Chapter 3: A Heartfelt WSS
The Friday morning following the so-called "Pantyhose Scattering Incident."
...Should I just be honest with Mio about why I want to quit the Disciplinary Committee?
I stood blankly in front of Mio's house, trying to figure out exactly what I should say and how I should say it.
But my time to ponder was cut short. The front door clicked open.
"Sorry, Ryo-chan! I had the worst bedhead this morning...!"
Mio rushed out in a panic.
And right behind her was another person—Mio's father, Segawa Yuji-san.
"Good morning, Ryogo-kun."
He flashed a crisp, refreshing smile. He was dressed sharply in a dark gray suit, a sleek leather briefcase and car keys in hand. Even though it had been a while since I'd last seen him, he still oozed that aura of a highly capable, successful man.
"Good morning, Yuji-san."
"Thanks for coming to pick her up again today. Sorry to make you wait, alright? Mio was making a massive fuss all morning. 'Ryo-chan's gonna be here! I can't get my hair right!' and all that."
"Dad! Stop it, that's so embarrassing...!"
"Ahaha, my bad, my bad."
Mio flushed crimson and tugged on his arm, but Yuji-san just chuckled in amusement.
"Speaking of which, I heard from Mio. You're the Disciplinary Committee President now?"
"Ah, yeah. Technically..."
"That's impressive. I've always thought you were a sincere, straightforward kid. You're really giving it your all and taking things seriously at school, aren't you?"
"...Ah, thank you very much."
"I can rest easy leaving Mio in your hands. Take good care of her, Ryogo-kun."
"Don't just leave me in his hands without asking...!"
With a hearty laugh, Yuji-san headed off toward his car.
Left behind with me, Mio was practically glowing red with mortification.
"I'm sorry, Ryo-chan... My dad says the weirdest things..."
"No, it's fine..."
—Sincere. Straightforward. Taking things seriously and giving it my all.
Every single word of Yuji-san's glowing evaluation felt like a brutal body blow, sinking straight into my solar plexus.
When I thought back on all the things that had happened since I got involved with Fuyutsuki Niina, my conscience screamed in agony.
"? ...Ryo-chan? You look pale."
"Ah, no... I'm fine. Should we get going?"
A thin layer of cold sweat breaking out on my forehead, I started walking side-by-side with Mio.
† † †
"...Hey, Ryo-chan. Is there something bothering you?"
As we walked along the path to school, Mio quietly broke the silence.
"Huh?"
"It's just a feeling, really. But lately, you haven't seemed as energetic, and your eyes keep darting around... Even earlier in front of my dad, you were acting a little weird..."
"...Does it look like that?"
Mio gave a small nod, peering into my face with genuine worry.
—There's a demonic pervert in the Disciplinary Committee, so I'm thinking about quitting.
Just as those words were about to slip past my lips...
"If something's going on, you can talk to me, you know? We're childhood friends, after all."
That gentle reminder shoved the confession right back down my throat.
Mio's eyes were the picture of earnestness. It was a gaze that proved she truly, deeply cared about me from the bottom of her heart.
"Oh, I know! If you're worried about something, we can go to the Chapel again today—"
"No, we're not going."
"An instant rejection!?"
I felt bad for Mio, but whatever God had going on up there wasn't going to fix this particular problem.
Still, I didn't want to cause her any unnecessary worry, so I plastered on a faint smile.
"...I'm fine. Thank you."
"I see... Well, if you say so."
Relieved, Mio offered a soft, fluffy smile.
"...But you know, your performance yesterday was no good at all."
My heart did a violent backflip at the sudden accusation.
"Wait, my performance...? What do you mean?"
"The morning greeting campaign."
...Oh, thank God. That's what she meant.
I let out a massive sigh of relief.
"I went to check on you for a bit after morning practice, but you looked so gloomy, Ryo-chan. Your voice was super quiet, too..."
"Was it really?"
"It was. You need to greet everyone much more cheerfully so they feel energized when they come to school! The most important thing is to smile, smile—Come on, let's smile together, Ryo-chan!"
Looking at her bright, radiant smile, a thought crossed my mind.
I really need to cherish a childhood friend who cares about me this much.
"And you know, if you manage to push through and finish the full week of the greeting campaign..."
"Yeah?"
Suddenly, Mio stopped walking and turned to face me.
She gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her cheeks were noticeably flushed.
"...I was thinking I'd like to give you a reward for working so hard."
"A reward?"
When I asked, Mio paused for just a fraction of a second before speaking.
"Next Saturday, do you want to go somewhere together? Like, um... a date?"
A spring breeze softly fluttered through her hair.
Above her faintly tinted cheeks, her slightly moist eyes wavered. She looked entirely serious, yet entirely unable to hide her embarrassment.
"...Wait, what? You mean, like...?"
"N-No! I don't mean anything weird by it! I just meant we could go hang out like we used to! But, well, when a guy and a girl go out completely alone, I guess that's what people call it...!"
"A-Ah, no! It's fine! I get it! I totally get it...!"
We were both babbling excuses at each other, our words spinning completely out of control.
Even so—I was absolutely certain my face was currently melting into a massive, idiotic grin.
"I'd, uh, I'd love to! I'm really looking forward to it!"
My voice nearly cracked, but I somehow managed to force the declaration out.
Mio was still blushing, but she smiled happily, her voice carrying on the spring wind.
"Hehe, I'm glad. ...I'll be looking forward to it too, Ryo-chan."
Those simple words were all it took to ignite a blazing inferno of motivation inside me.
...Alright! For the next few days, I am going to give this greeting campaign absolutely everything I've got!
Having a carrot named "Reward Date" dangled in front of my face caused my motivation gauge to instantly shatter its upper limit. It was honestly hilarious how simple-minded I was.
I was driven by the most primitive engine known to mankind, and if anyone wanted to call me an idiot for it, they were totally justified.
—But that was fine by me.
If it was for a date with the girl I liked, I felt like I could push through anything.
No matter what kind of insane traps Fuyutsuki Niina tried to spring on me to mess with my head... I wouldn't lose!
I'd take my time and think about whether or not to quit the Disciplinary Committee after the date.
† † †
—From that day forward, I threw myself into the morning greeting campaign as if I were a completely different person.
"Good morning! —Good morning!"
I looked at the face of every single student walking past, made eye contact, and greeted them brightly.
At first, I got a lot of reactions like, "Who is this guy?" or "What a weirdo..." But as I kept it up for a second day, then a third, more and more students started naturally greeting me back with an "Oh, morning," or "Good morning."
It made me strangely happy. I even felt a tiny bit proud.
Of course, there were still times when I was completely ignored.
But Mio was watching me work hard—just knowing that was enough to make it bounce right off me.
And before I knew it, I wasn't just doing it for the reward date anymore. I started genuinely wanting to become someone who could hold his head high as the Disciplinary Committee President.
—Meanwhile, Fuyutsuki Niina observed my transformation in total silence.
I still had no idea what went on in that head of hers, but for the past few days, she had completely stopped subjecting me to the Shameless Games she dubbed her "Secret Training."
Perhaps she was having second thoughts about the whole thing, but I knew better than to let my guard down.
—And then, today marked exactly one week.
Without any further incidents, I successfully reached the final day of the greeting campaign.
"—Phew. I'm glad it didn't rain..."
Speaking to no one in particular, I looked up at the overcast sky and muttered to myself.
It looked like it could start pouring at any second, but the fact that I'd made it to the end without getting soaked felt like the heavens themselves were rewarding my determination.
For the time being, I had officially completed my one-week run of the greeting campaign. I felt a modest sense of accomplishment.
"Sawa-kun."
"...Hm?"
Called out to completely out of the blue, I turned around to find Fuyutsuki standing there, wearing her usual expressionless mask.
I used to be terrible at dealing with those unreadable eyes of hers, but now I could look straight back into them. Probably because I'd gained a little bit of confidence in myself.
"Gather in the Disciplinary Committee Room after school today. We need to do a wrap-up for the greeting campaign."
"...Ah, yeah. Understood."
"I'll notify the other committee members. You just need to show up, Sawa-kun."
Her tone was strictly business. Utterly detached and indifferent.
And yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that her eyes were tinged with a slightly different hue than usual.
"I'm on classroom duty today, so I might be a little late."
"Understood. I will see you after school, then—"
Fuyutsuki spun on her heel and walked off toward the shoe lockers.
Watching her back retreat, I gave a small shrug.
...What was that about?
It wasn't like I was expecting anything to happen.
But it was also true that her complete lack of harassment over the past few days left me feeling a bit unsatisfied—or maybe anticlimactic was the better word. A strange sense of dissonance lingered in my chest.
...Well, whatever. I guess it just means my performance as President lately has been passing the grade.
Satisfying myself with that convenient assumption, I headed toward the shoe lockers as well.
† † †
After school.
Having finished my classroom duty, I swung by the faculty room before heading to the Disciplinary Committee Room.
"Man, seriously..."
In my hand was an energy drink I'd just received from my homeroom teacher. He'd handed it to me with a "You've been working hard on your committee duties. Have this if you want—"
"Poison Viper Part 2: Writhe, Dragon!" ...What kind of name is that?
It sounded like a blatant parody title for a porn parody.
It did look like it packed a massive punch, though. Just holding the small glass bottle conveyed an aura that suggested I could stay awake for three days and three nights straight. I was mildly curious about what happened in Part 1, but... taking a swig of it right now felt like a terrible idea, so I quietly shoved it into my uniform pocket.
—Still.
As I walked down the hall toward the committee room, my thoughts drifted back to April—
—It was the very first day the Disciplinary Committee convened.
We couldn't decide on a President or Vice President, and while we were stuck, a third-year upperclassman from my middle school secretly pulled me aside.
"Eh? You want me to be the President...?"
"Yep. You aren't in any clubs, right? Why not give it a shot? The third-years are swamped with our final tournaments and entrance exams, so it's a tradition for a second-year to take the job."
He asked casually, but I immediately shook my head.
"I'm really not cut out for that kind of thing..."
"It's fine, it's fine. Even if you're the 'President,' there's practically zero actual work. The Disciplinary Committee never has to do anything unless the Student Council summons us."
He clapped me lightly on the shoulder. It felt hard to refuse.
"Plus, the committees at this school let you appoint a 'proxy.'"
"...A proxy?"
"Yeah. Like, some people can't make it to committee meetings because of clubs or other errands, right? So—you really don't need to try that hard. Nobody has any motivation anyway, just half-ass it."
—Back then, I just thought, "Whatever, I guess it's fine," and took the position.
I had zero passion for it, assuming it was all just a mere formality anyway.
But lately, I was finally starting to understand. The only person taking words like "just half-ass it" to heart was me. The system was turning into a hollow shell, and nothing would ever change unless someone took the initiative to move. Ultimately, it was all built on our own collective apathy.
And the one who made me realize that was Mio, with a single passing comment.
"I think what really matters is what you do there, Ryo-chan, and what you get out of it."
She was completely right. If you don't try to change anything, nothing will ever change. In the end, it was all up to me.
...Mio is always right.
As I thought that, another image flashed through my mind: Fuyutsuki Niina's back.
—The Disciplinary Committee Room after school.
That small back, quietly cleaning up the room when a teacher asked her to, or methodically filing paperwork all alone. In that silence, I could see her profound earnestness.
—It was the same on the very first day.
Without being prompted by anyone, Fuyutsuki had simply stated, "If no one else will," and volunteered to be the Vice President herself.
Of course, I knew full well about her demonic, perverted true nature.
So it wasn't like I thought she was amazing, or that I respected her.
But someone who can quietly put in the work in a place where no one else is watching... that kind of person is probably genuinely strong.
I really didn't want to admit it, but on that one specific point—
"...No, no, no, wait, that's wrong! She did all that insane stuff to me...!"
I shook my head to clear the thought, but deep in my chest—I couldn't hide the fact that my opinion of Fuyutsuki had improved, just a little bit.
Feeling oddly like I had lost a mental battle, I let out a sigh. Just then...
"...Hm?"
My smartphone vibrated in my pocket.
Pulling it out and checking the screen, I saw a LIME message from Mio.
[Mio]: Want to walk home together today?
At the end of the short text was a sticker of a cute dog character.
Such a casual, everyday message, yet it felt overwhelmingly gentle.
[Ryogo]: Sure. Send me a LIME when your club is done.
[Mio]: Yay! Good luck with your committee!
My motivation came roaring back to life.
I'd go pick Mio up when her club finished, and maybe we could stop by a café or something on the way home—I mentally mapped out a plan as I glanced out the window.
"...Rain, huh."
Raindrops began to patter against the glass. From the overcast sky, soundless ripples of water began to spread. The drops were small for now, but it felt like a heavy downpour was imminent.
But oddly enough, it didn't ruin my mood.
Walking side-by-side with Mio under an umbrella in the rain... that sounded pretty fun, too.
† † †
"Sorry I'm late—"
...Wait, huh?
When I opened the door to the Disciplinary Committee Room, Fuyutsuki was sitting entirely alone, typing away on a laptop. She said we were doing a wrap-up, so why was she the only one here?
"Good work today, Sawa-kun."
"...Good work."
Did they already finish and dismiss everyone...? No, I was getting a really bad feeling about this.
"Where is everyone else?"
"I called them. In the group LIME. But everyone said they had errands."
"...Huh? Group LIME?"
"Yes. The one for the Disciplinary Committee—"
Fuyutsuki pointed at the smartphone resting on the desk.
"So it's just me. I decided to have the people who participated in the greeting campaign send their feedback surveys later."
"Ah, no, I mean... that's fine, but..."
"? ...What is it?"
Feeling somewhat alienated, I opened my mouth.
"I'm not in that group LIME. I didn't even know it existed until right now..."
Fuyutsuki stated, completely deadpan.
"Because when I asked for your LIME, Sawa-kun, you instantly rejected me."
"...Ah."
I remembered. A few days ago, Fuyutsuki had told me, "Let's exchange LIME." At the time, I assumed it was some kind of trap and refused without even asking why.
"...Let's exchange contacts, then."
"Are you sure?"
"Well, I am the President, technically..."
I made sure to emphasize that I wasn't doing it because I felt lonely. This was strictly for the sake of the committee.
However—I pulled my smartphone out of my pocket, but I still felt deeply hesitant.
In stark contrast to my complicated feelings, Fuyutsuki shoved her screen toward me, displaying her QR code. Reluctantly, I pointed my camera at it. The "Add Friend" prompt popped up.
I always thought this, but shouldn't it be "Add Acquaintance"? You aren't necessarily "friends" with everyone you add—
"Well then, I will send something as a test."
"You don't need to..."
Ping. A notification instantly popped up. I opened the chat screen—
"...Hm? Hnngh!? W-Wait... What is this!?"
The image she sent was a photograph. It showed a woman sitting on a bed clad only in a single bath towel, her left hand covering her eyes. Worse yet, with her free right hand, she was pulling down the top of the towel, boldly emphasizing her cleavage.
Even with her eyes covered, it was blatantly obvious it was Fuyutsuki.
"Oops... Accidental misfire."
"Delete it! Right now!"
"Well, it is a private LIME between two individuals, so deleting it is a hassle."
"You did that on purpose, didn't you!?"
"Good thing it wasn't the group chat."
Her delivery was so wooden it was almost insulting.
...More importantly, why was she even taking photos that made her look like a secret NSFW social media account? That bothered me a lot more. Was she actually running a secret account!?
"...Jeez, you know this is a disciplinary violation, right?"
"It is fine. I took it specifically for you, Sawa-kun, so it is safe."
"No, it's totally not safe! And what the hell do you mean 'specifically for Sawa-kun'..."
Watching me completely lose the will to play the straight man, Fuyutsuki covered her mouth and giggled quietly. It had been a while since I'd actually seen her laugh, but there wasn't a single goddamn thing funny about this to me.
"Setting that aside, Sawa-kun, will you help me create the survey form?"
"I mean, sure, but..."
"Then sit next to me."
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Fuyutsuki tapped her finger against the chair beside hers.
"Sitting next to you... feels like a trap."
"You are not a toddler throwing a tantrum. Come on, hurry up. If you are the President, act dignified."
Without giving me a chance to argue back, I was semi-forcibly seated in the chair.
Leaning in to look at the same PC screen, I saw a template for a survey form open.
She was too close. That usual, faint sweet scent of hers wafted over to me, and my heart began a completely unnecessary protest.
...No, I have to focus.
"So, about the questionnaire items here—"
Operating the mouse, Fuyutsuki naturally leaned her body against mine.
Our shoulders lightly brushed. It was only for a fraction of a second, but my brain completely abandoned all processing functions.
"Right here—Sawa-kun?"
"W-What?"
I tried to act calm, but my voice squeaked embarrassingly.
"Are you... nervous?"
"Uh, yeah, obviously..."
"I have not done anything to you. Why are you nervous?"
"I mean, look... a lot of stuff happened in here recently..."
Fuyutsuki tilted her head blankly.
"...Are you talking about sex?"
"I am not talking about sex! And we didn't do it!"
...Why was she so casually dropping massive lies like that?
"I am joking. A joke. Your face is entirely red."
"Listen to me... Do you have absolutely zero self-awareness that you, a Disciplinary Committee member, are the one ruining the public morals the most here?"
"We are the ones who manage the morals, rather than protect them. Though my management is primarily restricted to you alone, Sawa-kun."
"What the hell does 'primarily restricted to me alone' even mean..."
Even so, what was up with this massive unfairness?
Fuyutsuki was operating completely at her own pace from start to finish, while I was fighting a desperate, solitary battle against my own heart rate.
"But if you get this red over something this minor, you still have a long way to go. As the Disciplinary Committee President, Sawa-kun, I need you to forge a mental fortitude of steel so you will remain completely unfazed by girls' erotic behavior."
"I don't want mental fortitude like that! I want to react normally to girls' erotic behavior...!"
...Seriously, if I couldn't get it up when it actually mattered, how was she going to take responsibility for that!?
"Then, once you pass, I will stop doing this—Lie down over there."
Fuyutsuki pointed directly at the spot on the floor where she had straddled me last time.
I thought she had to be kidding, but her eyes were entirely serious. She wasn't smiling.
"...Are you being for real?"
"For real."
"No, but, my uniform is going to get dirty..."
"Then you can simply take off all your uniform."
"Oh, I see, then my uniform won't get— Like hell I'd agree to that!"
The Disciplinary Committee President, completely naked in the committee room, getting straddled by a girl—that was completely, undeniably out of bounds.
"I am joking. A joke."
"No, you always say this stuff with a totally straight face, so I can never tell if you're joking or serious..."
"Never mind that. Just put something down and lie on it. —If I recall, there is a leisure sheet in the storage rack."
There really was a blue tarp leisure sheet in the rack. I suppose it used to be a storage room, so it had a bit of everything.
"...Do I seriously have to lay it out?"
"It is special training. Once you pass, I will not do it anymore."
Hearing those words, I took a small breath.
"No... I'm really done with this kind of stuff. I won't do it."
"Why?"
"Why...? You know I like Mio, don't you? I don't want to do anything that would make her sad..."
"Is that so? —Then, look at this."
Ping. Fuyutsuki sent me another LIME message.
"What is it this time? A video? Wait, what's with this thumbnail..."
..."The Disciplinary Committee President's Secret Training." What the hell was that? She'd even made a custom thumbnail. She was putting way too much effort into this.
Exasperated, I hit the play button. It was footage of the committee room in the evening. Judging by the angle, it was recorded from the middle shelf of the rack—...Wait. Wait!?
"W-Wait... This is...!?"
The blood instantly drained from my face.
It was footage of the day Fuyutsuki straddled me. Furthermore, it only covered the exact moment she climbed on top of me up until the moment I grabbed her shoulders. Everything before and after was gone. No, it had been intentionally edited out.
"I feel as though I might accidentally misfire this into the Disciplinary Committee group LIME."
"Are you... out of your goddamn mind!? If something like this spreads, it's not just me! We'll both be going down together!"
"Are you saying we would be embroiled in a rumor together?"
I was completely panicking, but Fuyutsuki remained entirely unfazed. In fact...
"I do not mind if that happens... but will you still refuse?"
She smiled that terrifying, demonic smile.
† † †
In the end, I reluctantly spread out the sheet and lay down. The cold sensation of the floor seeping into my back somehow made my skin feel far more sensitive than usual.
"...Let me make this clear, it'll be just like last time. Straddling me isn't going to have any effect, alright? And once this is over, delete that video. Promise me."
"I do not mind—Now, close your eyes."
"Huh? Why?"
"Never mind why. Just close them."
I had absolutely no idea what was going on, but I closed my eyes as instructed.
No matter what she did to me, I wouldn't be shaken—that was the plan.
"Well then. Let's begin."
I heard the sound of Fuyutsuki's footsteps approaching. The sound of her walking on the floor shifted to the rustling of her stepping onto the tarp. She was definitely going to straddle my waist again.
That was what I thought, but—
"...Eh?"
"No. You cannot open your eyes."
Even with my eyes closed, I knew exactly where Fuyutsuki was standing.
—Right over my head. Her legs were planted firmly on either side of my ears.
"Hey! What the hell is this!?"
"I will explain the rules of this special training. Right now, I am standing over your head, Sawa-kun. From here, you must correctly guess the color of the panties I am wearing—without looking."
...Huh?
"W-Wait... Wait! This makes absolutely no goddamn sense!"
What exactly was guessing her panty color supposed to accomplish?
"In short, you must imagine my panties, Sawa-kun. I am testing to see if you can remain unaroused under these circumstances. —You would not get turned on by the panties of a girl you do not even like, correct?"
"What a cheap pair of panties... wait, no, what a cheap provocation!?"
"Hehe. You have three questions, and three chances to guess. —If you get all of them wrong, I suppose it's time for an accidental misfire."
"Is this a death game!? Guessing it blind within three tries is impossible!"
"It is fine—Do not think. Feel."
"Do not quote the Dragon at a time like this!"
As we bickered, my ears must have grown hyper-sensitive, because I began to hear the sounds outside.
The rain had turned into a torrential downpour. The sound of water hammering against the windows filled the quiet room.
"Guh...!"
I had plans to walk home with Mio after this—I needed to end this idiotic game as fast as possible.
The strategy was simple: don't imagine anything. Just aggressively logic my way to the answer. First—
"Question! Solid color, or pattern!?"
"...Solid color. Though, there is a chance you have seen them before, Sawa-kun."
In that instant, the memory violently resurfaced.
"B-Black lace string panties!"
"Bzzz, incorrect. They are not black."
"Wha...!?"
"For the record, the information regarding 'lace string panties' is unnecessary. You only need to guess the color this time."
...Guh! Dammit!
"But, to think you were looking when I was wearing those... how embarrassing."
Despite her words, Fuyutsuki's voice sounded deeply amused. She was definitely smirking right now.
However—I had been completely set up.
She might have set up that camera to record before I had even seen her panties and gotten flustered. And by tossing out that "there's a chance", she actively baited my answer—
In other words, Fuyutsuki knew from the very beginning that I had seen those string panties.
...She was playing me like a damn fiddle!
"Now, you have two questions and two guesses remaining."
"Guh... Fine then, chromatic or achromatic!?"
"Achromatic."
...Eh? I... I did it! I won this match!
A massive wave of absolute certainty washed over me.
—Let me explain the logic.
Achromatic (grayscale) broadly consists of three colors: black, gray, and white.
With my first guess, I said "black lace string panties" and got it wrong.
Which meant the only remaining options were gray or white. A fifty-fifty shot.
I had two guesses left. Two chances for two options. My victory was mathematically guaranteed.
"Then, white!"
"Bzzz."
Which meant the only option left was—
"Ah... um... wait a moment..."
Suddenly, Fuyutsuki let out a deeply flustered sound. Was she panicking because she realized I was about to guess it right?
"Huh? Let me answer!"
Let me answer what color panties you're wearing—was a statement that would get me instantly arrested if anyone else heard it, but none of that mattered anymore. Throwing shame and reputation out the window, I had to guess it right here and now, as the Disciplinary Committee President... no, as a man.
Because Mio was waiting for me.
I was going to guess the color of Fuyutsuki's panties no matter what, and then I was going to proudly go meet Mio!
"Um... is it okay if we change the rules?"
"Why would we do that now!? That's cowardly!"
"It might be cowardly, but, um, you see..."
"See what!?"
Fuyutsuki spoke in a voice so faint it was barely a whisper.
"...I might... not be wearing any."
...
......
.........Come again?
"So... the final choice is a fifty-fifty... between whether I am wearing them, or not..."
Fuyutsuki's voice was genuinely trembling.
Was this a bluff? Or was she being dead serious? Was it even within the realm of common sense to walk around without them on? Or rather, if she wasn't wearing any, how did she only just notice right now?
I could solve this instantly by opening my eyes and checking, but if I did that—a lot of things would just permanently end.
"Not wearing... Guh..."
This was bad, I couldn't answ—wait, hold on.
Even if she wasn't wearing them now, she had to have been wearing them up until some point, right?
If she came up with a game like this in the first place, Fuyutsuki herself definitely remembered what color underwear she put on today. If that was the case—I've got it!
"Fuyutsuki... We're sticking to the original rules! I'm going to guess the color, and that'll be the end of it, got it!?"
"...!? F-Fine! Then, your answer!?"
I took a massive gulp of air, and screamed it out with everything I had.
"The color of your panties today is...—GRAY!"
The very instant I screamed my answer, the door to the Disciplinary Committee Room slid open with a violent clatter—
"Pardon me. Ryo-cha—Eh?"
Startled by the voice, I whipped my head toward the door and opened my eyes.
Standing in the doorway was Mio. Staring at the scene unfolding in front of her, she froze completely solid, as if the words had been physically snatched from her throat.
"...Ryo... chan? What are you... doing...?"
"Mio! This is... I-It's a misunderstanding!"
In that moment, something slipped out of my uniform pocket and plummeted to the floor. It was the small glass bottle of the energy drink. It rolled across the floor with a clatter, stopping squarely against the tip of Mio's shoe. Without a word, she reached down and picked it up.
"Poison Viper, Part 2... Writhe, Dragon..."
After quietly reading the label aloud, she didn't so much as chuckle. She slowly, mechanically turned her head toward me.
"I see... So you drank this... and played with your dragon in here with Fuyutsuki-san..."
"Wait... what the hell did you just conclude!?"
"The reason you've been acting so awkward around me lately... this was why, wasn't it..."
"Mio, listen to me! You've got it all wrong!"
As if she couldn't even hear my desperate denials, Mio's eyes slowly narrowed to slits.
KRRAAAA-KKKOOOOMMM!
A flash of lightning painted the windows blindingly white, and a deafening roar of thunder shook the entire school building. As if the heavens themselves possessed comedic timing, the air in the room instantly froze solid.
...No. This was entirely different from what I expected.
I thought Mio would be deeply hurt. I thought she would cry.
But in the next instant, Mio's eyes shot wide open, her pupils locking onto Fuyutsuki with a terrifying, unblinking glare.
"...I loved him first."
I had never heard Mio use a voice like that before. Low, hollow, and freezing cold.
...Terrifying. It was just pure, unadulterated terror.
The "WSS" I knew was supposed to be something closer to a heartbreaking shout. I didn't know a "WSS" stripped of all inflection and dripping with raw murderous intent.
KRRAAAA-KKKOOOOMMM!
"Give him back. He's my Ryo-chan. I love Ryo-chan..."
Amidst the rumbling aftershocks of the thunder, Mio was the only one quietly laughing.
What kind of expression was Fuyutsuki making right now?
I went to glance up at her, and instantly realized my mistake. If I looked up from this angle, I would have a front-row, unrestricted view straight up Fuyutsuki's skirt. I might finally get the answer to the panty-color quiz, but if I did that in this exact situation—I was going to permanently end.
No, I had probably already ended. The relationship I had built up with Mio, and my very life itself.
And then, Mio—the girl who had always been an angel in my eyes—
"Ah... I finally got to say I love you... Hehe... Fufufu... Ahahahahaha..."
—Fell from grace.
KRRAAAA-KKKOOOOMMM! RUMBLE... KRRR-AAASSSHHHH!
[TL Note 1] WSS: An acronym for Watashi ga Saki ni Suki datta noni ("I loved him first").
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