Chapter 3 – The Third Girlfriend?

The bell signaling the end of sixth period rang out.

Everyone began preparing to head home or to their club activities. Meanwhile, someone was staring at me from across the classroom—or rather, staring at the cookie I was about to eat—while slumped over their desk.

“Haah~ I’m so tired~”

“Good work, Hikari… here, say ‘ahh.'”

I bring the cookie in my hand closer to her mouth.

“…Nom… gulp… Man, snacks taste even better when someone feeds them to you~”

She chomps down the cookie enthusiastically. She’s like a small animal at a petting zoo…

“Hikari-san, you say you’re tired, but you slept through most of the classes.”

“Ugh, that hurts to hear~”

“You really slept through them?”

Since my seat’s in front, I didn’t notice. Is she going to be okay grade-wise?

“Well then, I’ll be heading to my club activities now. Please get home safely, Ren-san. Come along, Hikari-san, we’re going the same direction partway.”

“Wait for meee~”

Apparently Hikari’s in the tennis club and Suzu-san’s in the tea ceremony club. I’ve actually gone to watch Hikari’s club before.

As you can tell from her usual behavior, her head’s a bit empty, but her athletic ability is pretty decent.

“Bye-byee!”

“Well then.”

“Good luck at your clubs!”

I saw them off and finished preparing to leave.

“Guess I should head home too…”

I grabbed my bag and headed toward the door, which suddenly swung open. Wait, do we have automatic doors?

“Not automatic—it’s your teacher, Kamiya.”

“How’d you know what I was thinking?”

“You’re pretty easy to read, Kamiya.”

“Really? No one’s ever told me that before.”

While I was thinking something dumb, my homeroom teacher appeared in front of me. From experience, I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

“Well, I’ll be going now—’Hold on, hold on.'”

Knew it… I’m definitely about to get asked to do something.

“Perfect timing, Kamiya. Help Asagiri carry her stuff. She’s on daily duty today, and unluckily for her, there’s a lot to move.”

“…Got it.”

I wanted to get home and play games, though…

“You got a problem with that? Hard to believe this attitude’s coming from the guy who scored zero on the English quiz I announced last week.”

“No, I’m totally happy to do it! In fact, please let me do it!”

…I can’t refuse since he gave me the favor of bumping my English vocabulary test score from 0 to 5/10. I mean, I’m grateful, but should teachers really be doing that? Well, whatever—grades matter.

Anyway, guess I’ll do what I was asked… Where’s Asagiri-san?

Poke, poke.

A ticklish sensation on my left side.

I turn around to find Asagiri-san standing there.

“Oh, Asagiri-san, you were right there. Did you hear what he said?”

“Yeah.”

“So, um, I want to help, but what exactly am I carrying?”

“There.”

She points under the teacher’s desk. There’s a cardboard box stuffed to the brim.

“Looks pretty heavy… No way he was going to make a girl carry this alone. Wait, I guess that’s why he asked me in the first place.”

I grab it firmly with both hands and lift.

A few papers flutter out and fall to the floor.

“Asagiri-san, could you grab those papers and show me where we’re going?”

“Okay.”

“Thanks.”

And so, the two of us began moving the luggage.

Asagiri… was it Shino? I don’t really know since we’ve barely talked.

She’s always reading books and pretty quiet. Plus, her bangs are so long you can barely see her eyes, which makes her hard to approach.

While I’m thinking about the girl walking ahead of me, we arrive at our destination.

“The reference room… I think this is my first time coming in here.”

I step inside and set down the box. I should probably push it toward the back so it’s not in the way… This room’s pretty spacious.

Click.

“Is around here okay?”

“Yeah.”

My task’s done, so time to head home. My back’s killing me, though…

I’m rubbing my lower back and about to head toward the entrance when I notice Asagiri-san hasn’t moved at all—she’s just standing there, looking down.

“Asagiri-san…?”

I call out to her, confused.

“Why don’t you call me Shino… Why are you acting like we’re strangers…?”

“Uh… is something wrong?”

Something’s off… something’s very off. Until just now, her responses were closed off and minimal. Now they’re longer, which is weird, but more than that…

“We kissed for the first time last week, and yesterday we made love in bed, so why are you treating me like a stranger today…?”

“…Um… I was home all day yesterday, though… Are you maybe confusing me with someone else?”

This is bad… My sixth sense is screaming at me. I need to get out of here right now. But Asagiri-san’s blocking the door… and she has the key in her hand. It might already be locked.

I need to handle this carefully…!

“Ahaha.”

She twists her mouth into an eerie smile, and my spine goes cold.

“…Maybe you’re right. Maybe I am confused. Maybe you were home all day… but I was there with you! Because we’re lovers! That’s definitely true… it has to be true! But then that stupid girl was hugging you… You promised you wouldn’t cheat!”

I don’t understand… It’s true I have multiple girlfriends. But Asagiri-san isn’t one of them. I can count the number of times we’ve talked on both hands.

But one thing’s clear—throwing logic at her right now will only make things worse. I need to stay calm… I need to calm her down.

“I know we’re not lovers, but… I am your lover! So call me by my name… call me Shino!”

I pull the distraught Asagiri-san into an embrace.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you… Shino.”

“…Will you go out with me…?”

How should I answer this… No, I already know. Agreeing to date her is the only way to get through this. If I don’t, then again…

“…If that’s what you want.”

“I’m so happy!”

She seems to have calmed down a bit… Thank god.

I’ve gained another girlfriend. What am I going to do…?

“Ow!”

While lost in thought, I suddenly feel a sharp pain like a bee sting.

“This is proof we’re lovers… Nice to meet you again, Ren.”

Apparently, she just bit my neck and left a mark.

The blood on her canine teeth, with the darkening school in the background, made her look like a vampire.

“…Likewise.”

While hiding my trembling hands… I glance down at the fallen paper. I want to praise myself for not screaming.

—————————

“Shino and Ren’s To-Do List”

—————————

《side: Asagiri Shino》

Today, I’m alone with Ren-kun after so long.

In the empty reference room, I smile softly.

This really is the most calming place. Our usual spot, our usual time, our usual two.

“Hey, Ren-kun. Will you hold my hand again today?”

Without saying a word, Ren-kun takes my hand like always.

I intertwine my fingers with his so he can’t let go.

…His fingers feel a bit colder than usual.

But that’s okay. I’ll warm them up for him.

—————————

After school, in the empty classroom.

I sit in the seat next to Ren-kun and talk to him.

“I made cookies. I baked a whole bunch last night.”

I gently place a container on the desk. Inside are my handmade cookies, all lined up.

All of them are Ren-kun’s favorite flavors.

“…Delicious? I’m so glad!”

“Ren-kun” smiles and nods, making me blush.

“Huh? Ehehe, they were that good? I’ll make lots more! After all, I’m Ren-kun’s girlfriend.”

You’re such a glutton! I need to practice making sweets for Ren-kun…

—————————

At night, in front of my house. The front door opens with a quiet sound.

I step softly into the empty living room.

I sit on the sofa in the empty room and nestle close to “Ren-kun.”

We press our bodies together and our lips meet. In the darkness, we made love.

—————————

In the dark room, no one is there.

From the container on the dining table drifts the sweet scent of cookies.

Sitting shallowly on the empty sofa, Shino’s lips curl into a smile.

“Yeah, today was a happy day too—Ren-kun.”

It was a happy day.

Feeling that way, she checked off another item on her to-do list.