Miura Yumiko, of course, had ulterior motives behind her "photo booth" idea.
When she saw that Shirase didn't immediately refuse, she smoothly began coaxing Nakano Itsuki into it, all the while aiming to strengthen their newly forming friendship.
Itsuki, being the kind of girl who couldn't bring herself to overthink things, felt embarrassed but quickly gave in to Yumiko's gentle urging and stepped into the booth with Shirase.
The space inside was small—once the two entered, it felt instantly cramped.
Itsuki could hear Shirase's calm, steady breathing beside her. If she moved just a little closer, that faint warmth would probably brush against her neck.
"What're you so nervous about?" Shirase asked in his usual unruffled tone.
"W-who's nervous?" Itsuki stammered.
"Your whole body says otherwise."
"…"
Her face turned bright red. Can't you just let me keep a little dignity?
Unlike Nino, who would've snapped back with fiery denial, Itsuki had no defense against being called out so bluntly. She quickly mumbled to herself, "This is just friends taking photos together, okay? You better not get any weird ideas."
Shirase put on a dead-serious expression. "Do I look like someone who'd get weird ideas?"
His tone was so earnest it was ridiculous. Itsuki couldn't help bursting into laughter. She lightly punched his shoulder, giggling. "You're impossible. Ichika was right—you really do ruin the mood every time you talk."
Despite her teasing, the awkward air between them eased completely.
As the machine started up, Itsuki thought silently, If he were a normal guy, he'd be reassuring me right now—gentle, considerate, matching my feelings. But instead, Shirase stayed serious to the point of absurdity.
Really annoying.
The photo session went smoothly. They didn't stand too close, and there was definitely no hand-holding.
In the final photo, a red-faced girl shyly posed with a peace sign, while Shirase smiled politely at the camera.
After snapping three pictures, Itsuki picked her favorite. Her cheeks were still pink, but she smiled brightly. "It actually came out pretty good! Guess I'm pretty photogenic after all."
"If you're photogenic, then the other four must be too," Shirase said.
Itsuki blinked, realizing he meant her sisters, and immediately shook her head. "Not necessarily. Nino's too self-conscious for photos, and Miku's the same. Only Ichika and Yotsuba look natural on camera."
"What kind of person talks about their sisters like that?" Shirase said, amused.
"I'm just being honest."
Then she hesitated, glancing at him. "Oh, by the way… let's not tell Nino about this, okay?"
Shirase smiled faintly. "Afraid she'll misunderstand?"
Itsuki's blush deepened. "Yeah."
"You've got it backwards," Shirase said gently. "Since there's really nothing between us, you should show her confidently. If she asks, I'll explain myself."
Itsuki stared at him in surprise, easily seeing that he meant what he said. Her feelings turned complicated. "If you care that much about Nino's opinion, why did you agree to take the photo with me?"
There was no accusation in her voice—just simple curiosity.
Shirase chuckled. "Because it's been ages since I've used one of these machines. Thought it'd be fun."
"Liar." Itsuki pouted. "That's such an obvious excuse. You think I'd believe that?"
"Then how should I have answered?"
"You should—wait! I'm the one asking questions here! Why are you flipping it on me?"
"Am I not allowed to ask back? That's pretty unreasonable of you, Itsuki."
"That's not the point, you idiot Shirase!"
When they finally stepped out of the booth, Itsuki's cheeks were still burning.
Miura Yumiko pounced immediately, eyes gleaming. "How'd the photos turn out? Let me see!"
Remembering what Shirase had said, Itsuki didn't hide it. She showed her the picture, and Yumiko looked faintly disappointed. "That's all? I thought you two would at least be standing closer."
"What are you talking about, Yumiko-san? You're totally misunderstanding!" Itsuki protested, flustered.
Yumiko just smiled knowingly and let it go.
After Yumiko and Hayama finished their own photos—clearly enjoying themselves—the four decided to stroll around a bit before heading home.
Falling two steps behind the boys, Yumiko leaned close and whispered, "Hey, don't overthink it. I was just surprised—I've never seen Shirase this close with any girl before."
Itsuki smiled awkwardly. "We're really not like that."
But even as she said it, something inside her twisted. She knew Shirase's heart leaned toward Nino. Yet, since the sisters were identical, she could easily mimic Nino with a hairstyle change.
So why Nino specifically? Why not any of the rest of them?
In Itsuki's opinion, Ichika was actually the one most compatible with Shirase—mature, emotionally intelligent, and perceptive.
"Really?" Yumiko sounded genuinely surprised. "That's strange—then why's he so close with you?"
Itsuki replied calmly, "Probably because our families know each other. And since our first meeting went smoothly, it's natural we got along. Shirase's weird sometimes, but he's a good friend."
Yumiko chuckled softly. "I see. He must care about you a lot."
"Huh? Where'd that come from?" Itsuki sputtered, face instantly red again.
Yumiko's grin widened. "Think about it. With his usual attitude at school, do you think Shirase would take photos with just anyone?"
Itsuki froze. Yumiko had a point. Aside from Nino, Shirase probably wouldn't have agreed to something like this with any other girl.
And she suddenly remembered asking him the same question earlier—only to get that obvious, clumsy lie.
Yumiko lowered her voice. "I'm pretty perceptive, you know. My guess? He noticed how much you wanted to take the photo and decided to indulge you—just this once."
Indulged me?
Her cheeks flamed, the blush creeping down her neck.
Ahead of them, Hayama happened to ask a similar question. "I've gotta say, I didn't expect you to agree to that picture."
Shirase replied calmly, "I'm hoping Itsuki will become my ally. Even if she's reluctant, as long as she stands by me later, my plans will go much smoother."
By "plans," of course, he meant the favor Nakano Maruo had once asked of him—the same one Kojima Kana had already warned him about.
---
T/N: okay ayanokouji
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This is a fan translation of 谁能拒绝中野二乃呢?by 六花吖六花. Rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!