Iโve Been Working My Hardest as Manager of the Girlsโ Track and Field Team, but Ever Since I Retired, the Team Members Have Been Coming at Me Like Crazy!?
โI bought this because it was so good. Have some if you want.โ
What Yukimura handed me was a bottle of coffee milk.
โOh, come to think of it, there was one in the bathroom.โ
โThe coffee milk here is really delicious. Here, try some.โ
โโฆโฆHmm.โ
I picked up the bottle and grunted a little.
I liked coffee milk, and since I was thirsty, I was happy to have it.
But why was it half-drunk?
โYukimura, about thisโฆโ
โCanโt you drink it?โ
โN-no, thatโs not itโฆโ
โBut? You can share a drink with Moe, but you canโt do it with me?โ
โHuh?โ
Was she watching?
No, since when?ใ
โSo you really do favor Moe. Youโve never once treated me to ice cream or anything.โ
โN-no, thatโs not what I meantโฆโ
โSo if I ask, will you treat me to ice cream?โ
โW-well, of course.โ
โCan you finish my half-drunk drink too?โ
โO-of course.โ
โWill you mess me up?โ
โI told you I get itโฆ Wait, what did you just say?โ
โI want you to mess me up.โ
โโฆI wonโt do that.โ
โHuh? Why not?โ
โNo way. For starters, I donโt even do that to Shiratori, right?โ
โHmm, so you donโt. Well, anyway, just drink that coffee milk.โ
โโฆHere I go.โ
I tentatively took a sip of the half-drunk coffee milk.
I was on guard, worried there might be sleeping pills in it, but of course there werenโtโit was just regular, delicious coffee milk.
โโฆIs this okay?โ
โโฆ salivaโฆ give it back, quick!โ
She snatched the bottle from me and downed the rest in one gulp.
โMmm, delicious.โ
โโฆโ
โHehe, is it okay if I keep this bottle?โ
โWell, there is a basket over there for empty bottles.โ
I didnโt say anything else.
Because I figured it was pointless to say anything to herโthere she was, right in front of me, holding that empty bottle as if it were a treasure, rubbing her cheek against it, her eyes crinkling, and breathing heavily.
Yukimura disappeared from my sight, taking the empty bottle with her.
โโฆโฆHaa.โ
Just what on earth would make someone get so worked up?
Is it a backlash from being too repressed, or is it just their nature?
Anyway, since Yukimuraโs gone, I should take this chance toโฆ
โSen-chan!โ
Thatโs right, there was one more personโฆ
โH-Hayase, whatโs up?โ
โHmm, nothing much. You and Mai-chan looked like you were having fun.โ
โR-really?โ
โAnd before that, with Moe-chan too. It kind of looked like you were on a date.โ
โI-I donโt think thatโs the case.โ
โSen-chan, what do you think of me?โ
โHayase? No, I think youโre a nice person whoโs easy to talk to.โ
โAs a girl?โ
โAs a girlโฆ um, I think youโre beautiful, Hayase.โ
โMore than those two?โ
โโฆWell.โ
That was the only answer I could give.
After glancing around to make sure no one was nearby, I nodded, and Hayase smiled with a happiness Iโd never seen before.
โOh, okay. That makes me happy. Hey, are you going back to your room after this?โ
โYeah, thatโs the plan.โ
โYou donโt have any drinks in your room. Shouldnโt you buy some?โ
โOh, come to think of it. Yukimura talked to me earlier, so I forgot to buy some.โ
โSo you hadnโt bought any yet? Here, take this.โ
She handed me a drink again.
This time, it was bottled tea.
My eyes immediately went to the cap, but it seemed to be unopened.
โIs that okay?โ
โYeah. For some reason, two bottles came out when I bought it from the vending machine.โ
โOh, it looks old, so I guess that kind of glitch happens. Well, Iโll gladly take it.โ
โOh, right. Sen-chan, when that bottleโs empty, give it to me tomorrow, okay?โ
โโฆโฆYes.โ
โSo that was your real motive after all,โ I thought, half-exasperated as I took the bottle. Hayase said, โWell, good night,โ and headed for the elevator ahead of me.