a family matter, so it couldn't be helped.

I would just have to wait for Chinami to return from the countryside.

"I see. Call me often while you're there."

"Yes, I will."

"Shall we get to work now?"

"Oh, I need to go discuss the equipment we'll use in the third term with the coach, so you can go ahead and start working first, Junior. Don't work too hard; make sure to slack off a little."

Stretching her arm out to pat my shoulder, Chinami knocked on the coach's office door and went inside shortly after.

I watched her walk away, then bared my teeth in a grin as Renka approached me wearing her usual sullen expression.

"Hello, President. Did you have a good time with Master?"

"Yeah. It was really great because you weren't there."

She was saying things she didn't even mean.

"I was glad you weren't around either, President."

"Glad to hear it. You didn't forget about the one-day part-time job, did you?"

"I remember. I just have to be at your uncle's house by eight o'clock in three days, right?"

"Right."

"Should we go together in my car then?"

"No. Thanks for the offer, but I'll politely decline."

"Understood. I'll be in front of your house by six-thirty, so come out."

"I said I'm declining!"

"I got it. I'll assume we're going together, then."

Renka's eyes squeezed shut, then opened again.

My stubborn way of speaking seemed to be giving her a headache.

Her sharp reactions were always satisfying, but it was hilarious how flustered she got when she really should have been used to it by now.

"Are you really going to come?"

"If you don't want to believe me, you can go ahead first."

"...So you're just going to wait until I come out of the house?"

"You know me well."

"Haa... Fine. Let's go together."

"That's right. It takes over two hours by public transport. Isn't it great to save time?"

"Let's just say it is."

"Are you going to start your shift right after helping out at your uncle's shop?"

"...I'll start, but not right away."

"Why not?"

"I have something to do."

The "something to do" Renka mentioned was definitely Comiket.

She was probably going to buy a massive pile of merchandise she liked that day, wasn't she?

I was genuinely curious what kind of expression she'd make and what kind of excuse she'd come up with if she bumped into me.

"Get to work now."

"There's not much to do anyway, so I'll take it easy."

"What are you talking about? There's a ton of work. Can't you see that massive pile of towels over there?"

Renka pointed sharply toward a corner of the Club Room.

She felt a bit like a nagging wife.

Sighing deeply as if giving in, I started folding the towels while imagining all the different reactions Renka would show me over the break.

It was a shame there was no spring break, but the long winter break made up for it.

I would just have to be satisfied with getting to spend some lively, fun time with Renka.

[First Place, Hanazawa Miyuki]

[Second Place, Natsume Honoka]

Scanning the top of the rankings posted on the hallway bulletin board, I wasn't surprised at all by the entirely expected results.

Miyuki amiably splitting first and second place with the Vice Representative every single time... What a severe monopoly.

Was Bread Girl in fifth place? I couldn't quite remember how she did last time, but she had done incredibly well.

For the sake of humanity's future, it felt only right that I should quickly pump my superior seed into these three girls with such intelligent genes.

Mulling over these eugenic thoughts, I rolled my eyes down the list until...

[Tenth Place, Matsuda Ken]

I found my name sitting pretty in tenth place and broke into a grin.

I had a good feeling about the exams, and here I was at exactly tenth place.

I didn't feel as much joy as I did during the midterms. Maybe because I had expected to rank higher, barely scraping into the top ten made the achievement feel a bit less moving.

However, Miyuki seemed to feel differently.

"Matsuda-kun! Look at this!"

She jumped up and down, shaking my arm wildly as she pointed at the bulletin board with her long index finger.

I had been wearing an incredibly arrogant expression as if this result were only natural, but my composure slowly crumbled under her fuss.

"I know. Calm down. We already checked the preliminary scores."

"Still...!"

Miyuki looked up at me with eyes full of pride.

And the gazes filled with envy and jealousy coming from everyone around us... I loved it.

It seemed like I would have a very enjoyable time tonight.

[Eleventh Place, Miura Tetsuya.]

Right below my name was Tetsuya.

This was exactly why people needed to be humble.

He had been swaggering around, bragging that he'd make it into the top ten, but look at the results.

Not only had he failed to achieve his goal, but he even ranked lower than me.

Miyuki, who had been rapidly clapping her hands in delight, flinched for a moment upon seeing Tetsuya's ranking right below mine and turned around.

Then, she gently patted the shoulder of Tetsuya, who was wearing the same shit-eating scowl as he had during the last midterms.

"You did incredibly well too, Tetsuya!"

Tetsuya formed an awkward smile at Miyuki's genuine praise and opened his shitty trap.

"Next time, I'll definitely... definitely make it into the top ten."

Not 'I'll try to make it,' but 'I'll make it'?

You shouldn't make promises you can't keep... He truly was a guy with a loose mouth.

"Yeah, I believe in you, Tetsuya. Eleventh place is extremely good too. Don't feel too down about it."

"I'm sorry for disappointing you."

"I'm not disappointed at all. I know both of you worked incredibly hard, so I'm just happy about it."

"Thanks..."

He was probably glad for the encouragement, but ranking lower than me had to be a blow to his pride.

Still, considering it was Tetsuya, I guess he did well enough?

I'll give him some praise too.

. . .

"Guys! Move your desks and chairs out into the hallway! And be careful not to get hurt!"

When Miyuki walked up to the teacher's podium, clapped her hands, and gave the instructions, a loud clattering echoed throughout the classroom.

It was the noise of excited students moving quickly in anticipation of the break.

I silently helped the clearly thrilled students move the desks and chairs into the hallway, exchanging brief farewells with the groups of classmates leaving the room.

Afterward, I approached Bread Girl, who was quietly munching on some bread right behind Miyuki, who was chatting with the Vice Representative.

"Hey, Bread Girl."

"Cough."

Bread Girl substituted her answer with a single, sharp cough.

Handing her my Cell Phone, I asked.

"What are you doing over the break?"

"I'm... Cough! Going to the countryside..."

A lot of people were heading down to the countryside. It was natural since it was the new year, but as someone with no family, the loneliness was almost unbearable.

I needed to quickly get the heroines pregnant and build a massive family of my own.

"Is that right? Have a good break, and you know my phone number, right? Reach out if you get bored."

"Cough."

"Yeah, hand me a piece of bread."

"I have a cream bun, soboro bread, and condensed milk bread... Keugh...! Which one do you want...?"

She carried an absurd amount of bread around.

Was she made of wheat flour or something?

"Why do you carry so much? Give me the soboro bread."

"Okay..."

"Do I need to pay for this?"

"N-no... You've bought me a lot at the School Store before anyway... Cough!"

Coughing and Bread Girl were practically inseparable at this point.

The image of the timid Bread Girl letting out stifled coughs—Kuhup! Koop!—with my cock in her mouth, gulping down thick fluids... It was weirdly turning me on.

"Why are you picking on Masako?"

Miyuki scolded me, having just finished her conversation with the Vice Representative.

I shrugged and replied.

"Who's picking on her? Are you all done now? Can we go?"

"Not yet. Let's go right after I finish the Student Council meeting."

"You still have meetings even during the break?"

"We're just doing a brief overview of the operational plans for the third term. It should take about thirty minutes. You'll wait for me, right?"

"I guess I have to."

At my matter-of-fact response, the Vice Representative standing nearby stared at us in absolute wonder.

"Weren't you two at each other's throats just a few months ago? Especially you, Miyuki... You absolutely hated Matsuda-kun."

Did those words bring back old memories?

Miyuki offered a faint smile as if reminiscing, then shook her head.

"You never know how things will turn out between people."

"True... But it's still so unexpected. The more I see you two, the less used to it I get."

For someone who couldn't get used to it, she sure had a lot to say.

Scratching my head with an indifferent expression, I cut into their conversation.

"Stop talking nonsense and get lost if you're done chatting."

"What the... So annoying. Have a good break."

"Yeah. Try to have a decent break yourself."

Grumbling without malice at my flippant response, the Vice Representative left the classroom with Bread Girl.

Miyuki let out a soft chuckle as if I were hopeless. Once we were completely alone in the classroom, she stepped close and plucked a piece of lint off my uniform jacket.

Then, she spoke.

"Come over to my house for a bit tomorrow morning."

"Why? I thought you were going to your paternal family home in Numazu with your parents."

"It's the new year. You shouldn't spend it alone, so let's eat breakfast together."

"I'm coming back at night, so I won't be alone the whole time."

"Let's eat together anyway. My mom and dad also said they'd like it if you came over, Matsuda-kun."

Midori and Wataru invited me over for the new year?

Tetsuya would cry tears of blood if he found out. He'd feel like his rightful place was being stolen from him.

"Then, well... I'll go."

"Okay. What are you going to be doing in the meantime?"