Chapter 76
Tetsuya moved with light steps.
Watching his retreating figure, I quietly asked Miyuki.
“Is it because you gave that guy a souvenir? He seems to be in high spirits today.”
“Calling him ‘that guy’... Speak nicely.”
“Is it nagging from morning already?”
“Don’t make me nag. And clean your room, too. It’s not like you live in a pigsty... Eek!?”
Miyuki was startled enough to almost faint because I had playfully poked her ass and then slightly squeezed it.
Tetsuya, who had been humming ahead of us, looked back.
“What’s up? What happened?”
“Oh, nothing... Just, a bug... suddenly a cricket jumped out...”
Miyuki hastily made up an excuse, forcing an awkward smile.
It was a clumsy act that would have seemed suspicious to anyone else, but Tetsuya, of course...
“Really? Well... You’ve always hated crickets, haven’t you? Are you okay? Did you get scared?”
He didn’t notice.
“Yeah... I’m fine... Just got startled for a moment... I’ve calmed down now.”
“Your face is all red, though?”
“It’s because I was startled... Thanks for worrying...”
As Tetsuya turned his head back towards the school gate, Miyuki glared at me with bated breath.
Catching a glimpse of Tetsuya, she grumbled in frustration.
“Why are you doing this...!”
“Because you keep nagging. And what, you’re doing this again today like last time? Do I look like a bug to you?”
“No... Ah... Matsuda-kun, do you really want to be scolded?”
“Go ahead, whip me if you can.”
“.....”
Miyuki’s mouth snapped shut.
My unabashed attitude clearly took her by surprise.
As she matched my pace and walked leisurely alongside me, she said with a pouty face, “I really will whip you...”
“Alright. Then I’ll get some ropes ready.”
“Ropes...?”
“To tie me up before you whip me.”
“.... Ugh... I should stop talking...”
“Or should I tie you up? Want to try some rope bondage?”
“What...! Stop saying weird things...!”
“I’m just having fun.”
“Fun? What’s fun about this...! You’re just teasing me to make things difficult for me...!”
Despite her words, she seemed secretly pleased by the idea of ‘fun.’
I leaned in close to Miyuki’s face and puckered my lips.
“What are you doing...?”
Without saying a word, I tapped her lips lightly, and Miyuki, realizing what I wanted, looked around in embarrassment.
Then she grabbed my wrist and led me between the cars parked in the lot.
“Okay... Now, sit down...”
She crouched down with a shy tone, gesturing for me to sit as well.
As I smiled at her adorable actions and bent my knees, Miyuki hesitated before trying to press her lips to mine.
Seizing the moment, I darted my tongue out and slipped it into the top of her mouth.
Then, before Miyuki could react, I curled the tip of my tongue, hooking her inner lip and pulling it inward.
She flinched.
Her eyes, which had been squeezed shut, snapped open in surprise.
Though she looked startled at first, she soon gazed at me intensely.
Miyuki enjoyed this kind of teasing physical intimacy as a way to express affection.
She liked to playfully withhold kisses, gradually escalating the intensity afterward.
In simple terms, she preferred a slow burn. Not that it’s uncommon among women, but Miyuki was particularly fond of this approach.
“.....”
A troubled look crossed Miyuki’s face as she bit her lower lip.
Despite the public setting making her uneasy, she wanted to continue the physical closeness with me.
In such moments, a little nudge was all it took.
With my face close enough to touch the tip of Miyuki’s nose, I gently pulled her neck toward me with a very soft force.
Her eyes wavered as if caught in an earthquake, then stilled.
Miyuki’s eyes gradually curved beautifully, a sign she had decided to follow her instincts. And so, we began to share a sweet kiss, revealing our feelings for each other once more.
At first, our lips met with a light peck, making a soft smacking sound.
Then, we teasingly brushed our tongues against each other’s lips and gums, savoring the taste.
After that, we pressed our faces so closely that our cheeks squished and noses pressed, swirling our tongues in a sticky dance...
After exploring each other like this for a minute or so,
“Miyuki! Matsuda! Where are you guys?”
We broke our embrace at Tetsuya’s puzzled shout.
I licked off the stretching saliva with a quick flick of my tongue and, with a wry smile, nodded in the direction of the voice.
“I wish he’d be more observant.”
Miyuki, shuddering as if she felt a chill upon seeing my expression, quickly regained her composure and scolded me.
“...Don’t say things like that... It’s not right...”
Regret filled her face as she spoke.
You’re annoyed by Tetsuya too, huh?
My Miyuki... you’ve grown a lot. I’m proud.
I smiled generously at Miyuki, who was pretending otherwise, and pointed to the cellphone she was tightly holding.
“Just get up and text before Miura calls, say we’re going to the cafeteria together, or he’ll get suspicious.”
“Okay, got it...”
“What a nuisance, all because of an interrupter...”
“Matsuda-kun...! Enough is enough...”
Miyuki lightly tapped my knee and then started frantically typing on her phone.
**
Dojima Goro, the kendo club coach, began to speak with a commanding presence.
“I’ve been watching, and I’ve decided it’s time for you to officially join the team.”
I sipped my tea, sitting in front of Goro, and glanced at Renka standing beside him.
Her expression was impassive; it was hard to tell what she was thinking.
“I understand.”
“You’re welcome to participate in the club room, but if you insist on continuing as a manager, I won’t stop you.”
It was a welcome interruption.
“How could you ask Nanase-senpai to do all that alone? I’ll continue as the manager.”
“Good. Nanase will be pleased. I’ve seen you sparring. You learned the upper stance from Nanase, right?”
“Yes. I found the upper stance interesting. Is there a problem?”
“It’s natural to be drawn to a striking stance that sparks interest, but... make sure to pay attention to the middle stance as well. It’s the foundation of all kendo stances. Nanase must have said something similar.”
I thought he was all about the old ways, but it turns out he’s quite reasonable.
Coach Dojima Goro, your wife is safe. Live happily.
“Understood.”
“Good. Finish your tea and then you can go. Don’t get up just to say goodbye.”
“Yes, coach.”
Goro, with his full beard spread to the sides, grinned broadly.
His white teeth shone.
Was it my imagination, or did I hear a ‘zing’ sound as the light reflected off his teeth?
After finishing my tea in a hurry, I stood up, bowed, and left the coach’s office.
As I stepped out,
“Wait, Matsuda.”
Renka, who followed me out, called me to stop.
I turned around.
“What is it? Captain.”
She stood with her arms crossed, glaring at me.
Her mouth opened and closed as if she had a lot to say but couldn’t find the right words to start.
It seemed like she had heard something from Chinami over the weekend...
“Why did you call me?”
After asking again, Renka finally spoke.
“It’s about you...”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“.....”
Her hesitation suggested that she was worried the conversation might somehow cause trouble for Chinami.
Renka, like Miyuki, has a deep heart, so my guess is probably right.
“What’s the matter?”
“.... No... I’m watching...”
Though she spoke as if to say she would keep an eye on me now that I was an official member, it was a veiled warning, implying that if I tried anything with Chinami, she’d set me straight.
She decided not to speak too directly, it seems.
Seeing Renka issue only a calm warning, it seems the conversation with Chinami didn’t turn too serious.
It’s likely that Chinami downplayed her own feelings, simply brushing them off.
I nodded a couple of times, seeing right through Renka, and retorted, “Do you think I’m going to cause trouble?”
Seemingly hit where it hurts, Renka’s expression hardened.
“That’s not what I meant. You can go now.”
“Alright, take care.”
I smirked at the authoritarian Renka, noticing her eyebrows twitching, then turned around.
Afterwards, I approached Chinami, who was hand-washing stained uniforms at the small laundry area behind the clubroom.
“Master.”
“Ah!? What?”
Chinami, startled, jumped to her feet, more reactive than usual today.
I offered her a gentle smile and said.
“The coach said I can officially join the club now.”
“Oh...? Really? That’s great!”
She started jumping on the spot, clapping like a seal, splashing water all over my face.
Noticing this, Chinami’s face turned pale.
“I’m, I’m so sorry...”
Wiping my face with my sleeve, I grinned, “It’s okay. I’ve decided to keep being the manager, too.”
“You are...? Ah...”
What’s with the ‘ah’ when she’s clearly pleased?
“Now we’re inseparable, Master. Happy, aren’t we?”
“Hmm... Of course, I’m happy...”
Trying to keep her composure, but her twitching lips gave her away.
I stepped closer with a mischievous smile, hands raised, “Should I give you a massage to celebrate?”
“Huh...!? I’ll just take the thought, thanks...!”
She instinctively straightened her shoulders and retracted her neck like a turtle.
Her sassy response was too adorable.
I wanted to coax out those cute whines from her lips tinged with a hint of pink.
“I’m sad you seem to be pushing me away these days. You don’t understand your disciple’s heart... I’m hurt.”
As I grumbled in self-pity, letting out a long sigh, Chinami, taken aback, patted my back reassuringly.
“Ahem... How could I not understand my Hubae-nim’s heart? It’s not that I’m rejecting you, but my body isn’t stiff enough to need a massage, so don’t waste your strength. There, there, calm down... That’s it...”
Chinami would fit right in as a kindergarten teacher. Or maybe not, she’d probably end up playing rather than teaching the kids, right?
Straightening up, I looked down at Chinami and called out to her.
“Speaking of which, Master.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“When are you going to buy me the second ice cream?”
“Ah, have you become addicted to the yogurt peach already? It was delicious, wasn’t it?”
“Well... It was okay, I guess.”
“Just okay...?”
Chinami’s expression grew serious. I quickly corrected myself.
“No... Actually, it was delicious.”
Satisfied, Chinami nodded with pride.
“Haha... I like seeing you honestly admit it. Shall we set a date soon?”
“Can I pick the date again?”
“Of course, you can. But you have to tell me in advance. There’s a limited edition Momo’s cushion coming out soon.”
That darn Momo, is it really that great?
Maybe I should snatch the cushion and sit on it, rubbing it fiercely? Or perhaps, corrupting you into desecrating Momo yourself wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Shaking off my childish fantasies, I responded.
“Got it. I’ll get in touch.”
“Great! Oh, and to celebrate your official membership... I’ll increase the upper stance lessons today.”
“That’s wonderful. You truly are a great master who understands your disciple’s heart.”
“Didn’t you just say I was insensitive to a disciple’s heart?”
“Did I say that? I don’t quite remember.”
“Hmm... Maybe you should visit a doctor. How about eating curry for a while? It’s good for memory.”
As I chuckled at Chinami’s sincere concern, I thought to myself that we should watch a movie on our next date.
︵‿︵‿୨ * ୧‿︵‿︵
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