Chapter Seventeen: The Beginning of Reversal
Only the two of them were alone in the advanced self-research room.
It was so quiet that the sound of a falling needle could be heard clearly.
There was no chance for Nagino to play it off.
This line, often seen in shoujo manga or in small doujinshi, left Nagino stunned.
The starless version of herself.
She couldn’t react in time.
— How should I respond according to my character?
— Should I make a quip? Be shy? Or play dumb and let Kanade make comments?
The former and the latter should have been the best answers.
“Are you a cannibal!?”
“How well done would you like it?”
Either way, it would have smoothly continued the conversation.
The prerequisite being—
If only she hadn’t been stunned for those few seconds.
If it were the old Nagino, using her star power, she could have easily turned the tide here.
But the current Nagino…
“Now…”
As Nagino organized her thoughts and tried to convert them into words.
She unexpectedly found herself stuck.
Those lines that completely abandoned male dignity and adult pride stirred up a huge wave of “shame” in her heart.
Nagino’s bright and clear eyes were now clouded over with a thin mist, trembling violently.
Her cheeks felt as if they were boiling, and even without a mirror, she knew they were flushed red.
“N-Now… it’s still d-d-day… oh…”
Nagino, who intended to turn defense into offense, now spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.
For so long, she had played the role of a “cheerful natural beautiful girl” with her star power.
She had dug herself a deep pit.
Now, the current Nagino could only sail through the swamp named “shame.”
There was no way back.
And Kanade, sitting across from Nagino, was also taken aback.
The naturally cheerful Nagino would have such a reaction.
It was far beyond his expectations.
Nagino’s overly fresh response made Kanade feel as if he was awakening to something.
At the same time, he recalled Rin’s words.
(“…You need to be more assertive.”)
“What did you say, Nagino? I didn’t catch that… Could you say it again?”
“!?”
Nagino’s eyes widened in shock.
“B-Bad…”
She had intended to say “bad intentions,” which would fit her persona.
But the words got stuck in her throat.
— How could I have ever said such embarrassing lines before!?
— My decades of life experience were shattered by a line straight out of a shoujo manga!?
And as Kanade looked at the blushing Nagino, who was speaking haltingly.
He felt as if he had opened the door to a new world.
For the first time, he realized how irresistible a beautiful girl’s embarrassed and troubled expression could be.
Before he could react, he found himself uncontrollably pressing the attack.
“Nagino, are you okay? Your voice is so quiet? What did you just say?”
Under this additional attack, Nagino felt her stamina depleting.
And the emotion called shame had already surpassed its limits.
— Why? Why do I have to repeat myself?
— Since when did Kanade become such an unkind person?
Feeling ashamed, Nagino wanted to lower her head.
But she couldn’t; Kanade was holding her chin with his hand.
“I-I—”
“—I need to go to the bathroom!!!”
Nagino finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and slammed her chopsticks hard on the table.
With a whoosh, she stood up and dashed toward the door of the advanced self-research room.
She then burst through the door.
Leaving Kanade with only a slender silhouette and long hair swaying with her steps.
…
“I-I’m saved…”
Kanade also came back to reality, out of breath.
He covered his chest with his hand and took deep breaths.
Enjoying the feeling of having survived a crisis.
And the slight thrill of “bullying Nagino.”
For the first time, Kanade understood that Nagino’s embarrassed and troubled expression could get his blood rushing.
At the same time, he vaguely sensed something in his heart.
“Nagino might like me.”
Once that thought emerged in his mind, it began to uncontrollably spread throughout.
From doubt to gradual certainty.
Otherwise, facing the impulsive act he had just committed.
If she really disliked him, it would have been normal for her to slap him multiple times.
But there was not a shred of rejection in Nagino’s reaction.
Even Kanade could see that she was very shy.
Yet, even so, she didn’t reject him.
Kanade even felt that if he had pushed Nagino down just then, she wouldn’t have rejected it.
“Nagino… likes me?”
Kanade incredulously covered his red-hot cheeks with his hand, softly repeating this question.
…
…
What happened?! Where did the plan go wrong?
Sitting on the toilet in a stall, Nagino scratched her head in confusion.
Her face, still flushed from embarrassment, hadn’t returned to normal.
Clearly, she just wanted to use “the bento made by her girlfriend” to let Kanade know that they were in a “pretend-dating” relationship.
But for some reason, he suddenly shifted from his usual timid attitude and acted like the male lead in a shoujo manga.
“Does Tsukimi Kanade have a setting like ‘if a girl makes him bento, he will completely change his personality’?”
Nagino rummaged through all the settings and routes in “Hoshihiki 2” but couldn’t figure out the reason.
Was it Rin or Yukino giving Kanade hints?
That possibility was quite high.
“Damn it, I was too careless…”
Nagino had not anticipated that Kanade would take such actions suddenly.
Which led her to completely lose her composure in front of him.
At this point, even if Kanade were a real wooden block, he should have noticed that her attitude toward him was unusual, right?
If it were the usual starry Nagino, she would be able to handle this matter more gracefully.
— Could “pretend dating” be a bad move?
Nagino initially intended to bind Kanade to her side through this plan.
But now it seemed like she had given Kanade the opportunity to approach her actively and launch his attack.
She had thought she could navigate this just like before.
But unexpectedly, the starless version of herself couldn’t even maintain her previously established persona.
What kind of expression should she face Kanade with later?
Nagino’s pupils shook, and the blush on her face lingered.
“First, let Kanade finish the bento and clean up, then get away for now…”
Nagino finally decided to escape temporarily.
She took out her phone and sent Kanade a message.
Stating that she had something to do and that he could leave after finishing his meal.
“Damn it, I need to come up with an excuse to smooth this over…”
…
…
Receiving Nagino’s message, Kanade lowered his head with a complex mood.
After regaining his calm.
He realized his mistake from earlier and began to reflect.
Regardless of whether a girl likes him or not, he shouldn’t have acted so rashly.
“It’s all because of this…” Kanade said with guilt as he lifted his head, glancing at the bento on the table.
If he had been able to eat the bento Nagino made normally earlier, he wouldn’t have suddenly offended her.
“If Renji can adapt, why can’t I?”
In a fit of stubbornness, Kanade picked up his chopsticks.
With a tinge of guilt, he nervously picked up a piece of fried chicken and put it in his mouth—
“Hm?”
The taste was beyond Kanade’s expectations.
It was delicious.
What happened?
Slightly dubious, Kanade picked up another octopus sausage.
It was still very tasty.
Not at all like that flavor from years ago that could make someone feel like they were in hell.
Was there something wrong with his taste buds?
With this thought in mind, Kanade unconsciously finished his entire portion of bento.
