Chapter 48: Ginji is mine!!

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Translator: Soafp

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In the morning, the two met up at their usual spot. Sora, dressed in her school uniform, let out a big yawn.

“Didn't sleep well?”

“Yeah… just a little.”

She had gotten too caught up in preparing a painting for the weekend. While she was slightly sleep-deprived, Sora was the kind of person who wouldn't hesitate to pull an all-nighter when she was in the zone—so this was nothing new to her.

“Don't push yourself too hard. Especially after what happened yesterday… you're probably drawing attention. Shiki might try something.”

“Ziiiii…”

Sora tugged on Ginji's sleeve as he was deep in thought. When he turned to her, she pushed her forehead toward him, almost like she was saying, “Look.” After staring for a moment, the dense boy finally caught on.

“Your hair clip… it's cute.”

She had added a hair clip to keep her bangs in place. And now that he looked closer… her makeup might've been slightly different, too.

“Took you long enough.”

Despite the words, the corners of Sora's mouth were twitching in a grin.

“Sorry. I'll catch it right away next time.”

Truthfully, Ginji had been avoiding looking at her directly—because if he did, something might stir up inside him.

“Then that's fine. Do you think Aika-chan would ever do something just because she's thinking about me?”

From Sora's perspective, Aika would be fine even if she wasn't around. She couldn't imagine someone as self-centered as Aika going out of her way to use her energy on something like that. Ginji, on the other hand, seemed wary based on Aika and Mio's recent behavior.

As they continued walking and chatting about the upcoming finals, they started seeing more and more students around them.

Sora, dressed in the girls’ uniform, naturally drew attention after what had happened the day before. But she and Ginji walked on with their usual energy. When they arrived at school…

“…They really are up to something.”

“Told you.”

Even Ginji couldn't hide his surprise. At the front gate, members of the student council were greeting students.

Among them were Aika and Mio.

They even had banners and everything. “Student Council Greeting Campaign,” it read.

“Looks like we won't get to do our usual morning greetings today.”

“That's fine. We already achieved what we came here for.”

Not quite grasping Ginji's meaning, Sora followed him to the bike parking area. From a distance, Saito approached them.

“Hey, good morning, Takagi-chan.”

“You don't need the ‘chan.’ Good morning, Saito-kun.”

“What, no greeting for me?”

“Huh? Oh, Ginji, you were here too?”

“No snacks for the baseball team then.”

“Spare me!!”

“Ahaha, should I help out too?”

“For real!? Please! Everyone would be stoked!”

“If it's to help Ginji, then sure.”

“Don't just agree so easily.”

“It's fine, right? Right, Saito-kun?”

Saito raised his hand in a casual wave, then froze for a moment before walking off in a daze.

And it didn't stop there. On the way from the bike parking to the school entrance, several boys greeted Sora.

“Good morning, Takagi-chan.”

“U-uh, good morning, Takagi-chan…”

“Takagi-san, no greetings today?”

“Target confirmed. Holding at Route C. Ah, good morning, Takagi-chan!”

Sora, slightly nervous, responded to each greeting. When they reached the school entrance where the student council was stationed, Aika and Mio approached them.

“…You're still wearing that girls' uniform, huh, Sora? Freak.”

Aika brushed her silver hair back, and Ginji thought she looked a little tired. Maybe she hadn't slept well after yesterday. Behind her, Mio stood with openly hostile eyes.

“Aika-chan… yeah, I want to be like this.”

Before Sora could even finish her sentence, Aika stepped closer and leaned in toward Ginji behind her.

“Momoi-kun. What you're doing is pointless. No one sees this child. Everyone is watching me.”

Her words were low enough that no one around could hear. Sora, for the record, stood there with a blank expression.

“…I think I'm starting to understand you. I don't know what made you this way, but still…”

Ginji looked straight into Aika's cool-toned eyes with what seemed like pity. The unexpected reaction made Aika flinch and take a step back.

“Shaaa!”

In that moment of hesitation, Sora snapped back into action—going full cat mode and slipping between them. She wrapped her arms around Ginji's waist.

“Whoa—Sora!?”

“…What the hell?”

The sudden move stunned Ginji, Aika, and even the students around them. Off in the distance, members of the self-proclaimed “Takagi-chan Watch Group” exchanged inexplicable high-fives.

“Ginji is mine!”

That day, Ginji Momoi became the most talked-about student in school.