A Case in Which My House Is a Gathering Place for Girls - Chapter 43: The Everyday Life That Returned

“Hey Sasazuki-san! I told you there’s only one corner for one accessory! Why did you put so much on!?”

“Is it because it looks cooler that way?”

“Haha. As Kanna says, you’re putting too much on everything, Mika.”

It had been a while since our usual group had gathered at my house and we were working on making products for the bazaar.

On second thought, after a slightly embarrassing speech, the classes were working together as planned, but the amount was not enough to end in a day.

However, I decided to take some of them home and proceed with the work because I didn’t have time to relax until the event was held and because it was close to my house from the school. In other words, Kanna and others joined in and worked after dinner.

“This is not so much an accessory as a collection made of enemy bones that have been knocked down by a tribal chief. Please reduce the number to at least three.”

“The chief’s collection… Hanazono-san, give her a cushion. That was a great comeback.”

“Ahaha! The chief’s collection! Stop it, Kanna. Now I can’t see it any other way!”

Even though Mika was the one being scolded, she somehow looked smug as she gave a thumbs-up, while Asakura burst into laughter, pounding the table. Kanna, on the other hand, clenched her fists, trembling with rage. Looked like she was about three seconds away from exploding.

“Don’t do that! I’m starting to see it that way too! Please say something, Jinpei-kun!”

“Well, I suppose you’d rather have one?”

When I added, “It makes it feel rarer,” Mika raised both hands in triumph, Asakura collapsed onto the floor clutching her stomach, and Kanna sighed deeply while holding her head.

“It’s not a bad idea to work in a noisy classroom, but I think it’s better for the four of us to work around a small table like this.”

“That’s surprisingly insightful for you, Asakura-san. I also prefer working at Itsuki’s house. Let’s do it again tomorrow. No, let’s just stay here until the bazaar is over!”

“… Sasazuki-san. You might actually be a genius.”

“Stop piling jokes on top of jokes. There’s no way that’s happening.”

I’m glad my daily life is back, but I hope they don’t step into full swing with the accelerator to make up for the delay. What if it crashes and there’s a big accident?

“Yes, I agree. I think it’s better for the three of us to stop staying every day.”

“As expected of Asakura. You’re the only one I can count on.”

“So how about staying on a daily basis except the day before the bazaar?”

“I take it back. You’re just as bad as the others!”

Give me a break. If all three of them kept throwing jokes at me, I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I put a hand to my face and looked up at the ceiling, though I was aware that my lips were curling into a smile. The past few days had been so hectic that it felt unreal, but I didn’t mind at all.

“This is a clever calculation. I’d like to say it’s a nice idea, but I can’t. I don’t know what’s going to happen if you three stay up all night alone with Jinpei-kun!”

“That’s right. Leaving an innocent boy like Itsuki alone with perverts like Hanazono-san and Asakura-san would be a disaster. I’m completely against it!”

“Wait a minute, Sasazuki-san? Why do you treat me like a pervert, let alone Asakura-san? Instead of backing me up, you’re stabbing me in the back?”

“Anyone who barges into a guy’s bath with nothing but a towel and then offers to wash his body is, without a doubt a pervert.”

The three beautiful women then began to argue from the sleepover and started arguing over who was the biggest pervert. Even a hungry dog would look away from this ridiculous discussion. I needed to escape before they dragged me into it.

“If we’re bringing up bath stories, then Asakura-san and Sasazuki-san are just as guilty! Wearing an actual school swimsuit into the bath is even worse! And wasn’t that from middle school?”

A shocking revelation came to light. So that’s why her swimsuit looked tight in certain areas—especially around the chest. My mind drifted to the memory of that scene, even though I knew I shouldn’t be thinking about it.

“Hmph. Hanazono-san doesn’t get it at all. There is no man who is not happy to be charged into the bath wearing a school swimsuit. That’s what the holy scriptures say.”

“Please kneel down and apologize to the holy scriptures right now.”

“Well, Kanna storming in with just a towel wasn’t bad either. But that’s too predictable. You need to subvert expectations, like pretending to wear a swimsuit but actually wearing nothing at all! I just break your promise just like that.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying.”

Kanna tried to fight back against the two who were throwing out ridiculous jokes with smug expressions, but honestly, I just wanted them to stop talking and get back to work.

“Also, Hanazono tried to hide it, but one of your outfits stood out. That was definitely lingerie. Moreover, the area of that cloth.”

“H-hey, Sasazuki-san!? How do you know that? Did you go through my stuff!?”

Does anyone here have earplugs? No? Of course not. I understood. I silently started chanting sutras in my head to mentally block out the chaos.

“Hiding a tree in a forest doesn’t work when the tree is so obvious. But Mika also brought something similar, so she can’t talk.”

“If you say that, Asakura-san is the same. She brought Calvin Klein lingerie. She knows exactly what guys like.”

“Hehe, I’m honored to receive your compliment. It’s very easy for Mika to choose a baby doll that combines both cute and sexy. Compared to that, Kanna is just…”

“That’s totally predictable.”

Asakura and Sasazuki let out exasperated sighs. Even though I tried not to think about it, I was so specific that I could see their underwear in my head. My hands had been working.

“…That’s all right. If you’re going to go that far, let’s stay tonight with the three of us and have a fashion match.”

Perhaps because she was told whatever she wanted, Kanna declared war on Asakura and Sasazuki in a quiet voice with a grumbling sound effect that raised her anger. In response, the two of them grinned fearlessly and replied, “We accept your challenge.”

“That settled then. The winner of this battle will get to sleep next to Jinpei-kun tonight.”

At some point, it had been decided that they would be staying over, but I couldn’t help but feel that it was a problem that they didn’t even ask the homeowner’s permission. More concerning was the fact that their uniforms, casual clothes, pajamas, and even underwear seemed to be gradually accumulating here. At this rate, this was no longer just a hangout spot—it was practically a semi-cohabitation setup with three girls.

“To be fair, let’s have a decisive battle before we go to bed. If we do it right after a bath, the last person to take a bath will be buffed and an unfair advantage.”

It’s a powerful buff to wear uncluttered underwear after taking a bath. It’s not hard to imagine how attractive they are. If they competed right before bed, everyone would be on equal footing. As expected of Asakura. You’ve thought this through well… is what you expect me to say, you idiot.

“If I win, I’ll go straight to the futon with Itsuki. Hehehe! That’s perfect.”

Sasazuki was already imagining the post-victory scenario and drooling with a slack expression. I gently chopped her on the head with my hand. Don’t think stupid things and come back to reality.

“Well, if that’s the case, shall we make some more accessories?”

“Yes. If we work hard here, it’ll earn us some bonus points.”

“Isn’t the chief’s collection of accessories expensive, Itsuki?”

“I have so much to say, but I dare to narrow it down to one. Who is the judge of this fashion match?”

I know. I knew it already. There was no need to ask. Given the flow of the conversation, the answer was as clear as day. But still, I wanted to cling to the slimmest, most microscopic chance that I was wrong.

“Of course, it’s Jinpei-kun?”

“Of course Itsuki.”

“I can’t think of anything other than Itsuki.”

Their unanimous responses completely obliterated my desperate hope, and I hung my head in resignation. From an outsider’s perspective, this might seem like paradise, a dream event that would spark chants of “Stop hogging all the lucky pervert moments!” But as the person in question, this was nothing short of hell.

“It’s still a long night. Let’s do our best until we don’t get enough sleep!”

At Kanna’s command, the other two cheerfully responded with an energetic “Yeah!” at last, the accessory-making resumed.

For the next few hours, we talked cheerfully and worked hard to make accessories. And the three beautiful women, despite my worries, were enjoying the sleepover, taking a bath, and drying each other’s hair.

The fashion match in question was to be held safely, and as expected, I was forced to make a painful decision while repeatedly wandering between reason and instinct. As a result, I’ll keep that a secret for the sake of my own dignity.

Then the date changed, and after I confirmed that the three of them, exhausted and in bed, began to breathe cutely, I proceeded with the work by myself. I hope it will be in time before the event is held.