Three days have passed since the first day I started studying with Miyuki and Tetsuya.
We studied together more comfortably than when we first started, and we chatted lightly during our break times.
After the incident at the playground, Miyuki seemed to be more open to me.
Sometimes when our eyes met, she would smile first or ask me what I was looking at in a playful way.
It's like she's copying some of my behavior.
I was happy. I've gotten closer to Miyuki.
However, I'm still far from replacing Tetsuya in Miyuki's heart, so I'm not on cloud nine.
But, our relationship is improving day by day.
"Now, let's take a break of 20 minutes… No, actually 30 minutes. I'm going to check how the plants are doing."
Having finished tutoring, Miyuki said that and stood up.
Watering the plants as soon as she arrived at my house and taking a quick look at them during her breaks was now routine when she came to my house.
That was a good sign.
If that behavior becomes a habit, there will be a possibility that she will come to my house even on days when there are no tutoring lessons.
After roughly cutting the watermelon, I approached Miura, who was sitting on a bench adjacent to the living room and watching Miyuki's back.
As I slumped down on the seat next to him and put the tray in the middle, Miura said:
"I'll eat it well, Matsuda."
"Whether you eat it well or not doesn't matter to me."
At those words, Miyuki turned around and teased me with a playful tone.
"Is Matsuda-kun a tsundere?"
Holy fuck, if I was tsun-tsun to you, then I was tsun-tsun, but I'd never act like that with this bastard, Tetsuya.
I'm going to remember this.
I'll have my revenge by pounding you.
As I looked at Miyuki with an exasperated face, she slowly approached me, grabbed a piece of watermelon, and bit into it.
After tasting the strong sweetness, her expression melted.
"It's so sweet…! Did Matsuda-kun choose this yourself?"
"I just picked the one closest to me at the entrance of the traditional market."
"Really…? You must've been really lucky."
When I said "I'm going to eat the watermelon with my girlfriend so find me a sweet one," the lady at the market picked one for me very carefully.
Some people can be very generous.
"Matsuda, tomorrow's the weekend. What are you doing?"
I took a bite of the watermelon, chewed it, and swallowed it, then shrugged my shoulders at Tetsuya's question.
"I don't know. I don't have anything to do. You?"
"Well…? We haven't decided yet either."
"Seeing that you say 'we,' you guys must always move around together as one?"
"Oh, that's not the case… We spent a lot of time together, so I just naturally said that. I have nothing to do."
Did this bastard just make fun of me?
I glanced at Miyuki and saw that she was nodding her head.
Then, Tetsuya was just speaking the truth.
I knew it already, but confirming it with Miyuki herself simply made me even more annoyed.
Resisting the urge to hit Tetsuya on the back of his head, I looked up at Miyuki.
"So, you're free tomorrow as well?"
"Yes, I haven't really planned anything yet."
"Then, would you like to go buy some books with me?"
"Books?"
"Uh. I want to buy some manga volumes."
Miyuki's surprised expression quickly faded.
With a disappointed expression, she muttered:
"I'm a fool for thinking you're going to buy some textbooks…"
"I was thinking of buying that too. Why else would I ask to go with you? Otherwise, I would've gone alone and picked some manga volumes so as to be done with it."
For now, I have to make excuses like this.
With our current relationship, if I asked her out on a date, she'd obviously reject me.
Thinking of it as helping a classmate…No, a friend, would make it easier for Miyuki to accept accompanying me for an outing.
"Hmmm…That's true… I was just about to buy some textbooks anyway…Alright, let's go together. But, I'll pick the bookstore. Don't worry, there'll be manga there."
Miyuki accepted the invitation without hesitation.
I barely suppressed my internal desire to cheer.
Beside me, I felt Tetsuya's surprised gaze.
Upset now? Then, you should've been braver.
You're a passive bastard, who always waits for Miyuki to invite you, because you don't have the confidence to ask Miyuki yourself like me.
I'll take care of the bookstore event. Just watch and learn.
But, don't have some kind of awakening, where you finally discover your feelings or some shit like that.
"Okay. Send me the location through LINE, and see you tomorrow at noon."
"At noon? Wouldn't it be too hot?"
"We'll be indoors anyway, so why does it matter?"
"Is that so…? Alright, then I should arrive around one o'clock, right?"
Joking around with me again?
I'll thick-headedly accept it.
"Noon was at one?"
At my extremely sincere words, Miyuki's eyes widened.
She looked at me dumbfoundedly then burst into laughter.
After laughing till there were tears in her eyes, she wiped them away and spoke:
"It's not that… Since Matsuda-kun will definitely oversleep, I'll just compensate by coming much later…"
"…Don't make fun of me. There's no way it was that funny… To the extent that you're brought to tears, right?"
"This… Is because I'm sad… Yes, these were tears of sadness… Hehe…!"
"Go eat the watermelon. Before I throw it at you."
"Yeah… The watermelon is delicious… I'll eat it… But Matsuda-kun… Your face is red…"
Annoyed by Miyuki's continued teasing, I looked at Tetsuya and threatened.
"Aren't you going to stop grinning?"
"Oh… Huh? No… I wasn't laughing…"
I know. I'm just venting my anger.
Would you like to come to Tetsuya? Yeah, I'd never ask that.
He'd definitely join us then.
Thankfully, Tetsuya isn't assertive enough to ask to join us himself.
So, for now, let's change topics by feigning ignorance and trust in Miyuki.
Trust that she won't invite Tetsuya to tag along.
The sun was way too fucking hot.
I, who had been waiting for Miyuki with a frown on my face, suddenly heard:
"Matsuda-kun!"
I couldn't help but flinch when I heard Miyuki's cheery voice from right behind my shoulders.
"Holy sh-… My god…"
Miyuki faced me with a beaming smile on her face.
Miyuki's outfit today… Was the white tee she wore on her first day of tutoring us and a black skirt that covered her ankles.
Today, her defenses look pretty strong. Someday, I'll make her wear a mini skirt and a crop top.
"Matsuda-kun, aren't you more timid than you look?"
"I don't get scared easily. Anyone would be surprised in a situation like this."
I looked around while grumbling.
Tetsuya is…
Not here.
My Miyuki must've not said anything to Tetsuya.
Very well done. I'll repay this debt with a creampie.
"What are you doing?"
To Miyuki's question, I returned my gaze to her and answered.
"I just felt like I saw a familiar person. Anyway, aren't you hot?"
"Yes, I'm hot. I'm so hot I think I'm going crazy."
Battling the heat, Miyuki stuck out her tongue and looked over my shoulder.
She was looking at a Japanese Kakigori ice cream shop.
I guess she really wants something cool.
I extended my thumb and pointed backwards.
Then, I suggested:
"Do you want to eat kakigori? There's a store over there."
"Ah…!? I was just thinking of that!"
"Okay, then. Let's have some. I'm gonna die in this heat."
"Matsuda-kun, speak politely."
"Even on a day like this you're nagging me? Would it kill to let it pass sometimes?"
"Your slang's a habit now. We need to fix that."
"It's very hot. Happy now?"
Only then did Miyuki, who had a satisfied expression on her face, nod her head.
"Yes. Let's go now."
After arriving at the store, we mixed various syrups and topped it with ice cream to enjoy shaved ice. We then paid separately and headed to the bookstore.
It was a place with a bit of a vintage vibe.
The place smells peculiar to paper books, and the books were not properly organized.
Entering the bookstore, I waited for Miyuki to greet the owner.
Then, when she returned, I quietly complained.
"Is this a used bookstore?"
"There are used books, but they mostly sell new books. The manga corner is over there."
"I doubt there will be any new volumes…"
"The boss here likes manga as well. I'm sure they have some. Go look."
"…Where's the manga corner, again?"
"There. Behind you. You wanted math textbooks, right?"
"Right."
"Then, I'll pick Matsuda-kun's. Because I know Matsuda-kun's level well."
I agreed and headed toward the manga section.
New manga? I honestly had no desire to buy it at all.
I just wanted to get some favorability through this event.
I looked at Miyuki's every move while pretending to read manga.
Miyuki was slowly walking around the bookstore looking at various books.
As she got closer towards the end of the section, I got ready to move.
The moment Miyuki went on her tippy toes and reached for some books on a higher shelf, I sprinted towards her.
Tadadak-!
The sound of footsteps echoed through the quiet bookstore.
Miyuki's head turned, and her eyes met mine.
"Matsuda-kun…? What…"
Miyuki's pupils were stained with fear, perhaps because she was afraid of me running so vigorously.
I didn't even care about the look she gave me, and as soon as I was close enough, I grabbed her shoulder and waist and tackled her to the ground as I covered her body with mine.
"Kyaaaaagh!"
Rurr-r-!
A pile of books fell on top of us.
The loud sound of the crash accompanied Miyuki's scream.
A dull pain rang in my head and ran across my back.
I even felt a stinging sensation on the crown of my head.
"Kuh…!"
Having protected Miyuki's whole body with my own body, I let out a sigh of relief only after the books had fallen down.
Then, I asked Miyuki, who was unable to hide her embarrassment beneath me:
"Are you okay?"
Miyuki, who had grasped the situation, responded after swallowing down her spit:
"Ah…Yeah… Matsuda-kun, are you okay…?"
"You're short, and you still tried to reach for those books? You should have called me or the manager over."
"I-I'm sorry… But… Ow…! It hurts…! Matsuda-kun… Wait a minute…"
Miyuki, who had been in pain as she suddenly closed one eye, lifted her head slightly then looked at her chest.
My hand was there.
Gripping one of her breasts tightly.
One of the classic clichés of love comedies.
A situation in which a certain incident or accident occurs and a man accidentally or unintentionally touches a woman's privates.
It was called being a lucky pervert, and it just happened to me.
As I fell, I deliberately grabbed Miyuki's chest, but well… Let's pretend it was an accident.
"….."
"….."
I held contact with Miyuki's eyes and was silent for a moment. Then, I jumped up from off of her and back a little away.
After that, scratched the back of my head and apologized:
"I'm sorry… I was trying to touch the floor…"
With a groan, Miyuki raised her upper body and shook her head.
"N-No… You were trying to save me…"
The atmosphere quickly became awkward.
It was Miyuki's startled voice that broke it.
"Matsuda-kun…! Your hands are bloody…!"
I know.
The corner of a thick and hard book had slammed into the back of my head, opening up a small gash, and I had purposely scratched the wound with my hand earlier.
In this manner, I'd be able to quickly get rid of the inevitable awkward atmosphere created by groping you.
Of course, the atmosphere would have cooled down anyway, but that would take much longer.
Seeing the blood on my fingers, I looked at Miyuki with a dumbfounded face.
"Is this your blood?"
"I-Is that even possible? I'm not hurt at all…! W-Wait a minute…! Manager-nim! Manager-nim!!"
Miyuki made a fuss as she searched for the owner who just so happened to coincidentally go into the bathroom.
After confirming she'd left, I looked down at my hand.
Well, specifically, I was looking at my hand that had touched Miyuki's breast.
Miyuki's breasts, which he had touched for the first time, were soft and supple.
It felt incredible to touch.
Perfection itself. No more rhetoric needed.
If Miyuki wasn't wearing a bra, I would have been even more ecstatic…
However, since I'll be able to touch her bare breasts anytime once we're closer, let's be satisfied with this much for now.
Unknowingly, I subconsciously grinned, recalling the feel of Miyuki's breasts.
Replaying the event again in my hand, I reached up with my bloodied hand and closed and opened my hand repeatedly.
Pak-!
Then, one last book fell down, but I easily deflected it, so it fell to my side.
The event is already over, so I can't hurt myself anymore.
Having taken care of this cliché, I stood up with a refreshing feeling in my heart.