288: I Was Right!

"Come to think of it, it's actually not that complicated. At the beginning, both Eriri and I were initially drawn to Chisato because of his looks."

Utaha spoke softly without hesitation.

"His looks, huh..."

That was an answer Iroha hadn't expected.

She had assumed the reason would be something more subtle, like his gentle and considerate personality or his mature and composed demeanor.

She hadn't expected such a straightforward and superficial answer—his appearance.

But it wasn't exactly wrong, nor did it seem like a lie.

After all, when it came to looks, Chisato was undeniably top-tier.

He was the kind of guy that girls would remember at first glance. 

His features and skin were beyond reproach, but what stood out the most were his eyes—those deep, electrifying eyes that made one's heart tremble the moment they met his gaze.

And then there was that indescribable aura he carried, faint yet undeniably present. 

As much as she hated to admit it, every time she got close to him, there was this inexplicable sense of security and comfort.

It made one instinctively want to be even closer—hold onto his arm, or maybe even be wrapped in his embrace, just watching the flowers bloom and wither...

"Isshiki... Isshiki-san?"

"Ah! Y-Yeah...!"

Utaha's repeated calls snapped Iroha out of her thoughts.

"Is there something wrong with what I said?"

Utaha paused momentarily, intrigued by Iroha's reaction.

"N-No, it's just... I find it kind of surprising."

As their conversation progressed, Iroha started to feel that the girl sitting beside her wasn't as intimidating as she had initially assumed. 

She began to loosen up, speaking more boldly than before.

"I hope this doesn't sound rude, but to me, Kasumigaoka-san seems like a really exceptional person." 

"I can tell just from the way you speak and carry yourself. So, hearing that you were drawn to -senpai just because of his appearance... it just feels a little... hmm~"

Iroha flashed a playful smile, leaving her sentence unfinished, but her meaning was obvious.

Utaha had expected this reaction. She wasn't flustered at all. Instead, she simply chuckled, took a small sip of tea, and leisurely continued,

"Admiring beauty is human nature, and Eriri and I are no exception. There's no need to deny it. That being said, the one who actively initiated our interactions was Chisato."

"-senpai made the first move?"

Iroha's eyes widened as she immediately sought confirmation.

"Yes."

Utaha found it a little odd how Iroha suddenly became excited but nodded nonetheless.

"He chose to approach Eriri and me first. After spending time together, we naturally became more familiar with each other and eventually became friends." 

"As our relationship developed, we unconsciously grew closer. By the time we realized it, Eriri and I were already in the position we are now with him."

...Huh?

That's it?

What about the details?

How exactly did Suzumiya-senpai get close to them? 

What kind of methods did he use to make them willingly accept this relationship? 

The most important parts were being glossed over so vaguely!

Iroha felt a rising sense of frustration. However, looking at Utaha's composed expression as she sipped her tea, she couldn't think of a good way to press further.

If she showed too much curiosity and eagerness, it might come off as rude.

Besides, this was only her second time meeting Utaha. The only reason they even knew each other's names was because of Chisato.

Utaha, of course, noticed Iroha's reaction and quietly laughed to herself.

She had deliberately kept her words vague for this very reason.

By piquing Iroha's curiosity and then acting as though she had no intention of elaborating further, she was leading her into taking the initiative to ask for more details.

This way, Iroha would believe she was in control of the conversation and lower her guard, making her more receptive to what would come next.

This was a small conversational tactic Utaha had picked up in her second dream, where she had acted as Chisato's personal secretary, assisting him in managing the company and handling business negotiations.

This trick had given her the upper hand in countless business deals. 

Using it on a high school girl who had yet to experience the real world?

Child's play.

"Eh? What do you mean by 'unconsciously grew closer'? Did Senpai launch a romantic offensive on you and Eriri-san?"

Perfect.

The conversation was unfolding exactly as she had expected, completely under her control.

Hah—lately, everything had been so frustrating, but for once, she finally felt a sense of satisfaction.

Iroha was employing a similar strategy—using her position as the younger one in the conversation to play up her innocent and straightforward nature.

Her tone when asking the question was no different from the bubbly, extroverted girls who liked to gather and gossip during school breaks. 

She was aiming for a natural, lighthearted approach.

Her demeanor, combined with her choice of words, made her curiosity seem completely genuine rather than intrusive. 

It suited her personality, making it hard to find fault with her or take offense.

"A romantic offensive, huh... Hmm... I suppose you could call it that."

Utaha deliberately paused before replying, furrowing her brows slightly as if deep in thought. Then, after a small sigh, she finally gave her answer.

Just like before, she didn't say too much, keeping things vague to maintain Iroha's curiosity and make her press on.

"What do you mean by 'suppose'? Did Suzumiya-senpai make you feel embarrassed, or did he mess up and do something cringeworthy?"

Iroha continued asking, voicing her guesses while keeping the atmosphere lively, trying to establish herself as a good conversation partner to encourage Utaha to keep talking.

At this moment, in the cozy living room of the apartment, two girls sat facing each other, each with more schemes in their minds than there were tea leaves in their cups.

But it was precisely because they both wanted the conversation to continue that it was able to carry on so smoothly.

Utaha pressed her lips together, a slight ripple appearing in her usually calm gaze. 

Lowering her head slightly, she let her eyes fall upon a random spot in the room, slipping into a seemingly dazed, contemplative state—the perfect portrayal of someone hesitating to speak.

But in the end, she simply shook her head slowly.

"This isn't something worth talking about."

She casually took another sip of tea, but in her mind, she had already decided—this would be the final round of her deliberate hesitation.

The next time Iroha asked, she would no longer hold back.

She had already prepared a fabricated story, one designed to maximize Iroha's dislike toward Chisato.

As a novelist, the one thing she was never short of was the ability to craft a compelling narrative. She knew exactly how to make one person hate another.

And yet—

At that very moment, reality threw an unexpected twist into her plans.

This time, Iroha remained silent for an unusually long period.

Even after Utaha had taken small sips and finished half of her tea, Iroha still hadn't spoken.

Just as Utaha began to feel uneasy, silently wondering whether she had made some misstep that caused the other party to grow suspicious, she found herself reflecting on her own actions.

Then, the long-silent Iroha slowly clenched her hands, which had been resting on her lap. She swallowed hard and, in a noticeably nervous tone, quite unlike her usual self, finally spoke:

"Did Suzumiya-senpai… do something bad to you, Kasumigaoka-san?"

After saying this, she stared intently into Utaha's eyes—and as she had hoped, she caught a fleeting, imperceptible change in the other's expression.

I was right! So it's true!!!

That bastard…

Iroha let out a silent, cold laugh.

Her little fists clenched even tighter!

Recalling how she had been deceived step by step, she felt an overwhelming urge to punch that guy a few times to vent her frustration!

_______

50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta

_______

If any of you noticed an error, please point it out in comments!