Chapter 116: A Comfortable Home
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 116: A Comfortable Home
“Good work, everyone. Did you have fun?”
At Goro’s words to the assembled club members, they answered in drained voices.
““Yes...””
We didn’t even have practice on the morning of our departure, yet everyone was as limp as if they’d just run a full-out sprint.
The training had been tough, but they were a bunch of youths in their prime, all gathered together to have fun. Now that it was almost time to part ways, they were bound to feel a little sad.
“I’m seriously considering doing this again right before or after the break, so don’t be too disappointed. And...”
Goro began a long-winded speech about the way of martial arts.
A hint of boredom crept onto the members’ faces.
Watching them with pity, I started moving the equipment onto the bus with Chinami.
Seeing Chinami tucked away inside the luggage compartment, a certain impulse surged within me.
A sealed, narrow space where no one could see.
Sex in a place filled with a dirty, musty smell...
It felt like it could be a unique kind of thrill.
“Phew...! We’re about halfway done now.”
Chinami’s voice sounded refreshed after she finished organizing the gear we’d loaded.
I looked around and tilted my head.
“Isn’t that everything?”
“We have to move it all again once we get to the academy. And we still have to clean the protective gear the members used.”
“That’s true.”
“The thought alone is exhausting, isn’t it? Once we arrive at the academy, you can head home first, Junior.”
“Why would I leave you behind, Master? Don’t say such strange things.”
I chided Chinami with a serious expression, then wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead with my finger.
At the completely natural gesture, her large eyes blinked, and she quickly grew shy.
Looking down at her, I smiled softly and said, “My car is in the academy parking lot. After we finish, should we go home together and get some ice cream?”
“Oh...! I’d love that. In that case, I’ll treat.”
“Sounds good. Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
After finishing our work, Chinami and I stood side-by-side before Goro. When he noticed us, he suddenly started clapping.
He was commending us for our hard work, but his method was so... Goro.
“Let’s have a round of applause for our managers, who were a great help in making this training camp run smoothly.”
““Thank you!””
Their voices boomed now that there was a sign of the boring speech ending.
This kind of development, straight out of a youth story... I really wasn’t a fan.
The bus ride back to the academy was quiet.
Most of the members were fast asleep.
When I had returned after my match, I’d seen drinking parties breaking out all over the lodge. The aftereffects must have hit them.
“Junior. Try some of this.”
Chinami held out something soft and apricot-colored.
It was the peach-flavored jelly she’d been eating during every break throughout the training camp.
Letting out a hollow laugh, I took the jelly, tossed it into my mouth, and chewed.
She beamed and asked, “It’s good, right?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Hee hee... I’m glad you like it. Would you like some iced tea, too? I brought some in a thermos. I even got some ice from the cafeteria to put in it.”
“Is it the perfect ratio?”
“Of course.”
While the mood at our seats was warm and friendly, the seats next to us were incredibly quiet.
That’s where Tetsuya and Renka were sitting.
It seemed they were both thinking about what happened yesterday.
Tetsuya must have felt a sense of powerlessness, having been beaten by me without being able to do a thing.
As for Renka, she must have felt conflicted after losing to me three times when I’d only been learning kendo for a few months.
Either that, or she was thinking about the wishes.
* * *
“It wouldn’t be right to ask our managers, who’ve worked hard since before the camp even started, to do menial tasks until the very end, would it? Everyone, grab a box. Move.”
After saying that, Goro stacked two boxes filled with heavy equipment and lifted them.
His willingness to lead by example was touching.
Although this was a manager’s job, Chinami and I were members who were also serving as managers.
The other members, knowing we were sacrificing our own practice time, didn’t complain. With about thirty people helping, the cleanup finished in no time.
There was still some final cleaning left to do, but I was satisfied just by how much time we’d saved.
If the two of us had to organize all that luggage, it would have taken ages... I was relieved.
After dismissing the members in front of the club room, Goro went into the coach’s office, saying he had something to discuss with Renka.
I had wanted to have a sweet moment with Chinami in the empty club room...
Swallowing my disappointment, I saw Tetsuya, bag on his shoulder, about to leave the club room with a first-year classmate.
He usually said goodbye when he left, but seeing him try to leave without a word made it clear what he was feeling.
So petty...
Scoffing inwardly, I called out to him in a loud voice.
“Miura! Leaving already?”
Tetsuya flinched, then turned his head and forced an awkward smile.
He pointed a thumb at the ordinary-looking classmate next to him and replied, “Yeah. I’m heading out with Ryota.”
His name was Ryota?
That’s the name of a protagonist in an NTR story who’s just asking to have his girl stolen.
“I see. Alright then.”
“Good work. I’m heading out.”
After giving a half-hearted reply, I was about to head into the storage room where Chinami was, but I ran into Renka coming out of the coach’s office.
“...Ugh...!”
Renka flinched upon seeing me.
As her eyes darted around, I spoke.
“Good work today.”
“...You too. Do you know where Chinami is?”
“In the storage room. Should I call her for you?”
“No, that’s not it... I was just thinking I’d help with the cleanup.”
“All that’s left is cleaning the protective gear, so it’ll be over soon.”
“The sooner it’s done, the better. Besides, I was planning on going home with Chinami.”
“Master is getting ice cream with me.”
“What? Why?”
“What do you mean, why? We’re going because we said we would. Do you want to join us, Captain?”
“...I’m good.”
Hearing her cold reply, I shrugged and reached for the storage room doorknob.
Just then, Renka called out to me, her voice tinged with a slight urgency.
“Hey...! Matsuda.”
“Yes?”
“I have something to say about the wishes.”
“That again?”
When I made a fed-up face, Renka got defensive and shot back, “It’s better to clear up any ambiguities, isn’t it?! Who knows if you’ll say you want to increase the number of wishes for your last wish?”
The moment I heard that, I burst out laughing.
I couldn’t hold back my laughter imagining Renka anxiously worrying that I might say something like that.
At my reaction, she gritted her teeth and continued, “A-anyway, I was going to say that’s not allowed.”
“I won’t. Unless we make another bet, I’ll only use three.”
“...Right.”
“But it feels like the restrictions are piling up, don’t you think?”
“It would be a problem for you too if I made a wish like that. It’s a fair restriction, isn’t it...?”
“I suppose you have a point. Let’s get this straight while we’re at it. The wishes are valid for one month starting today, no sexual wishes, no using a wish to cancel another wish, and no using a wish to add more wishes... Those are the restrictions so far, right?”
“Right.”
“Anything else to add?”
Renka’s eyes rolled back and forth.
I could practically hear the gears turning in her head.
“...Requesting money or valuables is also forbidden.”
“Were you worried I’d ask for that figure?”
“I absolutely was not. Don’t jump to conclusions.”
“Understood. Next?”
“That’s it. This should be enough.”
“Great. Let’s go inside. I’ll give you a ride home after we finish cleaning.”
Renka’s eyes widened.
“You don’t have to do that...”
“You said you weren’t getting ice cream, so you can’t go home with Master. I thought you might be bored going alone. You can refuse, but Master might be disappointed.”
“.....”
A long sigh escaped Renka’s sharp nose.
She seemed to be debating what to do.
After a moment, Renka gave a small nod.
“Then... I’ll take you up on that.”
“Alright.”
* * *
After dropping Renka off and having a quick ice cream with Chinami, I pulled the car up in front of her apartment building.
“Today’s Yogurt Peach was so good, calling it heavenly wouldn’t do it justice.”
She unbuckled her seatbelt, an ecstatic smile on her face.
After all the hard work during the training camp, eating her favorite dessert seemed to have put her in a genuinely good mood.
I grabbed Chinami’s bag from the back seat, placed it on her lap, and said, “You worked hard. Go on in and get some rest.”
“You’re the one who worked hard, Junior. I feel bad that you even drove me home.”
“It’s not far from the ice cream shop. There’s no need to feel sorry at all.”
“Okay... See you tomorrow.”
“Yep.”
Fidgeting with her fingers, Chinami said her goodbyes and got out of the car. Then, she bowed to me at a ninety-degree angle.
As a bonus, the bag on her back slid down, causing her to stumble.
I let out a chuckle at her clumsy display. Mortified, she scurried into the apartment building, and I drove off.
Arriving home, I smiled at the familiar, warm feeling.
It had only been three days, but it felt like half a month had passed.
My mind felt at ease. So much had happened from the day before yesterday until today, and I just wanted to get inside, wrap myself in a thick blanket, and sleep.
After parking the car, I unlocked the main gate with my key and went inside.
I walked along the stone path, stepped onto the veranda, and slid open the window leading to the living room that doubled as a bedroom. A chilly draft swept in.
It was cold, yet cozy... a contradictory feeling.
Home really is the best. The moment I got here, I could feel my energy draining away, a pleasant lethargy setting in.
I turned on the boiler and flopped down onto the futon. My eyes immediately started to feel heavy.
The night before last, it was Tetsuya’s snoring, and last night, it was the members’ drinking party. I was severely lacking sleep. On top of that, I had physically exerted myself and driven, so the wave of sleepiness that washed over me was unstoppable.
I needed to wait for Miyuki, who would be here soon... but it was hard to stay awake.
She has a key, so she’ll let herself in, right?
[I’m gonna close my eyes for a bit.]
I slowly sent Miyuki a message, then closed my eyes.