Chapter 44 – Want Some Grapes? (Patreon)

Shuchi'in Academy — Class 2-G.

Eriri Sawamura walked into the classroom, maintaining a faint professional smile as she greeted her classmates. Keeping up the persona of a kind, gentle young lady was something she had to do every day, even though she had been completely exhausted for the past two days.

Slumping into her seat, Eriri propped up her weary body and leaned back in her chair.

"Moving is seriously the worst..." she grumbled inwardly.

But what truly drained her was the impulsive bet she had made with that sho[t]a, Kouma, two days ago.

Draw a sho[t]a doujinshi that satisfies him...

She still had no idea what kind of doujinshi would actually please Kouma. More importantly, her mind was completely blank—she had zero inspiration!

Last time, after witnessing Kouma and Miko Yotsuya's rooftop battle, her creativity had been overflowing. Now, she felt as dry as dead wood!

"There are no images in my head at all!!"

"What do I do?!"

It had started as just a spur-of-the-moment challenge, but as a renowned doujinshi artist, the thought of losing to a little sho[t]a was absolutely unbearable!

Eriri's gaze wandered, eventually landing on a black-haired girl sitting with her back to her.

"Miko Yotsuya... Maybe I should ask her for some pointers..."

After all, it was hearing about their rooftop encounter that had sparked her inspiration in the first place.

The moment class ended, a restless Eriri immediately approached Miko.

"Yotsuya-san!"

Miko turned around, looking at Eriri with some confusion. "Sawamura-san, is something the matter?"

Eriri opened her mouth, but as the words were about to come out, she suddenly realized what she was doing and froze.

What am I doing?

Am I really about to say I saw you and Kouma on the rooftop?

Am I going to expose myself as a doujinshi artist?

Ask her to perform it again for me?

The absurdity of her own thoughts hit her all at once, and Eriri's face turned bright red.

Miko watched Eriri, whose expression had shifted from silent contemplation to a sudden, inexplicable blush, and grew even more puzzled.

"Uh, nothing! I just remembered I said hi to you on the rooftop that day. Don't overthink it!"

Her thoughts in complete disarray, Eriri blurted out something incoherent, covered her face, and quickly walked away.

Miko tilted her head, a full question mark hanging over it.

"Said hi to me on the rooftop?"

She did recall running into Eriri that day, but it had been below the rooftop. Back then, on the rooftop, she and Kouma had been...

"And she told me not to overthink it..."

Miko's expression shifted, a hint of embarrassment coloring her face. "Did Sawamura-san... see me and Kouma cultivating on the rooftop that day?"

...

"Don't forget to bring your ingredients for tomorrow's cooking class! Alright, class dismissed!"

As soon as Kobayashi-sensei finished speaking, the elementary school students scattered in all directions.

"Kouma-kun, we're... counting on you tomorrow!"

Two little girls beside Kouma, their faces bright red, blurted out before turning and running off. They had been assigned to the same group as Kouma for tomorrow's cooking class. After discussing among themselves, they had decided to make takoyaki, and Kouma's share of the ingredients included octopus.

"Cooking class, huh..."

According to Kobayashi-sensei, the teacher for tomorrow's class was apparently from some research division within the culinary world?

"I wonder how my cooking skills stack up against professional chefs..." Kouma shook his head, packed his bag, and left the classroom. He had agreed to Miko's invitation to have dinner at her place.

"Kouma!" At the school gate, Miko's face lit up with a gentle smile the moment she saw the handsome sho[t]a approaching.

"Miko-neechan, let's go!"

Miko naturally took Kouma's small hand in hers, and they headed toward the train station.

On the way, Miko recalled Eriri's strange behavior that morning. After some hesitation, she decided to tell Kouma about it. "Kouma... I think my classmate might have seen us on the rooftop that day."

Miko sounded uncertain.

"You mean the blonde-haired, twin-tailed big sister?"

To her surprise, Kouma answered without missing a beat, making her gasp in surprise. "Kouma, how did you know?"

"Well... she was the only one around at the time. Don't worry, she'll probably keep our secret." Kouma's voice was light and innocent.

He hadn't expected Eriri to approach Miko on her own. "What is she up to?" Kouma couldn't quite figure out Eriri's thought process.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the Yotsuya residence.

"Mom, I brought Kouma home!" Miko pushed open the door and immediately saw Mrs. Yotsuya waiting at the entrance.

"Mom?" Miko's eyes widened slightly. The woman before her felt both familiar and strange.

A delicate, elegant touch of makeup perfectly highlighted Mrs. Yotsuya's fresh, natural beauty, adding an unexpected hint of allure. A form-fitting white dress—sophisticated, not flashy—hugged her full, shapely figure completely.

Even Kouma, who had seen Mrs. Yotsuya before, couldn't help a flicker of surprise in his eyes at how much more beautiful she looked now.

"Mom, you look amazing!" Miko exclaimed sincerely. It was her first time seeing her mother like this.

"I went out shopping today and picked up a new dress." Mrs. Yotsuya smiled lightly, then crouched down, her legs pressed together, to pull out a pair of slippers she had specially prepared for Kouma from the shoe rack.

As she knelt before him, her already tight dress grew even more taut, emphasizing the firm curve of her hips. Compared to Miko, Mrs. Yotsuya's waist-to-hip ratio was even more pronounced. Her waist was slender, but her thighs were fuller, her hips slightly wider, radiating a mature charm far beyond her daughter's.

"Here, Kouma, try these slippers..."

"Thank you, Auntie!"

Even though he had only just come close, Mrs. Yotsuya could feel her traitorous heart race. She got up to prepare some fruit.

After washing and cutting everything, she discovered that Miko had already dragged Kouma into her room.

"That girl... every time she brings someone over, she hides them away in her room..." Mrs. Yotsuya let out a soft sigh. Fortunately, she had already planned for this.

"Miko, I forgot to buy some ingredients. Can you run to the supermarket and grab them?"

"Coming!" Miko emerged from her room and took the list from her mother. "This much?" After a quick glance, she gasped. "Mom, did you forget to buy anything?"

"There's a lot to cook tonight. Just hurry up and go! And don't buy the wrong things!"

Watching her daughter grumble and walk away, Mrs. Yotsuya sighed. How could she let Miko know that she wanted some time alone with her daughter... with her friend?

So she had no choice but to send Miko out.

Carrying the fruit platter, her slender fingers nervously gripping the hem of her dress, Mrs. Yotsuya stepped into the room.

"Kouma... would you like some grapes?"

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