───● The Tsundere OL Makes Her Move ●○●

Lately, I’ve been spacing out a lot.

It’s been five days since the shocking incident… Honestly, I can’t really focus on my university lectures. The professor’s voice just passes through me like background music, in one ear and out the other.

What replays in my mind is our exchange from that day.

‘I don’t need an answer. From now on… I’ll be with you and prove my feelings!’

That was her reply when she shot down my suggestion that she might just have a crush on an older guy and would probably change her mind once she met more men.

The look on Yuka’s face as she went home with a smile… seemed incredibly vibrant.

I really do think so. Middle school is such a sensitive time, and it was just by chance that I was there. She should be experiencing countless loves and failures from now on.

But when she says it with such a happy look on her face, I can’t just push her away. She’s cute, after all. And I’m a guy.

Her messages have also been pretty aggressive since then.

Just as Yuka said, I had always thought of her as a little sister, so I never imagined she would have feelings like that for me.

The expression on Yuka’s face that day, her actions, are burned into my mind and won’t leave.

With the setting sun at her back, Yuka pinning me down from above…

“Jeez~ spacing out again!”

“…Sorry, sorry.”

Hearing Koumi’s voice next to me, I snapped back to reality.

“Here, something cold.”

“Oh, thanks. Wait a sec, do I have any change…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! Let me pay for this much.”

Today she was wearing brown shorts with a suede frill high on her waist, and a refreshing white short-sleeved top with a square neckline. With her good figure, this kind of set that showed off her long legs really suited Koumi.

“Treating you to a juice from a vending machine isn’t cool at all, y’know?”

“You bought me one the other day, Mizuho.”

“That was Starbucks! Mine is of a higher class!”

Popping her head out from behind Koumi was her best friend, Mizuho.

Mizuho was also wearing shorts like Koumi, but hers were black, and her top was a pink see-through blouse. The sleeves were a lace type.

Her fashion, which brought out her cute side to the forefront, made it seem like she knew her own weapons and was wielding them masterfully.

“But Masato, you really haven’t seemed yourself lately. Did something happen?”

“No… it’s nothing.”

Mizuho cutely tilted her head, but when she saw that I had no intention of talking about it and just started silently drinking the juice Koumi gave me, she gave up.

Well, I’ve already been asked that countless times in the past five days…

I might be more shocked than I realize.

It’s been almost four months since I came to this world. Honestly, not much has changed, and I thought I could go on living as I always have… but it feels like I’ve been slapped with the reality that this really is a different world. Honestly, I let my guard down. I was so happy that I had become friends with Yuka and gained a cute little sister-like figure, without thinking about it at all.

I looked at the two of them as they started talking in front of me.

I’m confident that I’ve become good friends with these two as well, and if this were my old world, I think I would have gone on without feeling anything. I would have just been happy that I made friends with some cute girls.

But, it’s different. I don’t know if they have romantic feelings for me… but at the very least, I think they both have a favorable impression of me.

So, I can’t get any closer. If it ever came to talk of dating, I would end up hurting them.

Thinking back on it now, an overnight trip is incredibly dangerous… It would have been better if there was at least one other guy… Unfortunately, I don’t have any close guy friends other than my co-workers at the boy’s bar…

“I’m so excited for next week!”

“Y-Yeah.”

My reply came out haltingly.

Next week. Summer vacation is just around the corner, and right at the start of it, we’re supposed to go to the beach.

The old me would have just tagged along without a care in the world… but in my old world, this would be like one girl going along with two different types of handsome guys, right? If she were my friend, I’d be worried. I’d ask her, “Are you sure that’s okay?” And by the way, it’s not okay.

So I have to draw a line. I know it’s way too late for that…

But I’ll do what I can.

“Hey, Masato, listen to this. Mizuho was saying something about getting a swimsuit that’s a little more daring──”

“AH───!! AH──!! I CAN’T HEAR YOU! I’M NOT LISTENING!! NO ONE’S GAINING ANYTHING FROM THIS──!”

Mizuho tackled Koumi, who was telling me that with a sly grin.

Somehow, it was a little heartwarming, and I felt a bit calmer.

Lately, it felt like things were getting a little tense between the two of them, and I was wondering what was going on.

If they’ve cleared up their misunderstanding, then that’s good.

“Well, I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Ugh… it’s not like that at all… this is the worst… even though I’m so flat-chested…”

Well, this much should be fine.

I already knew it, but it seems I can’t change the personality I’ve had for 18 years that easily. This is who I am.

But I do need to be more conscious of things like body touch and personal space…

Today was Friday.

As I was working my shift, Seira-san came in around 6:30 PM, as usual.

“Welcome, my lady. I’m glad you came again today.”

“Yes. Good evening, Masato.”

A short-sleeved white blouse and a suit skirt. Today her black hair was down instead of in a ponytail, which highlighted her cool, capable-woman vibe.

Looking at it calmly, my relationship with this person is the most difficult to handle.

For now, I’ve tried reducing the frequency of our usual messages, though I’m not sure if it will have any effect…

The biggest problem is that I myself don’t have any negative feelings for Seira-san.

She’s beautiful, and it’s fun talking to her…

I was genuinely happy that she seemed to like me. Thinking back on it now, there was quite a lot of physical contact… but as a guy, that kind of thing would make anyone happy.

After I had been serving her for a while, Seira-san suddenly took something out of her bag.

“Actually… I came today because there’s something I wanted to give you.”

“Eh…?”

Looking at the carefully wrapped package she offered me, I realized it was some kind of present.

…My birthday isn’t for a while, though?

“W-Wait a minute, Seira-san, my birthday isn’t until later…”

“I won’t be letting you off with something like this for your birthday… This is just a little thank you. For going on that date with me the other day.”

The bag she gave me wasn’t particularly heavy or large… but it had the logo of a brand that even I recognized.

Ah, I’m scared to open this…

“Um, is it okay if I open it?”

“Of course. It’s yours now.”

Timidly, I opened it. Inside the bag was another square box. When I carefully opened that package, I found a set containing a chic navy-blue necktie, a tie pin, and cufflinks.

The colors were subdued and very much to my taste.

But I couldn’t help but worry about the price.

“Whoa, this is cool… but this must have been expensive, right…?”

“Jeez… don’t worry about the price. I just thought it would look good on you, so I bought it.”

Seira-san flashed a smile like she had just succeeded in a little prank, and the gap between this and her usual self made my heart skip a beat.

This is bad… ever since the thing with Yuka, I feel like I’m overreacting to women’s expressions.

“B-But… really, please don’t spend too much money on me…”

“Fufufu… you’re so cute.”

Seira-san, who had been resting her cheek on her hand, took a sip of the drink in the glass in front of her.

And then she looked down slightly…

“As I thought, there’s no way you’re the same as those other dime-a-dozen boys, Masato. They’re the ones who are wrong. Masato is one of a kind, my very own…”

“…Eh?”

“…It’s nothing.”

I felt like she said something in a low voice… but I couldn’t hear it clearly.

Seira-san suddenly looked up and stared at my body as if she had noticed something.

“Come to think of it, haven’t you put on a little muscle lately? When we first met, you were so skinny.”

“Eh? Really? I don’t think so, though…”

It’s true that I’ve been exercising more recently because of basketball with Yuka… and there I go thinking about Yuka again.

“Look, around your arms here…”

Seira-san leaned in closer and gently squeezed my arm.

At that moment, perhaps because I was remembering the incident with Yuka.

──On reflex, I pulled back slightly.

Seeing my reaction, Seira-san pulled her hand back in surprise.

…There was a short, awkward silence.

“──What’s… wrong?”

“Ah, no… it’s not that…”

Crap. Why is this happening?

It seems I’ve been acting weird since last week. …But, this might actually be the right way to act.

I need to keep my distance properly──.

The moment I thought that.

Before I knew it, Seira-san’s arm, who had closed the distance between us until she was right beside me, wrapped around the opposite side of my waist.

And with a sharp tug, I was pulled towards her.

“Why are you avoiding me? Masato.”

The soft scent unique to women grew stronger.

“No… um, it’s not like that, but…”

Seira-san must be pretty drunk by now.

Her face was quite red. Seira-san’s beautifully featured face was so close, my body froze.

“I see. Another woman did something to you, didn’t she.”

“…!”

“I see. Was it that cute girl I saw you serving the other day? What did she do to you? I won’t get mad, so tell me.”

“No, that’s not…”

She grabbed my right hand. Seira-san’s left hand was still wrapped firmly around my waist, and I couldn’t move.

“Hey, Masato…”

“Y-Yes…?”

Seira-san’s thin, long fingers slid in between mine.

One by one. Slowly.

Soon, what’s commonly known as the “lover’s grip” was complete.

The hand that held mine seemed to be saying, more eloquently than words, “I’m not letting you go.”

“You liked the present, right?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Then…”

Seira-san brought her face close to my ear.

N-No. This is bad.

But I couldn’t bring myself to push Seira-san away with all my might.

…Ah, I see.

After what happened with Yuka, I thought I had to be careful about keeping my distance and physical contact from now on.

But it was already far too late.

With a bewitching smile, Seira-san whispered in my ear.

“…Let’s go after-hours, shall we?”

It’s too late to struggle now.

I was already in over my head, sunk up to my neck in a deep, deep swamp.