Chapter 81: Chinami, Almost Scammed #2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 81: Chinami, Almost Scammed #2
“Sigh… Aren’t people who scam others like that afraid of the iron hammer of the law?”
A sigh, as if trying to swallow her anger, escaped Chinami’s lips.
I feel bad for saying this, but it was a little funny.
Her line sounded like something the cheerful heroine of a magical girl show would say.
Chinami, kicking her feet listlessly, tightly clutched the envelope of money she'd gotten back from the scammer.
I pointed at it and gestured to her crossbody bag with my eyes. Chinami quickly put the envelope inside and hugged the bag to her chest.
Watching her eyes dart around nervously, I said, “They probably run wild because kind people like you forgive them, Master.”
“But what was I supposed to do…? He was bawling his eyes out, saying he’d never do it again… And to think he didn’t even treat the Momo-nim doll with care…!”
Chinami shook her head like the heroine of a tragic drama.
It seemed the sadness of seeing the Momo-nim doll she'd finally met in person get broken was greater than her anger at almost being scammed.
How absurd.
“Well… the station attendant took him away, so they'll either hand him over to the police or let him go after a good talking-to.”
“Yes… By the way, did I really seem like such an easy target?”
Honestly, you do seem like a bit of an easy target.
Earlier, I was about to check the doll, but you just handed over the money without a second thought.
Swallowing those words, I comforted Chinami.
“You'll get another chance to find a Momo-nim doll. Don't be too discouraged.”
“Haaa… Maybe I should have negotiated with the scammer and bought the deceased Momo-nim for cheap… Now that I've seen it in person, the image keeps flickering in my mind.”
“Wouldn't you feel a bit weird about taking a used doll that someone else owned?”
“That's true. Phew… If it weren't for you, Junior, I would have been in real trouble… Thank you so much.”
“From now on, you should probably avoid used goods transactions. If there's something you really want to buy, go with me or Inoo-senpai.”
“Okaay…”
Chinami, who had answered with a drawn-out syllable, lifted her head.
She walked while looking straight at me, her cheeks slightly flushed.
It was cute, like a blush from the cold winter wind.
I nodded slowly and placed a hand on Chinami's shoulder.
“Huh?”
Then, as she flinched, I applied a little pressure with my hand.
“Don't be so down. You look best when you're cheerful, Master.”
“.... Mmh...!”
I couldn't tell if that was an answer or a moan.
She's still so sensitive. If I touched her down there, she'd probably fall apart instantly.
I gave Chinami's shoulder one firm squeeze before letting go.
“Feel good?”
“Kh…! I-It didn't feel good…!”
That was Chinami's reply, even as her tense muscles completely relaxed.
I looked down at her, her upper body slightly bent and her face scrunched up, and said with a grin, “That's a shame. I'll have to learn more.”
“L-Learn more about what…?”
“Massage. I've picked it up as a hobby recently. I'll give you a proper one sometime, Master.”
“.... A massage... If I received something like that...”
Why? You'd end up broken?
It was funny how Chinami was spouting lines straight out of a corruption or NTR eroge.
Bending my knees and resting my hands on them, I met Chinami's gaze.
“It's because I really want to do it for you, Master, so please let me, later. Of course, if you say no, I won't do it.”
“.... W-Well, in that case... I'll think about it... positively...”
Chinami answered in a voice that trailed off to a mumble, her head bowed.
With my face so close and wearing a beaming smile, she seemed to feel pressured and embarrassed.
“Alright. Shall we head back now? I'll take you home.”
“Y-Yes…”
“Go home, wash up, and get some rest. And don't even think about browsing used goods websites. Got it?”
“I got it…”
“Shall we promise?”
I held out my pinky to Chinami. She flinched and asked, “D-Do we really need to make a promise over something like this...? Don't you trust your master?”
“It's just an over-concern. You did say the image was lingering in your mind earlier.”
“.... That was a joke...”
“It sounded serious to me. Come on, pinky promise.”
My finger was right in front of her nose.
After shifting her shoulders left and right in embarrassment, she finally extended her slender finger and hooked it with mine.
A very charming nail, painted pink.
I stared at it for a moment, then smiled brightly.
“We have a promise, right? You're going to forget about Momo-nim today, okay?”
“Okaay…”
“Your nails are pretty. They suit you.”
“Th-Thank you... Should I paint your nails too, Junior...?”
You can do my right hand, and Miyuki can do my left.
“In pink?”
“Yes… peach-colored…”
“I don't think it would suit me.”
“No… I think it would suit you even more because it's peach-colored…”
She can't even make eye contact properly, but she's quick to talk back.
Enjoying the suddenly soft atmosphere, I straightened my knees.
“Let's head to the parking lot.”
“Ah… I'll pay for parking…”
“Are you that determined not to be indebted to me?”
“N-No, that's not it… It's just, you helped me today, so of course…”
“Please accept a favor as a favor. Alright?”
“Okaay…”
“Good girl. Shall we go now?”
“Okaay…”
Just like last time, she was out of it, only able to give short, affirmative replies.
I let out a small laugh and was about to stroke Chinami's slender arm, but stopped myself.
This is far enough for today.
No need to poke at the newly sensitive Chinami and make her explode. Let's just go back quietly.
* * *
The next day.
I was waiting in the car in front of Miyuki's house, fiddling with my phone, when I froze. Chinami's profile picture had changed.
It was a dazed-looking Momo-nim.
It seemed to represent how she was feeling right now.
Embarrassed, dizzy, and flustered.
By the way, Momo-nim has quite a variety of expressions.
I wonder if there's an ahegao one.
Click.
While I was focused on my phone, the passenger side door opened.
Miyuki got in with a bright expression.
She naturally leaned over to press her lips against mine before buckling her seatbelt. I asked her, “Been waiting long?”
“Nope. I just came out. We're going to Tetsuya-kun's house now, right?”
“Do we have to keep giving that nuisance a ride?”
“Hey, why have you been calling him a nuisance since last time...? He's our friend...!”
Friend, my ass.
I snorted, changing the subject, and started the car.
“What did you do yesterday?”
It was a simple question from Miyuki as she gazed out the window.
Driving in silence, I answered nonchalantly, “I met up with Nanase-senpai.”
“Nanase-senpai…? The kendo club manager…? The one we met before?”
“Yeah. She said she was doing an in-person transaction for some used goods, so I went with her.”
“Why would you go with her for a used goods transaction, Matsuda-kun?”
“You saw her last time, right? You know how naive Nanase-senpai is.”
“She did seem really nice… but why bring that up all of a sudden?”
“I had a feeling she was going to get scammed. So I went with her, and she really did almost get scammed.”
“What…? Really?”
Miyuki's face, which had been about to turn cold, was instead colored with surprise.
I glanced at her and nodded.
“You know that popular peach doll, Momo-nim?”
“Ah…! I know that one! I heard it's super famous these days…”
“I looked it up, and it is. The doll costs over 20,000 yen.”
“T-Twenty thousand yen…? That's a lot of money. She almost got scammed out of that?”
“25,000 yen, to be exact.”
“What about the doll? She must have checked it before the transaction.”
“Of course she did. But she only gave it a quick look before handing over the money. The moment I tried to inspect it properly, the scammer tried to run off with the money. When I grabbed the guy, the doll fell to the ground, you know? And its head and body separated.”
Miyuki turned her whole body to face me.
She seemed intrigued.
“He tried to sell something like that in person? Wouldn't a delivery transaction be better for a scam?”
“I don't know. I think he talked to Nanase-senpai beforehand and sized her up as an easy mark. And maybe it's because a delivery transaction would leave evidence?”
“True… there are fewer excuses than with an in-person transaction. So what happened to the scammer?”
“I was going to hand him over to the police, but she forgave him.”
“Why…?”
“I guess she felt sorry for him when he was begging for forgiveness right in front of her. Still, the station attendant took him away, so he'll probably be arrested.”
“That's a relief… She would have been in big trouble if she'd gone alone… Good job.”
Miyuki patted my shoulder in praise.
She's acting like that because she thinks I went with her out of good will.
It might be a good idea to have them meet and get to know each other.
Though there are many things I need to build up first.
“But isn't Nanase-senpai a little too naive? It was a transaction involving a lot of money…”
“I know. She seems to trust people too easily.”
As we chatted, we arrived at Tetsuya's house.
Seeing the empty doorway, I grumbled, “For someone who's just bumming a ride, he's not even waiting outside.”
“He'll probably be out soon…? Besides, I'm sometimes a minute or two late, too.”
“That doesn't matter since you're someone I'm supposed to drive around, but…”
My voice trailing off, I slipped my hand between Miyuki's thighs.
I grinned at her as she flinched from the sudden skinship and continued, “Miura is starting to get on my nerves.”
“What's there to be annoyed about…! H-Hey, let go for a second…”
“The window tinting is good. No one can see in from outside.”
My hand pushed her uniform skirt up her thigh, going deeper and deeper.
Miyuki gasped, biting her lower lip as she struggled to grab my hand and pull it away.
“Don't do this in the morning…!”
“Why is Miura so clueless?”
“I-I'll say something to him…! So let go…! Tetsuya-kun is coming out right now…!”
Sure enough, just as Miyuki said, Tetsuya was coming out of the front door with a slice of bread in his mouth.
“He always has to interrupt at times like this.”
Grumbling, I pulled my hand away, and Miyuki hurriedly started straightening the hem of her skirt.
I gave her now-burning-hot hand a tight squeeze and said, “You promised, right? You say something to him.”
Click.
The moment I finished speaking, the back door opened and Tetsuya got in.
He chomped down the slice of bread and offered a casual apology.
“Sorry, was I really late?”
So you do know.
I was about to say something, but I'll praise you instead. Good job.
Until the day I don't have to give you a ride anymore, I hope you keep coming out at these perfectly awkward times.
Because your clueless behavior helps in developing Miyuki's tastes.