Chapter 16:

Is it a vainglorious, or a philanthropic Okumori Toshiro?

Accepted


Okumori Toshiro 

In the possession of Shiori’s small and dainty hands, were two hangers. And attached to said two hangers, were a red underwear and bra.

More specifically, they were a pair of red bikinis.

What the hell? How did you even get that so quickly? Why do you even have that? Have you not comprehended the fact that I’m a male?

Miyake was dead silent. There were no sounds that I could hear from her as I motionlessly stood beside her.

Say something, you idiot! You’re just making it even more awkward!

I’d look at Miyake now,

Hey, talk, damn it-

She was vibrant with red. Her mouth formed in a flurried smile, while she twiddled and twitched her fingers in front of her chest looking at the lascivious outfit. “Um… Er… I-I don’t- I’m not sure…” Miyake apprehensively said.

“Ehh? Are you sure, Miyake-senpai? It’s pretty cute…” Shiori examined it, turning it around to herself and looking it up and down.

“No, it’s not that, Shiori-chan. I-I’m sure it’s cute, but, um, Ki-kun’s here, you know?”

Shiori looked up at Miyake. It was unclear what expression she had because of her concealed face, but if I had to guess, it probably wasn’t anything surprising. She didn’t seem all that interested when she heard Miyake.

“Oh?”

“Yeah…” Miyake whimpered.

“But, what’s so wrong with that? Okumori-senpai has seen you naked before, right?” Shiori stupidly added.

Oh. My. God.

I shot away from the two and avoided any eye contact in embarrassment.

“WHAT?!” Miyake shrieked at her, her withdrawn attitude earlier disappearing in a matter of seconds. “No! He has not! Why would you think that?!”

Shiori paused.

“Y-You guys haven’t done the-”

“No! No, no!” Miyake denied. “We’re nothing like that, Shiori-chan!”

She then busted into a laugh.

“Well, I mean, I have seen him-”

In a nimble manner, I chopped the top of Miyake’s head from pure instinct before she could even finish.

Oh, shut up!

“Owie!” She placed her palms towards the area I had hit and rubbed it while sniffling.

Idiot.

“Oh…”

We both noticed that Shiori had been standing inertly and more withdrawn than before, hiding the hangars under her arms.

“Oh…” She weakly uttered again.

I watched as her eyes became into a feverish panic. “Sorry! Sorry, sorry! I’m so sorry! I thought you two were in a relationship!” She then subsequently yelled while bowing. “Miyake-senpai said something about a harem! A-And I thought it meant that she had a liking towards Okumori-senpai! Harem is like, err, when multiple girls like a single male, right? I-I thought that’s what it meant! I didn’t know that it meant friendship! I’m sorry!”

You took that seriously? How naive are you?

I stared daggers towards Miyake right after hearing Shiori’s apology. She’d seem to notice my glare and begin to itch her head mousily.

“Haha… Mm… That… That was a joke.” Miyake stammered.

A stupid one, that was.

“That means you guys aren’t together, right? You don’t like Okumori-senpai?”

There was a faint grunt that I could hear from Miyake before her voice drastically changed.

“No. I don’t. Not even a-” She abruptly stopped, only letting out a small and indistinct gasp.

Shiori became silent, as I peered back over to Miyake.

… What happened to her, “Ohmigod! I was just joking! We’re just frieeeends!” comeback? Now, it was just a blunt and surly one. I found it to be a little horrifying, even, because I didn’t expect such an irascible tone.

But, well, I know I probably shouldn’t be surprised. I don’t even know Miyake all too well, anyways. It’s only been a few weeks ever since we’ve known each other, so it’s obvious that we’d both be completely blind to each other's selves.

Shiori stood tensely after hearing Miyake until shooting one final bow at us.

“I-Yes! Sorry!” She yelled. "Um! I’ll get another outfit now for Miyake-senpai! G-Goodbye!”

She waved at us with a wild, “Goodbye!” and swiftly ran off to other aisles, leaving me and Miyake to bathe in the stiff silence.

After Shiori was gone, Miyake had the guts to ask an obscene question that made my anxiety rise.

“... Hey, Ki-kun, do we really look like a couple to others?”

I looked at the floor phlegmatically and calmed down. I shrugged at her question.

“How the hell am I supposed to know?” was what I had been daring to say, but I didn’t want to come off as rude.

In all honesty, if I saw a male and female standing beside each other, then it’s only reasonable to assume that their relationship is more romantic and platonic. That’s why I wasn’t as livid as I usually would be at Shiori. I don’t think I could blame her for thinking that, even if the idea of having a sentimental bond with Miyake repulses me.

Miyake kept quiet, only letting out a timid nod. “You think it's jealousy?”

I lifted my shoulders up and down again.

Why would anyone be jealous over this in the first place?

This kinship we have is nothing more of a sad one.

I breathed in and looked up at the luminescent, glaring light that was attached to the ceiling now.

A relationship where one doesn’t trust the other, where one is mortified of the thought of talking to that partner, where they’re so distanced apart to the point where they can’t even have an alike understanding and therefore lead to unsatisfactory conversations due to one’s hatred; all of it. What is even remotely fun about any of that?

What, am I supposed to act like the holy mighty best-friend to Miyake by bringing myself to love everything I so jarringly hate about her? If it was that easy, then maybe it would’ve already been done.

I’d rather let her go than let her waste that affinity on a discourteous person such as me. I’d only ruin her.

Miyake would note my silence, then clear her throat. “Well, not that I really care… People can think what they want to think, ya’ know? Plus, it steers me away from all the creepy guys.” She chuckled afterwards.

I narrowed my eyes on her.

You’re despicable.

She’d see me and smile even more broadly.

“Sometimes, I don’t really mind if they make those assumptions. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really harm me, and it makes me feel safer. Especially with you around, I feel like you’d scare any guy who’s willing to attempt confessing to me.”

She put her fingers on her chin now and inquisitively thought.

“You say some pretty edgy stuff, though. Like, I feel like that you’d just seem weird to others if you told them your pessimistic thoughts…”

As if your statement about ‘perfection’ earlier was any different in terms of edginess.

“U-Um… Do you like pastel blue, Miyake-senpai…?” Someone shy voiced out.

We both looked over and saw Shiori’s head peeking from the end of the aisle.

Except, she had taken off everything that would’ve disguised her as somebody else. Her mask and hat was nowhere to be seen, leaving her face all free for viewing. Just like the first time I met her, she had her usual round and delicate face shape that was cherry-red in uneasiness, her frightened scarlet eyes, her trembling unsure lips, and her chestnut colored hair that left out a cowlick strand perking from her head.

“Y-Y-You…” Miyake dribbled on her words while pointing at Shiori.

She had a jaw-dropped mouth when I saw her, probably in awe due to Shiori’s obvious idol face.

“You’re so cuuuute! I completely forgot how you looked! Oh my god!” She remarked loudly.

“H-Huh?!” Shiori exclaimed, very shocked.

She’d realize Miyake’s compliment, only to whimper softly with her cowlick sinking down, retreating back into the clothing rack. She connected her hands together and moved them around nervously, then opened her mouth.

“Thank you…” She weakly muttered.

Haven’t you already seen her, Miyake? Why are you so surprised?

“Ki-kun! Look! Look!” She faced me.

She’d lift her hands and set her right palm on my hair, and place her other hand on my chin. She yanked it in the direction of Shiori. Her hands were cold and soft, but restrained my head from resisting her.

I know what she looks like, you idiot! Stop it! It’s uncomfortable!

I growled and grabbed her wrists, clenching them tightly as I tried to pull them away. But, my attempt was to no success, because her grip was much like a gorilla.

“Look! Are you seeing it?!”

I can see it clearly, dummy! Shut up already and let me go!

She’d then let go, only to wrap her arms around my neck tightly and get in my face with happiness. I could feel her breath, smell her perfume, and even see my reflection in her eyes. She had a frown on her face while she breathed on me.

“Ki-kun is very lucky, you know! You have two very beautiful girls that have given you the privilege to be called friends! The other guys at school would kill to have this! Be happy, Ki-kun!”

That’s your comment? Really? I dunno, maybe it would’ve been better if you asked me if you almost broke my vertebrae!

She only clamped down on my neck even more. She’d use her knuckle to scrape my head violently, giggling as she did so.

I didn’t ask for this ‘friendship,’ monkey! Stop it! It hurts!

She’d let go eventually, and give me the chance to distance ourselves pretty far. I took the time to caress my head in anguish; hurting from her savage grating of me.

“Also, I love pastel colors! Whaddya’ got?” Miyake ignored my misery.

“Um.” Shiori stammered.

She’d walk forwards warily and present the clothes that she had picked out for Miyake, wavering them around dubiously for Miyake to check out. “I’m not sure if you’ll like it though…”

It was a white pleated skirt and a big crew neck sweatshirt that had the aforementioned pastel color blue with cute cats all in a chibi style with halo’s in the middle of it.

“How much is it?!” Miyake spat.

Shiori flinched at Miyake’s sudden yell, then stumbled upon her words again. She’d lift the hangers in front of her to conceal herself and mustered a reply. The hangers moved while she spoke, making it seem like they were the ones talking.

“I-It’s four-thousand seven hundred yen.”

There is no way Miyake is going to spend almost five-thousand yen just for an outf-

“I’m gonna absolutely spend almost five-thousand yen for this outfit! It’s so adoraaablee!”

Miyake rushed at Shiori and grabbed the outfit from her hands. She inspected it for herself, beaming at the sight, grinning and giggling contentedly as she eyed the clothes. Her eyes sparkled, and her voice got more high-pitched by the second.

“I’m going to try it on! Is that fine, Shiori-chan? Shiori-chan?” Miyake leaned close.

How is Shiori physically younger... But more mentally smarter than you?

Shiori nodded. “S-Sure!”

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Miyake hugged her.

“Y-Yes!”

“I’ll be right back!” Miyake said, pulling away from Shiori and running off, disappearing from our eyes.

Hey! Don’t leave me with the socially inept child, you idiot! Come back here!