What Kind of Girl Do You Like?
Sierra was humming absentmindedly. "Emil, you're..."
"Hm?"
This extra lesson after the study group session Marie had requested. In this space alone with just the two of us, Marie suddenly spoke up.
"You're really good at teaching."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I get it right away. Hehe."
Marie said it shyly, her cheeks flushing red. I watched her quietly with a smile, and suddenly memories of the first loop came flooding back.
Back in the first loop, I'd been the one to ask her, but we'd still spent time alone studying for exams. Of course, unlike now, all I could do was sit there with her. I was just a plain extra back then, without the skill to teach her anything.
But Marie in the first loop had accepted my request anyway. There was no real benefit for her in studying alone with me.
She'd gone along with it regardless. And just like now, we'd carved out that time for just the two of us.
And, though a little different...
I remembered having a similar conversation back then.
'Emil, you're...'
'Hm...?'
We were studying alone in a classroom bathed in the orange glow of the sunset.
'You treat me so nicely for some reason.'
'......'
Marie looked at me, curiosity hidden behind her impassive face. Her straightforward question, without any beating around the bush, caught me off guard, and I lost my words for a moment.
Then she pressed on.
'Why is that...?'
'......'
'Hm? Why do you do that?'
She grinned as if she found my speechless reaction amusing, like she already knew the answer. But she kept pushing, as if she wanted to hear it straight from my mouth.
'We should study, Marie. Aren't the midterm scores important?'
'......'
I pretended not to notice her obvious intentions and changed the subject. Marie, who had been grinning and probing, shut her mouth and shot me a dissatisfied glare.
Then, focusing back on her book, she muttered under her breath.
'Coward...'
She was probably sulking because she didn't get the answer she wanted.
Of course, I knew exactly what response would satisfy her. But I couldn't say it. Back then, I thought the timing wasn't right.
According to the plan, the proper route would wrap up after midterms. Giving an answer that sounded like a confession before that would be too risky.
Because of my evasive judgment...
Marie glanced at me and grumbled.
It was a comment that hit pretty close to home.
'Sigh... If you're gonna be like this, I should've studied with Malcolm~.'
'......Why bring up Malcolm all of a sudden.'
'Well, his grades are better than yours anyway. If I'm gonna study with someone, it'd obviously be better with the top scorer like him.'
'Then why don't you study with him.'
'......Because you asked me.'
'You could've just said no.'
'...I dunno, idiot.'
The price for not giving her the answer she wanted was a petty little spat. In the process, Marie had successfully stirred up my jealousy, and knowing their relationship from the original story, I fell for it hook, line, and sinker.
Thanks to that, even as a plain extra, I felt a complicated pang of envy.
We argued, but seeing my jealous reaction lifted Marie's mood instead.
'You wouldn't like it if I studied with Malcolm?'
'...Focus on studying, Marie.'
'Can't answer this one either? Idiot, moron, coward.'
'......Of course I wouldn't. Stop asking and let's study.'
'Why? Why wouldn't you like it?'
With her mood improved, Marie started probing my feelings all over again. It was a real headache. My mouth itched to spill everything, but I couldn't, leaving me frustrated.
But on the flip side...
Seeing Marie fish for that kind of answer from me brought a quiet joy. It was proof she had feelings for me too.
Recalling those old memories from the first loop, I turned my attention back to the present.
"...This has nothing to do with studying."
"What is it?"
"You know, a few days ago in the infirmary, I asked you about Sierra..."
"Oh, you mean if I like Sierra?"
"Eek... Y-yeah."
Marie suddenly brought up something unrelated to studying. Her cheeks were red, her eyes fixed on her book as she fiddled with her pencil.
"It just popped into my head. I asked so out of the blue back then. Hehe..."
"Did you?"
"Yeah, anyway... This is kinda sudden too, but I'm just curious."
She carefully shifted her gaze from the book. Her pink, round eyes peeked up at me shyly.
"Emil... What kind of girl do you... like?"
"......"
It was a blatantly direct question. But Marie was trying her best to make it seem natural. I could see her biting her lip to steady her voice, gripping her pencil to hide her trembling hands.
So... what's the best answer here?
I pondered for a moment, as if choice options had popped up in front of me.
In a normal route, something like:
━ A bit of a ditz but cute?
━ Someone who works hard toward their goals
━ Big breasts, etc.
An answer incorporating Marie's traits would do the trick.
But my situation now was different.
Unlike the first loop, my goal isn't a route with Marie.
Sure, we were sharing this cozy, intimate vibe right now. But deep down, there was a festering wound in my heart.
I was doing this to carve it out.
And for that, I needed her confession.
So my answer here had to be careful.
If I sound too into Marie-types, she'll wait for me to confess.
From my position of needing to receive a confession, having her wait for mine would be the worst-case scenario.
After a few seconds of thought...
I went with a deliberately vague response.
"Someone who gets good grades on these midterms."
"......"
Marie fell silent for a beat after hearing it. In my smiling gaze, I clearly saw her eyes tremble.
Was she flustered? Did she think I'd caught on? Was she wondering if I knew?
I couldn't read her exact thoughts. But...
Scritch, scritch...
Marie turned back to her book and started solving problems again.
"Nothing else you're curious about?"
"N-no... nothing..."
Marie couldn't even smile, her face tense as she hung her head. Seeing her so flustered made a soft laugh escape me unbidden.
I liked how troubled she looked by my answer.
Why? After watching her for a bit, the reason came to me.
It tied back to that flashback from the first loop.
'You wouldn't like it if I studied with Malcolm?'
'...Focus on studying, Marie.'
'Can't answer this one either? Idiot, moron, coward.'
'......Of course I wouldn't. Stop asking and let's study.'
'Why? Why wouldn't you like it?'
Back then, she knew my feelings full well but teased me anyway, drawing out the answer she wanted.
Maybe I just wanted a little payback for that.
…
The next day.
After classes as usual, I headed to the annex for the study group.
Slide.
"Hey?"
"...Just you?"
"What, disappointed Marie's not here?"
"......"
Sierra was the only one there to greet me when I opened the door. No Marie, no Malcolm.
She was already studying with her textbook open, grinning mischievously as she teased me.
"Where are the other two?"
I ignored her question naturally and sat down in front of her.
"Who knows, they'll come soon, right?"
"Got it."
"So?"
"...What."
"Disappointed Marie's not here?"
But Sierra stubbornly circled back to the question I'd tried to dodge. She looked ready to keep asking until I answered.
"They'll be here any minute, why would I be disappointed."
I deflected casually, pulling my textbook from my bag and setting it on the desk.
Sierra gave me her signature pouty look.
"You're so unmanly."
"What now."
"Being honest here is what makes a man."
"Your complaint isn't that I'm unmanly—it's that you're bored."
"Same difference."
"......Anyway, it's their business. Aren't you showing too much interest?"
I said it with a hint of annoyance. Not genuine, of course.
But considering why I was targeting Marie, Sierra's curiosity was a real hassle.
Still, she shot back with narrowed eyes.
"No, if you're gonna flirt, at least hide it better."
"......"
"Every study group, you two stick together and get all cozy."
"......Hm."
She had a point—I had no comeback.
Sure enough, Marie had been approaching me openly lately during sessions, without a care for prying eyes.
It must've been obvious even to a third party like Sierra.
"We're not even all together every time, and when it's just us, a little chat's fine, right? Between us."
"Between us...? You talk like we're old friends."
"Hehe, grade leader and runner-up. Close enough, no?"
Sierra grinned shamelessly. Her logic was nonsense, but I hesitated on how to reply.
Should I just say it straight? Obviously, "I'm not interested in Marie."
That way, rejecting her confession later wouldn't cause issues.
But what if it gets back to Marie...?
It could derail the route entirely, so I wavered.
Meanwhile, Sierra sighed with a deflated look.
"You really not interested?"
"......"
She beat me to it, flipping the question back. And without waiting for my answer, she kept going.
"Sigh, this is shocking. No way Marie's the only one who's serious."
"......"
"Or is there someone you're serious about?"
"......What?"
"Hehe, like... me?"
Sierra winked cutely, pointing at herself with her index finger.
Anyone could tell it was a joke, but I couldn't laugh.
"Rude. Say something like that to a beauty like me, and you should at least blush."
"Try it again. If my heart skips, I will."
"Fine, then I'll go for real—brace yourself."
She seemed to drop the Marie teasing. Probably picked up from my reaction that I wasn't serious about Marie.
Worked for me. I decided to play along until Malcolm and Marie arrived.
As I waited after her "brace yourself," Sierra cleared her throat with a "Ahem."
She looked at me with a shy expression. Obviously fake, but combined with her beauty, that shyness carried more weight than sincerity.
"Emil..."
"Hm..."
"I like you..."
"Yeah."
"...Hehe, how was that? Nailed it, right?"
"Eh... maybe 70 points."
"Did Malcolm hit you on the head or something? That was a solid 100."
Sierra wasn't bragging. It really was a perfect 100-point confession, just like she said.
But admitting that full-on would've weirded out the mood, so I docked 30 points for good measure.
"Be honest. It made your heart race like a 100, didn't it?"
"Quiet. Let's start studying."
"Aww, c'mon~ Be a man and answer properly."
Sierra poked my hand with her pencil as I averted my eyes, grinning teasingly.
Her playfulness seemed aimed at making up for earlier, when I'd acted annoyed.
Maybe that's why I smirked.
"Fine, it was pretty good..."
Slide—.
"......"
"......"
"......"
The classroom door opened, and Marie appeared.
"......Ah, M-Marie."
"......"
Sierra awkwardly stammered with a forced smile at Marie's blank expression, while I froze, speechless.
Marie wore an emotionless face I'd never seen, even in the first loop.
Thud, thud.
Without a greeting, she walked straight over.
Thump.
She plopped into the chair next to me and looked at us.
And then—
She smiled brightly, as if the stiff atmosphere from moments ago had never existed.
"Hehe, sorry, did I keep you waiting too long?"
"......"
"......"
That perky smile felt even more chilling.
Marie started pulling books from her bag.
In the awkward silence, Sierra glanced at me apologetically, mouthing silently.
'Sorry...'
I didn't react to her apology at all.