Chapter 117
Chapter 117
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Grace's Secret Stalking
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The next day, during break time, I made an excuse about going to the bathroom and slipped out of class naturally.
It hadn't been long since I learned Grace was in the same class as me, but ever since finding out, I'd been watching her actions closely, keeping an eye on her.
Aside from the fact that she'd picked a fight with me... she was also Karen's little sister.
Lately, I'd been observing how Grace spent her time in our academy class.
"Hmm..."
Karen had definitely said Grace hung out with her academy friends and spent time with them.
But in reality, I rarely saw Grace chatting with other students.
"No matter how I look at it, that's not the case..."
Even now, Grace was walking off somewhere by herself.
How was I supposed to interpret her quietly strolling down the hallway all alone, without even a single friend?
In class at the academy, Grace mostly just sat quietly and studied.
Though when she picked fights with me, she was... pretty loud about it.
Anyway, I was tailing Grace slowly, but I had no idea where she was headed.
"...Huh."
After passing through the hallways and climbing the stairs, we arrived at... the corridor with the third-year classrooms.
Karen was definitely a third-year...
"...Aha."
It seemed like yesterday's dessert cafe stalking wasn't a one-off thing. The way she casually headed up to the third-year floor suggested she did this often.
Even if I hadn't noticed until now... she probably followed Karen and me around outside before too.
I cautiously made that guess.
"Heh... hehe..."
"...Pfft."
Seeing Grace standing alone in the hallway, pretending to be casual while watching Karen's class... it was just funny.
No, really, it was amusing.
Did she think there was nothing wrong with how she looked right now?
Anyone could tell a freshman, a first-year, lurking in the third-year hallway like that was suspicious.
"What are you doing?"
"Eek!?"
"Hehe."
I tapped Grace's shoulder from behind as she kept watching Karen's class, and she jumped in shock.
Her reaction was even tastier than expected—already fun.
"This is the third-year hallway. What are you doing here, Miss Grace?"
"Y-You...!"
The moment I spoke from the side, Grace whipped around, her eyes wide and shaky as she stared at me.
Had she really not noticed me approaching at all?
"Hmm... This class over here is Older Sister Karen's, right?"
"Y-You...!"
"Yes? What's up?"
I smiled sweetly as I replied.
After all, Grace was in no position to act like she did in class.
Karen was right there in the classroom ahead, so could Grace really yell loudly in that situation?
I didn't think she could.
What she was doing now... it was all sneaky, right? Yesterday and today... all of it behind Karen's back.
"Hmm... Should we chat here? With all the third-year seniors around? Right in front of the classroom?"
"Th-That's..."
"Shall we go somewhere quiet?"
"......"
Grace could only nod silently in response to my words.
Her reactions were so different from the usual people I saw... it was fun.
A different kind of cuteness from Lize or Karen, maybe?
She was all haughty and loud normally, but now that I had her weakness, she just stood there quietly, glancing around nervously... adorable.
"Miss Grace?"
"...What."
"Hmm... Are you going to keep avoiding my eyes while answering?"
"What..."
When I spoke, she finally met my gaze this time.
She looked like a sulky kitten—entertaining.
"Hmm... I heard from Older Sister Karen that you get along great with your academy friends."
"...So? Why?"
"But the Grace I see doesn't talk much with other students. She just studies quietly?"
"......"
"H-Hah! That's just because we're in different classes? We hang out a lot after school?"
"Is that so?"
Hmm... It seemed Grace had no idea that I knew she was tailing Karen.
That made it even more fun.
"But why did you follow us yesterday?"
"W-What?"
"You followed us yesterday. The dessert cafe on campus."
"......"
"Why pretend you don't know? Sunglasses, hat. Even a coat over your uniform."
Well, she tried to hide, but it was all so obvious.
Sitting alone at a table, ordering just one coffee... coat, sunglasses, hat... how could that combo not scream disguise?
"Hmm..."
"W-What... So what...? It was just yesterday."
"Is that right? Hmm..."
"W-What... So what...!"
Should I play another bluff here?
Since she'd tailed us yesterday, she must have stalked Karen and me playing around before that too.
Well, I'd only witnessed it yesterday, but still.
"The day before yesterday... when you and your sister had steak for lunch..."
"...Eek."
"...And probably last week too..."
"How do you know all that..."
"Hehe..."
...For real?
No, well. I'd guessed she was constantly tailing us, but really?
Hmm.
Too easy.
"Did you really think you wouldn't get caught at all, Miss Grace?"
"Uh... Th-That..."
Of course, I kept my thoughts hidden and continued.
This was all about teasing Grace, after all.
"Hmm... Older Sister Karen doesn't seem to think you're that kind of person at all..."
"Y-You!"
"If she finds out her little sister has been secretly following her, spying on her... what do you think will happen?"
I smirked.
Honestly, it wasn't mockery—it was just a smile because she was cute and fun.
"Hmm... Wouldn't that be amusing?"
"You! Are you saying... that I did that...?"
"Huh? Why? What did you do, Miss Grace?"
Even though I knew, pretending ignorance made her reaction even better.
Her face flushed redder than before, her expression fiercer. Of course, it was just a pretty early-teens girl scowling, so it only seemed cute.
"Hehe..."
"What do you want."
"Hmm... Good question. What should I want?"
"...You don't think I'll cave easily like my sister, do you?"
"Hmm... Like Older Sister Karen? We're just normally close friends."
"Liar."
"Hmm..."
I had no idea why Grace was so openly hostile toward me.
I got the siscon thing, but... this much?
She must have a ton of misunderstandings, but since it was a rare entertaining break from my boring academy life, I had no intention of clearing them up right away.
"Oh, right... During roll call today, the teacher mentioned clubs, didn't she?"
"...So?"
"I've talked quite a bit with Older Sister Karen about clubs."
"...?"
I had no plans to join an existing academy club.
There'd be strangers, and it seemed like a hassle overall, plus nothing appealed to me.
So, I decided to start my own club.
I hadn't thought at all about what activities we'd do, but I'd gotten that far in planning.
"But to start a club at the academy... you need at least five members minimum, right?"
"...No way."
"What do you think?"
"Y-You're saying... join that weird club you're making...?"
"Yes. How about it?"
Wouldn't it be fun?
Academy friends having a blast together... um... activities TBD, but whatever we did, it'd be entertaining.
"...Do I have a choice...?"
"What do you think? Do you? Or not?"
"......"
"Hehe..."
Truth was, she did—but I was just scaring her.
Her reactions were too fun to stop.
I didn't need her to join, but it'd be better to recruit someone I knew rather than a stranger.
Plus, she was Karen's blood sister, so it'd be convenient all around. That's why I asked.
Well, teasing her was a bonus.
"What'll it be?"
"If I say yes... that's it...?"
"You'll do it?"
I beamed at her answer.
I'd expected her to be more feisty and sharp... but she seemed timid and naive instead. Fun.
"Shall we head back to class now? Class is about to start again."
"...You go."
"Why so prickly? Soon you'll be... clubmates spending time together?"
"Hah...?"
"Hmm... Well, if you're like that with me, no choice. Should I tell Older Sister Karen?"
"Fine..."
"Hehe..."
It'd been ages since I'd seen someone whose mood flipped so dramatically—impossible not to get hooked.
That's why I kept teasing her without realizing it.
"Hmm..."
Anyway, as we headed back to class together, a new worry popped up.
Where was I going to find the remaining one for the club?
Lize didn't count as a student.
What now?