Vol 1 Chapter 15 – Takakura Emma’s Ambition

Kajiwara-kun came in cosplay.

The sight of him was overflowing with such sexual appeal.

I, Emma, felt a shiver run through me the moment I saw him.

“Does this suit me?”

He asked, but it was beyond just “suiting him.”

To be honest, I had always loved muscular men in the 2D world.

But lately, I’m starting to love them more in the 3D world.

It’s Kajiwara-kun’s fault.

At this point, everything is Kajiwara-kun’s fault.

His broad back, his thick neck, the muscles that packed his entire frame.

They all stoked the masochistic desire within me to be forcefully disciplined by a man in uniform. —Mainly in a sexual sense. To have my strongest resistance crushed by brute force as I’m pinned down.

This month’s book is about that exact theme, and Kajiwara-kun has to know it.

Why must he so casually expose my masochistic heart?

“I-It suits you, but why?”

I had to ask.

Why so suddenly?

I had been under the impression that Kajiwara-kun disliked cosplaying.

But here he was, having gone out of his way to prepare a cosplay of a shonen manga buddy character, wearing a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, every line of his body and his collarbones standing out, his muscles looking ready to tear through the fabric.

What brought on this change of heart?

“I’m an otaku, too, so I’m not against cosplay itself. There was just another reason.”

…I think I get it, somehow.

It’s probably true that there aren’t any otaku who truly hate cosplay.

So, did he just not want to be looked at in a sexual way?

I pondered it, but that didn’t feel right either.

Could it be that he was afraid of being seen as conceited for thinking he was the kind of person who would look good in cosplay?

Was it that kind of aversion?

That wasn’t true at all; it suited him ridiculously well.

As I was thinking, Toudou-chan closed in on him, patting him all over with an inquisitive and shameless curiosity.

Finally, she even hugged him.

Wait, are you allowed to do something so enviable?

No way, of course not.

That’s sexual harassment.

But Kajiwara-kun was unbothered, accepting it calmly.

Honestly, I want to do it too.

I want to press my body against his with complete abandon.

To rub my chest and legs against him, like mating slugs.

But I’m too embarrassed to ever do something like that.

Or rather, if I did that, I’d be a total pervert.

“Do you think I can contribute to book sales with this?”

I worried about him as he asked me this.

Of course it’s a contribution.

A huge contribution, probably.

Even now, gazes from the nearby circles were focused on him, drawn by the rare sight of a male cosplayer working as a sales assistant.

Those gazes were piercing Toudou-chan, who was clinging to him, filled with nothing but pure jealousy.

Is Kajiwara-kun really okay with this?

I subtly tried to warn him not to push himself, but he really didn’t seem to mind.

What should I do?

Should I pat him all over, and maybe even get a hug?

Do I have that kind of courage?!

If I did, I wouldn’t have this stuttering, timid personality!!

I scolded myself and gracefully taped the poster up in a more visible spot, then arranged the books for sale on the desk.

Kajiwara-kun helped me.

Why did such a nice guy join our club?

Oh, right, it’s because President Takahashi recruited him.

The president really is amazing.

How many good deeds would you have to do in a past life to be liked by a guy like this?

Although, I’d always thought that the person who saved me in this life couldn’t possibly be unpopular with men.

Come to think of it, this is only natural.

Yep.

I wish they would just hurry up and start dating.

Kajiwara-kun and President Takahashi were a truly perfect couple.

“My self-esteem is pretty low, you know.”

All sorts of thoughts were running through my head.

In the middle of it all, he let that slip during his back-and-forth with Toudou-chan.

Low self-esteem, huh?

He probably means it from the bottom of his heart, but from an outside perspective, Kajiwara-kun is an incredibly charming guy, you know?

Just his physique alone is a powerful form of sex appeal.

And on top of that, he’s an otaku, like us.

That’s the thing; it makes you get the wrong idea.

It makes you think that even an otaku like me might “have a chance” because our hobbies align.

Thinking that far, I considered the meaning of “have a chance,” and my head felt like it was about to boil over.

I start thinking about really, really lewd things.

I shook my head violently to clear away the lust and turned to scold Toudou-chan.

“Toudou-chan, seriously, stop it. It’s common sense not to touch cosplayers.”

I grabbed Toudou-chan’s waist and pulled.

How long does she plan on clinging to Kajiwara-kun?

Are they mating cicadas?

Is she in heat like some dog or cat?

As I was thinking that, she grabbed my waist in return and pulled me close.

It was good that she let go of Kajiwara-kun, but this felt frustrating in its own way, like we were just best friends.

We held each other in an embrace, our hands on each other’s waists.

I loved her.

I loved everyone in the club, and when they do things like this, my head spins.

After all, I didn’t have a single friend until high school.

It’s just so much fun, and I’m so happy, that things like this make me want to cry.

“I hope we can all stay good friends in the future, too. Long after we finish high school.”

Toudou-chan murmured.

Ahh.

I wish I could stay with President Takahashi, Toudou-chan, and Segawa-chan forever.

As lifelong friends, always.

I’d even be okay with all of us sharing an apartment together.

Just as I was thinking that.

“There!”

Toudou-chan suddenly shoved me towards Kajiwara-kun.

He caught me against his solid chest, holding me the way one might handle a pet dog or cat.

Ehh?!

“Wh-What are you doing! Toudou-chan!!”

“Well, you were looking so enviously at me touching Kajiwara-kun, Emma. Just sharing the wealth.”

She grinned.

Well, I was looking, but still!!

This is way too forceful!

What will you do if this makes Kajiwara-kun hate me?!

I was about to scream, but I stopped myself.

I was held firmly against Kajiwara-kun’s chest, so close I could hear the beat of his heart in my ear.

My own heart hammered in response.

“I’d be happy if you’d let me be a part of those future plans, too.”

“Hohe?”

A sudden answer from Kajiwara-kun.

His words were a reply to Toudou-chan.

A reply to my own wish: for the four of us in the Modern Culture Research Society to stay close for the rest of our lives.

He was saying that he wanted to be a part of that.

Those words meant—no, wait, could it be, did that mean…

Wait, that doesn’t mean he’s willing to be the man for the four of us, does it?

In this age of polygamy, that doesn’t mean he’s willing to take the four of us as his brides, does it?

No way.

That can’t be it.

But just thinking that it might be, my head felt like it would boil over.

My face turned beet red, and my tongue got so twisted I bit it.

But even so, I had to ask.

“Eh, d-do you mean it… that way? Is that what you mean?”

“Huh?”

I was spiraling.

Completely and utterly spiraling.

How wonderful would that be?

The four of us, his wives, surrounding Kajiwara-kun in the same bed.

We would do the most amazing things every single night.

As for my part, I’d have him forcefully pin me down as part of our play.

He’d grab me by the scruff of my neck.

My fantasy went that far, and—

“Aaaand, that’s enough of that. The convention’s about to start. It’s good manners for everyone to clap.”

Toudou-chan grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and forcefully pulled me away.

She pulled me away.

What am I thinking, this is so embarrassing!!

I was about to say something outrageous!!

There’s no way Kajiwara-kun was thinking anything like that!!

Thank you, Toudou-chan.

I was about to voice my insane desires and completely creep Kajiwara-kun out.

Still reeling with excitement, I glanced nervously from side to side and got ready to clap.

Along with the announcement that the convention was starting, applause echoed from everyone in the venue.

“…”

My face flushed crimson with shame and self-loathing, I clapped with all my might.

So hard that it felt like my palms were about to turn as red as my face.