“Ka, Kayanoh-senpai! This, this too!”
Mizuki, who had firmly established herself in my heart as a strange person, was indeed strange.
After I let her feed me once, she kept ordering new sushi and trying to feed me.
She was originally sitting across from me, but somehow ended up right next to me, stuck to my side.
…Could it be that Mizuki is as rich as Kurokami-senpai?
Even while pondering that question, I opened my mouth to comply with her request.
“Ahh….”
“Hu, hehe….”
Since I’m a mature high school student with a mental age of 40, a regular high school student would have probably run away in fear from Mizuki, right?
Of course, objectively speaking, Mizuki was just being considerate, doing nothing wrong at all…
No, in fact, she could be seen as an incredibly nice person.
It’s just that something about her feels off.
“This one is d-delicious too….”
As I chewed on the sushi that entered my mouth, I didn’t forget to express my gratitude.
While it’s true that Mizuki called me over to apologize, to be honest, just calculating how much I’ve eaten already would reveal it’s quite excessive.
So I tried to say that it’s okay now, and we should each pay our share.
“No! I’m still not satisfied!” Mizuki insisted, continuing to buy me sushi.
So all I can do for now is to express my thanks.
I hope Mizuki doesn’t end up thinking, ‘Why did I spend so much money?!’ later on.
★
“Ahh….”
Shoko swallowed hard as she watched Izumi, who had her eyes closed and mouth open.
With her delicate and slender impression, and her eyes closed as if she knew nothing, her soft-looking lips concealed a row of white, neat teeth.
Was she committing some strange… crime?
Shoko couldn’t help but have such thoughts without even realizing it.
“No, it’s fine. This is what I asked for, and Izumi-senpai is kind enough to comply…?”
Shoko shook her head a few times to shake off the heat rising to her cheeks.
“Um, um… are you going to eat, t-to me?”
At that, Izumi tilted her head slightly and asked Shoko.
“Ah?!”
Only then did Shoko realize she had startled and placed the salmon sushi she was holding into Izumi’s mouth.
“Mmm… it’s d-delicious. Thank you….”
Izumi quietly savored the sushi, and then, looking a bit bashful, thanked Shoko.
Even though this sushi was something Shoko bought for Izumi as an apology, so there was no need for thanks.
‘She’s too kind…!’
That exclamation almost slipped out, but fortunately, Shoko was able to cover her mouth immediately.
“Hu, hehe…. Hehehe…”
She couldn’t hold back the trivial laughter.
‘How could I have done something like that to such a kind, cute, and lovely senpai…?’
Soon, regret washed over Shoko.
It wasn’t just about regretting this one incident.
Shoko really liked all the members of Star’s Flow, but if she had to pick one, Hikari would be her favorite.
And when it came to the best couple that suited Hikari, it was undeniably the collaboration unit with Natsune called “The Star of Darkness.”
No matter how sternly treated, Natsune greeted Hikari with a bright smile. Just watching their Tsundere-like interactions charged Shoko’s inner teetering emotions.
That’s why she didn’t particularly like Hikari and Izumi’s “faction.”
Because Shoko thought Hikari’s character shone when they bickered.
Of course, Shoko also really liked Izumi as a member of Star’s Flow, but it was a little hard to accept the way Hikari unconditionally doted on her.
However… after meeting Izumi in person today, she understood.
Now she knows why Hikari liked Izumi.
And why they formed the faction collaboration unit.
‘There must have been a reason for Hikari to like Izumi, and I doubted it….’
There’s nothing to say if it means being called inadequate as a housekeeper.
Even if it wasn’t intentional, hadn’t she provided the reason that brought down Izumi’s shrine?
This is undoubtedly the ‘greatest sin of my life,’ and Shoko quietly berated herself alone.
“Ugh….”
So in return, today, if there’s anything Izumi wants to eat, she should order all of it.
Shoko silently vowed.
Of course, since it’s a top-class sushi restaurant, each order would hit her wallet hard, but it didn’t seem like a problem at all.
Shoko considered what she was treating Izumi to as a kind of merchandise.
She’s a true otaku.
More specifically, she’s the type of otaku who thinks buying merchandise is never a waste.
“Yup…!”
‘She really is a strange person….’
And it didn’t take long for this thought of Shoko’s to become a certainty for Izumi.
★
“I can’t eat anymore….”
Sushi is a terrifying food.
At first glance, it seems small enough that you could eat as much as you want, but before you know it, you’re full.
…Of course, this is also because my eating portion is usually small, and I hadn’t only been eating sushi. But anyone who has tried sushi at least once might have experienced this.
“Did you enjoy it?”
“Yes. It was really delicious….”
I could feel again after a long time, especially since the last ryokan trip, that there’s usually a reason for expensive things.
“Phew….”
I felt so full that it seemed like it would be difficult to even drink water for a while….
I wondered if I had eaten too much and my belly was sticking out, so I poked my belly with a finger, but thankfully, it felt just as soft as usual.
“…Cute.”
“…Eh? Did y-you call for me?”
“Ah, it’s nothing!”
Maybe I misheard?
Well, anyway, a beautiful girl, after all, never gains weight no matter how much she eats.
That’s just normal, it can be seen as the rule of the world.
“If you want to eat more, feel free to call anytime.”
“Yes….”
Mizuki’s face, smiling, showed no sign of strain whatsoever.
Mizuki, is she really as rich as Kurokami-senpai…?
Ah, right.
“And, you can talk comfortably, just like usual.”
“Yes?”
Mizuki typically speaks informally to me in Miscode.
She refers to me as senpai like Suzumichi does, but her way of speaking is casual.
But now she’s speaking formally, and it feels a bit weird.
“Is it alright for me to dare…?”
“…You’re already doing that in Miscode.”
“Talking face-to-face feels a bit different….”
What is so different about it?
It wouldn’t have been odd if she spoke formally like Tsurusaki even usually.
“So… is it something you dislike…?”
“…No! I absolutely like it! Please take care of me from now on, Kayanoh-chan!!!”
“Uhh?!”
Mizuki suddenly created a strange nickname for me and squeezed me tightly.
S-She’s really strange!!!
“It’s uncomfortable, so let go, l-let go…!”
“Ah! I-I’m sorry….”
Her expression didn’t seem to convey any real apology, but should I just let it slide?
“Phew…. Well then, I guess….”
We weren’t really trying to collaborate, so let’s just go home.
Just as I was about to say that,
“Kayanoh-chan, do you want to come to my house?!”
Mizuki proposed.
★
I never expected to be treated to extremely expensive sushi on the first day we met and then invited to her home.
Well, even though it’s only the first time I’ve seen her face, we’ve already known each other, so isn’t it strange to think, ‘What’s up with that distance?’ if seen by outsiders?
“Uh? Kayanoh-chan, is there something uncomfortable?”
As I was pondering that, Mizuki threw me that question.
“Ah, no, it’s nothing. I just wondered if you live alone…”
“Yes. I live alone now.”
And unlike my questions about whether she’s as rich as Kurokami-senpai, Mizuki’s house was pretty spacious but just an ordinary 1LDK.
…Was that sushi really okay?
“Kayanoh-chan, make yourself at home and relax.”
“Th-thank you….”
By the way, Mizuki casually keeps calling me Kayanoh-chan.
Of course, since I was the one who told her to speak comfortably, it’s not that I mind…
However, being alone together, it would feel more comfortable to just call her Izumi-senpai.
Since other members call her Izumi when there aren’t people around too.
While I was thinking and glancing around, Mizuki took out orange juice from the kitchen and gave it to me…
“Kayanoh-chan, here… Wuh?!”
“M-Mizuki?! Wuh?!”
Bang!
With a loud noise, Mizuki fell to the floor.
The two cups she was holding fell and splashed all over me.
“It’s cold….”
My white shirt gets stained with orange juice color.
…I probably can’t wash this out.
“Ughhh… I-I’m sorry, Kayanoh…. Are you okay?!”
Mizuki rubbed her forehead and lifted her head, only to be startled by the mess and quickly stood up.
Well, it’s an accident, so it can’t be helped, and Mizuki got drenched too, but…
“Ugh, it’s sticky….”
That sticky feeling was quite unpleasant.
“I-I need to wash up first. Take off your clothes and leave it to me. I’ll put it in the washing machine.”
“Ah… okay.”
“The bathroom is over there on the right.”
Just as I got up and started to head for the bathroom, I suddenly thought of something.
Come to think of it, since Mizuki’s clothes got soaked with orange juice, she needs to wash too.
Of course, it was her mistake, but I feel bad leaving her alone, sticky until I finish washing…
“M-Mizuki.”
“Yeah?”
“W-Would you like to wash together?”
So this must be the right answer now.
“…Eh?!”
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