In a World of Reversed Chastity, I’m Rumored to Be an Easy Bitch (♂) Among Lustful Girls - 22

Chapter 22: All I Have Is Ice Tea, Is That Alright With You?

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After school, I headed to Hinayo’s house to borrow some manga.

The place she led me to was a maisonette-style rental apartment about a five-minute walk from school. It was a relatively new building and looked clean.

“…This is my home.”

“Wow, Nishimeya-san, your place is super close to school.”

“Y-yes. Since I can stay in bed until the last minute… I’ve never been late before.”

“Lucky. I have to ride the train for a few stations, so my mornings start pretty early. I’ve even been a victim of a molester before too.”

“A-a molester incident!? How despicable…!”

“Well, nothing really happened, so it’s fine. Sotogahama-san helped me out when it happened.”

At that, Hinayo’s expression darkened slightly. Maybe bringing up Riria’s name wasn’t a good idea…? Well, she probably didn’t like the mention of Riria’s name. Riria was one of the top-tier popular girl, while Hinayo was the epitome of an introverted loner. I had no idea how Riria felt about Hinayo, but it was entirely likely that Hinayo wasn’t fond of Riria. I could relate. Just as I found it hard to get along with the extroverted guys in class, she might feel the same way about Riria.

I should probably avoid mentioning Riria in front of Hinayo.

I was just a plain, unremarkable high school boy (who, for some reason, now had a relationship with two girls). Staying as a convenient, neutral presence for everyone was the safest way to go.

“S-speaking of which, let me get you those manga…”

“Oh—r-right, that’s what I came for.”

“P-please come inside.”

Prompted by Hinayo, I stepped into her home. It was dead silent inside. Seemed like no one else was home.

“My parents both work, so no one’s here during the day.”

“I see. So, you’re what they call a ‘key kid’?”

“Yes. I don’t have any siblings, so it’s always like this when I get home.”

Her house felt a little lonely. At our age, parents often felt like a nuisance. But at the same time, if they weren’t around, it probably felt a bit empty. Adolescence really was a complicated time.

“M-My room is upstairs, a-at the end of the hall. P-please wait there. I-I’ll make some tea…”

“You don’t have to go to all that trouble just for me, you know?”

“I-it’s fine. I was raised to entertain guests properly.”

“You’re really diligent, huh? That’s impressive.”

“N-not at all… A-anyway, I only have cold tea, is that okay with you?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

I climbed the stairs and entered Hinayo’s room. Her study desk and bed were neatly arranged, and everything looked well-kept. The place was so tidy that it felt a little lacking in personality. It was a plain room, much like her character—reserved and unassuming for a high school girl.

…Except for the absolutely massive collection of books on her shelves.

This bookshelf is insane. Just how many books does she have…?

After a while, Hinayo came into the room, carrying a tray with ice tea on it. Even the cold tea was served with a neatly placed straw. She really was thorough.

“Wow, that’s an impressive number of books. Are they all yours, Nishimeya-san?”

“Yes… I love reading novels and manga, so before I knew it… My collection just kept growing…”

“You must’ve spent a fortune on all this.”

“W-well, probably… But I don’t really spend money on anything else. Since I’m an only child with parents who both work, I think I get more allowance than most. Plus, I have a part-time job.”

I nodded in understanding. Even so, the sheer volume was incredible. No matter how much she read, she’d never run out of books to read.

“P-please, sit and drink some tea. I’ll get ‘AraShota’ ready.”

“Okay, then I’ll take you up on that.”

I sat on the carpeted floor and took a sip of the tea she had prepared.

This tea has a unique aroma. It’s not just regular barley tea or anything.

“Nishimeya-san?”

“Y-yes!?”

Hinayo jolted in surprise when I suddenly spoke to her.

“This tea… What kind is it? I don’t think I’ve had this flavor before.”

Her body twitched at my question. She seemed a little more nervous than usual.

Well, I guess this is just how she always is.

“Th-th-this tea, um… My mom is addicted to this tea… Ahaha… Do-Do you not like it?”

“No, that’s not it. I was just genuinely curious about what kind of tea it is.”

“R-r-right! My mom makes it in advance pretty often…”

If it was some kind of special blend, that would explain the unique aroma. Since Hinayo’s mom made it, it was probably some kind of herbal tea.

“Ah, I found it! Here’s all of ‘AraShota’ up to the latest volume.”

“Thanks. The series is longer than I expected.”

“Yes. The latest volume is the eighteenth one, so for a novel that’s been adapted into a manga, I think it’s fairly long too.”

“I see. I was thinking of borrowing them all at once, but carrying nearly twenty volumes home would be tough.”

“T-then… Why don’t you read them here?”

Hinayo fidgeted as she made the suggestion. For me, it’d be great if I could read them here. Carrying a huge stack of manga on the train ride home would be quite the workout.

“Are you sure? I won’t be a bother?”

“D-d-definitely not! My parents are coming home late today too… So you can take your time…”

“Really? Thanks, then I’ll stay and read for a bit.”

At that, Hinayo let out a relieved sigh.

Why is she relieved that I’m staying to read manga in her room?

As I continued reading, I started to feel… Something was off. A strange warmth spread deep inside me.

Is “feverish” the right way to describe this?

Why? The room wasn’t heated. The sun wasn’t glaring in through the windows, and there was no way there was underfloor heating.

…Was there something in that tea? Did she slip something weird into it??? My body was so hot that I couldn’t focus on the manga anymore. Before I knew it, I had taken off my blazer and was reaching to unbutton my dress shirt.

What is happening? What’s wrong with my body?

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