Chapter 144: What's the First Cosplay?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 144: What's the First Cosplay?
“Junior.”
Chinami called to me from behind.
I was doing my usual repetitive chores when I turned my head. Renka, who had been some distance away, quickly rushed over to join the conversation.
“What are you talking about?”
Chinami looked up at Renka, dumbfounded.
“Friend, weren't you far away just a moment ago...?”
“Nope. I was just passing by.”
“Is that so...? I was about to ask Junior to bring me some disinfectant ethanol.”
“Really? You heard her, Matsuda. Go get it.”
Renka's intentions were painfully obvious.
From the day before yesterday until today, Wednesday, Renka had been like this every time.
Whenever Chinami and I tried to talk, she would barge in and prevent us from having a proper conversation.
It was the same when we were cleaning the protective gear or the shinai. She would come into the storage room at all hours and run interference.
Shaking my head as if to say she was hopeless, I asked.
“Why have you been acting like this since the day before yesterday?”
“What are you talking about? I don't understand.”
I looked at Renka playing innocent and slowly raised one corner of my mouth.
A mocking smile. Seeing it, Renka rolled her navy-blue eyes.
She seemed to be feeling anxious.
“I understand.”
I gave a simple reply and went into the equipment storage, and Renka followed me in, demanding abruptly.
“Wh-what is it...? What are you plotting?”
“What are you talking about? I don't understand.”
When I threw her own words back at her, Renka gulped.
Her eyes darted left and right as she scanned our surroundings, then she lowered her voice.
“The cosplay... are you going to make me do something weird...?”
She keeps shooting herself in the foot. How can I not like you when you act like this?
“Judging by your words, you must have known you were being too nosy.”
“……”
“If you're so worried about the cosplay, wouldn't it be better to just get it over with? It'll only take thirty minutes.”
“I-I'm thinking about it, so stop talking about it.”
“You were the one who brought it up, Captain. I don't know why talking with you has been so fun lately. Can I call you when I get home today?”
Renka flinched when I subtly showed my interest.
She glared at me with a "what kind of crazy bastard is this" expression and flatly refused.
“No. I won't answer even if I die, so don't waste your energy.”
Be honest. You're enjoying this reaction from me, aren't you?
You're pretending to be prickly, but deep down, you're happy.
Am I wrong? If not, whatever.
I grabbed the ethanol spray and held it out to Renka.
“Take this to Master.”
“Why should I?”
“You're just going to meddle again if I go anyway. I'll tidy up in here, so you take it, Captain.”
“……”
Perhaps thinking I wasn't wrong, Renka snatched the ethanol from my hand and left the storage room, muttering to herself.
My dear Renka... She follows my orders so well now. Her manners have improved so much.
* * *
No matter how much Renka tried to interfere with us, as the captain who had to look after all the club members, there were limits to what she could do.
Because of that, Chinami and I managed to find moments to enjoy our time together without interruption.
It was the same now. We were alone in the indoor drying room, hanging up the washed kendo uniforms and talking.
“It's so much more peaceful without the nag around.”
“A nag?”
“The captain.”
“Oh, no...! Junior. You shouldn't speak like that.”
“She always jumps in whenever I try to do anything, saying she can't trust me. I've been the manager for a while now, so it's a little upsetting.”
At my words, Chinami stopped shaking out a dobok and came over to pat my back.
“Deep down, Renka acknowledges that you're a good manager, Junior. She's just being harsh because she wants you to improve even more.”
“You call that being harsh?”
“Yes, of course. Although, Renka does think you're... well, um... she still... still doesn't quite trust you yet, but she's slowly changing.”
The way she tried to sugarcoat it made me think Renka must have been talking a lot of trash about me when they talked on the phone or texted.
And back then, my dear Chinami must have scolded Renka, telling her she shouldn't say such things, just like now, right?
That's what I believe. Because Chinami is a good person.
“Renka acts cold on the outside, but she's an incredibly warm person on the inside. Lately, when we talk, she's been mentioning you more often, Junior.”
My ears perked up at Chinami's words, and I asked.
“Really? In what way?”
“Umm... To be honest, it wasn't all good things, but she did compliment you. She said you were surprisingly diligent and had good sense.”
Diligent and had good sense?
She must be talking about when I helped the twin uncles.
“A compliment from the captain is surprising, but well... I'm not exactly happy about it.”
“Oh, no...! Junior.”
Chinami placed her hands on her hips and shot me a stern look.
She seemed to be trying to look like she was scolding me, but her face was so cute that it didn't look like that at all.
I strode right up to Chinami, looked down at her, and obediently apologized.
“I was wrong.”
“.... You don't seem very sorry for someone who did something wrong...? And now my neck is starting to hurt.”
Of course it would, since she had to crane her neck all the way back to look up at me.
I gave her a gentle smile and wrapped my hand around the back of her neck.
“Heek...!”
Her shoulders jumped, and she shrank into herself.
Her cute toes, visible beneath her kendo pants, also curled up tightly in that instant. Was it because it had been a while since I'd touched her? Her reaction seemed more sensitive than usual.
“If your neck hurts, you need to loosen up the muscles a bit. Is this okay?”
I kneaded it lightly before my hand started to gently stroke the nape of her neck.
At the caress disguised as a muscle massage, Chinami's face instantly flushed red.
“Ooh... Yes...”
“Should we have a massage this week?”
“.... Y-yes...? A massage...?”
“Yes. A massage.”
As I tempted Chinami with my soft voice, I gently scratched the back of her neck.
“Ah...! Ah!”
Chinami let out short, sensual gasps in response to the stimulation starting from her nape, her body trembling.
Her eyes were starting to glaze over, and her slightly parted legs were slowly coming together. She was definitely feeling it.
It seems her sensitivity has increased significantly since the last massage.
“Umm... Wh-when this week... are you going to do it...?”
Chinami barely managed to ask.
I moved my hand up to the top of her nape, where her baby hairs were, and pressed down firmly as I answered.
“We'll have to find a time that works, won't we?”
“Y-yes...! I'll make time...! I will...!”
“I was planning on making it a little longer than last time. Is that okay?”
“L-longer...? How long...?”
“Well, now. That depends on how much you enjoy it, Master.”
“Ngh...! I-if I tell you to stop, will you stop...?”
“Of course.”
“And if I ask for more... you'll give me more...?”
“That's right.”
“G-good... In that case, let's find a time... Hyaah...! Don't do that...! That's not my neck...!”
Chinami protested as my hand moved past her neck and onto her back.
My hand had slipped down to where her bra strap was. I slowly pulled it out and straightened her dobok.
“So, shall we set a time soon?”
“.... Yes... Ahem... Let's discuss it over the phone...”
“Understood.”
Having made a secret promise with Chinami, I nonchalantly went back to hanging the doboks.
* * *
“I wish it would snow instead of rain... Don't you think the weather's been so weird this year?”
Miyuki grumbled, looking at the rain-streaked car window.
I had parked in front of her house and just shrugged.
“It's not time for snow yet. I like the rain, though.”
“I didn't say I hated it. Idiot.”
I chuckled at Miyuki, who was being particularly coy today, and got out of the car.
Then I opened my umbrella, walked over to the passenger side, and opened the door.
Click.
As if she'd been waiting, Miyuki, who had been dawdling, jumped out of the passenger seat and clung to me.
She was holding onto my waist so tightly it was hard to move. Maybe it was the sticky atmosphere from the weather, but her display of affection was a bit much, especially since we were right in front of her house.
Now that Midori had already caught us, was she just thinking, "to hell with it"?
Miyuki, growing more alluring by the day... Not bad.
I practically had to drag her to her front door.
“Go on in. It's cold.”
“Drive safe. And call me when you get there.”
“Got it.”
“Or do you want to hang out at my place for a bit?”
“It looks like your parents just got back, so let's not. They'll just busy themselves if I come in.”
“How did you know they just got back?”
“There's a puddle of rainwater under your dad's car in the parking spot. And I just saw the light in the first-floor bathroom window turn on.”
“When did you see that? That's amazing...”
“Just happened to see it. Now hurry up and go inside.”
I gave her butt, which was sticking way out, a couple of pats. Only then did Miyuki straighten up and take out her key.
After watching Miyuki go inside, I returned to my car.
I was driving through the downpour when the phone connected to the car started ringing. Renka's name appeared on the screen, and I answered immediately.
“You said you wouldn't answer even if you died, and now you're calling me yourself?”
-Shut up. Don't mock me.
“I'm not mocking you. Why'd you call?”
-…
A sigh that seemed to reflect Renka's complicated feelings came through the car's speakers.
After a brief pause, she asked cautiously.
-That cosplay thing... can we do it tomorrow?
Why is she suddenly saying that?
What's gotten into her?
I slowed down, pulled the car over to the shoulder, and focused on my call with Renka.
“Tomorrow? Isn't that a bit sudden?”
-Like you said earlier, I figured it'd be better to just get it over with so I can relax. You said you'd be considerate of my schedule... so is tomorrow evening possible? Around seven.
“Of course, it's possible. Good thinking.”
-You said it yourself that if it's too much, I can beat you up. You remember that, right?
“Yep.”
-...Okay. Should I go to that hotel from last time?
Why is Renka's resigned tone so damn arousing?
Maybe it's because she sounds like a slave who has accepted her reality.
“No. You stay home, Captain. I'll come pick you up on time.”
-Got it. I'm hanging up now.
“Why? Let's talk more.”
-No. See you tomorrow.
Click.
The call ended just like that.
I chuckled at Renka's decisiveness and started driving again.
Later, I went home, grabbed the cosplay outfit I'd bought in advance, and went to the room I'd kept reserved to hang it up.
Tomorrow, I'll have to be a little more aggressive.
With that in mind, I neatly arranged the tools I would be using tomorrow on the shelf next to the hanger and left the hotel.