Chapter 398: Such a Pervert, He Is
Chapter 398: Such a Pervert, He Is
“Did Miss Iida do it for you?”
So, Himekoji still couldn’t say those words of praise in the end.
Because he would be shy. Because it would embarrass him.
“She taught me, but I did it myself.”
As she said this, almost as if trying to press forward, Mashiro suddenly took a step closer, shortening the distance between her and Himekoji. There was an assertive feeling about it.
It didn’t feel like the usual Mashiro.
“Ah… ah… It’s done quite well.”
He instinctively stepped back, sweat beading on his forehead. The distance Mashiro gained was pulled back by Himekoji’s retreat.
If they got too close, it felt dangerous.
His brain was sounding an alarm like that.
“I’m really good at doodling.”
“Doodling? Don’t use your face like a canvas, seriously!”
So that’s it? Why use such a careless word like ‘doodling’?
If she messed up, it would be such a shame!
She had such a pretty face.
Even without any makeup, she was already beautiful enough.
…
“Akito.”
Even after that, Mashiro kept staring intently at Himekoji’s face.
“Wha… what?”
He couldn’t take it well and shifted his gaze away.
“Is that all?”
Mashiro’s cheeks puffed out slightly, her lips pursed as if displeased.
“What do you mean, ‘is that all’?”
The confused Himekoji couldn’t understand at all.
“Nothing.”
Then, he heard Mashiro give that kind of reply.
Though the expression on her face was totally not a ‘nothing’ face.
“It’s nothing.”
After the space of three breaths, Mashiro repeated it like that again.
And it wasn’t the last time.
“Nothing at all.”
Three times total.
Mashiro repeated the words “nothing” three times.
It was practically admitting what you wanted to hide.
So there must be something, right?!
“What is wrong?”
Since he couldn’t figure it out, he had no choice but to ask straightforwardly.
Thoughts like ‘Mashiro is so hard to understand’ and ‘she’s really strange’ popped into his head.
“Nothing. Let’s go material hunting.”
Mashiro pressed her lips thin, never explaining properly in the end.
“Y-Yes! We have to hunt for materials!”
But the flustered Himekoji no longer wanted to dwell on this topic.
It felt more like relief as he agreed with her.
“S-So, let’s go then? If we don’t hurry, time might run out.”
He started walking ahead, taking the lead.
And then, in that moment, he heard a tiny voice, faint as a mosquito.
“…Akito is an idiot.”
Hearing those words definitely wasn’t Himekoji’s imagination.
…
The location for material hunting this time was the riverside Riverside Park.
They had to walk a short distance after getting off the bus.
The two walked side by side along the straight sidewalk stretching out.
Well, not exactly side by side, because Mashiro kept falling a half-step behind now and then.
Her mood still didn’t seem very good.
A corner of the park became visible, and they could also see the green river. The slender willow trees beside it hung low, graceful and upright. Willowy reflections danced in the water, sparkling under the sunlight.
The scenery was beautiful, but the atmosphere was still off.
Not only that, but ever since getting in the cab earlier, there hadn’t been any real conversation between them.
Still none now.
“A-Ah, today… the weather is nice.”
“Yeah. Nice.”
“…”
“…”
Things kept getting awkward.
The conversation awkwardly dead-ended countless times.
“T-This past week… did you get used to staying at the Hotel?”
“I got used to it.”
“…”
“…”
“I-Is that so? That’s great.”
“Yeah. Great.”
“…”
“…”
The more he worried about it, the more he didn’t know what to say.
His mind grew more and more chaotic.
If only he could act like always, if only their interactions could feel natural like before, then everything should be okay.
He had thoughts like that.
But… how did he usually act around Mashiro?
Just thinking about it now, he couldn’t remember anything at all.
Really!
How exactly had he talked with Mashiro up until now?
When he was with Mashiro before, there were always moments of silence because Mashiro herself didn’t talk much.
Back then, that silence hadn’t felt strange at all.
But now, simply because he couldn’t talk to Mashiro, his chest felt tight and it was hard to breathe.
A mysterious pressure spread through Himekoji.
A strange sense of impatience grew, fueled by this very restlessness, giving birth to a single thought—
He had to reach the Park quickly!
As the silence became heavier and more awkward, this thought became even stronger.
Even though Himekoji knew very well, reaching the Park wouldn’t necessarily solve the problem at hand…
…
The last traffic light. The destination was right ahead.
Stopped by the red light, Himekoji waited. Mashiro, who had been walking slower, caught up with a little trot.
“Akito.”
The girl called his name softly, keeping her voice low.
“Hmm?”
Himekoji turned at the sound of her voice.
“The Park is just ahead.”
“Yeah…”
That “yeah” seemed to carry something unspoken.
For Mashiro, who usually just said whatever was on her mind directly, this kind of reaction was rare.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Again, an answer that made him feel uneasy.
When the light turned green, Himekoji started walking forward.
“Really nothing? If there’s something you want to say…”
“I don’t.”
Mashiro cut off any chance for Himekoji’s further questions.
The atmosphere felt really weird. Just as Himekoji thought this, they crossed the pedestrian crossing.
…
They arrived. Riverside Park.
The scenery was pleasant, so there were quite a few visitors.
Couples leaning on the railing looking at the river, middle-aged couples taking souvenir photos, groups of students running happily past – it was lively.
Mashiro had, without anyone noticing, already chosen a spot for sketching.
The girl opened her Sketchbook and propped it on the railing so it wouldn’t fall.
She took out her drawing tools, her right hand moving the brush smooth and natural.
Once she started drawing, Mashiro became completely absorbed in her own world.
Finally, he didn’t have to struggle for conversation topics.
Thinking that brought him relief, but at the same time, he felt a sense of emptiness.
Himekoji sat on a vacant bench behind Mashiro, diagonally behind her, watching the picture gradually take shape under her brush.
Of course, that was only at first. At some point, the focus of Himekoji’s gaze had shifted from Mashiro’s drawing to Mashiro herself.
The willow trees with long branches on the bank, the river breeze gently blowing, the murmuring river water, the sparkling ripples, and beside the canal, the girl sketching – she was dreamlike, delicate, just like a painting itself.
It was a painting more captivating to Himekoji than the flawless work emerging from Mashiro’s brush.
Without anyone really noticing, a small group of people had gathered near Mashiro, admiring and murmuring praise.
Anyone who saw Mashiro like this, or saw the painting she was creating like this, would naturally be drawn over.
The crowd grew larger, but the air was surprisingly quiet.
Because everyone was holding their breath, afraid to disturb Mashiro, who was concentrating so intently.
They were being careful, like they were afraid they might accidentally break a crystal glass.
Under such a watchful gaze, Mashiro finished her painting.
The moment the girl set down her brush, everyone seemed to collectively let out a sigh.
Because, finally, they could burst out with their heartfelt praise.
“Amazing!”
“It’s so beautiful!”
“Wow! How can it be drawn so well?!”
Those who praised like this almost certainly didn’t know that, for Mashiro, this was just normal.
Just a simple sketch, just basic material, to be used later as a simple background reference in a manga.
“Shiina… you really are amazing…”
Even Himekoji couldn’t hold back.
Mashiro possessed a charm that could instantly attract others’ gazes, and also a talent that could instantly steal others’ breath.
Calling this power “magic” wouldn’t be an exaggeration at all.
Himekoji was one of the people affected by this magic.
No reason was needed. With her overwhelming talent, backed by efforts that fully matched that talent, Mashiro earned the admiration of those around her.
It wasn’t “effortless,” but it was definitely “natural.”
Standing before such a Mashiro, Himekoji felt not good enough.
Do I deserve to be liked by someone like Mashiro?
Just thinking about it made him feel scared, he wanted to run away.
“Akito.”
But before he could, Mashiro called Himekoji’s name in a voice filled with emotion.
Mashiro bent down, bringing her face close to Himekoji’s, mere inches apart.
“Huh?!”
Instinctively leaning back, Mashiro’s face was so close to his that Himekoji pulled away instantly.
His view widened, and he suddenly caught sight of Mashiro’s entire figure.
Himekoji’s eyes were naturally drawn to one particular spot.
She remained bent forward, causing her collar to loosen slightly, letting him see her pale, sweetly fragrant skin below her collarbone.
Oh, so Mashiro wore red underwear today?
Himekoji strangely found himself focusing there.
—”Red is the color of victory, you know?”
For some reason, her past words echoed in his mind.
No, now’s not the time for such odd thoughts!
The moment he froze, a sense of crisis shot through him.
He quickly lifted his eyes but collided with Mashiro’s quiet stare.
“Gulp.”
He swallowed dryly.
Did she notice where I was looking?
The paranoid thought surfaced guiltily.
The truth emerged immediately—
Mashiro pressed her hand against the gap in her clothes. Then, she firmly blocked her chest with her Sketchbook…
“Where were you looking?”
“N-Nowhere!”
“You can’t look.”
“S-So I told you I wasn’t!”
His flustered reply felt unconvincing even to himself.
“Only my boyfriend can do things like that.”
“H-Hey! Don’t say that in public!”
Crowds admiring Mashiro’s paintings still lingered nearby.
“Ooh~ So they’re a couple.”
“The girlfriend paints beautifully and is pretty too. What a lucky guy~”
“Don’t you dare hurt your amazing artist girlfriend!”
“They do seem perfect for each other~”
After murmuring briefly, the crowd quickly dispersed.
Were they trying not to disturb the two?
To give them a private moment.
But Himekoji couldn’t care less anymore.
Right now, his mind boiled over Mashiro, reason nearly evaporated…
“Akito likes breasts too?”
“”Too”?! What’s that supposed to mean?!”
“Then… you don’t like them?”
Mashiro tilted her head slightly, confused.
Her directness left Himekoji unable to stay calm. Stumbling over his words, he rambled things he’d later cringe at—
“I-It’s… not about liking them! Glancing instinctively happens without thinking! If I can see them, I might look… or even if I might see them… Like hearing a coin drop and turning automatically!”
“Is bigger better?”
She completely ignored his flustered excuse.
“Hey! At least acknowledge what I said!”
It felt like punching cotton—utterly useless.
“Is bigger better? Like Sensei’s?”
Mashiro pressed on with her bizarre topic.
Himekoji reluctantly followed.
“N-Not necessarily that big…”
“Yuigahama is big too.”
Another name suddenly escaped her lips.
What? Did she research all the busty characters in this novel?
Either way, it was true.
“Y-Yeah, I guess.”
He confirmed awkwardly.
“You saw hers?”
Her next question startled him.
Was she setting a trap?!
“H-Huh?! Don’t say it weirdly! I just… saw through her clothes! Clothes!”
Yet Mashiro didn’t dwell on it.
Always shifting topics like the wind, she brought up something new.
“Does rubbing make them bigger?”
“How should I know?! Stop asking me this!”
He technically didn’t know—he hadn’t tried.
“I want them bigger.”
She stated, staring directly into his eyes.
Her unblinking gaze made him panic.
“W-Why look at me when you say that?!”
“I want them bigger.”
She repeated verbatim, ignoring him.
“Looking at me won’t make them grow!”
His cheeks burned as if smoking.
“Rubbing makes them bigger.”
Mashiro continued, undeterred.
“That’s not scientifically proven—”
Just as he finished—
[Ding!]
A crisp chime rang in his mind.
The System notification sound.
The System, like a ghost that vanished often, suddenly stirred to life here, reminding him it still existed.
Aww, it’s still alive…
Wait—no! Forget that!
Scratch that thought!
The right response was—
Why are you even alive?!
【Make your choice!】
【A: Rub Mashiro’s chest bigger】
【B: Rub your own “Himekoji Junior” smaller】
【Time limit: Three Months】
【Success Reward: “Breast Enhancement Professor” — Permanent Honorary Title】
【Failure Punishment: Your proudest body part will shrink backward forever.】
Huh?!
What a Pervert!
…
…