The Top Idol Next Door Can't Help But Crave My Guilty Pleasure Meals - Volume 2 SS

SS – What Is This Situation?

This is my third time visiting Mamori-san’s living room.

The first time was the day he invited me in when I was crouching in front of Yuzuki’s room.

The second was the day of our cooking showdown——the day she called me ‘Ruru’ for the first time.

I can’t thank Mamori-san enough.

Without his meddling, my relationship with Yuzuki would surely have fallen apart by now.

Today’s study session is the least I can do to show my gratitude.

From what I hear, he’s interested in the national university I’m planning to take the entrance exams for.

He’s planning to take the national mock exam that will be held just before the summer vacation next month to test his abilities.

If we both really take the same university entrance exams and pass, we’ll be attending the same campus the year after next.

I might have felt averse to the idea a little while ago, but now, it doesn’t bother me at all.

As I sit down on the cushion, he heads towards the kitchen.

“Would you like some coffee?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“You prefer it black, right? Please wait a moment.”

He casually prepares me a drink that I like, probably having heard about it from Yuzuki.

Being able to act so naturally is part of his charm, I suppose.

There was a time when I burned with jealousy over Yuzuki, but now I sincerely want to support their relationship.

As for me, I hope to maintain a good friendship with him as well.

Suddenly, I notice a smartphone on the low table.

The display is still lit, with a video paused. Perhaps he was watching it just before I arrived.

Though I know it’s wrong, I can’t help but peek at the screen.

“This girl is…!”

Eriel, the center of the rapidly rising idol trio 【Martine】.

She’s half Japanese and half French, and she’s about to turn seventeen.

Contrasting her model-like appearance and style, her private life is modest, and she uploads her frugal self-cooked meals almost every day on her video channel.

Now, Eriel is arguably the idol who has garnered the most attention as the next Arisu Yuzuki.

To be distracted by another girl when such a top idol like Yuzuki is nearby… Unforgivable…!

“Emoto-san, your coffee is read… Oh”

Mamori-san, returning from the kitchen, catches me scrutinizing the contents of the smartphone and his eyes dart about nervously.

“Mamori-san, could you explain this?”

“No, this is, well, you see…”

While he was making coffee, he had the grace of a master from a long-established café, but now he’s sweating profusely.

“Despite having the cute and adorable Yuzuki as your neighbor, your eyes are wandering elsewhere?”

“I-I’m not wandering elsewhere, I mean…”

“Let me borrow your smartphone, if you don’t mind.”

I took his smartphone and checked the video history.

Eriel——no matter how far back I go, the name that keeps appearing is Eriel.

Not just the group’s MVs, but even her personal channel’s frugal meal videos are thoroughly covered.

Perhaps realizing he’s caught, Mamori-san kneels before me in resignation.

I have to admit that his honesty is commendable.

Just as I’m about to start lecturing him, he timidly raises his hand.

“Emoto-san, please let me say just one thing.”

“…Let’s hear it.”

“A friend recommended her to me. He’s a fan of this girl Eriel and insisted I check her out.”

“Do you need to go through all her videos for that? It looks like you’ve completely fallen for her.”

When I pressed him with my pointed questions, he answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Wouldn’t it be rude to judge something as good or bad just by watching one or two videos?”

His gaze was earnest through and through.

I see, he was just seriously engaging with it. With friends, and with Eriel.

“…then, how was it?”

“Of course, Yuzuki is still the best for me.”

His smile unexpectedly made my heart skip a beat.

“W-well, that’s fine then. But let me tell you, I won’t forgive you if you switch your loyalty!”

“I won’t. I’m devoted to Yuzuki alone.”

“To say such a line without any embarrassment… We should start the study session now!”

As I tried to turn back to the table while lifting my hips slightly, a numbness shot through my leg.

In that moment, the smartphone I was holding slipped from my grasp.

“Ah…!”

As the smartphone floated in the air, both of us reached for it at the same time, resulting in me falling over in a position that looked like I was pinning down Mamori-san.

“…Emoto-san, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m sorry…”

It was a relief that this happened in Mamori-san’s room.

The current pose made it look like I was forcibly pushing down a boy.

If this had been outside, the scene might have been snapped and sold to a tabloid.

Even if it was an accident, the story could be embellished.

If a scandal article circulated, it would cause trouble not only for the agency and the members but also shatter the trust Yuzuki had in me.

“Let’s get back on track and start the study session for real this time…”

I began to speak, then noticed a chill in the air near the living room door.

I had a bad feeling, so I hesitantly looked towards the source.

“Y-Yuzuki…”

There stood Yuzuki, looking down at us with a cold gaze.

The study session participants weren’t just Mamori-san and me.

In fact, the main purpose was to follow up with Yuzuki.

I had finished work earlier and had gone up to this room ahead of time.

“Huh, I don’t think the intercom rang…”

“Suzufumi told me, ‘I’ll leave the door unlocked, so just come in,’ … Hey Ruru, what is this situation?”

Yuzuki’s face was smiling, but her eyes were not smiling at all.

I felt as if my body was losing its warmth from every corner.

“Ruru, sit down in seiza right there!”

We were somehow able to restore Yuzuki’s good mood after thirty minutes of explanation and thanks to the deluxe parfait that Mamori-san hurriedly prepared.