The Days of the Villainous President (4)
Iroha's added remark precisely struck the mark.
She flinched. The hand that had been about to settle on her silky-smooth hair stopped.
'······Ugh. A girl with sharp instincts like Iroha is scary!'
I can never say that out loud.
The fact that I'm carrying out the compromise of touching Iroha while thinking of Hina—the Hina supplement plan—if discovered, the privileges will be revoked. I won't be able to receive any healing anymore.
That's why it's like a role-playing game without inn recovery.
"Ha, saying I'm cooling off. The expression is harsh. Ahahaha······."
"Please answer the question clearly, Senior Makocchi."
I tried to change the subject, but Iroha was persistent.
Iroha, with both hands on her waist, glared at me sternly.
"······I'm just thinking about work while touching Iroha. Touching Iroha heals my body and mind."
I forced my brain to come up with an excuse. It's not entirely wrong.
There are many worries besides Hina.
"What? Is that it? I understand. You can pet me as much as you want until your heart feels at ease."
Iroha immediately accepted it. With a relieved face, she allowed the petting.
"Don't get too messy. I don't want to be touched with sweaty hands. Don't raise your nails either."
More detailed than usual, but Iroha's requests are understandable.
"Petting is a delicate task. The one being touched should also be considerate."
Then, suddenly, the lewd remark hit me and I was stunned.
It was Iroha's mischievous prank. It was the Eroha's words, not Iroha's.
"Again, again, your face is all flushed, Senior Makocchi."
"It's all Iroha's fault."
"There is no such thing. To be precise, it's Senior Makocchi's sexual frustration that's the culprit. I had no choice but to allow my body because I couldn't resist the power of the Manma-jeon chair. Huup······. I've been defiled."
I tried to blame Iroha, but it was in vain.
I can't handle Iroha's flashy banter. I end up being teased by Iroha.
"Earlier, I was just wondering, just in case."
"Hm?"
"When I touch you, Senior Makocchi always has a lost-in-thought face······. I was worried."
The voice was filled with concern. When I looked at Iroha's face, the mischievousness had disappeared.
"I'm fine. You don't have to worry too much about Iroha."
"I know,······. It's just that I'm curious about you a bit more."
Iroha stares at me.
Her eyes are not looking at the counterpart as Hanuma Makoto's clone. She's looking for the essential being beyond that.
"At first, I couldn't distinguish between Senior Makoto and you. The halo, the face, everything was the same. I could have recognized you as a replica."
But Iroha's perception changes.
"But besides the appearance, it's different. The personality itself doesn't aim for the original. Rather, it's close to an independent separate self."
Iroha's reasoning is close to the answer.
I'm not Hanuma Makoto. I'm just someone wearing the skin.
Before I became Makoto's clone, I was the player of Blue Archive.
That is me being-
"Perhaps I was trying to define you as an adult, Senior Makocchi."
The fact that I'm the player of Blue Archive, close to Sensei.
"Then, what opinion do you have on my claim, Senior Makocchi?······ Positive or negative?"
Iroha's question pierces the core and shakes my heart.
"You are not Senior Makoto······, who are you really?"
Finally, Iroha asks me.
I wait for my lips to move and stay silent.
Iroha showed clever reasoning. That fact can't be denied.
But the reasoning is incomplete. No evidence. Iroha can never reveal who I am.
Because the real me doesn't exist in Kivotos.
Just, I, as the clone of Hanuma Makoto, am left alone in this world.
"Who do you think I am?"
"I think the way of answering questions with questions is evasive."
Iroha shot at me with a deflated face.
She was pouting as if she was angry at the unresolved problem.
"I can't answer. I don't know exactly either."
"Is that your answer, Senior Makocchi. Haa-"
Iroha sighed with a face full of fatigue.
"I've had enough of everything. I was immersed but then it cooled down, so it's empty, motivation is low, and I'm tired."
Iroha grumbled with a face full of disgust at everything.
Then, my hand that was petting Iroha's head was ruthlessly removed.
"Until my condition recovers, I'll rest unlimitedly. Don't wake me up."
Iroha flopped onto the sofa.
As if not even wanting to stretch out her hand, she rubbed her soles on the sofa sheet and took off her socks.
"Senior Makocchi, don't work and lie down too. I don't want to be the only one who got messed up. Please join the downward equalization quietly."
Iroha appealed the empty space on the sofa.
A proud expression as if leaving the special seat empty. Somehow, that's Iroha.
"Then, let's take a short break."
So, I decided to spend a short time with Iroha.
♤
That day was overtime.
Pretending to go home with Iroha, I secretly returned to the office for extra work.
I reviewed old administrative documents and studied work processing tips.
"Khueung-"
To relax my stiff body, I did some light stretching.
Before I knew it, time was deep into the night when the night sky was asleep.
I turned my gaze to change my mood from work.
"Let's see.······ Maybe I should practice my posture a bit."
I held the gun on the table in my hand.
The sniper rifle of the same type as Makoto, the infamous Yua Dokson.
It was a masterpiece ordered from Gehenna's artisans, so it took time to obtain the gun.
But the quality was top-notch after waiting.
'With this, I feel like I've taken one step further into the military youth.'
I immediately did a shooting test. The skill was a mess.
It was a natural result. Because I had never used a sniper rifle before.
Makoto also rarely goes to the field, so she doesn't seem skilled with guns.
'If only there was a great personal instructor.'
If there was a girl who wanted personal lessons.
I haven't met her yet, but I can recruit her soon.
After putting down the gun, I checked my phone.
'Ugh. There are a lot of unidentified Momotalk messages.'
They were all messages from Makoto. Mostly urging me to come home quickly.
Recently, Makoto has developed the habit of hugging me like a pillow and sleeping, which is troublesome.
'Should I head back soon.'
I packed my things and left the office.
I walk alone through the late-night school grounds shrouded in darkness.
Every time I walk through the school at midnight, there is one thing I check.
The Prefect Team building of Gehenna Academy. Is the light on in the Head Prefect's office?
I have never directly met Hina.
I only indirectly confirm Hina's existence through the light in the Head Prefect's office.
'She seems to have gone home early today.'
Hina's office is dark.
I turned away from the Prefect Team building with a slight disappointment.
No, I was about to turn away.
If I hadn't met Hina coming out of the building entrance, surely.
Gehenna Prefect Team's Vice Head, Sorasaki Hina.
The girl I love most was walking towards me. Hina, who had finished her duties at the Prefect Team, was returning home.
"······."
Hina recognized me. Since there are only the two of us on this stage.
The main characters of the story have all gathered. But no more events happen.
I stood there dumbfounded, and Hina silently passed by me.
In the short time of just over ten seconds that Hina passed by me.
I couldn't do anything.
I couldn't turn to look at Hina walking away behind me, and Hina didn't look back at me.
'Ha, haha······. I really met her······.'
Only a powerless failure remained in the meeting.
But I was so happy just to have met Hina that I laughed unconsciously.
The first time was Hina as a gamer of Blue Archive.
The second time was Hina as the clone of Hanuma Makoto.
This time also, I fell in love at first sight. I fell in love.
Unfortunately, the first love for Hina is the second one.
Thanks to my pure love that hasn't changed even though the appearance has changed.
That was my first meeting with Sorasaki Hina.