It was a bit hot to be alone.
The cicadas' chirping only made me more irritated.
Without Miyuki, it felt even emptier.
My friends had reached out, but wasting precious time on building favorability seemed pointless…
Lying in the empty room, lost in various thoughts, I sat up.
Let's head to the academy right now.
If I cleaned the bathroom, Miyuki might show up.
She sometimes stopped by the academy to retrieve forgotten items.
It was a gamble, honestly, but worth the try.
I was in the very early stages of the game, where I had to put in effort to raise unplayed affection levels.
So, shouldn't I use every method possible to meet the heroine?
After deciding, I changed clothes immediately and headed to the academy.
I arrived quickly by taking public transport in the morning when there weren't many people.
Unlike the bustling academy during the week, it was quiet starting from the front gate.
"What… Huh? Isn't that Matsuda-kun? Hold on."
A security guard in his forties stopped me as I tried to pass through the main entrance.
Was it because of all the trouble I'd caused? He recognized me right away.
I approached him, his suspicious gaze fixed on me through the open window, and said.
"I'm here to clean the bathroom."
"Bathroom cleaning…?"
"It's punishment."
"Punishment? Ah… That… The molester incident?"
"Yeah."
"You're doing it on the weekend?"
"He said to do it every day, and missing even one means expulsion, so weekends count too."
"Is that right…? First, sign the visitor log."
I went to the guard room, picked up a pen, and quickly scanned the log as I wrote my name.
Being the weekend, there were few visitors.
Miyuki…
'There it is.'
Right above the spot for my name, Hanazawa Miyuki was written in elegant handwriting.
Today was my lucky day.
Did I get a beginner's buff since it was early on?
After scribbling my name messily, I tried to dash out of the guard room but paused and turned back.
Then, in a casual tone, I said to the guard.
"Take care."
"Alright. You too… Huh?"
Was he surprised I greeted him? Probably.
Leaving the stunned guard behind, I entered the academy and headed straight to the first-year hallway.
Miyuki must be in the classroom right now. I wanted to check, but seeking her out deliberately would be insane.
It could lead to misunderstandings, especially with everything on camera.
Fortunately for me, Class 1-A was right by the stairs.
It was human nature to clean from the far end.
If I made noise cleaning here, Miyuki wouldn't just pass by.
I grabbed a hose from the cleaning supplies and started working.
After wiping the urinal with practiced skill and spraying water into the toilet I'd cleaned yesterday,
"Matsuda-kun?"
Miyuki's voice was filled with curiosity.
As expected of Miyuki. She never disappoints.
Suppressing my inner joy, I turned around.
Miyuki was dressed simply in jeans and a white T-shirt.
A casual outfit. Yet she shone.
Hiding my true feelings effortlessly, I raised my voice a notch.
"Hanazawa? What are you doing here? No, wait, let me guess."
As I extended my index finger and pointed upward, Miyuki crossed her arms with an intrigued expression.
Like she was anticipating what nonsense I'd spout.
We'd come a long way in a short time. She wouldn't even talk to me before.
After standing still for a few seconds, I said.
"You're here to steal the midterm exam papers, right?"
At that, Miyuki sighed with a disapproving look.
"Haa… I get that Matsuda-kun's mind can only think of things like that. To answer, I'm not like you. No, you wouldn't even consider stealing exam papers, would you? Wrong comparison."
I took a hit. It stung a bit.
Whetting my appetite, I asked.
"Then what were you doing?"
"I came for something I forgot, but it was quiet, so I studied a bit."
"So you came to check because you heard me cleaning?"
"You got it right this time. Why on earth are you cleaning the bathroom now?"
"Why? The professor…"
"You should call him Professor."
"…Yeah, the professor said you're expelled if you miss even one day."
Hearing my explanation, Miyuki's lips curved up slightly.
"I'm sure he didn't mean for you to clean on weekends… So why are you here today?"
"That's it. There are other reasons too."
"Other reasons? Worried the weekend visitors might mess up the bathroom?"
Naive… You'd be shocked to know what really happens here.
I decided to share a little secret about the academy with Miyuki.
"Hanazawa."
"Yes?"
"Aren't you a bit too innocent, even for you?"
"What do you mean?"
Looking into Miyuki's pure eyes, I clicked my tongue and began explaining.
"Our academy has dorms, right?"
"Yeah, it does."
"There must be couples in the dorms, right?"
"Yes."
"Some couples might not have much money, right?"
"Yeah… I suppose so?"
"The next day is the weekend, so it's a waste to spend it alone in the dorm. But spending time together there means separate male and female floors with strict supervision… Going out costs money. So, what do those burning with passion do?"
Miyuki tilted her head about 15 degrees.
She looked beautiful pondering with her eyes raised upward.
After thinking for a moment, Miyuki asked.
"What do they do?"
"They come to the bathroom and have sex."
"Ah… I see… Sex… Wait, what?"
Miyuki, about to nod, froze as she processed her own words, her mouth agape.
Her face flushed red instantly.
Chuckling, I confirmed it.
"Sex."
I wanted to emphasize it with a hip thrust, but that would tank the points I'd built up.
This was just enough to make Miyuki feel embarrassed.
"Oh, Matsuda-kun! That's too much of a joke…!"
"No, I just answered your question truthfully—why are you mad? Want proof? In Class 1-F's bathroom, there's probably a clogged toilet; if you unclog it, a condom…"
"S-Stop…! I don't want to know…! And you don't have to be so explicit…!"
"What?"
"That… That… Intimacy…"
"Is 'sex' too raw? Would you faint if I said 'intercourse'?"
"Matsuda-kun! Really…!"
Let's stop here.
I was originally crude, so this should slide.
I shrugged and resumed flushing the toilet.
"Question answered? Go now."
"What answer… I'll tell the professor…!"
"What… Are academy students elementary kids? Middle schoolers? Banning sex among adults?"
"B-But this is the academy… And the rules… They say serious misconduct leads to penalties… Doing that goes against the academy's intent… You can't…"
Those rules will be broken by you and me later.
"Think differently. Giving points instead of expulsion for 'serious' misconduct means the academy understands youthful passion to some extent, right?"
At that, Miyuki's eyes widened.
"I thought a habitual rule-breaker like you would hate the demerit system… But you're defending the academy?"
"Surprised?"
"Yes. Very."
"Strictly speaking, I'm defending the students, not the academy, but whatever… Let's move on. And just overlook it reasonably. Don't be so uptight. As expected of the class president…"
"I don't like the demerit system either. Just now… I said it out of frustration… I was surprised…"
"That was detailed for just being surprised. Even citing the rules…"
"Don't mock me… It's true…"
I know.
I know you're not that conservative.
"If you get it, go already. You're interrupting the cleaning. If you want to study, hit the library."
"It's exam period, so it's packed…"
"You should've come early. The early bird… Uh… What was it…"
"Catches the worm?"
"Yeah, that."
"I don't want to hear that from you, Matsuda-kun, who doesn't even know the proverb."
"Like on the subway the other day, and now this? Should I just shut up?"
"It's a joke. Sorry if it offended you."
A joke? To me?
Coming here today was worth it.
Forcibly calming the sense of accomplishment flooding my body, I said.
"I'm not offended, so go now. Or help."
"Fine. How can I help?"
My body stiffened at the unexpected response.
"Uh…?"
"How can I help?"
"…You're really helping?"
"Yes. I'll help."
"For real?"
"Why not? What should I do?"
Snapping back, I pointed to the cleaning supplies.
"Rinse the mop and wipe the floor."
"I'm helping out of goodwill. It should be a request, not an order. Is adding 'please' that hard?"
She's enjoying teasing me, even though she could just let it slide.
Miyuki's change is heading where I want, but it feels like it'll take time.
Frowning, I said.
"You offered to help first."
"Matsuda-kun. Should I just go?"
"…Is it fun?"
"Going?"
Miyuki turned her back and started leaving the bathroom.
I called out urgently.
"Hey… Hey…! I'll say it! I'll say it!"
At that, Miyuki faced me again and said,
"Doesn't sound like you hate cleaning that much?"
I love cleaning! I want to clean while looking at your face!
The words nearly escaped my throat.
"Who likes cleaning… Anyway, uh… There's a mop in the cleaning toolbox…?"
"Yes."
"Could you… rinse it… in the sink… and… mop… the floor…?"
Even my body trembled as I forced out the reluctant words, but Miyuki smiled at me.
A beautiful smile that brightened the dull bathroom.
It was driving me insane.
"See? You can do it. In the future, try speaking like this if possible. The listener will feel good, and you'll feel good saying it. Still not offended?"
"Not at all. Hurry and help."
"Alright. I'll get the mop."
A fresh grapefruit scent wafted from Miyuki's hair as she passed by.
Unbeknownst to her, I sniffed like a pervert, thinking today's gains were utterly bountiful.
Jokes, help, even wordplay… The vibe was great.
Tomorrow, I'd visit a nearby shrine and offer a new coin.
I should pray in thanks for bringing me to Tokiaka.