Translator: RaidenTL
Three days had passed since I started studying with Miyuki and Tetsuya.
We were much more comfortable with each other than when we first started, allowing us to focus on our studies and make small talk during breaks.
Ever since the incident at the playground, Miyuki seemed to have opened up to me more.
Sometimes, when our eyes met, she would smile first or playfully ask what I was looking at.
It was as if she were mimicking my usual behavior.
I was happy. Happy that the distance between Miyuki and me was closing.
But I wasn't exactly over the moon, since I still had a long way to go before I was as close to her as Tetsuya was.
I just took satisfaction in the fact that our relationship was progressing day by day.
"Alright, let's take a 20... no, a 30-minute break. I'm going to go check on the plants."
Miyuki announced the end of our session and stood up.
Watering the plants as soon as she arrived and checking on them briefly during breaks had become part of her routine at my house.
It was a good sign.
If that action became a habit, it would create the possibility of her coming over even on days we didn't have lessons.
After roughly cutting up a watermelon, I walked over to Miura, who was sitting on the flat bench connected to the living room, watching Miyuki's back.
I plopped down next to the guy and placed the tray between us. Miura spoke up.
"Thanks for the food, Matsuda."
"Eat up. Or don't. Whatever."
At my words, Miyuki turned around and teased me with a playful tone.
"Matsuda-kun, you're such a tsundere, aren't you?"
Fucking hell, if I'm going to be 'tsun-tsun' to anyone, it'd be you, not that bastard Tetsuya.
I'll remember this.
You can pay me back in the cowgirl position later.
As I stared at Miyuki with a look of disbelief, she slowly approached and took a bite of watermelon.
Her expression melted as she tasted its intense sweetness.
"This is so sweet...! Did you pick this out yourself, Matsuda-kun?"
"I just grabbed the first one I saw at the entrance of the traditional market."
"Really...? You must have gotten lucky."
I told the lady at the market I was going to eat it with my girlfriend and asked for a sweet one, and she picked out a good one for me.
She was very generous.
I took a bite of watermelon, chewed, and swallowed before shrugging at Tetsuya's next question.
"Matsuda, it's the weekend tomorrow. What are you doing?"
"Dunno. Nothing planned. You?"
"Hmm...? We haven't decided yet, either."
"'We'? Sounds like you two are always joined at the hip."
"Ah, it's not like that... We just spend a lot of time together, so it came out naturally. I don't have any plans."
Is this bastard trying to piss me off?
I glanced at Miyuki and saw her nodding.
A sign that Tetsuya was right.
I already knew, but having it confirmed to my face like this was fucking annoying.
Suppressing the urge to smack Tetsuya on the back of the head, I looked up at Miyuki.
"So, you don't have plans either?"
"Yeah. I haven't really thought about it."
"Then you wanna go pick out some books with me?"
"Books?"
"Yeah. I'm planning to buy some manga."
Miyuki's surprised expression quickly faded.
She muttered with a look that said, of course.
"I was a fool for thinking you were going to buy study books..."
"I was planning to get those too. Otherwise, why would I ask you to come with me? I'd just go grab a few fun manga and be done with it."
For now, I had to use an excuse like this.
If I asked her on a proper date in our current situation, I'd obviously get rejected.
It was better for both me and Miyuki if she thought of it as just helping out a classmate... no, a friend.
"Hmm... I guess that makes sense... I was planning on buying some books for our lessons anyway... Okay, let's go together. I'll show you where the bookstore is. They have manga there too, so don't worry."
Miyuki accepted my offer without hesitation.
I barely managed to suppress the urge to shout in triumph.
I could feel Tetsuya's surprised gaze from the side.
Annoyed? You should've worked up the courage then. You don't have the balls to do what I do, you passive bastard, always waiting for Miyuki to ask you to hang out first.
I'll take good care of this bookstore event. Watch and learn.
Just don't go getting any ideas about leveling up yourself.
"Alright. Send me the location on LINE, and let's meet at noon tomorrow."
"Noon? Won't it be too hot?"
"Who cares? We'll be indoors anyway."
"I guess...? Okay. Then I should probably get there around one. Right?"
She was teasing me again.
I'll play along.
"Noon is at one o'clock now?"
At my dead-serious reply, Miyuki's eyes widened.
She stared at me, dumbfounded, before bursting into peals of laughter.
She laughed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes. Wiping them away, she said.
"That's not it... I meant that you'll obviously oversleep and be late, so I'll just show up to match your time..."
"...Don't mess with me. And it's definitely not funny enough to cry over."
"This is... from sadness... Yeah, these are tears of sadness... Pfft...!"
"Just eat your damn watermelon. Before I throw it at you."
"Okay... The watermelon is good... I'll eat... But Matsuda-kun... I think your face is turning red..."
Annoyed by Miyuki's relentless teasing, I glared at Tetsuya and threatened him.
"Wipe that smile off your face."
"Huh...? What? No... I wasn't laughing..."
I know. I'm just taking it out on you.
I absolutely cannot say something like, "Tetsuya, you wanna come too?"
He'd definitely tag along.
And Tetsuya isn't the type of guy with the guts to say he wants to come on his own.
So for now, I'll just play dumb, change the subject, and trust in Miyuki.
Please, don't let her ask Tetsuya to come with us.
The scorching sun is fucking brutal.
I was waiting for Miyuki with a deep scowl on my face when—
"Matsuda-kun!"
I flinched as Miyuki's cheerful voice sounded from right behind my shoulder.
"Jesus... you scared me..."
Miyuki stood before me with a beaming smile.
Her outfit today was... the white t-shirt and black, ankle-length skirt I'd seen on our first day of studying.
Her defense stats look pretty high. One day, I'll have her styled in a miniskirt and a crop top.
"You're more of a scaredy-cat than you look, Matsuda-kun."
"What do you mean, scaredy-cat? Anyone would be startled in a situation like that."
I grumbled and looked around.
Tetsuya is...
'Not here.'
My dear Miyuki, you didn't say anything to Tetsuya.
Good girl. I'll repay this debt by creampieing you.
"What are you doing?"
At Miyuki's question, my gaze returned to her.
"Thought I saw someone I knew. Anyway, isn't it hot?"
"It's hot. So hot I think I'm going to die."
Looking like she was about to stick her tongue out from the heat, Miyuki's gaze shifted past my shoulder.
There was a specialty shop for kakigori, Japanese shaved ice.
She must be desperate for something cold.
I stuck my thumb out, pointing behind me.
Then I said casually.
"Want some kakigori? There's a shop right there."
"Huh...? I was just thinking that!"
"Perfect, then. Let's get some. I'm dying of heat."
"Matsuda-kun. Watch your language."
"Do you really have to nag on a day like this? Can't you just let it slide?"
"You'll get into the habit of swearing. You need to fix that."
"It is incredibly hot. Happy now?"
Finally satisfied, Miyuki nodded her head.
"Yep. Now let's go."
We went into the shop, enjoying our shaved ice with various syrups mixed in and a scoop of ice cream on top. After paying separately, we headed to the bookstore.
It was a place with a slightly vintage atmosphere.
A place that smelled of old paper and where the books weren't properly organized.
As I stepped inside, I waited for Miyuki to greet the owner.
When she came over to me, I quietly voiced my complaint.
"Is this a used bookstore?"
"They have some used books, but they mostly sell new ones. The manga section is over there."
"I doubt they'll have any new releases..."
"The owner here likes manga too. I'm sure they'll have them, so go look."
"...Where did you say the manga section was?"
"Over there. Behind you. You said you needed a workbook for math, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then I'll pick one out for you. I know your level pretty well."
I agreed and headed to the manga section.
New manga releases? Honestly, I had no desire to buy any.
I just wanted to raise my affection level through this event.
I pretended to browse the manga while keeping a close eye on Miyuki's every move.
She was slowly wandering through the bookstore, looking at various books.
As she headed for a corner, I slowly prepared to make my move.
The moment Miyuki stood on her tiptoes and touched the middle of a stack of books, I dashed toward her with all my might.
Thud-thud-thud-!
The sound of my footsteps echoed through the quiet bookstore.
Miyuki's head turned, her eyes locking onto me.
"Matsuda-kun...? What the..."
Perhaps frightened by my fierce approach, Miyuki's pupils filled with fear.
Ignoring the look in her eyes, as soon as my arm was close enough to touch her,
I placed a hand on her shoulder and another on her waist, then spun my body as I fell to the floor.
"Kyaaah!"
CRASH—!
Along with Miyuki's scream, a pile of books came crashing down on top of us.
A dull impact spread across my head and back.
I even felt a stinging sensation on the crown of my head.
"Hngh...!"
Having shielded Miyuki's entire body with my own, I let out a sigh of relief only after all the books had fallen.
Then, I looked down at Miyuki, who was under me, unable to hide her bewilderment, and asked.
"Are you okay?"
Miyuki, finally grasping the situation, swallowed hard and replied.
"Ah... yeah... Are you okay, Matsuda-kun...?"
"You're so short, what were you thinking trying to get that? You could have just called me or the owner."
"S-sorry... But... Ouch...! It hurts...! Matsuda-kun... wait a second..."
Miyuki suddenly squeezed one eye shut in pain, then lifted her head slightly to look down at her chest.
My hand was there.
Gripping one of Miyuki's breasts very tightly.
One of the classic rom-com clichés.
A situation where, due to some incident or accident, the guy unintentionally and accidentally touches a girl's private parts.
They call it a 'Lucky Pervert,' and it had just happened to me.
Of course, I had intentionally grabbed her breast as I fell, but... well, let's just say that's what happened.
"....."
"....."
After a moment of silence while our eyes met, I shot up and sat a little distance away from her.
Then I scratched the back of my head and apologized in a small voice.
"Sorry... I was trying to catch myself on the floor..."
Miyuki pushed herself up with a groan and shook her head.
"N-no... It happened because you were trying to save me..."
The atmosphere instantly became awkward.
What broke it was Miyuki's startled voice.
"Matsuda-kun...! There's blood on your hand...!"
I know.
I scraped it on the corner of a thick, hard book, which is why I deliberately scratched the back of my head.
To show her the blood and quickly dispel the awkwardness.
Of course, the mood would probably turn cold again on the way home, but at least I had to avoid it for now.
Seeing the blood on my first knuckle, I looked at Miyuki with a dumb expression.
"Is this your blood?"
"H-how could it be? I'm not hurt at all...! H-hold on...! Sir! Excuse me, sir!!"
Miyuki panicked and rushed off to find the owner, who had 'just so happened' to have 'coincidentally' gone to the bathroom.
Once I confirmed she was gone, I looked down at my hand.
To be precise, I was looking at the hand opposite the one that had touched Miyuki's breast.
My first taste of Miyuki's breast... it was soft and supple.
Above all, the way it yielded so gently, like jelly, was incredible.
The very definition of perfection. No further embellishment was needed.
It would have been even more ecstatic if Miyuki hadn't been wearing a bra, but...
I can touch her bare breasts all I want once we get closer, so I'll be satisfied with this for now.
As I unconsciously smirked, savoring the memory of her breast's texture, a thought flashed through my mind. I raised my bloodied hand and swatted the air.
Smack-!
A single book that had been falling was knocked aside by my hand.
The event is already over; I can't let my body get any more hurt.
Having dealt with even the final cliché, I got up with a refreshed heart.