Chapter 259: The Inferior Tetsuya-kun
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 259: The Inferior Tetsuya-kun
“....suda-kun.”
A faint voice reached my ears.
Dead to the world, I opened my eyes to that gentle tone.
“Matsuda-kun, wake up.”
Miyuki was shaking my arm, an exasperated but fond smile on her face.
Seeing her in a white t-shirt tucked into a long denim skirt, with a black cardigan layered over it, was a feast for the eyes.
The outfit suited her perfectly. It was a perfect match for Miyuki’s innocent image.
“It’s past nine. You need to get up now.”
Rubbing my eyes at her gentle voice, I replied weakly.
“It’s only nine. Let me sleep more...”
“No way. Get up, now.”
I ignored Miyuki’s gentle nagging and pulled the covers over my head.
At that, Miyuki yanked the blanket aside and grabbed one of my arms, pulling.
But she wasn’t strong enough to lift me as I remained stuck fast to the floor.
“Are you tensing up right now...?”
Miyuki asked, bewildered, as she struggled with a grunt.
Pretending to be limp while flexing my entire body, I answered.
“No.”
“Don’t lie. Your arm is hard as a rock, what do you mean, ‘no’...!”
“I said no.”
“If you keep acting like such a lazybones... Ugh!?”
Miyuki, who had been grumbling, suddenly let out a short scream and lost her balance.
It was because I had reversed our positions, grabbing her arm and pulling her down.
Miyuki fell on top of me like a wisp of cotton candy that would blow away in a puff of air.
I wrapped my arms and legs around her body, which smelled strongly of plums, and said.
“Let’s just stay like this for a bit.”
“....Then let me go for a second so I can take off my cardigan.”
“Nope. You’ll run away if I let go.”
“Come on, hurry... I don’t want it to get dusty...”
“I’ll take it off for you, so just stay still.”
“.....”
“Just the cardigan, right?”
“For now, yes, but...”
“Got it.”
With a soft rustle, the cardigan began to come off Miyuki’s body.
Carefully, so she wouldn’t have a chance to escape, I removed the cardigan, placed it on the tatami mat, and pulled her into my arms again.
Then I rested my chin on the crown of her head and asked.
“Aren’t you cold, though? How did you get here dressed like this?”
“I put my padded jacket in the closet...”
“When?”
“Just now.”
“While I was sleeping?”
“Yeah. But my head hurts, can you move your chin?”
“Nope.”
When I refused in a robotic tone to tease her, she mumbled and pressed her lips to my chest, blowing a puff of air.
The feeling of my heart warming up wasn’t bad at all.
As I caressed Miyuki’s body while she acted cute and pouty, I wondered how I should explain my relationship with Renka to her.
I should have given her a heads-up... I’d been thinking about it, but I wasted time hesitating, and when the opportunity to sleep with Renka came up, I went straight to the hotel.
It was my mistake. How do I fix this?
Should I just keep sleeping with her behind Miyuki’s back, “capture” Hiyori too, and then drop the bomb all at once?
No, if I do that, the shock Miyuki would feel would be unimaginably huge.
I decided from the start not to do it that way, so I had to find another method.
Trying to solve this with my not-so-great brain felt like my brain cells were being destroyed one by one.
Enduring the throbbing headache that was already starting, I gently patted Miyuki’s back.
Then, I spoke to Miyuki as she lifted her head.
“What are we doing today?”
“Are you seriously asking? We decided to study.”
“Right... got it.”
When I made a drained, resigned face, Miyuki giggled and tickled my ribs.
But when I showed no reaction at all, she quickly lost interest and hugged me tightly.
“So, where are we studying? Did we say at Miura’s place?”
“That was the plan, but I changed it to here.”
“Here? Why’d you change the location on your own?”
“We both agreed to it.”
“When?”
“I asked you three nights ago. Don’t you remember?”
Judging by Miyuki’s expression, she wasn’t lying.
She probably brought it up when I was about to fall asleep, and I might have vaguely agreed.
I wouldn’t put it past her to have deliberately guided me into answering without thinking.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that the smart and cunning Miyuki had planned this whole thing on purpose.
“With Miura?”
“Yeah. With Tetsuya-kun.”
I didn’t like the idea of scum like Tetsuya coming to my house again, but I had to let it slide.
I couldn’t refuse Miyuki’s wish.
After all, she and Tetsuya were close childhood friends.
I slid my hand through her long hair to caress the nape of her neck and asked.
“When is Miura coming?”
“He said he’ll be here at 1 PM.”
“So we have about four hours? Wanna go out for a quick bite?”
“Yeah. Let’s go there.”
“Where’s ‘there’?”
“You know. The ramen shop.”
She was talking about the place where our post-it note is.
If the weather had been normal today, Miyuki wouldn’t have suggested going there.
The fact that she brought it up first must mean it was about to rain outside.
I looked at the firmly shut window and shook my head.
“Let’s go there at dawn. The atmosphere is better then.”
“Really...? Then where should we go? Should we just cook something here?”
“Let’s just wait an hour and think about it then.”
“Why an hour, specifically? Don’t tell me you’re going back to sleep?”
“No.”
“Then why... Huh...?”
Miyuki’s curious body flinched slightly.
It seemed she had felt something growing harder in my lower body, which was pinned beneath her crotch.
Seeing her face instantly flush red as she gave an embarrassed cough, the corners of my mouth crept up.
“What are we going to do about this?”
“....What do you mean... You have to make it go down yourself...”
“I don’t like the sound of ‘yourself’.”
“Then what are you going to do...”
She was asking even though she knew full well. How sly.
I chuckled and answered by pulling her t-shirt out from her skirt, then switched places with her as her body gradually relaxed.
* * *
Creeak...
“Hey, Matsuda.”
As soon as I opened the main gate, Tetsuya’s dopey face greeted me.
Suppressing the urge to vomit, I gestured for the bastard to come in with a flick of my chin, my expression bored.
At that, Tetsuya stepped inside the gate with a stupid grin.
“Pardon the intrusion. Hey, this place is still the same. It doesn’t look like much has changed since the break.”
What do you mean nothing’s changed?
For starters, the flower bed that used to be neglected is now well-tended.
He must be this clueless to have stuck by Miyuki’s side all this time. What an amazing guy, really.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. But where’s Miyuki? I texted her earlier and she said she was already here.”
“She’s inside.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Yeah.”
Taking my word for it, Tetsuya followed me inside and came face-to-face with Miyuki, who was just coming out of the bathroom.
Tetsuya froze, staring at her in an oversized t-shirt and shorts, drying her hair with a towel.
Seeing him, Miyuki greeted him with a bright smile.
“Hi, Tetsuya-kun.”
Was he unable to hide his bewilderment at Miyuki’s nonchalant attitude, greeting him so casually after having showered at another man’s house?
Blinking, Tetsuya awkwardly raised a hand.
“Ah, uh... Hey, Miyuki.”
“You ate already, right?”
“Yeah. You told me to, so I did, but...”
“Good. Hurry up and sit down, open your book. We’re starting right away.”
“Okay... B-but, did you just take a shower?”
“I did. Why?”
“Nothing...”
The guy’s face was quite stiff.
It was obvious he felt uneasy because she’d never even showered when she visited his house, yet she did so here without any hesitation.
I wonder if he’d faint if he knew we were making out just thirty minutes before he arrived.
“Those clothes are a little big...?”
At Tetsuya’s follow-up comment, Miyuki looked down at the t-shirt she was wearing and gave an innocent smile.
“Oh, this? It’s Matsuda-kun’s.”
“M-Matsuda’s...?”
“Yep.”
Miyuki wasn’t making any particular effort to hide her relationship with me.
She used to be shy and would back away, but that gradually improved, and after the school trip, it disappeared completely.
Her confidently saying she was wearing my clothes was part of that change of heart.
Miyuki has gone this far; isn’t it about time you noticed what’s going on between us?
You’ve been sensing something was off, haven’t you? So just get it already.
No, maybe Tetsuya acts like this even though he already knows Miyuki and I are dating.
He’s that kind of guy. That’s the kind of person Tetsuya is.
Honestly, it didn’t really matter to me if Tetsuya stuck around Miyuki.
I can use him as a device to make myself stand out more, which is actually a good thing.
As if it were her own home, Miyuki tossed the towel into the laundry basket, sat at the table, opened her book, and patted the spots on either side of her.
“Both of you, sit.”
Tetsuya hesitantly approached and took the seat next to Miyuki.
As I sat down on her other side, I noticed Tetsuya secretly sniffing in Miyuki’s direction.
He must have caught the sweet plum scent, the same as the shampoo Miyuki always uses.
The way his expression twisted confirmed it.
I like that you consistently maintain that pathetic attitude.
If you keep stewing in it until your inferiority complex explodes and you say something you shouldn’t to Miyuki, that’ll be the day your relationship ends.
And seeing your face like you’ve just chewed on shit, I feel that day isn’t far off.
I scooted a little closer to Miyuki, getting on Tetsuya’s nerves, and asked.
“What subjects are we doing today?”
“Math and English.”
“Can’t we skip math? We did it last time.”
“Math is the most important subject. Absolutely not.”
“You’re supposed to spark an interest in studying. Forcing it just creates resistance.”
“Don’t you think we’re past the age for sparking interest? Whining won’t help, so hurry up and open your book.”
When it comes to studying, my Miyuki doesn’t compromise.
Just a little while ago, she was moaning beneath me in a tone full of embarrassment... but now her voice is as cold as a dictator’s.
I wonder if she’ll get worse after we’re married. Probably.
With that thought, I obediently opened my book and, along with a mentally-fried Tetsuya, listened to Miyuki’s lesson.