—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Nekorune
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Most of Huyo’s products guarantee a certain level of quality. They’ve been making kendo equipment for over 30 years, so they’re highly reliable, and the price is reasonable, so many people buying their first bogu go for them.”
Chinami gave almost the exact same explanation Renka had given me.
Even though I already knew all of this, I quietly listened to her.
“I see.”
“My first bogu was also from Huyo. However, there’s one drawback…”
“What’s the drawback?”
“Just a moment… Aaaah… Haaaah…!”
Chinami, who had been fiddling with the bogu, suddenly swiped the tip of her nose, then closed her eyes and opened and closed her mouth.
Her small nostrils flared, as if she was about to sneeze.
Fluttering her hand, she rummaged through her bag,
“Achoo…!”
She let out a cute sneeze just as she pulled out a tissue and covered her mouth.
“Hmm… Sorry…”
She apologized as she wiped her nose.
I gave her a kind smile and said,
“It’s alright. People sneeze. But…”
I couldn’t hide my laughter as I watched Chinami’s troubled expression.
The tip of her nose was blue.
It was because she had touched her nose with the hand that had been touching the new bogu’s dye.
“I think I know the drawback of Huyo’s products. The dye rubs off, doesn’t it?”
“Ah… Right…! How did you know?”
“Your nose is blue, Sensei.”
As I said, Chinami’s hand was pale like a zombie’s.
She rolled her large eyes, examined her hand, and smacked her lips.
“I thought the dye would have all come off since it was a display item… My mistake.”
“I think your face would turn blue if you wore it.”
“That’s right…! When I first wore this bogu, both sides of my face turned blue.”
“It feels like it rubs off more than other products.”
“Exactly. But it’s okay if you clean it thoroughly. Oh…! The dye got on the bag a little too…!”
A sigh escaped Chinami’s lips.
She seemed distressed that the dye had stained her Momo-chan crossbody bag.
Letting out a hollow laugh, I pulled out a wet wipe from the bag instead of Chinami.
Then I started gently wiping the tip of her nose.
“Oh…!?”
“Stay still.”
“Y-Yes…”
Chinami’s bewildered eyes blinked rapidly.
The way she looked up at me with her head completely tilted back was incredibly cute.
Barely suppressing the urge to stroke her soft-looking chin, I wiped off the dye on the tip of her nose and took out a new wet wipe.
Then I unfolded it and carefully wiped each of Chinami’s fingers, wrapping them gently.
“Fortunately, the dye doesn’t stain immediately. It seems like it’ll come off easily.”
“Yeees…”
She fidgeted, her wrist held in my hand.
Her cheeks, her nose, and now her hands…
Chinami’s body was soft all over.
It would probably feel really nice to cuddle with her and Miyuki in the winter.
“Would it be better to buy Huyo’s products?”
“Oh, no… We’ll carefully look at other options and choose the perfect bogu for you, Kouhai…”
“You don’t have to go to that much trouble.”
“Oh…! Bogu is a piece of equipment you use for a long time…! If you choose carelessly, you’ll definitely regret it later…!”
She put her hands on her hips, trying to look dignified, but I wanted to hug her tight.
I wonder how she’d react? I got curious.
“Alright. I’ll obediently follow your lead.”
“Yes…! Thank you…!”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Look at this stitched part on the back of the men. If you fold this diagonally, the hem comes off very nicely. Now, take a look.”
Chinami held up the newly purchased men in front of me.
Seeing the men’s wings folded quite handsomely, I gave a bland comment.
“It’s pretty.”
“Right? We might need to adjust the angle a bit here depending on your shoulder line, Kouhai, so shall we try it on?”
“Yes.”
As I sat down on the chair provided in the store, Chinami cleared her throat and approached me to put the men on my head.
Then she tightened the himo strings at the back rather strongly.
Isn’t this what Renka did? Why is she doing this to me?
Just as I was thinking that, Chinami tapped the top of the men and asked,
“How does it feel, the tightness?”
The tightness… Her words sound suggestive.
“My chin and ears hurt. It feels about one size smaller than when I tried it on.”
“Bear with it. It’ll become comfortable once it’s properly broken in. It’s good to tighten the kote strings tightly, just like the men. Bring your bogu to the club room tomorrow. Both your practice and competition sets.”
“I want to keep my practice bogu at home and practice separately.”
“You don’t even know how to wear bogu. I’ll watch over you until you can wear it properly. And it’s more convenient to manage your bogu in the club room’s storage.”
“That’s true. Alright. Shall we go choose a shinai now?”
“Yes…! I’ll choose a wonderful shinai for you…!”
I’d thought this before, but Chinami loses all her nervousness when she talks about kendo.
The ladylike demeanor she showed earlier was long gone.
She’s a natural born kendoka. It’s good to see her enthusiasm.
But Chinami suits being shy and embarrassed more.
I have to make her that way again.
“Give me your hand first.”
“My hand?”
“The dye got on it a little. If you touch the shinai with that hand, the tsuka will turn blue. I’ll wipe it off.”
“…. I can do it myself…”
Even as she said that, Chinami placed her hand on my outstretched palm.
Chuckling at her transparent behavior, I took out a wet wipe.
Then I carefully wiped each of Chinami’s fingers.
“Your hands are so pretty, Sensei, I feel like touching them often.”
“Is that so…? Y-Your hands are nice too… Big and dependable… Like a bear’s…”
Letting out a light chuckle at her Chinami-like compliment, I smoothly wiped her peach-colored fingernails.
After checking if all the dye was gone by turning Chinami’s hand this way and that,
Squeeze…
I lightly massaged her from the inside of her wrist to her forearm with my thumb.
“…”
I saw Chinami’s eyes roll sideways to look at the cash register.
The elderly owner who had been there just moments ago was nowhere to be seen.
In fact, we were the only ones in the store.
“Well, turns out it’s just the two of us in here.”
“…T-That’s right… We should choose a shinai now… Mwah…!”
Chinami was startled mid-sentence.
It was because I had rolled up her sleeve to her elbow.
As I pressed on her fair, thin wrist just like before,
“Huu…”
A warm breath escaped Chinami’s lips.
She wriggled like a worm pierced by needles, but her reactions were getting better.
She wasn’t trying to pull away like before… Very good.
With a mischievous smile, I waited for Chinami’s body to calm down before asking in a serious tone,
“I feel really happy and fulfilled whenever I massage you, Master. Do you dislike it when I do this?”
Chinami blew air out of her nose and shook her head.
“Y-You said you’re learning massage for me…”
“That’s right.”
“So… I don’t dislike it…”
“Didn’t you get angry and tell me to stop last time?”
“W-When did I get angry…! I was just ticklish…! I definitely don’t dislike it, so please don’t misunderstand…!”
“Is that what it was?”
“Yes…! That’s what it was…”
So it’s okay if I do it often from now on?
“This disciple is impressed by his Master’s boundless understanding. I’d like to show you the techniques I’ve honed soon. You’re okay with that, right, Master?”
“O-Of course…!”
After hearing her reply, I stopped the massage and stood up.
Then, with a satisfied expression, I stroked her shoulder as if caressing it.
“Mheeh…!”
Chinami’s shoulders jerked upwards.
She’d gotten used to my touch a little, but her reactions were still clumsy.
Our Chinami… Should we set a date?
I’ll really make you feel good.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
It felt like it had been a long time since I’d taken the subway.
This was the same car where Miyuki’s molestation incident happened… It brought back memories.
I was yawning amidst the fairly crowded passengers when,
*buzz!*
My phone vibrated in my pocket, so I took it out.
[Matsuda-kun, are you there already? There’s no car in the parking lot.]
Miyuki’s worried messages grew increasingly agitated as I got closer to school.
[Matsuda-kun, you’re not late, are you?]
[Why aren’t you in the classroom?]
[Why did you read my message and not reply?]
[5 minutes left. Just try being late. I won’t let it slide.]
[Are you kidding…? Don’t tell me you’re skipping class?]
[You’re in for it.]
With each new message, I could feel Miyuki’s anger level rising like a gradient.
As I finally arrived at the academy’s main gate, I spotted Miyuki standing stiffly in the distance with her arms crossed.
Her eyes looked fierce. She seemed quite angry.
I strolled towards her, raising a hand.
“Hey there. I’m going in.”
Then I tried to just walk through the main gate.
And, naturally, Miyuki, whose eyebrows twitched at my nonchalant attitude, grabbed me.
“You’re late. You’re getting penalty points.”
“I’m only 2 minutes late, can’t you let it slide. I left on time, but what can I do if the train arrives late?”
“That’s no excuse. If you had left 3 minutes earlier, Matsuda-kun, you wouldn’t have been late.”
“There was a reason I was late.”
“Tell me. Let’s hear it.”
“My car broke down. It won’t start.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. That’s why I took the subway.”
Miyuki scanned me from head to toe with suspicious eyes.
She looked like she didn’t believe me at all.
“Really?”
“I’m telling you the truth. Can I go now?”
“Go where? Write your name down and go.”
“My name?”
“You have to get penalty points. Or should I write it for you?”
“Do you want to torment me that much?”
“It’s not tormenting, it’s the school rules. You have to follow them.”
“Oh no, am I going to get expelled?”
Miyuki burst out into an incredulous laugh.
“Expelled, my foot… You won’t go that far just for a few penalty points. Looking at your penalty record, Matsuda-kun, you’re still barely within the safe zone.”
“You can even look at that as you please? The student council isn’t a dictatorship.”
As I spoke in a slightly raised voice, as if arguing, Miyuki glanced at a student council senior standing a little distance away.
The bespectacled senior seemed bored and was yawning, as if she hadn’t heard me.
Glancing at her, Miyuki breathed a sigh of relief and glared at me.
“Why are you being so childish…! Are you an elementary schooler?”
“I like you, Miyuki.”
At the sudden confession in a sweet voice, Miyuki shuddered.
Biting her lower lip, she said,
“Don’t think you can get away with such sweet talk…”
“I suddenly felt like saying it when I saw your face.”
“It won’t work…”
“Should I shout it then?”
“What…! Are you kidding…?”
“Does it look like I’m kidding?”
Did she think she needed to lecture me for my flippant attitude today and for trying to avoid penalty points by using our close relationship?
“Wait right here… If you leave, you’ll really get in trouble. I’m not kidding either.”
Miyuki, with a serious expression, pointed a finger at me and made me wait, then went over to the student council senior and said something.
Then she came back, grabbed my wrist, and started walking briskly across the deserted playground towards the gymnasium.
Ah… this kind of 19+ rated rom-com cliché… I love it.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Oohhh 😏