Chapter 378

"Why won't you budge?"

That was Hiyori's reaction after stepping behind my back and trying to push me again.

Every time I turned around, she scurried right back behind me. She wasn't exactly tiny, but since she was so much smaller than me, she looked like a puppy darting around its owner.

"Are you a wall, sunbae-nim?"

"What are you talking about...? I asked what you're doing here."

"I saw you, sunbae-nim, so I followed you. Do you want a piece of candy?"

Candy out of nowhere?

At this rate, I wondered if she was going to start offering me one a day, just like I did when I trained Renka.

"I just brushed my teeth, but... give it here."

"Why did you brush your teeth just now?"

"I had some Popcorn, and the kernels got stuck in my teeth."

"Popcorn?"

"Someone brought some to the classroom."

"Give me some too."

"It's all gone. I ate it all."

"Then I can't give you the candy either."

"It wasn't even my Popcorn to begin with."

"I don't care."

"Look at how mean you're being."

Hiyori giggled at my baffled tone. She pulled out a lollipop, unwrapped it, and held it out for me.

"I was going to save this for later. Why did you unwrap it?"

"When an adult gives you something, you just say thank you and eat it."

It was funny hearing her parrot the exact words I usually said.

I let out a soft chuckle and obediently accepted the candy she offered.

"Thanks for the treat."

"You're welcome. By the way, has the location for the school trip been decided?"

"Yeah. We're going to the sea."

"Are you going to Shizuoka?"

"Probably?"

"Then we'll be in the same place."

"We don't know that. There are a lot of Beaches there."

"You don't know which Beach it is?"

"No clue. I didn't look closely."

"You sure live an easy life."

If you heard the worries I have right now, you wouldn't be able to say that.

I feigned a motion to flick her on the forehead. When she immediately covered her face, I just let out an exasperated sigh.

"Not as easy as yours. What's your first period class?"

"Math."

"Math on a Monday? You're out of luck this week."

"Why?"

"Because math is hard."

"It's fine. I'm just going to sleep anyway."

"Why are you saying that so proudly?"

"It's better than lying, isn't it?"

True enough.

I let out a dry laugh at her blunt honesty.

"Pay attention in class. Don't even think about sleeping."

"You're being too..."

"I'm not oppressing you."

Robbed of the chance to finish her sentence, Hiyori smacked her lips.

Her face openly displayed her debate over whether she needed to change her repertoire. Watching her scheme like that was cute, but also utterly absurd.

"Go inside. It's almost time for class."

"How about we ditch together?"

"Don't you worry about exams at all?"

"Nope."

"Right... It's nice that you're so positive. Stop talking nonsense and go to class. You're going to be in trouble if you sleep."

"You won't even know if I'm sleeping or not, sunbae-nim."

"True. Maybe I should ask Mitsushima after class?"

"Miho will just cover for me and say I didn't sleep."

"She doesn't seem like the type. If anything, she'd be the one waking you up."

"You have a point. Sometimes Miho feels like a mom."

It made sense that someone like Hiyori needed a Miyuki-like figure by her side.

And for her, that person was Miho.

With the candy Hiyori gave me in my mouth, I scratched my cheek awkwardly. For some reason, she was staring intently up at my face.

"What are you staring at?"

"Nothing."

I felt like she had strangely become more proactive... Was I right?

She had always been like this, but today her forwardness seemed especially prominent.

It felt like she had... made up her mind about something.

"Do you want an item today?"

"An item?"

"For Animal Crossing."

"Oh, that? I'll gladly take it."

"Got it. I'll contact you tonight."

"Not too late. It's a weekday."

"Looking at you, sunbae-nim, you're surprisingly like a model student."

"Thanks for the compliment, now go fix your hair."

As I spoke, I pointed at the top of her head. Her hair was unusually flat today, yet a cowlick stuck up like a stray blade of grass right in the middle.

Hiyori pressed down on her hair and said, "I'll give it some volume during the break."

"Why didn't you do it before coming to school?"

"I overslept."

"And you're planning to sleep again?"

"People with good skin naturally need a lot of sleep."

"Sure, keep bragging. Turn around."

At my stern tone, Hiyori obediently turned around.

I gave her back a gentle push, half-forcing her to walk. Together, we headed toward the First-Year Hallway as she chattered away about how much she didn't want to go.

Come to think of it, was the Third Year school trip also set for the sea?

I should ask around.

"Presi—"

"Eek...!"

Before I could even call out to her, Renka noticed my presence and fled in another direction.

Chinami, who had been chatting with her, was suddenly left all alone. She widened her eyes.

"Hm?"

Staring at Renka's retreating back as she scurried away, Chinami turned to me as I approached.

"Why do I get the feeling she's avoiding you, junior?"

"I don't know. Maybe she was having dirty thoughts."

"Why would she react like that just because of dirty thoughts?"

Chinami tilted her head adorably to one side.

It seemed she was trying to imagine whatever dirty things she could comprehend.

Groping butts, hugging tightly from behind...

Getting a massage at a love hotel, and then having passionate sex afterward...

Whether those were the thoughts running through her mind or not, Chinami's eyes subtly averted my gaze.

Watching her cheeks grow redder by the second almost made me burst into laughter.

She was embarrassed, sure, but when it came to tolerance for perverted acts, Chinami was hundreds of times better than Renka.

With that thought in mind, I spoke.

"It's probably similar to whatever just popped into your head, Master."

"Ah... I-I understand."

"By the way, has the destination for the Third Year school trip been decided?"

"Yes...! The sea and the valley were locked in a fierce battle, but the valley ultimately won."

What a shame. That was incredibly disappointing.

If Renka and Chinami were going to the sea as well, I was planning to try for a threesome, or maybe even push for a foursome with Miyuki included...

Since things turned out this way, should I look forward to the trip next semester?

No, I'll just have to make separate plans to visit the sea during vacation.

"I see. Is preparation for the tournament going well?"

"Of course. We're working hard. It's a huge shame you won't be participating, though, junior."

"I'll give it some serious thought for the winter tournament."

"That sounds wonderful."

"But, Master."

"Yes?"

"Do you remember when you went to the Raffia Hotel with the President last time?"

"Nyah...!? I-I remember...? Why do you ask...?"

In the past, when I took Renka and Chinami to a love hotel, I gave them private massages and slept with them separately.

I had succeeded in planting the idea that the two of them were doing naughty things with me in the same place, but I still wasn't satisfied.

Renka was already so well-trained that she successfully handled the plug, and lately, Chinami was getting far more turned on than usual whenever I touched her body.

So this time, I was planning to try doing various things with both of them in the exact same bed.

The real threesome I had been imagining. That was my goal.

"I was just wondering if you were up for it again."

"Nyah... T-That...?"

Chinami didn't know what to do with herself.

She even started twisting her body shyly. I gave her back a reassuring pat and smiled brightly.

"I just thought it would be nice to get some good rest together there."

"Ah... I see..."

"Yeah. How about it? Think you'll be okay with it?"

"I... um... It's really comfortable and nice for me when I rest with you, junior, but..."

"The President is the problem?"

"W-Well... Rather than a problem... Hmmm...! I think I'll need to have a proper discussion with Renka about this...!"

"The President will agree."

"Ah...? Did you bring this up with Renka before asking me?"

"No, I didn't. But I know she'll say yes."

"I-Is that so...?"

The half-doubting expression on Chinami's face was incredibly adorable.

"Yeah. Just talk it over with her. I'll have a word with the President too."

"Yes... I understand... Ah, I shouldn't be standing around like this, I have work to do..."

"I'm handling all of it today. You should go practice Kendo, Master. You need to prepare for the tournament."

"But I'm fine...?"

"I'm not fine with it. Lately, every time you do manager work, you end up swinging your hands through empty air. You're better off putting your mind at ease and just training instead."

"Ah... I wonder if that's really okay..."

"Why wouldn't it be? There's nothing difficult for me to handle anyway. Don't worry about it and go train."

"In that case, I'll have to give you all the peaches I brought today, junior."

Mhm... I thought this every time, but our Chinami had such a beautiful heart.

She must take after her mother, Momoka.

Suddenly, I felt an urge to slide right between the mother and daughter as they washed dishes and wrap my arms around their waists.

"Ippon!"

While I was having those thoughts, a loud shout echoed from the senior acting as the referee in the center of the Club Room.

Wondering what happened, I turned my head to see Tetsuya withdrawing his shinai and returning to his starting position.

His opponent was a first-year junior who had been learning Kendo since childhood.

Did he score an Ippon win against him?

He's working hard at Kendo, and working hard at boxing...

Our Tetsuya has grown up so much.

He should have tried this hard earlier... What's the point of doing it now, after getting everything stolen away?

Tears almost clouded my vision.

Chinami said she would go do her training. Giving her a smile and an encouraging nod, I walked over to Renka, who had been glancing this way from afar and flinched the moment our eyes met.

"President."

"..."

"President."

"Ah, who..."

She was feigning ignorance, and it wasn't even funny.

I stared at her as she struggled to act nonchalant. I pointed toward the Drying Room and lowered my voice.

"Follow me."

"W-Why should I... I already had my candy for the day earlier..."

"It's because I have something to tell you."

"Something to tell me...?"

"There's something I need the President's help with."

"Y-You just said you had something to tell me..."

"Hurry up."

Renka's eyes darted around anxiously.

She was so nervous she looked like she might break into a cold sweat, yet she didn't show any sign of explicitly refusing.

Was this really the same domineering President who used to hate me so much?

Every time that thought crossed my mind, comparing it to the current Renka was not only hard to believe, but it truly made me realize how far we had come.

With those thoughts in mind, I stepped into the Drying Room, followed by a very cautious Renka.