Chapter 30: Like a Lily (Song: Belladonna)

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KYOKO stared intently at my face through the car window and continued speaking.

“Hmm… but I feel like I’ve seen your face somewhere before.”

What is this? It sounds like a clichéd line.

……

Oh, I get it.

“Excuse me, if this is a pick-up attempt, I’m open to negotiations depending on the conditions.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Just being a guy makes me want to puke. Who in their right mind would try to pick up someone as ordinary as you?”

“Ah, my mistake. Then why did you approach me, a top-tier model at the height of her popularity?”

Realizing instantly that there was no chance, I decided to be sarcastic.

I had hoped for a scenario where a popular model would invite me to a motel, promising peak experiences of both pleasure and popularity.

Well, she switched from calling me ‘you’ to ‘anta,’ so I guess the familiarity increased a bit… maybe?

***

To avoid drawing attention, the person who seemed to be her manager was sent away, and I ended up talking with KYOKO alone in the car.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Maybe I should savor KYOKO’s scent while I can.

No such luck.

“Let me ask you again: what’s your relationship with Mii?”

“Are you turning into the ‘KYOKO of the harbor’ now? Why is a model at the peak of her career interested in someone like Kurebayashi, who peaked in a different way in the past?”

“…Huh?”

Did she understand what I meant?

“Don’t tell me… you know Mii from back then?”

“Well, yeah. We were classmates.”

“…Huh?”

What’s with this scrutinizing look she’s giving me?

“Ah! You’re that guy! The one who dated Mii in middle school, Dashmura?!”

“How do you know that? Are you telling me to take up farming? This mysterious model is something else. Should I give her five blue candies and turn her into an old hag?”

“Shut up!”

She hit me hard on the shoulder.

“Ow!”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up! It’s only fair to give a beating to the guy who suddenly snatched away the Mii I spent time seasoning to my taste!”

“…Huh?”

“If you hadn’t confessed to Mii back in middle school, she and I would be lovebirds by now, enjoying’shell matching’ all day long like in the Heian period!”

Is it abalone or clam? My head is spinning today.

So KYOKO and Kurebayashi are childhood friends.

She knows a lot about the circumstances.

And KYOKO is from the same hometown as us.

……

So that means…

“Uh, KYOKO… are you Kenzaki Asuka, the former student council president?”

I reached the conclusion despite my confusion.

No wonder her name, KYOKO, seemed out of place and didn’t ring a bell.

“That’s right. I never imagined I’d run into the person who ruined my life like this.”

“Wait a minute. I’m the victim here, having been cuckolded on by Ando.”

“Serves you right.”

“That comment really ticks me off. Besides, KYOKO—no, Asuka-san, are you in any position to blame me?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you steal Ando from Kurebayashi-san and throw her into despair?”

If what Kurebayashi’s mom said was true, that’s how it went.

Honestly, I never understood what Asuka-san wanted. After seducing Ando, she dumped him unceremoniously.

“Are you dense? I couldn’t just stand by and watch that moron Ando have his way with Mii forever. So… I did that.”

“……”

“Geez, I was supposed to be the one to cherish both Mii’s body and heart…”

Whoa, this popular model is as dangerous as a deadly nightshade. Just hearing her mutter that, I knew.

Now that I think about it, KYOKO has never had any scandals involving men. Who would have guessed she preferred women over men? Not even the gods of romance novels would have seen this coming.

In any case, I want to shout this out loud.

Why do only crazy people drawn toward me?