第99話 志乃原と礼奈① - I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me

"Why are you even here?" Shinohara accused Reina and then swiftly shifted her gaze to Yuta. Since he had already explained everything to this junior, his returning gaze indicated that there was nothing wrong with what was happening. Shinohara's cheeks gradually puffed up, but eventually deflated with a soft sigh. "I kind of had a feeling this was going to happen..." "What do you mean by this feeling?" When he asked lightly, Shinohara gripped Yuta's shoulder firmly and shook him vigorously. "That you'd bring Reina-san to this club, senpai!" Trying to respond while his vision blurred from the second shaking this week, he managed to open his mouth. "Whoever I choose to bring along is my business, right?" "That's exactly why it's annoying!" "Hey, Mayu-chan." Reina's voice drew Shinohara's attention, causing her to suddenly let go of Yuta's shoulder. Because of the sudden release, Yuta staggered backward but no one seemed to notice or care. "Ah, you remembered my name this time. What is it, Reina-san?" "Do you think Yuta-kun is popular?" "Wait, what kind of question is that all of a sudden!" In response to Reina's question, Yuta sat up abruptly, and Shinohara answered while maintaining a straight gaze at Reina. "Isn't he? After all, it seems like you were dating him, Reina-san." "Haha, well, yeah. The reason we started wasn't really about popularity though." "I see." Shinohara replied with a hint of indifference, but Reina continued unfazed. "If you leave someone popular alone, they'll end up out of your reach at some point. If you dislike that, you really need to become closer to them." Though they've been discussing Yuta, it was clear to everyone that Reina was the one who was truly popular. Yuta never considered himself someone who would drift away. If he was such a person, he wouldn't still be stuck in a lazy lifestyle as a third-year university student without a clear direction, especially with job hunting approaching. As Yuta deliberated this, a feeling of emptiness crept in. "What are you talking about? Senpai and I have a deep connection, as deep as the Mariana Trench!" "Hey, I don't recall exploring anything that deep." "Senpai, quiet down!" "Isn't this conversation about me?" Even with his retort, the mischievous junior's gaze remained fixed on Reina. "Even if there were things between Reina-san and senpai, my actions won't change." She had mentioned this directly before their first class began today. While her words made Yuta happy, they might leave a different impression on Reina. "What are these actions of Mayu-chan?" "To get along well with senpai!" "Got it, thanks." "Huh?" Shinohara let out a baffled sound. She seemed to be gearing up to say something more, but Reina's simple response left her with her mouth agape, struggling for words. "Thanks for getting along with Yuta-kun. He hasn't had much experience with younger people. Your presence will surely become an asset for him in the future." "R-right, he did mention he doesn't interact much with those younger than him. But, um..." When Reina tilted her head slightly, Shinohara mustered her courage and spoke. "You still have a bit of a girlfriend aura around senpai, Reina-san, and it's really confusing." "Hehe. I am just his ex now." Reina replied without a hint of concern, and after a few moments of silence, Shinohara turned back to Yuta. "...Senpai, if I didn't mishear, Reina-san did say 'now,' right?" "She did." Upon confirming this, Shinohara immediately turned back to Reina without waiting for Yuta’s response. "So you wish to get back together soon?" Reina met Shinohara's boldly straightforward question without hesitation. "Not immediately, at least. We just recently reconnected, anyway." "I see──" "So, we talked about how if there were someone for Yuta-kun to date for a short trial, it might clarify his stance on relationships. It was more of a hypothetical discussion." "Tell me more about that story!" Reina seemed troubled by Shinohara's inquisitiveness, knitting her eyebrows together. Seeing this, Yuta grabbed Shinohara by the scruff and pulled her away from Reina. With a pout, Shinohara glared at Yuta. "If it wasn't you, senpai, I'd bite that hand right now." "I'm glad I'm your senpai, then." "That's not what I wanted to hear!" Since Shinohara's arms flailed wildly, Yuta reluctantly let go. When he had first come to the gymnasium with Shinohara, even the thought of touching her felt daunting, but now it seemed effortless to grab her by the neck. Moments like these made him feel the time they’ve spent together. As he reflected on this, Shinohara spoke. "What do you think, senpai?" "About what?" "About having a trial relationship with me for a certain period!" A gentle silence descended in the corner of the gymnasium.