Chapter 185: Mashiro’s Request?
Chapter 185: Mashiro’s Request?
“Gulp…”
Himekoji dryly swallowed, feeling heat spread across his entire body.
Because Nanami’s body was warm.
The fine, smooth feel, the pleasant fragrance, the girl who had fallen into his arms was breathing softly and steadily, having passed out drunk.
But Himekoji’s own breathing couldn’t stay steady at all!
Just… what was Nanami trying to do?!
She was usually such a proper girl, but getting drunk made her act way too weird!
And she just recklessly drank herself unconscious all by herself — it was way too irresponsible! What was he, still sober, supposed to do then?
Was there any Kuchikamizake left?
Himekoji wanted some too!
Finished… it was all gone…
With a glance, Himekoji discovered the bothersome truth. The Kuchikamizake, painstakingly brewed with a lot of his ‘essence’, was completely gone! Nanami had drunk every last drop!
Seemed there was no escaping under the pretense of getting ‘drunk’.
“Haa—”
Taking a deep breath, Himekoji resolved to step up!
Right, he should honestly face reality!
After clearing his throat, he spoke as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening:
“Aoyama is drunk. I’ll take her back to her room first.”
“Wait.”
“Hm?”
Himekoji stopped instinctively, looking back.
“Whose room?”
Mashiro blinked at him, looking as adorably innocent as always.
“Aoyama’s.”
“Aoyama’s?”
“Mhm. Next month, she might be moving in to stay.”
He hadn’t actually mentioned this to Mashiro before.
Mashiro tilted her head slightly at this answer.
“Why?”
“Because from then on, Aoyama will be responsible for taking care of you.”
“What about Akito?”
“What do you mean, what about me?”
“Is Akito slacking off?”
“It’s not about slacking off at all!”
“Slacking off and making excuses. Akito is terrible.”
“Anyone else can say that, but you definitely don’t have the right to, okay?!”
Himekoji was baffled. How did this girl manage to sound so righteous?
“Akito should let her go.”
“Hm? Her?”
Did Mashiro mean Nanami?
No way! If he let her go, Nanami would fall straight onto the floor!
“Akito said before, men are all wolves. Akito is a wolf now.”
“Don’t lump me in with those idiots who think with their lower halves!”
He was a man who had overcome his desires countless times! Even the System couldn’t do anything about him!
[Bing!]
Crap! The System notification sound rang again!
Himekoji was startled.
No, I was wrong, big bro! You’re the one I can’t do anything about! I was only kidding just now!
But the System didn’t accept the apology… what terrible manners!
[Please choose!]
[A: Make Mashiro explode her clothes!]
[B: Explode your own clothes!]
What the heck?! Is today Explode Your Clothes Day?!
And why, once again, was there no reward? Was it because anything involving Mashiro meant he’d get nothing from now on?
[Mashiro is letting you work for free already.]
Shut up! You shameless bastard!
What kind of lewd, disgusting, despicable talk is that?!
He would absolutely never do that sort of thing to Mashiro!
He was a pervert, but he was a pervert with principles! Hmph!
…
In the end, after a moment’s deliberation, Himekoji sighed helplessly and chose B.
Making Mashiro explode her clothes was impossible. Morally and logically, Himekoji couldn’t do it.
Besides, the Kuchikamizake was all gone, completely emptied by Nanami alone. Even if Himekoji really wanted option A, it was impossible now.
As the saying went: the Buddha says, if I don’t explode my clothes now, who will?
Time to test the new skill!
“Explode!”
Himekoji mentally shouted with desperate resolve.
Instantly, he heard a Riiip! followed by a cloud of cloth shreds exploding outward.
[Bing!]
[Skill ‘Clothing Explosion’ used successfully!]
[Due to insufficient proficiency, skill effect significantly reduced! All attribute bonuses downgraded to random attribute bonus!]
[Bing!]
[Congratulations! During the clothing explosion, your Charm attribute receives a +500% bonus!]
Himekoji’s face darkened with exasperation.
What a useless skill, and it even requires proficiency?
Was this just setting him up?
“Clothing Explosion”! This was “Clothing Explosion”! How could he possibly practice it?!
Ah… Mashiro must have been frightened by him…
He could feel her gaze fixed intently on him from behind. Suddenly, he felt kinda embarrassed.
“I have something to ask Akito.”
Yet, the next moment, the girl’s calm voice reached him.
Calm, as if absolutely nothing had just happened.
He almost forgot—Mashiro was the sort who stayed weirdly composed no matter what.
No, wait… Mashiro was probably just silly…
“I got it, let me settle Aoyama here first.”
“Akito can’t.”
“What can’t I?”
“Right now, both of you have no clothes. So you shouldn’t share a room.”
“I wouldn’t do anything like that!”
Even Mashiro was doubting him now!
Then again… this situation was way too suspicious to not raise doubts…
“Akito exploded.”
“You’re the one who exploded!”
“Akito’s clothes exploded.”
“…”
Silence hung for a few seconds. Unable to reply, he simply skipped the awkward Clothing Explosion topic.
“Alright, I can’t stand here arguing. I need to get Nanami settled and get out quick.”
No joke—he’s completely naked, holding an equally naked Nanami! He could barely control his, uh, primitive urges!
“I’ll do it.”
Before he knew it, Mashiro had walked right to Himekoji’s side. She reached out to take Nanami’s limp body from him.
“You’ll do it?”
“Mhm.”
Mashiro nodded with steady confidence.
That almost convinced Himekoji—until he snapped back to reality—
“You can’t even take care of yourself!”
“I can take care of Nanami.”
Those words, coming from Mashiro, sounded completely unreliable.
“Learn to take care of yourself first!”
“Akito, your…”
As Mashiro spoke, Himekoji suddenly realized her brazen gaze had stopped… at his lower body!
“Don’t say it!”
A terrifying premonition struck him—he had to stop whatever this fool was about to say.
“Nanami…”
“Fine, take her! Take her!”
Forget it, he’d dash inside and put some clothes on first.
Just let Mashiro carry Nanami to the bedroom. Something this simple… even if she was a big idiot… he should trust her this once.
Handing Nanami over to Mashiro, Himekoji hastily covered himself below. Face burning, he streaked away naked.
……
Five minutes later, a fully dressed Himekoji entered the previously vacant spare bedroom.
Mashiro had just finished, standing quietly by the bedpost.
Though her face showed no expression, Himekoji somehow sensed faint smugness from her.
“You can praise me.”
Mashiro glanced up at Himekoji.
“Praise you? Not happening!”
“Don’t need to be shy.”
“Give me a reason to praise you first!”
Himekoji swept his eyes over the bed—and felt a wave of despair crash over him.
……
……