Chapter 93: From Hard Peach to Soft Peach
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 93: From Hard Peach to Soft Peach
Wipe... wipe.
Chinami, who was wiping the leather of her protective gear, glanced at me.
As I, wiping away silently beside her, slowly turned my head,
“Ah!”
Chinami let out a short exclamation and quickly lowered her gaze back to the leather guard.
Suppressing a laugh, I asked.
“Why? Is there something you want to say?”
“Ju-Junior...! Did you know... that you can have various designs drawn on the leather guard...?”
She was terrible at changing the subject.
It was almost tempting to tease her, but her heart must be racing right now, so I decided to let it slide.
“Yesterday, when I was picking out my gear with Inoo-senpai, I did see some leather guards with various patterns on them.”
“I see...! Then what kind of pattern is on the new torso guard you bought, Junior?”
“It's black. I like things simple.”
“Mhm...! A simple black is definitely a safe choice that suits most tastes...!”
“What design is on your leather guard, Master?”
“I have two all-black sets as well. But the leather guard on the gear I use for practice has a picture of Momo-nim on the waist area. I customized it myself.”
That damn Momo-nim shows up everywhere.
Her devotion is incredible.
As I was thinking that, a good idea came to me.
“Can you get a Momo-nim picture put on it anytime? I'm suddenly interested.”
At my words, Chinami's eyes started to sparkle.
She carefully placed the leather guard on a shelf in the storage room and replied.
“It's possible. Though it takes a little time to do the design.”
Her shy demeanor was long gone.
It was both funny and cute how she instantly brightened up just by sharing an interest in Momo-nim.
“I think it would look nice if the master and student wore matching leather guards. What do you think?”
“Mmm...! I think that's a wonderful idea...! It's been a while since my junior had such a commendable thought...!”
She wasn't jumping for joy, but it was obvious she was happy.
“But if you get the picture put on the leather right away, you might regret it later, so I'll put a Momo-nim sticker on it for you first. You can see how you like it.”
I gave a gentle smile at her words and nodded.
“Alright.”
“Ufufu... I'm so happy that you seem to like Momo-nim, Junior.”
“It's cute. Just like you, Master.”
“Of course it's cu— Huh...? What did you say...?”
Chinami, who was about to agree with a beaming smile, froze.
Watching her eyes widen, I replied nonchalantly.
“It's nothing. We should go buy some Momo-nim merch together sometime.”
“.... Yes... O-Okay...”
Her bashful expression returned.
I had a desperate urge to touch those plump cheeks.
After putting away the cleaned gear and turning on the dehumidifier, I tidied the strands of hair that had slipped down over the shoulder of Chinami, who was staring up at me with wide eyes.
“Oh...?”
Chinami's body flinched, causing the top of her uniform to loosen slightly, and her bra peeked through the collar.
Is she not wearing a t-shirt under her uniform? How can she be so careless?
I knew it. Chinami is someone you have to look after, one thing at a time.
The color was a very Chinami-like pink, but surely the strap didn't have Momo-nim on it, right?
I couldn't imagine the company that made Momo-nim also launched an underwear brand.
“Your chest tie is coming loose.”
Bending my knees to meet her eyes, I carefully began to retie the chest strings, making sure the top of her uniform didn't open up.
“Eek...”
As she watched me meticulously tie a ribbon knot, the color drained from Chinami's face.
She let out a strange squeak and stretched her arms out straight, her hands held stiffly upright, looking just like a heroine from an innocent romance manga.
“Don't be so careless. What would you do if other people saw?”
At my soft voice, having finished the knot and adjusted the dangling ends, Chinami's head bobbed up and down stiffly.
“Y-Yes...! I-I'll be careful...”
Chinami's face and even her ears were so red she looked like she might pop if you poked her.
Since the ties are located on the side of the chest, it seemed she felt incredibly embarrassed even though I hadn't touched her in the slightest, not even indirectly.
“Shall we finish up now?”
“Yes... let's finidh up...”
“Finidh?”
“Ah...! Finish... finish...”
This was the first time I'd seen her so flustered she was misspeaking.
Judging by her docile reaction, she wasn't repulsed.
Relieved, I gave Chinami a bright smile.
“I'll go hang up the uniforms.”
“Th-Then I guess I'll clean the protective gear...?”
“But we just finished cleaning the gear.”
“Did I say protective gear...? I'm sure I said shinai...”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeees... I think your hearing might be a little off, Junior... I-I'm genuinely worried, so maybe you should see a doctor...?”
“I see. I appreciate your concern for me. But what should we do? I already wiped down all the shinai before we cleaned the gear.”
“.....”
Having talked herself into a corner, Chinami's lips clamped shut and jutted out in a pout.
Chuckling, I slowly stroked Chinami's back from top to bottom.
“There's not much left to do, so I'll finish up by myself. You should rest, Master.”
“I can't do that...”
“Come on, Master, you're a good girl. Just listen to me.”
“.... Th-Then I'll go buy some ice cream...”
“No. You haven't been able to do any personal practice lately, so you should join the club activities while I finish up. Got it?”
“.....”
She didn't answer.
She must feel bad about me doing all the work.
She's just so kindhearted... Tsk, tsk...
“If you don't want me to go alone, shall we do it together?”
“Yes... let's do it together... I want to hang the uniforms with you, Junior...”
My Chinami... you've ripened quite a bit.
To use a peach as a metaphor, you're going from a hard peach to a soft one.
It won't be long now until your juices are flowing freely.
“Alright. Let's do it together.”
* * *
[Tokyo's Best Love Hotel ★Fully Equipped with Various Themed Rooms★]
[Open-Air Bath Room for Periscope Service 50% Off! ♣Free Non-Water-Soluble Massage Oil Provided♣]
Why are most love hotel ads so tacky?
I don't get it.
If they just posted a few photos and some concise text, people would make reservations on their own.
Still, it's nice that they have rooms with various themes.
While searching for hotels on a popular booking app, my eyes lit up when I saw a room equipped with a massage bed in a downtown area not too far away.
The photos showed a nice, dimly lit atmosphere... and since the place was relatively new, it seemed like a good choice.
I booked that room for a week.
I didn't know when I'd go there with Chinami, so I planned to just call and tell them to leave the room as is, and then go when the time was right.
The love hotel wouldn't have to clean it and they'd already been paid, so they'd have no reason to refuse.
After booking and paying, I put my phone away and looked up at the sky.
The rain had just stopped, and the sky was hazy with lingering dark clouds. I quite liked the color.
“Waaah!”
As I was staring blankly at the sky, someone yelled and grabbed my shoulders. I turned with a smile on my face.
“What are you doing? That's so childish.”
Miyuki's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“You're not scared?”
“Why would I be?”
“I thought you'd be scared of stuff like this, Matsuda-kun. You were like that in the haunted house, and you almost fainted when I came to see you at dawn.”
“If you hadn't made any footsteps, it would've gone just the way you wanted.”
“Ah, you heard me? I tried to be as quiet as possible... Why are your ears so sharp all of a sudden?”
Time with Miyuki is always a lot of fun.
It feels like I'm her childhood friend, not Tetsuya.
To be precise, a childhood friend and boyfriend.
“What do you mean, 'all of a sudden'... You're so energetic...”
I straightened Miyuki's messy bangs, then opened the passenger door and gestured to the seat with my chin.
“Just get in. Give me your bag.”
“Why is your escort so half-assed?”
“Be grateful I'm doing it at all.”
“Fine. But where's Tetsuya-kun?”
“He said he had to use the bathroom and to wait a minute. But I'm just gonna go.”
Miyuki was horrified by my indifferent reply.
Slipping her bag off her shoulder and onto my fingers, she asked in a disbelieving tone.
“You're not really going to leave, are you...?”
“I really want to.”
“You should at least cut him some slack for a biological need...”
“I'm kidding. Hurry up and get in.”
“Okay... Oh, tomorrow, can you come straight to school instead of stopping by my house? It'd be nice if you and Tetsuya-kun came together, but that's asking too much... Just sleep in a little and come before you're late.”
“Why?”
“I have to come in early to stand guard at the school gate. I have to inspect the uniforms of arriving students and give demerits to anyone who's late.”
This... could it be what I was thinking of before?
Miyuki from the disciplinary committee, guarding the main gate?
“You're guarding the main gate?”
“Yep. With a senior from the student council, just the two of us. So don't you dare be late. Got it?”
This is an event I can't miss.
I'm definitely going to be late.
“Got it.”
As I was chatting amicably with Miyuki, I saw Tetsuya approaching in the distance and slyly touched her hip.
She flinched and poked me in the side.
“Matsuda-kun, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you...? Trying to make things awkward for me in front of Tetsuya-kun?”
She knows me well.
“Yep. Isn't it fun?”
“Not at all...? Let go.”
Miyuki primly removed my hand and got into the passenger seat.
I let out a small snort watching her, then glanced at Tetsuya rushing over.
That bastard, he washed his hands, right?
* * *
“Junior! Over here!”
Chinami, stretching both hands high in the air and waving them from side to side.
Thanks to that, the hem of her sweatshirt rode up a little, revealing a bit of her waist.
A straight belly button set in the middle of her pale skin.
It was a little smaller than Miyuki's, and looked as dainty as Chinami's own toes.
I strode over to Chinami, and when she grinned and handed me the package in her hand, I took it out of habit.
“What's this?”
“It's a peach cream bun.”
“.....”
You want me to eat this again?
Can you please stop giving me these now?
“Why aren't you saying anything? Did you already have dinner?”
She looked like she was about to shoot lasers from her eyes if I didn't eat it.
Well... it's better than peach powder.
And it's a product you see every now and then, even if it's not common.
I shook my head weakly and said.
“No. I was just getting hungry, so this is perfect. But did you bring this peach bun from home?”
“That's right. My mother gave it to me as I was leaving.”
“I see...”
I wonder if Chinami's mother is quirky and cute like her?
Or does she have a mature, sultry vibe like Midori?
I'd like to meet her sometime, and personally, I hope it's the latter.
Because that gap—a similar face but a different personality—is another turn-on.
“Shall we go? I'm getting antsy, I want to buy the protective gear you pick out for me.”
“Fufu... I'll pick out something with excellent cost-effectiveness, so you can look forward to it. Oh, and I brought the sticker, too. Once you buy the gear, Junior, I'll put it on for you myself.”
She crossed her arms and lifted her chin proudly.
I gave a fond smile at Chinami's triumphant attitude and strolled down the quiet street, chatting with her.