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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Nekorune
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“Matsuda-kouhai.”
Chinami called out to me from behind. As I turned from my usual repetitive tasks, Renka, who had been standing some distance away, rushed over to join the conversation.
“What are you talking about?”
Chinami stared at Renka in surprise.
“Renka, weren’t you just over there a moment ago…?”
“No? I was just passing by.”
“Really…? I was about to ask Matsuda-kouhai to bring me the disinfectant alcohol.”
“Oh? You heard that, Matsuda? Hurry up and bring it.”
Renka’s intentions were transparent. She had been doing this ever since the day before yesterday, up until today, Wednesday. Whenever Chinami and I tried to talk, she would interrupt, preventing us from having a proper conversation. It was the same when we cleaned the bogu or shinai; she would constantly come into the storage room and interfere.
I shook my head and said, “You’ve been acting like this since the day before yesterday. Why?”
“What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
I smirked at Renka’s feigned ignorance. She shifted her gaze nervously, seemingly sensing my disapproval.
“Alright.”
I replied curtly and entered the equipment room. Renka followed me in and asked point-blank, “Wh-what is it…? What are you planning?”
“What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
I parroted her words back at her, and she gulped. She glanced around nervously and lowered her voice.
“The cosplay… you’re not planning anything weird, are you…?”
She kept shooting herself in the foot. It was hard not to like her when she acted like this.
“The way you’re talking suggests you’re aware of how nosy you’ve been.”
“…”
“If you’re worried about the cosplay, wouldn’t it be better to just get it over with? It’s only 30 minutes of your time.”
“I’m… thinking about it, so stop talking about it.”
“You were the one who brought it up. I don’t know why, but I find talking to you lately so entertaining. Can I call you when I get home today?”
Renka flinched at my subtly expressed interest. She gave me a look of disbelief and flatly refused.
“No. I’m not going to answer, so don’t waste your time.”
Be honest. You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? You’re pretending to be annoyed, but you secretly like it. Don’t you? You totally do.
I grabbed the spray bottle of alcohol and handed it to her.
“Take this to Master.”
“Why should I?”
“There’s no point in me doing it since you’re going to stick your nose between Master and I anyway. I’ll get this place nice and tidy, so you take it to her.”
“…”
Renka seemed to agree, snatching the alcohol and leaving the room, grumbling. She was becoming quite obedient.
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Even though Renka constantly interfered with our interactions, as the club manager responsible for the members, there were limits to what she could do. Therefore, Chinami and I managed to enjoy some uninterrupted time together here and there.
It was the same now. We were alone in the drying room, chatting while we hung up the washed kendo uniforms.
“It’s nice and peaceful without the nag hanging around.”
“Nag?”
“Renka.”
“Hey…! Matsuda-kouhai, you shouldn’t talk about her like that.”
“She always interrupts whenever I try to do something, saying she doesn’t trust me. It’s a little hurtful, considering I’ve been a manager myself for a while now.”
Chinami stopped patting down a uniform and came over to pat my back.
“Renka acknowledges that you’re a good manager, but she just wants you to improve. That’s why she’s being harsh.”
“Is that what you call being harsh?”
“Yes, of course. Of course, Renka… um… doesn’t quite… trust you yet, but she’s changing.”
She was trying so hard to put a positive spin on it. It seemed Renka must have been complaining about me quite a bit during their phone calls and text exchanges. Chinami probably told her off for it, just like she was doing now. I believed that. Chinami was kind.
“Renka might seem cold on the outside, but she’s a very warm person on the inside. She’s been mentioning you a lot lately when we talk.”
I perked up at Chinami’s words and asked, “Really? What does she say?”
“Well… she hasn’t only been saying nice things, but she did praise you. She said you’re surprisingly diligent and sensible.”
Diligent and sensible? She must be referring to when I helped her uncles.
“It’s surprising to hear praise from Renka, but… I’m not particularly happy about it.”
“Hey…! Matsuda-kouhai…”
Chinami placed her hands on her hips and gave me a stern look. She looked like she was about to scold me, but her face was so cute that it wasn’t intimidating at all. I took a step closer and looked down at her, apologizing obediently.
“I’m sorry.”
“…You don’t sound very sorry… My neck hurts.”
It was bound to hurt, considering she had been craning her neck to look up at me. I smiled gently and placed my hands on the back of her neck.
“Eek…!”
She hunched her shoulders and shrank back. Her dainty toes peeking out from under her hakama suddenly caught my attention…
“If your neck hurts, you should loosen up the muscles a bit. Is this okay?”
I gently kneaded her neck and then stroked it softly. Was it because I was touching her? She seemed very sensitive. Chinami’s face flushed at my touch, which was more like a caress than a massage.
“Oh… Yes…”
“Should we have a massage session this week?”
“…Yes…? A massage…?”
“Yes. A massage.”
I spoke seductively and gently scratched the back of her neck.
“Ah…! Ah!”
Chinami shivered, letting out short, breathy moans as I stimulated her neck. Her eyes were losing focus, and her slightly parted legs were slowly drawing together. She was definitely enjoying it. She seemed much more sensitive since our last massage.
“Mmm… Wh-when this week… will you… give me one…?”
Chinami managed to ask. I moved my hand up to the base of her skull, where her hairline was, and pressed gently.
“We’ll have to find a time that works for both of us.”
“O-okay…! I’ll find one…! I will…!”
“I’m planning on making it a bit longer than last time. Is that okay?”
“L-longer…? How long…?”
“Well, it depends on how much you enjoy it.”
“Ugh…! W-will you stop… if I tell you to…?”
“Of course.”
“And if I ask for more… you’ll give me more…?”
“That’s right.”
“O-okay… Then let’s find a time… Hwaaah…! Don’t do that…! That’s not my neck…”
Chinami protested as my hand moved from her neck to her back. I had slipped my hand under her training uniform, reaching her bra strap. I slowly withdrew my hand and straightened her uniform.
“Then shall we decide on a time soon?”
“…Yes… Hmm… Let’s discuss it over the phone…”
“Alright.”
Having made a secret appointment with Chinami, I casually resumed hanging up the uniforms.
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“I wish it would snow instead of rain… Don’t you think the weather’s been strange this year?”
Miyuki grumbled, looking at the rain-streaked window. I shrugged as I parked in front of her house.
“It’s not time for snow yet. I like the rain.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t like it… Seriously, how much of a dummy are you?”
I chuckled at Miyuki’s unusually sassy remark and got out of the car, opening the passenger side door for her.
*click*
Miyuki jumped out of the car and clung to me as if she had been waiting for it. She wrapped her arms tightly around my waist, an unusually bold display of affection considering we were right in front of her house. Perhaps the rainy weather had set the mood, or maybe she didn’t care now that her mother knew.
Miyuki was becoming bolder by the day… I didn’t mind it.
I practically dragged her to the front door.
“Go inside. It’s cold.”
“Drive safely. Text me when you get home.”
“Okay.”
“Or do you want to come in for a bit?”
“Your parents just got home, so let’s not. They’ll be busy if I come in.”
“How did you know they just got home?”
“There’s a puddle under your dad’s car in the parking lot. And I just saw the light turn on in the bathroom window on the first floor.”
“When did you even see that? That’s amazing…”
“I just happened to see it. Go inside.”
I patted her backside, which was sticking out, and she finally straightened up and took out her key.
After watching Miyuki enter her house, I returned to my car. As I drove through the rain, my phone rang, and Renka’s name appeared on the screen. I answered immediately.
“You said you wouldn’t answer if I called you, but you’re calling me yourself?”
-Shut up. Don’t make fun of me.
“I’m not making fun of you. So, what do you need?”
-…
A sigh, heavy with complex emotions, came through the car speakers. After a brief pause, she asked hesitantly,
-Can we do that cosplay thing… tomorrow?
Why was she suddenly asking this? What had brought this on?
I slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road to focus on the conversation.
“Tomorrow? Isn’t that a bit sudden?”
-Like you said earlier, I think it’s better to get it over with quickly and put my mind at ease. You said you’d be considerate of my schedule… So can we do this tomorrow evening? Around seven o’clock.
“Of course we can. Good choice.”
-You said I could beat you up if it was too much, right? Remember that?
“Yes.”
-…Okay. Should I go to that hotel again?
Renka’s resigned tone was strangely arousing. Perhaps it was because she sounded like a submissive slave.
“No. Stay at home. I’ll pick you up.”
-Okay. I’ll hang up now.
“Why? Let’s talk some more.”
-No. See you tomorrow.
*click*
She hung up. I chuckled at her decisiveness and resumed driving.
When I got home, I picked up the cosplay outfit I had bought, went to the hotel room I had been keeping booked, and hung it up. I decided to be more assertive tomorrow.
With that in mind, I carefully arranged the tools I would be using on the shelf next to the hanger and left the hotel.
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Thanks for the chappie!