Chapter 25: Beautiful Girl, Killing Time in the Clubroom

It was Monday after school—the start of a new week. The five of us in the Cooking Club were visiting our clubroom.

We’d originally planned to check it out last week, but the freshman welcome party turned out to be far more exhausting than expected, so we decided to postpone it until today.

Normally, clubs like ours don’t get their own room.
However, since cooking requires a lot of equipment and ingredients, our advisor, Ms. Mogami, made an exception and arranged one for us. Though, it wasn’t located in the usual club building.

Our base of operations was inside the Home Economics wing—specifically, the kitchen classroom. That was where we usually held our “battles.”
Just beyond that was the Home Economics prep room, where the knives and other cooking tools for class were stored. But that wasn’t our clubroom either.

After all, the prep room was filled with sharp tools—not exactly a safe space for casual use. Plus, since it was used during class hours, the teachers didn’t want us storing personal belongings there. It could also only be accessed from the main classroom, which made it rather inconvenient.

So, what was our clubroom, then?
It was a small, unmarked room located even further inside—accessible both from the hallway and directly connected to the prep room. No one really knew what the room had originally been built for; it used to just be called a storage room.

But Ms. Mogami, ever the generous type, thought it was a waste to leave it unused and arranged for the Cooking Club to take it over.
And thus, the Cooking Club’s “clubroom” was born.

When we unlocked the door and stepped inside, the place was surprisingly tidy.

Well, that made sense. Until March, the senior members had still been using it.

It was roughly six tatami mats in size—fairly small, actually.
Oh, but there was a refrigerator, and a long table with chairs—just what a proper clubroom should have.

“This looks kinda cramped, huh,” Yoshikawa said, peeking inside.

“If you think of it as getting to breathe the same air as Ayumi, it’s not bad at all,” Ryoji said.

“Yeah, right,” Sakurako replied flatly.

Could he not say creepy things like that with a straight face?

“The boys sure have it tough, huh? You even have to work hard just to breathe Ayumi-chan’s air. Suu–haa,” Moeka teased.

“Yeah… suu–haa,” Sakurako echoed.

Don’t sympathize with him with a straight face! And don’t breathe near my ear while doing it!

Inside the room, the only real furnishings were the refrigerator and a nearly empty dish cabinet.
For some reason, a few shoujo manga were lined up inside it.

“It’s kinda plain, huh. Should we bring something?” Moeka said.

“Hmm… what if we brought a TV?” Yoshikawa suggested.

“If we’re going that far, maybe we should get a game console too?” Ryoji added.

“Oh, that sounds good! We could totally hang out here all day,” Sakurako said.

Where were they planning to get a TV from?
Also, if anyone caught us playing games in the clubroom, we’d probably be suspended on the spot.

The most we could get away with was playing handheld consoles—and honestly, that sounded fun enough!
Back in middle school, I used to wish I could join in on those four-player games everyone played.

Oh, right—since we had a fridge now, I could bring in some mizu-yōkan! Cold, sweet bean jelly every day at school? That’s pure bliss!
Even the cheap convenience store kind would be fine, as long as I could have it daily!

“Hey, Ayumi, what’re you drooling about?” Ryoji asked.

“I—I’m not drooling!”

He leaned closer to my face.
Wait—was I!?
Panicking, I wiped my mouth. Nope, totally dry! Ugh, he startled me for nothing.

“Let me guess—you were thinking about chilling and eating mizu-yōkan, weren’t you?”

“H-how did you know!?”

“Hahaha, you’re too cute, Ayumi.”

Ryoji lightly patted my head. Grr… stop teasing me!

We sat down and started discussing how to decorate the clubroom. Sure, if it was just for cooking, we didn’t need much—but if we wanted to enjoy high school life, we needed a comfy space to relax in too.

“If we had teacups and a teapot, we could have tea time!” Moeka said brightly.

“Good idea, Moeka. And if you secretly swap your cup with Ayumi’s, you could score an indirect kiss,” Sakurako said.

“Moeka-chan…” I groaned.

“Eh!? Wait, I’m the one getting judged here!? Sakurako-chan’s the pervy one, isn’t she!?”

“Yeah, Minase-san, that’s kinda wicked,” Yoshikawa said.

“Definitely inhuman,” Ryoji added.

“Waaah! Don’t pick on me! Tease Ayumi-chan instead!” Moeka wailed.

Why are all three of them looking at me like, Yeah, that’s fair?
Pick on Moeka, not me!

Still, teacups and an electric pot did sound nice. Drinking tea in the clubroom felt kind of elegant.

“It’s so bare in here—maybe we should add some plushies?” Moeka suggested, glancing around.

Since it was a school room, the walls were plain white, and the curtains were cream-colored. There wasn’t much color at all—it did feel rather empty.

A few cute stuffed animals could really brighten the place up—and add some cozy charm too.

“Plushies, huh,” I mused.

“Yep! You saw how many I had at my house, right? I was thinking of bringing one or two,” Moeka said.

“Yeah, you had a lot… but won’t they get dirty here?”

I glanced at the shelves and the floor. No matter how much you clean at school, dust somehow just appears!
Where does that endless dust even come from!?

“W-wait, Moeka! Why does Ayumi know how many plushies you have at home!?” Sakurako demanded.

“Heheh~♪ Because Ayumi-chan came over to my house!” Moeka said proudly.

“‘Whaaat!?’” the three of them shouted in unison.

Come on, that’s not that shocking. You don’t all have to say it together!

“To think… my dear friend Moeka beat me to it… I’m heartbroken,” Sakurako sighed dramatically.

“I was so close, too! I nearly got her clothes off!” Moeka declared.

“Moeka-chan! That’s embarrassing!” I squeaked.

Ugh, just remembering it made my face burn. She really did pounce on me out of nowhere, and before I could react, she’d nearly stripped me down!

“T-that reaction! So it’s true!? Moeka—details, now!” Sakurako demanded eagerly.

It was true, but she didn’t need to say it like that! That totally gives the wrong idea!

“Moeka! You were trying to get Ayumi to cosplay without me!?” Sakurako cried.

Why does she make it sound like Sakurako-chan has to be there for that? I don’t want to cosplay no matter who’s watching.
Last time, I barely managed to get away. But… ugh, I ended up giving Aika-chan my phone number and messenger ID in the heat of the moment, so she’ll probably invite me over again soon. Actually, she’s been messaging me every day already…

“By the way,” Ryoji said, “the word ‘cosplay’ sounds kinda pop and innocent, but if you say ‘costume play,’ it suddenly sounds pervy, doesn’t it?”

That’s seriously something I didn’t need to hear! Ryoji, can you not talk right now!?
And why is Yoshikawa-kun muttering ‘you’re not wrong’ like he’s deep in thought!?

“Ayumi, next time you’re wearing something embarrassing, make sure to invite me,” Ryoji said.

“Count me in too, Sakura-san,” Yoshikawa added.

Like hell I’m calling you guys! You’re radiating nothing but dirty intentions!

“Ayumi-chan, next time come over to my house!” Sakurako said excitedly. “My big sister said she wants to meet you!”

“You have a big sister, Sakurako-chan?” I asked.

"Of course she does, Ayumi-chan! Sakurako’s sister, Yoshino-san, is amazing—she’s a model! A real model!" Moeka said.

A… model!?
No wonder Sakurako-chan has such a nice figure. And that big chest too…
Not that I’m jealous or anything. Nope. Not at all.
Still, whether you’re a guy or a girl, being tall is something to admire. Yeah… definitely jealous.

"Wait, you mean Aikawa Yoshino?" Ryoji said. "She’s that super popular fashion model among girls! I didn’t expect her to be your sister."

"Wow, Ryoji, you really know your stuff," I said.

"Of course. I even buy women’s fashion magazines—purely for the girls, of course."

…That’s just sad, honestly.
I gave him a long stare. With how handsome he looks, he shouldn’t need to hunt for girls through magazines.
Then again, Ryoji’s never had a girlfriend. When you think about his personality, it actually makes perfect sense.

"Hey, hey, I like beautiful women, sure," he said. "But I also like cute, loli types too. Don’t worry."

"You have no standards, do you."

"Hah, Ayumi, you’re always so merciless with me. But hey, that sadistic side of yours? Totally part of your charm. Feel free to keep dishing it out."

He’s one tough guy.
Nothing I say seems to faze him. In a way, it’s kind of reassuring… like having a human punching bag.

"So anyway," Moeka cut in, "Sakurako-chan, your sister said she wanted to meet Ayumi-chan?"

"Oh, definitely! I told her everything—how cute she is, how soft she feels, even how nice she is to squeeze!"

You didn’t need to say that last part!!
Why do you always have to broadcast the most embarrassing details!?

Now I’m worried about what kind of image Sakurako-chan’s sister has of me.
I really hope she doesn’t think I’m some pervy girl who lets people grope her or something.

And speaking of that sister… that’s actually what worries me the most.

"My sister’s beautiful, sure," Sakurako said proudly, "but compared to Ayumi-chan, she doesn’t stand a chance."

I doubt that. I’ve never seen her, but she’s a model, right? She’s probably gorgeous.
Still… a real model—meeting one in person? As a guy deep down, I can’t help but be curious!

"I kinda want to meet your sister too, Sakurako-chan," I said.

"Really!? Then come over! Like, right now!" she said eagerly.

"R-right now?" I stammered.

"Sakurako-chan, calm down! If we go now, we won’t even have time to hang out!" Moeka warned.

"You’re right… how unlike me. I lost my composure because I got too excited about inviting Ayumi-chan over," Sakurako admitted.

She’s that happy to have me come over? Somehow, that makes me a little glad.

…But hold on. I can’t let my guard down that easily.
After all, Sakurako-chan’s a serial harasser. She’s already crossed into some pretty dangerous territory, all under the excuse of “we’re both girls.”

If I’m going to enter the dungeon known as Sakurako-chan’s house, I’ll need proper gear.
Maybe… a stun gun or something.

And judging from how similar Moeka and her little sister Aika’s personalities are, I can only assume Sakurako and her sister are the same kind of pair.
Two Sakurako-chans’ worth of harassment? I wouldn’t survive that!

Maybe I should’ve just refused.
But now it’s too late to back out!

I glanced over at Ryoji, silently pleading, Do something!
He met my eyes… and gave me a firm thumbs-up.

"Make sure you record the video, okay?"

…That’s not what I meant!
Why is he always so bad at picking up on nuance at times like this!?

Well, whatever. Getting hugged, patted, or even… squeezed by a girl isn’t the worst thing in the world.

…No, that’s a lie! No matter how positively I try to think about it—it’s impossible!

I mean, even between girls, doing that kind of thing isn’t exactly normal… right?

"Ayumi-chan, you’re wondering if Yoshino-san will be as handsy as Sakurako-chan, aren’t you?"

Bingo. She knows me too well.

"I don’t do that kind of sexual harassment, you know?"

"“““Huh!?”””"

"Why do you all look so surprised?"

"Aikawa… you seriously don’t realize it? Even I find that hard to believe."

"I can’t believe I’m being called out by Yoshikawa-kun of all people…"

Remember, sexual harassment doesn’t always come from intent—if the other person feels harassed, that’s what matters.
Let’s all be careful, everyone.

"But Yoshino-san’s actually super normal and well-mannered!"

Oh, really? In that case, maybe I’ll be safer there than I thought.

"Just like me! I’m a model of common sense!"

Moeka-chan beamed with a radiant smile.
…And suddenly, I wasn’t so sure about that anymore.

And so, before I knew it, I’d agreed to go this weekend.
I can only pray Yoshino-san really is a good person.

On the way home from the station, I sat on the back of Ryoji’s bike.

"Hey, Ayumu."

"What?"

"I just realized—you haven’t been to my place since you, uh… became a girl. You used to come over every three days or so, remember?"

"Oh, right. Yeah, that’s true. Well, you were pretty much my only friend back then."

"Want to come over sometime soon?"

"Sure, why not? What’s with the sudden invite?"

"Ah, nothing really. Guess I just… felt like hanging out with you again."

"Is that so? Heh, that actually makes me kind of happy."

After that, Ryoji fell silent.
What’s up with him? Weird guy.