Does This Love Suit Your Taste? - Volume 1 Chapter 4.4

Likes and Dislikes 4

 

『Meet me behind the gym after school.』

 

The next day. I received such a LINE message from Shirahime after finishing numerous tasks after school.

Shirahime apparently got my contact information through my father, and I’ve basically been receiving orders like this through messages from the beginning of our ‘contract’.

And speaking of what to do after school, it’s writing the class journal and then a kiss.

 

Usually, we finish up in an old school building classroom that seems to be half-owned by her, but for some reason, today’s summons was behind the gym.

Just as I was about to arrive there, I heard the laughter of a boy and a girl nearby, and I involuntarily held my breath and stopped in my tracks.

Peeking from behind a hiding spot, I saw Shirahime and Kazama there.

The two of them were leaning against the concrete wall behind the gym, facing and laughing with each other.

 

“Ah! So that stomach growling was Tanaka-san!”

“Yeah, exactly! I was surprised too! During the break after that, he rushed to the store saying, ‘I need to buy something to put in my stomach!’ “

“Isn’t it because it would be troublesome if it happened again during the next period?”

“Fufu, maybe so.”

 

What’s with this naive vibe… Guess I’m not needed here?

But it’s definitely written ‘behind the gym’ on LINE, so it’s not a mistake on my part.

In fact, Shirahime is there.

 

But what’s with this Shirahime… acting all cutesy as usual. Even though she’s usually so unpleasant towards me.

As I get annoyed by the different way she treats me, their conversation moves on.

 

“So, what’s this thing you want to talk about?”

 

Shirahime asks Kazama,

What’s that? A talk?

It must be something if they have to avoid people’s eyes to talk about if it’s behind the gym.

…Could it be something they don’t want people to hear?

 

Gotcha… I can turn the tables in one fell swoop if I can hear something that could be a weakness for Shirahime!

Heh… As I smirked cunningly, Kazama brushed his bangs aside and started talking.

 

“Rira, have you been okay lately?”

“…Hm, okay, as in what? Am I acting strange?”

 

Shirahime, seemingly having no clue why she would be a cause for concern, asks Kazama with a wry smile.

I quietly hide and eavesdrop on their conversation.

 

“Like, are you involved in something serious?”

“…what?”

“It’s about Kiminami. Kiminami Toui.”

 

…Me?

The name that came up here was mine.

Until now, I was just lurking and listening in, but my heart suddenly tensed up with my own involvement.

 

“Did Kiminami Toui do something to you?”

“Um… no, he hasn’t done anything.”

 

Shirahime made a slightly flustered face but still shook her head.

 

“You don’t have to pretend to be strong. I’m on Rira’s side. If that guy has done something to you, tell me.”

 

Haha, Kazama thinks I’m messing with Shirahime?

Too bad, it’s actually the other way around.

Man, I wish I could tell him. If he wants to be a hero, he should be saving me.

Having no way of knowing this, Kazama offered Shirahime a kind helping hand.

 

“K-Kazama-kun. Like I said before, Toui-kun and I have parents who know each other. We’re just a normal good friends. It’s not like Toui-kun is doing anything to me…”

“Rira, it’s written all over your face that you’re worried about something.”

 

Dude, it’s your fault.

Pretending to understand yet not really getting it, Kazama continues to suspect me.

 

“Rira is kind, so maybe you can’t shake off Kiminami, right? No one is watching or listening right now. Can’t you just tell me? If you’re holding something in, just say it.”

 

So annoying… He seems like someone who just doesn’t get it.

I can tell that Kazama is genuinely worried about Shirahime. But it feels overbearing, or rather, it just seems like he’s being nosy.

 

“You know, I can’t just leave someone alone when they’re in trouble or distressed. That’s why I can’t stand to see Rira looking so scared like this.”

 

Kazama is desperately trying to talk to Shirahime.

Meanwhile, Shirahime seems to not be listening at all, constantly checking her smartphone now and then.

…wait, is that what she’s worried about?

 

And, without realizing it, I accidentally make a noise by stepping on the gravel.

Hearing the noise, Shirahime turned around, recognized me, and her face brightened.

 

“Toui-kun! What a coincidence!”

 

You’re the one who called me here…

Shirahime hurries over to me, grabs my arm, and waves at Kazama.

 

“Well, since Toui-kun is here, I’ll be going now!”

“Oh, wait… are you sure?”

“Kiminami.”

 

When I showed a moment of confusion, Kazama called out my name.

 

“…What?”

“How did you get close to Rira?”

“Huh? I didn’t do anything—”

“No way!”

 

Wondering if something outrageous had happened, Kazama looked at me with a suspicion.

 

“Don’t tell me…you’re not blackmailing her with some weakness, are you!?”

 

No, that’s not it, it’s this girl.

 

“Toui-kun isn’t as bad a person as you think he is, Kazama-kun.”

“Shirahime…?”

 

Whether out of sympathy for how I was being treated or genuinely defending me, Shirahime spoke up, but Kazama wouldn’t back down.

 

“No, that’s a lie. First of all, there’s no way Rira would become friends with a delinquent like this. It can’t be explained by something as common as your parents knowing each other. No matter how much Rira thinks of him, this guy is a delinquent who piles up corpses at the pier and destroys yakuza hideouts.”

 

Huh, is that really so well-known? What the heck…

 

“No matter how much he tries to reform from now on, it won’t undo the bad things he’s done. We never know when Rira might suffer from his actions. I might not be able to do it now, but I swear, I’ll free Rira. Just wait, Rira.”

“Kazama-kun…”

 

Kazama wasn’t necessarily saying anything bad to Shirahime. That’s why Shirahime can’t really come out strongly against him.

But for me, I was reaching my limit of patience.

 

“Wait a minute… why am I being treated like such a villain… Are you asking to be beaten?”

“No, that’s exactly the point he’s making, Toui-kun…”

“What?”

 

Then Shirahime grabbed my arm.

 

“An-anyway, I’m sorry, Kazama-kun! So for real this time, bye-bye!”

“R-Rira! Wait a minute!”

 

Ignoring Kazama’s call, Shirahime dragged me away and fled to the old school building. Our escape destination was Shirahime’s private space, the usual room in the old school building.

In the end, we ended up coming here today as well.

 

Having successfully escaped, Shirahime let out a big sigh of relief, ‘Haa…’ and plunked down heavily on the desk.

 

“That guy seems to really like you. I think he’s overestimating you though.”

“…Shut up.”

 

Shirahime wasn’t in her usual composed tone but rather seemed to be in the same foul mood as when she’s on her high horse.

 

“Come on, why don’t you go out with him instead of marrying someone like me? I bet he’d pamper you.”

“He’s just a classmate who gets involved with me, that’s all. Really, we’ve been in the same class since the first year, and I’ve hardly ever initiated a conversation with him.”

“Seriously?”

 

Given our class’s atmosphere, I had thought that it was like an officially recognized couple where everyone was like, ‘Just get together already, you two.’

Shirahime pouted and turned her face away with a huff. She looked displeased.

 

Well, Shirahime’s friendliness is just that—’friendliness’. Even if she seems amiable on the surface, Shirahime has her own thoughts about each event and each person’s attitude.

 

“If you don’t like it, just cut ties with him. It’s not gonna do Kazama any good either.”

“Didn’t I told you? I hate selfish people. Everyone probably does too. That’s why I don’t want to be seen as that kind of person by anyone. Besides, I’m a model, you know?”

 

…Is it really because she’s a model?

I’ve also heard that they’re not that exposed in the media, so it feels like a weak reason to be so thorough about their public appearance.

 

Glancing at Shirahime, our eyes met as she also briefly looked my way.

Even her melancholic appearance seems somehow model-like.

 

“I don’t want to be disliked. That’s why I don’t directly say anything selfish or negative. I want to be kind to everyone. It’s the same as Toui-kun deciding to take over Maison; it’s my own will. Kazama-kun isn’t a bad person either, so it’s fine. If you were worried about me, it’s ‘don’t stick your nose on my business.'”

 

The last line feels cynical, as if saying, ‘You said the same thing to me.’ (TN: c1 part2)

Sigh, as I thought her way of thinking was the complete opposite of mine. Well, if that’s fine with her, then it’s fine.

It’s none of my business anyway.

 

“So please keep it a secret, Toui-kun—”

 

Cutting off her words, Shirahime got off the desk and came closer to me.

 

“Huh? What are you… mmffph——”

 

As usual, I receive a kiss from Shirahime.

The sweet scent of Shirahime that I smell every time—Lately, just the smell makes me think of kissing her.

Such is the extent to which Shirahime’s presence has invaded my heart.

 

After parting her lips, Shirahime gives me a wink.

 

“As you know, I’m a girl with a bad personality!”

“…oh, yeah.”

“Thank you for helping me out earlier. Let’s go home together after submitting the journal.”

 

Shirahime said that and smiled again.

It was that same fabricated smile.

 

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