After Wang Meiyu finished changing into her swimsuit, Amane finally stepped aside from in front of her.
If that little accidental exposure from Meiyu-chan had been seen by anyone else, it would've been really awkward.
Well, she'd already gotten an eyeful herself.
No reason to let anyone else enjoy the same view.
You've got to learn to keep the good stuff to yourself.
Mhm.
Absolutely~!
"Th-thank you so much. If it weren't for you, Amane… I'd probably still be getting bullied for a while longer."
Wang Meiyu spoke softly, her voice tinged with gratitude.
"It's no trouble at all. We're all classmates who hang out together—helping each other is only natural. But… does Karuizawa and her group often pick on you, Meiyu-chan?"
Amane was a little curious.
Why would Karuizawa bully Meiyu-chan for no reason?
She was such a gentle, timid girl. It wasn't like she could ever fight back or do anything to Karuizawa in return.
Just mentioning the subject made Wang Meiyu's eyes dim slightly.
"Amane… don't you think there's something off about my accent?"
"Your accent? Well, maybe a little different, but if they're bullying you just because of that… that's way too harsh."
Amane hadn't expected the reason Karuizawa and the others bullied Wang Meiyu was actually because of her accent.
What kind of ridiculous logic was that?
"Maybe they didn't really mean to bully me… perhaps they just wanted to tease me a bit. But my personality… I just couldn't play along with their jokes."
Hearing that, Amane began to understand.
Most likely, Karuizawa tried to tease Meiyu-chan, but Meiyu-chan didn't react with the awkwardness or play along the way they wanted.
As the leader of the group, Karuizawa probably felt she'd lost face.
So she kept targeting Meiyu-chan again and again.
But in Amane's view, it might also have something to do with how close Meiyu-chan had become with Kushida.
"If they bother you again, just come find me. I might not look like much, but I'm actually pretty tough, you know."
Amane flashed what she thought was a bright, reassuring smile.
But in Wang Meiyu's eyes, seeing Amane's goofy grin, she wasn't entirely convinced.
Is Amane really that strong?
She doesn't look it…
If she carelessly asked Amane for help, things might just get worse—what if Karuizawa started bullying Amane too?
"Mhm, I understand. Then… maybe someday, when you're free… could I treat you to bubble tea to thank you?"
Wang Meiyu nervously extended the invitation, her eyes full of hope as she gazed at Amane.
This was the first time she had ever invited someone out herself.
Before, it had always been Kushida inviting her.
If Amane turned her down…
Wang Meiyu would probably never muster the courage to ask anyone out again.
Seeing the hopeful look on Wang Meiyu's face, Amane agreed right away. "Of course! Just message me whenever you're free. Don't mind if I make you spend a little, then."
"You're too kind, Amane. It's just bubble tea—it's no trouble at all. Then… it's settled!"
Once she got Amane's confirmation, Wang Meiyu happily covered her face and dashed out of the changing room hallway.
What she didn't know, though, was that Amane had no intention of going easy on her wallet.
"Suzune~ So? How'd I do? Nailed the mission, right?"
Amane blinked her big eyes as she looked at Horikita.
"Mhm, you're the best, Amane."
"Eh, Suzune, that praise sounds so half-hearted!"
Pouting, Amane wrapped her arms around Horikita's waist.
"Hey! Amane! What are you doing?!"
Caught off guard, Horikita flusteredly tried to pry her off. But Amane held on tight—for a moment, she couldn't be shaken loose.
Was all that arm strength from kyudo practice just for this?!
A faint blush rose to Horikita's cheeks, making her look utterly adorable.
"Hehe, if you won't reward me, Suzune, I'll just have to claim one myself."
Amane nuzzled against Horikita's back.
The next second, a sharp pain shot through her ear.
"Ow ow ow, stop pulling! My ear's gonna come off!" The pain forced Amane to let go. Horikita immediately released her ear as well.
"Did it hurt? But I'm sure I didn't pull that hard…" Horikita looked doubtfully at her own hand, then checked Amane's ear.
Only after confirming it was just a little red did she relax, worried she might have actually hurt Amane.
"Sniff… my ear still hurts."
Amane clutched her ear, then buried her face in Horikita's chest, pretending to sob pitifully.
She looked utterly pitiable. Strangely enough, though, after all that crying, not a single tear could be seen.
A curious thing, indeed.
"Hm? Amane, are you faking it? If you're pretending just to fool me, you'll face punishment, you know."
Horikita, sensing something was off, decided to test the waters.
"Wahh… what kind of punishment?"
"Well, for starters…"
Horikita had been about to say she'd give Amane a good chop—her favorite kind of deterrent.
But then it occurred to her: Amane trained regularly too.
A simple karate chop might not scare her.
So after a moment's thought, Horikita came up with a rather clever idea.
"The punishment is: from now on, you're not allowed to sleep in my room, eat meals with me, or even step into my dorm… until graduation."
Horikita crossed her arms, waiting to see how Amane would react.
"Suzune, you're a monster!! How could you come up with such a cruel punishment?!" For the first time, Amane felt truly under pressure.
No sleeping together, no shared meals, and locked out of her room?
Ugh.
Every single one of those was Amane's weak spot.
Horikita Suzune.
This woman…
Had she already figured out Miyako Amane's weaknesses?
Hmph.
But don't underestimate me.
She was Miyako Amane, after all.
There was no way she'd back down over something like this.
"Is it too late to say my ear doesn't hurt anymore?" Amane tilted her head, trying to look cute and escape the situation.
"What do you think?"
Horikita smiled—a dangerously sweet smile.
Amane suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, as if a surprise hand-chop from Horikita could send her sprawling any second. "Ehehe, just kidding! My ear still hurts a lot, actually."
Well, no choice—looks like she had to keep up the act.
Amane covered her ear and resumed her performance.
Keep pretending.
Just keep it up.
Amane's acting skills are getting better and better.
After a week of spending time together, Horikita had already gotten a good read on Amane's personality.
But, with a slightly mischievous streak, she didn't call her out.
She wanted to see what kind of excuses Amane would come up with to cling to her.
Watching Amane put on a full display of affection, hugging her and swaying back and forth, Horikita humored her, patting her like a little child.
She was starting to really enjoy this kind of atmosphere.
"How about you blow on it for me, Suzune? My ear still kinda hurts…"
Amane's big, watery eyes were enough to melt anyone's heart. But Horikita knew it was just another one of her little tricks.
Even so, she played along, leaning in as if to blow gently on Amane's ear.
She wanted to see what else this dummy would try to get away with.
Suddenly—
Amane turned her face and pressed it right against Horikita's lips.
"Suzune!!! I can't believe you! I just asked you to blow on my ear, and you went and kissed me!!"
Horikita: ???
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.