───● The Literature Girl JK Receives a Consultation ●○●

Saturday morning.

Fighting the drowsiness still pleading with my head, I manage to sit up and grab my smartphone.

Since I got home after the date changed due to my part-time job, it was already 10:00 AM.

“Tutoring day, huh…”

Saturday is the day I go to Shiori-chan’s house for tutoring. So I have to get ready, but… I just couldn’t get my spirits up.

My mind is looping through yesterday’s events.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘You’re… a little scary today, Seira-san.’

After I said that, the face of Seira-san returning from the restroom was terribly haggard.

I tried to chase after Seira-san when she paid and went outside. I felt like it would be bad to leave her be.

However, Aika-san, who was in the shop, didn’t allow it. She grabbed my hand as I tried to dash out, looking at me with a serious expression.

‘If you can’t protect what needs protecting inside the shop, you can’t do it outside.’

Being told that, there was nothing I could do.

I clocked out and walked home in the rain.

While showering, I kept thinking about what I should have done.

It is an undeniable truth that I thought Seira-san was a little scary at that moment. So, maybe it was better than just getting swept along.

I understand that Seira-san holds some affection for me. If she didn’t like me, surely she wouldn’t spend that much money or come every week…

And the problem is, I only have a good impression of Seira-san too.

I mean, she’s generally a good person, she gets intense when she drinks which is funny, and she’s incredibly beautiful to boot… It’s natural to be happy when someone like that takes a liking to you. If possible, I wanted to get along with her.

That’s why… I couldn’t forget Seira-san’s face as she left the shop yesterday, pale as a sheet.

I go to the washbasin and wash my face. I splashed water onto my cheeks with more force than usual.

I wiped my face with a towel… and looked into the mirror in front of me.

“What should I do…”

Even though washing my face cleared my head, the feeling remaining like a lump in my chest didn’t clear up at all.

■

Good day to everyone, Shiori Shinomiya here, spending yet another supreme time today.

“Umm… so for this part, I use this formula… is that correct?”

“…”

“Masato-san?”

“Eh? …Ah, oh! Yes, yes, you apply that formula there…”

Masato-sama’s hand reaches for the notebook open on my desk. His arm is slender yet possesses a distinct masculinity—very nice.

Masato-sama is supremely beautiful as always… but limited to today, his complexion doesn’t look too good.

Even while teaching me, he seems somewhat distracted… This is the first time this has happened since he started tutoring me. Just as I was genuinely starting to get a little worried… I had a stroke of genius.

Wait, isn’t this a chance?!

If I can show concern for Masato-sama and listen to his troubles, my affection points are guaranteed to skyrocket…!

While properly solving the problems in the textbook, I contemplate my approach toward Masato-sama. It would be best to bring out the Yamato Nadeshiko-esque vibe, casually showing concern. I must overcome this event successfully no matter what!

That said, bringing it up in the middle of the lesson might leave a bad impression… Let’s try bringing it up when we reach a stopping point.

Thinking this, I decided to seriously tackle the lesson for the time being.

And so, after about an hour of class.

“Alright, let’s take a little break.”

“Yes, thank you very much.”

I think I concentrated pretty well, if I do say so myself. Masato-sama’s teaching is good, of course.

As I stretch, Masato-sama takes a sip of the barley tea placed on the desk behind him, looking preoccupied with his thoughts again.

Alright… this is it!

“Masato-san?”

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“No, it just seemed like you spent a lot of time deep in thought today… Did something happen?”

Oh, wasn’t that a pretty good “Pure Girl” act~?!

Ever since I saved Masato-sama from that scout, I’ve been getting worse at playing the pure beautiful girl, but I feel like that wasn’t bad!

“Ah~ um… it’s nothing, you know?”

Masato-sama forces a smile while answering vaguely. Even I, who am often told I’m dense, could tell that smile was forced. Is it something he doesn’t want to touch upon…? It would be easy to back off here, but I want to step in a little further.

Of course, aiming for a massive affection boost is part of it, but simply put, I am worried.

“If that is the case, then it is fine… but you seemed a bit distracted even during the lesson.”

“Ugh… I’m weak when you say that… Sorry, even though it’s work.”

“No, no! I didn’t mean to blame you! …If something happened, I can at least listen, you know? If you’re okay with it being me, that is.”

Sup? Want me to listen? ^^

Of course, asking with that vibe would be an out, so I keep pretending to be extremely pure. I feel like I’m making a natural smile!

“Hmm… right, I wonder if it’s okay to talk about this kind of thing…”

Maybe hesitating, Masato-sama mutters in a small voice. Please speak without reserve… Right now, I am accepting Masato-sama with a heart of charity, like the saintly heroine of my favorite Otome game.

Eventually, seeming to have made up his mind, Masato-sama began to speak, still wearing a slightly troubled expression.

“Umm… it’s about a friend, okay?”

Yup, that’s definitely about him. I know this pattern.

“That friend, um, works at a cafe, right? Well, a regular customer comes there, and apparently, this regular is quite aggressive… Basically, he thinks favorably of this regular customer, but the sense of distance was too close, and he apparently rejected her.”

Hmm. So Masato-sama was working at a cafe too… I want to see that… If he’s in a uniform, I’m confident I’d faint.

“I think the rejection itself was probably not wrong, even from the shop’s perspective, but it’s not like he hates that person. He’s wondering what he should do regarding her from now on… What do you think he should do, Shiori-chan?”

“I see. That is… hmmm.”

Mmhmm. When you’re in Masato-sama’s class, there’s bound to be a woman or two making moves on you. The problem is what to do about it… Personally, I want to say, “Just leave someone like that alone!” but I feel like that’s not the best answer. I don’t feel like Masato-sama would be happy hearing that either. So, how should I answer…? The time has come to use the skills honed in dating sims!

“It is a difficult problem… but in the end, isn’t the person’s own feelings the most important thing?”

“Feelings, huh.”

It ends up being a harmless answer, but considering Masato-sama’s personality, isn’t this the best one?

“If your friend does not dislike that customer, perhaps it would be best to tell her that. Of course, it seems necessary to have her keep an appropriate distance from now on.”

“I see… you’re right.”

Oh, isn’t this a good reaction?

“Thanks! I’m glad I tried consulting Shiori-chan.”

Masato-sama’s smile became slightly more cheerful.

Aah~ it’s too easy on the eyes~ surely this smile acts as a nutritional supplement too.

“Then, shall we resume the lesson?”

“Yes. Please continue to look after me.”

Alriiight, didn’t I successfully raise his affection in a good way? humming a tune internally, I sit back at my usual study desk and…

…Hm? Wait a minute mate-cha. If the story just now was about Masato-sama…

Didn’t I just cheer on Masato-sama’s romance with another woman????