Chapter 680 - What's Wrong With Kanzaki?

In conclusion, our Group Study was successful. We organized it for Satsuki with Sakuma as a tag-along since they didn’t get as high a score as us. And they managed to raise their points when I let them retake the same quiz.

Yep. I asked Shio for a copy of it and she gave it to me after hearing my reasoning. Usually, that’s not possible. However, since it’s me and I explained it properly, she made an exception.

I had to thank her for it when I got the chance…

I shouldn’t use our relationship as leverage too much. But thinking about it, my Shio would be overjoyed if I at least used that kind of advantage. She’d think of it as helping me with something. Naturally, she wouldn’t just give me an answer sheet for an exam but if it’s a questionnaire that we could review or even tutoring from her, she’d gladly do it.

Before leaving the house, we excuse ourselves by politely thanking her parents. Her mother had already returned from the outside and was cooking for their dinner.

Her father didn’t react too much and just bid us take care but her mother’s gaze rested on me for a few seconds while showing a slight smile. Naturally, it’s not a warm smile or anything, it’s a forced one.

Was it a woman’s instinct that she started suspecting me? Or I was just overthinking things?

Either way, I maintained my normal countenance and smiled back before following Aya and Kanzaki outside.

Along the way to the bus station, Kanzaki and Aya sandwiched me. Nonetheless, I felt the silence of the former as something unusual. She looked like she wanted to ask me something but she’s choosing against doing so.

I failed to catch a trace of Setsuna or Sakuma throughout that short walk. His house was in the opposite direction after all. As to what would be the outcome of their confrontation, I would probably hear about it from Satsuki or from Sakuma himself this Monday.

As we boarded the bus, the backseats were fortunately not occupied. With Aya on the lead, Kanzaki and I followed her.

In the end, I was once again sandwiched between the two. Kanzaki remained silent while Aya sneakily and comfortably leaned closer to me. As my answer to that, I stealthily stretched my arm behind her and rested it on her waist. It’s at an angle that Kanzaki wouldn’t be able to see unless she stood up or invaded my personal space.

Anyway, the girl remained unmoved. I had the gist of what happened earlier from Satsuki and Aya. The girl was actually worried that something happened to me, suggesting to the two to look for me.

Satsuki told her that it’s fine and I would find my way back even if I got lost in their house. Aya also helped by presenting other topics to talk about.

Furthermore, since the two were in the same room as her, Kanzaki would be unable to link them with me. Hence, her silent gaze and treatment had a different cause.

Regret for worrying about me? Upset because I was secretive? I don’t know.

That can only be answered by her but she’s not talking to me. And… I have no motivation to clear whatever’s on her mind.

I was interested in her before but… I gave up. As I was already trying to reel in my desire, I put her in the same category as the others who I was trying to not get romantically involved in. A friend, maybe?

Speaking of friend, I forgot to get the hairpin back from Misaki. Although Satsuki didn’t mention it, it’s hers. Besides, with Hina baring her thoughts about that occurrence, I have to tell them about my ‘friendship’ with Misaki. At least, I owe them that.

“This is my stop. See you on Monday, Rindou, Onoda.”

Around 3 bus stops later, Kanzaki got off the bus. In the end, that’s the only time I heard her voice again after leaving Satsuki’s house.

She’s not invited, the girl inserted herself in our group. And that actually made it difficult for us to move.

If Kanzaki wasn’t with us… I could’ve gotten a better moment with Aya and Satsuki. However, it’s not like she didn’t bring any positive to the group. The girl helped a lot in explaining things to Satsuki and Sakuma. Even I benefited from her explanations.

Anyway, whatever’s going on in her mind, I didn’t dwell too long in it.

With her departure, I was finally alone with my adorable Aya. And I didn’t waste any second as soon as that dawned upon me.

For starters, I took her lips that I was already being tempted to do so since earlier. Likewise, the girl had the same line of thought as me, she welcomed it and responded in kind.

The girl was already an expert when it came to kissing. With the number of times that we did it, she’d naturally become a master of it. Still, Aya was always a gentle angel. Most of the time she’s only following my lead.

Whenever I asked her to take out her tongue, she would do so adorably. And I would slurp and suck on it, eventually leading to a more passionate kiss.

Once we got our fill of each other, Aya snuggled closer to me and I held her closely, her body locked in my arms.

And with that, we savored the few minutes we had left on the bus.

After walking her home and watching over until she disappeared into their house, I dragged my body towards the train station.

The same as yesterday, I ran into or rather, Sumire ran into me once more when the train stopped at her station. With a bright and energetic smile on her lips, the Asahi fanatic walked and sat down next to me as we conversed about our day.

Well, she tried preaching about Asahi again so I steered the conversation away and focused on mundane topics just to pass the time until the girl reached her stop.

There’s not that much of a connection between us but running into each other twice in a row somehow built one. I became her meddlesome senpai who she wanted to turn into a fanatic like herself.

It’s annoying but I guess that’s a short reprieve from my overthinking whenever I found myself alone.