Chapter 536

"Miura isn't here? Did something happen to him?"

Renka asked, approaching me while I was in the middle of my manager duties in the Club Room.

To have so little presence that even the President—who was supposed to look after the members—barely noticed his absence... How typical of Tetsuya.

"Who knows? We aren't close, so I wouldn't know."

"But you're in the same class. Shouldn't you know?"

"Why would I?"

"Right... Okay. I'll shoot him a message."

Oh ho. Now she was trying to do something I didn't like.

A slave wasn't supposed to have free will. Didn't she need her master's permission first?

Just as I was about to point that out, Renka's Cell Phone vibrated.

"Oh, he just texted. He says he's sitting out because he's not feeling well."

Checking the screen, Renka started tapping away at her phone.

I tapped her arm.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm replying."

"Don't."

"Why? Wait, that injury... did you get into a fight with Miura?"

"No, it's just—why is the President contacting another guy?"

"...Huh? What do you..."

"The only men the President is allowed to contact are her father and me. Just the two of us. Keep that in mind. I'll make an exception for your uncles, too."

Renka's mouth fell open at my shameless attitude.

"A-Are you joking right now...?"

"Does it look like I'm joking? Try sending that reply and see what happens."

"Are you crazy...? Have you actually lost your mind? Are you seriously going to be this childish?"

"Yes."

"B-But you...! You text other girls all the time!"

"I'm your master, so I can do whatever I want. As a slave, your contacts get controlled."

"Hey... are you insane...? T-This is going too far! Enough is enough!"

"Shut up and just try sending it."

"Ah, damn it..."

A smile naturally bloomed on my face as I watched Renka stomp her bare foot on the Club Room floor with a loud thud!

She looked just like a sulking child who had her favorite toy snatched away.

After that brief, silent rebellion, Renka obediently set her Cell Phone down on the stand in the corner of the Club Room.

It was adorable how she acted like she would never listen, only to give in anyway.

I'll have to thoroughly dote on her today.

"Go away now."

"Why? I want to stay with the President."

"What...! Don't say things like that so loudly!"

"You're the one yelling."

"Y-You're...? Hey...! Do you have a death wish? Are you seriously going to keep being this rude!?"

"Heh."

"What is with that old-man laugh...! Hey, you. Come here."

Scoffing in disbelief, Renka threw open the door to the laundry room and gestured for me to go inside.

Judging by her expression alone, she looked like she was dragging a troublemaking member away for a scolding.

It was funny watching Renka check our surroundings, but I humored her by putting on a sullen face, perfectly playing the part of an insubordinate member.

I stepped into the laundry room, and Renka followed right behind me, shutting the door.

She stood on her tiptoes, peering around the laundry room and the Drying Room to make sure no one else was there, before softly calling out to me.

"Hey."

"What."

"You rude jerk..."

"Is that what you brought me in here to say?"

"...Hey."

"What."

"Um... Hey."

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Haa... You seriously have no manners. Hey...!"

Between her hesitant pauses and her weak insults, I had a pretty good idea of what she was trying to say.

"Yes. Go ahead."

"Do you know how ridiculous you are? Constantly bullying me like that..."

She was waiting for me to make the first move.

She was far too embarrassed and shy to spell it out herself.

That was why she was grumbling like this.

"So you're upset?"

"Who wouldn't be upset when you act like that...! Treating me like some object..."

Seeing her ramble on, I decided to throw her a bone.

"Come here."

I held my arms open wide. Renka's lips twitched, and she cautiously stepped forward, letting herself fall into my embrace.

I wrapped my arms snugly around her. As I swayed us side to side, like rocking a child, she let out a long, contented sigh against my chest.

Then, she made me burst out laughing by saying something completely contrary to how she actually felt.

"You're so annoying..."

It was the kind of irony that only proved exactly how much she liked me.

I hoped Renka would never change—that she would always express her affection in this backward way.

Though her saying it directly once in a while wouldn't hurt either.

"...Hey."

"What is it?"

"Do you like chocolate...?"

"I'll eat it if it's there. Why do you ask? Do you have some right now?"

"I'll give it to you later..."

"Got it. Shall we just stay like this for a bit?"

"I-If you want..."

And so we did.

For the next little while, I enjoyed a peaceful, private moment with Renka, who was being surprisingly affectionate today.

Rub, rub.

Pat, pat.

My hand alternated between stroking and gently patting her bottom.

Was she starting to feel a little bit of pleasure from the sensation?

Chinami shifted one leg half a step backward.

"What exactly are you doing...?"

"An inspection."

"What kind of inspection...?"

"Just a regular inspection."

"Ah..."

Chinami nodded, though her expression made it painfully obvious that she didn't buy that excuse at all.

Having played with her butt long enough to fully recharge my energy, I stood up and grabbed a wiping cloth.

"Should I wipe down the shinai now?"

"I already finished wiping them..."

"Then should I touch you some more?"

"T-That's not what I meant..."

"Really? Let's take a break, then."

"Okay..."

Leaning my back against the wall of the Storage Room, I took a seat and patted one of my knees.

Chinami's eyes darted around the room for a moment before she carefully approached and laid her head down on my lap.

Was she comfortable enough to do this without hesitation now?

It was a relief to see that she had grown so comfortable around me.

I spent the time gently kneading Chinami's incredibly soft, squishy cheeks until the Storage Room door clicked open, and Renka walked in.

"Ah..."

She slammed the door shut in surprise, only to crack it open a second later and peek her head through the gap.

"W-What are you two doing?"

"Taking a little break."

"Oh...?"

"Come inside."

"...Well, if... if you're telling me to..."

The way she acted so reluctant while stepping into the Storage Room was adorably transparent.

Renka naturally sat down beside me. I pulled her by the arm, and she toppled over, her head landing squarely on my other knee opposite Chinami.

Renka was still just as prickly as ever, but she seemed to have gotten fully used to this kind of physical contact...

Miyuki had always been like this, and Hiyori was naturally sociable anyway...

It really was a peaceful day.

I had even completely cut out Tetsuya at this point.

There was absolutely nothing standing in my way anymore.

Just like I'd thought before, only pure happiness awaited me from now on.

Brush.

"Ah... don't mess with my bangs...!"

Renka immediately whined, squawking in complaint the moment my hand brushed her forehead.

I let out a soft chuckle.

"Are you trying to act cute?"

"Who...! Who is trying to act cute...! Do you want to die— I mean, do you want a beating...?"

Watching her hold back her usual curses just because Chinami was here was endlessly amusing.

If we ever lived together, she would probably exhaust herself trying to hide her true colors. Watching that would be thoroughly entertaining, too.

"Huh? What happened to your lip? Are you okay?"

Having bumped into Hiyori first in the Parking Lot, I just shrugged at her alarmed tone.

I genuinely loved how all the heroines sincerely worried about me whenever they saw my lip.

"I bumped it against something."

"Bullshit. You don't get a cut like that from bumping into something. You got punched in the face. Who did you get into a fight with?"

She knew her stuff. Hiyori's guy friends were the delinquent type, so she must have seen her fair share of fights.

"What makes you so sure?"

"I can tell just by looking. You're trying to fool the wrong girl here... How ridiculous. Do you want me to go beat them up for you?"

"Stop talking nonsense and just carry your bag."

"I'm just worried about you! How is that nonsense...! You're so mean...!"

"Right, thank you. Your bag."

"I already put it on...! Want me to rub some spit on your cut?"

"Wouldn't that just make it worse?"

"I just brushed my teeth, so I'm clean."

"Then do it."

"Okay. Tell me if it hurts."

Nodding readily, Hiyori leaned in, bringing her face close to mine rather than her hand.

So she had meant she was going to rub spit on it via a kiss. Unbelievable.

At the same time, my pride took a bit of a hit. I genuinely hadn't expected her to pull a stunt like that.

"Hey, wait...! Hold on..."

"What's wrong?"

"Were you seriously going to lick it?"

"Yep."

"Can you do it later? I just put a fresh layer of ointment on it."

"You can just reapply it afterward."

"Yeah, but then you'd end up eating the ointment."

"Ah, I guess it'd be bitter."

"Very bitter."

"I'll do it later, then. But why does it feel like you're trying to avoid me, sunbae-nim?"

"It's just your imagination."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

Why on earth would I avoid Hiyori?

Miyuki, Renka, and Chinami already knew everything about my relationship with her anyway.

It was legitimately because I had just put on fresh ointment.

"Does it not hurt?"

"Not really."

"Did the inside of your mouth bust open or not?"

"It busted open, but it's healing."

"So you did get punched."

"Why are you so full of questions? Keep your voice down, would you?"

"Can't I even ask? What did Miyuki Hanazawa say about it?"

"Why don't you go ask her yourself?"

"That's not a bad idea, actually. I'll call and ask her later."

"Would Miyuki even pick up if you called?"

"What, are Miyuki Hanazawa and I mortal enemies or something? Why wouldn't she pick up?"

As I was chatting with Hiyori, I spotted Renka and Chinami walking toward us from a distance.

It was nice that I didn't have to send those two home on public transit anymore.

Come to think of it, I never got that chocolate from Renka.

She'd promised to give it to me later. Did she forget and eat it all by herself?

If she did, I would just have to dress her up in a full-body latex suit and give her bottom a thorough smacking as punishment.