Girl Growth in Progress ②
Deadly embarrassing. I might as well just blow my brains out right here.
I felt like my entire existence was about to explode.
Can I even recover from this? I put my brain into overdrive.
"Marriage is often called the grave of life, right? I was going to drag you into that grave... Sorry. I was wrong. I'll apologize, so please forget about it."
It was impossible. It failed miserably.
Having become so pathetic, I proposed a draw to Seo Mari.
"Have you reflected on it?"
"U, yeah. The marriage talk was a bit off. It was just a failed joke."
Even if a recommendation letter ran away, I had nothing to say.
I crumpled up like a sad frog.
"Anyway, you made me imagine all that... You in a wedding dress."
"You're crossing the line."
"It's all your fault. And your figure isn't even my type."
Downplaying respect for preferences. It made me a bit upset.
"Even if it looks flat, it feels soft when you touch it? Look, look."
I squeezed my chest inward and showed it to Seo Mari.
"A little bit of a mountain from a handful of dust, and a big bust from an empty bosom."
"W-what are you doing!?"
Seo Mari's mouth was wide open in shock.
"Heh hek. A loser who hasn't even touched a girl's breasts. An empty bosom is better than a distant big one, you know."
"When did you start thinking you had the upper hand?"
The marriage talk was just a failure in modulation.
It was me who was unilaterally teasing Seo Mari.
"And even though the breasts didn't come out, the hips are pretty decent, right?"
Anyway, let's show off my own strong point.
I slightly lifted my top to reveal the slim curve.
Not exactly hourglass, but slender.
"Like the feeling of a spring potato or something."
"Like presenting a spring potato."
"Hey, hey!?"
"You like this kind of thing, don't you? You think I don't know?"
"It's not like it's my preference. How bold."
"If it's your fetish, I know all about it."
"Why are you so bold in strange places?"
"It's because you ignored me and my fighting spirit activated. It's all your fault."
"...... You're not embarrassed about showing it?"
Surprisingly, it was less embarrassing than the marriage talk.
"Friends can do some sexy talk."
"○S. Sex○. We're just chatting casually."
"What do you think? We're close. No one's watching...?"
Ah, I forgot about Myoa.
Myoa had come to buy drinks and was watching us.
A perfect situation to cause misunderstandings.
Just a normal prank between close friends.
"Ah, ahahaha."
Myoa was standing like a tree on a theater stage.
With the gaze focused, her expression was at a loss.
"Oh no, I forgot the ice cup! I'll go to the convenience store again. Please enjoy yourselves leisurely!"
Whoosh. Myoa dashed off like a cat watching a couple's mating.
"Leisurely? What are you enjoying!? Myoa, wait!"
I chased after the fleeing Myoa.
I had to explain the situation to Myoa.
Close friends like us play like kids.
I panted and barely caught Myoa.
"Producer-nim!?"
"Heh hek. Heh hek-! Myoa, I'll explain everything."
"Explanation...! As expected, you two are dating!?"
"......???????"
No way. Waaah. In an already excited state!
Question marks were bubbling like foam.
"Myoa, there's no way. Absolutely not. Never. It's not the relationship you think."
"N, no!"
I declared a firm premise to Myoa.
"Me and Seo Mari have been close friends since childhood. Nothing more, nothing less."
Myoa tilted her head.
A face that didn't understand at all.
"But Producer-nim acts like a celestial woman in front of Seo Mari oppa."
"...... What?"
I blinked my wide eyes in confusion.
There was a huge difference in opinion between us.
"From what I've observed, Producer-nim has a lot of feminine charm."
"What are you saying. I was a man! I haven't experienced such charm at all..."
There was a flaw in Myoa's statement.
It seemed like I was emitting female pheromones.
"It's only in front of Seo Mari oppa, after all."
"T-that..."
I do act a bit more feminine sometimes.
But it's a camouflage tactic to tease Seo Mari.
It's just acting, after all. No count.
'It's not that my behavior changed from when I was male. It's just that my appearance changed.'
It was an optical illusion. A case of misperception.
'The length of the two lines is the same' and all that.
The gender swap only caused a minor misunderstanding.
"Hmm. I see. If Producer-nim says so, I'll believe it!"
When I explained, Myoa accepted it innocently.
Now it's settled. Everything turned out fine.
'Huuu. It's fortunate that the other party is Myoa.'
Since Myoa absolutely trusts my words.
Even if I say it's a raccoon, she'll believe it.
"By the way, is training worthwhile?"
Immediately, I changed the subject.
To something Myoa would get excited about.
"It's wonderful. The balance between the kind Producer-nim and the strict Seo Mari oppa creates a perfect balance like an apotheosis... I'm growing stronger!"
Myoa clenched her fists with her whole body, expressing the rise in combat power.
If there was a combat power meter, it wouldn't have exploded.
"It's all thanks to Producer-nim."
"You're flattering me. I didn't really do anything."
"That's not true. Everything changed after meeting Producer-nim. The days that were only bitter have become sweet."
Myoa smiled brightly.
A smile with the warmth of spring sunlight.
Direct praise felt a bit awkward.
I scratched my cheek awkwardly.
"No, it's not that much-."
"It's because Producer-nim's ability wrapped me up like sunlight."
Affection's Touch activated the ability.
Myoa firmly affirmed me.
The self-loathing coiled deep in my chest was being washed away.
"...... Thank you."
"No, I should be thanking you. Producer-nim."
Whoosh. My heart already felt like it had seen the ending of an idol training game.
Even though I hadn't started yet.
"The next exam is already looking forward to it."
Qualifying exams are held relatively frequently.
The next one is in a month. A suitable interval.
How much will Myoa grow in that time?
I was looking forward to it even more.
"This time, will Producer-nim also take the exam?"
"Me? Well, I don't know right now."
I evaded Myoa's sudden question.
Compared to Myoa, my position is subtle.
'Because I haven't grown at all!'
Myoa's growth was highly stimulated, but
Actually, I was standing still.
In a leisurely mood, aiming for passivity.
'What could be the problem. I don't know.'
Affection's Touch maximizes the potential of the designated target.
I can designate myself as the target.
A recent discovery. At first, I was thrilled.
Because Myoa had explosive growth.
But the effect on my growth was subtle.
Like flat chest growth, it stayed the same every time.
'Maybe it's because I don't have affection for myself.'
The growth multiplier is proportional to affection.
Then, is my stagnant growth because I lack self-love?
'If that's the case, it might be hard to overcome.'
The last two lines of some poem come to mind.
My life madly searched for love,
But never loved myself.
Being afraid to have affection for myself.
I wonder if I have the qualification to do so.
Because that woman kept brainwashing me like that.
I thought I had to shake it off, but it wasn't easy.
'The guild master said. Love is something that requires confidence.'
And to find confidence, I have to spoil the person a lot, he said.
But there's only one person I can spoil.
No matter how hard I think, it's only Seo Mari.
Originally, what is spoiling?
Recalling examples with sad knowledge, all I can think of is embarrassing things.
"Producer-nim? Your face is bright red."
"...... Myoa."
"Yes?"
"What does 'spoiling' mean?"
It was like throwing out a philosophical riddle.
Myoa pondered for a moment, then spoke.
"To Seo Mari oppa?"
"No, generally! Why is her name coming out from there-!?"
Stabbed in the vital point, I frantically explained.
Myoa's lips twitched as she tried to hold back laughter.
The more I deny, the stronger the affirmation becomes.
"How about asking to be caressed?"
An idea like a cat asking its owner for something.
If applied to humans, it feels a bit lewd.
Like shaking off dust piled on antiques.
"Nothing else?"
"Or sleeping while hugging each other?"
"Unless it's in a mountain hut in the snow with her, I don't want to."
If I have to hug, bear hug is better.
A joint that tightly holds the waist and side.
It would be fun to see a close friend howling.
"There's also spoiling like praising good points."
New type noise pollution. With mental attack added.
"I see. I'll keep that in mind."
"Yes, please spoil me as much as you want. Fighting!"
Somehow, I felt like I was receiving romantic support from Myoa.
Like the feeling I gave to Seo Mari recently.
'I said it wasn't that kind of relationship earlier...!'
After spoiling, I must clear up the misunderstanding.
I resolved to do so.