Chapter 528

"There they are."

Miyuki spoke as she spotted the pink-haired and indigo-haired figures standing side by side in the distance.

Following her pointing finger, I saw Chinami and Renka waiting for me at the promised spot, just as expected.

I cast a brief glance at Miyuki, who cleared her throat as if to ready her voice, before pulling up right in front of the pair and unlocking the doors.

Flinching in perfect unison like twins, the two girls exchanged a look before opening the back doors.

"Hello, Hanazawa."

Chinami offered a bright, refreshing greeting.

Miyuki replied with a radiant smile.

"Hello, sunbae-nim. Hello to you too, Inoo-sunbae."

Turning completely around in the passenger seat, Miyuki bowed her head.

Receiving her polite greeting, Renka offered her a wide, open smile—one she had never once shown me—and waved.

"Hi."

To think Renka could speak in such a cheerful tone.

It made me a little sad. I would have to soothe this troubled heart by whipping my slave harshly.

Forcing her to show that smile to me sounded subtly arousing, too.

"W-what are you looking at me like that for?"

Renka snapped, noticing the suspicious gaze I was sweeping over her.

I shrugged in response, then quickly looked forward when I caught Chinami fumbling to take out an airtight container filled with peaches.

I didn't want to eat peaches first thing in the morning.

I'd have to eat them all day later; surely I deserved the freedom to pass on them for now.

Stepping on the gas before Chinami could offer me one, I felt relieved seeing the three girls strike up a reasonably amicable conversation, and headed toward Hiyori's house.

"There she is."

I chuckled. Miyuki's voice was slightly more brusque now than when she had spotted Renka and Chinami.

She might have given her permission, but she clearly couldn't help feeling a bit awkward about it.

No, not awkward—she probably just wanted to complain.

Since she and Hiyori bickered constantly, she likely wanted me to take her side.

As I pulled up right next to Hiyori, she started toward the passenger side, slapped her forehead, and opened the back door instead.

Seeing Renka and Chinami make room for her, she offered her trademark flippant greeting.

"Hiya."

Renka and Chinami flinched in bewilderment.

Miyuki, on the other hand, took it in stride. She knew that even though Hiyori's tone seemed informal at a glance, the girl was actually happy to see them.

"Ah, hello, Asahina. Would you like some peaches?"

It seemed peaches served a social purpose for Chinami.

Why else would she abruptly hold out a plastic fork skewering a slice of fruit?

Though, of course, any food could be used that way.

"Oh, for me?"

It was a lively tone, the exact opposite of Chinami's usual quiet demeanor.

Blinking as if unable to adapt to it, Chinami hurriedly nodded.

"Huh? Y-yes..."

"Thanks for the food."

A faint smile graced Chinami's lips; she was evidently pleased watching Hiyori toss the peach straight into her mouth and happily chew.

Renka, who had never really clashed with Hiyori anyway, didn't seem to harbor any aversion toward the girl either, especially seeing her get along so sweetly with her best friend.

"Hi."

Shoving her head through the gap between the driver's and passenger's seats, Hiyori openly stared at Miyuki and greeted her.

She clearly wanted a response.

"Yeah."

Realizing Hiyori's intent, Miyuki stubbornly refused to say hello back.

She could have at least waved. It was an incredibly childish display.

"Yep."

It was funny watching Hiyori pretend not to care, as if determined not to lose.

Hadn't both of them been thoroughly ravished by me?

They ought to be bonding in their shared misery. This wouldn't do.

I would see if they could keep this up later when I was pounding into them again.

"Can I have another piece? It's really good..."

"Oh, of course. Here..."

Chinami shyly offered the container, while Hiyori picked out the most delicious-looking slice without a care for what anyone else thought.

And finally, there was Renka, lost in thought as if trying to piece together what had happened between Miyuki and Hiyori.

I considered this an excellent display of harmony.

At the very least, it went much better than I had expected.

The surroundings grew noisy once we arrived at the Academy.

Seeing students in matching uniforms on the sidewalks and crowds pouring out of the nearby bus stop, chatting and laughing down the street like extras in a teen romantic comedy, my mind felt strangely at peace.

Maybe I was cut out for academic life after all.

Miyuki would roar with laughter if I said that out loud.

Come to think of it, Miyuki always arrived at the Academy early on the first day of the semester to guard the front gate, but not today.

I hadn't had the time to ask, but she had probably told someone else on the Student Council to handle it.

Pulling into the Parking Lot, I swept my gaze over Miyuki and the three girls in the back through the rearview mirror.

Then I opened my door and stepped out first.

Two people wearing Third Year name tags, two second-years, and one first-year.

Was it strange seeing such an unusual combination of students pile out of a single car?

Or was it because four girls and one guy were stepping out together?

The moment I locked the car doors, all eyes in the Parking Lot snapped toward us, only to quickly look away.

"Ugh, what the..."

Renka muttered in distress, feeling the stares.

It was a good thing there weren't many people around; if there had been a larger crowd, she probably would have looked for a hole to hide in.

"C-can we go ahead first?"

Renka asked, checking on Chinami, who wore her bag on her front and was busy tucking away the empty airtight container. I gave a willing nod.

"Go ahead."

"Okay. I'll get going. Nice seeing you."

Watching Renka bid farewell to Miyuki and Hiyori before dragging Chinami quickly away, she looked just like a mother looking after her daughter.

If she hadn't been wearing her uniform, I might have run over and pounded her right then and there.

"Well, I guess... I'll head out too."

I could feel Hiyori's energy—which had been leading the conversation right up until we got out of the car—completely die down.

It didn't seem to be because she was left alone with Miyuki and me; the stares of the crowd had likely felt a bit burdensome to her as well.

Both Renka and Hiyori knew exactly what kind of relationship everyone in that car had with me, which was probably why they were acting so antsy.

"Pay attention in class."

"Ah, why are you nagging me...!"

Flick.

I brushed my hand over the complaining Hiyori's cowlick, and the strand of hair, which looked like a slightly bent weed, drooped downward.

I found it fascinating every time I saw it, always making me want to mess with it.

"Should we walk to the building together?"

"No thanks. I'm meeting up with Miho."

"Did you make plans?"

"Yes. We agreed to meet."

"Got it. Tell her I said hi."

"Yep. See ya."

Hiyori half-heartedly waved a hand over her head and walked away...

Staring at her retreating back, Miyuki poked my waist.

"Are you close with that girl Miho, too?"

Judging by Miyuki's reaction, adding another heroine to the mix would ruin everything.

Of course, I had no intention of doing that.

Though Bread Girl, the Vice Representative, or the school nurse might be a different story.

"We aren't close. I just know her by face."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Shall we go?"

"Okay."

"Do you need to drop by the Student Council?"

"I'm fine for today. I finished all my work in advance."

"Good job. How was it in the car?"

"What do you mean, 'how was it'?"

"Exactly what it sounds like."

"It was just... fine, I think. I liked that everyone was nice. Except for one person."

"Hiyori?"

"Yeah."

"How long are you two going to keep bickering?"

"Do we look like children? Who's bickering?"

"That's exactly how you're acting."

"Am not."

"Sure, sure."

Arriving at the classroom after that somewhat prickly exchange with Miyuki, I let out a sigh as the familiar yet tiresome scent filled my nose.

To think I had to stay here for well over another year even though I had already achieved my goal... It made no sense.

Enjoying the reunion as we exchanged long-overdue greetings with our classmates, we took our seats in the very back by the window.

Looking at Bread Girl, who was nibbling on some bread right in front of me, I flashed a grin.

"Hey."

"Cough."

That cough of hers hadn't changed.

It had only been two months since I last saw her, but seeing her face still made me glad.

"Long time no see."

"Cough?"

"I've been doing well. Is the bread good?"

"Hack."

"Right."

She used to say a few words at least, so her outright refusal to speak now was just ridiculous.

Bread Girl had a knack for making a person strangely aroused.

She stirred up a mix of protective instinct and a desire to bully her. If I were to get physical with Bread Girl, wouldn't I hear her coughing all day long?

"Stop bothering people."

The Vice Representative hadn't changed either.

"Have you been well?"

"Yeah."

"That's good, then."

"Why are you being so bland?"

Hmm. I felt the urge to take these cheeky girls and teach them a lesson in bed, and it was all Renka's fault.

Entertaining a brief fantasy of scattering my seed all over the Vice Representative's face and glasses, I finally answered.

"You studied all break, didn't you?"

"No?"

"Then what did you do?"

"I worked part-time."

"A part-time job? Doing what?"

"At an ice cream shop. You see this?"

The Vice Representative raised her right arm.

Maybe because she scooped ice cream so often, it looked rather toned, yet still alluring.

Her pure white skin really stood out, making me want to rub oil all over it.

"You could arm wrestle me with that."

"I think I could beat you easily."

"I'm terrified."

"At least change your expression before saying that."

Time flew by as I chatted with the people I'd missed seeing.

Just as the first period was about to start, the back door of the classroom opened, and Tetsuya made his appearance.

"Hello, Tetsuya."

Being the first to spot her childhood friend, Miyuki offered a greeting filled with genuine delight.

Tetsuya, walking in with a friend and holding a portable gaming console, beamed back at her and waved.

He didn't even glance my way, of course. It was as if he had decided to ignore me entirely.

Come to think of it, I hadn't even checked if that bastard was here when I first walked in.

That just went to show how worthless Tetsuya's existence was to me—he wasn't even worth thinking about.

Tetsuya should have seen us getting out of the car together... It was a shame he missed it, but that was fine.

To me, that guy was already a thing of the past. It was better for my mental health not to think about him at all.

Had she read the uncomfortable tension flowing between Tetsuya and me?

An awkward smile formed on Miyuki's lips.

Slip.

At the same time, Miyuki's soft hand reached under the desk and rested on my leg.

Letting out a chuckle at the gentle touch patting my knee, I pulled out my textbook for the first period and reached out toward Bread Girl.

"Give me a piece of bread."

"Cough."

"And some milk to... Ah...!"

As I arrogantly tried to extort bread—which was basically Bread Girl's prized treasure—Miyuki pinched my leg hard, causing everyone to stare at me.

Tetsuya was among those staring, but I didn't want to care, so I decided to just let it be.

I had been the protagonist here for a long time now. I had no attention to spare for an extra like Tetsuya.