Chapter 18: Good Girl, Bad Girl, Strange Girl

After the incident with Nagisa, the three of them changed their attitudes before anyone could say anything.

Mika, who already clung to him frequently, became even more aggressive, deliberately making skin contact. Sometimes, she would send photos asking how her new underwear looked. When I told her not to send such things, she sent them even more often.

Seia, who could only meet a few times a week due to her weak body, was now meeting almost every day.

When I asked if she was okay, she said her health had improved a lot. It's a relief, but I wish she would stop sitting between my knees every time we meet. The same goes for staring intently at my lips or gently rubbing my waist. It's harmful to my health.

Nagisa…… was in the best condition among the three.

She would play chess together or have tea time with others, etc. I thought it would be awkward after sobering up from the alcohol, but it was no different from usual. However, there were more subtle skin contacts.

She often gave eye smiles, and there were many times she pretended it was a mistake and brought her lips to my cheek or mouth. Every time that happened, Mika or Seia would block it, but if they hadn't, surely our lips would have touched at least once.

No matter how oblivious I am, by this point, I had to realize. Not only Nagisa but also Mika and Seia see me as a romantic interest.

‘I'm going crazy.’

Originally, I wouldn't have noticed. I already knew about the affection they were sending, but I thought it was just affection for family or friends; who would have thought it was romantic affection? If I hadn't changed my thinking due to Nagisa's confession, I probably wouldn't have noticed for my whole life.

On Earth, even if I wanted to get close to girls, I couldn't. But here, I'm being loved by three people at the same time.

Siwoo let out a deep sigh and leaned his body against the convenience store chair. Originally, it was still time he should be working part-time, but the manager said his complexion didn't look good and told him to leave early. Thanks to that, he was given time to blankly sort out his thoughts.

……But what changes by doing that? Siwoo roughly ruffled his hair and lifted his head up. At that moment, the sound of pattering puppy footsteps was heard.

“Why aren't you going home and what are you doing here?”

“……Manager.”

“I let you leave early, and you're here moping.”

The convenience store manager, who closely resembles a Shiba Inu, tsk-tsked with his tongue and plopped down heavily in the seat next to Siwoo.

“What about the store?”

“I said I'm going to the bathroom and left it. And anyway, if there's someone like this outside the convenience store, customers won't come.”

“I'm sorry, I'll go back right away.”

“Forget it. It's noisy, so just talk about your worries.”

“……Is it obvious?”

“Very much, you brat.”

Shiba manager took a dog chew out of his pocket and bit it. Then, as if happy, he twitched the corners of his mouth. It was a crazy sight that could never be seen on Earth, but Siwoo didn't feel any particular impression. He had already gotten too used to it.

“……It's a woman problem.”

“Woman?!”

“Yes, a woman.”

At Siwoo's words, Shiba manager wagged his tail. He laughed heartily and placed his short arm on Siwoo's shoulder with a tap.

“Brat! I wondered when you'd date since you only work every day, and finally you are! Who is it, huh? Who likes you? Is it one of those two students who come every day? Or that dazed-looking fox-eared girl?”

“All of them.”

“Yeah! That's…… what?”

Embarrassment settled on the manager's face. Siwoo covered his face with his hands and muttered.

“All three of them. Damn it.”

“……Were you that popular?”

“I didn't know either. I never dreamed that my face would work here……”

“Uh, um……”

Shiba manager put the dog chew he was chewing noisily back into his pocket and let out a sigh. No matter that he is married, he had never been involved with three women. So, it was quite awkward to tell Siwoo what to do.

Still, he felt sorry for him. If he were young, he would have cursed him as a deceiver, but now that he's a married dog, he doesn't. Handling one woman is already tough, but three? It was something he would never do, no matter how tempted with premium dog chews.

“……What if you choose just one?”

“The others will throw a fit.”

“……Certainly.”

The manager recalled Mika, Nagisa, and Seia, whom he had seen from afar, and nodded.

Although he had only a handful of experiences talking to them directly, he had grasped their tendencies to some extent.

A few months ago, when event products came to the convenience store and it was busy, he had worked at the convenience store with him. Coincidentally, that day was when Trinity Middle School ended early, so the three of them arrived earlier than Siwoo's quitting time……

‘I've never seen such eyes in my life.’

He still remembers it vividly. The fierce eyes of the three women watching the female student talking to Siwoo. Those were eyes that a child of that age should never have. A gaze mixed with obsession, possessiveness, and affection. The manager recalled that memory and shuddered.

“……If you choose just one, it'll be a big problem.”

“That's why. But I can't date all three of them.”

“What's stopping you? If you beg on your knees, they might forgive you. Originally, in love, the one who likes more bends and gives in.”

“Do you want to see my waist bent in half?”

“I'm sorry.”

“Yes.”

Siwoo let out a deep sigh and leaned against the backrest.

Anyway, no matter how much I worry like this, there's no answer. No matter who I choose among the three, the result is equally a bad ending. And if I don't choose, it'll be a share ending, I guess. I'm really screwed. Even when I had a hole in my stomach, I wasn't this anxious.

‘But only Nagisa has confessed so far.’

The grace period is generously left. Still, I had to give Nagisa a proper answer. Originally, I intended to think seriously and give a sincere answer, but due to the changed situation, I can't do that. Because if I accept her confession, Mika and Seia won't stay still.

Although it's a trashy thing to do, first, I have to survive to plan for the future. I have to endure the immediate criticism.

‘Should I bring someone else entirely?’

Would they even understand if I do that? Siwoo let out a long breath and got up from his seat.

The time was 3 PM.

Thanks to work ending earlier than usual, time was left over. Much more free time left than usual. Rather than waiting for them to come, it seemed better to spend time at a nearby cafe. Or simply going back first wasn't bad either.

 

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“I'll get up now, Manager.”

“Are you going?”

“Yes.”

“Well, go safely. If we can see each other tomorrow, let's see.”

“……What does that mean?”

“It means survive safely among the females.”

The manager softly tapped Siwoo's shoulder a few times and then trotted back into the convenience store. Siwoo stared at his back for a moment, then zipped up his coat all the way and moved his steps. Since he hadn't eaten lunch separately, he thought he'd simply fill his stomach.

Thus, he arrived at a hamburger shop.

Since it was afternoon, well past lunchtime, fortunately there weren't many people. There were about ten people sitting in the seats, and only one person was standing in front of the kiosk to order. Siwoo stood behind that one person and waited for his turn.

But even though time passed, his turn didn't come. The female student standing in front of the kiosk was still in a hunched posture, trembling. Thinking there might be some problem, he checked, but the kiosk was fine.

‘Is she not feeling well?’

Certainly, she had a band-aid on her face. On her wrist, glimpsed through her sleeve, a bandage was wrapped. As if…… she had fought with someone. She doesn't seem to have difficulty moving, but perhaps her shoulder or arm isn't moving properly.

If left like that, it seemed it would stay that way for ages, so Siwoo tapped her shoulder.

“Excuse me.”

“……?!”

She sharply turned her head back. Thanks to that, Siwoo could see her face directly.

Black shadows covering her eye area. Red pupils trembling as if flustered. Somewhat pale skin and two strands of ahoge sticking up on her head. A choker in the shape of a thorn crown around her neck, etc. Although the band-aid on her face was a flaw, overall, she was a girl close to a beauty.

That was the first impression.

So.

This is the story until she suddenly rolled her eyes back and opened her mouth wide.

“Kyaaaaaaah!!!!!”

*

It's obvious, but the relationship between Gehenna Academy and Trinity General Academy is at a level where you can't even say it's good as an empty word. To the extent that if they accidentally meet while walking, it's natural to hurl all sorts of insults at each other. Of course, there are individual differences, but most students of the two academies were like that.

But contrary to such a hostile relationship, there weren't many occasions where students of the two academies actually met. Since there's no reason to leave one's academy's autonomous district and enter another's, it was natural.

Therefore, the current situation was hard to understand.

“Chief.”

“Huh?”

“Why are we in Trinity's autonomous district?”

“Are you asking because you don't know?”

Chief.

The student called that way tsk-tsked with his tongue and raised one finger.

“That's obviously because of the rumor circulating in Gehenna! You must have heard it too. The rumor that 'a suspicious black-haired man is wandering around Trinity's autonomous district!'”

“No, I haven't heard it…… but more than that, do we have to come all the way here just for that?”

“Of course! If you want to join Gehenna's intelligence club later, you have to build up achievements in advance! So, you have to grasp the truth of the rumor faster than anyone and present it to the intelligence club seniors! You think so too, Makoto!?”

Makoto, who covered one eye with her silver bangs, giggled and agreed with the chief's words. The chief also laughed similarly to her.

“Hahahahat!”

“Kikikikik!”

“……Sigh.”

Sorasaki Hina.

She let out a deep sigh and stared out the window.

‘I want to go home.’

It was sincere.