Tumultuous Everyday (3)
To become a novelist, you have to read a ton of novels. To become a director or actor, you need to watch heaps of movies, dramas, and stage plays to broaden your horizons. It's the same for manga artists. Of course, you have to practice drawing, but the real key is learning from commercially successful examples.
Sakuya had faithfully followed that logic. Sure, she was currently making a name for herself as an all-around sports girl rather than a mangaka, but she still dreamed of becoming one. The stacks of manga filling her house were proof of that.
And doujinshi were no exception—they stayed firmly within her reference materials. In fact, if you're aiming to be a mangaka in Japan, there's no way you haven't read any doujinshi. But since "doujinshi" covers such a broad range, let's call them red books or thin books for simplicity.
Even at a young age, Sakuya had easily gotten her hands on thin books, thanks to her cousin sister who was a doujin artist. Her specialty was in that area, so the books piled up at her place were mostly yaoi stuff that was hard for Sakuya to understand back then. But she also routinely bought works from fellow artists, providing plenty of reference material.
Sakuya indulged in the genre where humanity's basest desires were laid bare without restraint. Coming from an athletics club background, her curiosity and cravings about sex were a bit stronger than her peers', which played a part too.
Like anything, the first time is the hardest—whether it's masturbation or whatever. After that, it becomes habit, then daily routine. Just like how those who grow numb to stimulation seek ever stronger thrills, plunging into an inescapable abyss.
Sakuya naturally conquered hardcore genres, growing accustomed to them. Her tolerance for the disgust or revulsion a normal person might feel kept rising accordingly. Of course, she could distinguish fantasy from reality.
But here's the problem. 'This is weird. Why isn't this turning me on...?'
When she teased Tae-il. When she fully savored his scent or saliva. Her heart would pound like it was broken, racing wildly.
By normal standards, even a special lover might find those sensations off-putting, but she got excited by them. She wanted to see Tae-il's distressed face more. When he sweated, she couldn't help but press closer, deeply inhaling his scent.
'Maybe I'm beyond saving...?' Sakuya self-deprecated.
The funny part? From middle school to now, the body odor from boys in the athletics club had been brutally pungent. They'd joke around, saying it smelled like a sewer.
'Haha. Can't even blame Katsuragi for this.' Sakuya let out a wry, secret smile in disbelief.
'Still.'
Flip the perspective: Doesn't this just prove how much she likes Tae-il? After all, everyone else's scents were still gross and metallic to her.
'Think positive.' Sakuya tried to brush off her nagging fetish somehow.
But. 'Ah, I'm seriously going insane...'
Like the saying about late starters not knowing when to quit, even while handling Ayane's chores, Sakuya's gaze kept drifting to the bathroom where Tae-il had gone.
And eventually, she slipped up. "Sakuraba, where you going without finishing the prep?"
"Huh? Just washing my hands real quick..."
"Use the sink here. Are you an idiot?"
"..."
Humiliation struck.
Human greed knows no bounds, and they say we repeat the same mistakes. It was true.
"What a joke. Wearing hygiene gloves and still needing to wash your hands..."
"..."
Ayane's mutter was clearly meant to rub it in. Sakuya silently stared at her left thumb wrapped in the glove, then bit down hard. It tasted like plastic.
"Ta-da! That's everything prepped!"
Ayane's breakfast preparation was sandwiches. After building up such hype, her utterly safe choice left Sakuya—despite her helping hand—feigning disappointment. "Talking like you'd make something amazing, and it's just sandwiches in the end..."
"Are you an idiot?" Ayane shot Sakuya a pitiful look as she carried the sandwiches. "Shin-jjang isn't tough and sturdy like you, so after pushing him that hard, heavy food would upset his stomach!"
"Sorry for being tough and sturdy."
"Good you know! And you think all sandwiches are the same?"
Ayane proudly compared her own sandwich to Sakuya's. Hers had precise cuts, a perfect cross-section. Sakuya's was crooked, unevenly filled, bumpy in height.
The fact that their joint effort sandwich was at least decent twisted Sakuya's face in humiliation.
'Still, not a total loss.'
It wasn't just about eating light to avoid upset. Thinking back, Tae-il always ate small portions. During the jumbo ramen with the three of them, lunch in Gunma, yesterday's date—all the same, just him picking at his food.
Sakuya, who'd tried bulking him up with intense workouts and hearty meals, frowned. 'Whatever, fine for now. Note to self.'
Getting called an idiot twice by Ayane of all people stung, but she'd gained intel on Tae-il in return. Fair trade.
'Just you wait.' Sakuya glared at the ground Ayane had stepped on to climb higher.
Ayane's childhood friend high ground was steadily eroding under the cold winds of information. Soon, their relationship would be equal—or Ayane would be beneath her. Sakuya imagined that future and decided to endure for now.
'For today, I messed up a lot anyway...'
She humiliatingly eyed her own crooked, messy sandwich compared to Ayane's. No matter how amazing Sakuya was at school, in cooking, Ayane was still the boss.
"Let's go. Shin-jjang's waiting."
"Yeah."
Ayane confidently led the way, tray with drinks loaded up. Normally, they'd eat in the kitchen or living room, but naturally, they climbed the stairs to Tae-il's room.
Up the stairs, left turn, open the door where he was...
"Eek, you scared me!"
They locked eyes with Tae-il, fresh out of the shower—hair still damp and fluffy, upper body bare as he changed.
"Whew." Sakuya whistled.
She'd glimpsed his build at the hot springs, but up close like this, it felt somehow different. Compared to the muscular athletic guys she'd seen, Tae-il was insultingly scrawny.
But not hopeless. He wasn't skin-and-bones; building muscle from that slim frame was doable.
Especially that bulge in his square briefs and his forearms—visibly sturdy at a glance. 'With proper training, this could be pretty good...?'
Sakuya unwittingly fantasized about an idealized Tae-il body, lost in lewd imaginings.
Meanwhile, Ayane—used to his nakedness as childhood friends—calmly set down the plates and tray, nagging him. "Hurry up and get dressed! You'll catch a cold like that, Shin-jjang."
"R-Right!"
Tae-il froze mid-change, then hurriedly finished dressing, shorts and all. Blushing, he glanced at Sakuya and plopped down at the small table.
"Haha, been a while since I've been here."
Sakuya scratched her cheek belatedly and sat opposite. The spot next to him went regrettably to Ayane.
'Doesn't smell much.' Sakuya secretly sniffed.
Like last visit, Tae-il's room surprisingly lacked odor. Good ventilation? No sour sweat or manly stink like from athletic boys—super refreshing.
Sakuya didn't know: After Ayane's bold "night flower" scent comment, Tae-il had freaked and sprayed deodorizer like crazy.
Tae-il's eyes went to the tray. "Sandwiches for breakfast?"
"Yup. Made 'em light so you don't get an upset stomach. Good job, right?"
"Ahaha, thanks, Ayane."
Tae-il reached for a sandwich, thanking her. Ayane and Sakuya, pretending casual chatter, tensed under the table, fists clenched secretly.
Three sandwiches on the plate: Ayane's neat one. Sakuya's sloppy one. And their joint one.
Tae-il grabbed the third without hesitation.
Sigh. A relieved breath escaped someone.
Tae-il, oblivious, took a small bite.
Taste matched the looks: decently good. The two watched silently as he ate without fuss.
"Tasty?" Ayane beamed.
Tae-il wiped mayo from his mouth and nodded. "Yeah. But did we have ham and mayo at home?"
"Nope." Ayane confessed they'd grabbed a few from her empty fridge out of necessity.
"Ah, sorry. I'll tell Mom later and pay it back."
"No need. Between us."
Between us.
Sakuya flinched at Ayane's natural words. Glaring irritably, sure enough—Aya puffed her chest, smirking smugly.
Sakuya's brows furrowed in an inverted V.
"How do you always mooch off him? Soon I'll make your deadbeat dad treat us."
"Dad might like that a bit?"
"Right?"
"Ahem!"
Sakuya cleared her throat as they giggled. With Tae-il's eyes on her, she smoothly probed his schedule, satisfied. "Tae-il, got any plans today?"
"Plans?" Tae-il pondered, thumb to lower lip habitually. "Band practice this afternoon. Gotta head to school first though."
"Why?" Ayane questioned immediately.
"Practice is afternoon, right? No reason to go early."
"Advisor Asakura-sensei's been on vacation since yesterday."
With one less hand, he planned a quick morning visit for the Animal Husbandry Club, he added.
"Animal Husbandry Club..." Ayane recalled Yuuya from yesterday's brief company.
She'd approached with hostility at first, but owed her quite a bit by now. Ayane had a conscience—not heartless enough to stay hostile to a debtor.
Pay back debts. Clear her own loose ends.
Ayane cautiously asked Tae-il. "Um, if it's just you two, it'll be tough... Want Ayane to help?"
"Ayane?"
"I kinda owe Mori-senpai..."
"Ayane?"
"What."
"Ayane?"
"Wanna die, Shin-jjang?"
"Kidding."
Tae-il chuckled and nodded. "If you wanna help, I'm fine with it. But you know the club's kinda hellish for girls..."
"Y-Yeah, kinda..." Ayane rarely showed distaste, having fielded tons of complaints about it.
Ayane's weakness sparked Sakuya's curiosity instead. "What's the Animal Husbandry Club like?"
Sakuya leaned in between them. She knew zilch about cultural clubs, sports aside.
Tae-il rubbed his temple. "As the name says, raising animals. You know the rabbit hutches in the back schoolyard? Our club's in charge."
"Oh ho?"
"But the clubroom's mostly reptiles. Lizards especially. We raise their insect feed too..."
"Yeah?"
Sakuya stayed unfazed as Tae-il's face darkened. Okinawa native, she had no germaphobia there.
What intrigued her more: "But why'd you join the Animal Husbandry Club, Tae-il? Aren't you in Light Music Club?"
"That's a long story..." Tae-il grimaced, pinching his brow. Sakuya guessed.
'Some manga-worthy plot twist happened.'
Classic Tae-il. It always was.
'Knew it.'
Tae-il had protagonist vibes. Her eyes weren't wrong.
Sakuya spun her own imaginings.
"Anyway, Asakura-sensei called in helpers, but just in case, I'll lend a hand. Owe Yuuya-senpai a lot usually too."
"Hm."
Sakuya hummed intriguingly. In her mangas, this screamed new encounter foreshadowing. Very exciting.
Just look at Tae-il's Light Music Club entanglements. Him pursuing another meeting? Her eyes gleamed burden-somely.
"Cool. If Katsuragi goes, I'll go too. What do ya think?"
"Huh?"
"She's clubmates with us too, right?"
Balance debts: Tae-il owed her side, so repay in kind.
"Mmm. Thinking about it, Sakuraba's not wrong..." Ayane nodded vaguely, agreeing.
Mainly, she didn't want to send Tae-il alone.
"Unlike some, I can handle bugs and reptiles fine. Caught bugs and frogs as a kid."
"Eww..."
Ayane hated losing to Sakuraya usually. But bugs, reptiles, amphibians? Total nope. Cute mammals were her limit.
Tae-il asked worriedly. "I'd love the help, but you sure?"
"Of course." Sakuya grinned confidently.
"Practice later anyway, right? As a new club member, gotta show face and build rapport early."
"Yuuya-senpai doesn't really do Light Music Club stuff..."
"Hey, you never know."
"Th-Then great! Ayane'll go too! W-Won't help much, but...!"
"Hmph, suit yourself. I'll be busy helping Tae-il, while you suck your thumb. Right?"
"Urk!"
Sakuya poked, Ayane bit back.
"Why are you two fighting over this..."
And so, abruptly, the three-person Animal Husbandry Club raid was set.