Chapter 24

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Episode 24: Multipurpose Classroom

“Ahaha! You two got scoldedー！”

It had become customary for the four of us to gather in the back of the room when the bell rang, so as soon as our math teacher left, Yuzuriha and Honoka came running with Honoka already laughing at us.

“What? Were you staring into each other’s eyes? Were you having a wedding? That’s it isn’t it~! Yosh~, it’s party time~! Shall we go get a drink tonight to celebrate?”

“Old man?”¹

“So you got married to an old man!?”

“You’re wrong!?”

Just what is this beautiful girl implying…….I’m amazed by her exuberant personality, but not to the point where I can’t react.

“C-Congratulations…….on your marriage.”

“Not you too!?”

I wasn’t expecting Yuzurin to jump in on the joke as well.

The three of us were laughing together, but Saki didn’t look like she was in the mood for jokes. Her lips were pursed and she seemed on edge. It was like she was suspicious of something.

“Is something wrong? Is it about before? Did you hate getting called out by the teacher that much?”

“Hmm~, it’s different~”

Probably worried because Saki wasn’t reacting at all, Honoka gently called out to our princess, but it was in vain. All she got back was a curt brush-off.

Not good……

The truth behind this subject isn’t something you want to touch. Even if I have to bulldoze my way though, I need to get rid of her anxiety and make her feel better……

“What’s wrong? You look wonderful like this, but I think I prefer it more when you’re laughing.”

I made a pass on her while brushing my hand against against her cheek as support.

“Seduction from Prince Yuri~!”

“Yuriha, cool……”

The spectators were being worked up into a frenzy. But the girl in question…….

“I’m not sure~”

She brushed off my advances and stood up.

“Ah, Saki wait”

“Oh? A fight? Do we have a fight? Chase after them~!!”

“Rah~”

I followed after Saki as she walked out of the classroom with Honoka and Yuzuriha fanning the flames behind us.

“Hu-……..h?”

She disappeared? She was only out of sight for a few seconds? The classes have all been let out, but is there so many people in the hallway that I could lose her this easily?

No, she’s nowhere in the hallway, and she couldn’t have reached the stairs already. I doubt she’s in the bathroom either. I’m only basing this off my intuition, but it just seems too easy.

What’s left then is…….

“Correct answer~ Yuri”

The multipurpose classroom next door.

With the tumult of the hallway at my back, Saki and I faced off against each other inside the slightly gloomily-lit room.

“Saki? What’s wrong? Let’s head back.”

“No”

She looked the other way and gave me an immediate rejection. How do I convince her……..

“Are you feeling sick?”

I think it’s something else, but I’m a bit worried……..no, I’m actually really worried.

“Hmm~ I guess you could say I’m feeling unwell.”

She pressed her pointer finger to her lips as she answered. Eh, she’s no different from normal……..

Of course that’s not the case. It’s like the difference between someone’s mood and their humor…….. Isn’t this perfect for me?

She’s jealous, there’s no doubt about that. But while this is a positive sign for me, it’s not enough for me to say if her feelings towards me are like or love yet. I’ve raised a flag, but this might still be a case of excessive friendship that is pushing on the boundaries of romance. We haven’t known each other long enough to say confidently that this is love. In truth, all Saki might be wanting is a prince who treats her like the princess she is.

I should be fine. Just gotta keep up my composure and have some self-confidence.

“Wha~t’s that? Did you want us to find a place where we can be alone? What a troublesome princess.”

“Not exactly.”

I’ve been cut down.

Saki moved over to a desk and took a seat. Her posture and the way she’s sitting, she has completely shut me out.

However is she earnestly rejecting me? She didn’t say no after all. I thought back to what she said……. The first thing she said when I came in. If that was the ‘correct answer’ back then, I must have some kind of passing mark with her. I’ve already passed the line then, so all I need to do now is exceed her expectations. 

So, the reason why her feelings are in such a tumult right now is because of her jealousy over Ranko. I can safely assume that. Then how do I rid her of her anxiety?

I set my elbows down on the desk in front of Saki. I then got down on my knees and wrapped my hand around hers.

“Sorry. I didn’t talk with you and the others today.”

“Not just that. It was like you had completely forgotten us.”

Saki was being pretty stubborn about not looking at me. However that just makes me want to cuddle up to her all the more.

“Don’t say that. I’m always thinking about you Saki.”

A line straight from an American soap opera. So, what will it be…….

“And yet, you were off telling Suzushiro how cute she was.”

Yosh, I got her to say what she’s really feeling. So in response I should, 

“Because she was cute, but no matter how cute she is, I think Saki is the cutest in the world.”

Especially in the face――but yeah, the other girls are all impossibly cute as well to the point that it’s impossible to rank them. People aren’t something you should be ranking in the first place after all.

“You really think so?”

“Naturally…….”

Moving slowly for dramatic effect, I place my hand on her cheek. My thumb brushes against her lips as my other fingers climb down her neck, eventually coming together at her chin when I turn her face towards mine.

“Yep, cute.”

An intoxicated heat grew in her eyes. I’m sure a similar fever is picking up in my gaze as well.

“Y-Yuri……”

My name leaked out in her amorous voice as she ran both her hands around my neck…….hold up, aren’t we moving too fast here?

Her face was gradually getting closer to mine. Or rather, her lips were. But it’d be really bad if we went any further than this right now. There are a couple things I still need to take care of before I can have my first kiss with Saki.

Rising to my feet, I lightly push on her shoulders with my right hand as my left grabbed the back of her seat. 

Her legs gave out, and she powerlessly fell backwards. Her back landed on top of the desk itself with her legs dangling off the side. She’s in danger of falling off, but I was supporting her back with my hand to keep her steady.

“Saki…….”

I softly whisper her name into her ear like a harbinger of passion. Then reaching my hand up to her face, 

――――

“Are you feeling feverish?”

I spat out the kind of insensitive line you’d only ever expect to hear from a shoujo manga.

“Eh……”

She blinked, unable to understand what was going on. Her eyes had glazed over, and they trembled in irritation…….oh man, I love this kind of expression too. 

You see, my dream is to have a yuri harem, so if I were to give in and start dating Saki here, all my shameless flirting with everyone else would be me cheating on her.

“I think you might be getting a fever, so you better head to the infirmary just in case. I don’t want you to get sick.”

I pull away from her and threw out a small follow-up. I felt a bit dizzy after standing up too quickly and bumped into a desk, but I could stand to look like a bit of a fool right now.

But will she let it go? Her face was an emotionless mask. What will she say?

All of the sudden,

“Ah, so here you are! Class is already about to start. We were wondering where you went!”

Honoka threw open the door and walked into the dimly lit classroom. I was a little worried over how things were going to develop after this, so I’m grateful to our mood-maker for cutting through the tension. Nice timing.

But it’s not a coincidence. I heard Honoka’s voice in the hallway a second ago, musing about how long we were taking in the bathroom. If there is a noise coming from a room nobody is supposed to be in, I knew there was a possibility the two of them would investigate.

“Saki…….fall…….?”

“Hmm? What were the two of you doing? Don’t tell me, did we just walk in on the aftermath of a serious and terrible fight?”

A pure and understandable question.

“Saki wasn’t feeling well. I wanted her to rest, but since she felt too embarrassed to go to the infirmary, I had her lie down in here instead.”

A huge lie. However to protect Saki’s honor……and my real intentions, this kind of lie was necessary. 

“T-That’s right……. I wasn’t feeling too good.”

Thankfully Saki rode along with my lie. It might be that she doesn’t want to break our current relationship.

“Eh, are you okay? Do you want to go there together?”

“I’m okay~. Everyone else is already back, and class is about to start isn’t it?”

“You sure~? Then take care okay?”

“I will”

Honoka was genuinely concerned despite the fact that Saki didn’t look very sick. Obviously not though. Because she isn’t sick to begin with.

That’s why I wasn’t feeling too worried while I watched her back as she walked down the hall towards the stairs.

<hr>

1. The joke doesn’t quite work in English because Japanese drops the subject whenever it can. Yuri is calling Honoka an old man, and Honoka is acting like they’re still talking about the marriage.

Chapter 23 ⊥ Chapter 25\n

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