Does This Love Suit Your Taste? - Volume 1 Chapter 4.6

Likes and Dislikes 6

“…Who’s the jealous girl?”

Shirahime lifted her head at my voice.

“It’s not anyone in particular. Somehow, I just seem to attract weird competitive feelings and rivalry from other girls. Well, I am pretty cute and popular with boys, so I guess jealousy is inevitable.”

I could tell that the latter part was a joke and that she was saying it to lighten the mood.

“Yes-yes… must be hard being popular. Liked by some, disliked by others.”

“Really, I’d quit if I could.”

That line—it doesn’t seem like a joke, it seemed to be a pure and genuine sentiment.

But the usual Shirahime doesn’t show this side of her. She spends her days with an oblivious façade.

Whether it’s one-sided affection, selfish expectations, or even unreasonable slander, she laughs it all off and accepts everything with a smile—that’s the human being known as Shirahime now.

『I want to be kind to everyone. It’s the same as Toui-kun deciding to take over Maison; it’s my own will.』

It’s a way of life I can never approve of.

She might be considered a good person by those around her, but it seems really, really exhausting.

“… Let’s drop this topic. We should think of a way out. Sorry? For dragging you into this——”

It was when Shirahime stood up.

Thud-

“Oh, be careful—”

“Ah… hyaa!?”

Stumbling, Shirahime stepped back and hit the shelf with her elbow, causing the bundle of old barbell shafts propped on the top to sway.

Instinctively, I hugged Shirahime and dodged countless iron bars. We fell onto a high jump landing mat with her on her back and I leaned over her with my hands on the mat.

Clang- clang- clang-!

The two of us overlapped.

Unaffected by the surrounding sound, our gazes locked amid the noisy clatter. Shirahime’s beautiful face, now suddenly close, and her glossy lips, which I had touched before, made my throat involuntarily swallow.

“…T-this is… uh…”

“—Ahhn…”

“Wha—”

When I tried to pull my hand away, a soft, alluring moan escaped her. My arm, which I had moved slightly, had grazed Shirahime’s side.

Shirahime sweet voice clouded my mind, and my heart raced uncontrollably.

—Was she really this expressive?

This was a different side to the usually aloof S-Hime, and it made Shirahime incredibly attractive. It wasn’t just her beauty that drew me in. I was attracted to something different about her.

Thump- thump- with every heartbeat, my vision swayed.

The gym clothes outlined her body, her chest rising and falling with each breath.

A glimpse of her waist and navel peeked out from the slightly rolled-up hem, her fair skin.

A rich vanilla scent wafted from her, and then those eyes that looked vulnerable.

A sense of superiority from being on top of a woman and an unfathomable sense of immorality raced up my spine.

——I thought she was such a distant existence, yet here she was, so easily within my reach.

“S-Sorry…”

“——It’s okay.”

As if reading my mind, Shirahime smiled mischievously.

Shirahime’s right hand caressed the back of my head, her left touching my cheek and ear.

“It’s okay… To continue like this and go all the way… It’s something we’ll do eventually anyway——”

Her right hand gently stroked my hair.

“…right?♡”

Her left hand teasingly traced down my neck.

That provocative, tempting smile on her face——

———didn’t sit right with me.

Shirahime’s eyes were slightly wet, her hands also slightly trembling.

It was just her suppressing her own feelings and reluctantly allowing my advances.

The thought of being perceived as someone who would happily accept this situation hurt my pride.

“Fine. Then close your eyes.”

“…okay”

Shirahime obediently agrees.

Anyone should realize that sacrificing yourself like this is never the right choice.

“Idiot.”

“Ouch…huh?”

Instead of going any further, I simply flicked Shirahime’s forehead with my finger.

“I’m the one who’s going to inherit the Maison. Do you think I’m going to get distracted by momentary pleasures? Besides, your hands are trembling.”

“Th-This is…”

When I pointed it out as I got up, Shirahime got up and gripped her own hands to suppress the trembling.

“Aren’t I supposed to be your servant? Why are you listening to what your servant says? At this rate, no one will be able to tell who the master is.”

As I stood up and looked at Shirahime, she was sitting on the mat, looking dazed.

“You apologized earlier, but after all that trouble, I don’t need your apologies now. And you’re not the one to blame for this situation. It’s the fault of some lowlife who, for all I know, could be anyone—imposing their personal issues on you. Come on—”

When I reached out my hand to Shirahime, she said ‘…thank you’ and took my hand to stand up. I continued talking while still holding her hands.

“This is obvious, but it’s impossible to be liked by everyone in this world. If you became someone who is liked by the person harassing you, then surely you’d be hated by someone else. If there are a hundred people, their preferences and ways of thinking will all be different. It’s simply impossible to meet the expectations of all one hundred people. If you keep changing yourself for the sake of these hundred people without showing your true self, eventually, you’ll face a painful reality when things don’t add up. I know you’re not the ‘nice girl’ you pretend to be, so even if it’s impossible with everyone else, at least be true to your feelings with me. Isn’t that what a servant is for? This is nothing compared to the unreasonable demands of my old man, and I don’t mind sticking with you if you want to. Sure, you can be annoying sometimes… but still, we’re both victims in the grand scheme of things.”

“Toui-kun…”

“Let’s get out of this cramped place quickly.”

“…Okay.”

I felt—perhaps wishfully—that a little light had returned to Shirahime’s eyes.

Being stared at by those pure, beautiful eyes made me feel strangely embarrassed, and just when I averted my eyes——

Bang-

“Rira! Are you okay!?”

The iron door that had remained closed for so long had easily opened for some reason——

And there stood our Hero of Justice Kazama.

“K-Kazama-kun…?”

“Ah, good… you were here…”

As Kazama appeared at such a timely (or untimely) moment, we let go of each other’s hands.

Kazama, not even glancing at me, pushes through the cluttered warehouse and rushes over to Shirahime.

“I was worried because you didn’t come back even though lunch break is almost over… I looked for you.”

Kazama turned around and glared at me.

“…Hey, what were you trying to do to Rira?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t play dumb, you’re the one who locked her up here.”

“What? Who would lock themselves in?”

Kazama didn’t respond. He just intimidated me until he was satisfied, then turned to Shirahime with a smile.

“Come on Rira, let’s forget about this guy. “

“Uh, umm…?”

He stepped outside the warehouse, and she followed awkwardly. I turned my gaze away from their retreating backs and looked around.

“…anyway…”

That being said, who and why were we locked in the gym storage room? How did that happen? Mysteries clouded my mind.

Remembering what Kazama said earlier, it seems that there were no signs of us being locked in being the result of someone else’s actions.

“What was that all about…?”

And as I was looking around, Shirahime, who was supposed to have gone ahead, suddenly came back in a hurry.

“Shirahime? I thought you left. What are you doing coming back, ah——”

Then, the sound of my back hitting against the storage room’s metal door echoed throughout the gymnasium.

Shirahime had pinned me down and kissed me.

“…Mmffwh—! Stop, you idiot——”

This kiss, unlike the scheduled ones, was the first since the morning after we made the ‘contract’.

“——I’ll be waiting for you to kiss me someday, Toui-kun.”

Perhaps as a form of retaliation for earlier, Shirahime gave me a kiss that was so strong that I could feel her teeth, and then she furrowed her brows and flashed me a challenging smile.

Before I could reply, Kazama returned to the gym.

“Rira!? I just heard a loud noise, are you okay!?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. You didn’t have to come back.”

“I-Is that so? Well, I was worried… did you forget something?”

“It’s all taken care of.”

“I-I see! That’s good. T-then, let’s go.”

Shirahime walked away from me once again toward Kazama with a smile on her face that gave nothing away.

It was supposed to be a smile directed at Kazama, but I could feel an atmosphere as if she was expressing something to me.

“What’s she trying to do next…”

As much trouble as she is, there are times when I feel a strange kinship with Shirahime. What should be minor emotional nuances seem so significant to me.

It’s confusing. Like the S and N poles reversing—I find myself drawn to and repelled by her.

***
TN: Text in image.

Rira-chan’s Question Corner ♡

Cet amour vous convient-il? (Title in French)

Q1. Please tell us your birthday and blood type.

A. I was born on September 30th, and my blood type is A!

Q2. What are your hobbies?

A. I think I like clothes and cosmetics! I also often watch Korean dramas!

Q3. Where do you think your charm point is?

A. Maybe this golden hair? Also, since I’m a model, I’m trying my best to maintain my style!

Q4. Please tell us about the type of boy you like.

A. In terms of personality, I think a man who has qualities I can respect is kind of nice.

Q5. Lastly, please say a word to Toui-kun.

A. Toui-kun, thank you for your hard work today! Let’s do our best tomorrow too!

…I won’t let you escape♡