“What is it, senpai?”
I looked back and saw her fixing her posture. Though she still has that pale expression on her face, her eyes were looking straight at me.
“I’ve been thinking since that day, usually, they will be immediately intimidated if I acted like that. However, you’re different. Not only you didn’t cower, you even talked back and even influenced Nanami to stand up for you by crossing me. What’s with you?”
I could see her slightly trembling body. What I did was still affecting her but she’s trying to cast it off by questioning me like this.
“It’s not because you’re not scary or intimidating, senpai. I’m just too used at dealing with that, you see. And Nami was with me, would I even be a man if I cowered just because you’re supposed to be scary?”
She’s only annoying back then, not even remotely scary. To suddenly show up and start throwing her weight around. It destroyed the atmosphere that we built up.
“I see. For you, I’m not even remotely scary.”
Shizu-senpai lowered her voice as if she’s pondering over my answer.
I didn’t respond any more and just continued on my way out but I was stopped by her once again.
“Haa. Where are you going, Onoda? You’re my secretary today, don’t you go without excusing yourself.”
She’s now back to that Shizu-senpai whose shield was put up. There’s nothing to talk about anymore, that kind of rejection earlier will just worsen if I continue pushing her out of her shell.
“Alright. Tell me what to do.”
I went back to the table where I was organizing the paper she’s done working on.
And just like that, the allotted time to let us understand each other for today has come to an end. Shizu-senpai never spoke again and I never bothered her again. She gave up.
Really. As long as she stopped meddling then we wouldn’t have any problem. She could keep disliking me for all I care as long as Nami or the other girls wouldn’t be implicated by it.
“I just want you to accept me for Nami. Hate me, dislike me or anything you can think of, I don’t care. We both wanted to protect Nami, Shizu-senpai. I’ll never hurt her like what you think.”
I broke the silence between us and that made her look at me again. The other members of the Student Council aren’t back yet and I don’t think there’s any point to ask them anymore. I already found out what she’s hiding so I’ll just leave before any troublesome thing happens again.
“You’re right. Nami stood up to me because she wanted to be with you. I guess I also overdid it. Instead of protecting her, I am hindering her happiness.”
She let out a sigh and said all those in a dispirited voice.
“Thank you for caring for her. Let me take that mantle of protection from now on. Like I told you, you’re already strong enough Shizu-senpai. Let people understand you. Start with one if you can’t do it immediately.”
Haa. Why am I trying to advise her here? Though Nami said she wouldn’t mind if I also make Shizu-senpai as my woman, I don’t really want to actively do that. Look at what happened, I only drew near her and her true self trembled like that already. She’s too scared to open up and maybe she’s already far too deep at her role of being that scary Shizu-senpai.
“I couldn’t break this character anymore, Onoda. This is me. This is who Asakura Shizu is. Besides, apart from you, no one will understand why I am making myself appear scary.”
Like reading my mind, Shizu-senpai confirmed my suspicion. This character was already imprinted into the minds of those who know her.
“I also wouldn’t understand if I didn’t force you. That’s why I’m telling you to let them in. Anyway. I’ll be going, senpai.”
“Haa. Out of all people, it was you who would figure me out. Alright. Come again tomorrow, your evaluation isn’t over yet.”
She sighed again, without any hint of what I saw earlier. Her eyes followed me as I went to the door. I turned around to bid her farewell and also, to see if her view of me changed even for just a bit.
“Understood.”
After that, I left the Student Council Room. I don’t know what I should expect tomorrow but I guess she’ll properly think about what I said to her today.
By her words, she already agreed that she will not meddle anymore so there’s really no need to go back there. But that look in her eyes, I could be wrong but there’s also a possibility that she wanted to open up to me. We’ll see.
Why are these girls too pretentious, eh?
As if I am not one. The cover I put on myself of being a Classmate A was also what let me pass the middle school without any problem.
However, right now, it will just be a matter of time before my relationships got picked up by someone else. There are those rumors already, what kind of pretense should I put on this time?
I don’t know. I still have the ‘someone silent but deadly’ image. But with the number of girls flocking around me, I will soon be labeled as a chick magnet or a harem protagonist like Ogawa.
With that part out of the way, I went down and dropped by the Literature and Book Club, checking on Kana, Rae, Aya, Haruko and Himeko.
Err… they didn’t just say goodbye to me but instead showered me with their affection. Though Rae was just still curious, she didn’t want to be left out when Kana kissed me.
Shio will be waiting for me outside so I couldn’t go home with any of them here.
I also checked on Nami’s club and when they saw me, they urged me to go in but I declined. I only called out Nami to check on her and tell her what happened. I also told her about Shizu-senpai’s protective shell. If she can break it and make her open up to her then it won’t just become her being protected by that older cousin of hers but Nami can also protect her and pull her out of that state where she’s pushing everyone away.
Nami then went out of the door and closed it behind her. By her own initiative, she kissed me right there. With her friends and Ogawa just behind that door, Nami showed me her affection.
“Thank you for understanding, Shizu-nee, Ruu.”
As I thought. That was her gratitude for Shizu-senpai.
“She’s someone also important to you so I couldn’t really hate her. Anyway, see you tomorrow, Nami ”
With her clinging closely to me, I told her what I thought of Shizu-senpai and also bid her farewell.
“Un. See you tomorrow. I wish we can go home together sometimes.”
Nami looked up to me and nodded. The expression she had when expressing that wish of hers was too lovely.
“We will soon.”
I smiled at her and kissed her again. Those behind the door didn’t have any idea of what we’re doing. Well, they’re probably wondering about it since the noise coming from inside died down.
“I’ll wait for it then.”
With another kiss, Nami whispered her I love you to me and I did the same. After that, she reluctantly went back in with her face still flushed. Ogawa will surely start picking up the clues already but yeah I don’t really care.
After that, I also passed by the Gymnasium and saw Satsuki working hard at practice. When she saw me waving at her, her face brightened and a smile crept upon her lips which made her work harder at their current practice.
When she was given a few minutes of break, Satsuki gave me some kind of signal for me to go to that side door again.
I nodded at her and went to that door
Though sweaty from all that practice, Satsuki immediately clung to me when we met there. It didn’t really matter for me though. However, when she remembered, she took a step back from me, embarrassed at what she just did.
“Idiot. Why didn’t you stop me? My sweat was already all over you.”
She took out a towel she probably used and started to wipe some of the sweat which got stuck to me.
“It’s my Satsuki’s sweat. What’s wrong with it?” 𝘦.𝘰𝘳𝑔
Due to her sweat, there’s like a steam that came out from her head when she blushed from my words.
“This pervert. Did you come here to tease me?”
“Well, that’s one of the reasons but I just want to see you working hard on practice and also…”
I didn’t finish my sentence and instead pulled her back to me. Hugging her sweaty body like this I could feel the heat she was exuding. My lips immediately landed on hers and we became locked into a steamy kiss on this side of the Gymnasium. Though she tried to resist at first, she soon ended up foregoing any resistance as she succumbed to my affection for her.
I just thought of really watching her but seeing her like that, it ignited some of my desire for her. The time she had for the break was only a few minutes so we satisfied ourselves with just that. Before she went back to practice, like Nami, she whispered her I love you and thank you for going here to see her.
After this visit with Satsuki. I finally went out of the gate and when I spotted Shio’s car, I hopped inside when the coast was clear.
“Why are you that sweaty, Ruru?”
That was her first question upon seeing me.
Err… my uniform got wet from that steamy time we had back there.
“Ah. Don’t mind it, I only got tired from walking around the school.”
Making that kind of excuse, Shio made a face as if she didn’t believe it.
“You probably went around to check on your girls. Take a nap there. I’ll get you home safely.”
And she really guessed right. Haa. I guess nothing can pass their eyes now.
Right. I need to take proper rest whenever I can to avoid them from worrying again.
“Thank you, Shio.”
I lay back comfortably on the passenger’s seat and closed my eyes after thanking her. After that, only the sound of the car’s engine and Shio’s soft breathing entered my ears before my mind drifted off to sleep.