Chapter 411: Nino Is Actually an M?
Finished dinner.
It was very cold outside, and since they needed time to digest, the three decided to chat while staying in the restaurant.
"Obviously it's a love triangle plot, but the male lead only exists in memories. This script is clearly unreasonable, his screen time is only a bit more than the supporting male character."
Calling the male lead a 'mob character' earlier was completely accurate.
Sakurai Saki truly had no intention of becoming famous, he just felt the script had issues.
"Having fewer lines suits you better, right?"
"That's right, fewer lines but the pay doesn't decrease at all."
In other words, putting in the least effort while gaining the most benefit — that's called making money. It's not about doing more to earn more, but about 'profitable laziness'.
"The snow outside is so thick, aside from the last time we went skiing, I've never seen snow this deep." Nino looked out the window, her expression like someone from the desert seeing snow for the first time.
The three sat beside the window on the second floor of the restaurant, where the scenery was beautiful.
"...Snow covers the area year-round, and even in summer the temperature stays below zero. That's why Hokkaido is loved — while other places are considered summer resorts, their temperatures are only a bit over 20 degrees."
"Sounds like a Hokkaido local proudly introducing their hometown." Ichika teased.
"Before coming here, I looked up a lot of information — interesting places nearby, beautiful scenery worth seeing, romantic spots suitable for confessing… that kind of information."
"And then?"
"I realized Hokkaido is pretty great. Aside from all the snow, it's quite nice."
"...Contradiction. Just now you praised how beautiful Hokkaido's snow is, but now you say you like everything except the snow." Nakano Ichika rested her chin on her hand, observing his expression.
Her face was half-smile, half-skeptical; no one knew what she was thinking.
"Every time you go somewhere new, feeling excited is normal. But after looking for a while, you'll think 'Ah, it's just this, nothing special, just snow.' You can see snow in winter anyway, just not often. Last Christmas also had snow, remember? In Tokyo, a white Christmas is rare."
Like a couple going through the honeymoon phase and then settling into long-term harmony.
Over time, even beautiful things will start revealing flaws.
"On Christmas Day we had a party at home… Sensei-chan, has anyone told you your taste in gifts is terrible?" Nakano Ichika said helplessly: "I have short hair, you know? And you gave me a hair accessory… I truly don't get it."
"At first I planned to give you earrings, but I thought giving something like that between friends felt like crossing a line."
"You already crossed the line when you gave Nino perfume!" Nakano Ichika said, and saw Nino lower her head, falling into a shy state.
Her expression changed.
"You two…"
After saying those two words, Ichika took a deep breath.
"When exactly did you two start having that kind of relationship?!"
She should have realized earlier! Who gives perfume — something that personal — as a Christmas gift? What kind of normal friend does that? It's too ambiguous, something only men and women who like each other would dare to give and accept.
Nino even looked very happy when she opened her gift; she didn't look like she wanted to refuse at all… Ichika thought.
I'm such an idiot, really. I only knew Nino had feelings for Sensei-chan, but I didn't expect she liked him so much she'd want to become the "little three."
If I had known earlier, I'd rather die than let Nino fall into that rabbit hole.
"Ichika, you're too slow. He gave me that perfume and I've been using it all the time…"
"You always put on makeup inside your own room, how would I know?" Nakano Ichika turned away, grabbed Nino's shoulders and shook her: "Nino, wake up, he's a scumbag! He already has a girlfriend!"
Nino, shaken several times by the shoulders, said in a dazed tone: "Stop shaking, of course I know."
She had already said it several times earlier.
Ichika was full of confusion.
'Knowing there's a tiger on the mountain yet still climbing it' — is my sister trying to be a hero? No, she's practically raising the tiger herself!
"I like him, is that a problem?"
Nino's question nearly made Ichika spit out a mouthful of blood.
Loving someone to the point of losing all rationality is not a good thing, girl.
From the start, Ichika also had feelings for Sakurai Saki, but she wasn't "thirsty" to that extent! She even deliberately kept her distance from him, because Nakano Ichika knew she couldn't stay with Sakurai Saki forever unless he broke up with Hayasaka Ai — but with how close those two were at school, how could anyone believe they'd break up?
Sorry, is this a joke?
"Ichika, you're really making a fuss."
Since dinner started, Nino had already noticed that Ichika wasn't acting normal.
"Are you jealous of me?"
"…I." At this moment, Nakano Ichika didn't know what expression she should have.
Jealous? Me, jealous?
You think I love Sensei-chan so much I can't live without him?
He's just more attentive, more gentle, more handsome, always caring about me…
Crap, aside from the fact that he already has a girlfriend, he's actually pretty good, isn't he? Nakano Ichika felt like a detective who just discovered her blind spot.
"Ichika, you're so childish. You're already in the entertainment industry, but you still don't get it?" Nino looked at Ichika with an extremely irritating expression, her tone slightly mocking: "Big directors and those types — them harassing actresses is totally normal, right? And there are even actresses who willingly climb into their beds just for good roles…"
How could Ichika not understand? Back then, she and Sakurai Saki became close because a young, rich, playboy director harassed her.
But to become the kind of woman who climbs up for benefits, who would even sell her body — she couldn't accept that!
"That's a totally different matter, isn't it?"
"Right, but Sakurai-san isn't one of those fat middle-aged directors."
"Nino, this is the first time I think Sensei-chan's words made sense — girls falling for good looks really do get tricked easily, getting sold by some scumbag and still helping him count the money." Ichika sighed.
That was something Sakurai said. And at the same time — he was exactly the type who put that theory into practice.
What do you call this? "Practice what you preach"?
"Think about it — in the entire country, how many men are more handsome than him? Not many, right? And I can't like him?" Nakano Nino pointed straight at Sakurai Saki's face across from her, insisting that her "actively pursuing him" wasn't that unreasonable.
It's not like she falls for every handsome guy she sees!
"You two are pretty well-matched, actually."
One likes hitting, one likes being hit.
Ichika knew her little sister liked strong, slightly "bad boy" types. To put it bluntly — the kind with a hint of delinquency. If Sakurai Saki had obediently listened to her back then, Nino might not have liked him at all. This kind of thing was complicated.
'…So Nino is actually the M type, huh.'
Suddenly discovering her sister's kink made Ichika fall into despair.
Damn it, what kind of weird taste is that, Nino?!
"..."
Enjoying the women's argument like a spectator, Sakurai Saki suddenly realized the battlefield had extended to him.
What do you mean "easily tricked"?
Do you know how much effort he put in back then just to avoid Nino's pursuit?
He confessed to Hayasaka Ai at the sports festival just to make Nino give up!
Who would've thought she'd pursue him even harder… and when she wasn't tsundere, she was this cute — what man could withstand that?
"What? Why are you staring at me like that?" Nino suddenly noticed that both of them were looking at her.
"Nino, you're really cute."
"Sorry, even if you suddenly praise me, I won't be happy about it." Nino quickly waved her hand, but her expression was the complete opposite.
Crap, she was a little happy.
Seeing that expression, Ichika covered her face —
'She's hopeless.'
The illness has reached its final stage. Just let her fend for herself.
...