CH 22

Chapter 22 – Coffee Preferences

I returned home with Asanagi and prepared the tea, cookies, and other things we just bought. Not long after that, the intercom rang.

“Yes?”

[Heya, Maehara-kun. Amami Yuu has arrived ~]

On the screen of the intercom was Amami-san with her cute smile.

She probably pushed herself a little when she ran, some of her bangs were sticking to her forehead because of her sweat.

“Sorry, I’ll unlock the gate in a second… Okay, come on in.”

[Roger ~]

I unlocked the auto-lock and waited for Amami-san to enter. The room was a little messy because this gathering was a little bit abrupt, but it wasn’t so messy that we couldn’t receive any guests.

For the time being. I shoved the pile of clothes my mother left out into her room and cleaned up the table in the living room.

“Maehara, where are the plates? The cookies are one thing since it’s inside a tin, but the other snacks should be placed on a plate, no?’

“…Right. Well, the plates for the guests should be at the top of the cupboard next to the fridge, also, there should be cups and saucers nearby, use those too.”

“Okay.”

Asanagi and I divided the roles and made the minimum preparation for us to receive Amami-san as a guest.

Well, Asanagi was also a guest, it would be fine if she were to just sit on the sofa, but…

‘Let me help.’

She said, so I let her help me.

“Excuse me ~ …O-ohh… so this is a boy’s house…”

“Sorry if it seems cramped, only my mother and I live here.”

“Ah… S-sorry, was I rude? I-it’s my first time visiting a boy’s house, so…”

Amami-san turned over here with flushed cheeks. She looked so natural when she talked with the other boys in the class, but seeing her reaction now, she was more inexperienced than I previously thought. She probably never dated anyone either.

“…What is it, Maehara-kun? Do you have something to say to me?”

“Eh? N-nothing…”

Asanagi was relaxing on the sofa while watching over us.

Right, she also acted reserved like this the first time she came to my house, but now, she treated this place like her second home.

Though, since this was supposed to be her first time coming here, she restrained herself from acting like usual. She guided Amami-san to the table in the living room.

“Woah, a cookie tin ~? I love these. They look kind of expensive though.”

“Is that so? We’ve been saving them for guests to eat, so, feel free to eat them.”

“Really ~? Yay ~ Umi, too, don’t just sit there, eat together with me ~”

“Yes, yes, but first, let’s wipe that sweat off your face first, okay? Here’s a handkerchief.”

“Thank you ~ …Wait, don’t treat me like a kid!”

“High school students are still technically kids ~ Also, don’t forget to wash your hands before eating, okay?”

“Muu.”

While Amami-san was distracted, Asanagi moved on to take care of her best friend like it was the natural thing to do.

They should be of the same age, but looking at them like this, they seem like a pair of sisters. Though this was a common sight even at school, it was their usual routine.

Asanagi taking care of the pouting Amami-san.

I couldn’t help but admire the scene. It would be great if someone were to immortalize this in a painting.

“Uhh… Amami-san, what would you like to drink? Coffee or black tea…? Well, we also have some green tea if you prefer that…”

“Then, I think I’ll have a coffee ~ With a lot of sugar and milk, please!”

“Okay, by the way, you said you like sweets?”

“Mhm. Ah, do you remember what I said in my introduction?”

“Uhh… Yeah, well, your introduction was impactful after all…”

I turned on the stove, put the kettle above it, and prepared the coffee.

Amami-san asked for sugar and milk, so I put them inside. Asanagi preferred her coffee bitter, so I only put milk in her’s.

“Ah, Umi, when did you ask for your coffee? It seemed like Maehara-kun was also preparing yours.”

“Ah…”

The moment Amami-san said that my body stiffened.

I completely forgot that it was supposed to be Asanagi’s first time here and I was supposed to ask her preference for formality sake.

I’ve been doing this all the time, so my body just moved naturally. 

“Mmm? Ah, I asked for it before Yuu came here. Coffee, no sugar but with milk, right, Maehara-kun?”

“A-ahh… Y-yes, that’s right.”

When I was getting tense, Asanagi gave me her follow-up. Since we arrived first, there should be nothing strange with that answer. Nice one, Asanagi.

“Then, like planned, we’re going to talk about last week’s incident, but before that… Yuu, Maehara-kun.”

“Mmm. What’s up?”

“…What is it?”

“…So, how exactly did you guys know each other’s phone numbers?”

““Ugh…””

Asanagi narrowed her eyes as she looked at us.

She was smiling, but that smile didn’t reach her eyes. It was really scary.

Toward this Asanagi, Amami-san, and I immediately confessed and apologized.

“I see. Well, I had a feeling it would be like this…”

“I’m sorry, Umi, I knew I shouldn’t have done that, but I was worried about you…”

“Me too, sorry I didn’t mention any of this to you.”

“? Maehara-kun, why are you also apologizing? You’re just involved in this because of me and Nina, you aren’t doing anything wrong.”

“That’s true, but I didn’t reprimand you two at the time, so, I’m just as guilty…”

Asanagi already forgave me, but since I kept the matter of Amami-san’s phone number a secret from her, I thought that I should apologize for that.

“Seriously… Yuu, bring your face closer. You too, Maehara-kun.”

“Mm? What for?”

“…Yes.”

Me and Amami-san brought our faces closer to Asanagi.

The next thing I knew, I felt a sharp pain in my forehead.

“It hurts!”

“Ouch!”

“There’s your punishment, Asanagi-style: Forehead Flick.”

It seemed like Asanagi did a forehead flick to me… But, it hurt so badly, it felt like she was stabbing my forehead with a needle.

The part that she hit still felt numb even after a while. Maybe I got internal bleeding from it.

“I’m not mad or anything, I’m just trying to make it even for the three of us. Also, this should clear your head a little, right, Yuu?”

“Y-yes… Sorry about this, Maehara-kun, it’s because I did something strange that you got involved in this…”

“I-it’s okay, I always felt bad toward Asanagi-san too, it’s convenient for me if anything…”

So this is the power of Asanagi-style: Forehead Flick… I should never try to keep anything hidden from Asanagi in the future. Even if I have a thousand foreheads, I wouldn’t be able to endure her ridiculous power.

“Okay, that’s all for now. If you ever did something like this again, I’ll show you guys the true power of Asanagi-style: Forehead Flick.”

“Ehh?”

The true power…? So that wasn’t even her final form??

“Uhh… Amami-san… The thing Asanagi-san said…?”

When I called out to Amami-san, she turned her gaze at me as our eyes met. She gave me a silent nod with a pale face.

“Seriously?”

“…Wanna try it?”

“…I politely refuse.”

How did you even come up with such a technique?

Asanagi-style: Forehead Flick…How terrifying.