Chapter 380: The First Time I Called Her Name
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 380: The First Time I Called Her Name
Lunchtime.
After eating today's exceptionally tasteless school lunch, I bought some snacks from the school store. On my way back to the classroom, I spotted Hiyori up ahead, her shimmering blonde hair fluttering as she walked somewhere.
It's nice being able to see her every day of the week.
With that thought in mind, I waited for Hiyori to enter the building before calling out to her from a reasonable distance.
“Hey.”
“...”
“Asahina.”
“...”
Hiyori kept walking, so calm that I couldn't tell if she hadn't heard me or was just ignoring me.
She wasn't heading down the hallway with the first-year classrooms, but the one with the nurse's office.
Is she trying to skip class? I quickened my pace to catch up to her and said.
“Halt.”
Just like a soldier doing drills, Hiyori snapped her feet together and stopped in place.
Then, with a creaky, robotic motion, she turned 180 degrees on the spot to face me.
“Yeees?”
“I've been calling you. Didn't you hear me?”
“Nope.”
“Right. So, where are you going?”
“The nurse's office.”
“What for?”
“To sleep.”
“Why?”
“I'm sick.”
“Where?”
“The place where you were kneading me earlier, Senpai.”
“Kneading?”
“Here.”
Hiyori undid a button near her solar plexus, then pulled both sides of her shirt open to show me the spot I had touched earlier.
I was internally aghast at her carelessness, exposing herself to the point where the bottom of her white bra was visible. I instinctively grabbed her shirt and fastened the button.
“What are you doing...!”
“It huuurts.”
I was exasperated. Even though my hand was brushing against her chest, she wasn't embarrassed like before. Instead, she was just being shameless.
Relieved that no one was around, I let out a sigh of relief and flicked Hiyori on the forehead.
Thwack-!
“Ack!”
Hiyori let out a loud cry, covering her forehead with both hands as she stumbled backward.
I placed my hand on her small head, pressed down firmly with all five fingers, and shook it back and forth and side to side as I spoke.
“Stop stripping wherever you feel like it...!”
“What's the big deal...! A swimsuit at the pool shows way more than this...!”
“I'm talking about in public. And this isn't a swimsuit.”
“It's fine as long as I don't show other people...! You're the one who said it was okay for me to do it with you...!”
“That's not what I meant by 'it'.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“Ugh, whatever. Just go change your skirt. You should be glad the student council didn't spot you.”
“You always get all conservative when you run out of things to say. I'm just going to walk around without a skirt at all.”
“Try it and you'll really be in for it.”
“I even gave you that game item, you're so mean... Ugh.”
“So the item was a bribe?”
“It was a bribe, yes?”
“Is that so? I'm not very pleased with this bribe.”
“Ah, I understand.”
Why is she making a face like she's just had an epiphany?
She's probably planning to give me a whole pile of items next time.
“No matter how many you give me, I can't just overlook your exhibitionism.”
“It's not exhibitionism, I was just showing you the spot...! The... aff... what was it?”
“The affected body part?”
“Yes. That.”
“It looked fine to me.”
“You saw wrong. Look again.”
With that, Hiyori tried to unbutton her shirt again.
Anticipating her move, I grabbed her wrist and said.
“So you're going to the nurse's office now?”
“Yes.”
“Why don't you just admit you want to skip class?”
“I want to skip class.”
It's funny how she just blurted it out because I told her to.
Letting out a dry laugh, I took the hand I was holding and placed it neatly on her hip.
“You think the school nurse is going to buy it?”
“It's fine. I'll just say I have an upset stomach.”
“I guess I'll have to have a word with her.”
“Are you betraying me?”
“You shouldn't call it betrayal when it's just guidance to set a straying student back on the right path.”
“Are you on the student council, Senpai?”
“I'm only saying this because I care about you.”
The corners of Hiyori's lips twitched upward for a moment before settling back down.
It seems the word "care" put her in a good mood.
“Can't you just pretend you didn't see me?”
“No.”
“Please.”
“At least try to look desperate when you say that.”
“Then let's skip together.”
“Until the afternoon classes start?”
“Nope. Including the afternoon classes.”
“You know that's not happening, right?”
“Haaah... I guess it can't be helped. I'll be in the storage room, so stop by the school store and get me something to drink.”
“Why are you talking like you're the one in charge?”
“You were begging me so much, so I'm specially agreeing to only rest until the afternoon classes start.”
“Getting cheeky again.”
I grabbed the back of her neck as she gave me a prim look and gently massaged it.
Then, softening my voice a little, I asked.
“Are you going to the cafe with your friends again today?”
Was she bewildered by the sudden change in atmosphere?
Hiyori looked taken aback for a moment, but then she felt my touch and nodded.
“Yep.”
“Don't have too much fun. And don't stay out too late.”
“If I stay out late, will you do the kneading thing again?”
She must have really liked that skinship. Her eyes were sparkling.
Right now, she gets all shy and embarrassed when I touch her, but I bet once she gets used to it, she'll start coming on to me aggressively like her usual self.
For instance, pressing the underside of her breasts against my hand while I'm touching her stomach,
or subtly lifting her leg to place it on my thigh when we were lying down together at that multi-purpose cafe...
Yeah, she seems like the type to make moves like that.
Anyway, for her to call what I did earlier "kneading"...
I don't know whether to call it her unique naming sense, but it feels really cute.
“You want me to? If you want, I'll do it.”
“Ugh... your expression just now looked perverted.”
“It's the same as always.”
“I guess you're always a pervert then.”
She's right, so I can't argue.
I shrugged and replied.
“That's true.”
“I like that you admit it so readily. And later, you have to grant me one wish, Senpai.”
“Why do I have to?”
“I think you know why better than anyone, Senpai.”
What would happen if Miyuki found out about this?
Hiyori was hinting at that indirectly.
“Are you blackmailing me?”
“Yes.”
She was acting confident, but I knew better than anyone that she had no intention of actually doing it.
At least, not right now.
Still, it was only right that I grant her wish.
It wasn't to make her feel triumphant.
Hiyori's wish would undoubtedly be related to skinship, and I planned to watch her timid reaction and use the opportunity to instill a bit of education and love in her.
I'll do something for you that's beyond your imagination.
With that in mind, I nodded.
“Alright.”
Hiyori's eyes widened, as if she never expected me to agree.
“Really?”
“It's not a big deal.”
Did she sense something suspicious in my confident attitude?
Hiyori crossed her arms and gazed up at me.
I barely managed to stop my eyes from drifting toward her chest, which was half-covered by her arms, and spoke.
“What? Isn't it about granting a wish?”
“It is. So, it's a promise?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. Then I'm off to the nurse's office.”
“Is that your wish?”
“What are you talking about...! This is just my own free will.”
To be honest, it didn't matter to me whether Hiyori paid attention in class or not.
Because I was going to take responsibility for her future.
However, I didn't want her academy life to be jeopardized by getting demerit points.
A few minor points are fine, but if they pile up, it could lead to suspension, and then I wouldn't be able to see Hiyori here.
“Then no.”
“Why!”
As Hiyori protested, flinging her arms out to her sides like a superhero striking a pose, I fiddled with her ahoge between my thumb and index finger and pointed firmly down the hallway behind me.
“Go to class. You can sleep in the classroom if you want.”
“Okay.”
Is Hiyori's ahoge some kind of antenna that controls her emotions?
It's baffling how she instantly turns into a demure girl the moment I touch it. But at the same time, it's incredibly endearing.
“Let's go.”
“Are you walking me there?”
“No. I'm watching you.”
“You're not going to kidnap me?”
“There are too many people around.”
“Then let's meet somewhere quiet next time.”
Making a silly, yet somehow meaningful joke, I half-forced the hesitating Hiyori to start walking again, heading toward the first-year classroom.
[Matsuda-kun, on your way, could you possibly stop by the faculty office and grab a set of whiteboard markers? We're running a little low.]
A text from Miyuki arrived just then.
After texting back that I would, I bumped my forehead against the side of Hiyori's head, who was blatantly peeking at my phone screen.
“Eugh.”
Hearing Hiyori's strange yelp along with the soft thump!, I couldn't help but chuckle as I spoke.
“Why are you peeking at someone else's phone?”
“Are we 'someone else' to each other? I even let you touch my body.”
She's saying things that could get us in big trouble.
I glanced around, worried someone might have overheard her, and scolded her.
“Can't you watch your mouth?”
“I don't want to. It's not like I was lying.”
Why did she suddenly get so defiant?
Is she a little jealous after seeing Miyuki's text?
I think that's probably it.
“I misspoke.”
“I'll let it slide.”
“But do you talk like that to other people?”
“No.”
“Then that's fine. But if it becomes a habit, you might say something like that in front of others without thinking, so let's try to hold back a little.”
“Whatever.”
Hiyori acted shamelessly again, even tilting her head up arrogantly.
I stared at her intently, then decided to play the trump card I'd been saving to advance our relationship.
“You can do that, can't you, Hiyori?”
Her eyes instantly flew wide open.
Her mouth even fell slightly agape. It seemed she was genuinely shocked to hear me call her by her first name in such a gentle voice.
I gave the stunned Hiyori a soft smile and asked again.
“You can, right?”
“...”
“You're not going to?”
“N-No... I... I can do iit...”
Seeing her snap out of it and nod her head frantically, it was clear my plan had worked perfectly.
That gap, where she goes from acting like a stubborn general to being all girly in an instant, is incredibly cute and arousing.
I'm glad I used my finishing move now.
With that thought, I patted Hiyori's back as if to say "good job," and walked her the rest of the way to her classroom as she fidgeted with her hands, looking embarrassed.