Chapter 378: Her Resolve #2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 378: Her Resolve #2
“Hey, why won’t you budge?”
That was Hiyori’s assessment after trying to push me from behind again.
Every time I turned, she’d just circle back behind me. She wasn’t tiny, but she was much smaller than me, and watching her do that made her look like a puppy scurrying around its owner.
“Senpai, are you a wall or something?”
“What are you talking about...? What are you even doing here?”
“I saw you, so I followed you. Want some candy?”
Candy, all of a sudden?
I wouldn’t be surprised if she started giving me one a day, just like how I was training Renka.
“I just brushed my teeth... but sure, hand it over.”
“Why’d you just brush your teeth now?”
“I ate popcorn, and a kernel shell got stuck.”
“Popcorn?”
“Someone brought some to the classroom.”
“Give me some.”
“It’s all gone.”
“Then I can’t give you any candy.”
“It wasn’t even my popcorn to begin with.”
“I don’t care about that.”
“Look how mean you are.”
At my dumbfounded words, Hiyori giggled, pulled out a lollipop, unwrapped it, and held it out for me to eat.
“I was going to eat it later. Why’d you unwrap it?”
“When a grown-up gives you something, you say ‘thank you’ and eat it.”
It was funny hearing her parrot the words I often used.
Letting out a chuckle, I obediently took the lollipop Hiyori offered.
“Thanks for the treat.”
“You’re welcome. By the way, has the destination for the school trip been decided?”
“Yeah. We’re going to the sea.”
“To Shizuoka?”
“I think so.”
“Then we’ll be at the same place, right?”
“I don’t know about that. There are a lot of beaches there.”
“You don’t know which beach?”
“Nope. I didn’t look closely.”
“You really live a carefree life, don’t you?”
If you knew the worries I have right now, you wouldn’t be saying that.
I feigned a forehead flick at Hiyori, and she immediately covered her face. I let out a tired sigh.
“Not as carefree as you. What’s first period?”
“Math.”
“Math on a Monday? This week’s going to be unlucky.”
“Why?”
“Math is hard.”
“It’s fine, I’m just going to sleep anyway.”
“Why would you say that so proudly?”
“It’s better than lying, isn’t it?”
She had a point.
I gave a hollow laugh at Hiyori’s honesty.
“Pay attention. Don’t even think about sleeping.”
“You’re being too...”
“I’m not oppressing you.”
Her line stolen, Hiyori smacked her lips.
The thought ‘Should I change my repertoire?’ was written all over her face. It was cute to see her thinking so hard, but also a little ridiculous.
“Get to class. It’s almost time.”
“How about we skip together?”
“Aren’t you worried about your exams?”
“Not at all.”
“Right... It’s nice to see you so positive. Stop talking nonsense and get to class. You’ll be in trouble if you fall asleep.”
“You won’t know if I’m sleeping or not, Senpai.”
“True. Should I ask Mitsushima after class?”
“Miho would tell you I didn’t sleep.”
“She doesn’t seem like the type. If anything, she’d wake you up.”
“That’s true. Miho is like a mom sometimes.”
It made sense that someone like Hiyori would have a Miyuki-type figure by her side.
For her, that person must be Miho.
With the lollipop Hiyori gave me in my mouth, I scratched my cheek awkwardly under her intense gaze. She was just staring up at my face for some reason.
“What are you staring at?”
“Just because.”
I felt like she’d gotten strangely more assertive... Was I right?
She’d always been like that, but her assertiveness seemed particularly pronounced today.
It felt like she had... steeled her resolve about something.
“Should I give you an item today?”
“An item?”
“For Animal Forest.”
“Oh, that? If you’re offering, I’ll gladly take it.”
“Okay. I’ll message you tonight.”
“Not too late, though. It’s a weekday.”
“You know, Senpai, you’re kind of a model student when you get down to it.”
“Thanks for the compliment. Now, fix your hair.”
I pointed to the hair around her ahoge, which looked like a blade of grass sticking out. Her hair seemed especially flat today, yet that one strand stood defiant.
Hiyori pressed down on her hair and said, “I’m going to give it some volume during break.”
“Why didn’t you do it before coming to school?”
“I overslept.”
“And you’re still planning to sleep more?”
“People with good skin tend to sleep a lot.”
“What a thing to brag about. Turn around.”
At my stern tone, Hiyori obediently turned her body.
I gave her a light push on the back, half-forcing her to walk, and headed toward the first-year hallway with her chattering away about how she didn’t want to go.
Come to think of it, I wonder if the third-years’ school trip is also set for the sea.
I should ask.
* * *
“Cap...”
“Eek...!”
Before I could even finish, Renka sensed my presence and fled.
Chinami, who had been talking with her, was suddenly left alone, her eyes wide.
“Mmm?”
Chinami watched Renka’s retreating back as she practically ran away, then turned to me as I approached.
“Why do I get the feeling she’s avoiding you, Junior?”
“Who knows. She must have been having lewd thoughts.”
“Why would having lewd thoughts result in such a reaction?”
Chinami cutely tilted her head to one side, seemingly trying to imagine what kind of lewd acts could be in her head.
Grabbing her butt, hugging her tightly from behind...
Giving a massage at a love hotel, followed by a passionate encounter...
Perhaps thinking of such things, Chinami’s eyes subtly avoided mine.
Seeing her cheeks gradually turn red, I felt a burst of laughter about to erupt.
She was embarrassed, but when it came to tolerance for perverted acts, Chinami was hundreds of times better than Renka.
With that thought, I said, “It’s probably similar to what’s going through your head right now, Master.”
“Ah... I-I see.”
“By the way, has the destination for the third-year school trip been decided?”
“Yes...! It was a fierce battle between the sea and the valley, but the valley was chosen.”
What a shame. A real shame.
If Renka and Chinami were also going to the sea, I was planning on trying for a 3P, and maybe even a 4P with Miyuki...
Since it’s come to this, should I look forward to next semester’s trip?
No, I’ll just have to go to the sea with them separately during the break.
“I see. Are the preparations for the tournament going well?”
“Of course. We’re working hard. It’s a real shame you’re not participating, though, Junior.”
“I’ll seriously consider it for the winter tournament.”
“Excellent.”
“By the way, Master.”
“Yes?”
“Do you remember when we went to the Hotel Rafia with the captain?”
“Wha-!? I-I remember, but...? Why do you ask...?”
Back when I took Renka and Chinami to the love hotel, I only gave them individual massages and had separate encounters with them.
I’d succeeded in planting the idea of the two of them doing something naughty with me in the same place, but it wasn’t satisfying.
Renka has been well-trained, to the point where she successfully tried the plug, and recently, Chinami has been getting more aroused than usual whenever I touch her.
So this time, I was planning on doing various things with both of them in the same bed.
The true threesome I had imagined. That was the goal.
“I was wondering if you’d be interested in going again.”
“Wha-… S-Something like that...?”
Chinami didn’t know what to do.
She even started squirming. I gently patted her back and gave her a bright smile.
“I think it would be nice to relax there together.”
“Ah... I see...”
“Yes. What do you think, would that be okay?”
“Well... um... I mean, I would be very comfortable and happy to relax with you, Junior, but...”
“The captain is the problem?”
“W-Well... not a problem, exactly... Hmmm...! This is something I’ll have to discuss thoroughly with Renka...!”
“The captain will agree.”
“Oh...? Did you give Renka a heads-up before asking me?”
“No. But I’m sure she’ll say yes.”
“I-Is that so...?”
Chinami’s half-doubting, half-believing expression was incredibly cute.
“Yes. Let’s talk it over. I’ll mention it to the captain, too.”
“Y-Yes... I understand... Oh, I shouldn’t be standing around, I have work to do...”
“I’m planning on doing everything today. You should practice kendo, Master. You have to prepare for the tournament.”
“I’m fine, really...?”
“I’m not fine with it. You’ve been doing manager work recently, and you’re always swinging at empty air. I think it’s better for you to train without any distractions.”
“Oh... but is that really okay...?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? It’s not like the work is hard. Don’t worry and go train.”
“In that case, I must give you all the peaches I brought today, Junior.”
Mm-hmm... I think this every time, but our Chinami is just too kind-hearted.
She probably takes after her mother, Momoka, right?
I suddenly felt the urge to slip between the mother and daughter while they were washing dishes and wrap my arms around their waists.
“Ippon!”
As I was lost in thought, the booming voice of a senior acting as a referee echoed from the center of the club room.
Wondering what was happening, I turned my head to see Tetsuya retrieving his shinai and returning to his position.
His opponent was a first-year junior who had learned kendo since he was a child.
Did he just score a point off him?
He’s working hard at kendo, and hard at boxing...
Our Tetsuya has grown so much.
If only he’d been like this earlier... What’s the point of doing it now after you’ve already had everything taken from you?
Tears welled up in my eyes.
I nodded with a smile at Chinami, who said she was off to train, and then approached Renka, who had been glancing my way from afar and flinched when our eyes met.
“Captain.”
“.....”
“Captain.”
“Ah, who...”
She was pretending not to know me. It wasn’t even funny.
I looked at her trying so hard to act nonchalant, then gestured toward the drying room and lowered my voice.
“Follow me.”
“W-Why should I... I already had my candy for the day...”
“I have something to tell you.”
“What is there to talk about...?”
“There’s something I need your help with.”
“Y-You just said you had something to tell me...”
“Hurry up.”
Renka’s eyes darted around nervously.
She looked anxious enough to break out in a cold sweat, yet she didn’t voice any refusal.
Is this really the same domineering captain who used to hate my guts?
Whenever I think about it, the contrast with the current Renka is not only hard to believe, but it also feels surreal.
With that thought, I entered the drying room with Renka, who followed me with cautious steps.