Volume 2 - CH 25

Chapter 25: Ryutaro Doesn't Lie

TL: Akabane

***

Oh no. Suzune is really amazing. The girl who came to school without a bra, in pursuit of a pervert, is instantly transformed back into a normal person who despises perverts!

Thanks to this, Tsukina Aoyama has come to despise perverts. Or, to be more precise, she has come to despise me.

The day after I had a pervert meeting with her in the hills behind the school, it was recess time. As I was walking down the hallway with my textbook in my arms to move from one classroom to another, I suddenly spotted Tsukina Aoyama walking toward me from the other side. I was casually thinking "Ah ...... Aoyama is here ..... buhi!" as I looked at her, but suddenly she noticed my gaze and looked at me. She looked at me with disdain, as if she were looking at some kind of filth, and then walked briskly over to me.

"Mamoru ...... don't look at me with those nasty eyes......"

She says that to me right out of the gate.

"No, I ain't looking at you. It's just my father's inheritance that I have nasty eyes."

I try to deny it, but she doesn't seem to be convinced by such excuses and continues to look at me as if I'm an ugly pig.

"Really?　All I could see was that Mamoru was looking at me like he was being baited."

"You're too imaginative ....... I'm not so much of a pervert that I'd die if I didn't have to be fed every recess."

Apparently, Suzune's brainwashing, or rather advice, was very effective. The way she looks at me has changed so much that I seriously doubt that this girl really confessed to me two years ago. She looked at me quizzically for a while and then walked toward the stairs, saying, "Follow me."

We climbed the stairs and came to the locked rooftop door. I'm not sure what her purpose was, but she seemed to be concerned about being seen.

"What are you doing bringing me to a place like this....?"

As I tilted my head, completely unable to understand the intent of her actions, she rummaged through her pockets and pulled something out from inside.

The thing she took out ...... it was a candy ball. And there is a string extending from the candy ball.

What is it?　I've seen this candy before.......

"Suzune-sama gave it to me after school. She said that if I use this, I can understand how ugly Mamoru is."

"Hey, since when do you start referring to younger girls as 'sama'?"

"Don't make fun of me, it's not that big of a deal."

No, I wanted to tell her that I'm sure it's a fundamental problem ...... but saying that to her now would only add fuel to the fire.

"Suzune-sama said that Mamoru is genuine. But I'll try to believe in Mamoru just one more time."

With that, she picked up the string of the candy and dropped it in front of my face. Seeing her like that, I thought to myself.

"Ah, yesterday, you said you wanted to be a pervert, didn't you?"

"Oh, that was just me getting stuck on that ...... work and getting a little weird. As Suzune-sama said, I write beautiful and sensual works. Please don't compare me with Mamoru."

No, really, Suzune is awesome. ......What she said yesterday has been turned 180 degrees upside down.

She stared at me for a while with her cheeks bright red. I could sense a slight hint of anticipation in her eyes. An expectation that I am not really a pervert. But then she suddenly looked at me again with disdainful eyes and opened her mouth.

"You're ...... pig......"

Noooooo!

What the hell is this feeling ...... the words she said shook something in my heart.

She is expecting me. I am sure that two years ago she is really liked me. She believes that the person she liked wasn't an ugly pig. Because she believes that, she dares to despise me.

"M-Mamoru......"

She utters this, and a slight tear appears in her eye. But even so, she puts pressure on her eyes to keep those tears from spilling out.

"Oh, hey ...... piggy ......are you listening?　If you can hear me, then answer me!!"

"Yes, yes!"

"If you're a pig, be a pig and answer in pig language."

"Buhi!"

As soon as I replied, her eyes widened in astonishment.

"No, no. Aoyama!"

But she just stared at me as if to say she couldn't believe it.

I don't know. I'm sure I've failed her expectations, but I can't help but feel a tingle down my back.

I'm sad ...... but happy.......

"Piggy. Well done. As a reward for your answer, I will give you this candy bar. If you are a pig, lick it while squealing like a pig."

She shakes the candy ball hanging in front of me.

She wanted me to lick it. But, as I expected, I couldn't just do as she said and lick the candy. I watched the candy swinging in front of me with bated breath.

"What's wrong?　Are you holding back?　Mamoru wants to lick it, right?　You want to lick a candy bar while being called a pig, right?　You don't have to put up with it, okay?　I'm the only one here, so you can lick a candy bar with a buhibuhi......"

"Oh, come on, Aoyama ...... stop it."

"I won't stop. I won't stop until I despise Mamoru from the bottom of my heart. I really liked him, you know?　If he could be just a little bit sane, I might fall in love with him again. So I won't stop until I'm convinced that Mamoru is a proper ugly perverted pig......"

Aoyama's eyes are serious to no end.

I'm sure her heart must be bursting. But it's also true that she can't sort out her feelings without finding out if I really am a pervert or not.

That's why she won't stop. She won't stop until she is sure if I am genuine or not.

I was in agony looking at the candy ball.

Hey Ryutaro. Are you really okay with that?　Are you okay with disappointing a girl who likes you?　It is true that you sometimes go astray? But you're never righteous. You were proud to be the most honest one among this merry band of friends, right?

Then, you know that, don't you?

Are you really going to betray your female friend, who is suffering so much, but still holding out a gleam of hope for me?

"Piggy ..... can you hear me?"

"............"

"Mamoru ...... I won't give up until I understand the truth about him....."

"Bu...... haa..... bu...... haa......"

I could feel the blood rushing to my head. I gasped for breath, holding back the words that were about to come out of my throat.

"Look, you don't have to do this, okay?　Because Mamoru is a pig, and if he's a pig, he should kneel down in front of me and buhi like a pig."

Damn ...... she added the condition of casually kneeling.

"Bu...... haa...... bu...... haa....."

I still suppressed my desire to squeal and stared at Aoyama. Aoyama also looked at me seriously.

Aoyama and I were fighting each other. The only sound on the staircase was their ragged breathing.

"Mamoru ...... hurry up and be honest......"

"I'm not a pig......."

"Are you sure you're not a pig?　If so, I'll seriously fall in love with you again."

That wasn't a bluff. Her serious gaze said so.

My heart shook again at her.

Am I really not genuine?　If it's still my pleasure to experience such humiliation, then I am probably genuine. And if I really am genuine, she would despise me. On the other hand, if I am unmoved by her temptation here, it means that I still have at least a modicum of reason.

But I think. I am holding back desperately now. It is true that I have not yet fallen prey to Aoyama's temptation. But my heart may not be telling me so.

Am I disgusted by her treatment of me as a pig?

No, I am not. My heart is so upset, though I'm sorry to say it.

If that's the case, I wonder if I'm lying to her, who is turning her back on her own feelings and still telling me that she loves me, by withstanding her temptations.

What in the world have I been saying all this time?

I don't know, but I shouldn't betray her feelings, since she is so serious about me.

If that's the case, is it my pride that I should protect to endure her seduction?

Or is it to lie to my own feelings and to Aoyama's feelings?

Then I realized.

I realized that I was mistaking my pride for something else.

"Aoyama, can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Is what you just said true?"

"What did you mean what I just said?"

"I told you. If I wasn't genuine, would you like me?"

She was flustered by my question. But she quickly looked back at me and said, "It's true. I would surely fall in love with Mamoru."

"Then, I can't lie about my feelings for Aoyama either."

"Yes, you're right. I won't fall for a liar."

That's right. There's no point in being skinny in the first place. I have to respond to her straightforward feelings in a straightforward manner. What she wants to see is not my skinny-assedness.

It's a choice between yes and no.

So I answered, "Okay." and closed my eyes once.

"M-Mamoru?"

I don't answer anything. Once I took a slow deep breath and opened my eyes and looked at her again.

And then....

"Aoyama, this is my answer!!!"

I say, and I kneel down on the spot and shout.

"Buhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!"

Sorry, Aoyama. I know I'm going to disappoint you, but I don't want to lie to you.

I squealed as I knelt down and munched on Aoyama's candy ball.

Here's how I feel, Aoyama. When a girl calls me a pig and drops a candy ball on me, I can't help but lick it. I'm surprised at myself, too. But if I'm even a little bit excited, I've lost. I am sure that what you wanted was for me to be unmoved by your temptation. At the point where I can't help but be unmoved, no matter how much I endure, I've lied to Aoyama.

I can't lie to her. If Aoyama really said that she loves me, I can't lie even slightly about my feelings for her, Aoyama is my best writer friend and rival.

"M-Mamoru......"

Aoyama just called my name and didn't seem to be able to get the words out of her mouth from there. She stared at me with wide eyes as I munched on her candy.

I don't hate that look......

In the midst of all this.

Suddenly, a crackle of dry applause echoed through the staircase landing. I and Aoyama hurriedly turned our heads in the direction of the sound.

"Senpai ...... and Aoyama-san......"

It was Suzune clapping for us.

I don't care about what you say, but the way you appeared, you're a complete villainess, you know?

Apparently, she was watching the whole thing here.