Chapter 391

"Matsumatsu."

After roll call and breakfast, I stepped outside, only for Hiyori to poke me in the back.

"What?"

"Where did Hanazawa sunbae-nim go?"

"She went to grab something from her room."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Sunscreen or a hat, probably."

"Are you heading out now? Where to?"

"Not sure yet. We'll probably walk around downtown for a bit, then maybe head to the beach."

"Call me when you get to the beach, then. Let's hang out."

"Alright."

"...Really?"

Hiyori blinked, clearly not expecting me to agree so readily.

Her cowlick bobbed to the left.

It was obviously just swaying from a sudden blast of the Hotel's air conditioning, but to me, it looked like an antenna broadcasting her emotions.

A simple antenna that twitched to the left when she was happy, and to the right when she wasn't.

"If you don't want to, forget it."

"I never said that."

"But it'll be a little awkward to hang out if the other first-years are there."

"What about Miho?"

"Mitsushima is fine."

Miho seemed like the type who could rein you in whenever you tried to go full throttle.

"Then Miho and I will slip away from the rest."

"Do you really have to go that far? Your friends might feel left out."

"You were so harsh to my friends yesterday. Why are you suddenly looking out for them?"

"I wasn't talking about your friends. I meant that weird guy."

"Oh... him? He's usually really funny, but..."

"From my perspective, he's just a punk who got out of line with Miyuki."

"Didn't I get out of line with Hanazawa sunbae-nim too?"

"At least you're aware."

"Then you must not like me either, huh?"

"I've never thought of it that way. You didn't have any malicious intent."

"Malicious intent? I had plenty of it... But if you didn't notice, I guess I held back a little too much."

She casually spouted things that would normally appall someone.

I snorted at her half-joking remark and lightly flicked her broad forehead.

Despite the light tap, Hiyori's head snapped back dramatically as if she had just taken a heavy ball to the face.

I stared at her overreaction in disbelief. "Does pouring out all that energy first thing in the morning actually give you strength?"

"Yep."

"It's good to see you so lively. Anyway, make sure you two get along."

"Like I told you last time, that's..."

"Nothing is impossible."

I spoke firmly and gestured for her to zip up her jacket.

Hiyori looked down at her thin windbreaker. The zipper had slipped below her chest. She half-heartedly pulled it up, grumbling under her breath.

"You're so conservative..."

"I have to be with you."

"Even though you already saw my panties."

"What did you just say?"

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

"It's not like I was trying to look. You're the one who flashed me."

"No way. You deliberately tickled my foot just so you could get a peek."

I had a feeling that when Hiyori grew up, she was going to become a tabloid reporter churning out fake news.

The image suited her perfectly.

If she were cast in a drama, she'd definitely shoot to fame as the nation's most hated villainess by the finale.

"Stop brewing up weird conspiracy theories and just go have fun. I'll call you later."

"Fine. I guess I'll just be lonely by myself."

"You have Mitsushima and your friends."

"You really have no empathy."

Holding a conversation with Hiyori used to give me a massive headache, but now her antics just seemed cute... It was a strange realization.

I played with her cowlick, tugging it and letting it bounce back, before I spoke.

"Let's go with that. Anyway, I'm heading up."

"Yep. Should I send you a picture of me in my swimsuit?"

"Don't spout nonsense out of nowhere, and don't wear the same swimsuit you wore yesterday, either."

"Why are there so many things I'm not allowed to do? Are you a dictator?"

"I do kind of want to be one."

I gave Hiyori a light pat on the small of her back, making her flinch, then waved goodbye and headed upstairs to Miyuki's floor.

I was about to text her, but the sound of a man and a woman talking drifted from around the corner.

"Miyuki, are you completely fine with this?"

"With what?"

"With him hanging around a first-year like that. They seemed pretty cozy just now."

I instantly knew what this was about.

Tetsuya must have seen Hiyori and me talking downstairs and immediately run off to tattle to Miyuki.

I had no idea when he had spotted us, but man... this was pathetic.

He had really sunk that low.

I actually thought you had grown up a bit. I even praised you a tiny bit in my head... But now there's nothing left but disgust. What was I even expecting from you?

I didn't even feel disappointed.

I already knew this was exactly the kind of guy he was, and if anything, I was grateful he was acting like this.

Why? Because seeing him act this pathetically would rapidly drain whatever lingering affection Miyuki had left for him.

"Hmm... Tetsuya-kun, what exactly are you trying to say? It's fine, you can be honest with me."

At Miyuki's solemn tone, Tetsuya finally broke his silence.

"Matsuda is dating you. He should know how to conduct himself properly."

"Do you mean Matsuda-kun should keep his distance from other women?"

"Exactly."

"Then what about me?"

"Huh? You...?"

"I have a boyfriend named Matsuda-kun, but I still hang out with you all the time, don't I? We talk on the phone for hours, and we go for walks together sometimes. Going by that logic, doesn't that mean I'm the one who isn't conducting herself properly?"

"That's..."

"You're saying this out of concern for me, right? You don't have any other intentions, do you?"

Of course he had other intentions.

Miyuki was usually sharp and thoughtful, but she had a tendency to be too soft on the people she trusted.

"Of course. Every day I..."

"Then that's enough."

"...I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't be apologizing to me; you should be apologizing to Matsuda-kun. Make sure you find him later and apologize to him separately."

"But... wouldn't Matsuda think it's weird if I just walked up to him out of nowhere and apologized?"

"Hmm... I guess so?"

He had tried to drag my name through the mud, only for it to completely backfire.

Because he had no idea how Miyuki felt about me, he probably thought saying something like that would drive a wedge between us.

This was exactly why he shouldn't pull stunts that didn't suit him; he was only destroying his own image... Tsk, tsk.

Since he had been talking trash behind my back, I didn't feel a single ounce of sympathy.

If anything, I was aggravated. Once this school trip was over, I would have to set a date and have a chat with Tetsuya.

Whether that chat involved words or fists, we were going to do something.

The season for just sweeping this kind of crap under the rug had passed.

My magnanimity simply didn't stretch that far.

"Anyway, Tetsuya-kun, when you eventually get a girlfriend, try not to be too controlling. I hear it's really stressful."

At Miyuki's continued advice, Tetsuya muttered a barely audible agreement.

Sensing their conversation was ending, I backed away from the corridor.

Then, pretending I had just arrived, I waved at Miyuki from a distance as she came around the corner.

"Are you just coming out now?"

It was best to pretend I hadn't heard the conversation.

Treating Miyuki warmly as if I knew nothing, and answering her honestly, would only make her judgment of Tetsuya's pathetic behavior that much harsher.

Her love for me deepening was just a bonus.

"Matsuda-kun!"

Miyuki immediately ran over and threw her arms around my waist.

The gentle scent of plums wafting off her seemed sweeter today.

It was probably because she had just so firmly shut down Tetsuya's attempt to drive a wedge between us.

I gently massaged the back of her neck—which came right up to my chest—and asked, "What were you grabbing that took so long?"

"I was trying to get my sunscreen, but I couldn't find it. What were you up to?"

"I was with Asahina, but you were taking forever, so I came up."

"Really? What did you talk about?"

"I told her to make sure she gets along with you."

"What...? Why have you been so obsessed with us getting along since yesterday?"

"She reminds me of you in some ways, so you suit each other."

"She reminds you of me? Me and Asahina?"

It was adorable how her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Yeah."

"In what way?"

"The way she acts. You might not know yet, but I can see it clearly."

"Really...?"

While Miyuki was still eyeing me with suspicion, Tetsuya stepped out from the corner with his head hung low like a guy who had just been dumped, and locked eyes with me.

"Miura is here too? Have fun today."

Giving him the exact same greeting I had yesterday, I feigned total ignorance and spoke in a benevolent voice, and I noticed the corners of Miyuki's lips twitch upward.

She clearly loved seeing me act so amicably toward the guy who had just been talking trash behind my back.

Tetsuya's jealous stunt had only served to boost my reputation.

This was exactly why it was good to have a point of comparison.

And from my perspective, Tetsuya was that magnificent subject.

Chuckling inwardly, I let it go when the guy accepted my greeting with a face that looked like he'd just chewed on shit.

Afterward, he told Miyuki to have fun and left, and I tilted my head.

"What's with him? His expression was rotten."

"Ah... He said his stomach hurts a lot. And what do you mean 'rotten'... Can't you put it more nicely?"

She was telling a white lie.

She obviously knew that if she told me the truth, things would turn ugly between Tetsuya and me.

Of course, things were already past the point of no return between us anyway, but considering Miyuki's wishes, I decided to let it slide.

"Alright. Where do you want to go first?"

"I looked it up yesterday, and apparently there's a lot to see downtown. Let's walk around for a bit and take some pictures."

"Sure."

Was it because she had just done something so sweet?

Miyuki looked exceptionally beautiful today.

Deciding I needed to shower her with affection and sweep her off her feet, I pressed my lips fiercely and deeply against hers.

After that, I intertwined my fingers with my flustered girlfriend's hand, officially completing our preparations to head out.