Chapter 20

“Is that so? And then you and Ryuichi…”
“Yes. He’s been so good to me… Um, I’ve reached a point where I can’t think about anyone else.”

Watching Shizuna and Chisa chatting amicably right in front of him, Ryuichi felt a mix of relief that things hadn’t devolved into anything awkward, alongside a faint sense of discomfort. The topic of their conversation had been entirely about Ryuichi from the moment it started.

“You two, seriously… Don’t go saying embarrassing stuff right in front of the guy.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“That’s right, Ryuichi-kun.”
“…Tsk.”

Ryuichi let out a small click of his tongue, but the two of them only laughed at the sight of him.
Originally, only Shizuna was supposed to visit today, but true to form, Chisa had tagged along without giving any prior notice. At first, Shizuna had worn a complicated expression upon seeing Chisa, but looking at the scene before him now made it obvious; the two of them had broken the ice in no time at all.

“Chisa-san, will you be eating with us? I came here today thinking I’d make nikujaga for Ryuichi-kun.”
“Oh, really? Homemade cooking from a younger girl… I’m looking forward to it!”
“Fufu, I’ll get it ready then. Ryuichi-kun, I’ll be borrowing your kitchen.”
“Go ahead~”

Hearing the word nikujaga, Ryuichi’s stomach gave a loud rumble. It was absolute proof that Shizuna had him completely wrapped around her finger. Chisa watched intently as Shizuna stepped up to the kitchen counter and began cooking.

“She’s a good girl. Almost too good for someone like you.”
“Seriously. Not to toot my own horn, but I know I’ve scored a fine woman.”
“Scored… huh? You said that exact same thing to me, you know.”
“Did I?”
“Yes, you did.”

Reminded of it, Ryuichi vaguely recalled that she was right.
When he first met Chisa at a party he’d been dragged to by Makoto, Ryuichi had made a move on her on the spot. The relationship born from that night had continued ever since, and that was the very phrase he had tossed at Chisa back when she was completely captivated by him.

“I figured my relationship with you was fine just staying at that level, so it never bothered me, but I can definitely feel genuine care coming from you these days. And not just toward that girl… toward me, too.”
“Can’t really say I notice it myself, though.”

As he’d thought over and over, recovering his memories had brought a shift to his mindset. Even so, it wasn’t as if his fundamental way of living had radically transformed. He still didn’t have any intention of settling down with one specific partner, accepting his relationships with both Shizuna and Chisa exactly as they were.

“I think you’re much nicer now, though? Well, it’s not like I’m ever going to develop romantic feelings for you, mind you. But I do think you two make a good match.”

Just as Chisa pointed out, Ryuichi couldn’t picture himself ever entering a romantic relationship with her. Because they had spent so long interacting purely as partners-with-benefits, the future where things suddenly escalated into genuine romance felt completely unimaginable.

“Setting aside how things are with Shizuna, I’m of the exact same mind about you, Chisa. If anything, you’re more like a high-maintenance older sister.”
“Hey, who’s the high-maintenance one here?”

Thud. Chisa delivered a solid, surprisingly heavy blow to his shoulder.
Ryuichi’s sturdy physique didn’t budge an inch, and he certainly didn’t take enough offense to let his mood sour over something so trivial. Extending an arm toward Chisa, he pulled her body straight into an embrace.

“Ah…”
“You’re always like this. The moment I hold you like this, you quiet right down.”
“…Can you blame me? My body’s already wired to react the moment I’m held in these arms.”

Chisa buried her face straight into Ryuichi’s chest.
She had once mentioned that any woman held in Ryuichi’s arms would inevitably become completely enthralled, and she was living proof of her own words. Whenever she was gathered into those thick, powerful arms, Chisa would instantly begin aching with the desire for him.

“Hey Ryuichi, can I stay over tonight?”
“Weren’t you planning on doing that from the very start?”
“Naturally~”

Just like that, Chisa’s overnight stay was officially locked in. By the way, had the two of them forgotten something? Namely, the fact that Shizuna was also right here in this room with them. When Ryuichi felt a gaze on him and looked over, Shizuna was staring right at him with her cheeks puffed out in an adorable pout, looking as though she wanted to complain about being left out.

“Good grief…”
“Seriously, she’s such a cute kid.”

Pulling away from Chisa for a moment, Ryuichi headed over to Shizuna.
The second he wrapped both arms around her, still looking up at him with those cheeks swollen in protest, Shizuna’s expression melted into pure bliss in an instant. Just like Chisa had moments before, she buried herself against Ryuichi and let out a sweet sigh that practically screamed how happy she was.

“….I’m so easy.”
“You really are.”
“But… only for you. I’m only easy like this for you, Ryuichi-kun.”
“Haha, is that so?”

Well, regardless of the specifics, having a woman direct that kind of affection toward you was always a pleasant feeling.
Before long, Shizuna suggested he go take a shower, and leaving the rest of the cooking in her capable hands, Ryuichi headed toward the bathroom just as she asked.

“…Honestly, he always knows exactly what I want him to do.”

Thinking of Ryuichi heading off to the bath, Shizuna muttered those words under her breath.
Easy. She was far too easy. But for Shizuna, that was more than fine. Because Ryuichi always gave her exactly what she secretly wished for. To Shizuna, Ryuichi’s presence had already grown unimaginably massive; precisely because she was able to gaze directly into the core of his true nature, she was hopelessly captivated by him.

“Unlike me, you’re experiencing a genuine, pure romance, Shizuna-chan.”
“…Though I suppose a pure romance usually doesn’t involve getting physically intimate before you even start dating.”
“That’s true enough. But to each their own, right? Are you regretting it at all, Shizuna-chan?”
“Not at all. I will never, ever regret anything involving Ryuichi-kun.”
“Then that’s all that matters. No matter what anyone else might say, what matters most is how you feel about it.”

Shizuna couldn’t help staring up at Chisa’s face in surprise.
It wasn’t that she judged people by their appearances, but Chisa possessed the kind of flashy, glamorous look you’d never find at the high school Shizuna and Ryuichi attended, making her unexpected kindness all the more striking.

“…Chisa-san, you’re actually very kind, aren’t you?”
“Oh? Can you tell~? Well, back before I met Ryuichi, I used to be quite the wild child myself, you know. I suppose the reason I turned out like this is entirely because I met him.”
“Is that so?”
“Mhm.”

Chisa shared her story with Shizuna.
How she had crossed paths with Ryuichi and noticed the darkness sleeping deep within him. While it was true she had fallen for his body and continued their relationship for that reason, she confessed that her primary motivation now was simply wanting to watch over the younger boy.

“He’s rough around the edges and does all sorts of things, but there’s always a reason at the root of it. Did Shizuna-chan ever hear about Ryuichi’s family?”
“…No, I haven’t heard any details. Just that they passed away.”

Shizuna only knew that Ryuichi’s parents were already gone. Judging by Chisa’s demeanor, she clearly knew the deeper parts of his past, which left Shizuna feeling a tiny pang of frustration.

“Shizuna-chan, you wear your heart right on your sleeve, don’t you? But don’t worry, I’m sure… you’ll be able to illuminate Ryuichi’s darkness. Someday, he might open up and talk to you about it himself. When that happens, just say whatever words are in your heart, okay?”
“…Yes, I understand.”
“Yup, yup. …Though, can I just say Shizuna-chan is genuinely gorgeous?”
“You… really think so?”

People often told her she was pretty, and Ryuichi had praised her appearance, too. But whether she could look in the mirror and genuinely consider herself superior was an entirely different matter. Walking down the street always drew gazes from countless men, and getting hit on like that time wasn’t a rare occurrence, either. Thinking about it objectively, she supposed her looks must be above average.

“You know, I feel like Shizuna-chan could pull off a flashier look, too.”
“Flashy… as in?”
“Yup. Your current pure, innocent look is wonderful, of course. But I think styling yourself like a gyaru would give you such a cute gap-moe vibe.”
“Oh…”

Gyaru-style, meaning making her appearance flashy and bold. Shizuna had never once considered such a thing. While she took care of her looks, it went no further than keeping her hair neatly conditioned and taking proper care of her skin.

“Hey, how about it? Why don’t we try out a gyaru makeover next time to really surprise Ryuichi? Seeing a different side of you might just set him on fire, so what do–”
“Let’s do it.”
“Th-That was an immediate answer… But alright, I like your enthusiasm. Let’s do it!”

And just like that, leaving Ryuichi completely out of the loop, Shizuna’s temporary “Gyaru-fication Project” was officially set into motion.
Though today was the first time they had ever met, the two of them hit it off remarkably well. Before long, Ryuichi emerged from the bath, and they all sat down to enjoy the nikujaga Shizuna had prepared.

“As expected, this is amazing.”
“So good! You’re incredible, Shizuna-chan!”
“I’m glad. Ryuichi-kun, there’s still plenty more in the pot, so make sure you eat every last bite, okay?”
“You bet I will.”

As Ryuichi shoveled the food into his mouth with gusto, he paused for a moment, prompting Shizuna to automatically slide a glass of tea over to him just like she had before. Seeing that his childish habits hadn’t changed one bit, she shared an amused, affectionate smile with Chisa.