Chapter 234

The next morning. Fresh out of the shower for work, I woke Miyuki, who was fast asleep beneath the covers.

"Miyuki, wake up. Aren't you sleeping in a bit too much lately?"

"Ah, why'd you wake me up...! I'm tired..."

Miyuki twisted around, whining cutely. I lightly patted her butt a few times. Letting out a long exhale through her nose, she sluggishly sat up.

"Are you leaving for work now...?"

"No. A little later."

"Yeah..."

Her eyes, still vacant from just waking up, were puffy—probably from the salty yakitori she'd eaten when she came over last night. She had stuffed her face with it, claiming it had been a while; I figured this would happen.

Struggling to open her heavy eyelids, Miyuki looked up at me. I was watching her adorable display with a fatherly smile when she suddenly thrust her head into my lap, making me burst into laughter.

"What are you doing?"

".... I wanna sleep more..."

Pushing past my lap and burrowing almost all the way to my inner thighs, she wrapped her arms tightly around my waist and blew warm air between my legs. Then she lifted her head, thoroughly enjoying my squirming reaction to the ticklish sensation.

"Tomorrow's your day off, right...?"

"Right."

"We're going to study, right?"

"Yeah, let's do it."

"Yeah... then I'll contact Tetsuya too?"

"Do you really have to include him?"

"We promised him before vacation... We have to study together for our grades to improve together..."

"Alright. I'll drop you off before I go to work, so go wash your face."

"Yeah..."

Obediently nodding, Miyuki sat cross-legged and began rubbing her face with her hands.

"I told you to wash your face. What are you doing just rubbing it dry?"

"A dry wash is still a wash... You should have specified with water, idiot."

"You're being cheeky. What are you doing today?"

"I'm supposed to watch a movie with my sister..."

A cozy movie date for the sisters? I want to go too. I was just imagining sitting between Kanna and Miyuki, receiving a double handjob from both of them, when Miyuki's next words snapped me back to reality.

"Oh, and mom said you should drop by sometime. She said it's been a while since she saw your face..."

"Got it. Tell her I'll visit soon."

"Or should we just study at my house tomorrow?"

"That sounds fine too. Let's see how things go first and decide."

"Got it. Do I have time to brush my teeth?"

"You do. Go ahead."

Miyuki stretched both arms out toward me. A demand to be pulled up. Smiling pleasantly at her growing affection, I slid my hands under her armpits and lifted her to her feet.

Only then did she sluggishly make her way to the bathroom. I neatly arranged the mattress and blankets, dropped Miyuki off at her house after she finished brushing her teeth, and drove straight to Renka's neighborhood.

Not long after I parked the car nearby, the Main Gate opened and Renka stepped out. Today's outfit was jeans, a hoodie, and a parka. Dressed simply, but she was still pretty.

"Hi."

Renka's morning greeting as she opened the car door. Smiling brightly at her for initiating the greeting for once, I raised a hand.

"Hello. We're officially commuting together starting today."

"Yeah."

"You like it, right?"

"No."

"Right. I like it too."

"I said no."

"Got it. We're departing."

"I said no, I don't. I told you I don't."

Ignoring Renka, who was talking back to every word, I released the parking brake. I felt good this morning. I'll do my best to train Renka today too.

*

The cafe's prep time before opening was the perfect window for Renka and me to enjoy some intimate time. Bickering with a grumbling Renka right before slipping through the back door, or...

"I'll eat it...! I can just eat it myself...!"

Or calling her back to feed her candy right after she stepped out of the Changing Room, just like now.

Perhaps remembering the incident where I slipped my thumb into her mouth last time, Renka tried to snatch the Blueberry Candy right in front of her eyes. But when I frowned slightly, she just stomped her feet, unable to do anything else.

"Say 'ahh'."

"Ah, I don't want to...! You're just going to stick your finger in again...!"

'Be glad I'm not sticking it somewhere else.' Swallowing those words, I tapped the candy against the stubbornly resistant girl's lips.

"Hup...!"

Instinctively, she opened her mouth just a sliver and pulled the candy in. Expressing my satisfaction with a grin, I pulled my finger away the moment I saw the candy completely enter her mouth.

"....."

Renka looked at me with a suspicious glare. It seemed she found it strange that I'd just obediently fed her. There appeared to be some inexplicable hint of disappointment in her eyes... Was it just my imagination?

I asked Renka, who was rolling the candy around in her mouth with a bewildered expression.

"Is it good?"

"N-not really..."

"I'll give you one a day. We can't have you getting cavities."

".... It's not like you're raising a puppy..."

"You aren't the puppy type, President. You're a cat. You're always acting so feisty. Could you step out now? I need to change."

"You little... Eek!?"

Renka, who had glared at me and was about to snap back, hurriedly covered her face. It was because I'd waved her off and immediately pulled off my shirt. Snapping her head away so fast her neck almost broke, she tried to flee the Changing Room without even putting on her shoes and ended up stubbing her toe on the threshold.

"Ouch!"

Startled, I quickly approached Renka and supported her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fin... Hey...! Let go...!"

Nodding through the pain, Renka freaked out the moment she caught sight of my still-bare chest. Should I praise her for retaining her sense of shame even while hurting? Or should I just feel bad for her...

Letting out a deep sigh, I half-forced the struggling Renka to sit on the floor of the Changing Room.

"D-don't touch me...!"

"Just sit still for a second."

Did she sense the genuine worry and seriousness in my voice? Her desperate attempts to pull her foot away from me finally ceased.

I pulled off her white sock, sat fully on the floor, and gripped her heel to hold it steady. Then I carefully examined her pale, slender toes from every angle.

Renka slightly averted her eyes, her face flushed red. Her reflexively wiggling toes were a bonus. I wasn't sure if it was a reaction to the pain or embarrassment from staring at my bare chest, but it was cute.

Regardless, her feet were incredibly pretty. It would have broken my heart if she'd gotten a real wound, but thankfully, they were only red from the impact.

"Only your big toe is a little red. It's not cut or anything."

"....."

"Does it hurt when I touch it?"

Saying that, I pinched her navy-blue painted toenail and pressed down gently. Her eyebrow twitched.

"N-no, it doesn't hurt... it just tingles a bit..."

"Doesn't that mean it hurts?"

".... I think it hurts less than right after I stubbed it..."

"That's a relief then. But why were you trying to run away like that?"

"B-because you suddenly took your clothes off...!"

"I'm sorry."

"....."

Renka's mouth clamped shut. She seemed thrown off by my calm, sincere apology. I carefully slipped her sock back on and said, "Just in case, wear slippers while you work today. If it still hurts later, we can go to the clinic together."

"....."

A faint clattering sound came from inside Renka's mouth. Unable to find the right words, she resorted to rolling her candy around. It was admirable that she hadn't dropped it even in her panic. I'd have to give her another one when we got off work.

"Aren't you going to answer?"

"G-got it... Clothes... put your clothes on first..."

Hearing her reply, completely drained of her usual fierce momentum, I smiled warmly, gently set her foot down, and picked up my dress shirt. When the crouched Renka tried to leave, I told her to stay put while I stepped out of the Changing Room to put my shirt on.

*

"A cappuccino... right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Ah, yes... Just a moment... I'll process your payment..."

Renka, taking the male customer's order, fiddled with the POS register while glancing nervously at me. My words from yesterday were clearly still weighing on her.

Cheering inwardly at her highly predictable reaction, I naturally prepared the coffee the moment she finished the transaction. As soon as the customer took his drink and left the cafe, I called out to Renka, who was wiping down an already clean sink.

"President."

".... What?"

"Who told you to mingle with guys?"

"I happened to be at the counter, so of course I had to take the order... Wait, why am I even making excuses..."

Why else? Because you have feelings for me, and you don't want to get on my bad side. Seeing the mindset of a slave unconsciously taking root and developing within her... It was a wonderful sight.

"I'll let it slide with just a warning today since it's your first day, but you'll be in real trouble if you do this again."

".... I have absolutely no reason to receive a warning from you. And how am I supposed to work if I can't talk to male customers? Are you going to take responsibility if I get fired?"

"Of course I will. I'll just hire you as a maid at my house."

Renka's face scrunched up in disgust. She must have vividly imagined herself working in a short-skirted maid outfit with a collar around her neck.

"I wouldn't do it even if you paid me 10,000 yen an hour."

"Isn't it normal to do it for 10,000 yen?"

"I won't."

"Sure, then. What are you doing tomorrow on your day off?"

"I'll be at home."

"That's a shame. I have plans, too."

"What's a shame? Are you deaf? I said I'll be at home."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Haa... Whatever. Forget I said anything..."

"Why? Keep talking."

"Shut up. But what plans do you have?"

She sounded annoyed, but there was a distinct hint of curiosity in her tone. She was secretly mindful of it. My private life.

"Do I have to tell you?"

"You always pester me about what I'm going to do, so it's only fair I get to ask too."

"For a slave?"

"Hey...! I told you not to call me that...!"

"I don't recall you ever forbidding it."

"Then don't do it from now on...!"

"You're being unreasonable. Is your foot okay?"

".... It's fine. I pressed on it earlier and it didn't hurt."

She had been fuming just a second ago, but now she was acting bashful. The sight of my bare chest in the Changing Room must have crossed her mind again. Amused by her rapidly shifting attitude, I replied, "That's a relief."

"Yeah... But what are your plans?"

"Are you curious?"

"I'm not, but since I answered your question, it's only fair you answer mine."

"What kind of logic is that?"

"It's not logic, it's fairness."

"I'll only tell you this once. I decided to study."

Renka's eyes widened in surprise.

"What...? Study?"

"Yeah. With Miyuki and Miura."

"Oh, really...?"

"Why are you so shocked? Because it doesn't suit me?"

"No, well... it's not that it doesn't suit you..."

"What do you mean, no? It's written all over your face. I'll text you tomorrow evening, so come out."

".... In the evening? For what?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Well... I'll think about it."

She was accepting it with far less resistance than yesterday. Her affection level must have bumped up a bit thanks to the incident in the Changing Room. At this rate, it might be fine to accelerate our progress even more.

"Let's plan on seeing each other tomorrow then. Send me a picture of your foot when you get home today."

"A picture of my foot...? I told you it's fine."

"No. Not for that, I just want to admire them. I noticed earlier that your feet have a really pretty shape."

Renka's mouth fell open slightly. Her mind completely blanked out at the unexpected remark.

Giggling with a mischievous smirk, I headed to the counter to greet a customer who walked in right as she snapped back to her senses and was about to explode.