Chapter 424: Miyuki's Decision #3
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 424: Miyuki's Decision #3
“Aren't you going to tell me where you got hurt?”
Inside Miyuki's room.
Miyuki was tending to my wounds as I sat in a chair. I speared a piece of pineapple from the desk with a fork, popped it into my mouth, and answered her question.
“I told you, I don't know.”
“How can you not know when you're bleeding?”
“It's not a big cut. It happens.”
“Matsuda-kun, are you an idiot? How can you be so dense?”
“I was in such a rush to grope you that I didn't notice.”
“What are you talking about?! You're so weird...!”
Looking dumbfounded, Miyuki let out a dry laugh and applied ointment to my forehead.
When I whined that it hurt, she lightly smacked my leg and scolded me before putting a plain bandage on it.
“There. You need to change it to a waterproof one when you shower.”
“What's the big deal if a little water gets in?”
“It's on your face, so it needs to heal properly.”
“I got beaten to a pulp when I left that club, and I was fine.”
“That's because the school nurse and I took good care of you, you know.”
“Trying to take all the credit?”
“I'm not taking credit, I'm stating a fact.”
The text from the class president asking if I'd been in a fight, and me showing up right after Tetsuya left.
Putting those two things together, the answer was obvious.
It was a problem so simple even an idiot like me could figure it out. A smart girl like Miyuki would definitely know.
“Didn't you run into Tetsuya-kun on your way from the playground earlier? The timing seems right...”
Just as I expected, Miyuki brought up what she found suspicious.
“I didn't see him.”
“Come to think of it, I think I heard voices.”
“How could I have a conversation if I didn't see him? And I wasn't talking to myself.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“For real? You can't lie to me.”
She raised her index finger with a stern expression, as if she were lecturing a student.
I let out a soft chuckle, deciding that was enough denial.
Now it was time to show my broad-mindedness and admit it.
“I saw him.”
“Then... did Tetsuya-kun do that?”
Earlier at the playground, Tetsuya had mentioned it. How Miyuki said back in middle school that people don't change, referring to some delinquent.
Of course, that belief has probably faded a lot since she met me, but I decided to dilute it even further.
“It wasn't on purpose. We were just greeting each other and passing by when we accidentally bumped shoulders.”
“An accident...? Are you sure it was an accident?”
“Don't be prejudiced. You hate that, remember? I'm telling you the truth.”
“No... Yes.”
“First no, then yes... Can't you make up your mind?”
“That wasn't a 'no' of disagreement, it was an exclamation...! Is Tetsuya-kun hurt too?”
“No.”
“And did you get an apology?”
I didn't. But I wasn't going to tell her that.
I had to put on a show, pretending to protect Tetsuya's image while being as disingenuous as possible.
“I don't remember.”
“How can you not remember? Are you just pretending you don't know because he didn't apologize?”
“I really forgot.”
“Matsuda-kun, I thought you didn't like Tetsuya-kun.”
“Of course I don't.”
“Then why are you acting like this?”
“Like what?”
I played dumb, but I let it show subtly on my face.
The reason I was protecting Tetsuya was for Miyuki's sake. That for her, I was even willing to overlook a screw-up from a guy I disliked.
“Hah... this is driving me crazy...”
Miyuki muttered, having noticed.
Her childhood friend was acting petty, while I was doing the exact opposite. She must have been making a natural comparison.
“Why is it driving you crazy?”
“Well...”
Miyuki hesitated.
It seemed she was reluctant to tell me what happened with Tetsuya.
But soon after, with a look of firm resolve, she began to tell me what happened at the playground.
“I was waiting for you at the playground, Matsuda-kun, when Tetsuya-kun came and...”
I listened silently for a long time as the unvarnished story poured from Miyuki's lips. When she finished, licking her dry lips, I watched her and nodded.
“I see.”
“Yeah. Didn't the atmosphere feel a little off when you were with him, Matsuda-kun?”
“It did seem a little strange.”
“Right? That's why Ho...”
Miyuki trailed off, then shut her mouth with an 'oops' expression.
Realizing she had stopped herself from mentioning the class president, I gave her a meaningful smile.
“Ho-what?”
“No... it's nothing.”
“So, the class president texted you that it looked like Miura and I were fighting?”
“Huh? W-What did you say?”
Miyuki flinched.
Seeing her so visibly flustered was kind of funny.
This is why only skilled people should lie.
When a clumsy person does it, it's obvious to everyone.
“Why are you playing dumb? When you texted me earlier asking if I fought with Miura, it was because the class president told you and you were worried, right?”
“No...?”
“Yes, it was. The class president admitted it.”
Miyuki's eyes darted around.
Proof that she was caught. I chuckled at her and continued.
“I ran into her by chance on my way back from the academy. I gave her a ride home and half-threatened her until she confessed she sent it because she was worried.”
“She did?”
“She did. Why hide it? Were you worried I'd see the class president as a tattletale?”
“.... Why would you threaten someone... You're so violent...”
It was funny how she was trying to change the subject to get out of this.
“I can't just let this go.”
My voice dropped low, and Miyuki flinched, pouting her lips.
“W-Well, if you're going to be like that, you also lied to me earlier about not seeing Tetsuya-kun...”
“That's completely different from what you did.”
“How is it different?! It's similar...!”
“Not similar at all. I'm holding this over you, so you have to grant me a wish later.”
“A wish? We're not elementary schoolers, making wishes over something like this...”
“You don't want to?”
As I said that, I tapped my lap.
A signal for her to sit. She cautiously faced me and settled onto my thighs before answering.
“No... I'd like that.”
Miyuki's disappointment in Tetsuya today must have been immense.
She'd seen the insidious side of the Tetsuya she thought was just kind and naive. It was inevitable.
Furthermore, even if it wasn't intentional, he'd hurt me, so her image of him must have plummeted.
Even if she wouldn't cut ties with him completely, if Tetsuya kept acting like this, there was a high chance she'd end their friendship before long.
I, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of Tetsuya.
The old me would have thrown a punch, but I let it slide as if it were nothing.
I didn't show any hostility. In fact, I even tried to protect him.
From Miyuki's perspective, I must have seemed like the ideal man right now.
As proof, her eyes were overflowing with an emotion called love.
She also looked like she was burning with desire.
I supported the small of her back with my hand and asked.
“Is what happened today bothering you?”
“Of course. Tetsuya-kun seemed like a stranger today. And I feel bad that you got hurt, Matsuda-kun.”
“So are you going to go confront him? Wouldn't that make things incredibly awkward?”
“Still...”
“Time is the only cure for things like this. The situation with you and Miura was resolved through conversation, right? So let's just wait and see.”
“I wouldn't say it's resolved...”
“Quiet.”
“Hey, why do you keep cutting me off...!”
Miyuki whined, bouncing on my lap.
The light weight I felt from my knees.
I grinned and gave Miyuki a light kiss on the lips.
And the moment the soft peck ended, Miyuki pushed her face toward me with frightening intensity.
Her tongue pushed its way in. I tried to stop her by patting her back, but it had no effect.
She was sucking on my lips like a madwoman.
As if she intended to make them swell up by the next day.
Supporting Miyuki's bottom as she clung to me completely, I stood up. I wandered around the room until my lips started to sting, then I half-forced her down onto the bed.
At that, Miyuki grabbed my wrist, looked up at me with her glistening eyes, and said.
“Stay the night...”
I never thought she'd say something like that. This was completely unexpected.
She must have felt such immense joy and love from my attitude that she wanted me to sleep over, even with her family here.
“Here?”
Did my surprised, wide-eyed question make her shy?
Miyuki turned her head slightly, avoiding my gaze, and answered.
“Yeah... here.”
“But your mom and dad are here.”
“I'll tell them. Why? You don't want to...?”
“There's no reason for me not to want to.”
“Then it's settled?”
“Well... I guess so, for my part. It depends on what your parents say, though.”
“They'll say yes. Mom and Dad like you, Matsuda-kun.”
“Sleeping over seems like a separate issue.”
“Wait here.”
“You're going to ask them right now?”
“Yeah.”
Did Miyuki eat something weird today? Her drive was incredible.
“Shouldn't I go down with you?”
“No. It's better if I ask alone.”
“You think so?”
“Probably. I'll be right back.”
Miyuki quickly left the room.
And she returned in less than five minutes.
“They said you can stay.”
“They gave you permission?”
“They were really happy to say yes.”
I knew Midori and Wataru were pretty open-minded, but to allow this?
They must know what could happen if I sleep over.
“Did they say anything else?”
“Anything else? Like what?”
“Like, 'don't cause any trouble'... or something.”
Miyuki's face began to flush as she caught the hidden meaning in my words.
She glanced at my playful expression and said.
“They didn't say anything like that, they just talked about breakfast tomorrow...”
“Is that so? Alright. Then I'm going to head home for a bit.”
“Home? Why...?”
“I need to get clothes for tomorrow.”
“Oh, right. Then let's go together and you can bring a few more outfits. I'll put them in my closet.”
It seemed Miyuki wasn't just planning on having me stay over for one night.
The decisiveness Miyuki showed now made me wonder if she'd eventually ask me to move in with her.
And she was filled to the brim with affection for me.