Volume 5-8: Sasuke-kun suffers defeat from an Otome drama CD.

　I briefly explained to Anna, who seemed to be pinched by a fox, what had happened so far. It’s not that I’m a boyfriend, but that I’m a sex slave, a test subject to teach Kotono sexual knowledge.

　At first, Anna listened to me with a dumbfounded look, and then she nodded her head with an expression that said she was satisfied for the time being.

“Oh, I see. …… Hey, …… is …….”

　Anna glanced at the clock. It was fifty-two minutes past one. Her lunch break will soon be over.

“‘Hmm. If you’re both happy with that, then I think it’s fine.”

　–What’s the story there?

　Anna-san tilted her head and looked at me. Unable to bear the worried look on her face, I lower my eyes and let my gaze wander to my hand.

　Is that enough to convince her?　I don’t know.

“It’s okay. I’m not sure what to make of it. But I’m on your side, so don’t worry about that.

“Oh, thank you very much. I was afraid you would say I was disgusting.”

　She laughed at my words and tapped me on the shoulder.

“‘I’m not at that innocent age, you know. Well, I’ll be going now. I’m going to go and study now. Also, And just because you’re young doesn’t mean you can’t be found all over the place.”

“What do you mean?”

　I asked, surprised.

“The fitting rooms in department stores.”

　It was my turn to blurt it out. What kind of erotic manga is this?

“No way. But you know a lot about that kind of thing.”

“That’s because I’m an adult.”

＊　＊　＊　＊

　I started to study, which I had been neglecting for a long time. July would soon bring final exams. The aftermath of the school festival fades away and we are dragged back to the usual reality. After a week of final exams, there is a make-up period, after which the summer holidays finally begin.

　The Harukawa family spend a month in Switzerland from August. I’ve been taking summer classes at a prep school in front of the station, and going to the beach and amusement parks with Honda and Shinohara.

　I’m not sure if I’ll be able to go to the beach with Kotono this year or not. I glanced at it and told myself that it was impossible. Kotono can’t see the blue of the sea, nor the vastness of it.

That evening, for the first time in a long time, Kotono and I had dinner together.

　She wanted to know everything about the school festival, and I answered every single detail. I told her about the crowded butler’s cafe, the precision of King Arthur’s armour, the appropriateness of the peasants, and how it felt to be on the back foot of a horse.

　I also told her about Mukaishima. That she had brought her boyfriend to visit us. When I told her that Minoya was incredibly handsome and intelligent, and that she and Mukaishima were a perfect match, Kotono looked at me as if she had a stone in her mouth.

Is it true?”

“It’s true. It’s the truth. I don’t have to lie about it.”

　Kotono was a little silent and thoughtful. The expression on his face was similar to the one Mukaishima had shown on the stair landing.

“And what did you say?”

“‘Well, he’s good-looking and has a nice personality, so I thought they should go out.”

“So ……”

　Kotono shrugged her shoulders at my answer and said somewhat dismissively.

“You’re right. That’s the best way.”

　And so began the usual routine with Kotono.

　I washed the dishes for dinner and watched a western movie with Kotono. At nine o’clock in the evening Anna-san came and bathed Kotono, while I prepared for tomorrow.

　It was eleven o’clock when Anna called me on my mobile.

“Sasuke, are you good?”

“‘I’m fine. I’ve been studying.”

“Listen, before you go to bed the young lady has something she wants to say to you.

“All right, I’ll go now.”

　I put on my tie, which I had taken off, put on my jacket and left the room.

　If you think about it, it’s been a long time since Kotono invited me to her room before going to bed. The last time was last fall when a typhoon hit and she told me to hold her hand until she fell asleep because she was afraid of the sound of the wind.

“‘Coming in, Ojou-sama.”

I called out to her and opened the door. The light was still on in the room and Kotono was already in bed, wrapped up in a blanket up to her shoulders.

　I walk over to her bedside and look down at her. She looks like a little girl of about ten.

“What do you want to say?”

“You’re coming straight home tomorrow, aren’t you?

“─Yes. Yes, I’ll be back as soon as school is over.”

“And the day after tomorrow?

“Its going to be the same for a while.”.

“I see. ……”

Kotono raised the quilt to just below her eyes.

“‘Very well, then. Good night.”

“Is that all?

“Yes.

“Good night, then.

　I bowed and turned to leave.

“Wait a minute, what kind of idiot just leaves?”

“Is there something I can help you with?

　Kotono points to her forehead with her index finger and purses her lips.

“Of course. That’s how you say good night.”

　The way she sulked made her look like a kindergartener instead of a ten-year-old. Holding back a laugh, I stood at her bedside again, bent down and pressed my lips to her forehead.

“‘Good night, my dear.”

“‘Very well. Don’t forget to put out the light.”

　Kotono closed her eyes. I opened the door and switched off the light in the room. The light from the corridor shone into the dark room and turned my figure into a long shadow.

　I look at the room where Kotono is sleeping. Then I closed the door quietly, trying not to make a sound.

　To be continued

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