Chapter 14 – The Typical Day in School

The first weekday after (part of) my secret relationship with Yukimori was exposed to Kazuki and Toudou.

“…I don’t wanna go…”

That was the very first thing I said upon waking up.

Can you blame me? Even if it wasn’t the whole truth, the fact that Yukimori and I were connected got found out. And by two people. At the same time.

Damn it. If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have picked my regular ramen place. I’d have gone somewhere random.

They say office workers dread Mondays, and now I really get how they feel. I seriously don’t wanna go to school.

But if I take a day off now, it’ll just look like I have something to hide… Ugh, but still, I really don’t wanna go. I just wanna skip.

As I rolled around under the covers, my phone suddenly buzzed.

Who the hell is messaging me this early in the morning…? Wait, Yukimori?

[Employer: Skipping school is a no-no, okay? ♡]

Geh. Is she a mind reader or something? Or maybe she’s using her family’s influence to monitor me somehow?

…Knowing Yukimori, either one seems plausible, which is honestly terrifying.

[Employer: Hello? Haaatse-kun~? Are you ignoring me~? Please don’t. I’ll cry~]

[Inori: So noisy.]

[Employer: Calling your mistress’s sweet message “noisy”!? How rude!]

Who’s my mistress? Nobody, that’s who.

Haha, seriously…

…Huh? My shoulders feel lighter all of a sudden. Could it be… just exchanging texts with Yukimori is what cheered me up? If so, I’m way too simple.

I got out of bed feeling lighter and started getting ready, humming to myself.

“Yo, Kazuki. Morning.”

“Oh hey, traitor. Morning.”

“That’s a hell of a way to greet someone. At least you still said ‘morning.’”

Since the usual crowd was gathered around Yukimori, I took my regular seat behind Kazuki.

“So, what happened with your part-time job afterward?”

“Not much. Just dropped her off. She looked like she wasn’t feeling well.”

“Yeah, now that you mention it.”

Judging by her messages this morning and how she looks now, Yukimori seems okay, at least for now.

We still don’t know why she looked so out of it or why her lust went totally off the rails that night.

Well, she’s human too. I guess everyone has those days.

I glanced toward Yukimori from a distance, and she noticed me. She gave me a goddess-like smile and waved.

Kazuki, unable to resist, waved back with a lovestruck expression.

“Man, she’s just too cute… If I could work under someone like her, I wouldn’t even mind it was a black company.”

“Is that how it is?”

“You wouldn’t get it—you’re already working for her.”

I mean, I get how Kazuki feels. I felt the same way at first.

Getting to hang out and have sex with the school’s goddess, Yukimori, under the pretense of satisfying lust—and getting paid for it.

It’s basically heaven. Honestly, I still think it is.

But after seeing Yukimori’s private life and her moments of unfiltered desire, I’ve started to sense a deeper, darker part of her… and it’s hard to fully enjoy the situation anymore.

“Kazuki, I’m serious—keep this a secret. Both Yukimori and I really don’t want any extra attention.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. I know where to draw the line.”

“Thanks.”

“Three ramen will do.”

“You trying to leech off me?”

“C’mon, it’s a good deal, right?”

“…Sigh, fine.”

I’m making good money anyway, so it’s not like I’m hurting. If this is enough to keep him quiet, it’s a cheap price to pay.

As I sighed softly, a familiar head of blonde hair entered the classroom from the back.

“Morning, Hatsuse… and you too, Tomita.”

“Yo yo, morning~!”

“…Oh. Morning.”

…? Is it just me, or is Toudou being kind of distant with Kazuki? Has she always been like that?

Well, I guess I can’t talk. I feel awkward too.

It’s not like Kazuki or Toudou did anything wrong. They just happened to stumble onto us. Pure coincidence.

But the fact remains—Yukimori started acting strange right after Toudou’s “consultation.” So it’s not strange that she might be feeling cautious.

Toudou leaned over and peered at my face, which I’d instinctively turned away.

“Ha-ta-se. Goooood mor-ning.”

“Ugh… G-Good morning.”

“Very good. Now greet people properly, will you?”

“…Yeah, yeah.”

I honestly have no clue what Toudou is thinking.

She sat down next to me and crossed her legs in her short skirt.

Different from Yukimori’s slender legs—hers were plump, and honestly looked like they’d be great to squeeze… Wait, what the hell am I thinking? I’m being infected by Yukimori’s lust or something. Focus, me!

“Inori, you’re staring.”

“Are you a thigh guy?”

“No! Look, if someone sits like that, any guy would glance!”

“Yeah, I get it. Makes you want to slip your fingers into the gap. Warm yourself up there in winter.”

“Die, Tomita.”

“Kazuki, that’s gross.”

“Why am I the only one catching flak!?”

This time, it was Kazuki’s fault. And yeah, that was gross.

I looked away from the two bickering idiots and accidentally locked eyes with Yukimori. She was being watched too—probably by the girls around her, who were giving me strange looks.

Okay, maybe we were being a little too loud. My bad. But she does hog my seat every morning, so maybe we’re even?

Just then, my phone buzzed.

[Employer: So, Hatsuse-kun, do you like thighs?]

What is she even asking now?

[Inori: As much as any guy.]

[Employer: Then what do you really like?]

[Inori: Not telling.]

[Employer: It’s an order from your mistress, you know.]

Again—who’s the mistress here?

Can you please stop playing that trump card? When you say that, I can’t not obey…

[Inori: …Probably boobs and abs, I guess.]

[Employer: Ah, so that’s why you always want me facing you.]

[Inori: No, that’s because you said you wanted to see my face during it.]

[Employer: I dug my own grave.]

I glanced up to see Yukimori blushing furiously—so much that the girls around her were starting to worry she might be sick.

Come on, you’re smart. Don’t forget the stuff you say yourself.

“Oh? Inori, you look like you’re in a good mood.”

“Huh? Why?”

“You were smiling at your phone. Wait—did you find a new busty gravure idol? Show me, show me!”

“Drop dead.”

“Somehow that stings more than ‘die’…”

I gave Kazuki a light smack on the head and put my phone away. Toudou was looking at me, surprised.

“…What?”

“I didn’t know you were into gravure idols and stuff.”

“Don’t buy into Kazuki’s crap. I’m a decent guy, okay?”

“I mean, you are a guy, so I get it. You don’t have to hide it.”

“Don’t give me that understanding-girlfriend look.”

Yeah, I used to look at that kind of stuff. I even used to joke around with Kazuki about it.

But I stopped around the time I started getting involved with Yukimori.

It’s not like we’re dating or anything. Still… I started feeling kind of bad for doing it.

That’s all there is to it.

Apparently bored with our conversation, Toudou turned to Kazuki.

“So… are you into legs or anything?”

“Love them.”

“…I see.”

She fidgeted and kept crossing and uncrossing her legs. I’m begging you—stop doing that in such a short skirt. I can see. Like, seriously.

[Employer: Well, you get to see not just my legs now, but everything, don’t you? ♡]

I feft her on read.

[Employer: Don’t ignooooore meeeeeee!?]