Chapter 31: CH 31

Chapter 31: - June 24 (Wednesday): Why Are You Staring?

“Good morning, Onii-San”

“Hey, Yuika.”

As I was riding the train to work the next morning, Yuika greeted me in her usual tone.

It had been three weeks since I met her.

It felt like we’ve known each other for longer than that because I was enjoying it.

She looked into my face as if to ask how I was doing.

“How was your day? Did your presentation go well?”

“So-so.”

“Did you take down the bad girl?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we could make up.”

“Hmm? What’s that?”

During Monday’s presentation, Kaedezaka supported our proposal.

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I was surprised that she was suddenly on our side, but without her we would not have been able to help Otomizu.

I didn’t know what made her have a change of heart, but I must thank her next time I see her.

We won the presentation and solved the problem of the department head.

Now I could finish Otomizu’s training period without further hindrance.

Many things had happened, but for the time being, the matter was settled.

When I looked next to me, I saw Yuika staring at me.

“What is it?”

“… Nothing”

As she said this, Yuika looked ahead.

Are you trying to make fun of me again?

But I’ve improved, too.

I’m not easily swayed, no matter how you try to tease me.

I didn’t know if I was the one who accepted being teased. …

The next thing I knew, Yuika was looking at me again.

This time she was looking at me sideways to avoid being noticed, but as soon as our eyes met, she averted her gaze.

… She seems to be different from usual.

“Hey, Yuika.”

“What?”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m not looking at you.”

“You’ve been staring at me.”

“I was just looking at you.”

“We were eye to eye.”

Yuika munied my arm three times and replied in a way that was hard to describe.

“I thought Onii-San had changed.”

“In what way?”

“He’s become more like a man.”

“I’ve always been a man.”

“That’s not what I meant. Hmm, that’s fine. Even if I tell Onii-San, he won’t understand.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

From Yuika’s point of view, I still resembled a child.

I trust you a lot, you know.

You could look at me as a bit more of an equal, couldn’t you?

After a while, the train arrived in front of Seijyo Gakuin Station.

“See you later, Onii-San.”

“Yeah.”

Yuika waved and got off the train.

“Now, … then …”

Leaning against the wall, I crossed my arms and tried to look at the window.

Then I saw another woman standing where Yuika had been a moment ago.

It was Mai Kaedezaka, a beautiful woman with big breasts and huge glasses.

“Good day to you. Sasamiya-san.”

“You’re here. Kaedezaka.”

“I was on the train, and I just happened to see you, so I came over to say hello.”

“Bullshit. You were waiting for me.”

Her tone was as soft as ever, but her words were prickly.

She gave me a helping hand at the last presentation, but she didn’t completely let me off the hook.

Kaedezaka was looking at the ceiling of the train in a dull manner.

What in the world is she thinking?

Anyway, I guess I should thank her for her help.

“Thank you for helping me with my presentation. Thank you.”

“I simply don’t like power abuse. Besides, it was obvious that Sasamiya-san and his team’s proposal was superior.”

The way she said it was harsh.

This was the case the day before yesterday, and I wanted to make up for it if I could. …

However, Kaedezaka’s goal was to separate Yuika and me, so maybe she thought she had lost.

…. No, wait. What if that is not the case?

“Maybe …. Is that what you call hiding your embarrassment? It’s okay to be honest.”

“Ara-ara. Why do I have to be embarrassed? You’re so very, very funny.”

Kaedezaka then forced a smile and returned her gaze to the ceiling.

After a little while, she glanced at me again and returned her gaze.

She glanced at me once more, and then quickly returned her gaze to the ceiling.

After a while, her face turned red.

Hahaha~.

I knew you were hiding your embarrassment.

Kaedezaka glared at me resentfully, her eyes moistened, as if she knew that I was grinning in my mind.

Now, you’re the type who cries when you’re embarrassed.

You have a surprisingly cute side.

“What is it?”

“No, nothing.”

“You were staring at me.”

“You were just in my line of sight.”

As if she was not pleased enough, Kaedezaka made an upside down U shape on her lips to express her anger.

No, maybe she was sulking.

Come to think of it, in the family restaurant once, Yuika mentioned that Kaedezaka had a strong sense of justice.

She happened to be at odds with me, but I guessed she had a personality that couldn’t tolerate power harassment or unreasonable things from the start.

The train’s operator announced that the next station was coming up.

“I’m getting off at the next station.”

“This is not the same station you got off at last time, is that okay?”

Then, Kaedezaka stared at me.

It was not the same as before, but she seemed to be melancholy.

“… Do you want to talk some more, Sasamiya-san?”

“I’m free until work, so it would be nice to have someone to talk to.”

“Y …, yeah. Then it can’t be helped.”

Kaedezaka, who had once tried to distance herself, stood next to me again and started chatting about her daily life.

It was the first time I saw Kaedezaka as a person of her age, though the content was something that a normal college girl would talk about.

Now, the next step was to prepare for the Tanabata campaign.

I’m going to be busy.