Chapter Two: Let’s Go on a Date!
The mansion provided by the Kōnoe family for Toru and Aino was in a prime location.
Situated in Nagoya’s Shirakabe district in Higashi Ward, it was a prestigious residential area where many influential families from the region’s political and business circles resided. In the Edo period, samurai estates lined the streets, and traces of that historic charm—old townscapes and cultural relics—still lingered.
Most importantly, it was within walking distance of Koubunkan, the school Toru and the girls attended. Plus, Nagoya’s bustling downtown area, Sakae, was just one stop away via the Meitetsu Higashi-Ote Station.
And Sakae was exactly where the trio was headed today.
As the train swayed, Aino and Chika seemed in high spirits. They stood near the door, each holding a strap, flanking Toru. Caught between two stunning girls of different types, his heart raced.
“This is my first time going out with Toru-kun, right?” Aino said, glancing up at him with a playful smile.
She was breathtaking. Dressed in stylish casual clothes—a soft cardigan over her outfit—she exuded a gentle charm. Her golden hair and sapphire eyes complemented her look perfectly. Delicate and inspiring a protective instinct, she was, in a word, utterly adorable.
“I’ve gone out with Toru plenty of times,” Chika boasted, puffing out her ample chest. She wore a refined blouse and jacket, her polished appearance radiating mature elegance—a perfect beauty.
Thanks to them, they were drawing every eye on the train.
(Well, even among Koubunkan’s high-caliber girls, these two are probably the top two in cuteness…)
Whether Aino or Chika was cuter depended on personal taste: a golden-haired, blue-eyed Nordic beauty versus a poised, traditional Japanese belle. In the past, Toru might’ve leaned toward someone like Chika.
But now…
Aino flashed him a teasing smile, each gesture tugging at his heart. “Going out with me is a date with your fiancée, right? Exciting, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” Toru agreed. “I’m your fiancé, after all.”
It wasn’t just about hanging out—acknowledging each other as romantic partners felt significant. When he’d gone out with Chika as kids, they were just childhood friends. He’d seen her as a girl back then, and maybe she’d felt the same, but they’d never voiced it.
Now, Chika’s words and actions made it clear she saw him as more than a friend.
She puffed out her cheeks. “I’m here too, you know!”
“Oh, is Kōnoe-san treating this as a date too?” Aino teased.
“I-I’m just here to make sure you two don’t do anything shameless!” Chika stammered.
“Hmm. So if I’m just having a ‘proper relationship’ with Toru-kun, you won’t mind, right?”
With that, Aino gently took Toru’s right arm, linking it with hers. The motion pressed his arm between her generous chest, sending his pulse skyrocketing.
“A-Aino-san… is this really ‘proper’…?” he managed.
“For a high school couple, this is totally normal, right? Besides, you’ve done way naughtier things to me,” she whispered mischievously.
She wasn’t wrong—they’d bathed together, after all—but they were in public! The other passengers were staring. A group of middle school boys in uniforms, likely headed to club activities, shot Toru glares laced with envy. Even a young office lady in her early twenties gave him a jealous look.
“You’re so cool, Toru-kun,” Aino said. “Everyone’s jealous of me.”
“Y-You think so…?”
“Totally. Right, Kōnoe-san?”
Chika faltered under Aino’s gaze. “W-Well… generally speaking, girls might find Toru cool…”
“You think so too, don’t you?” Aino pressed.
“It’s just a general observation!” Chika insisted.
“So you’re not jealous of me and Toru-kun getting cozy?”
Aino remained pressed against him, her closeness wreaking havoc on his heart.
Suddenly, Chika grabbed his left arm, mimicking Aino’s pose—her own chest pressing against him. Sandwiched between them, Toru lost all composure. The surrounding glares seemed to intensify by 250%.
Chika’s face was crimson, her mouth opening and closing as if searching for words. “D-Don’t get the wrong idea! This is just…”
She trailed off, unable to explain herself. Clearly, she was jealous of Aino.
“I-I want to date Toru too!” she blurted out in a panicked yell.
Toru flinched as passengers shot them looks that screamed, “Love triangle drama?”
Aino giggled at Chika’s outburst. “This trio outing’s gonna be fun, right?”
The stares stung, but the train reached Sakae Station quickly. Aino and Chika reluctantly let go of his arms when he asked, though they seemed hesitant.
“There’ll be plenty of chances later…” Chika muttered.
Aino raised an eyebrow, then smirked. “Planning to get cozy with Toru-kun, Kōnoe-san?”
“Exactly. Got a problem?”
Chika, as if shedding her hesitation, met Aino’s gaze with a defiant glare, her cheeks still flushed.
Aino’s expression softened. “Not at all. I want you to be honest with your feelings, Kōnoe-san.”
“Why?”
“So you can make your move on Toru-kun, and I’ll still be the one he chooses.”
Aino’s words were clear and deliberate as they walked. She’d told Toru before, in private, that Chika still cared for him, and he likely had lingering feelings for her too. Aino wanted to win him fair and square, without any regrets.
To Toru, Aino was his fiancée and someone he’d promised to protect. She was his top priority. But Chika—his childhood friend, cousin, and former fiancée—was undeniably special too.
That’s why Aino had thrown down the gauntlet.
Chika’s expression shifted. “You think you can beat me, his childhood friend?”
“I think Toru-kun values me more now,” Aino replied confidently, then glanced at him with a hint of uncertainty in her sapphire eyes. “Right?”
(I’m on Aino-san’s side…)
The answer was clear. “I’m your fiancé,” he said firmly.
Aino’s face lit up.
Chika froze, visibly shaken. After a moment, she muttered, “I’m not upset or anything,” though her tone screamed otherwise.
Hurting Chika wasn’t his intention, but Toru had a line he couldn’t cross. Accepting their trio living arrangement was one thing, but treating his fiancée and his estranged childhood friend equally? That felt wrong, like he was failing as a man.
Aino, however, seemed to have an even bolder idea. “Ever heard of ‘dating’?”
Toru and Chika exchanged puzzled looks.
Chika tilted her head, clearly unfamiliar with the term. Despite being the top student, she didn’t know everything.
Toru, however, recognized it. “It’s a romance term from America, right?”
In Japan, couples typically confess and become official. But in some countries, confessions weren’t a thing. Instead, there was “dating”—a trial period where people tested compatibility.
“Nice one, Toru-kun! You know everything,” Aino praised.
“Just useless trivia,” he said modestly.
“No need to downplay it,” she giggled. “In Finland, it’s similar. You don’t say ‘I like you’ or ‘let’s go out.’ You meet different people, get close, and gradually become a couple.”
“Wow…”
“So, why don’t we do that?”
“Huh?”
“The three of us—Toru-kun, me, and Kōnoe-san—should ‘date’!”
“You mean…”
Realizing what Toru was thinking, Aino quickly shook her head. “I’m only into you, Toru-kun!” she clarified, glancing at him shyly.
Chika cut in. “So, you and I compete for Toru?”
“Exactly! No hard feelings if you lose, okay?”
“What’s in it for me?” Chika asked.
Toru realized something. This setup gave Chika a rare opportunity. He and Aino were already engaged, backed by the Kōnoe family, and he’d accepted Aino as his fiancée. Chika, despite being his childhood friend and former fiancée, had almost no chance of being with him—especially with rivals like Asuka. Yet, this “dating” arrangement put her on equal footing with Aino, despite Aino’s overwhelming advantage.
Aino explained exactly that, proving her quick thinking despite her average grades.
Chika nodded thoughtfully.
“I see…”
Toru hesitated.
“This feels… too convenient for me, doesn’t it?”
It was like he alone had the right to weigh two beautiful girls against each other. That couldn’t be okay.
But Aino smiled softly, and Chika gave a small laugh.
“I’m fine with it,” Aino said. “I’m confident I’ll win.”
“Same here,” Chika added. “I’m not interested in anyone but Toru, and I’m definitely taking him back.”
Their intense gazes left Toru flustered.
(Being pursued by two gorgeous girls is great, but…)
He’d have to choose eventually. Sticking with Aino, as things stood, would hurt Chika.
Aino raised a finger. “Round one, here we go!”
Her gaze landed on a karaoke place in the bustling street.
“Karaoke?!” Chika yelped.
They’d originally planned to see a movie, so the change caught her off guard.
Aino smiled. “I changed my mind. Karaoke’s the quintessential high school girl thing, right?”
“Is it…?” Chika tilted her head.
Aino glanced at her coyly. “Is that a problem?”
“N-No, it’s fine,” Chika said, shaking her head. Her kind nature made it hard for her to refuse Aino’s suggestions.
Toru didn’t mind either, but… “I’m okay with it, but I’ve actually never been to karaoke…”
He found singing in front of others embarrassing, and his lack of friends didn’t help. After Chika’s kidnapping, he’d drifted through school listlessly.
Chika looked surprised. “Really?”
“You really need me around, don’t you?” she teased.
“I thought I was the one supporting Chika back then,” Toru replied.
“W-Well, yeah, but…” She paused. “You called me by my name?”
(Crap…)
Like yesterday, old habits had him calling her “Chika.” She’d been using his name too, a sign their childhood bond was mending. That was a good thing, but not for Aino.
Sure enough, Aino puffed out her cheeks. “Toru-kun’s not helpless. He’s always helping and protecting me, right?”
“Uh, well…”
Aino leaned closer, her sweet scent—perhaps a special perfume for the outing—carrying a mature allure that set his heart pounding.
Chika protested, “Hey, hold on!”
Aino grinned at Toru. “The battle’s already started, you know.”
“B-Battle?”
“The fight for you, Toru-kun,” she said, her tone serious. “I’m not holding back. I’ll beat Kōnoe-san and be Toru-kun’s fiancée, your lover… the most important person in your life.”
Aino’s words carried an unspoken vow: she’d do anything to win. It was partly to provoke Chika, no doubt. For Aino’s plan to work, she needed Chika to take this seriously too.
But Chika was overwhelmed, frozen, unable to respond.
Aino giggled. “Oh, and just like Toru-kun, I’ve never been to karaoke either.”
“Really?” Toru asked, surprised.
“Yup. I didn’t have many friends either,” she admitted.
As a Finnish beauty, Aino stood out in class, a bit of an outsider. She was shy at first, but once she warmed up to someone, she could be bold—something Toru knew all too well. In that sense, Chika might be someone Aino felt comfortable with. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be this friendly.
“So, Kōnoe-san, you’ll have to show us the ropes,” Aino said, striding into the karaoke place with a light step.
Toru and Chika hurried after her.
The place was a chain called Big Karaoke, its red sign glaring. A college-aged part-timer greeted them, and Aino faltered, stammering, “Uh, um…”
(Still shy with strangers…)
Chika stepped in smoothly, explaining everything with the poise of a Kōnoe heiress and student council member. Flawless.
Or so Toru thought, until Chika’s face flushed red. She turned to him, and Aino looked troubled too.
“What’s wrong?” Toru asked.
Chika shrugged. “They’ve got a couple’s discount.”
“Oh, cool. Does it apply to three? Maybe one couple gets the discount, and the third pays full price,” Toru mused.
With the Kōnoe family’s generous funds covering their outing, a small discount didn’t matter much. But that wasn’t the issue.
Aino spoke up. “The couple’s me and Toru-kun, right?”
“No, it’s me and Toru!” Chika countered.
Their eyes locked, sparks flying.
(They’re gonna clash over everything, aren’t they…?)
It was flattering, in a way, knowing it was for him, but still…
The part-timer chuckled. “My, my, someone’s lucky. Just don’t do anything naughty in the karaoke room, okay?”
“We wouldn’t do that as a trio!” Chika snapped, whirling on the employee.
The woman laughed. “So, you’d do it as a pair?”
Chika’s face went crimson. “T-That’s…”
Aino cut in. “I wouldn’t, even as a pair.”
“Huh?” Toru stared, caught off guard.
Aino grinned mischievously. “What, Toru-kun? Were you hoping for something?”
“N-No, that’s not it!”
“I’m the one hoping you’ll do naughty things to me,” she teased.
“Then why say you wouldn’t?”
“Because we’re living together,” she said with a playful lilt. “I’ll get plenty of naughty moments with you at home.”
Was she joking or serious? Either way, Aino was clearly enjoying teasing him.
The part-timer whispered, “Two girls at once, huh?” Toru couldn’t help but notice she reminded him of Toka Tokieda, the Kōnoe family’s secretary. Unlike Toka’s mature, late-twenties beauty, this woman had a youthful, girlish vibe, but the resemblance was uncanny. Probably just a coincidence.
“We’ll apply the couple’s discount to two and regular price for the third,” the employee said.
“Don’t we need to specify who’s the couple?” Toru asked.
“No way we’re starting that kind of drama,” she replied with a grin.
Fair enough—the discount was the same regardless, and the store didn’t care.
Aino and Chika blushed, slightly embarrassed.
The part-timer clapped her hands. “If you’re so keen on a couple’s showdown, I’ve got an idea.”
“What?”
“How about you take turns singing duets with one of the girls? The one who scores higher wins. Sounds fun, right?”
“Does it…?” Toru asked skeptically.
“It’ll show who’s got better chemistry,” she said, her teasing tone eerily like Toka’s.
They headed to the room indicated on their ticket, stopping at the drink bar. When Toru picked ginger ale, Aino and Chika followed suit, their competitive streak showing in their matching choices.
The room was cozy, with plush red chairs and a central table. As Toru sat, Aino plopped down right beside him, her hip and thigh pressed against his.
“A-Aino-san… you’re a bit close, aren’t you?”
“What, getting shy, Toru-kun?” she teased.
“I’m not shy, but…”
“Then give me a hug,” she said with a giggle, her own cheeks pink. She was probably embarrassed too.
Even after bathing and sleeping together, Toru wasn’t used to her closeness—it was too much.
His eyes drifted to the glimpse of her healthy, pale thighs peeking from her skirt. Noticing his gaze, Aino tilted her head. “Or… want to touch my legs?”
“N-No, I wouldn’t!”
“They’re not appealing…?” she asked, feigning disappointment.
Panicked, Toru blurted, “I actually really want to touch them!”
Aino’s face lit up. “Knew it!”
(She totally played me…)
“Go ahead,” she said, lifting her skirt slightly to reveal a daring amount of thigh.
It was dangerously close to showing too much.
“Any higher, and you’d see my panties… so hold back, okay?” she teased.
“I-I didn’t ask you to lift it!”
“Your eyes were begging,” she countered.
She wasn’t wrong, but he’d never admit it. If Chika weren’t there, he might’ve given in and touched her.
But Chika, sparked by rivalry, hesitated only a moment before sliding in close on his left, her hip and thigh pressing against him, her warmth radiating.
She glared at him. “If you’re touching anyone, it’s me!”
“W-Why…?”
“We’re in ‘dating’ mode, right? It’s not fair if Aino-san gets all the naughty stuff. I want my chance too. Choose me. Touch me,” she said, her voice growing quieter, almost shy.
Aino smirked. “Whose thighs are you picking, Toru-kun?”
He started to say he wouldn’t touch either, but hesitated. Choosing “neither” might disappoint Aino, implying he still had feelings for Chika.
After a moment’s thought, he gently touched Aino’s thigh over her clothes.
She jolted, letting out a high-pitched “Hya!”
“Sorry,” he said. “You didn’t have to react that much…”
“I-I thought you’d say you wouldn’t pick either…”
“So all that teasing wasn’t serious?”
“No, it was,” she admitted, blushing. “I really wanted you to touch me.”
Her words sent his heart racing. As he brushed her thigh, she closed her eyes, letting out a soft “Nnh,” her voice sweet and breathy.
“If you want, you can… touch higher,” she murmured, gesturing toward her lower abdomen.
Their faces flushed as they locked eyes.
But Chika wasn’t about to let that slide. “No way!”
She lunged from the side, trying to pull Toru’s hand off Aino. In doing so, her upper body leaned close, her ample chest swaying and brushing against him as she shifted.
She seemed oblivious to how close she was.
Panicked, Toru let go of Aino to stop Chika, but in the chaos, his hand landed on her chest. The soft, perfect shape pressed against his palm through her blouse.
Chika froze with a soft “Eh?” Toru yanked his hand back, but it was too late.
“I-It was an accident!” he stammered.
“I know…”
He braced for anger, but instead, she mumbled, “Toru touched me…” her face scarlet.
Aino puffed out her cheeks. “That’s not fair! You’ve gotta touch my chest too, or it’s unequal!”
Toru blinked, then said, “We came to karaoke to sing, right? It’d be a waste not to.”
Aino and Chika exchanged glances and nodded.
With that, the trio began selecting songs on the karaoke remote. Toru, unfamiliar with the system, turned to Chika for help. She beamed, eagerly explaining, “You do it like this…”
She was so close that her long, silky hair brushed his shoulder.
“Do you come to karaoke a lot, Chika?” he asked.
“Yeah, with my classmates,” she replied, then quickly added, “Just so you know, I’ve never come here alone with a guy!”
“I get it,” Toru said with a chuckle. “You’ve really changed, haven’t you?”
“I’m a high school girl now! I’m not that clingy kid who stuck to you all the time anymore.”
“True,” he agreed.
Three years had passed since the kidnapping incident. The frail girl who always hid behind Toru, needing his protection, was gone. Now, Chika was a student council officer, the ace of the girls’ basketball team, the top student in their grade, and the heir to the Kōnoe family. Anyone could see she was exceptional.
She glanced up at him shyly. “But… sometimes I wish we could go back to those days.”
“Huh?”
“Back then, you were always by my side. I was never lonely.”
“You’ve got plenty of people around you now,” Toru pointed out.
“But the most important one isn’t there,” she said, her face flushing as she looked away.
(Even now… I’m still the most important person to her.)
The realization shook him. If Chika was still his most important person, maybe—despite the challenges—he’d have tried to return to being her fiancé, or at least her close childhood friend.
But to his right sat Aino, his Nordic beauty of a fiancée, watching them with a mix of envy and unease.
Toru gently placed his hand on Aino’s knee. She let out a soft “Ah!” then giggled. “I’m happy,” she whispered, and he smiled back.
As Aino’s fiancé, he couldn’t let her feel insecure. Yet Chika, his childhood friend and now housemate, was also precious to him. And both girls were rivals vying for his affection. This love triangle was a puzzle he’d have to solve.
Still, Aino and Chika seemed to enjoy their trio dynamic in their own way.
Chika picked a hit song by a wildly popular artist, also the theme for a late-night anime loved by both guys and girls.
“Kōnoe-san, you’re amazing!” Aino cheered brightly.
Chika gave a shy smile, the atmosphere between them surprisingly friendly.
“Thanks,” she said, clearly in high spirits after finishing her song.
Aino studied her with interest. “I didn’t expect you to sing something like that, Kōnoe-san. That’s an anime song, right?”
“Is that bad?!” Chika’s face reddened.
Aino laughed, shaking her head. “No, just surprising. I love that anime too, you know.”
“Really?”
“Yup. I’ve been reading the manga since before it was animated,” Aino said, puffing out her chest proudly.
Toru found that a bit unexpected. Aino enjoyed novels, so maybe manga wasn’t a stretch.
He thought back. “You used to love manga and anime too, didn’t you, Chika?”
“Still do,” she admitted. “I don’t talk about it much, though.”
Back when she was frail, Chika couldn’t go out often, so she’d immersed herself in manga and anime—things she could enjoy indoors.
“We used to watch anime together, didn’t we?” she said nostalgically.
At the Kōnoe estate, Chika had been glued to Toru, mimicking everything he did. Her love for manga and anime might’ve come from him.
(I don’t remember exactly…)
Aino let out a thoughtful hum. “But from now on, I’ll be the one reading books, watching movies, and anime with Toru-kun—because I’m his fiancée.”
“I want to watch anime with Toru too!” Chika declared, no longer hiding her feelings.
Aino grinned, amused. “I think I could get along with you, Kōnoe-san.”
“R-Really…?”
“Yup. But I’m not handing over Toru-kun.”
“I know that. And I’m not giving him to you either, Lyuti-san.”
Sparks flew between them again.
Aino clapped her hands. “Oh, didn’t the employee mention a duet showdown? Should we try it?”
She’d taken the suggestion seriously.
Chika faltered, mumbling, “S-Singing together… that’s embarrassing.”
Aino tilted her head. “If Toru-kun’s okay with it, I’d love to duet.”
“Is that… fine?” Toru asked. “I’m not exactly a great singer.”
“I want to try everything with you, Toru-kun. It’s my first time too, so if we mess up, we’re even,” Aino said, emphasizing “first time” in a way that sparked some… inappropriate thoughts.
“If Kōnoe-san doesn’t want to, that’s fine—but I’ll have Toru-kun all to myself,” she added.
“I’ll do it! Of course I’ll do it!” Chika snapped.
And so, the Aino vs. Chika singing showdown began.
First up: Aino and Toru. Then, Chika and Toru. The higher-scoring duet would determine who had better chemistry.
“Whoever wins gets to make Toru do anything,” Chika declared, and Aino nodded.
Toru was roped into the bet but went along with it. He wasn’t sure how much a karaoke contest proved, but when he glanced at Aino, she whispered, “Honestly… physical chemistry would be a better test, right?” her cheeks flushing.
Chika lightly bopped her on the head, her own face red. “No dirty talk!”
Aino grinned, then faltered. “Kōnoe-san’s so proper. And, um…”
“What? Yes, I’m a virgin! So what?!” Chika huffed.
(She bans dirty talk and then drops that bombshell…)
Chika glanced at Toru. “I can’t imagine being with anyone but you.”
Her words made his heart skip. He’d wondered if, during their nearly three years apart, she’d dated anyone. As one of the school’s top beauties—smart, athletic, and kind—she had to have been popular. Surely she’d been confessed to plenty.
But she shook her head. “I’ve been confessed to, sure, but I turned them all down. And it’s not like I got that many confessions. I’m not that popular.”
Aino tilted her head, puzzled. “Why not…?”
Toru had a guess. “Maybe you’re too perfect, Chika. It makes you hard to approach.”
“Exactly!” she exclaimed. “That’s what they said in middle school! They fawned over Mai instead…”
Mai, if he recalled, was a fellow student council member from middle school. She was cute but a bit ditzy, overly cheerful. Girls like that often got more attention.
“But I only care about being liked by the person I truly want,” Chika added softly.
“I-I see…”
Aino puffed out her cheeks. “Toru-kun’s mine, you know. Let’s sing this one.”
She picked a song without consulting him—unusual for her, as she typically deferred to him. Her jealousy was showing.
“I’m super popular too, you know!” Aino huffed.
“I know,” Toru said. “I saw you getting confessed to almost daily.”
“You were watching me back then?” she asked, surprised.
“Well… yeah.”
Before they met at the bookstore, they’d been classmates, but Aino had felt distant—the prettiest girl in class, maybe the school, with her striking Nordic beauty.
Aino smiled softly. “I’m happy. No matter how popular I am, you’re my only fiancé, Toru-kun.”
She grabbed the mic and stood. Toru, caught up in the moment, stood too. Chika muttered, “You can sing sitting down, you know,” and he and Aino exchanged sheepish looks.
(Didn’t know that…)
The song started, so they sang standing. Toru’s first karaoke experience was surprisingly fun—he could see why it was stress-relieving. Singing in front of Aino and Chika was nerve-wracking at first, but he got used to it.
Aino was all in, and she was good. Unlike Chika or Asuka, she wasn’t academically gifted, but as an elite young lady, her talents shone elsewhere.
Her song choice, though—a sappy love duet—made him cringe. The lyrics were mortifying.
“You’re mine alone♪ I won’t let anyone take you♪” Aino sang beautifully, her eyes locked on Toru with a heated gaze.
He scrambled to keep up. “A night without you feels like the world’s ended. I love you, that’s what I’m saying.”
Such cheesy lines—he’d never say them in real life.
Or… maybe with Aino, he would, someday?
She grinned, watching him sing with a delighted expression.
(Well, she’s having fun, so it’s fine…)
Their duet ended with a score of 85.
“Not bad, right?” Aino said, her face glowing.
Toru agreed. He had no benchmark, but it seemed decent.
“I probably dragged us down,” he admitted.
“No way! You made it great,” she insisted, making him smile.
Chika giggled. “Sorry, you two. I’m really good at karaoke.”
.jpg)
“Seriously?!” Toru blurted.
Chika puffed out her chest proudly. “Get ready. I’m the one making Toru do my bidding.”
“Uh…”
“Don’t you dare go easy on me,” she said, glaring.
She picked a duet song, and Toru was exhausted after two in a row—especially since her choice was a track by two female idols from Étoile Cendrillon, Mina Ichinomiya and Azusa Myouneji, a group he was a fan of.
“You knew I’d like this,” he said.
“Of course,” Chika said smugly. “I’m your childhood friend. I know everything about you.”
Three years had changed some things, but not everything.
She was amazing—confident and skilled. He’d expected her to pick a steamy love duet to rival Aino, so her choice surprised him.
The score came in: 88.
“I thought we’d get higher,” Chika said, disappointed. Her performance was flawless, so it was probably Toru’s fault.
When he said as much, she laughed. “Thanks. Next time, I’ll teach you to sing so we can score even higher.”
She gently took his hand, holding on even when he looked at her in surprise. “You both remember the bet, right?” she asked.
Toru nodded, and Aino stared at her. The winner got to make Toru do anything.
Chika, still holding his hand, grinned. “Hehe, what should I make you do…?”
“That sounds kinda scary,” Toru muttered.
Surprisingly, Aino remained calm, not letting jealousy flare. She merely glanced at Chika and asked, “Do you want Toru-kun to do naughty things for you, Kōnoe-san?”
“W-What?! Of course not!” Chika sputtered.
“Really? Not even thinking about him touching your chest?” Aino teased.
“No way! I’d never think about Toru touching my chest… unless he really wanted to, I guess…” Chika’s face flushed as she averted her eyes, sneaking glances at Toru.
Caught off guard by the sudden attention, Toru floundered. “N-No, I mean… this is about what you want me to do, right, Chika?”
“Y-Yeah, but… I’m not ordering anything shameless!” she insisted, flustered.
Aino pressed, “So you’ll use your command for something wholesome, right?”
Chika, overwhelmed, gave in. Aino seemed relieved, likely confident that Chika wouldn’t demand anything too wild. Of course, if Chika had asked for something like touching her chest, Toru planned to put a stop to it.
But depending on the situation, his self-control might not hold.
His eyes flicked to Chika’s chest. Even through her blouse, its shape was unmistakable. Compared to three years ago, it was strikingly different—impossibly full for a fifteen-year-old.
Chika hurriedly covered herself. “W-Where are you looking?!”
“S-Sorry! It’s just… you two keep saying things that make me notice!”
“I mean… if you want to look, it’s fine,” she mumbled, embarrassed.
Aino, however, took it a step further. She suddenly unbuttoned the top of her blouse, revealing a glimpse of her ample cleavage and a pink bra, then pressed herself against Toru.
“A-Aino-san?!”
“You can’t just stare at Kōnoe-san,” she said. “I’m your only fiancée.”
“Didn’t we agree no naughty stuff in here?”
“That was the plan, but seeing you look at Kōnoe-san like that… I couldn’t help it. Losing stings, you know,” she admitted.
“You’re surprisingly competitive, Aino-san,” Toru noted.
“Yup. Especially when it’s for someone important,” she said, pressing her soft chest against him, the curves yielding under the contact.
“I won’t lose another round…” she whispered.
Toru’s heart pounded, and Chika, sparked by rivalry, muttered, “No shameless stuff!” Instead of intervening, she grabbed Toru’s left hand and pressed it to her own chest.
“C-Chika?!”
“I-I can be this brave too!” she declared.
Aino giggled. “That’s it, Kōnoe-san! Be honest with yourself.”
“Yeah,” Chika agreed. “Otherwise, I can’t beat you.”
Their eyes locked—golden-haired, blue-eyed beauty versus dark-haired, refined elegance. One pressed her chest against him, the other guided his hand to hers. Toru was caught in a whirlwind of confusion and excitement, his heart racing like a drum.
In the end, they spent the remaining hour pressed close, though they stopped short of more touching. Still, both girls kept vying for his attention—“I’m cuter, right?” “You prefer me, don’t you?”—leaving him utterly exhausted.
Despite the chaos, the trio had fun at karaoke and stepped out of the building.
“That was so much fun, Toru-kun, Kōnoe-san!” Aino chirped.
“Yeah,” Toru agreed, with Chika nodding along.
Aino smiled. “Kōnoe-san, you were amazing at singing!”
“W-Was I…?”
“Yup! I’m happy we’re getting along,” Aino said warmly.
“Um… is it okay if I call you Aino-san?” Chika asked hesitantly.
“Huh?”
“I-I mean, if you don’t want me to…”
“No, I’m thrilled!” Aino’s face lit up. “I’ll call you Chika-san, then.”
They giggled together, a picturesque moment of two gorgeous girls bonding. Toru thought it charming, but then realized it wasn’t just a bystander’s scene—they were his love interests, and rivals.
That reality hit home when a familiar voice cut through.
“…Renjō?! What’s going on here?”
Turning, Toru saw Asuka Sakurai standing there in a T-shirt and jeans.
“S-Sakurai-san?!” he stammered, thrown off.
Nagoya was a big city but compact, with downtown centered around Nagoya Station or Sakae. Running into someone on the subway or streets wasn’t uncommon, so meeting Asuka wasn’t impossible, but the timing was awful.
Asuka muttered, flustered, “This is the first time you’ve seen me in casual clothes…”
The situation was far from ideal. Toru had just come out of karaoke with Aino and Chika—Asuka’s rival and love interest, respectively. And Asuka clearly had feelings for him.
Yet Aino and Chika seemed unfazed. Asuka was the only one rattled.
“What’s this? Hanging out with two girls? Living the high life, huh?” she said rapid-fire, eyeing Aino and Chika.
Asuka, always second-best, had made beating Chika her goal, with Toru’s support. But now…
Chika flashed her perfect, school-idol smile—the one she wore to mask her true self. “Oh, Sakurai-san. Something up?”
“Why are you with Renjō?”
“We’re childhood friends, so we’re hanging out. Plus, we live together,” Chika said, leaning into Toru deliberately, likely to provoke Asuka.
“You’re living together? With Renjō and Aino-san?”
“Yup. Weird?”
“It’s totally weird!” Asuka snapped. “And why are you acting so chummy with him? You’ve been cold to him for years, despite being childhood friends!”
Asuka’s accusation wiped the smile off Chika’s face, replaced by a chillingly blank expression. “You don’t know anything about it.”
“Does that make it okay to treat him like that? No way,” Asuka shot back.
Chika faltered. Asuka didn’t know about the kidnapping or the Kōnoe family’s complexities. To her, it looked like Chika, the top-tier popular girl, had unfairly snubbed the unassuming Toru.
But that wasn’t the truth.
“Sakurai-san, let’s not—” Toru started.
Asuka glared at him. “You’re defending her, Renjō?”
“It’s not Chika’s fault,” he said.
“You’re calling her by her first name…”
(Crap.) He’d slipped again.
Tears welled in Asuka’s eyes. “I was the one closest to you. I’ve liked you for so long!”
“I didn’t know you felt that way,” Toru said. “You’re popular, great at everything—studies, sports—and gorgeous. I never imagined someone like you would like me.”
“You could’ve noticed,” she muttered. “You’re so dense…”
“It means a lot that you like me,” he said. “I’ve always respected you as a friend, but…”
He couldn’t accept her feelings. Aino was his fiancée, and he needed to be clear about that—for Asuka’s sake and to do right by her.
But she shook her head, cutting him off. “No. Don’t say it.”
“I have to,” he insisted.
“I don’t want to hear it. Why am I never number one? No one sees me as the best. Everything I care about gets taken. I thought you were different, Renjō.”
She looked on the verge of tears, and Toru didn’t know what to say.
Aino stepped in. “Sakurai-san, I have a suggestion, if you’re open to it.”
“A suggestion…?”
Asuka, Toru, and Chika turned to her. Aino fidgeted under the attention but spoke haltingly, proposing the same “dating” idea she’d pitched to Chika.
“Why don’t you join us, Sakurai-san? We’d compete for Toru-kun fair and square.”
“Why should I have to compete like that?” Asuka demanded.
“Because you and I both like Toru-kun,” Aino said. “I get how you feel. Wouldn’t you hate an ending you can’t accept?”
Asuka hesitated, then shook her head. “I’m not doing that. My parents wouldn’t let me live with you guys anyway.”
“Oh, right,” Aino said.
“It’d put me at a disadvantage. And I’m not here to play nice with you two.”
Asuka’s competitive streak blazed. Aino looked troubled. Asuka’s drive to beat Chika stemmed from her refusal to lose, and she wasn’t backing down.
“Just watch,” she declared. “I’ll make Renjō fall for me.”
Her eyes, no longer teary, burned with determination. Toru admired that fiery side of her—as a friend, of course.
Softening, Asuka bowed slightly. “Sorry for interrupting your fun.”
“No need to apologize,” Toru said. “If anything, I should.”
“Then treat me to a meal sometime. Just the two of us,” she said with a mischievous grin, her playful expression disarmingly cute.
“See you at school, Renjō,” she added, waving as she walked off.
Toru called after her. “Sakurai-san.”
“What?”
“Your casual clothes suit you. They’re very you.”
“You’re complimenting me, right?”
“Of course. You look cute.”
She twirled a strand of hair, muttering a pleased “Thanks,” before leaving for good.
Feeling eyes on him, Toru turned to find Aino and Chika staring.
“What?”
They exchanged a look.
“I’m jealous that you’re complimenting another girl’s looks,” Aino said.
“Do you always flirt with girls like that?” Chika added.
Toru shrugged. “I wasn’t flirting. Sakurai-san’s probably the only one who likes me.”
“That’s not true, Toru-kun,” Aino said, her blue eyes sparkling. “Chika-san and I like you too, right?”
Chika blushed but nodded, then changed the subject. “Anyway, Sakurai-san’s hardworking, huh? She’s trying to beat me because she likes you, Toru.”
“I think it’s just pure competition,” Toru said.
“Maybe at first,” Chika replied. “But it’s obvious now it’s for you. She kept bringing you up every time we talked.”
“Really?”
“Yup. Being a heartthrob must be nice,” Chika said with a sulky glare.
Aino giggled. “But if you’d ignored her, Chika-san, Sakurai-san might’ve won.”
“I… got a little nervous,” Chika admitted. “She’s cute, after all…”
“Thanks to me, you’re being more honest, right?” Aino teased.
“Don’t act like I owe you,” Chika said, but smiled. “Though, I am grateful.”
Despite Asuka’s defiance, a delicate balance existed among Toru, Aino, and Chika. Toru and Aino were fiancés; Toru and Chika were childhood friends and former fiancés; Aino and Chika were friends and rivals. They’d accepted this trio dynamic and their shared living arrangement.
“Alright, where to next?” Chika asked cheerfully.
“I’m glad you’re having fun, Chika-san,” Aino said.
“It’s because Toru’s here,” Chika replied.
“Hey, what about me?” Aino pouted.
“You’re… fun to be around too, Aino-san,” Chika admitted, blushing.
Despite her polished school facade, Chika struggled to express her feelings openly, making her honesty all the more endearing.
“I’m having so much fun hanging out with you and Chika-san, Toru-kun,” Aino said with a giggle. “I didn’t have many friends either.”
Toru could relate—friends were scarce for him too. Knowing that being with Aino made her time even a little more enjoyable warmed his heart.
“Hey, Toru-kun, Chika-san, isn’t it about time for lunch?” Aino suggested.
“Oh, I know a great place for ankake spaghetti!” Chika chimed in.
“You eat ankake spaghetti, Chika-san? That’s kind of surprising,” Aino teased.
“Is that bad? It’s a Nagoya specialty!”
“I actually love it too,” Aino admitted.
“Ugh, don’t mess with me!” Chika huffed, playfully grinding her fist against Aino’s temple. Aino let out an exaggerated “Ouch!” but her face was all smiles—a playful tussle between friends.
They were getting so close that Toru almost felt like the odd one out.
Aino leaned in and whispered, “I owe getting close to Chika-san to you, Toru-kun.”
Chika giggled too. “Alright, let’s have a blast together!”
With a spirited “Hiyah!” Chika thrust her fist in the air, and Aino echoed with an enthusiastic “Yeah!”
Chika, once frail and bound by the Kōnoe family’s expectations of propriety, had always worn a mask at school. Now, unexpectedly staying over and reconnecting with Toru, she was letting her true self shine.
Chika smiled. “I’m gonna take Toru back eventually… but right now, I’m just happy being with you both.”
“I’m glad you’re having fun, Chika,” Toru said.
He’d hurt her in the past, no matter the reasons. Seeing her enjoy herself now, even if it was fleeting, eased some of his guilt.
Just then, Chika’s phone rang with an anime song ringtone. She glanced at Toru, embarrassed. “T-This isn’t my taste or anything…!”
“Iris Airia is great, right?” Toru said, naming the popular yuri anime.
Chika’s eyes lit up. “You watched it too…?”
She hurriedly answered the call, but her expression darkened. “Yes, I understand. But…!”
Toru couldn’t hear the conversation, but it was likely from someone tied to the Konoe family. Sure enough, Chika turned to them with a strained look. “I got a call from home.”
Aino frowned, concerned. “Everything okay?”
Chika forced a smile. “It’s fine, don’t worry. I’ll be back soon. I just need to head to the estate for a bit.”
“That’s too bad…” Aino said.
“We live together, so we can hang out anytime,” Chika reassured. “But… you two better not get carried away just because you’re alone!”
“Leave it to me!” Aino said, puffing out her chest proudly.
Chika, unconvinced, muttered, “Letting you two have a date alone… what if you pull ahead?”
With a reluctant “See you later,” she headed toward the subway station.
Post a Comment