CH 74

Chapter 74: The Temptress and The Loser.

I was scared that Aoi would be waiting for me when I left the student council room, but that wasn’t the case. Regardless I was preparing myself to be swarmed in the art room, and that wasn’t the case either. Club activities after lunch break went by peacefully. I was only tired from my own paranoia.

The day after that I was at Sara’s house. I didn’t come here seeking healing, but this time just regular tutoring.

Although I am a tutor, recently I don’t always teach her, plus I also do my own homework besides Sara, as she does her summer homework. If she doesn’t understand something, she knows to just ask me.

Tsubakigaoka is a preparatory school that has a huge amount of homework. The amount of work is about twice as much as my high school workload, some of it already has problems I wouldn’t see until next semester. I already know most of it so I’m fine. When it comes to teaching, it’s good to come prepared.

“Recently I haven’t taught you much. You’re amazing.”

I called out to my cute student who was staring at the work book for a while. She raised her face and said, “That’s not true.” with a limp smile. Apparently she was getting a little tired.

“It’s all thanks to Shiori-san’s easy to understand teaching method. I’m just able to keep up. If I was by myself I would have already fallen behind.”

“I’m glad you feel that way, but I thought I could help you more.”

“Ahaha, it’s only because my teacher was amazing.”

“I’m honored. Although I’m lonely there aren’t many questions, so feel free to ask me if you have any.”

I said as a half-hearted joke, and then Sara opened her mouth as if she remembered something. 

“Is it true you were confessed to by a female junior?”

“—?!??!?!”

The lead from my mechanical pencil broke, shooting a shard vigorously away.

There is only one source of information she could hear this from. Recently I’ve been feeling that Sara has been giving too much information about my school life, thanks yoko.

“That’s true. . .”

I didn’t want her to know all of it.

Moreover I didn’t want to talk about it too much because it involves that other person. I don’t want to impress Aoi in any shape for Sara.

“Is it the kid you said had been chasing you around before?”

“Oh, come to think of it, we did talk about it before. Yeah it’s her. I’m afraid to say that she will be continuing to chase me in the future aswel. . .”

“Didn’t you reject her?”

“I did, but she declared that she wouldn’t give up.”

“Ah, those types of people do pop up.”

I wonder if there were those types around Sara. I’d like to hear more about that rather than the Aoi story.

“How does Sara deal with those people?”

“Hmm, just say repeatedly I’m sorry. . .I think? After highschool I have friends who can help me.”

“Oh, looks like you are getting along with your friends.”

“Yeah, they drive them away saying “She already has somebody she likes!””

Strangely Sara warmly talked about the situation. She seemed fairly relaxed. It doesn’t match at all what she is talking about.

“Unfortunately, Even though I said there was someone I like, she didn’t give up. I really liked characters that kept their heads up even if they were given the cold shoulder in books or anime, but I realized that they are actually very annoying and scary in real life.”

“Yeah yeah. They do it without thinking about the other person, I really don’t like people who are persistently approaching me.”

She looked really tired and sighed, perhaps because she remembered something.

Ah, that hurts a little. In the future, even if I get rejected, I will definitely stop pestering her. I’d want to hang up a noose if I caused a face like that.

“Also I’d be afraid of a Kabedon or a forcible tilting chin up like you’d often see in a shoujo manga. Or kissing a sleeping person, I wish they could be caught for indecent assault.”

“Fufufu, indecent assault. But that is true. Even if you are awake, forcibly kissing or those situations that are common in manga are usually crimes in real life.”

(TN: A Kabedon is done when a man hits his hand on a wall next to a woman, pinning the woman in the process) Google it for a visual image. You’ve seen it before.)

Yeah, I started feeling hazy, as I remembered I tried to kiss Sara before! Please forgive me! Please overlook it, it was an attempt, but I didn’t do it!!

“If I already like them alot, then it may be powerful to have a Kabedon done on you.”

“Is that so? Then what would Shiori do if somebody confessed and did a Kabedon?”

“I would push them away and run away with all my might.”

Sara laughed at my quick answer, saying “So quick to answer.”

Well, it’s even worse because I could easily imagine a Kabedon from Aoi. I think it’s something that girl would do. If it’s not a game then a Kabedon should not be done.

“It seems like it will be difficult to reject her, so good luck. If you are okay with me, you can vent to me whenever you want.”

“Thank you. My junior who I have lunch with told me that if I could just find a lover then I could reject her, but that isn’t so easy. . .”

To be precise she said if I could quickly date Sara.

“Sara, would you like to be my girlfriend?”

“Ah, I see. Okay.”

. . .Huh? What? Did she just say that was okay?

I said that in a complete self-deprecating joke, but did we start dating? I was expecting a laugh, and asked her to “Come again?”

Sara showed a strong smile at me as I couldn’t follow what was happening.

“You mean as a fake girlfriend? Leave it to me! If it’s for Shiori-san I’ll help you in a pinch!”

Ah, yeah yeah yeah! Did she accept this!?

However, how should I handle this? Even if it’s just a title, should I use this as a chance for her to get used to it or Should I yield that she is easily said to be my camouflage girlfriend?

Even if it’s just pretend, it may not be so bad if I’m her girlfriend. By playing as her lover, she may become a little more conscious of us- – -Such a sly plan. But is that okay?

Taking advantage of her kindness and using her dependence and trust just to progressively establish my position as a lover. I want to protect her and cherish her, but to just throw that to the side in an attempt to make her my girlfriend? Am I that terrible?

“. . .Thank you.”

The more I like Sara, the greedier I get. We are always face to face, I fight these feelings many times, and I’m likely to lose someday.

“But It’s okay. I’ll do my best.”

If Yoko and Koharu knew, they’d surely be shocked that I missed this once in a lifetime chance. 

I could picture Koharu asserting that I was actually “Stupid” instead of “are you stupid?”

Yeah, yeah. I already know! Even now, because I’m frantically enduring this! ! 

“If there is anything I can do, always ask me.”

“Thank you, but your feelings are enough. I don’t want to ask Sara to do something she doesn’t want to do, I don’t want you to resent it. . .”

“Ah, I see. I didn’t think about that.”

“Well nothing has happened yet, and I’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

With Aoi’s character, she is unlikely to harass Sara in a malicious way, but just in case it’s best to be mindful of that. Above all though, I can’t let Sara and Aoi be too involved.

“A-Ah, I was rejected.”

“Fufu, It’s regrettable I couldn’t have a cute girlfriend-.”

It is rrrreeaallly regrettable. I already regret it insanely. I’m crying inside, and I need to hold it back from entering the real world!

But from now on, I wonder if it’s not good to lay this on her shoulders?

No . . .it’d be uncool if I did.

I mean, I rejected her! And she saying that cutely while resting her chin in her palm! She was almost my girlfriend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After that we returned to studying, but of course I couldn’t concentrate. My delusions of Sara being my girlfriend was going wild, I had to keep coming back to my senses when she called out to me. 

Cooking or just talking normally, I was more conscious of her than before, I acted unnaturally, as I frequently stopped moving.

I would like to know how people all over the world act naturally in front of the one they love. Seriously.

“Thank you for today. Please stay safe on your walk home.”

“I will, and make sure you properly lock the door too.”

She saw me off to the entrance. I turned and was about to open the door when a voice called out to me “Ah Shiori-san.”

What? As I turned around, Sara stretched her left hand and slammed on the door behind me.

After looking at her hand on the door for a few seconds, I turned to look at her and saw a mischievous smile closer than usual, my heart was racing loudly.

“Hehehe, Kabedon.”

Ahhhhhh, I can’t! I’m going to die! I am dying!

What a cute Kabedon! Her cuteness is breaking through the roof! Her face is so close! She smells so good! This is dangerous, I can’t raise my eyes to look at her!

“And, chin raise.”

I was looking away, but she grabbed me lightly by my chin and directed me up, I was forced to make eye contact.

Hiiiii, Too much! Stop! My heart will stop! I’m going to explode! !

Who said that a Kabedon and a chin grab was scary!? This is crushing my heart! It’s scary that way! !

“Ahahaha, Shiroi-san is bright red!”

“I-I became r-red, t-that. . .”

“Hehey, is your heart racing? Are you shook?”

“. . . . .Yeah. So, please give me a break.”

I’m reaching my limit. Actually my legs have already been shaking for a while.

Not knowing my internal crisis she said . “Eh- just a little more.”

Don’t rub my chin with your thumb as you hold it. I can’t hold my human form. I’m going to melt.

“Shy Shiori-san is cute. I want to enjoy it a little more.”

“. . .I said I’m not cute.”

Yeah. Enjoying a Kabedon and a chin hold back to back, I ate up the cuteness. Today may be my birthday.

Ah, I read too many yuri manga and I might die from the situation!? A good for nothing Senpai being played around by a little temptress, this isn’t the proper way.

As things stand this isn’t good. If this keeps up I will lose my dignity as a senpai!

“. . .Hey, Sara. Did you forget what I told you”

“What?”

“You are attractive, and liked by both men and women. So be careful.”

“Ahh~. . .”

She said something like “Now that you mentioned it, you did say something like that.” She had no zero wariness of me. Is it okay if I cry?

“If you do something like this, you might be mistaken as trying to initiate something, and open to a counterattack. It’s dangerous isn’t it. . .? Especially when it’s in a room with just the two of you.”

If I was at my house, my parents would be still downstairs, Despite it just being the two of us in my room.

But it’s different now. We are in a completely closed room, it is genuinely just the two of us.

It will provoke me if we are like this, even if she didn’t intend it, you’d up feelings this way.

Sara doesn’t understand this. She must know her own charm.

“Because, it’s Shiori-san it’s fine?”

“Ara, if you are already going this far I might even have been thinking of stealing your lips, do you understand?”

“Eeeh–?”

“Aah, already. What did you expect after provoking me so much?”

It’s unfair if I’m the only one with their heart racing. It’d be a waste if I don’t counterattack a little.

She pretended to be calm, and put on a sensual smile as best she could, but I wrapped my arm around Sara’s neck. I had to angle my arm higher because she was slightly taller than me.

Her beautiful eyes widened in surprise, and she began to waver. Alright I’ve accomplished my goal. It would be nice for her to have a taste of her own medicine.

Her cheeks which were now closer to me were lightly dyed, and her smile deepened. The fingers clenching my jaw had nowhere to back off and it slid off to my check.

“Shy Sara is cute too.”

“. . .I’m not shy.”

“Really? Then it’d be okay if we do this a little longer?”

“Eh, wait Shiori-san. . .Ah.”

My counter attack was successful and I was happy, plus shy Sara is cute. I may have gotten a little carried away.

I stretched out a little and pulled my arm around her neck and pulled her closer to me, she was already too close. Lost in confusion she suddenly lost her balance.

Her unstable feet stretched out.

My arm was tightly rotated, pulling her in.

Sara’s surprised face approached me in slow motion.

It was impossible to avoid.

The next moment, the softness of her stolen lips touched mine. My head went blank.