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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Nekorune
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Three days have passed since I started studying with Miyuki and Tetsuya.
We have become more comfortable with each other, focusing on our studies and engaging in small talk during breaks.
After our totally casual and not orchestrated encounter at the playground, Miyuki seemed to have opened up to me even more.
She would sometimes smile at me first when our eyes met, or playfully ask what I was looking at, as if mimicking my usual behavior.
It made me happy that we were getting closer.
However, I wasn’t ecstatic, knowing that I still had a long way to go to reach the same level of closeness that Tetsuya and Miyuki shared.
I simply took comfort in the fact that our relationship was progressing every day.
“Let’s take a 20-minute… no, a 30-minute break. I’m going to check on the plants.”
Miyuki announced after finishing a lesson and stood up.
Watering the plants as soon as she arrived and checking on them during breaks had become part of her routine at my house.
It was a good sign.
If this behavior became a habit, there was a chance she would come over even on days when we didn’t have a study session.
I roughly cut up a watermelon and approached Miura, who was sitting on the veranda connected to the living room, staring at Miyuki’s retreating figure.
I plopped down next to him and placed the tray between us.
“Oh, thanks, Matsuda.”
“Eat as much as you want… or don’t. I don’t care”
Miyuki turned around at my words and teased me playfully,
“How tsundere of you, Matsuda-kun.”
What the hell, I might be tsundere towards you, but never towards that loser Tetsuya.
I’m going to remember this.
You better repay me with a reverse cowgirl later.
As I stared at Miyuki in disbelief, she slowly approached and took a bite of the watermelon.
Her expression softened as she savored the sweet taste.
“It’s so sweet…! Did you pick this out yourself, Matsuda-kun?”
“I just grabbed the first one I saw at the entrance of the farmers’ market.”
“Really…? You’re lucky.”
Actually, I told the lady at the market that I was getting it for my girlfriend and asked for a sweet one, so she picked out a good one for me.
She was very generous.
After taking a bite and swallowing, I shrugged at Tetsuya’s next question.
“Matsuda, what are you doing this weekend?”
“I don’t know. Nothing planned. What about you?”
“I’m not sure…? We haven’t decided yet either.”
“You said ‘we,’ so you two are always stuck together like glue, huh?”
“Ah, that’s not it… We just spend a lot of time together, so I naturally said it that way. I personally don’t have any plans.”
Was this bastard trying to provoke me?
I glanced at Miyuki, and she nodded, confirming his words.
I knew it, but it was still annoying to have it confirmed right in front of me.
I resisted the urge to smack Tetsuya on the back of his head and looked up at Miyuki.
“So, you have no plans either?”
“No, I haven’t really thought about it.”
“Then wanna go to the bookstore with me?”
“The bookstore?”
“Yeah. I’m going to buy some manga.”
Miyuki’s surprised expression quickly faded.
She muttered, with an ‘I knew it’ look on her face,
“…Silly me, thinking you were going to buy study books…”
“I was planning on buying those too. Why else would I ask you to come with me? If all I wanted was to buy some interesting manga, I can do that all by myself.”
I had to come up with an excuse.
It was obvious she would refuse if I asked her out on a date directly in our current situation.
It was better for both of us if she thought of this as simply helping out a classmate… or rather, a friend.
“Hmm… That’s true… I was actually planning on buying some textbooks… Okay, let’s go together. But I’ll choose the bookstore. They have manga there too, so don’t worry.”
Miyuki accepted my offer without hesitation.
I barely managed to contain my joy.
I could feel Tetsuya’s surprised gaze on me.
Are you annoyed? Then you should have been more proactive.
You passive loser, waiting for Miyuki to invite you to do things because you’re too afraid to make a move yourself.
I’ll handle this bookstore event. Pay attention and learn.
But don’t go getting any ideas about stealing her from me.
“Alright. I’ll send you the location on LINE. Let’s meet at noon tomorrow.”
“Noon? Won’t it be too hot?”
“We’ll be indoors, so what does it matter?”
“I guess…? Okay, then I’ll get there around one. Right?”
There she goes again with her playful teasing.
I’ll play along.
“Noon is at one o’clock now?”
Miyuki’s eyes widened at my deadpan response.
She stared at me, speechless, then burst into laughter.
After laughing her heart out, tears welling up in her eyes, she wiped her face and said,
“That’s not it… I just meant… I’ll be there at that time because you’re probably going to oversleep and be late…”
“…Stop teasing me. And it’s not that funny.”
“These are… tears of… sadness… Yes, I’m crying because I’m sad… Haha…!”
“Eat your watermelon before I throw it at you.”
“Okay… This watermelon is delicious… I’ll eat it… But Matsuda-kun… your face is red…”
Annoyed by Miyuki’s relentless teasing, I glared at Tetsuya and threatened,
“And what are you looking at with that silly smirk on your face?”
“H-Huh? No… I wasn’t smiling…”
I know, I’m just taking it out on you.
I couldn’t ask Tetsuya if he wanted to come along.
He would definitely say yes.
And Tetsuya wasn’t the type to ask if he could come along himself.
So for now, I would just change the subject by emphasizing my ignorance and trust Miyuki.
Hopefully, she wouldn’t invite Tetsuya to come along.
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The scorching sun was relentless.
As I waited for Miyuki, frowning,
“Matsuda-kun!”
Miyuki’s cheerful voice came from right behind me, making me jump.
“Damn it… you scared me…”
Miyuki stood before me, beaming.
Today, she was wearing… the same outfit I had seen on the first day of our study session – a white t-shirt and a black skirt that reached her ankles.
She seems so conservative. One day, I shall make her wear a miniskirt and a crop top.
“You’re more easily startled than I thought, Matsuda-kun.”
“I’m not easily startled. Anyone would be surprised in this situation.”
I grumbled and looked around.
Tetsuya…
‘He’s not here.’
Our Miyuki didn’t say anything to Tetsuya.
Good girl. I’ll repay you with some doggy style later.
“What are you doing?”
Miyuki asked.
I looked back at her and answered,
“I thought I saw someone I knew. Anyway, isn’t it hot?”
“It’s hot. It’s so hot I’m going to melt.”
Miyuki’s eyes, as she complained about the heat, drifted towards a kakigori stall behind me.
She must have been craving something cold.
I pointed behind me with my thumb.
Then, I casually suggested,
“Want to get some kakigori? There’s a stall over there.”
“Huh…? I was just thinking about that!”
“Great. Let’s go. It’s too fucking hot here.”
“Matsuda-kun, language.”
“Do you have to nag me even now? Can’t you just let it go?”
“You’re letting curse words slip out of habit. You need to fix that.”
“It’s really hot. Happy now?”
Miyuki nodded, finally looking satisfied.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
We went to the shop and enjoyed our kakigori, mixing various syrups and topping it with ice cream. After paying separately, we headed towards the bookstore.
It was a somewhat vintage-looking place.
The air was filled with the distinct smell of paperbacks, and the books weren’t organized very well.
I waited inside as Miyuki greeted the owner.
When she approached me, I quietly voiced my complaint.
“Is this a used bookstore?”
“They do have some used books, but they mainly sell new books. The manga section is over there.”
“I doubt they’ll have the latest releases…”
“The owner here loves manga too. I’m sure they’ll have it, just look around.”
“…Where’s the manga section?”
“Over there. Behind you. You said you needed a math textbook, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then I’ll pick one out for you. I know your level well enough.”
I nodded and made my way to the manga section.
The latest manga? Honestly, I wasn’t interested in buying any.
I just wanted to gain affection points through this event.
I pretended to browse the manga while observing Miyuki’s every move.
She was slowly walking around the bookstore, looking at various books.
When she reached a corner, I prepared to make my move.
The moment Miyuki stood on tiptoe to reach for a book from a tall stack, I dashed towards her with all my might.
Thud! Thud!
My footsteps echoed through the quiet bookstore.
Miyuki’s head turned, her eyes widening as they met mine.
“Matsuda-kun…? What…”
Her eyes filled with fear, startled by my sudden approach.
Ignoring her reaction, I reached out, my arm almost touching hers, and then,
I placed my hands on her shoulder and waist, spun her around, and we both crashed to the floor.
“Kyaaah!”
Thud! Crash!
A mountain of books toppled over us, accompanied by Miyuki’s scream.
A dull pain spread across my head and back.
I even felt a sharp sting on the top of my head.
“Ugh…!”
I shielded Miyuki with my body, letting out a sigh of relief only after the books stopped falling.
Then, I looked down at Miyuki, who was lying beneath me, her face flushed with surprise, and asked,
“Are you okay?”
Miyuki, finally grasping the situation, gulped and replied,
“Y-Yes… Are you okay, Matsuda-kun…?”
“You’re so short, and you were trying to reach for that book? You could have asked the owner or me for help.”
“S-Sorry… but… Ow…! It hurts…! Matsuda-kun… Y-your hand…”
Miyuki suddenly winced in pain, closing one eye, and glanced down at her chest.
My hand was there.
Gripping her breast tightly.
It was a classic rom-com cliché.
Some kind of accident or incident occurs, and the male character accidentally touches the female character’s private parts.
It’s commonly known as a ‘lucky pervert’ scenario, and it had just happened to me.
Well, technically, I had intentionally grabbed Miyuki’s breast as we fell, but… let’s just go with it.
“…”
“…”
After a moment of silent eye contact, I quickly got up and moved away from Miyuki.
Then, I scratched the back of my head and apologized in a small voice,
“Sorry… I was trying to brace myself…”
Miyuki groaned as she sat up and shook her head.
“N-No… You were trying to save me…”
The atmosphere turned awkward.
It was Miyuki’s surprised voice that broke the silence.
“Matsuda-kun…! There’s blood on your hand…!”
I know.
I scraped it on the sharp corner of a book, and that’s why I was scratching the back of my head.
The idea was to quickly dissipate this awkwardness by letting her catch a glimpse of the blood.
Of course, the mood would probably turn awkward again on our way home, but I had to avoid it for now.
I stared at Miyuki with a dumbfounded expression, looking at the blood on my finger.
“Is this your blood?”
“H-How could it be? I’m not injured…! W-Wait a minute…! Owner! Owner!!”
Miyuki frantically called out for the owner, who had ‘conveniently’ and ‘coincidentally’ gone to the bathroom.
After confirming she was gone, I looked down at my hand.
The hand that hadn’t touched Miyuki’s breast.
Miyuki’s breast, which I had now felt for the first time, was soft and supple.
It felt amazing, like a soft, jiggly jelly.
Perfection. No further adjectives were needed.
It would have been even more amazing if she wasn’t wearing a bra…
But I could always touch her bare breasts later, once we’re closer, so I can be content with this for now.
As I unconsciously smirked, relishing the feel of Miyuki’s breast, a sudden thought crossed my mind, and I waved my bloody hand in the air.
Slap!
A falling book hit my hand and bounced away.
The event was over, I wasn’t going to injure myself any further.
Having successfully navigated even the last cliché, I got up feeling refreshed.
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