Chapter 234: Another Fruitful Day
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 234: Another Fruitful Day
The next morning.
After showering to get ready for work, I woke up Miyuki, who was sleeping soundly, buried under the covers.
“Miyuki, wake up. Aren’t you sleeping in too much these days?”
“Ugh, why’d you wake me up…! I’m tired…”
Miyuki whined, twisting her body in protest.
I gave her bottom a few light pats.
With a long sigh through her nose, Miyuki slowly sat up.
“Are you leaving for work now…?”
“No. In a little bit.”
“Okay…”
Still groggy from sleep, Miyuki’s eyes were puffy, probably from the salty yakitori we’d eaten late last night.
She had eagerly stuffed her face, saying it had been a while, but I knew this would happen.
Miyuki struggled to keep her heavy eyelids open as she looked at me.
I was watching her adorable state with a fond smile when she suddenly buried her head in my lap, making me chuckle.
“What are you doing?”
“....Wanna sleep more…”
Going beyond a simple lap pillow, she pushed her head almost into my groin, wrapped her arms tightly around my waist, and breathed warm air between my legs.
Then, enjoying my involuntary squirm at the ticklish sensation, she lifted her head.
“Tomorrow’s a holiday, right…?”
“That’s right.”
“We’re going to study, right?”
“Yeah, let’s do it.”
“Okay… Then I’ll contact Tetsuya, too?”
“Do we really have to include him?”
“We promised before vacation… Our grades will improve together if we study together…”
“Alright. I’ll drop you off before I go to work, so go wash your face.”
“Okay…”
Miyuki nodded obediently and sat cross-legged, rubbing her face with her hands.
“I told you to wash your face. What are you doing giving yourself a dry wash?”
“A dry wash is still a wash… You should have specified with water… Idiot.”
“You’re getting cheeky. What are you doing today?”
“I’m going to see a movie with my sister…”
Sisters having a nice movie outing? I want to go too.
I was imagining myself sitting between Kana and Miyuki, receiving handjob service from both, when Miyuki’s next words snapped me back to reality.
“Oh, and Mom said to stop by. She said it’s been a while since she’s seen you…”
“Okay. Tell her I’ll visit soon.”
“Or should we study at my place tomorrow?”
“That sounds like a good idea, too. Let’s see how things go and decide then.”
“Alright. Do I have time to brush my teeth?”
“You do. Go ahead.”
Miyuki stretched her arms out toward me.
A request to be pulled up.
Smiling happily at how Miyuki was growing more and more affectionate, I put my hands under her armpits and lifted her up.
Only then did she sluggishly make her way to the bathroom.
After tidying up the bedding, I dropped Miyuki, who had finished brushing her teeth, at her house and headed straight for Renka’s neighborhood.
Not long after I parked nearby, the main gate opened and Renka emerged.
Today’s outfit was jeans, a hoodie, and a parka.
Simple, but still pretty.
“Hey.”
Renka’s morning greeting as she opened the car door.
I smiled brightly at her—it had been a while since she’d greeted me first—and raised a hand.
“Hello. Starting today, we’re officially commuting together.”
“Yeah.”
“Nice, right?”
“No.”
“Right. I’m happy about it, too.”
“I said no.”
“I know. We’re leaving now.”
“I said no. No. Didn’t I say no?”
Ignoring Renka’s retorts, I released the parking brake.
I’m in a good mood this morning. Time to give it my all and train Renka today.
* * *
The time spent preparing to open the cafe was a chance for Renka and me to enjoy some quality time together.
Whether it was bickering with a mumbling Renka right before we entered through the back door, or…
“I’ll eat it…! I can just eat it myself…!”
…calling her back right after she came out of the changing room to feed her a piece of candy, like I was doing now.
Perhaps remembering the incident where I’d stuck my thumb in her mouth, Renka tried to grab the blueberry-flavored candy in front of her eyes.
But when I narrowed my eyes slightly, she froze, unable to do anything but stomp her foot in frustration.
“Say ah.”
“No, I don’t want to…! You’re just going to stick your finger in again…!”
You should be glad I’m not sticking it somewhere else.
Swallowing that thought, I tapped the candy against the lips of the clearly annoyed girl.
“Hup…!”
She instinctively parted her lips just enough to let the candy in.
Expressing my satisfaction with a grin, I pulled my finger away the moment the candy was fully inside her mouth this time.
“.....”
Renka shot me a suspicious look.
She must have found it strange that I just quietly fed her the candy.
It looked like there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes… or was I just imagining it?
I watched Renka roll the candy around in her mouth with a bewildered expression and asked.
“It’s good, right?”
“N-Not really…”
“I’ll give you one a day. We don’t want you getting cavities.”
“....It’s not like you’re raising a puppy…”
“You’re not the puppy type, Captain. You’re the cat type. Always acting so feisty. Now, could you leave? I need to change.”
“You piece of… Hya!?”
Renka’s eyes widened as she was about to snap at me, but she quickly covered her face.
It was because I had immediately taken off my shirt.
She whipped her head around so fast it looked like it might snap, and in her haste to leave the changing room without even putting on her shoes, she stubbed her foot on the doorframe.
“Ack!”
Startled, I quickly rushed over to the pained Renka and helped her up.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine… Hey…! Let go of me…!”
Renka nodded, then shrieked when she saw my still-bare torso.
Should I call it admirable that she’s still embarrassed despite the pain? Or should I find it pitiful…
With a deep sigh, I half-forced the struggling Renka to sit on the changing room floor.
“D-Don’t touch me…!”
“Just stay still.”
Did she sense the worry and seriousness in my voice?
Her attempts to pull away from me as I lifted her foot ceased.
I took off Renka’s white sock, sat down on my heels, and held her heel to keep it steady.
Then I examined her pale, long toes.
Renka turned her head slightly, her face flushed.
She couldn’t help but wiggle her toes.
I couldn’t tell if it was an attempt to distract from the pain or a reaction of embarrassment from seeing my bare chest, but it was cute.
Her feet are really pretty, by the way.
I would have been heartbroken if she’d actually gotten hurt, so it was a relief that it was just red from the impact.
“Only your big toe is a little red. It’s not cut or anything.”
“.....”
“Does it hurt if I touch it?”
As I said that, I gently squeezed her big toenail, which was painted navy blue. Her eyebrow twitched.
“I-It doesn’t hurt… It just stings a little…”
“Isn’t that what hurting is?”
“....I think it’s less than right after I hit it…”
“Well, that’s a relief. But why were you trying to run away like that?”
“B-Because you suddenly took your clothes off…!”
“I’m sorry.”
“.....”
Renka’s lips pressed into a thin line.
My sincere apology in a calm voice must have made her feel strange.
I carefully put her sock back on and said.
“Just in case, you should wear slippers at work today. If it still hurts later, we’ll go to the hospital together.”
“.....”
A clattering sound came from inside Renka’s mouth.
She was rolling the candy around, unable to think of anything to say.
How admirable that she didn’t drop the candy even in all the chaos.
I’ll have to give her an extra one when we leave work.
“Aren’t you going to answer?”
“R-Right, okay… Just… put on your clothes…”
Hearing Renka’s reply, her fierce demeanor now completely deflated, I gave her a warm smile. I gently set her foot down and picked up my dress shirt.
As Renka, who was still squatting, tried to leave, I told her to stay put and went outside the changing room to change my shirt.
* * *
“A cappuccino… is that right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Ah, yes… Just a moment… I’ll ring you up…”
After taking the male customer’s order, Renka fiddled with the POS system and glanced at me.
What I said yesterday must be bothering her.
Cheering inwardly at her predictable reaction, I naturally started making the coffee as soon as she finished the payment.
The moment the customer took his drink and left the cafe, I called out to Renka, who was wiping the already clean sink.
“Captain.”
“....What?”
“Who said you could talk to other men?”
“I happened to be at the counter, so of course I had to take the order… Wait, I don’t know why I’m even making this excuse…”
Why do you think? It’s because you have feelings for me, and you don’t want to get on my bad side.
The slave mentality that’s been unconsciously ingrained in her is evolving… A truly fine sight.
“Since it’s the first day, I’ll let you off with a warning, but if this happens again, you’ll be in real trouble.”
“....There’s no reason I should be getting a warning from you. And how am I supposed to work if I can’t talk to men? If I get fired, are you going to take responsibility?”
“Of course I will. I’ll just hire you as a maid at my house.”
Renka’s face contorted.
Did she just imagine herself working in a short-skirted maid outfit with a collar around her neck?
“I wouldn’t do it even if you paid me ten thousand yen an hour.”
“Isn’t it normal to do it for ten thousand yen?”
“I won’t.”
“Alright, then. What are you doing tomorrow for the holiday?”
“I’m staying home.”
“That’s a shame. I have plans.”
“What’s a shame? Are you deaf? I said I’m staying home.”
“I’ll pretend you said that.”
“Hah… Forget it. Let’s just not talk…”
“Why? Say more.”
“Shut up. But what plans do you have?”
Though she spoke with annoyance, her tone was laced with curiosity.
It seems she’s subtly interested. In my private life.
“Do I have to tell you?”
“You’re always pestering me about what I’m doing, so I should be able to ask this kind of question too.”
“A slave like you?”
“Hey…! I told you not to say things like that…!”
“I don’t think I ever said you couldn’t.”
“Well, from now on, don’t…!”
“Stop being difficult. Is your foot okay?”
“....It’s fine. I just pressed it a moment ago and it didn’t hurt.”
She was fuming just a second ago, but now she’s acting a little shy.
She must have remembered the sight of my body in the changing room.
Finding her rapidly changing attitude amusing, I said.
“That’s a relief.”
“Yeah… So, what are your plans?”
“Are you curious?”
“I’m not, but I answered you, so it’s only right that you answer me too.”
“What kind of logic is that?”
“It’s not logic, it’s fairness.”
“I’ll answer just this once. I’m going to study.”
At my words, Renka’s eyes widened.
“What…? Study?”
“Yep. With Miyuki and Miura.”
“Are you serious…?”
“Why are you so surprised? Because it doesn’t suit me?”
“No, well… It’s not that it doesn’t suit you…”
“What do you mean, no? It’s written all over your face. I’ll call you tomorrow evening, so be ready to come out.”
“....In the evening? What are we going to do?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Well… I’ll think about it.”
She’s putting up less of a fight than yesterday.
It seems her affection level went up a bit because of what happened in the changing room.
In that case, I think it’s okay to push the pace a little more.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow. And when you get home today, send me a picture of your foot.”
“A picture of my foot…? I told you, I’m fine.”
“No. That’s not it. I just want to admire it. I noticed earlier that your feet have a nice shape.”
Renka’s mouth fell slightly open.
She was completely stunned by my unexpected words.
I chuckled with a mischievous expression. Just as she came to her senses and was about to get angry, a customer walked in, and I headed to the counter.