Chapter 62: .......

The special exams came to a close, and Golden Week began. Though it couldn't be called a long vacation, for students tired of the usual tedious classes, it was a welcome break. 

I woke up around noon, changed into my outdoor clothes, and left my room. 

Before Golden Week started, Matsushita had mentioned she wanted to go somewhere with me. 

When I arrived at the meeting spot, I spotted Matsushita leaning against a wall, fiddling with her phone. She noticed me too, giving a small wave as she approached. 

"Sorry for suddenly inviting you like this. Did you have any other plans?" 

"Nah, it's fine. If anything, I was free with nothing to do." 

She seemed relieved by that, letting out a small sigh. 

"So, why'd you call me out?" 

"Well, look over there—" 

"...What the heck?" 

In the direction she pointed, there was a long line of female students—from underclassmen to upperclassmen—crowded in front of what looked like a dessert shop. 

"That place? It's a new cake buffet shop. It's cheap, has a ton of variety, and the taste is great, so it's super popular right now." 

"...You want us to go there together?" 

"Exactly!" 

She beamed at me with a dazzling smile. 

...I understood her goal, but I couldn't help feeling a little hesitant. 

That place seemed like it was practically girls-only. The line was entirely female, and the idea of me, a guy, stepping into that space would take a lot of courage. 

"...Matsushita. Couldn't you have invited one of your friends from class instead of me?" 

I asked anxiously, and her expression twisted slightly in displeasure. 

"I wanted to go with you, Hikigaya-kun!" 

"O-Oh, I see..." 

It made me happy to hear that, but I still had my pride. Even if Matsushita was with me... Well, she went out of her way to invite me, so I'd just have to steel myself. 

"Ah, Hikigaya-kun, you're okay with sweets, right?" 

"Yeah, I generally like them." 

"Great! Then let's go!" 

With Matsushita pulling me by the hand, I stepped into a space dominated entirely by girls. 

"~♪" 

Right now, I could still refuse if I really wanted to—but seeing how excited Matsushita was for the sweets, there was no way I could turn her down.

.....

I was making a considerable line, but it seems I won't have to wait too long to enter. The exterior of the shop is decorated in a way that girls would love, making me feel almost crushed by the atmosphere. 

The moment I stepped inside, the stares of everyone in the shop pierced through me. The reason was simple—because I'm a guy. There didn't seem to be any other male students in the shop, and I felt utterly hopeless. 

"Ahaha, you're really getting stared at, huh?" 

As we took our seats, Matsushita forced a strained smile and muttered those words. 

"Yeah…" 

"S-Sorry. I didn't think there'd be literally no other guys here…" 

Perhaps sensing my misery, Matsushita continued with a slightly apologetic tone. 

"Don't worry about it. I like sweets too, and even if I stand out a bit, I'm still looking forward to it." 

"Really? Well, that's good then. …Oh, by the way, have you noticed?" 

"…Yeah." 

Ever since Matsushita and I entered, several pairs of eyes have been fixed on us. 

Arisu and Kamuro from Class A. 

Hiyori and Ibuki from our own class. 

And an unfamiliar pair—Nanase and Amasawa. 

The moment we walked in, all of them first looked surprised, then began staring at us with sharp, thorny gazes.

....

"...Hachiman-kun, why are you so good at making me angry? Don't you think you're being a little too swayed by other women? And what's this photo that Hashimoto-kun sent me? This time, it's an older woman? Just how many women do you plan to ensnare before you're satisfied?" 

"Haah, you really do get emotional when it comes to Hikigaya, don't you?"

......

"...Ohoho. A date with Matsushita-san, I see? Hachiman-kun, you should know how I feel about this... just what exactly are you trying to pull here? And about that photo Ryuuen-kun sent me... Ah yes, it was of Asahina-senpai, wasn't it? I think we'll need to have a nice, long talk about that today as well." 

"...Hmph."

......

"U-um, Amasawa-san..." 

"Mmm? What is it, Nanase-chan?" 

"W-well, your eyes look a little scary, or rather..." 

"Eh~, you think so~? ...So, what's that bitch doing here with my senpai? She's clinging way too much, don't you think? If anything happens, I might just have to do something about it." 

"Hikigaya-senpai... is he really a delinquent, after all...?"

......

Everyone was staring in our direction and muttering something. It was honestly unsettling how synchronized their behavior was. And the fact that their seats were so close made it even creepier. 

"..." 

Meanwhile, my phone wouldn't stop ringing—not even for a second. ...I should probably just turn it off. 

"W-well, it's fine if we just ignore them, right? Let's pick out some cake!" 

"...Yeah." 

Trying to shift the mood, Matsushita and I turned our attention to the menu. Since we were seated at the counter rather than a table, we ended up sitting side by side. 

"Wow, there's so many kinds! I can't even decide what to get~!" 

Matsushita's eyes sparkled like a child's as she excitedly scanned the menu. Guess sweets really are a girl's best friend. 

"Never even heard of half of these. Mont Blanc… rolled cake, huh?" 

"Wait, Hikigaya-kun, you've never had either of these before?" 

"Nah, never really ate much cake growing up." 

"That's unusual. Well, today's your chance to try a bunch! We've got plenty of time, after all." 

The buffet time limit was 30 minutes—not too long, not too short. 

In the end, I ordered three kinds of cake. Matsushita, on the other hand, went for seven. That seemed like way too much to me, but apparently, for girls, it's normal—if not on the lighter side. 

"By the way, Hikigaya-kun, scoring full marks on the math test was crazy impressive. I was shocked!" 

"Got lucky on some parts. Besides, I wasn't the only one who aced it." 

"Oh, right—Ayanokōji-kun. But honestly? I kinda expected it from him. I always thought he was hiding his real skills." 

Ayanokōji had shown glimpses of his ability here and there since the start of the school year. At this point, it wouldn't be strange if others started suspecting him too. 

"Here you go~!" 

"Wahh~!" 

"Whoa..." 

The cakes the waitress brought over were laid out in front of us in all their glory. Matsushita let out a blissful squeal at the sight. 

"...That's a lot of cake." 

"Huh? You think so?" 

The sheer volume of cakes piled in front of Matsushita looked like it could rival an entire whole cake. 

Well, regardless, I was a little excited to try cakes I'd never had before. 

So many first-time experiences lined up. Maybe I'll start with this rolled cake. 

"...! Damn, this is good." 

"Mmm~! So good!" 

We both voiced our thoughts at the same time after the first bite. 

That said, Matsushita really did make eating look way more enjoyable than it had any right to be. 

"That one you're having—is that the rolled cake?" 

"Yeah. First time trying it, but it's amazing." 

I took another bite with my fork. 

The fact that each slice was just the right size was a thoughtful touch—something only a buffet like this would offer. 

"Try this one too! The tart's really good!" 

Matsushita held out her fork toward me. I'd never had this kind of tart before. Might as well gratefully accept. 

"Here, say 'ah~'" 

Following her lead, I let her feed me. 

The taste was incredible. The firm crust paired perfectly with the fruit. 

"「「「「「...!!」」」」" 

Even though we were just happily eating cake, the intensity of the stares around us only grew. At this point, it was downright chilling. 

"Phew~. That was so good~!" 

"It was delicious, but… I think I'm good on sweets for a while." 

I'd tried about five different kinds, but I'd hit my limit. I always thought I had a decent sweet tooth, but this was a harsh reminder that even I have my boundaries. 

"Ahaha, that's exactly what everyone says after coming to a cake buffet!" 

Unlike me, Matsushita still seemed perfectly fine. And she'd eaten more than twice as much as I had... 

"That said… Sakayanagi and the others are really something, huh?" 

Matsushita glanced around with a strained smile. 

Arisu was sipping tea while staring right at us, Ibuki kept sneaking glances, and Hiyori… well, she was outright glaring. 

Nanase seemed normal at first glance, but maybe she was just curious about our relationship? Her gaze kept flickering over hesitantly. As for Amasawa… I had no idea what was going on with her. 

"Guess we're… really being watched, huh?" 

Matsushita muttered something under her breath, then suddenly stood up— 

"Here goes~!" 

"...Huh?" 

—and plopped herself right onto my lap.

......

"...You must be joking. You're clearly showing off just to provoke us, aren't you? But I won't fall for such childish tricks." 

"Hey!? Sakayanagi, your cane—it's cracked!?" 

...

"What are you doing? That spot above Hachiman is mine. I claimed it first... Don't just take it without asking."

"...Next time I see you, I'll kick you."

....

"..."

"Ah, Amasawa-san...?"

...

I wonder why. For a moment, I felt like my lifespan just shortened.

"Uh, Matsushita?"

"No one else can see, so it's fine, right?"

Even if she says no one else can see, the nearby seats have a full view. And those nearby seats are occupied by Arisu and the others.

Worse yet, the situation is... problematic. Matsushita is leaning against my chest, and her—let's say, above-average-sized breasts press softly against me, their shape shifting under the contact. If I look down, I can see her bare legs resting neatly on my lap, her skirt doing little to hide them.

...Her legs are really nice.

"Hikigaya-kun, your eyes are being indecent. Do you like legs that much?"

"...What are you talking about?"

"Ah, now your eyes went to my chest."

Guess it's true that girls are sharp about where people look.

"Hmm~ So Hikigaya-kun really is just a boy after all~"

With teasing words, she closes the distance even further. At this point, she's practically hugging me.

The composed expression from earlier vanishes as Matsushita fidgets, interlacing her fingers, her face now flushed.

"I-If you like them that much... w-well, do you wanna... touch them?"

"Eh, really? ...Ah—"

Completely caught off guard, my true thoughts slip out.

Crap, that makes me sound like a total creep.

"...Nah, that was just—"

"U-Um. It's okay... If it's Hikigaya-kun..."

She takes my hand and pulls it toward her chest.

Her grip is slow but tense, and I can't bring myself to resist her faint pull. My hand inches closer and closer to her ample chest.

...Is this really okay? Am I really allowed to do this?

Internal conflict rages inside me, but against my better judgment, I don't resist.

...Squish.

A softness unlike anything I've ever felt before fills my right hand.

"...Nngh...!"

Matsushita lets out a small sound, her face burning red as she covers her mouth.

"O-Oh..."

Naturally, I've never touched a girl's chest before. The closest I've gotten was feeling it through an arm lock or something. Direct contact? First time.

"Mmm... H-How is it?"

Is this what they call male instinct? Normally, I'd panic and pull away immediately, but this time... I move my hand just a little.

"Hyah!? D-Don't touch so... much...!"

The sensation of my fingers sinking in slightly, the faint weight—it's the kind of feeling you'd never want to stop.

"H-Hey, Hikigaya-kun...!! If you keep squeezing like that...!"

For a moment, I lose myself completely, only snapping back to reality when I see Matsushita's dazed expression.

"S-Sorry—"

"Wah!"

As I lean back in my chair, Matsushita loses her balance and topples forward. I quickly wrap my arms around her back to steady her, barely preventing us both from falling.

"...You okay?"

"Y-Yeah, but... Hikigaya-kun, do you still... want to touch more?"

...I messed up.

Turns out, where my hands landed wasn't her chest—it was her thighs. No wonder the texture felt so addicting.

"..."

I freeze from my own disgraceful actions, while Matsushita seems to have short-circuited from what I just did.

"H-Hikigaya-kun!"

"W-What?"

She lets out a small, strained voice, biting her lip before mustering the courage to speak.

"Hey, um... If you want, later... you could come to my room—!"

Right then, a shadow falls over us.

"Sorry for the wait~! Four coffees, as requested. Courtesy of the guests over there... Oh, sorry, seems like I interrupted something."

The waiter takes one look at me with Matsushita practically sitting on me, makes some wild assumption, and quickly sets the coffees down before leaving with an understanding nod.

"...Huh? Hikigaya-kun, did you order four coffees?"

"Not me. Wait, 'courtesy of the guests over there'...?"

I realize something I'd rather not have.

Those coffees are probably from the people radiating more killing intent than anyone else in the room. I'm too scared to turn around and check.

"..."

Worst of all, I can't even look Matsushita in the eye. What do I do? What I just did is no different from what a sexual offender would do. I wouldn't even have the right to complain if she reported me. And I didn't even get to hear what she was about to say earlier...

"A-Ah, um, s-sorry, Hikigaya-kun. I, uh, have a study session with Karuizawa-san and the others this evening. So I should probably get going..."

In the awkward silence, she blurts out an obvious lie, quickly standing up to leave.

"I-I'm really sorry! Even though I was the one who brought it up..."

"It's totally fine. If anything, I'm the one who should apologize."

What I'm apologizing for goes without saying.

"I-It's okay! I don't mind, and it was my idea anyway..."

Her ears are bright red. She's obviously lying about not minding, and the guilt hits me hard.

"B-Besides... I didn't hate it."

With those final words, she hurries out of the café.

"..."

...She didn't hate it?

The phrase echoes in my head, flashing back repeatedly.

"Phew... Gotta calm down."

I down all four coffees in one go and turn on my phone to steady my nerves.

"...It was so soft."

No matter what, I can't stop remembering the sensation.

I groped Matsushita—a girl with an incredible figure—and even ended up touching her thighs.

"Next time I see her, I should probably apologize on my knees."

As I ponder the best way to prostrate myself, I notice my phone is blowing up with notifications.

Nanase and Kamuro: A few messages and calls—still within acceptable limits.

Ibuki: 7 texts, 6 missed calls

Arisu: 23 texts, 12 missed calls

Hiyori: 45 texts, 18 missed calls

Amasawa: 69 texts, 54 missed calls

"...I kinda want to throw my phone away."

Ibuki: "Next time we meet, you better practice how to take a hit so you don't die."

Arisu: "I've never felt this disgusted in my life. Truly, this is peak fury. I wonder where I should direct this anger. It seems I'll have to teach you exactly which women are worthy of you."

Amasawa: "Senpai's popular, huh~ Not that I care, but isn't it kinda messed up to chase after other girls when you've got such a cute kouhai into you?"

Hiyori: "I'll drop by tonight, okay? I'll make sure you properly understand my feelings, Hachiman... Fufufu♪"

"...I should sleep."

Yeah. As soon as I get back to my room, I'm going straight to bed.

=================================

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