Chapter 388: A Bold Counterattack #2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 388: A Bold Counterattack #2
“That's one demerit point.”
Hiyori's slightly raised tone made Miyuki's mouth fall open.
She seemed dumbfounded that Hiyori would so brazenly give her, a member of the student council, a demerit point.
“A demerit point...? Are we playing house or something?”
“What do you mean, playing house...!”
“So you're serious? You're giving me a demerit point?”
“No. You have to give yourself a demerit point, senpai.”
“Why?”
“Public indecency.”
The determined look on her face as she said it was somehow funny.
Is there a manga about a trouble-maker taking over the student council? I suddenly feel like reading something like that.
“I already told you this isn't public indecency.”
“I doubt other people would see it that way.”
“And not just your opinion?”
“Of course, I feel the same way.”
“It seems like you're the only one who thinks so.”
“That's not true! Should we ask the students passing by?”
“What...? All I did was show some affection to my boyfriend. Why do I need to be questioned by other people? The more I listen to you, the more ridiculous this sounds.”
The two of them were starting to raise their voices.
It was still quiet enough for now, but if this kept up, they were bound to attract attention.
I gently placed a hand on Miyuki's back and said, “Both of you, quiet down.”
As if by magic, both of their mouths snapped shut.
I expected some resistance, but they're surprisingly obedient.
My stern expression and low tone seem to be quite effective.
Is it because I sound like a father giving a strict lecture?
I should use this every now and then to keep them in line.
“What are you two doing? Stop being so childish.”
“Hey, I can see calling Asahina childish, but why me too... Mmph!”
I wrapped an arm around Miyuki's shoulder as she tried to argue, covering her mouth with my hand, and asked Hiyori, “Have you eaten?”
“No.”
“Why are you out now?”
“To get something to eat.”
“Then let's eat together.”
I couldn't make it sound like a naive suggestion. If I did, they'd both likely refuse.
In a situation like this, being brazen and just stating it as a fact is far more effective.
“Can Miho join us? She said she's coming down in a little bit.”
“Tell her to come to the dining hall.”
“Okay.”
Hiyori glanced at Miyuki, whose mouth was still covered by my hand, then primly whipped her head to the side.
She looked like she had a lot to say but was holding it back.
Miyuki was glaring at me.
Why are we eating with Asahina? That's what she must have wanted to say.
But given her kind personality, she couldn't say something so harsh right in front of Hiyori, no matter how uncomfortable she was.
Not to mention she couldn't speak at the moment.
In any case, there was one fortunate thing: the dining hall was buffet-style.
This meant I could talk to each of them separately, however briefly, while they were getting their food. With that in mind, I got on the elevator with them to head up to the dining hall.
“You get a demerit point too, senpai.”
Hiyori said, looking at me still covering Miyuki's mouth.
She must be unhappy about Miyuki and I being in such close contact.
“Stop talking nonsense and be quiet.”
“My mouth is for talking, isn't it?”
“You want me to cover your mouth too?”
“Yep.”
She's cute, pushing her face forward as if asking me to hurry up and cover her mouth, completely unfazed by my scolding.
Miyuki, glaring as if to say, "How dare you make a move on him," is cute too.
But at this rate, the chances of them getting closer seem slim.
While I do need to make my position clear, doing so while Miyuki's affection for Hiyori is so low would just make a mess of things.
Just as I thought before we came, I have to get them to become at least a little friendlier during this school trip.
Even if they don't start liking each other, I need to at least soothe some of the bad blood between them.
Let's try to get them both to take one step back.
With my free hand, I flicked Hiyori's gently swaying ahoge. I only let Miyuki go once the elevator doors opened.
Miyuki touched the reddened area around her mouth, a pout on her face.
I patted her on the back as we entered the dining hall and led them both to a table for four.
When I told them to go get their food, they headed to food stations in opposite directions.
The atmosphere is a bit chilly, but seeing that is kind of funny.
With that thought, I grabbed a plate and walked over to Miyuki, who was picking out some salmon sushi.
“That looks good.”
“We'll see after I try it. By the way, Matsuda-kun.”
“Yeah?”
“Her intentions aren't pure. She was acting weird when we worked out together, and look at her today. She's totally trying to...”
“I'll talk to her.”
I cut her off firmly, and she looked at me, her face full of dissatisfaction.
“I have a lot more to say.”
“I know. Let's eat first, and we can talk in our room later.”
“...Alright.”
She's being surprisingly docile.
Is it because I told her to be quiet earlier?
No, maybe she's in a good mood because of our date at the beach today.
I glanced at Miyuki as she went to get a drink, then walked over to Hiyori.
Hiyori grumbled in a small voice.
“You were just talking about me with Hanazawa-senpai, weren't you?”
“Talking about you? Of course not.”
“Don't lie. I know everything.”
“I said I didn't. And...”
“I have nothing to be ashamed of.”
The fact that she blurted that out before I even said anything was proof that she felt guilty herself.
I chuckled inwardly at her attitude—acting all high and mighty on the outside but feeling completely different on the inside—and said, “What do you have to be so proud of?”
“It's not right to do things like that where there are so many people.”
“You told me not to be so conservative, but right now you seem way more conservative than I am. You sound like an old-timer.”
“Well, it's always okay when I do it, but annoying when someone else does.”
The textbook definition of a double standard.
Still, it's admirable that she's being honest instead of making excuses.
“Are we 'someone else' to you?”
“Nooo...! That's not the point...!”
As I teased her in a mischievous tone, Hiyori's voice became nasal.
Suppressing the urge to immediately pat her ridiculously defenseless head, I gently coaxed the slightly embarrassed girl.
“Can't you try to get along with Miyuki?”
“I don't think that's possible.”
“Why? Are your personalities just too different?”
“That's part of it, but there's a bigger reason.”
“What is it?”
“That's a secret.”
It sounds like she doesn't want to get attached to her romantic rival.
As Hiyori picked up some shrimp, practically declaring war on Miyuki, I gave her a gentle smile and said, “I'd like it if you two could become close.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm a very greedy person.”
“Greedy about what?”
She looked genuinely confused.
Given Hiyori's views on chastity, it seems she can't quite grasp my meaning yet.
So pure on the inside... Tsk, tsk... Still, I'm sure Hiyori will catch on to my hidden meaning soon enough.
Anyway, in the current situation, it's right for Hiyori to be the one to approach Miyuki first.
Even though Miyuki kissed me to show Hiyori our relationship, there was nothing wrong with that action.
On the other hand, Hiyori's reactions, both today and the last time, would look to a third party like she was trying to interfere with a couple.
That's why I think the proper and best course of action is to gently persuade Hiyori to make the first move toward Miyuki.
“It's just one thing or another. Anyway, can you promise me you'll try to get along with Miyuki?”
“Why are you only asking me to make that promise?”
“I asked Miyuki, too.”
“...You did?”
I did. Just not today.
Swallowing those words, I nodded.
“Yeah.”
“And what did Hanazawa-senpai say?”
“She said she'd try.”
“Really?”
“I'm telling you.”
“It sounds like a lie...”
“It's not a lie.”
Miyuki is kind. She won't be mean to someone who approaches her first.
If Hiyori takes the first step back, Miyuki will at least try to get along with her.
As long as Hiyori doesn't push Miyuki's patience to its breaking point, that is.
Hiyori, too, is a good person, even if she seems like a trouble-maker on the surface.
She's just acting a bit aggressively out of jealousy right now; she shouldn't have any deep-seated grudge against Miyuki.
“Well then... I guess I'll try.”
As expected, Hiyori gave a positive answer. I smiled brightly and patted the back of her neck.
“Good girl.”
At that, the prim look in her eyes softened noticeably.
She really is naive, after all. I need to raise her well so I can devour her later.
After getting my food, I sat down at the table. Miyuki sat next to me, and Hiyori sat across from us. I picked up my chopsticks.
We were eating in a rather awkward atmosphere when, a short while later, Miho arrived after getting a message from Hiyori.
She politely greeted Miyuki and me, then gave Hiyori—who was acting overly delighted to see her—a suspicious look. But she seemed to grasp the situation quickly and went to get her food.
The good thing about Miho's arrival was that Hiyori started talking.
With her trusty ally by her side, she started talking to me and Miho, and then, she finally said what I'd been hoping for to Miyuki, who was eating in silence.
“Um, sorry about earlier.”
But isn't her voice a little too quiet?
What's the point if she just mumbles? At that volume, Miyuki wouldn't have heard her even if the dining hall were silent.
“Huh? What was that?”
“It's nothing.”
Hiyori played dumb when Miyuki asked her to repeat herself.
It seems her pride wouldn't let her apologize again.
Still, I'm proud of her for making the effort.
I'll have to praise her a lot later.
“...Enjoy your meal.”
Miyuki also offered Hiyori some kind words.
Did she remember what I said when we were getting food?
Or maybe Hiyori's sentiment got through to her.
Thankfully, the atmosphere gradually improved.
At this rate, I might be able to raise my expectations.
Just as I was thinking, Let's keep this up...
“Ow...!”
Miyuki suddenly flinched and looked under the table.
Then, she furrowed her lovely brow and glared at Hiyori.
“What are you doing...? Why did you pinch my leg...!?”
“Huh...? No... I... S-sorry... I have a bad habit when I eat...”
But Hiyori's reaction was extremely unnatural.
She seemed incredibly flustered. She was even glancing at me.
Don't tell me she was trying to get some kind of revenge by secretly pinching my leg with her foot, but ended up getting Miyuki's leg instead since she was sitting right next to me?
Given the circumstances, that's the only explanation.
Miyuki's gaze shifted to Miho.
Her expression seemed to demand that Miho verify whether Hiyori was telling the truth.
Meeting her gaze, Miho, who had been about to pop a piece of tempura into her mouth, froze. Her eyes darted around before she spoke.
“Uh... Hiyori does tend to move her legs around a lot... It's kind of a habit... She even gives me bruises on my legs sometimes.”
Blood is thicker than water, I guess. I felt sorry for Miho, who was breaking out in a cold sweat trying to cover for Hiyori.
“Really...? What kind of habit is that...? Be careful.”
Miyuki's angry expression softened slightly. Hiyori replied with an awkward smile.
“Okay...”
Then, she smacked her lips as if in disappointment and started eating again.
Not before shooting me a glare, of course.
Miho is the most pitiful one here.
She must be mentally exhausted from being an unwilling witness to this romantic dispute.
I should buy her a drink after the meal and comfort her.