Chapter 121: Provocation
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 121: Provocation
The next morning.
I woke up early as usual and drove to Miyuki's house. The moment I parked, I unbuckled my seatbelt.
Midori was standing next to Miyuki.
I quickly got out of the car and bowed my head in greeting.
"Good morning, ma'am."
"Hello, Matsuda-kun. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Midori was wearing a simple, solid-colored dress that clung slightly to her body, with a cardigan draped over it.
It was a fit that didn't reveal the curves of her body completely, but enough to give an idea.
Her already large breasts, slender waist, and hips were accentuated. I had to fight the urge to discipline her for her indecent attire as I replied.
"Yes, it has. Have you been well?"
"We're doing just fine. But you haven't been coming over lately... I'm a little hurt, you know?"
"I'm sorry."
"I'm just kidding. Let's have a meal together when you have time. And take this."
Midori held out two long, vertically-wrapped bundles she was holding.
I took them without thinking and tilted my head.
"What's this?"
"Miyuki's father bought a lot of prepared eel yesterday, so I made some grilled eel with sauce. Eat it with Miyuki for lunch today. The pink one is yours, and the blue one is for Tetsuya-kun."
You can't just make something like this for me.
Don't go to sleep tonight. Come out and wait for me around one or two in the morning.
I'll come by with the back seats folded down.
"Grilled eel? I've been craving some lately... Thank you, I'll enjoy it."
"It's nothing. Thank you for always giving Miyuki a ride, even though it must be a bother."
"Not at all. It's no trouble."
"That makes me even more grateful. Please take good care of our Miyuki."
Her words felt strangely ambiguous. Miyuki, looking troubled, poked Midori in the side with her elbow.
"Mom...!"
"What are you doing?"
"Well...! You're saying weird things..."
"How is that a weird thing? Hurry up and get to school."
"Okay..."
Her shoulders slumping after her mother's scolding, Miyuki trotted over to me.
After saying goodbye to Midori, I got in the car. Miyuki opened the passenger door, climbed in, and shut it before speaking.
"I didn't ask her to make that."
She was talking about the grilled eel lunchbox.
Since the food Midori happened to make was famously good for a man's stamina, she seemed worried I'd get the wrong idea.
I carefully placed the lunchbox bundles in the back seat and shrugged.
"Who said you did?"
"...You're so annoying."
"Was that an insult?"
"I didn't insult you...!"
The way she whined, her tone rising slightly at the end of her sentence, was cute.
A small laugh escaped me. I started the car, driving very slowly, and said in a passing tone, "I think your mom has a vague idea about us, so just tell her you're sleeping over at my place from now on."
"What are you talking about... Mom doesn't know yet."
"That's what you think. Have you asked her directly?"
"I don't know... Just drive..."
Miyuki being all prim and proper in the morning... not bad.
I wonder if Kana has already left for school.
She's probably flustered whenever she sees me after what happened last time. I kind of want to see the drastic change in her attitude, since she was always teasing me.
Maybe I'll stop by Miyuki's house for a meal this weekend.
* * *
"Hey, Bread Girl."
"Cough! Yeah...?"
"What kind of bread is it today?"
"Th-this... It's a tomato pasta croquette..."
"Isn't eating something fried this early in the morning a bit heavy?"
"It's... cough! It's fine..."
As I was talking to the still-timid Bread Girl, Miyuki hit me on the back, a little harder than necessary.
"Ow! What was that for?"
I feigned injury and glared at her. She scolded me with a stern look.
"How can you bother her while she's eating? You're making it hard for Masako."
"I was just talking to her."
"Matsuda-kun, your face is so intimidating that just talking to someone is a bother."
"There you go, making things up again."
"It's not made up, it's the truth. Stop this and review what we learned yesterday before class starts."
"What's there to review...? It's not even exam season."
"You have to consistently review things to get them in your head if you want to do well on the final exams. You've been getting arrogant because you did well on the midterms. Keep it up and you'll end up in last place again, you know?"
"Don't say such jinxing things..."
Though I grumbled, I did as she said. Bread Girl and the vice president, who were sitting in front of me, seemed to find my obedience amusing and covered their mouths as they giggled.
They'll be moaning when I'm fucking them later. Go on, laugh all you want now.
"Miyuki, I'm confused about the problem you explained during our video call yesterday... Can you help me out?"
Did the cheerful atmosphere on our side of the room bother him?
Tetsuya, holding a math book in one hand, dragged his chair over and sat right behind Miyuki.
Miyuki gave him a kind smile and nodded.
"Of course. What are you curious about?"
"This."
"Ah... that part? You did seem to struggle with it yesterday. Okay, so first..."
Miyuki began to tutor him meticulously.
It felt like Tetsuya's attitude toward Miyuki had become strangely proactive... but seeing a cockroach-like existence like him act this way was just pathetic.
"Did you get it?"
After Miyuki finished her detailed explanation, Tetsuya scratched his head vigorously.
You're gonna drop dandruff, you fucker.
"I think I mostly get it."
"Then try solving it on your own from here, and if you really don't get it, ask me again then."
"Got it."
"Anything else you're curious about?"
"Um... for now, just this. Thanks."
Tetsuya stood up, flashed a bright smile, then glanced at me before returning to his seat.
It was obvious he was trying to force a cool smile for Miyuki...
Why is he doing something that doesn't suit him at all?
Did they talk about ideal types or something during their video call yesterday?
Is he acting like this because Miyuki said she likes guys with nice smiles?
Whatever it is, him being so conscious of me is getting old. It's as annoying as a fly buzzing around.
I feel like I'd be satisfied if I could just smack him in the jaw. Will I ever get the chance?
* * *
"Ah... so in this situation, you strike downwards."
"Right. It's not easy to get your stance back, is it?"
"No, it's not. Thank you for the great lesson today."
"Don't mention it. Your attitude is so good it makes teaching you rewarding. Let's keep working hard."
"Of course, Captain."
Renka and Tetsuya exchanged warm words.
I was moving a water cooler bottle, watching the two of them. When Renka's gaze shifted to me, I gave a slight bow.
"Hello, Captain."
She shuddered, as if recalling what had happened yesterday.
Then there was Tetsuya, looking back and forth between me and Renka with a puzzled expression, which then morphed into a slightly serious one as if some strange delusion had taken root in his mind...
It was a scene I thoroughly enjoyed.
"...Hello."
I grinned at Renka's reluctant greeting, finished my task, and opened the door to the storage room where Chinami was.
And then,
"Mmph? Wewcome?"
Chinami, her mouth moving diligently, greeted me.
Judging by her puffed-out cheeks, she must have stuffed something huge in there...
My brow furrowed as I approached her and asked, "What are you eating all by yourself?"
"Heok."
"What was that?"
"Heok."
"Tteok? [Rice cake?]"
A very strong peach scent wafted from Chinami as she nodded her head up and down.
Why are her cheeks so puffed out from just eating a rice cake?
Is it a big one?
"Ish hawd."
"It's hard?"
"Yeh..."
It certainly looked like it.
I pulled two tissues from the dispenser in the storage room, placed one on top of the other in my palm, and held my hand out to Chinami's mouth.
"Spit it out."
She shook her head from side to side, looking like she didn't want to waste it.
"If you don't spit it out, your jaw will turn into a square, you know?"
"Reawwy...?"
Horrified by my joke, Chinami snatched the tissues from my hand and turned around.
Then, with all her might, she began to spit out the rice cake that was completely filling her mouth.
"Mblegh..."
After making a bizarre sound, Chinami wrapped the rice cake in the tissues and swiftly threw it into the trash can.
"Phew...! That was a tough battle... though it was one I brought upon myself."
"What kind of rice cake were you eating that you couldn't even chew properly?"
"This one."
Chinami took something out of a black plastic bag in the corner of the storage room and held it out to me.
It was an incredibly large, apricot-colored rice cake.
I'd never seen anything like it. When I touched it, it was even hard.
As I examined the strange rice cake, Chinami, moving her jaw from side to side, explained what it was.
"It's a rice cake my elementary school nephew made at school. He said he made it peach-flavored just for me."
"...Is that so? Then you could have just torn off small pieces to eat. Why did you stuff the whole thing in at once?"
"My nephew said he wanted to see me eat the rice cake in one bite... I was going to put it in my mouth, take a picture, and then spit it out, but it wouldn't come out. I tried to chew it to get rid of it, but it was too hard."
Her nephew is quite the prankster.
Then again, that's what elementary school kids are like.
"As I always say, Master, you're so naive it's a problem."
"Is it that much of a problem? That's quite a predicament. I'll try to be more wicked from now on."
Even if you tried to be wicked, you'd just look adorable.
You'd be like a villain who hatches evil plots but fails every time. It might actually suit you even more.
"I'll be cheering for you. By the way, are you free the day after tomorrow?"
"If it's for one of your heart-pounding massages, then yes."
"I was planning on giving you one of those next time."
"I see... What are you planning for tomorrow, then?"
"I was thinking the three of us—you, me, and Miyuki—could go get some ice cream."
"With Hanazawa-senpai? I would love that!"
She couldn't hide her excitement, even clapping her hands. It seemed she just enjoyed the prospect of meeting someone new.
"It's a promise, then."
"Yes! I'll have to have a deep conversation with Hanazawa-senpai about Momo-nim tomorrow."
"Why Momo-nim?"
"To recruit Hanazawa-senpai as a member of the Momo-dan, of course. Mmm-hmm... a very worthy cause."
So you plan to corrupt Miyuki. You've got big ambitions.
I won't let that happen.
"I'll be rooting for you. Then, the day after tomorrow, let's head home together after club activities."
"Okay."
* * *
"Matsuda."
It was Tetsuya, calling out to me as I waited for Miyuki in the parking lot.
His voice was low, as if he had something he wanted to say.
"What."
"Did something happen with the captain?"
Here it comes.
I had a strong feeling that Tetsuya was about to screw up, that his inferiority complex was about to burst.
I had been leaning against the car, killing time on my phone, but now I stood up straight and faced him.
"What do you mean, 'something happen'?"
"When you greeted her earlier, the look in her eyes was unusual... The captain said nothing was wrong, but it didn't seem that way."
"Is that so? I guess you can read people's minds just by looking at their eyes."
"Of course not. It was just a feeling."
"Nothing happened. You worry about the most pointless things."
"Well, that's a relief. The grilled eel you had for lunch... it was good, right?"
"Yeah. It was delicious."
"Grilled eel isn't something Miyuki's mother makes often. You were lucky today."
He was subtly implying that he was someone who often ate food made by Miyuki's mother.
I nodded nonchalantly.
"I guess so."
"Still, it's surprising."
"I never thought you and Miyuki would get so close. Miyuki is the type who has very clear likes and dislikes, to the point where she won't even look at someone she's decided she hates..."
Clear likes and dislikes?
If he knew how indecisive Miyuki gets when we're doing that, he wouldn't be saying such things.
"I guess she didn't hate me enough to die for it."
"Nah... that's not it."
Tetsuya waved his hand as if I'd said something ridiculous.
He was starting to get on my nerves, but it was interesting.
I let out a light laugh and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Is there something you want to say?"
"No, well... Look, Miyuki's coming. Let's talk next time."
Tetsuya spoke, looking over my shoulder.
I turned around, and sure enough, just as he'd said, Miyuki was approaching at a brisk pace.
Just a little more and I would have had a reason to slap him across the face... What a shame.
Suppressing my disappointment, I opened the driver's side door.