Chapter 226: The Battlefield of a Girl's Love Life! (Two-in-One, 8100 Characters!) (Patreon)

Once the composition order was settled, Toyokawa Sakiko took Misumi Hatsune outside to discuss the lyrics for the new song.

After all, within SOUTH, Misumi Hatsune was the one with the most experience in writing lyrics and music.

With her sharing part of the load, Sakiko could put more of her energy into the composing itself.

The two of them soon pushed the door open and left.

For a moment, only Yutenji Nyamu, Yahata Umiri and Wakaba Mutsumi remained in the practice room.

But it was only a moment.

Umiri tucked away her autograph book and quickly stood up to head out too.

By her own account, she was going to show off to her friend Taki that she'd gotten Idle S-san's signature.

That made Nyamu shake her head, a little speechless. She hadn't noticed it before, but it turned out Umiri was one of those quiet-on-the-surface, wild-underneath girls.

Oh well.

Nyamu turned her gaze to Mutsumi on the other side of the room.

Among the members of SOUTH, she actually quite liked spending time with Mutsumi.

It wasn't only because Mutsumi was the daughter of the great actress Mori Minami. More than that… how to put it?

Just as she always seemed to clash with Sakiko, Nyamu had the feeling that Mutsumi was somehow especially easy on the eyes.

It was just…

"Hm?"

A puzzled look crossed Nyamu's snow-white, pretty face.

Mutsumi had her head lowered. Her expression was as blank as ever, yet from that face Nyamu could still sense a restless agitation.

That alone was enough to strike Nyamu as strange.

Mutsumi never showed agitation in the practice room. She rarely showed any emotion at all.

Besides, Mutsumi was a member of SOUTH. Getting close to her might even help Nyamu build ties with industry big names like Mori Minami and the comedy star Wakaba.

Nyamu hesitated for only a moment before a smile curled her lips and she walked over.

"Muuko, what are you thinking about? Are you worried about the composing?"

They'd just been discussing lyrics and composition, so Nyamu naturally assumed that was the worry.

"…" — Wakaba Mutsumi.

Mutsumi didn't speak. She only shook her head.

"Huh?"

Nyamu let out a soft sound of surprise, her pink-purple eyes growing even more puzzled.

If she wasn't troubled over the lyrics and composing, then what was on her mind?

"Yuji… smells a little off."

Perhaps sensing Nyamu's confusion, Mutsumi, who was always expressionless, showed a hesitant look in front of her for the first time as she answered.

"Smells off?"

That only confused Nyamu more.

What did "smells a little off" even mean?

Did he put on cologne? Switch shampoos?

And honestly, who cares how someone else smells in the first place?

Before Nyamu could think it through, Mutsumi had already shaken her head.

As her pale blue-green hair swayed, her ethereal voice rang out.

"That's not what I mean. I mean that Yuji smells like other girls. Very clearly. Nyamu, you really didn't notice even that?"

As she said this, she even furrowed her brows and turned her large amber eyes toward Nyamu.

Her face was as blank as ever, but the faint disdain of "you couldn't even tell that?" nearly made Nyamu choke on her own breath.

But the problem was…

Why do I have to pay attention to how a man smells?!

Nyamu sucked in a hissing breath, her expression twitching.

Yes.

She truly couldn't understand how Mutsumi could talk about noticing Minami Yuji's scent as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Isn't the weird one here you?

She was at a loss for words. After chanting "don't get angry at a little girl" in her head several times, she finally put on a smile.

"Some scent is normal, right? Master came in together with Sakiko, after all."

Yuji had come into the practice room with Sakiko, so it was perfectly normal for some of Sakiko's scent to cling to him.

But Mutsumi calmly denied that explanation.

"That's not it. Yuji doesn't only smell like Sakiko. Besides Sakiko, there are at least two other girls on him."

"…" — Yutenji Nyamu. She very much wanted to say "what's that got to do with me," but she was the one who'd started this, and backing off now would only make things awkward.

So, helplessly shaking her head, she had no choice but to follow Mutsumi's line of analysis.

"Even so, it's no big deal, right? As the head of Minami Pro, Master greets all kinds of actresses and idols. Picking up a bit of scent is normal, isn't it?"

"If it were only greetings or meeting someone, he wouldn't smell that strongly. A shower would wash it off. But Yuji's scent is different. Even bathing can't completely remove it. It only stays behind after especially intimate contact."

You can even tell strong from faint?

Where does this come from, some witch's lingering-perfume sense?

Nyamu was speechless.

She felt she was wasting her time, but she still said it straight out: "Even if Master did have intimate contact with some actress… so what? Isn't that pretty normal?"

Minami Yuji held great power and status. He wasn't only the rising star the industry had lifted up with its own hands, he was also the president of Minami Pro. It was perfectly normal for some actresses to be willing to get "intimate" with him.

As she explained her understanding, Nyamu's voice paused, then she added crisply:

"So really, across the whole industry, this isn't anything special."

She'd meant to say the whole thing in one breath, but toward the end her words grew faint.

Because she saw Mutsumi's head droop. On that face, expressionless as always, Nyamu felt a clear sense of dejection for the first time.

The result shocked Nyamu badly.

Wait a second…

"Don't tell me, Muuko, you…"

She opened her mouth, incredulous.

And it really was incredible.

She never would have guessed that the most honest, quietest girl in the band held that kind of feeling for Minami Yuji. Until now she'd thought it was just a little sister's dependence on an older brother!

So that's how it was…

She wanted to ask so badly!

So badly!

This was gossip about Minami Yuji and Mori Minami's daughter!

But no!

If she blurted it out recklessly, how would she be any different from those women who play with fire and get burned?

What she wanted was a safe, smooth-sailing career as an entertainer!

Nyamu clapped both hands over her mouth.

She didn't want to say anything more.

But still…

"…" — Yutenji Nyamu.

Looking at Mutsumi, who sat with her head down, saying nothing and keeping her silence, Nyamu thought of the younger siblings who used to follow her around and goof off before she came to Tokyo.

On the day she left, they'd worn this same look: downcast, wistful, yet with a trace of reluctance.

Ugh!

What a pain!

She ruffled her hair hard.

With a plop, Nyamu dropped onto the sofa beside Mutsumi, who watched her with mild surprise.

She lifted her snow-white thigh, and her long, slender calf rose with it.

She crossed her legs just like that, and raised a single finger.

"Listen, Muuko. Making a man fall for you is actually really simple."

"Eh?" The ripples in Mutsumi's still-water eyes stirred slightly.

Noticing the change in her gaze, Nyamu put her hands on her hips, almost smug, gave a "hmph," and went on.

"When it comes down to it, Master is a man too! And any man has a way to be conquered!"

As she said this, her expression was supremely confident, her eyebrows arching high.

This wasn't blind confidence, either.

As a beauty influencer, she understood women's needs better than anyone, and she knew very well what kind of look would draw men in.

Put simply:

Apart from doing it for themselves, women put on makeup for the men they like.

So calling her the best-informed lecturer on men in all of SOUTH wasn't an exaggeration!

Which meant…

"With my help, you'll definitely succeed!"

"Is that so…?"

"So how about it? Do you want my help?"

"…" — Wakaba Mutsumi.

Looking at Nyamu, brimming with confidence, and then recalling the scent clinging to Minami Yuji, Mutsumi pursed her cherry-pink lips slightly.

Then:

"Mm!"

"Excellent!"

A bright gleam flashed in Nyamu's pink-purple eyes, and the corners of her mouth curved in an utterly confident arc.

"By the time we're done, forget one measly Master. Even two, three! You'll be able to handle them effortlessly!"

"No, that wouldn't work. I only like Yuji."

Mutsumi raised her hand and objected without a flicker of expression.

"Uh…"

She hadn't expected Mutsumi to push back, deadpan, over such an obvious bit of bragging. Nyamu coughed dryly and changed the subject outright: "Then let me teach you the Three Great Strategies for women in love!"

As she spoke, she even walked over to the whiteboard on the other side of the room.

Picking up a black marker, she wrote three lines in one go.

Then she took up a pointer and aimed it straight at the first line.

"Dazzling looks and an indescribable confidence…?"

As she read it out, Mutsumi tilted her head, still expressionless.

"That's right!"

Nyamu nodded without hesitation. "A beautiful appearance! That's a woman's strongest weapon in social situations!"

As the saying goes, a good-looking woman is welcome wherever she goes.

Only with a polished, attractive appearance do people take to you!

Never believe the line men feed you about inner beauty mattering more than outer beauty!

That line isn't wrong in itself, but it doesn't hold in social settings!

Socializing is a battlefield, a real one!

If you can't keep up even the most basic good looks, who's going to have time to get to know your inside?

Not to mention that most people in this society are face-obsessed!

Which means…

"Looks are the top priority! But still…"

She rapped the pointer against the whiteboard a few times, then turned to look at Mutsumi.

Big, pitiable eyes.

A delicate face like a doll's, one that even Nyamu, a girl herself, couldn't help glancing at twice.

Small, slender limbs…

Nyamu nodded to herself.

Whatever else you could say, on looks Mutsumi absolutely passed the bar.

So that left…

"Confidence!"

Nyamu's pointer moved to the last word on the first line.

"Confidence…?"

Mutsumi blinked, slightly dazed.

Seeing her like that, Nyamu smiled and went on with her explanation.

"Right. Like a flamingo in courtship, you need a flawless appearance and styling, plus peerless confidence!"

In dealings between men and women, what comes next in importance after looks?

Without a doubt, confidence.

A person who has lost faith in herself will inevitably be timid and hesitant in front of the one she likes, and one careless step turns her into a simp.

And if you can't even love yourself, how can you win anyone else's love?

Mutsumi didn't speak. She just nodded.

"Good!" Nyamu nodded, then jabbed the pointer downward. "Next is this one!"

"Let him experience your taste and charm as a woman…?"

Mutsumi blinked.

"Exactly!"

Nyamu slapped her fair hand against the whiteboard.

By "taste" and charm, she didn't mean slapping labels like "travel, slow-burner, yoga" on your LINE profile.

In her view, that stuff was far too vague.

Put simply, men can neither touch nor see any of that!

Who's going to want to learn that you like travel and yoga the moment you meet? Does anyone really think sticking a label up there will make someone buy in?

How naive!

So…

"You have to actively show Master your interests and hobbies. Ideally, hobbies he can join in on and genuinely enjoy! That way you can fully show off your girlfriend power!"

"…I see."

"Good… then on to the next item… and the most important one!"

Nyamu crossed her arms and stepped aside from the whiteboard.

On it, in plain view, was a single, extremely short line.

[Ask him out!]

This was without a doubt the most important and most crucial item.

Discussing strategy, studying makeup, cultivating hobbies, it was all just empty talk!

Only once you've gotten him out of the house have you really taken the first step!

As the old Chinese saying goes, when a woman chases a man, there's only a thin veil in the way.

In Nyamu's view:

As long as you're thick-skinned and proactive, there's no man a woman can't win.

To put it plainly, boys are an especially easy-to-read species, so easy that if you're even a little kind to one, he'll start to like you.

So…

"Did you understand everything I just said?"

Nyamu raised a finger and pointed at Mutsumi across the room.

She had practically chewed up every trick she'd picked up in the industry, broken it down, and fed it to Mutsumi.

If Mutsumi still didn't get it…

Then Nyamu was out of options.

Fortunately, Mutsumi didn't let her down.

She simply turned her head toward the whiteboard, her clear, almost inorganic eyes reflecting the words on it, as if trying to burn every one of them into her brain.

After quite a while, she spoke.

"Mm, I roughly understand."

As she said it, Nyamu distinctly felt a trace of indescribable confidence in that airy voice that never expressed any feeling.

The determined tone let Nyamu relax with a small sigh of relief.

It looked like she'd really understood—

"No way!!!"

The next day, a short distance from the agency building, Nyamu, who had been eating a rice ball as she walked, nearly choked on it. She nearly died, for real.

Her whole face went red, and she gulped down several mouthfuls of water before she could force the rice down her throat.

Because…

"What on earth are you doing?! Muuko!!!"

Wailing inwardly, Nyamu rubbed her eyes, lowered her hand, then, as if she couldn't believe the sight in front of her, rubbed her eyes again.

Because there, right in her field of vision…

Mutsumi was stuck all over with bird feathers.

Yes, you read that right.

Bird feathers.

Maybe it was a custom outfit with feathers of every color glued on.

And it was gaudy, a riot of colors.

Even her elegant, refreshing pale blue-green hair had two especially huge artificial plumes stuck into it.

They looked like coconut palm leaves.

Calling the getup over-the-top no longer covered it.

It was downright grotesque.

From Nyamu's angle, apart from Mutsumi's face, still as exquisite as a doll's, the rest of her barely looked human. She looked like one giant, extra-fluffy, ball-shaped feather duster.

Seriously, sis?!

I did say "like a flamingo in courtship."

But I never told you to dress up as a flamingo!

I said confidence! Con-fi-dence!

Nyamu finally understood.

Mutsumi really was an earnest girl.

When she said "I roughly understand," she meant it. She roughly understood.

And why is there a rose clamped sideways in your mouth?!

Looking at the big red rose held crosswise between Mutsumi's cherry-pink lips,

Nyamu felt like a mouthful of old blood was about to spray out of her throat.

She'd only stopped at a convenience store on her way over to grab breakfast, and then she'd run straight into this.

What she hadn't expected at all was what Mutsumi did next.

"Hey, babe, can you come out with me today? I want to take you somewhere to eat."

The voice rang out, ethereal as ever and devoid of any emotion.

The expressionless, pale blue-green-haired girl took the rose from her mouth and, with one hand, poked it right under Minami Yuji's nose.

Aaaaah!!!!

Nyamu squeezed her eyes shut in agony.

This was no longer confidence!

It was social terrorism!

She couldn't bear to keep watching.

Just try imagining it.

A giant, round feather duster that looks like it can't even stand steadily, rustling its feathers and expressionlessly inviting you out… would you say yes?

Even a social terrorist, seeing Mutsumi in that getup, would refuse a hundred percent, right?

And yet—

"Sure. I just got back from an all-nighter with the Like a Dragon crew, so I wanted to grab something to eat anyway."

"?!" — Yutenji Nyamu.

Her mouth fell open on reflex as she watched Minami Yuji accept the rose with a grin and answer Mutsumi like that.

She couldn't believe he hadn't turned Mutsumi down at all over such a bizarre outfit. Instead he smiled and agreed.

What kind of move was that?

She truly couldn't understand it.

She couldn't understand Mutsumi, and she couldn't understand Yuji for saying yes.

But…

Watching Mutsumi climb onto the back of Yuji's black motorcycle, she gritted her teeth, stuck out her hand and flagged down a taxi. Cabs in central Tokyo were expensive, and she normally took the subway to work.

But Mutsumi's outfit was just too alarming!

And the reason Mutsumi had dressed like that was her advice.

With a half-responsible sense of duty, Nyamu decided to bleed a little money.

Luckily, this time Mutsumi didn't let her down.

She didn't take Yuji to some baffling place. She picked an ordinary Chinese restaurant.

That put Nyamu's mind slightly at ease. At least in some sense, Mutsumi had understood what she meant.

This could more or less count as a date… provided you ignored Mutsumi's flashy, flamingo-like outfit.

Nyamu sat there in big sunglasses, holding the menu upright in both hands, listening to the conversation between Mutsumi and Yuji and secretly hoping Mutsumi would say a few sweet nothings.

But then—

"Yuji."

"Hm?"

"This. Delicious. For you."

"Oh… okay."

A little while later.

"Yuji."

"Hm?"

"This. Delicious. For you."

"Sure."

"Yuji."

"Uh?"

"Delicious thing. For you."

"…"

"E-excuse me, ma'am?" Beside her, the waitress in her server's uniform watched her business smile turn to shock.

Because right before her eyes, the purple-haired girl had veins bulging in both hands as she tore the menu in half!

The thing was…

Who could put up with this?!

Nyamu was about to go berserk.

Muuko! Are you sure this counts as a date?!

Who feeds someone like that on a date?

Starting with mapo tofu is one thing.

Slipping in dumplings halfway through is one thing.

But have you looked at what you finally had them bring out?

That's a whole roast suckling pig!!!

Are you treating Master like a pig? Feeding him like that?

Never mind eating it.

Just watching from the next table, Nyamu was already full.

And what's more, at this moment she actually found herself a little impressed with Yuji.

Because the man genuinely showed no sign of displeasure or irritation. He just smiled and patted Mutsumi's head while cheerfully eating every bit of it.

Never mind how terrifying his appetite must be.

Just his attitude toward girls… even the ever-picky Nyamu had to give him a thumbs-up.

You, sir!

Full marks!

And so, after they'd finished their meal, Nyamu heard Mutsumi's next line.

"Yuji, there's a place I want to take you."

Ooh?

That instantly piqued Nyamu's interest.

She'd told Mutsumi yesterday too:

Beyond a dazzling appearance, a girl should let him experience her taste and charm as a woman, show the man her interests and hobbies, and ideally pick a hobby he can join in on and genuinely enjoy…

So Mutsumi must have reached the showcase stage now.

That made Nyamu curious.

A hobby that could convey a woman's taste and charm.

And that a man would enjoy taking part in…

What could it be?

Curious, she hailed a taxi, curiously tailed Mutsumi and Yuji, and curiously got out of the cab right after them.

And then…

Looking at the scene in front of her, and at Mutsumi handing Yuji a small iron trowel, gloves and a straw hat,

Nyamu clutched her head in both hands.

At that moment, she truly felt like crying with no tears to cry.

The thing was…

Can you imagine it?!

Their first date as a man and a woman.

Their first meal together.

And Mutsumi had picked neither the movie theater that everyone picks nor a popular influencer photo spot.

Instead she'd brought Yuji to her own school to farm with her!

Never mind how farming was supposed to show off a woman's taste and charm, or where exactly it would make a man enjoy himself.

The temperature alone, at least 33°C today, was enough to scare off a whole crowd, wasn't it?

Yes.

Tsukinomori Girls' Academy had already entered its summer break. But unlike ordinary schools, being an aristocratic academy, Tsukinomori was open to visitors even during vacation. You could tour the campus as long as you registered on site.

But the problem was… this was August in Tokyo.

The air was truly both muggy and scorching.

In weather like this, even a short stroll outside left you soaked in sweat by the time you got home.

Most crucially, what normal person on a date, in 33°C weather, drags the one they like out to do farm work with them?

Muuko, are you actually human?

Nyamu, who was being "roasted" under the same sun, honestly couldn't hold it together anymore.

For the first time, she even wished Yuji would scold Mutsumi a little.

But she also had to marvel.

Yuji's temper really was good…

Even after being dragged over for no reason to tend cucumber vines, bitter melon vines and other climbing plants, he showed not the slightest annoyance and instead helped out beside her with a serious face.

Sigh—

She let out a helpless sigh.

She finally understood why Mutsumi liked Yuji.

A boy who indulges girls like this, who's handsome, from a good family… who wouldn't like him?

But…

I'm sorry! I'm bowing out here!

She pressed her palms together.

Nyamu glanced at her skin, already tanned slightly red, and slipped away stealthily.

It couldn't be helped.

It was far too hot, and she hadn't brought sunscreen. If she got sunburned, that would be bad.

Besides…

After another glance at the scene before her, Nyamu felt that even without her there, it should be fine.

She'd better stop playing third wheel.

She muttered to herself and tiptoed backward to leave.

She also didn't forget to call Sakiko, telling her she'd be right over to join practice.

And so… until the third day…

"Nyamu, thank you."

The moment Nyamu stepped into the practice room, she heard Mutsumi's voice.

It was the same light, emotionless tone as ever, but if you listened closely, you could detect a deep gratitude hidden in those placid words.

Perhaps Mutsumi felt that thanks in words alone weren't enough.

Under Nyamu's astonished gaze, she even stood up and bowed. "If you hadn't helped me with ideas, it might not have gone so smoothly."

Honestly, getting thanked by Mutsumi felt pretty nice to Nyamu.

But when she listened to what Mutsumi was thanking her for, the corner of her mouth twitched.

Because…

What did your date's success yesterday have to do with my advice, even a little?!

And I never told you to dress up as a flamingo and clamp a rose in your mouth!

Just thinking about yesterday's date, a downright painful sight to behold, made Nyamu's head begin to ache.

It had only managed to count as a date because Yuji's tolerance was absurdly high and his temper especially good.

Anyone else would have blown up long ago.

So she didn't even understand where Mutsumi got the confidence to say the word "smoothly."

It made no sense at all.

But… forget it.

Nyamu shook her head.

If Mutsumi thought it went smoothly, then fine, it went smoothly.

It wasn't really her business anyway.

More importantly…

"What did you two do yesterday? I mean after you finished tending the cucumber vines?"

She asked out of curiosity.

She had left halfway yesterday and hadn't seen how it ended.

She had no idea what happened afterward that made Mutsumi call it smooth.

But what she hadn't expected was that.

Hearing her question, Mutsumi's ever-emotionless eyes lifted in puzzlement.

"Nyamu, how do you know Yuji and I tended the cucumber vines?"

Uh-oh!

She'd let it slip!

Nyamu silently cursed her luck, her eyes darting away as she laughed awkwardly.

"Haha… that is… well… you sometimes bring us cucumbers or cherry tomatoes to eat, don't you? So I just figured you might've taken Master to do some farm work or something…"

The excuse was riddled with holes.

Fortunately, Mutsumi didn't seem inclined to press.

She only tilted her head.

"Is that so…? Mm… okay."

That was close…

Nyamu turned her head away, wiped her brow, and only then steered the conversation back on track.

"So what exactly happened yesterd… huh?"

She broke off mid-question with a gasp of surprise.

Because right in front of her,

the pale blue-green-haired girl who had never let any other emotion show on her face, who was always calm, upon hearing that question…

Had the corners of her mouth… lift into a faint smile.

It was like sugar water.

At the first taste, it's mild, as if you can't taste anything at all.

But take a few more sips after that, and you'll clearly feel… that cloying sweetness…