The Beautiful Senpai from the Archery Club Is Sleeping in My Room with Her Stomach Exposed. - Chapter 36: There's no way anyone could guess something like that.

There’s no way anyone could guess something like that.

I sat deep in thought, not even holding a pen. A nickname for Watanuki-senpai, huh… No, this is no good. Even digging through my memory, I can’t recall ever hearing one.

Shion-san, on the other hand, was already writing her answer without hesitation. No sign of doubt in her expression. Could it be that this is just common knowledge among those close to Senpai…?

“I’ve always wanted to try calling Rino-chan by a nickname~”

“Ah, I get it! I’m curious what the answer is too, maybe I can use it as a reference!”

…Apparently not common knowledge. Despite it being their first time meeting, Senpai’s two female friends were getting excited over the topic.

The atmosphere on the quizmaster’s side was relaxed and easygoing. Well, it was just a casual after-school activity, this little “battle” of ours.

But when I looked at the subject of all this talk, Senpai, she was waving her fan with a frustrated look on her face that read, “Go Amemoto♡ Win♡”. Honestly, she had the passion of a diehard fan attending my final (and losing) match. I’m not that close to defeat yet, Senpai.

“…I’m sorry… This is my fault…”

Ah. No, that’s not it. She’s probably upset with herself. She gripped the bead cushion tightly and muttered in frustration.

She must regret not having told me something as basic as her nickname. But really, there’s no need to blame yourself over something so minor.

We’ve prepared in our own way, haven’t we?

Rather than put that encouragement into words, I wanted to show it through action.

I wanted to see the moment her unnecessary regret turned into joy.

So I pushed my mind harder than ever before, trying to reverse-engineer what Watanuki-senpai’s nickname could be.

What sort of name would suit someone as full of charm as her?

In mere seconds, dozens of options crossed my mind—appearing, disappearing—until I finally found it.

From the surface of my thoughts, I scooped up one idea that shone brighter than the rest. This is it. If I were to call Senpai by a nickname, this would be the one. Trusting that instinct, I began writing with confidence.

“Ooh, Touya, looks like you’ve finished writing too? Alright then, let’s reveal our answers for question two!”

Following the prompt, I turned my paper for everyone to see.

“Rinonyan” — that’s my answer.

“Aw~ That’s actually kind of cute in a surprising way. I don’t think I could say it out loud, though~”

“Yeah, I feel the same. But it’s got a good chance of being right, doesn’t it? I couldn’t use it in daily conversation, but I like it!”

“…”

The nickname I put my heart into got gently dismissed by the girls. That once-glowing idea now felt dull. I kind of want to softly die now.

“My submissions are a collection of nicknames that were popular even at our old extracurricular club… ‘Watanuu’, ‘Tanuki-chan’, ‘Tanupon’, ‘Rinocchi’, ‘Rinorin’, and ‘Rinoppi’.”

“…Are you trying to overkill me?”

The sheer number. And the confident, elegant handwriting made it clear these weren’t random guesses. The words themselves carried certainty and flair.

“Hmm… The only one I’ve never been called is Amemoto-kun’s ‘Rinonyan’. So, one point for Shion on question two.”

“Yes!”

Shion-san celebrated with a small fist pump, savoring her win. If this quiz used an additive scoring system, she would’ve gained six points by now—and I’d be totally defeated. That was close.

Still, for someone who had no prior knowledge, I think I was pretty close, wasn’t I? Nice try, me. I’ll keep trusting my instincts and reasoning.

Trying not to dwell on failure, I started focusing again for the third question—

“If Amemoto-kun had just called me ‘Rinonyan’ beforehand, it would’ve been a correct answer.”

“…Huh?”

That gentle voice dug up my mistake, breaking my concentration.

“Hehe. If you want to call me that, go ahead. You just cost yourself a point, you know. That hesitance of yours is a bad habit.”

Despite missing the mark, Senpai looked oddly cheerful as she relaxed into a casual sitting position.

“Uh, well… calling you that beforehand would’ve been impossible. I didn’t know the answer, so I had to make it up on the spot.”

“I see. So it was freshly made, huh? Then—since it’s a special one, I’d love to hear it for real. Go ahead, Amemoto-kun, try calling me that.”

…She wants me to say the nickname that the other girls just tactfully rejected? Out loud, in front of everyone? That’s… a high hurdle.

“Uhh… okay, sure. Someday. Eventually.”

“Now is good.”

“Ehh… um… R-Rinonyan-senpai…”

“Mhm. That extra bit at the end wasn’t necessary, but well done. That’s another lovely nickname to add to the list. Thank you, Amemoto-kun.”

When I gave in and said it, she smiled that usual, soft smile of hers.

Bit by bit, Watanuki-senpai’s tension seemed to be easing. If I could be even a small part of that, then mustering the courage was worth it.

“…I’m the one who actually won the second round, and yet… this just feels so unsatisfying…”

Despite her victory, the younger sister, who clearly wanted Senpai to smile, just clicked her pen’s back end, grumbling while listening in.

Hmm. It looks like I need to draw even more of Shion-san’s attention.

In that case, round three will be the turning point. I need to take the lead and make her see me. Then I’ll talk with Senpai again and show that side of her to Shion.

This time for sure, I’ll sharpen my focus on the quiz—

***

“And there we have it—Shion-san takes another point! Amemoto Touya is in trouble!”

I didn’t know the answer to the third question either, so I got it wrong again. Turns out that all my deep focus amounted to nothing. This quiz really is a game of luck—either you know the answer beforehand, or you don’t.

“Wow, I did not expect the captain’s childhood dream to be world domination!”

That’s not something you can logically deduce! Compared to that, my guess of pastry chef now feels adorably small.

“…Just curious, what century was Watanuki-senpai born in again? The 1500s?”

“T-That was just a kid’s dream, okay!? I’d forgotten all about it until it was mentioned!”

Senpai flailed in embarrassment.

Worried about falling behind, my tone may have turned slightly accusatory. Shion-san picked up on it and scoffed at me.

“Heh. So you didn’t even know your beloved Senpai went through a phase of obsessing over samurai while learning about Japanese culture? Amateur.“

“Grr… Shion-san, communities where veterans gatekeep newcomers have no future!”

“And that’s fine. I’m not looking to share my favorites.”

As expected, living with Watanuki-senpai for years gave her an overwhelming advantage. Before I knew it, the score was 1–2.

Even if I wanted to aim for a draw and win by tiebreaker, I’d have to pray Shion-san makes a mistake on at least one question.

“Amemoto-kun…”

Now Senpai’s fan read “Don’t lose♡”. Her grip on the handle looked like she was offering a prayer.

Just moments ago, she had that warm smile… and now, she looks worried again. Damn. Just as she was beginning to relax…

I need to score points here—if not for myself, then at least to keep our chances alive. I want my senpai to feel at ease. If I get a bit lucky with the question, I should be able to get it right.

“Alrighty then, let’s move on to the next one~!”

It felt just like the moment before pulling a ten-roll in a gacha game with saved-up login bonuses. The way Mei poised herself before reading the next question looked more like a summoning animation than anything else.

Come on, give me a question that’s SSR-tier in its simplicity. Please, I’m begging you…!

“Hmm, this one’s actually got me curious too! Alright, here’s the question! ‘What’s Rino Watanuki’s current obsession?’”

“…I’ve won.”

With absolute confidence in her lead, Shion swiftly scribbled her answer down, not a hint of hesitation in her movements. She finished in moments, then glanced at me—still deliberating—with a pitying look, as if to say I’d already lost.

“Fortune’s on my side this time… I wouldn’t blame Amemoto Touya for getting this one wrong. If you don’t live under the same roof, it’s a tough question to answer.”

“…Huh? Sounds like your answer’s different from mine.”

“Apparently so. But judging from how long you’re taking to write it down, I’d wager yours is already wrong…”

Even with that kind of pressure, it didn’t faze me anymore. I’d regained my composure.

I could hear bits of casual chatter from Urushibara and the others, trying to make small talk to fill the waiting time.

“Trying to find something to talk about with the team captain,” they joked.

I finished my lengthy response and set down my pen.

Thank you, gacha luck. This one’s definitely SSR.

“Okay! This might just be the deciding moment of the game—the moment of fate! Let’s reveal the answers!”

“…‘Yoga.’ That’s my answer.”

Just two short syllables, but they rang with a strong air of correctness.

“I saw new yoga wear added to her laundry recently—that’s my proof. She must’ve started incorporating it into her training routine. And Rino isn’t the type to brag about her hard work, so it’s not something she’d talk about often… which means you wouldn’t have had the chance to know.”

It was a sound deduction, one that clearly took advantage of living in the same house.

I understood why she closed her eyes, so confident in her win.

But… she was wrong. That’s not senpai’s latest obsession.

This was the kind of question you’d never know the answer to unless you’d been spending time in my room.

“…? Why the silence…?”

Shion finally opened her eyes, wearing a smug grin. Then, with a puzzled expression, she read aloud my answer—the one all the girls had been secretly giggling at.

“…Wait, what? ‘Hugging the beanbag in my room’?”

“Umm… Amemoto-kun… I can’t believe you actually wrote that down…”

“I know. Sorry. But I remembered her saying it not too long ago.”

“That’s true. I did mention it… so I guess this is on me too.”

“So, how should we prove it? Shion-san doesn’t seem convinced.”

“Wait—you know what this implies. You’re really gonna make her demonstrate it in front of Urushibara and everyone…?”

“If possible, yes.”

“You’re awful… Seriously. But, well… okay. Amemoto-kun is correct~”

With a resigned sigh, Watanuki-senpai hugged the cushion she had been sitting on—tight.

That gesture, done right then and there, served as living proof of the answer.
To me, it was a familiar sight I’d long since grown used to.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

For Shion, seeing it for the first time, it was like witnessing something utterly unbelievable. She just stood there, stunned.