The Beautiful Senpai from the Archery Club Is Sleeping in My Room with Her Stomach Exposed. - Chapter 23: A Battle of Wits Between a Would-Be Detective and a Would-Be Culprit.

A Battle of Wits Between a Would-Be Detective and a Would-Be Culprit.

The early morning classroom, dimly lit and quiet, was usually my private sanctuary. But today—

“My sister’s been acting even stranger since yesterday.”

“…Is that so?”

Once again, Shion had taken the initiative. Facing her sharp, striking features one-on-one always carried a certain tension.

“Do you have any idea why? If you do, you’d better spill. It’ll be in your best interest.”

She perched on a desk, idly playing with the ends of her wolf-cut hair.

She was interrogating me first thing in the morning, but this time, I genuinely had no clue. If we’re talking about yesterday, all I did was enjoy the after-party and head home.

“What do you mean by Watanuki-senpai acting strange? Isn’t it just your imagination?”

“No way. I know my sister far better than you ever could, ‘middle management.'”

Her glare was sharp.

Well, I couldn’t argue with that. The difference in how long we’d known her was like night and day. How could I possibly outmatch someone who had spent their entire life under the same roof with her?

“If you’re that convinced, then tell me—how exactly is she acting strange?”

“I heard her humming from the next room. She even let out this weird little laugh.”

“…Huh? That’s it? Maybe she was just in a good mood?”

“For the past several years, my sister has never, not once, seemed happy in her own room. This is an abnormal situation.”

She stated it with absolute certainty.

Wow, Senpai, your little sister thinks you’re a permanently grumpy person. Just how quietly do you usually live your life…?

“I also heard her say the word ‘matching.’ Do you know anything about that?”

“Hmm.”

We did order the same steak at the after-party. Could that be it?

Maybe she liked it so much that she ended up humming. That’s… actually kind of cute, Senpai.

“You’re smirking… Did something come to mind?”

“Huh? Oh, no, I don’t know anything. And I’m not smirking. Senpai and I aren’t that close, anyway.”

“…Suspicious. Are you hiding something my sister gave you? A matching keychain, stationery, something like that? I’d appreciate your cooperation in a bag inspection.”

“Ahh. Yeah, I’ll have to decline. Privacy reasons, you know?”

I had nothing to hide, but letting a girl rummage through my belongings was still embarrassing.

“…Refusing only makes you look more suspicious. Do you have something to hide?”

Is this how interrogators build their cases? Because I seriously don’t have anything.

“Tch. If you suspect me that much, fine, search away. But isn’t it meaningless if you don’t compare it to Watanuki-senpai’s belongings?”

“…That won’t be a problem. I have a good grasp of my sister’s possessions. I observe her at home.”

Without hesitation, she slipped on a pair of tight black gloves and started methodically going through my bag. What is she, a forensic investigator who turned to the dark side?

“Hmm… Nothing in your bag.”

“See? I told you. And maybe you should stop assuming I’m the ‘matching’ partner here?”

“…When I read mysteries, I always keep a close eye on the most likely suspect. Right now, that’s you.”

Why am I experiencing a real-life whodunit from the suspect’s point of view?

I’m just helping Senpai, yet I feel like I’m being cornered…

“I need to check your pockets, too.”

“Sure, go ahead. There’s nothing in them.”

Without hesitation, my stunning classmate reached into my pockets.

Right pocket, left pocket. Blazer, right and left. Lastly, the right side of my dress shirt—wait, are you checking that thoroughly?!

“…Nothing here either.”

“Morning—Whoa! What the hell are you two doing?!”

A freshman from the basketball team, full of promise, had just walked in and froze.

I’ve seen this scene before. Shion rifling through my chest pocket, a sharp “Tch” of frustration—déjà vu.

“…I’ll be keeping a close watch on you. The cleanup is your responsibility.”

With that, Shion withdrew her hand from my chest and left the classroom.

She really didn’t care if this looked bad. And yet, she just dumped it all on me and walked off.

Lately, she’s been running circles around me.

Being on the receiving end all the time wasn’t exactly great for my pride as a gamer…

“Uh, Amemoto. What just—”

Normally, I’d shake it off and chat with my classmate. But I could do that anytime.

This was my chance to catch her off guard.

“Sorry, I gotta go after Shion.”

Leaving the bewildered basketball player behind, I darted into the hallway.

There she was. She hadn’t expected me to follow. Hands stuffed in her blazer pockets, walking leisurely.

I closed the distance silently and called out just as we reached an empty classroom.

“You know, Shion, you sure have a sharp eye for people.”

“…!?”

Hit the mark, huh? She stopped in her tracks, spun around fast, and gave me a startled look.

Good reaction. Time to press the attack.

Whether it was because I hit the mark or simply caught them off guard, their steps halted, and they swiftly turned around with a sharp pivot. What a reaction. This was my chance to push further.

“Hey, you’re just pretending to be a lone wolf, aren’t you? You must be at least somewhat interested in other people—after all, you’ve been watching me closely enough to analyze my behavior.”

“…I’m not. I don’t have any interest in that kind of thing.”

“No need to lie about it. No one’s ever pointed out that I act like middle management before. You must pay a lot of attention to the class.”

“…If this is supposed to be some kind of payback, it won’t work on me.”

Their normally composed face showed a hint of hesitation. Their eyebrows drew together slightly, as if embarrassed. Ah, that’s just the kind of reaction I’d expect from Watanuki-senpai. Maybe I could break down their sister’s defenses too.

“Besides, you got your information by eavesdropping on your sister’s room, didn’t you? What’s this, some kind of stalker-level sibling obsession?”

“Sh-shut up! That’s not it! My bed just happens to be right up against the wall, that’s all! And besides, it’s just that my sister has too much presence!”

“Oh? So you usually call her ‘sister’? Ah, now I remember—you used that word before, didn’t you?”

“Ugh! Don’t get cocky! …Once I have proof, I’m going to make you pay for this!”

Leaving behind a completely new type of sore-loser remark, Shion-san stormed off.

Yes! Victory. Finally, I got the upper hand. No trophies, no experience points—just an utterly meaningless win.

…Once again, I got way too into it.

For some reason, anything involving the Watanuki sisters ignited my competitive spirit like a hardcore gamer facing a final boss.

With that thought lingering in my mind, I turned to head back to the classroom.

“I swear, it’s real!”

A voice rang out near the entrance.

One of the guys from the basketball team was speaking passionately to a group of girls.

“I’m telling you, Watanuki totally grabbed Amemoto’s chest over his shirt!”

That’s ridiculous. How do you even get something like that so completely wrong?

“Huh, maybe Amemoto’s actually popular? The other day, I went to the second-year classrooms for something, and he was surrounded by a bunch of gyaru upperclassmen.”

That was just them messing with me… Not that it made it any less painful to hear.

With rumors like this spreading, stepping into the classroom felt like a hassle.

I’ll clear up the misunderstanding later. For now, about-face. I’d just kill some time somewhere else.

Lately, I’d been drawing more attention than usual. And at the center of it all were the Watanuki sisters.

I needed to do something about this. My peaceful life was slipping further and further away.

Maybe it was time to finally collect the information I was owed about Shion-san—

And bring my contract with senpai to its conclusion.

***

The long-awaited Special Relaxation Course day had arrived.

A warm, soft orange glow filled the room, with a video of a bamboo grove gently playing on the wall.

Soothing ambient music flowed from the speakers, and the subtle scent of jasmine drifted from a tabletop diffuser.

And accompanying all of that was—

“Nngh…♡ Ahh, wait, Amemoto-kun! O-oh, hngh, you’re too good at massaging my legs…♡”

“I’m seriously considering getting a massage certification at this point.”

This… This was not something her parents should ever hear.

For just this moment, my room felt like an entirely different kind of establishment.

“Alright, that’s it for today. Your legs were really tense—you should plan your running schedule more carefully and take proper rest days.”

I pulled my hands away from Senpai’s smooth legs, now free from her sheer tights.

Her muscles were well-toned, proof of her regular training. Apparently, she had even started attending school with added weights recently…

“Mmh… But thanks to you, I’ve been making a conscious effort to take breaks… Hah, ahh…♡”

Having had both her shoulders and legs massaged, Watanuki-senpai collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily.

Now that I thought about it, Shion-san also mentioned “taking a day off.” Though, in my opinion, intentional rest wasn’t the same as slacking off. Whatever.

“Alright then, I’ll go prepare some tea and snacks.”

“W-wait…!”

Still sprawled on the floor, Senpai suddenly grabbed my ankle with a firm grip.

A scene straight out of a zombie movie.

She looked up at me with a relaxed yet mischievous smile.

“I have something for you.”

“Huh?”

“Since it’s a special relaxation day, I prepared something perfect for the occasion.”

Curious, I stopped in my tracks.

Senpai wobbled to her feet and dug through her bag.

“Ta-da.”

What she pulled out and held up was—

A matching set of a blue top and black leggings.

Wait, clothes?

“Here, a present for you. I’d like to give you a set of yoga wear, Amemoto-kun.”

“Yoga…? Wait, seriously? I’ve never done it before.”

“Fufu, don’t worry. I took the liberty of studying through videos in advance. I can guide you through it. I even got a set for myself.”

With that, she pulled out another set from her bag—a women’s yoga outfit. The design was different from mine, likely to provide support around the chest.

“I chose blue for both of us. I really like the color.”

“Matching colors, huh…? Oh—”

A realization clicked into place. This was what she meant by “matching.”

Even Shion wouldn’t be able to figure this out—unless I decided to wear yoga attire to school, which was obviously not happening. That thought put me at ease, but at the same time, I was still overwhelmed. Wait… Are we actually about to do yoga? My flexibility is a joke—I might as well be made of wood. Can I even pull this off?

“……I see. Um… does this not really fit your idea of relaxation? I’m sorry if I was too hasty.”

“W-w-wait! I was just surprised! I’m really happy—I’ll go change right away!”

Seeing her uneasy smile, my body moved on its own. I couldn’t let her down. Grabbing the yoga outfit, I rushed toward the changing room.

I had planned to bring up the contract completion, but… for today, I guess I’ll just focus on yoga.