Chapter 33: In public.
Translated and Edited by: luccayn.
Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you’re close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it’s cutesy and childlike.
-senpai: A common suffix and noun used to address or refer to one’s older or more senior colleagues in a school, workplace, dojo, or sports club.
It was Monday morning, and we were walking to school together. However, due to her scheme (which she still denies), I ended up sleeping in the same futon as her which, in turn, made it hard for me to sleep well. The constant effort to stave off temptation and keep reason was heavy.
“Akito, did you not sleep well? It’s bad for your health.”
“I wonder whose fault that is?” I was smiling but my eyes weren’t. Could she see I was quite angry at her? Not that I tried to hide it, of course.
“It really wasn’t on purpose, y’know…?”
“…I wonder.”
“Hey, it was a chance to sleep together with you, even if I didn’t spill the tea on purpose! Not cuddling with you back there would be a waste for a girl like me.”
She tried to turn the tables on me. Still, when will she realize I can’t fully trust her because of moments like this?
As we quipped, the numbers of students walking along with us also increased. Seeing this, she put on her usual honor student mask and made it seem like I was the one pursuing her.
“Oh, it’s Akito-kun and Saki-chan!”
“Ugh,” Saki groaned as soon as she realized who ran up behind us. I also turned my face to the source of the voice, Ayaka-san, the president of the student council.
“Good morning,” I greeted her, ignoring the fuming girl beside me.
“Mhm, morning! Aw, Akito-kun is such a good boy~!” She called as if we weren’t in public.
“Please stop, it’s embarrassing…”
Meanwhile, Saki looked on with vitriolic jealousy. That vitriol was actually used as paint, and it was written all over her face.
“Good morning to you too, Saki-chan. Oh, but if you keep making such a displeased face, I might just give you a bit more work today, hm?”
“F*cking fox. (Excuse me, prez.)”
“I think your thoughts and your words are reversed, y’know…”
They both argued on either of my sides. Not the best place for a cold war, if you ask me.
“What’s up with that guy and his harem?”
“Unforgivable!”
“Look at him, coddled by our president Midou and the sharp-tongued princess Mizumoto-san!”
“Shall I dispose of him? Huh?!”
The jealousy didn’t stem only from high schoolers on the way to class. Adults, uncles, grandpas, and even middle school children looked at us in shades of green I didn’t know were possible. But this debacle wasn’t the end. It never is with Ayaka.
“Hey, Akito-kun, how ’bout you forget all about Saki-chan and choose me instead, hm?”
“Huh? What’re you on about?”
“What do you think I’m on about~?” She took my arm with a devilish expression on her face. Not only that, but the cast-up gaze she threw at me from just under was completely calculated, using every trace, every line, every contour of herself in order to cause mischief. Even though I knew that, it didn’t stop the cute from being cute.
However…
“I’ll kill you.”
“Eek!”
Saki stood there, emanating killing intent like a lamp emits light. There was no smile anymore, just a gaze so sharp it could cut aimed directly at Ayaka.
“Hahaha~! Saki-chan, you’re scary!” The president didn’t care. She just burst into laughter, teasing Saki all the while.
She’s something else, damn.
I wondered if there was anyone else who could make Saki this angry and still laugh about it later. If it were me, I honestly think I’d turn into a frog stared at by a snake at that level of hostility.
“Akito, get away from that vixen and come back from me. C’mon, hurry!”
“O-okay?” As soon as I tried to get away, Ayaka chimed in.
“Oh, Saki-chan. Consider his will for a minute, won’t you?”
“Huh?”
“Shouldn’t he be the one to choose here? Let’s have him choose which owner—I mean, which one of us he’ll go to.”
I have a very subtle inkling she just said something I can’t ignore there.
One moment of pondering over Ayaka’s question later, Saki nodded in agreement. “That’s true. You can choose, okay, Akito?”
“Excuse me?”
“Akito-kun, good luck with your choice~!”
“What the hell?!”
I was suddenly thrust with a choice, and it seemed like quite the important one, despite the situation. Normally, considering the school rumors and my relationship with Saki, I’d choose her. But the gallery of people around us wasn’t making it easy for me.
“If Ayaka-san isn’t chosen, we’ll kill him.”
“Punish! Punish!”
“What if she’s chosen then?”
“Punish! Punish!”
Yup. Pretty much a dead end.
“If Mizumoto-san isn’t chosen, we’ll kill him.”
“Punish! Punish!”
“What if she’s chosen then?”
“Punish! Punish!”
No matter which one I chose, I’d be dead meat in the mob’s hand. In that case… Maybe I should choose both? That way, things would end peacefully, I hope…
I just hope this ends, to be honest.
“Both,” I said, cornered.
“Ah, you can’t choose both, y’know?” Ayaka wagged a finger.
“That’s right,” Saki nodded.
“…Fine.”
I’d been quickly silenced. Saki had an angry expression with a question mark on her head as if asking why I didn’t choose her. On the other hand, Ayaka-san kept smiling while looking at me. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what was going on in her head.
While this was happening, the mob of curious lookers continued to grow, and soon there was nowhere to run anymore. Without any other option, I resigned myself to the fact I had to make a decision. That was when…
“What are you all doing…?”
The sultry voice of an angel befell my ears like a bell. Like Moses parting the sea, so too did the girl with the ponytail walk toward us through the mob. Her mere presence graced me as I lived through trying times.
“Rin-sa~n! Please save me!” I had no choice but to seek help. No matter which one of the two I chose, I could only see hell waiting for me.
“Huh? Wait, Akito? What happened?” I hid behind her, trembling. “Um, there, there,” she patted my head, and relief washed over me. I couldn’t help but think that this is what it’s like to have an older sister.
“Ooh, the cavalry is here~”
“Akito, cheating? Rin, abducting?”
“Wha? Scary, scary, scary!”
Ayaka-san looked less amused as she glanced over here. Saki, on the other hand, continued to emanate murderous intent like some sort of lightbulb. All I could do was tremble in fear at the crazy duo.
In the end, Karen-san and Yuki-san arrived to help, and the situation was somewhat brought under control. However, I ended up with a reputation as a three-timing jerk.
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