Chapter 263: Even a Whiff of a Scent is a Connection
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 263: Even a Whiff of a Scent is a Connection
‘Is she not here...?’
After dropping off Renka, who said she needed to change, I returned to the city, parked in a public lot, and started wandering the streets.
I had a feeling I’d be able to find Hiyori.
But that premonition was completely off the mark.
No matter where I looked, I couldn't see her.
I had hoped for a fateful encounter, but a lingering feeling kept me searching. Yet, instead of her fresh lemon scent, all I could smell was the city's characteristic mustiness.
A girl like her, who’s always so cheerful and bubbly without a care for what others think, should stand out anywhere... I can't help but feel a pang of disappointment.
She’s probably surrounded by friends right now, laughing her head off. She’s popular, after all.
I want to see her soon.
Ultimately, I returned home empty-handed, took a shower, and turned on the TV.
Nothing but boring programs. It was enough to make me yawn.
Miyuki said she was hanging out with Nanase, who shares a last name with Chinami, so calling her now would be a nuisance...
It’s so damn annoying whenever I’m left alone like this.
If Takashi were here, at least I wouldn't be bored. Should I give him a call for the first time in a while?
No. He’s gotten his act together and is learning his father’s business. I shouldn't bother him.
I skipped past the boring shows and put on an adult movie, killing time by watching only the good parts.
Then, my phone vibrated, and I snatched it up.
[User MK.]
A message from Ino-chan had arrived.
It was 8 PM. It seemed she was back from having dinner and hanging out with Chinami.
What did those two talk about today?
Did Chinami notice Renka’s anxious expression and ask her what was wrong?
I’m incredibly curious, but that’s something I should ask Renka, her real self, not Ino-chan.
I pulled the thick blanket over myself, rolled onto my side, and tapped on my phone screen.
[Long time no see.]
[Yes, it's been a while.]
[How have you been?]
[None of your business. I have something to ask, so just answer.]
[You're a little more prickly than usual today.]
[(ﾒﾟ皿ﾟ) Shut up.]
What a terrifying emoticon.
But am I supposed to be scared? I just find it cute.
[Alright. What's your question?]
[I want to know about men's sexual fantasies. What's your fantasy, User MK?]
[As I've said time and again, it's SM play.]
[Please explain in detail.]
Is she trying to find out in advance what’s going to happen to her?
I can’t decide whether I should tell her or not.
I see pros and cons to both.
The first option would give Renka time to mentally prepare, but I’m afraid her intense reactions would diminish, which would be a shame.
The second option would guarantee an outstanding reaction, but she’d surely insist she hates it for a long time, which could get a little tedious.
‘Hmm...’
After mulling it over, I decided to do as I pleased.
Both reactions would be delicious, so why not just see them all?
I’ll just give her a little hint.
[Should I explain without holding anything back?]
[What do you mean, without holding anything back?]
[I mean, should I be blunt about it?]
[Ah, yes. Please do.]
[What kind of situation should we set the play in?]
[Do we need to set something like that?]
[It's better if we do.]
[In that case... talk about what you'd do if you were playing with a girl you're seeing or your girlfriend. The girl has zero experience.]
A girl you’re seeing or a girlfriend... a very suggestive setup.
Well, that’s the case for most people, I suppose.
A smile crept onto my lips. For Renka, who had come up with a rather specific scenario, I quickly sent a reply.
[I can't go into too much detail, but first, I'd make her do Sumata.]
[What's Sumata?]
It’s funny how she asks when she already knows.
There’s no point in pretending to be innocent... My slave is such a phony.
[It's when the woman gets on top of the man and rubs her genitals against his. The point of the position is to rub against him like a caress, without penetration.]
The read receipt appeared, but there was no reply from Renka.
She couldn’t be getting turned on and masturbating just from reading the description...
She was probably just stunned by the rather explicit depiction.
Of course, Renka’s a pervert, so she must have gotten a little excited.
[How vulgar.]
A message arrived after a few minutes.
Is it just my imagination, or can I practically see Renka’s scowling face in that sentence?
[You asked me to explain it bluntly and in detail. Why are you complaining?]
[I'm sorry. But what can I do if it's so vulgar?]
[We haven't even started yet. How are you going to handle it if you're this embarrassed already?]
[But can you really call that SM play?]
[It's a different story if the girl is wearing a collar.]
[A collar...?]
[Yes. I'd want to put a collar on her and enjoy her reactions while I pull the leash from below.]
[(⚆_⚆) You're truly an impossible person. That's enough. I'll stop listening here.]
I wasn’t planning on saying any more anyway.
Imagining Renka trembling with excitement, I let my fingers dance across the screen.
[Don't you like training-themed stories too, Ino-chan?]
[It's not that I like them. Some crazy bastard kept whining about it, so I had no choice but to watch it for him.]
[And who might that crazy bastard be?]
[Who knows. I'm sure he's a very dense person, though.]
The way she throws shade is cute too.
[By the way, Ino-chan, why do you always change your story?]
[What do you mean?]
[Last time you said you'd developed a taste for training stories, but now you're saying you don't like them. Why are you so fickle?]
[I can be.]
[That's charming.]
[Don't compliment me, it's creepy.]
[It wasn't a compliment.]
[Fuck you.]
The power of anonymity is a scary thing.
Renka, whose only move in front of me is to be snappy, gets so bold.
[There's a study that says the uglier people are, the more aggressive they are.]
[Sounds like you're talking about yourself.]
[There's no talking to you.]
[I was just thinking the same thing. Have a bad day. I'm leaving.]
[You call me when you need me, and then you just leave first when you're done? Isn't that a little too rude?]
No more replies came. She must have logged out.
I’ll have to book a hotel again, if only to educate the slave who unilaterally ended a conversation with her master.
Still, I had so much fun talking with her that I lost track of time. I’ll give her that.
With that thought, I went to the Hotel Rafia website and started browsing the rooms one by one.
What concept should I go for this time? Should I make her wear a costume, too?
A nurse uniform would be nice, but a police officer might be even better.
A cop who catches a criminal, only to be turned on by him... sounds like it’d be a major turn-on.
* * *
Renka’s fashion is pretty normal today.
I didn’t tell her what to wear, but she should know what kind of style I like. The fact that she wore jeans seems to be her way of rebelling against me.
Click.
“Hey.”
Renka offered a nonchalant greeting the moment she got into the passenger seat.
Seeing her, I let out a smirk and started the car.
“Did you have fun with your master yesterday?”
“Yeah.”
“What did you do?”
“You don’t need to know... Hyat...! W-We ate and took sticker photos...! Don’t touch me there...!”
Renka, who was about to give a sullen reply, freaked out when my hand casually slipped between her thighs and meekly confessed what she did yesterday.
She gives such a delicate reaction, so why does she talk like that as Ino-chan...?
The fallout will be huge if she gets caught. I wonder if she’s prepared for it.
By the way, when the day comes that Renka’s identity is revealed, should I pretend I didn’t know, or should I humiliate her by saying I knew all along?
I need to give it some serious thought.
“Why are you starting this so early in the morning...!”
I casually brushed off Renka’s next words and threw out some bait, mentioning my conversation with Ino-chan.
“I was a little stressed out yesterday.”
“Being stressed gives you the right to touch someone’s thigh whenever you want...?”
“This is how I relieve it.”
“Are you insane...? What could you possibly be stressed about...? Are you sulking because I told you I was meeting Chinami alone yesterday...?”
“Do I seem that petty to you?”
“Yeah. You seem incredibly petty.”
“I admit it. But yesterday wasn’t about that. It was because I had an annoying conversation with a rude person.”
The part about being rude was from the last message I sent to Ino-chan.
And Renka definitely saw it.
I was sure of it from the way her expression changed. She probably snuck on at night to check her messages.
“I-Is that so...? Who was it...?”
I could feel a subtle tremor of anxiety in her voice.
She seemed a little intimidated. At the same time, she also seemed curious.
She must be wondering what I think of Ino-chan.
“There’s this person. I think their personality is a bit similar to yours, Captain...”
“...It’s not like I’m the only person with a personality like mine, is there...?”
“I don’t think it’s that common. The way you both snap at people is similar.”
“.....”
It’s absurd how she clams up the moment I hit a nerve.
I worry how she’ll survive in this cruel world with acting skills like that.
Gently stroking Renka’s upper thigh as she looked troubled, I continued.
“Still, you’re much better than that person, Captain.”
“W-Who the hell is that person that you’re comparing me to them...? It’s so annoying... If you’re not going to tell me, don’t bring it up at all...!”
“Alright. I’m sorry.”
After our morning squabble, we went to the cafe.
I put a piece of candy in Renka’s mouth before she went to change, and she came out in her uniform, her face flushed red...
It was a normal day, just like any other.
At least... that’s what I thought until the afternoon.
“Thank you, have a nice day.”
The cafe was bustling just before lunchtime.
After greeting and sending off several customers, I was about to send Renka ahead to the gyudon place.
Just then,
“Why here of all places? It’s pretty far from the restaurant we were going to.”
“The blog I follow says the Chocochip Frappuccino here is amazing.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. And you love things with chocolate chips, Misaki.”
“That’s true, but I...”
“I know. You like Strawberry Lattes, Yukino, right? They say that’s delicious too.”
“Really?”
“I’m telling you! Don’t you trust me?”
I heard the conversation of the customers who had just entered the cafe.
‘Huh?’
I couldn’t help but perk up my ears.
One of the voices was incredibly familiar.
At the same time, a strong scent of lemon wafted in.
After only ever catching faint, cloud-like traces of it, the rich aroma filling my nostrils made my head spin.
I whipped my head around to look at the door and saw a familiar face at the head of a group of six guys and girls our age.
Shimmering, bright blonde hair and large eyes.
And in the center of them, round, sparkling pupils the same color as her hair.
A mischievous, tomboyish vibe that she couldn’t hide even if she tried.
And finally, a playful, impish smile that held no trace of malice...
‘It’s Hiyori.’
It was definitely the Hiyori I knew.
Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was thinking I’d like to meet her at the cafe?
To think that thought would come true just like that... I made an offering at the shrine recently. Did a god grant my wish? I’m dumbfounded.
DokiAka... maybe it’s not such a shit game after all.
Hiyori sat her friends down in a corner seat as if she were leading a group of elementary schoolers, firmly reminding them not to be loud since it was a public place, before approaching the counter.
Seeing her come straight here without consulting them, it seemed she knew what all her friends liked.
Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ll be talking to Hiyori since I came to DokiAka.
The timing is incredibly random, but... there were signs. Let’s not panic and greet her properly.
Last time, I only saw her from a distance... Today, I’m going to perfectly etch that mischievous face into my memory.
With that thought, I smiled back at the approaching, beaming Hiyori.
“Welcome. Are you ready to order?”