I'm a Kept Man for the Three Most Beautiful Girls in School - Chapter 12: Extra - Chikage Karasuma

Chapter 12: Extra – Chikage Karasuma

Chikage led me by the hand into the girls’ basketball team’s changing room. Apparently, the door is often unlocked during the day, making it an easy spot to sneak into.

Wait, isn’t this a boys-forbidden sanctuary?

“Chikage, you were on the basketball team?”

“Yeah, kind of. I’m pretty much a ghost member. I only show up for games; the rest of the time, I’m free.”

“Can you play in games without practicing?”

“I’m good at it. I was part of the girls’ basketball select team in middle school. Everyone asks me to just show up for the games. Though, I try not to say that out loud because it might make the serious players feel bad.”

Chikage admitted this with a somewhat self-deprecating smile.

The girls’ basketball team at this school is known for being strong, ranking in the top four in the prefecture last year. If Chikage is a starter without even practicing, that’s something to be proud of, not something to regret.

(But maybe that’s exactly why…)

She is beautiful, athletic, has a lovely voice, and possesses enough talent to live off her creative work—yet even someone as exceptional as Chikage seems to have her own struggles with relationships. Seeing this more human side of her made me feel a bit relieved.

“Kei, what do you think of girls in uniforms? Want to see?”

Chikage asked, changing the topic.

“Do you mean… you?”

“Yeah. You know, a lot of guys like girls who play sports.”

“Yeah, I guess. The difference from their usual look is nice. It’s kind of attractive, I won’t deny that.”

When I answered honestly, Chikage gave a sly smile with just her eyes.

“Then, I’ll change into it. Can you close your eyes? I want you to see me in my uniform.”

Her voice, asking so sweetly, was a bit high-pitched.

I did as she asked and turned to face the lockers against the wall, closing my eyes.

The sound of her changing seemed unusually loud. In this quiet changing room, even swallowing felt awkward, and I was so tense and embarrassed that I felt almost paralyzed.

Soon, Chikage’s smooth voice broke the silence. 

“Okay, you can look now.”

(This is… really intense.)

Thump… Thump… Thump, thump.

My heart raced, and it felt like my blood was flowing faster than ever.

No, it really did feel like my blood was speeding through my body like a Formula One car on a circuit.

I turned around and slowly opened my eyes.

Chikage, dressed in a white-based uniform with orange accents, filled my view. The fabric clung tightly to her body, highlighting her curves. Her white skin peeked out from her sleeveless shoulders, and the logo in black lettering on her chest accompanied by two small mounds.

…It was a very provocative outfit.

“How do I look?”

“S-So pretty… It feels like I’m seeing something I shouldn’t… in a good way.”

“Kei, do you always compliment so directly? When you say it like that, it’s a bit embarrassing.”

“Maybe… Calling you by your name might have made me a bit bolder.”

It’s surprising how a simple change in how I address her can affect my feelings.

Chikage leaned against the wall, smiling gently through her mask, her eyes soft.

“Kei, have you ever done anything naughty with a girl in a uniform?”

“Of course not.”

“Then I’ll be taking another one of your ‘firsts.'”

“Uh, yeah. Hey, Chikage, aren’t you going to take off your mask?”

“You want me to take it off? I guess a uniform and a mask don’t really go together. But… it’s a bit scary to take it off while you’re watching.”

Chikage’s voice trailed off.

“Scary? Why is that?”

I asked, looking into her eyes.

“Because it’s a complex of mine.”

A complex? Chikage, who looks like a beauty incarnate, feels insecure to the point that she doesn’t want to remove her mask?

“Somehow, that makes me feel a bit relieved…”

I muttered without thinking.

“Huh? Relieved?”

“Ah, I mean, not in a bad way. Even though you seem perfect, it’s like you have your own worries too. It makes me feel… reassured.”

“Hmph, of course, I have one or two things I’m concerned about. What, did you think I was some worry-free superhuman or something?”

“N-no, not at all. Haha, sorry, sorry.”

Seeing Chikage’s pouting face, even through her mask, made me smile and apologize repeatedly.

“Geez. When I’m with you, Kei, I feel off balance. It’s strange because I don’t mind if it’s you who sees me.”

Chikage pinched the ear loop of her mask with her fingers and slowly slid it down.

As her white skin and delicate features were revealed, and I caught a glimpse of her thin lips, I involuntarily held my breath.

She’s beautiful…

“Kei, do you know why I hate this face?”

“I don’t understand. It’s so beautiful…”

“But until elementary school, I was ugly.”

Chikage narrowed her eyes and smiled nostalgically.

“As I entered middle school, my face started to change. My features became more defined—my eyes, mouth, nose. I could tell I was getting prettier. But that’s also when I started wearing a mask.”

“Why is that?”

“Because my face didn’t feel like mine anymore. It felt like someone else had taken over my body. I started to feel scared and unsure if it was really ‘me’.”

Chikage’s grip tightened on the mask she held.

“That’s why I always wear a mask at school. I don’t want anyone to see the ‘ugly me’. Except for Tsukasa and Sakurako. They’ve known me for so long, they’re used to it.”

“…I don’t know the old Chikage. I only know the Chikage now, so I can say for sure that this beautiful face is Chikage.”

“Kei…”

“I like Chikage with the mask, and I like Chikage without the mask too.”

“Geez… Since when did you become so straightforward with your words? Okay, I’ll show you, but only you.”

Chikage put her mask in the pocket of her shorts and gradually moved closer to me. 

When we were close enough to feel each other’s breath, she asked for a kiss. 

I responded by pressing my lips to hers…

“Mmm… I’m not wearing anything underneath, so you can touch me directly.”

“Reaching in from the side feels a bit thrilling.”

I slipped my hand through the gap in her basketball uniform and touched her soft curves, causing Chikage to shiver.

“Make me feel good before class ends.”

“Yeah, okay.”

I nodded and wrapped my hands around her slender waist. 

After that, we were lost in each other’s embrace.