87 Wanting to Know Your Preferences
The cheerful alarm on my phone woke me up in the morning.
The music alone irritated me, a stark contrast to my mood.
“I’m so sleepy…”
Maybe it’s because I was thinking strange things about the penguin plushies last night.
Or maybe it’s because I was so excited about the cultural festival with Riri-chan.
Anyway, I couldn’t sleep at all.
“It’s probably both…”
And today is the day for cleaning up after the cultural festival.
I don’t feel like doing it at all; my motivation is zero.
But I might be able to go about it more lightheartedly than previous cultural festivals.
Thanks to Riri-chan.
“…Hmm? Riri-chan?”
Thinking about her made me realize something.
I feel like I’m forgetting something important.
I opened the calendar app on my phone and checked this month’s schedule.
July 21st: Riri-chan’s birthday.
“…Ah.”
It was only three days away.
◇◇◇
Just to be clear, I didn’t forget.
Since I remembered it naturally like this, it’s been on my mind.
It’s just that things have been hectic lately, with the sports festival, my birthday, and the cultural festival.
So I was just… tired from all the changes.
“Or rather, that’s not the main issue…”
Thinking about it calmly, this is our first morning and commute to school as a couple.
I’m a little nervous.
Seeing Riri-chan’s glamorous silhouette from afar made my heart race.
“Calm down, calm down, me…”
I told myself.
It’s okay, I just have to act normal.
“G-Good morning, R-Riri-chan…”
The worst.
I stuttered badly.
My weakness under pressure was on full display.
Look, Riri-chan’s expression is… smug.
“What’s wrong, Suzuna? Can’t you even say good morning anymore?”
She peered into my face with a teasing smile.
She’s beautiful, but her face is also annoying right now.
I’ll bite her face if she does that again.
Yes, that’s what I’ll do. I’ve decided.
“I just did.”
“You stuttered.”
“Everyone stutters sometimes.”
“That’s true. You like biting, don’t you?”
…She’s seeing right through me.
Riri-chan always sees through me, but it feels like her accuracy is increasing, and it’s starting to scare me.
It’s like I can’t hide anything from her.
After that, she kept teasing me about biting her, so I decided to leave her behind.
“Suzuna, wait for me.”
“I won’t.”
Riri-chan followed me.
Thinking about it calmly, there’s no way I can outrun Riri-chan, who’s more athletic.
So I’ll just give up.
There’s something more important.
I have no idea what to get Riri-chan for her birthday.
So I have no choice but to ask her directly.
“What do you like, Riri-chan?”
Riri-chan looked surprised.
W-Was my question too blunt…?
She’ll probably figure out it’s about her birthday.
It’s not a secret, but it’s not something I’d openly announce either.
Riri-chan gave me the penguins without saying anything.
“Well…”
Riri-chan suddenly became serious and thought about it.
What? Is that something you have to think about?
I thought it was something you’d answer casually.
“You, Suzuna.”
“…”
Seriously…
Stop with those jokes in the morning.
I can’t even look at you.
I decided to run away from Riri-chan, even though I knew it was futile.
◇◇◇
“I wish the school would burn down.”
As I was removing the maid cafe decorations in the classroom, someone made an arsonist-like remark.
“Hey, Suzuna, wouldn’t it be great if the school burned down?”
And it was Shindo-kun.
He seemed to have called out to me, the closest person, since no one else responded to him.
How annoying.
“…Shindo-kun, stop messing around and get to work.”
“How can you say that? Since the beginning of our second year, this is the moment I’ve been the most seriously troubled.”
What are you talking about?
Someone, please get this creepy guy away from me.
“Why do you think that?”
“Because this school is unhealthy.”
“…”
Coming from the person who’s supposed to embody the epitome of unhealthiness—a harem—that doesn’t sound very convincing…
“Hey, stop looking at me with those pitying eyes. We’re in the same boat, you know.”
I don’t care about anything else, but I find it offensive to be categorized with Shindo-kun.
“In the same boat? How?”
“Don’t make me say it. We’re both… single, aren’t we?”
“…Hmm?”
“The number of couples has exploded since the cultural festival started.”
“Apparently.”
“We’re… immune to that lovey-dovey stuff, aren’t we?”
“…I see.”
He brought up a topic that was difficult to respond to.
“Hey, don’t freeze up. It’s a well-known fact.”
“Uh, y-yeah…”
“We’re both leftovers, so let’s get along.”
“…Hmm.”
I’ll remain noncommittal.
“Hmm? Hey, Suzuna… that reaction… don’t tell me…”
“Eh?”
He’s strangely perceptive.
I wish he wouldn’t use his childhood friend advantage at times like these.
“Do you have a… boyfriend?”
“…”
That’s a subtle miss, as expected of the oblivious protagonist.
“…No, I don’t.”
I wasn’t lying.
“Don’t scare me like that! I thought you left me behind!”
“It’s fine… even if you leave me behind, Shindo-kun.”
“We’re stuck together, I won’t abandon you.”
“…Hmm.”
I don’t need this connection.
He should be talking to the other heroines, not me.
I didn’t interfere with Shindo-kun’s cultural festival events, and as expected, nothing happened.
He’s still single.
What to do about the ending with him…
It’s a problem I have to face, but I’m not in the right headspace for that right now.
“Hey, while we’re at it, I have a question.”
“Oh, what is it?”
“What would you like to receive for your birthday?”
“…Hmm, let me see.”
Shindo-kun put his hand on his chin and thought about it.
“Infinite love.”
“…”
So he does want a girlfriend.
88 A Matter of Consultation
“A birthday present? For Amatsuki Suzuna?”
I was walking down the hallway to throw away the cardboard boxes we used for the maid cafe decorations when I happened to run into Shindo Kokona-chan.
I don’t have many people I can consult with… or rather, almost none, so I decided to ask Kokona-chan.
She seemed surprised, her voice rising an octave.
“Yeah, what do you think I should get her?”
“What do you mean, ‘what should I get her?’… That depends on the person.”
A perfectly reasonable opinion.
“Y-Yeah…”
“Who is it? It’s unusual for you to give a present to anyone other than Onii-chan.”
The fact that Shindo-kun is automatically excluded shows that Kokona-chan’s understanding of me has improved considerably.
“It’s Riri-chan’s birthday.”
“Well, obviously.”
Kokona-chan didn’t seem particularly surprised, as if it was within her expectations.
“Why are you even dating Hinase Riri…?”
“Eh?”
D-Dating…?
H-How does Kokona-chan know…?!
“What? You’re always together, acting all friendly.”
“Ah, you mean… that…”
That was close.
I almost self-destructed.
“It doesn’t make sense for you to be surprised when I’m trying to give her a birthday present.”
“Yes, you’re absolutely right.”
Kokona-chan is always harsh with me.
“So, Kokona-chan, do you have any good ideas?”
“How would I know what that girl likes?”
“…Right.”
“You’re the one who knows her, aren’t you?”
“Well, that’s the thing, I don’t really know…”
Even when I tried to think about it, I didn’t really know what Riri-chan likes.
“You’re so insensitive. You should know that much if you’re close.”
Kokona-chan’s words pierced my heart.
“…You’re right.”
We’re more than friends now; we’re dating.
Even I think my understanding of her is lacking.
Riri-chan tries to get to know me, but maybe I’ve been taking her for granted.
“You haven’t done enough research. You’re supposed to do that beforehand.”
“…Yes.”
“If you don’t know, just ask her directly.”
“…I guess that’s my last resort.”
“So you’re not planning on asking her directly?”
“No…”
Riri-chan tried to figure out my preferences and gave me a present.
So if possible, I want to do the same for her.
“Well… then try to subtly ask Hinase Riri and find out.”
“Yeah, I’ll do that. Thanks, Kokona-chan.”
I have to thank Kokona-chan for making me realize my shortcomings.
“…It’s just common sense. Don’t thank me for something like this.”
Kokona-chan sniffled and walked away.
I’m getting scolded even for thanking her.
Human relationships are difficult.
◇◇◇
The garbage disposal area is outside the school building.
I changed from my indoor shoes to loafers and walked past the main gate.
All the while, I kept thinking about Riri-chan’s birthday present.
Riri-chan’s preferences…
Even if I try to subtly ask her, she’ll probably see right through my lack of taste.
I’m starting to think I have no choice but to ask her directly…
“Oh, it’s here.”
I almost walked past the garbage disposal area.
That was close.
“The door is open.”
Is another student here?
Should I come back later?
It’s awkward to be in a closed space with someone I don’t know.
Yeah, that’s what I’ll do.
I turned around.
“Oh, Suzuna-chan. Are you here to throw out the garbage too?”
A familiar voice called out to me.
“…Futaba-senpai.”
“Hello, what a coincidence.”
Futaba-senpai waved.
“Are you thinking about something?”
“Eh…”
How did she know?
“You almost walked past the garbage disposal area while holding a cardboard box, and then you were about to walk in the opposite direction.”
…She saw everything.
From an objective perspective, I do look suspicious.
“W-Well… just a little…”
“What’s wrong?”
…Hmm.
I feel like I already reached a conclusion after talking to Kokona-chan, but…
It wouldn’t hurt to hear another person’s opinion.
“I’m thinking about… what to get my friend for her birthday.”
“Ah, that girl, huh?”
Senpai is quick to pick up on things.
“I was wondering what would be a good present.”
“Hmm, hmm, then why don’t you give her… yourself, Suzuna-chan?”
“…Excuse me?”
Her Japanese suddenly became strange.
“Like… tie a ribbon around yourself and say, ‘I’m your present!’… or something?”
“Or something?! Who would be happy with that?”
“I think she would be…?”
I definitely chose the wrong person to consult with.
“Ah, well, I would accept it.”
“…Don’t talk about people like they’re objects.”
“Well, in this case, ‘myself’ as a present means… that, you know?”
“What do you mean?”
“Offering your body.”
“…Um, so that’s like…”
That sounds… suggestive.
“Like… friends with benefits?”
I knew it!
“It’s not ‘like’ that.”
“I’m sure she’d be happy. That girl would.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
“…Isn’t it?”
“It’s not!”
“…Oh, my mistake.”
She walked past me, not seeming particularly bothered.
“Well, even if it’s not that kind of relationship… you could definitely win her over with that, Suzuna-chan.”
“What are you even talking about?”
Futaba-senpai is an enigma.
◇◇◇
“I’m telling you, I’ll do it even if you don’t tell me to!”
“Then do it. Now.”
When I returned to the classroom, Riri-chan and Kanaori Reika were glaring at each other.
The atmosphere was tense.
“Apparently, our class is lagging behind in the cleanup. And when Kanaori came to help, Riri started complaining.”
“Ah, I see…”
Tachibana-san explained the situation to me since I was confused.
It’s quite rare for her to talk to me.
“We put a lot of effort into decorating the maid cafe, so it’s only natural that cleaning up will take time.”
“That’s why I came to help.”
“We don’t need your help. You should take care of your own class.”
“My class is already finished.”
“That was fast.”
“I planned the cleanup in advance, so it was finished quickly.”
As expected of Kanaori-san.
She’s too efficient, planning not only the setup but also the cleanup.
“Anyway, this class is significantly behind schedule. There might be complaints if the dismissal time varies too much. Please follow my instructions.”
“We don’t need you. I can’t concentrate with you here.”
“I wasn’t expecting anything from someone who lacks concentration in the first place.”
“That’s too much!”
“It’s a fair assessment.”
They continued to bicker.
Since it was a confrontation between the gal and the student council president, two of the most beautiful girls in Seiran Academy, no one dared to intervene…
“Hey, Amatsuki, do something about that.”
Tachibana-san casually pushed the difficult task onto me.
“Me?”
“You’re the only one who’s close to both of them, Amatsuki.”
So that’s why she approached me…
She’s sly…
But I can’t refuse when asked…
“U-Um… you two…”
I hesitantly stepped between them.
“Suzuna, listen to what this girl is—”
“Amatsuki-san, listen to what this girl is—”
They both started talking to me at the same time, then glared at each other again.
“Suzuna came to talk to me. Not you.”
“Amatsuki-san said ‘both of you,’ so that includes me. Has your comprehension also deteriorated?”
This is impossible.
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