Chapter 5. Chaos

Chapter 5. Chaos CHAPTER 5 Chaos

“See you later.”

“Yeah, later.”

Masachika bid Alisa farewell outside their classroom with a casual wave.

Haaah…

Once he’d turned away from her, Masachika heaved a big sigh. Only yesterday, he had escorted her home from the nurse’s office to make sure she was okay, and now, she was already back to her normal self. She seemed neither distant nor depressed. At any rate, her complete recovery was something that Masachika was genuinely thrilled about, and yet…

I’m not going to be able to keep my cool if she does that again.

The soft, warm sensation of being embraced… The second confession of her feelings whispered as if she were telling him a secret… And her essentially revealing her intimate experiences in Russian…

I mean, I wasn’t trying to listen! I tried to ignore her, but it’s not like I can close my ears!

At any rate, he had become painfully aware of how far Alisa’s fastidiousness went, whether he wanted to or not.

Yeah, I know… I know I have to start thinking about what Alisa really meant when she confessed how she felt…but I honestly can’t focus on that right now.

It didn’t help that Alisa herself seemed so nonchalant about it, to the point that Masachika started to wonder if maybe he should simply forget all about it.

But, well, I guess that’s just me trying to run away from my problems again…

Then again, perhaps this was inevitable. He had vowed not to run away anymore yesterday, only for him to make a fool of himself. The entire situation reminded him of his conversation with Nonoa, so he inwardly apologized to her as well.

I really feel bad. I can’t believe I doubted you when you went out of your way to help Alya. It’s all Baldy Patches’ fault. Yep.

The student council room came into view just as he placed the blame on Yuushou.

“Ahem!” After clearing his throat in front of the door, Masachika adjusted his posture and expression before knocking three times.

“Hey,” Masachika greeted, opening the door to the student council room when… “…What the—?”

Masachika froze with his hand on the doorknob, confronted by an unexpected sight. Paper plates and cups lined the lengthy table, adorned with French delicacies like canel é s and madeleines alongside various other snacks and beverages. But the thing that was dominating what appeared to be an impromptu dessert gathering was a massive jack-o’-lantern, positioned deliberately at the table’s center.

“Oh, it’s about time you got here! Trick or treat!”

“It’s November,” Masachika interjected, narrowing his eyes at his schoolmate, who had presumably prepared all this.

“What’s up with the costume, Tragical Girl Elena?”

“At times, I’m the beautiful president of the brass band. Other times, I’m the mysterious Sexy Mask. And right now, I’m—wait. What? Why ‘tragical girl’?”

“Because it’s a tragedy for someone your age to still be dressing up as a magical girl.”

“Stop looking at me with those cold, dead eyes! I came to my senses and realized that myself at least three times while I was waiting for you!”

“Which means you lost your mind at least four times.”

The tragical girl, A.K.A. Elena, shielded herself from Masachika’s gaze with both hands and turned her face away. She was adorned with a frilly and glittering magical girl costume that seemed like it would only be acceptable for someone in middle school at best.

“Come ooon! Give me a break! I asked the handicrafts club for a witch costume, and this is what they gave me!”

“I bet.”

Elena, holding down her too-short and too-wide skirt with one hand, swung what appeared to be a magic wand with the other… It was almost painful to even watch.

I feel like it’d be far less embarrassing if she at least ditched the wand…but she takes her role seriously, it seems.

Masachika sighed, returning his gaze to the desk.

“So…is this like an after-party for field day or something?”

“Y-yeah, nobody but Touya and Chisaki could make it to the official after-party…so I figured we’d all have one here. And I thought, ‘Why not make it Halloween-themed while we’re at it?’”

She delivered the statement so casually, leaving Masachika speechless. As Elena explained, the student council members had initially been invited to the festival committee’s post-field day celebration. However, Yuki and Ayano declined due to the incident involving Yumi, Masachika wasn’t in the mood to party, Alisa abstained, presumably out of concern for her partner, and Maria followed her sister’s lead… Ultimately, only the president and vice president attended the party to represent (?) the student council.

“Oh, I’m not blaming you all for not coming or anything. I know it would have been awkward to pretend like nothing happened after the Run,” Elena blurted nervously, misreading Masachika’s silence.

Though her assumption wasn’t quite right, he couldn’t correct her without revealing what actually happened. So with a pang of guilt, and no other choice, he changed the subject.

“Ohhh. So you went through all this trouble to throw us a party? Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“By the way, are you the only one coming? What about the president of the student festival committee?”

“Huh? Oh… Let’s just say…his girlfriend can be strict.”

She nearly rolled her eyes while talking about her former partner in the student council.

“You mean she doesn’t want her boyfriend going to a party where there’ll be other girls? It’s not like this is some sort of college drinking party…”

“Right? It’s not like anyone’s going to be getting drunk, so nothing bad is gonna happen. But, well, he seems to love how possessive she is, so I guess they’re perfect for each other.”

She shrugged, then pointed at the table.

“He still bought us sweets for our party, though. Check out the desserts on the plate there.”

“Oh, wow.”

“Apparently, he got them at a really high-end sweets shop. He wanted to at least pay for some of the entertainment, since he wasn’t going to be able to come.”

“Who is he—everyone’s favorite boss?” Masachika whispered, joking that he sounded like a middle-aged manager covering the tab for his young employees’ after-work drinking party.

“I do have a little bit of bad news, though.”

“Huh? What?”

“Our dear president and vice president won’t be able to make it today.”

“ … !”

“Alya, Yuki, and Ayano will also be late.”

Elena tilted her head and smirked at Masachika.

“…Why?”

“Alumni from the First Light Committee are here today, so the current student council president and the candidates running in the election this year were asked to help out. Meanwhile, Chisaki is at a meeting for the disciplinary committee today, and Ayano’s on cleaning duty.”

“The First Light Committee? Why are they here?”

“Something to do with donating stuff to the school. They’re apparently going to be buying us new tents for field day or something.”

“Oh, a lot of those were getting dirty,” Masachika said with a strained smile.

“Wait. Did I do all this for no reason, then?”

“…Alya and Yuki should be here soon, right? If they’re just greeting the alumni today.”

In any case, this wasn’t the best time for a surprise party.

She should have done her homework before putting this together…

The two exchanged subtle glances, silently acknowledging the harsh lesson they had just learned…when a knock suddenly resonated through the room, drawing their gazes to the door where they saw Maria stepping inside.

“Huh, Elena? Oh, my. What are you doing here?”

Maria tilted her head curiously at Elena before her eyes fell on the array of snacks. After Elena collected herself and explained the situation once more, Maria sank into her familiar chair with a delighted smile, her eyes gleaming at the sight of the appetizing sweets.

“Oh, my. These look so yummy… Hmm?” She lifted a canel é , raising it to her nose to inhale its aroma. “Is there alcohol in this?”

“Oh, yeah. That’s a canel é , so I’m pretty sure it has rum in it.”

“Oh… That’s too bad. I guess I can’t eat it, then.”

“Wait. Really? Not a fan of alcohol?”

Maria, still holding the canel é , shyly smiled back at Masachika.

“It’s not that… It’s just that I get drunk really easily. I used to get lightheaded just by smelling the vodka my grandfather would heat up by the fireplace.”

“Just by smelling it … ? Then again, I guess that makes sense. Alcohol evaporates, after all, so I guess you could get drunk off the vaporized alcohol…”

“Right? But…this smells really good. Rum has this unique sweet smell, doesn’t it? Like with rum raisin. Mmm… I really wish I could try a bite.”

With a mournful look, Maria stared at the canel é , its dark, gem-like crust gleaming as she wavered back and forth between “Maybe just a little bite,” and “Hm… But…”

“Color me surprised. I totally thought Russians could hold their liquor better than Japanese people.”

“I mean, she’s half Japanese too, you know? Besides, it’s not like all Russians are heavy drinkers.”

“Good point. I bet Alisa could hold her liquor, though. Know what I mean?”

“Yeah, I can’t even imagine her getting stupid drunk.”

“I know, right? Maria, what’s your sister actually like? Oh, though I guess she probably has never drank before, but…” Elena asked, her voice trailing off until she stopped completely and stared at Maria for some reason. Curious, Masachika followed her gaze, only to immediately be caught off guard as well.

“Hmmm? Whaaat?”

Her voice was more bubbly than usual, and her gaze seemed dreamy and distant. Usually, it was easy to imagine flowers and hearts around her head, but now they’d be bubbles floating into the air…and in her hand was a beautiful canel é without a single bite mark.

“Did you seriously get drunk off the smell?!” Masachika exclaimed, glaring at his tipsy schoolmate.

“Mmm…” Maria mumbled drowsily, her head tilting before she reclined into the chair and raised the canel é in her hand to her lips.

“Nooo, don’t eat it!!”

Elena dove forward, snatching the canel é from Maria’s hand.

“Awww,” Maria whined mournfully as Elena yanked both the sweet and its paper plate beyond her reach. Maria, however, sprawled across the table with her ample chest squished against it, stretching her arms as far as she could while flailing desperately.

But when she realized she wouldn’t be able to reach her dessert, she lunged for the canel é sitting in front of the adjacent seat, prompting Masachika to quickly confiscate that one, too. With all canel é s now beyond her grasp, Maria puffed her cheeks out in an immature pout, settling for a nearby box of chocolates instead.

“Uh… Elena? I feel bad for asking this because you spent a lot of time setting the table, but we should probably get these away from her…”

“Y-yeah, she might start eating them at this rate…”

“Yummy. ♡ ” Maria giggled, drawing their attention, only for them to discover she was already tucking a chocolate from the opened box into her mouth. She wore an expression of pure bliss. Once more, it was easy to imagine bubbles floating up above her head.

Description for illustration purposes only. Actual Maria may vary.

“Oh no… That chocolate has alcohol in it…”

“Why are you just now telling me that?!” Masachika shouted, lunging for the chocolate as Maria reached for her second piece.

Though he successfully managed to seize the box…he failed to prevent her from eating the chocolate that was already in her hand. Maria promptly tossed the treat into her mouth, her eyes becoming even more unfocused as she swayed rhythmically from side to side, humming some sort of tune.

“…Uh-oh. This is bad, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, obviously.”

“No, I mean…someone’s going to get the wrong idea if they see her like this.”

Masachika froze, then imagined how this would all look to some random passerby.

Breaking News: Esteemed student council members of Seirei Academy engaging in the unthinkable—drinking in the sacred student council room?!

A sensational headline blazed through his mind, prompting him to dash to the door and quickly lock it. Naturally, most would understand if he explained the situation, but this world was full of individuals who would deliberately attempt to defame those in prominent positions, especially if that person was in a sought-after position of power in the student council. Put simply, they could never be too careful.

There’s no telling when there’s going to be another Yuushou trying to take down the student council.

The troubling notion haunted Masachika as he drew all the curtains, just in case. Then, after ensuring they were shielded from outside view, he turned back around to find Maria bobbing her head while gazing at Elena.

“Huh … ? Elena? Did you multiply?”

“What?”

“Mmm … ?” Maria slurred as her head drooped forward, continuing to sway from side to side. Masachika rushed over to catch her before she fell.

“Are you okay, Masha? Do you want to lie on the couch?”

“Hmmmm?”

Maria swiftly lifted her head to the sound of his voice and grinned while cheerfully gazing into his eyes.

“Are you going to carry me? Ngh! ♡ ” asked Maria with her arms spread out.

“No, I can’t pick you up…” Masachika grimaced.

“Whaaat? Carry me.”

“Hey?!”

Caught off guard by her arms suddenly wrapping around his waist, Masachika instinctively stepped back and inadvertently pulled Maria from her chair as her arms slid down his body.

“Ah! Hey?!”

About to have his legs taken out from under him, Masachika placed a hand on the nearby table to catch himself in a fluster.

“Are you okay? Did you hurt your knees?” he asked, glancing down at Maria who had plopped down on the floor while still clinging to his legs.

“Mmm…”

“Is that a yes or no? Uh… Do you think you could hold on to my arm? I need my legs.”

“Come on, Maria. Let’s get you back to your feet.”

Elena rushed over, put her hands under Maria’s arms, and lifted her up…or at least tried to, but Maria didn’t even budge.

“…”

Unamused, Masachika narrowed his eyes at Elena as she stood back up and brushed her forehead with the back of her hand, despite not having even broken a sweat.

“Phew… Well, that should do it for today.”

“Why are you acting like you did something?”

“I did do something. I touched Maria’s side boob. Heh!”

“What are you doing molesting her?! Hmm … ?”

A gentle tug on his right arm caught his attention, so Masachika glanced down and found Maria using his body to pull herself up. Once on her feet, she clung tightly to his arm, leaning into him.

“Oh… Are you okay, Masha?”

“What do you meeean?”

“I mean—let’s get you to the couch. Can you walk?”

“Umm… I can…waaalk!”

“Really? I’m so proud of you.”

After Masachika brushed off Maria’s random sharp salute with a shrug, she continued to goofily laugh, nuzzling her head into his shoulder.

“Heh-heh. You’re proud of me?”

“Yep. You’re amazing.”

“Then rub my head.”

“What?”

“Give meee head pats!”

Like a spoiled child, she continued to shake him while continuously rubbing her head against him.

What the…? This is awesome.

Immediately, Masachika mentally slapped himself for even letting the thought pass through his mind.

“Uh… Okay…”

Seeing that she wasn’t about to move anytime soon, Masachika cautiously reached out and gave Maria’s soft, voluminous hair a few gentle strokes. A floral aroma tickled his nostrils as her face lit up with a radiant smile.

“ Giggle… I got head pats.”

She rubbed her body against Masachika even more, as though she were begging for more head pats.

Seriously, though. This is awesome.

Masachika mentally gave himself two slaps this time.

“Come on, walk nice and slowly…”

He then began to walk over to the couch while maintaining a composed expression.

“H-her boobs are absorbing your arm.”

“Can you stop being a creep for two seconds, Perv Elena?”

Masachika shot his older schoolmate a cold glare for pointing out something he was trying not to think about, then glanced down at Maria who was still clinging tightly to his arm as they reached the couch.

“We’re here. Can you sit?”

In fact, how about you lie down and take a nap? But he refrained from saying that while he waited for Maria to take a seat on the couch. Maria, however, looked up at him with hazy eyes, tilted her head, and asked:

“Hmm? What are you doing here, S—”

“Hey?!”

He instinctively covered Maria’s mouth with both hands before she could finish that damning sentence.

Crap, crap, crap! This is bad!

Masachika wasn’t sure if Elena even knew Maria’s boyfriend’s name, but it was a risk he wasn’t willing to take. Of course, he considered the fact that he could probably pass it off as Maria drunkenly mistaking him for her boyfriend, but even if that fooled Elena, there was almost no way he’d be able to fool Alisa or Yuki if they suddenly walked in.

Plus, there was a chance that Elena would tell them that Maria had accidentally called him “Sah” and that would be problematic as well, since he wasn’t sure enough in his skills to be able to deceive them.

Which means I need to get Elena out of here now!

Masachika suddenly turned to Elena, making her flinch.

“Elena, sorry! But I think Masha’s about to throw up, so do you think you could grab us a bucket and a barf bag?!” he instructed.

“What?! The trash can’s right there—”

“And what if the trash can gets a permanent puke stench?! Come on! Go!”

“Okay!”

Intimidated by Masachika’s intensity, Elena rushed toward the door, fumbling with the lock before practically tumbling out of the student council room.

“…Phew.” Masachika breathed a sigh of relief, having temporarily escaped a crisis. “Oh, sorry about that.”

When he returned his gaze to Maria, he realized that he was still covering her mouth while she gazed up at him with unfocused eyes, so he gently removed his hand.

“Now there are two of you, too?” she asked, her head tilted quizzically.

“No.”

“Whaaat? Which one is mine, and which one is Alya’s?”

“I didn’t split into two.”

“Hmm… I’ll take this one, then!”

Maria hugged his arm tightly once more as though she wasn’t even listening.

“Again, there’s only one me here…”

“ Giggle… It looks like I was right.”

“About what??”

Maria was making even less sense than usual, drawing a sigh out of Masachika as he turned around—or at least tried to turn around to lock the door again…

“Hey, Masha? Do you think you could let go of my arm?” he asked Maria, who was still holding firmly on to him, but she pouted and shook her head.

“I don’t wanna.”

“What?”

He looked down at the stubborn, childlike girl. Then with a troubled expression he reluctantly decided to drag her to the door. However…

“No!”

“Whoa?!”

Masachika’s arm was yanked with such surprising force that he stumbled.

“What the … ?! Hey!” he shouted as Maria pulled him down onto the couch. Though relieved nobody got hurt during his fall, he shuddered at her unexpected strength.

What the…? Where did this power even come from? Did the alcohol unlock her brain’s full potential or something?

Maria possessed such tremendous physical strength at the moment that it was no surprise he felt that way, as absurd as it was. Naturally, Masachika was being careful so that he wouldn’t hurt her, but even then, her strength far exceeded that of an ordinary girl. Even now, he felt completely unable to free himself from her grip.

“Hey, uh… Masha? Do you think you could please let go of me?” he asked again, perched beside Maria. Nevertheless, she merely whispered “no” with a downcast gaze, leaving Masachika in an awkward position.

“Is there a reason why you’re not letting me go?” he asked, despite not expecting a serious, thought-out reply. Maria then raised her chin, her eyes glistening, and replied:

“Because if I let you go…you’ll just go straight to Alya, right?”

“What?”

“So I’m not letting you go,” she murmured, dropping her gaze and nestling her face against Masachika’s shoulder. Though he knew she was intoxicated…Masachika found it difficult to simply dismiss what she was saying, and he froze.

“…I’m not going anywhere. I’m just going to lock the door. That’s all,” he managed to stutter, conveying only the facts. Maria lifted her gaze to meet his, and their faces were separated by only the slightest distance.

“Hey, Sah … ,” she whispered.

“Yeah?”

“Do you like me?”

“ … ?!”

Masachika was taken aback by the sudden outrageous question, his cheeks twitching as he awkwardly chuckled.

“You must be pretty wasted, huh?” he replied vaguely.

“Do you like me?”

However, such a cowardly attempt at avoidance was utterly demolished when she repeated the question. Masachika’s facial muscles twitched as his awkward smile intensified…but when he saw tears welling in Maria’s amber eyes, his smile immediately vanished and he shifted his gaze toward the heavens.

“…I like you…as a person.” He grinded his teeth at his own noncommittal response as he squeezed out the words. “…And I probably like you…as a woman, too.”

That was how Masachika truly felt. Sure, he was attracted to Maria. He obviously had a crush on his first love; the girl he had a miraculous reunion with after many years of being apart. Or he thought so, at least. However…

“But I still need time…before I can truly acknowledge that.”

Masachika couldn’t accept Maria’s affection—not as the man he was now—not after losing the pride that he once had. Even if he forced himself to do so, he would inevitably feel Maria’s kindness as a burden, push himself into a corner, and end up despising himself even more.

I need to start liking myself first. I need to like the me that Masha likes.

Though he understood what he needed to do to accept Maria’s feelings for him with dignity, he still looked away.

But…I can’t keep running.

It was time to face reality. His gut was telling him that he wasn’t going to be able to run away any longer. Therefore…he had to make a vow right here, right now.

“I promise…” It was like he had to force his jaw open to get the words out from deep within his chest, declaring to both Maria and himself, “…I promise…that I will face the mistakes that I made—the mistakes that made me the person I am today.”

And with those words, Masachika gazed into Maria’s eyes and pleaded:

“So…do you think you could wait for me? I promise I will stop running away and address how you feel for me, if you just give me a little more time.”

After Maria’s eyes wavered as he spoke with utmost sincerity, she quickly looked down and replied:

“Hmm… I didn’t understand any of that. That was way too complicated.”

“Wait. Seriously? You have no idea how much courage it took me to say that.”

Her response transcended mere disappointment. In fact, Maria’s reaction missed the mark so much that Masachika lifelessly slumped into the couch. After all, an intoxicated person remained just that—intoxicated. He wondered whether it was a mistake to take her question seriously as he gazed vacantly into space, while Maria, lips pursed, insistently tugged at his sleeve.

“I just want a yes or no. Do you like me?”

“…Uh, yep. I like you,” he replied to her slightly slurred, childlike question.

“Liar.”

“Interesting. So it doesn’t matter what I say, huh?”

Maria was not having it at all, leaving Masachika at a loss with how he was going to deal with her.

Ugh. I don’t even care anymore. I just want her to be a good drunk and fall asleep already.

That would instantly solve the problem, but as Masachika sat there, feeling somewhat resigned, she pouted.

“You like the old me better, don’t you?”

He hesitated for a moment, caught off guard, before meeting Maria’s gaze—her pouty lips and glistening eyes fixed on him with a hint of frustration.

“You liked it better when I was skinny and had long, blonde hair and blue eyes.”

“…What makes you think that?”

“Because you didn’t even recognize me at first after all these years.”

Those words heavily pierced Masachika’s heart, leaving him speechless. However, Maria, her eyes still glistening, continued with a sorrowful note:

“You don’t like me anymore because I changed.”

That’s not true, he immediately thought, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it for some reason. He wasn’t certain she was wrong. Especially after how confused he was when he learned that Maria was actually Mah—she’d changed so much, it was almost impossible to believe they were the same person.

If Masha grew up, maintaining those features she used to have, then…

If Maria had shown up looking like a more mature version of her old self—long, flowing golden locks, sparkling blue eyes, and that innocent, childlike smile—then Masachika just might have fallen in love with her at first sight all over again. He couldn’t deny the possibility.

“…”

“I knew it.”

Maria immediately took his silence as affirmation, quickly scooting away from him and covering her face with both hands.

“What? No.”

“…Sniffle!”

“ … ?!”

The sound of her sobbing pierced Masachika’s heart with such an intense feeling of guilt that he completely forgot about locking the door. Instead, he rotated his entire body on the couch to face Maria.

“Uh… I … !”

“ Sniffle! It’s not like I wanted to change… My hair and eyes just changed color…and my body…began to fill out…and I kept growing.”

“O-oh? Filled out, huh?”

“But I heard that boys liked girls like that, so I… But Sah likes the old me better…”

N-no, not at all!” he instinctively shouted, taken aback by her unexpected worries. “I … ! Think you’re very attractive! And…I really like you the way you are now, too!”

His straightforward confession made Maria’s face light up, and her eyes slightly reddened.

“Really … ? You really like me?”

“Y-yeah… I think your hair and eyes are very pretty…and I like them a lot.”

“…Even more than how they used to look?”

“ … !”

It was too difficult of a question for him to answer immediately, so he averted his gaze. Maria pouted.

“I knew you were lying…”

“I’m not! It’s not that I like one version of you better than the other. I… I like the old you and the new you…”

Although he knew he was being indecisive, he also knew that this merely sounded like an excuse, despite being how he really felt. Unsurprisingly, Maria turned her head away from him with a pout.

“You’re lying. I don’t believe you.”

“I’m telling you the truth. What do I have to do to make you believe me?”

Possibly due to the alcohol, Maria fixed her unusually intense gaze on Masachika. She then took his right hand, guiding it softly to her face before tilting her head, allowing his hand to graze her hair.

“Then look me in the eye and tell me that you like my hair.”

“I-I like your hair,” he replied, peering into her eyes. The feeling of her hair brushing against his palm and the softness of her cheek left him flustered. Maria closed her eyes and, as if nestling her cheek against his hand, guided his fingers to touch her eyelid. Keeping his hand pressed to her cheek, she opened her eyes and asked:

“Do you like my eyes?”

“I like your—”

But before he could even finish his sentence, he heard two sets of footsteps approaching, followed by a familiar voice. It was Alisa and Yuki, who were supposed to be taking care of the alumni with Touya.

Immediately, a sharp and unsettling chill ran down Masachika’s spine.

They’re done already?! Seriously?! Crap, crap, crap! They’re the last two I want seeing this!!

Masachika stared at the unlocked door as a cold sweat dripped down his back and the girl in front of him worriedly muttered, “Sah … ?”

He returned his focus to the girl before him, reminded that Maria was still tightly holding his right hand, and for a moment…he seriously considered giving her a good ol’ karate chop to the neck.

Wait. No. That could do permanent damage—what am I talking about?! You can’t just karate chop innocent people!!

After immediately rejecting the absurd idea, he realized that he had no other choice.

“Yes! I like your eyes! So, so, so much! So I’m sorry, but … !” he shouted.

As the footsteps and voices approached, Masachika yanked Maria’s hand away with his left and bolted to the door. Swiftly yet silently, he turned the lock, and though he was momentarily relieved, he now faced the question of what to do next.

I have to come up with an excuse for why they can’t come inside!

If it were just Alisa, Masachika was confident he could still talk his way out of it. The problem was Yuki. Shaky excuses wouldn’t work on his little sister, and knowing her love for mischief, she would probably force her way inside if she detected even a whiff of intriguing drama.

Come on! You can convince them!

Just as Masachika—having somehow composed himself—quickly moved away from the door, there was a knock followed by the door shaking with a thud.

“Oh, my. Why is the door locked?” came a muffled voice.

Masachika, feigning nonchalance, replied to Yuki from the other side of the door:

“Oh, Yuki? Sorry! Right now’s not really a good time…”

“Masachika? Did something happen?”

“Uh… It’s kind of hard to explain…”

“Could you please just open the door?”

“Sorry, I can’t do that…”

“Why?”

“Uh…”

He created an air of mystery by deliberately giving them vague responses. After all, people often felt a strange sense of satisfaction when they believed they had uncovered a secret, regardless of whether it was actually true. Therefore, Masachika stalled until Alisa was just about to lose her patience.

“To tell you the truth…Elena brought a durian cake to the student council room, so it smells terrible in here,” he reluctantly admitted.

A few seconds of silence went by, as if Alisa were trying to process what he had just said.

“What, Elena? Why? And why durian?” she asked, her faint voice brimming with confusion and doubt.

“Uh… She apparently wanted to throw us a party after a successful field day…but the moment she opened the cake, it legitimately smelled like a stink bomb had just exploded in the room… Why she decided on durian cake—well, you’re going to have to ask her yourself. Unfortunately, she’s not here right now because she went to get some deodorizer,” Masachika lied smoothly while mentally apologizing to Elena. People generally tended to believe stories more when they were a little far-fetched, and Elena did seem like the kind of person who would do something like this as well.

“What kind of weirdo do you think I am?!” protested the imaginary mini-Elena in his mind while he profusely apologized. Masachika then sighed in a whiny, fed-up tone, “At any rate, we’re in the middle of resealing the cake, airing out the room, and deodorizing, so take my advice: you’re better off heading straight home, unless you want your clothes and hair smelling like durian.”

“O-oh… Well, I guess we don’t have much of a choice. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m already getting used to the stink… I mean, it smells awful, but I feel like it’s gradually improving.”

Masachika pumped his fist into the air, relieved that he had managed to convince Alisa for the time being.

“Well, please be careful,” Yuki requested with a concerned tone in her muffled voice.

Oh, it looks like this actually might work, Masachika thought. However…

“By the way, Masachika, I have some concerns regarding past donations, so do you think you could get the files summarizing past donations from the Last Light Committee for me?”

Yuki immediately made him realize just how naive he truly was.

“…I wish I could, but the files probably smell like durian now, and if I open the door, then the smell’s going to get out.”

“You only need to crack the door open for a second. Besides, the room might actually not even smell bad at all .”

The way she spoke made it clear that she knew something was up.

You little…! You know I’m in trouble, and you’re enjoying this, aren’t you?!

The voice on the other side of the door was as elegant and ladylike as always. Yet Masachika could vividly envision his little sister sporting an angelic smile that concealed a devilish grin, with a perplexed Alisa standing beside her.

Just as he began contemplating his escape, another low voice caught his attention.

“Oh! Alisa, Yuki… Are you finished meeting with the alumni already?”

“Elena? What are you wearing? More importantly—”

“Oh, Elena! You’re back! I already resealed the durian cake! Did you find any deodorizer? I don’t know if it’ll even help with how smelly durian is, but it’s better than nothing!” Masachika shouted, cutting off Yuki before she could expose his lies.

He then stared hard at the door, praying that Elena would catch on as a tense three seconds went by…

“Oh, uh… I tried asking my friend in the fitness club if I could borrow some from them, but she already went home…and it’s not like you can use bathroom deodorizer in the student council room, so I brought a plastic bag and a bucket we could stuff the cake in,” Elena replied.

Yesss!

Her perceptiveness and quick thinking was perhaps how she ended up being the vice president of the student council years ago. At any rate, Masachika silently pumped his fist into the air as Alisa only further helped his cause.

“All right, well, we’re going to go home, okay? Yuki, you can check the files tomorrow, right?”

As if even Yuki were surprised by this unexpected turn of events, a few moments of silence went by until she eventually uttered in a disappointed voice:

“…Yes, I suppose I could. Very well. See you tomorrow, Masachika.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

“Bye.”

“Bye, Alya.”

Masachika sent a silent thank you to his partner for the, likely unintentional, helping hand.

“ < You’re hopeless. > ”

The soft Russian he heard coming from the other side of the door stopped him cold.

Wh-what? What did she mean by that? Don’t tell me that Alya…

Their footsteps faded into the distance. And they were oblivious to the almost chilling sensation that overcame Masachika. But before long, he heard Elena’s resentful voice emanating from the other side of the door.

“Hey… Why did it sound like I’m being portrayed as some sort of idiot who stinks up the student council room with durian cake?”

“I’m honestly really sorry about that.”

Since there was no way he could excuse what he did, he apologized and was met with a sigh.

“It’s fine… Anyway, how’s Maria? I brought the bucket and a plastic bag.”

Masachika, still breathing a sigh of relief after narrowly escaping Yuki and Alisa’s surprise attack, realized something.

Hold up… Now that she mentions it, it has been really quiet for the past few minutes. Did Masha fall asleep?

Filled with wishful thinking, he thanked Elena once again, casting a quick glance at Maria—only for his eyes to widen in surprise.

What the…?!

She must have lost her balance while getting up, because Maria now sat gracefully on the floor in front of the couch, knees drawn inward in a delicate, feminine posture.

“Sah… Sniffle! I knew you’d run straight to Alya…”

Maria hung her head low, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Perhaps she’d misunderstood his conversation with Alisa and Yuki beyond the door as a sign that he was neglecting her. But there was something even more concerning right now: her chest! Her bust could hardly be contained! In fact, it wasn’t being contained at all!

Why is she taking off her clothes?!

A blazer lied abandoned on the couch, and scattered across the floor before it were her indoor shoes, socks, and jumper skirt. Maria now wore only a white collared shirt and her underwear…but the white shirt was completely unbuttoned. In essence, only her arms were provided any semblance of coverage.

“Kuze? Is Maria … ?”

“…She’s a mess right now.”

“What?! Do you mean…I was too late?”

“Sorry. I’m a little confused too right now, but do you think you could let me handle this? You can go home.”

“O-oh, okay… Yeah… I’m sure Maria doesn’t want people to see her like this either… I’m counting on you, okay? And sorry about all this. I’ll leave the bucket and two plastic bags here.”

Elena’s footsteps faded into the distance, leaving Masachika feeling as if he had created some sort of misunderstanding, but he didn’t have the mental energy to worry about that right now.

“Why are you taking off your clothes, Masha?” he asked in a hushed whisper.

He approached Maria quietly with his gaze deliberately fixed on the couch to avoid looking directly at her. Still, out of the corner of his eye, he couldn’t help but notice her enthusiastically lift her head up with sparkles in her eyes.

“Oh, Sah! You’re here!”

In response to her suddenly cheerful tone, Masachika smiled uneasily and crouched in front of her as if addressing a child.

“Yes, yes. I’m here. Now, how about we put some clothes on?” he suggested.

“Umm … ? Mnfoo.”

“No, not ‘Mnfoo’… And you’re going to hurt yourself if you keep moving around like that,” he replied as Maria swayed side to side with a strange laugh.

“Hmm?”

Masachika felt his right arm being yanked, so he glanced over, realizing Maria was gripping his right wrist with her right hand while her left hand cupped the back of his right. Before he even realized it, she was pulling him right into her—

“Hey, wait.”

Realizing he was being pulled directly toward something that he couldn’t even directly look at, Masachika jerked his right arm back.

“What are you doing?” he asked with a grave expression.

“Huh? Continuing where we left off.”

“Continuing…what?”

He remembered that only moments ago, he was in the middle of touching Maria’s hair and eyelids while telling her how much he liked them, and the memory instantly sent blood rushing to his head.

“Wait, wait, wait! What are you trying to make me touch?!” shouted Masachika, turning his face away as he yanked his hand free with all his might, stumbling backward until he landed on his rear.

Immediately, Maria’s eyes filled with tears as her gaze lowered to the floor once more.

“I knew it… You liked me better back when I was skinny… You won’t even look at me right now…”

“What? But that’s not because…”

Guilt, stirred by her voice, sent Masachika’s bewildered gaze her way—only to have his breath catch from seeing her body up close. Her beauty, a blend of youthful innocence and maternal warmth, could soothe anyone who saw her.

Yet, everything below the neck radiated a bewitching charm that would drive a person wild. The two mounds—no—the two orbs, barely contained by her black bra, seemed to defy gravity. Her delicate waist gracefully curved while somehow still appearing both soft and squishy, and her thighs, without a single blemish, were plump yet firm.

Masachika again shifted his gaze toward the heavens.

Hmm… A lot of great shows came out this season, but I’d say that three of them are currently contenders for anime of the year.

But Maria’s sorrowful voice tickled his ears as he desperately tried to escape reality.

“You looked away again! Booo!”

“I mean, it’s not like I can’t stand to look at your body. It’s just that my body wouldn’t be able to handle it,” Masachika mumbled, his eyes fixed on the top of her head. Maria, however, bent forward and slipped out of sight, prompting him to lower his gaze cautiously—only to come face-to-face with a breathtakingly voluptuous rear.

Hnnng?!

His flustered gaze dropped and he locked eyes with Maria, who was staring up at him intently. Before he knew it, he had fallen back onto his rear and she was on all fours.

“Ooo?!”

The memory of what happened with Alisa at the night festival hit Masachika like a truck, instinctively making him try to slide back, but he lost his balance and banged his elbows onto the floor.

“Ouch?!”

A jolt of pain surged through both elbows, sending a tingling rush down his forearms as he fell backward, his arms unable to break the fall.

“Ahhh!”

As Masachika stretched his arms, wincing from the pain…Maria’s head suddenly blocked out the light. Leaning over him with her hands braced beside his shoulders, she gazed down with her hair glowing softly in the light, swaying so closely to him that it was almost tickling his cheeks.

“Hey, Sah…”

“Okay, Masha… Let’s take a deep breath. You’re not thinking straight right now,” Masachika pleaded desperately, focusing only on her glistening eyes while trying to come up with a way out of this situation.

I can do this. Once my arms stop tingling, I can sweep her and escape. Thankfully, she’s still wearing her dress shirt, so I’ll just slip my right leg out, wrap my arm around her back, and…

Shifting his brain into combat mode, Masachika frantically tried to tear his attention away from Maria’s alluring figure.

“Do you hate me? Now that I’ve changed so much?” she asked.

“Absolutely not. If anything, I like you—a lot—a ton.”

“Then…touch me.”

“No, stop that,” he replied immediately with a straight face, but Maria’s tearful eyes…were now filled with determination.

“Wait, wait, wait. Okay. You win. I’ll touch you,” Masachika cried out, a sharp sense of danger flashing through his mind as he gazed into those piercing eyes. Maria blinked a few times, smiling weakly when—

Now!!

He swiftly folded his right leg, pulling it out from beneath Maria’s body. Then, moving his slightly numb arms, he grabbed Maria’s back with his right hand and, with his left hand, cradled her right leg to roll her on her side—or, at least, that was what he tried to do.

Hmm?

His right hand mysteriously found something hard on her back under her shirt.

What is this? It feels like a metal clip of some sort—

That split second was all he needed to figure it out.

“ … ! Ack?!”

Masachika immediately let go, understanding exactly what he had just touched. Maria, however, glanced down at her motionless schoolmate, tilting her head in curiosity before…

“ … ! Oh.”

She nodded as if she understood his intent, then smoothly sat up and positioned herself over Masachika, straddling his stomach.

“Wait!”

Masachika was rendered speechless and stock-still by the sensation of her bottom pressing against his lower stomach, and his eyes instinctively flickered downward where Maria’s underwear came into view—all the most important parts visible.

Mesmerized by the tantalizing glimpse of her milky, thick thighs, the stark contrast of her mature black panties against her pale skin, and the alluring shadow of her intimate region, Masachika’s shame and guilt dissolved into a rapt stare, only to be abruptly extinguished as he mustered the last vestiges of his reason and squeezed his eyes shut.

Don’t look, don’t touch, don’t even think about it, you idiot! The girl in front of you is Mah! And she’s not thinking straight! If you do something, you’re going to regret it so much later that you’re going to wish you were dead!!

With his eyes closed tight and teeth gritted, Masachika—clinging to the last shreds of his sanity—heard a snap .

“ … ?”

The curious sound made him crack open his eyes, revealing Maria with her hands clasped behind her back. As their eyes met, she gave him a coy smile and brought her hands forward—

“Oh, Sah… You should have just told me that you wanted me to take it off,” she commented, letting her shoulder straps slide down . As her white collared shirt followed, the last barrier containing her ample chest succumbed to gravity, leaving her in just her panties as she smiled shyly, yet invitingly.

“Go ahead. This all belongs to you… This body exists for you to love, so it’s okay.”

Only one thought crossed Masachika’s mind as he stared with his eyes now wide as saucers.

Maybe this is worth regretting.

Would Masachika painfully regret this later? Would he want to die? So what? If he really were a man, then shouldn’t he put everything on the line for this very moment?!

I don’t care if I die, if it means getting to touch these glorious treasures!

After making that manly declaration in his mind, Masachika slammed the back of his head hard against the floor. A throbbing pain exploded in his head, forcing his eyes shut, so he seized the moment, fighting through the pain as he mentally chanted:

This is Mah. This is Mah. This is Mah. This is Mah.

A wave of cherished memories surfaced in his mind, and as he relived them, a sense of peace filled his heart, allowing him to reopen his eyes when—

“Guh.”

Maria let out a muffled groan from deep in her throat before suddenly collapsing on top of him.

“Hey, wait?!”

Caught off guard, he instinctively reached for her shoulders…but it was too late as both hands were suddenly full.

“Ooo?! I touched them … ?!”

The sheer softness in his palms, coupled with the sight of his fingers pressing against her breasts, made Masachika’s eyes widen more than ever before.

“Burp.”

Then, an ominous sound overhead sent a chill down his spine. Lifting his gaze, he saw Maria’s face, her brow furrowed in discomfort and her eyes tightly shut.

“I feel sick…”

He had jinxed himself. The lie had become reality, and there was no time for regret, for he was about to eat lunch like a baby bird if he didn’t make like a jet.

“Masha, please don’t! Nobody wants to see you turn into some weird fetish—I mean, not even I’m a big enough degenerate to let you throw up on my face—but seriously, why are these so soft?!”

Panic seizing him, Masachika wrestled with the desperate urge to flee, even if it meant being a little rough, but he couldn’t help but worry about shaking Maria in her current state. Therefore, he carefully lowered her onto himself, gently stroking her back in a comforting embrace.

Ultimately, it was Masachika’s frantic, tender care (?) that saved Maria from becoming someone’s unholy fetish as she began to breathe quietly on top of him…leaving him pinned underneath her half-naked body, utterly helpless.

“…Didn’t something like this happen at the beach during summer break, too?” he muttered, as if trying to escape reality while he gazed up at the ceiling. Nevertheless, he couldn’t stay like this for long, since there was no telling when someone might stop by.

Ack! I’ve got to hurry before Ayano gets here!

Immediately, with no footsteps indicating someone’s approach, there was a knock at the door. It sent his heart into his throat.

“Pardon me … ?” Outside the room, a new muffled voice asked but then trailed off.

“A-Ayano! Sorry! I’m a little—!”

…Masachika somehow managed to shoo Ayano away after that, and while the near-death experiences left him a mental wreck, he still managed to clean up and put everything back where it belonged.

By the time Maria finally woke up, she had no memory of everything that happened after her second piece of chocolate, leaving Masachika with a burden that would haunt him with regret and self-loathing whenever anything reminded him of that day.