Chapter 324: Sister, I am very interested in Senpai!

"…There's something wrong with him!" 

Hayasaka frowned slightly, a hint of doubt creeping into her thoughts. 

Ever since Kaguya's first encounter with Amamiya, Hayasaka had secretly been observing his every move. 

This guy seemed gentle and polite on the surface, but he always maintained a careful distance from others. Apart from spending time reading and studying at school, he would only discuss games and comics with a small group of male friends. He had never been seen initiating a conversation with a girl—except for her eldest lady, of course. 

But today, he had taken the initiative to talk to her. 

It also happened during lunch break, and it is happening again now. 

A possibility suddenly flashed through Hayasaka's mind. 

(Could it be… this guy has discovered my true identity?) 

(Impossible!) 

The thought was immediately dismissed. 

Not even the eldest lady had uncovered her secret, so how could Amamiya, of all people, manage to do so? 

Never underestimate a maid trained in professional espionage! 

"Tsk~ Is this some kind of new way to hit on girls?" 

Hayasaka placed her hand on her hip, tilted her head at a playful angle, and flashed a sly, almost mischievous smile. She quickly dropped the expression and said in a mock-serious tone: 

"I get it. Natsuki-san is using what just happened as an excuse to take advantage of me, isn't he?" 

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to refuse." 

Taking a half step back, she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a wary look. 

"This is only the second time you've talked to a girl, and you're already trying something so weird to flirt? No, forget weird—this is outright inappropriate." 

"My mother taught me from a young age to stay far away from frivolous boys so I wouldn't be tricked out of my money or… other things. So, I'm sorry, but I can't accept this. Goodbye!" 

"…" 

Before Amamiya could say a word, Hayasaka turned on her heel and ran off. 

Watching her retreating figure, Amamiya slid his hand into his pocket and pondered. 

There was no doubt about it now. 

When Hayasaka assumed different roles, her attitude toward him also shifted dramatically. 

As the hot gyaru girl Hasaka, she clearly kept her distance. 

But as Hanamori, the overly cheerful schoolgirl who had visited him at night, she was bold, taking the initiative and using every trick at her disposal to catch him off guard. 

And as Hayasaka, Kaguya's personal maid… Well, they'd had little direct contact, but she came across as a highly professional, efficient, and quiet servant. 

Amamiya couldn't pinpoint which of these personas reflected Hayasaka's true self. 

For all he knew, none of them did. It was entirely possible that every one of these identities was just another mask. He had yet to encounter the real Hayasaka. 

But that didn't matter. 

He didn't know why she was disguising herself in so many roles, but she must have her reasons—reasons she wasn't ready to share. If that was the case… 

Role-playing, huh? 

I'll play along with you till the end~

——

Amamiya returned to the classroom, grabbed his school bag, and headed to the tea party room, the private space Kaguya often used for meetings. 

Knock knock. 

Amamiya raised his hand and knocked on the door. 

"Come in," came Kaguya's cool, pleasant voice from inside. 

Amamiya pushed the door open and stepped into the spacious room. Kaguya was the only one there. 

She knelt gracefully in front of a low coffee table, brewing black tea. Every one of her movements was elegant, almost mesmerizing. 

"Amamiya-kun, have some tea first. It's almost ready." Kaguya tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear with a practiced motion, her tone casual. "You're late. Did something happen?" 

Amamiya knelt across from her and replied nonchalantly: 

"Kaguya, do you know Tsubame-senpai?" 

"I do." 

Kaguya nodded slightly. "She's the campus goddess of the senior class—beautiful, great figure, cheerful, and kind. I imagine everyone knows her, right?" 

Wait a second. 

Why did that sentence sound so familiar? 

"Ahem…" Kaguya cleared her throat and quickly changed the subject. "You suddenly brought up Tsubame-senpai. Is something going on with her?" 

"Tsubame-senpai called me to the back of the old school building just now…" 

Amamiya nodded and briefly explained what had happened. 

A man of integrity fears no shadows. 

Since there was nothing shady about his interaction with Tsubame-senpai, he had no reason to hide anything. 

"I see." 

The corners of Kaguya's lips lifted ever so slightly, and her mood visibly brightened. 

Verification complete! 

It was exactly as Hayasaka had reported—no omissions, no lies. The mere idea of it being a confession? Impossible! There weren't that many thieving cats in the world! 

"Amamiya, have some tea," Kaguya said, smiling as she handed him a cup. 

"Um…" 

Amamiya eyed the tea in front of him. If he'd lied earlier, he had a feeling he wouldn't be allowed to drink this tea. 

After finishing his tea, the two got down to business. 

"Let's begin," Amamiya urged. 

"Yes, let's start." 

Kaguya took a deep breath and tossed a coin into the air. 

Sure enough, it landed tails up. 

Amamiya sat nearby, notebook in hand, carefully recording the relevant data. 

The tea party room was spacious and private—perfect for "surviving the tribulation." 

The half hour of bad luck that followed was uneventful for Amamiya. For Kaguya, however, despite her cautiousness, minor inconveniences kept piling up: her pencil tip broke, and a page of her book was accidentally torn. 

The afternoon sun bathed everything in a serene light. 

Only the quiet rustling of a pen moving across paper could be heard. 

"Phew…" 

Kaguya furrowed her brows and let out a soft sigh. "Amamiya, has it been half an hour yet?" 

"Just about," Amamiya replied after glancing at his phone. "You're free to head home now." 

As the number of times the coin landed tails-side up increased, they had gradually figured out a pattern: 

Avoid crowded or chaotic places. 

As the saying goes, even the best chef can't cook without ingredients. If you hide in a safe, low-risk location, the misfortunes that strike during this period tend to stay within manageable levels. 

Buzz. 

The phone in Amamiya's pocket vibrated suddenly. 

He picked it up and saw a message from Moeha: 

> "Senpai, are you still at school?" 

> "I am." 

> "Great! I haven't given you your thank-you gift yet… If you're free now, can I meet you?" 

Amamiya hesitated briefly before replying: 

> "How about the pavilion at noon?" 

> "Perfect! See you there!" 

"…" 

After putting away his phone, Amamiya said goodbye to Kaguya and left the activity room. 

When he arrived at the pavilion, a petite girl with short twin ponytails was already waiting for him. 

"Good afternoon, Senpai!" 

Moeha's eyes sparkled as she approached him, holding out an envelope with both hands. 

Amamiya: "…" 

Wait. 

Wasn't this supposed to be a gift? 

Why is it an envelope? 

You must have brought the wrong thing! 

"Inside is…" 

Amamiya hesitantly took the envelope, giving it a light squeeze with his right hand. Something hard was inside, like a card. 

Hold on. Could this be… a bank card? 

Honestly, even if you gave me a pair of socks, that'd make more sense than this! 

"When I asked my friends the other day, they said boys like collecting cards…" Moeha lightly tapped her chest with two fingers, her cheeks turning pink. She looked up at him expectantly. "Senpai, take a look and see if you like it!" 

Raising an eyebrow, Amamiya carefully opened the envelope and poured out the contents. 

Two Yu-Gi-Oh! collectible cards slid out into his hand. 

"Thank you. I like them a lot," Amamiya said with a small smile. 

Moeha let out a sigh of relief, her face lighting up with a bright smile. "As long as you like them, Senpai!" 

"…" 

Meanwhile, not far away: 

"Hey, Chika-chan, look! Isn't that Natsuki-san?" 

Several members of the gaming club, who were wandering around campus holding oversized dice, suddenly spotted the two in the pavilion. 

A girl adjusted her glasses and exclaimed, "That junior high girl looks familiar… Wait, Chika-chan, isn't that your little sister?" 

Chika: "…" 

Take out the word looks, and yes, that's my sister. 

Another girl pointed excitedly. "Look, she's handing him an envelope! Is this a love confession? It has to be, right?" 

"It's not a love confession letter!" Chika quickly retorted. "On Saturday night, Moeha was walking her dog when she got into some trouble, and Amamiya just happened to help her out. This is just a thank-you gift!" 

"But…" one girl said skeptically, "who uses an envelope for a thank-you gift?" 

Chika: "…" 

"Oh, I get it!" Another girl's eyes lit up, and she said with a dramatic flourish, "She's thinking, 'I can never repay you for your kindness. I have no choice but to give you my body!' Kyaaa!" 

Chika: "…" 

Not good. Not good. Not good! 

Moeha only said she was giving Amamiya a thank-you gift. She never specified what it would be. And now, with that thin envelope… 

Could it really be some outrageous "thank-you" involving her body?! 

"Ah, look! Natsuki-san took the envelope!" 

"Moeha-chan is smiling so happily... Did she succeed in her confession?" 

"Natsuki-san actually accepted the confession of a junior high school student? I didn't realize he's into lolitas!" 

"…" 

Impossible! 

Absolutely impossible! 

Chika bit her lower lip, shaking her head vigorously. 

He promised me just the other day that he wouldn't bully Moeha. There's no way he'd accept her confession! 

"This has to be a misunderstanding!" 

Chika puffed up her cheeks and declared, "Based on my extensive experience as a love detective, there's no trace of a romantic atmosphere between the two of them!" 

As Amamiya turned and walked away, Moeha remained in the pavilion, giggling happily with her hands on her cheeks. 

Chika took a deep breath, dropped the oversized dice she'd been holding, and announced: 

"You guys go on ahead. I'm going over to find out what's going on." 

"…" 

"Moeha!" 

Chika marched into the pavilion. 

"Oh, sis?" Moeha looked up in surprise. "What are you doing here?" 

"I was just passing by with my friends." Chika gestured vaguely behind her, trying to sound casual. "Were you giving Amamiya your thank-you gift for the other day?" 

"That's right." 

Moeha nodded earnestly. 

"What kind of gift?" Chika asked, her hands clasped behind her back as she whistled nonchalantly. "I think I saw you hand him an envelope just now…" 

"A gift, huh?" 

Moeha blinked, then suddenly broke into a sly grin. "You seem really interested, sis." 

"I'm not!" Chika coughed twice, turning her face away. "I'm just worried you might've been scammed." 

"Hmm…" Moeha rested her chin on her right hand, looking pensive. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "If it's Senpai, I wouldn't mind being scammed." 

"Wait, wait, wait—" 

Chika yelled, flustered. "You're still just a junior high schooler! It's way too early for that!" 

"I'm already in my third year of junior high, sis. I'll be a high schooler next year." Moeha pouted. "Do you even know how many people in my class are already dating?" 

"How many?" 

"Twenty!" 

"People like me, who are about to graduate junior high without dating experience, are behind the times!" 

"Ah…" Chika's confident expression cracked as she muttered under her breath, "I feel like I've been left behind by the times…" 

"It's always like this," Moeha said, planting her hand on her waist. "You're so old and still don't have a boyfriend. Isn't that embarrassing?" 

Chika shot back, "Even so, Amamiya is absolutely off-limits!" 

"Eh? Why?" 

"Dating is a big deal! You should think carefully about it…" Chika faltered, then added, "A guy should at least have some redeeming qualities!" 

"Amamiya-senpai has plenty of redeeming qualities!" Moeha said with conviction. She raised a finger. "For example, his academic performance is top-notch. He even outscored Shinomiya-senpai on the last exam!" 

Chika scoffed. 

"That was a fluke. Doing well once doesn't mean he'll keep outperforming her." 

Moeha countered, "Then why has my sister never outperformed Shinomiya-senpai even once?" 

Chika: "…" 

I'm really sorry for being such a terrible student. 

"Also, Senpai is very handsome." Moeha clasped her hands in front of her chest, her cheeks turning pink. "Especially when he smiles. He's super dreamy, like an idol!" 

Chika raised a finger and said firmly, 

"Looks are superficial. A boy's character is what truly matters." 

"What? Isn't my sister also obsessed with appearances?" 

"…" 

"Speaking of character, Amamiya-senpai is incredibly brave." Moeha's eyes sparkled as she continued, "When I was out with Pace that day, other people just avoided the vicious dog harassing us. Nobody dared to get close. But Senpai stepped up to protect us... Could this be fate?" 

Chika: "…" 

It's not fate—it was me! 

If I hadn't called Amamiya over, you wouldn't have met him! 

"And there's more," Moeha said, her excitement growing. "Today at lunch, I saw Senpai feeding stray cats by the pavilion. Lots of people claim to like cats, but very few take the time to care for strays. This proves that Senpai is gentle, kind, and full of love!" 

Chika: "…" 

It was me! 

It was me! 

Still me! 

I told him to feed the stray cats this afternoon! 

Chika felt utterly exasperated. 

It's all because of me. Does this mean I'm the matchmaker between my sister and Amamiya? 

Will he end up becoming my brother-in-law someday? 

No! 

Absolutely not! 

Amamiya, meanwhile, had no clue what was going on. After leaving school, he headed straight home. 

Since it was Monday, Kaguya was the only one free to flip the coin of fate today. Chika had club activities with her friends, and Umi had already left school for a modeling job. 

Halfway home, Amamiya felt his phone buzz in his pocket. 

Taking it out, he saw a message from Sajuna: 

"When are you free? There was a super scary evil spirit at school today. It stared at me for two whole classes! Help!" 

"Right now," Amamiya replied. "I just left school and am heading home. Where are you?" 

"I'm on the train. I'll just head to your place." 

"Sure." 

Putting his phone away, Amamiya continued walking. 

Ten minutes later, he arrived home to find Sajuna waiting at the door, shielding herself from the sun with her schoolbag. 

"I'm back," Amamiya said, walking over. He pointed to a flowerpot on the steps. "See that orchid? The spare key's under the pot." 

Sajuna tilted her head, puzzled. 

"Why are you telling me this?" 

Amamiya shrugged. "The weather's getting hotter. Next time you come over, just use the spare key to let yourself in. No need to stand outside in the sun." 

"Hmph." 

Sajuna turned her head away and snorted indignantly. "It's not like I'll come over often." 

They went inside. 

Dropping his bag, Amamiya wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to Sajuna. "It's way too hot today, and I'm drenched in sweat. I'm going to take a shower… Want to take one too?" 

Sajuna crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him suspiciously. 

"Relax," Amamiya said casually. "I'm not asking you to shower with me." 

"I definitely wouldn't shower with you!" Sajuna snapped, her cheeks flushing. 

I mean... I briefly thought about it, but no! 

If this were a manga, being alone in a house while a girl showers would be an obvious setup for peeping! 

"Fine, I'll go shower." Amamiya nodded, unfazed. "Help yourself to some cold drinks or ice cream in the fridge." 

"Don't be so nosy." 

"…" 

As Amamiya disappeared into the bathroom, Sajuna fanned herself with her hands. 

It's so hot. 

It's not even June, and the heat is already unbearable. Global warming really is terrifying. 

Should I turn on the air conditioner? 

She hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. 

It's not that bad yet. A fan will do for now. 

But there's no fan in the living room… I'll just use the one upstairs. 

Making up her mind, Sajuna grabbed an ice cream from the fridge and headed upstairs. 

Just a little time with the fan, then I'll come back down! 

She entered Amamiya's room, switched on the fan, and sighed with relief as the cool breeze hit her face. 

This feels nice. 

Her gaze drifted to the bookshelf. 

A strange feeling came over her...