Chapter 227: A Man’s Nature

Natsumi POV

I wonder if I’ve ever felt this much sympathy for someone before.

Being basically bold about romance is Sara’s style, and since she doesn’t feel a shred of guilt, it’s far too late to start hiding the details of her relationship with Takanashi-kun now.

And since their relationship is mainly built on Sara’s limitless pampering and Takanashi-kun being the one pampered, the more Sara talks, the more damage Takanashi-kun takes.

Why? Because… for Takanashi-kun, Sara’s stories are essentially a series of exposures revealing exactly how much he relies on her.

Of course, the person telling the stories is just happily chatting, so there’s no malice or hidden motive. That’s exactly why Takanashi-kun can’t stop her and just has to endure it.

Tachikawa:「S-Satsukawa-senpai, um, how do you usually sleep? Y-You’re with Takanashi-kun, right!?」

Sara:「Let’s see… I lie down first…」

Tachikawa:「Y-You lie down…」

Sara:「Then, I pull Kazunari-san close… near my chest…」

Todo & Tachikawa:「「Kyaaaaa!!!」」

Nishikawa:「A-A man, to her chest………」

I hate myself for reflexively comparing hers to my own chest. It looks like Sara’s are still growing… ugh… another disparity…

There’s no doubt she inherited that from Mayumi-san, so she’ll definitely grow into a size that’s just right, the kind boys really like.

I happened to glance to the side and saw Hanako-san place a hand on her own chest before hanging her head in defeat.

No, it’s just that the comparison is unfair! It’s too early to despair!

……And I didn’t miss it. I saw Tachibana-kun, who was looking on like an uninterested bystander, steal a quick glance at my chest while listening to Sara’s story.

I wonder why he looked at me right then?

Tachikawa:「Y-You said Takanashi-kun’s waking up is cute, right?」

Todo:「Yoko!! It’s mean to ask so many details!」

Sara:「Kazunari-san is such a spoiled brat when he wakes up. When I try to get up, he clings to me so I won’t leave. That gesture is truly adorable, and when I hold him and stroke his head…」

Gulp…

I won’t say who, but certain people were holding their breath as they waited for the next words.

Sara:「He buries his face in my chest like he’s pampering himself…」

Todo & Tachikawa:「「…………」」

Nishikawa:「………………」

Todo-san’s face was bright red, and she looked like she couldn’t even squeeze out a word anymore. On the other hand, Tachikawa-san was listening intently… by the way, Eri-rin is currently on a trip.

And Takanashi-kun, the one most deserving of pity, had been cornered by Hanako-san and her judging eyes before he even realized it.

Hanako:「Hmm…… so you like chests?」

Kazunari:「Eh… no…」

Hanako:「Do you like big chests?」

He’s already taking damage from Sara’s exposure, so this interrogation is just too cruel. I actually feel a bit of sympathy for him.

Now then, I think I’ll go interrogate a certain someone myself.

Since he was kind enough to steal two glances at me.

This is rough…「sitting on a bed of needles」is the perfect way to describe this.

Looking at Sara-san talking so happily, it’s hard to tell her to stop.

But if I don’t stop her, I have no idea how far this will go. And while I thought there was nothing shady to hide, I just remembered one thing that is maximum-level bad.

Right, we’ve taken a bath together a few times!!

Technically she just washed my body, but… that’s definitely out. I can only pray the conversation doesn’t go there.

Hanako:「Hey, are you listening?」

I’m well aware that Hanako-san is currently grilling me. For the record, I’m the type who doesn’t have a specific preference for big or small sizes, but I don’t mean that in the sense of that famous pervert quote about them all being equal.

To be blunt, I just「like Sara-san’s chest.」

Kazunari:「Um, I don’t really have a preference.」

Hanako:「…Really?」

Kazunari:「Really.」

While not as much as Sara-san, for some reason Hanako-san often reads my thoughts too. But I should be safe this time. Aside from the「Sara-san’s」part, it’s the truth.

Hanako:「Hmm… I see. Well, whatever.」

Hanako-san pretended to be blunt, but she looked like she wasn’t entirely displeased. It seems I’ve escaped this immediate crisis.

Natsumi:「Hey… I wonder where you were looking at me twice?」

Yuji:「Eh!? No, I didn’t do anything!?」

Natsumi:「You’re naive if you think I didn’t notice.」

And apparently, something has erupted on Yuji’s end too.

Regardless… why has this become such an uproar over ch… I mean, chests?

Todo:「Come to think of it, you handle all the housework, right? You have school too, so isn’t that hard, even for you, Satsukawa-senpai?」

Sara:「If you keep up with it daily, the only thing that takes a relatively long time is cooking. I enjoy it, so I’ve never once thought it was hard.」

Tachikawa:「Going to school, cooking, shopping, laundry, cleaning, bentos… th-that would be absolutely impossible for me…」

Hearing it all listed out again, I realized just how much Sara-san does for me. I feel guilty about it since she asked me not to interfere with her work, but the reality is that I’m leaving everything to her.

Sara:「If you count it all up, it might seem like a lot, but when I think about how it makes the person I treasure happy, it actually makes me want to work even harder. I’ve always liked housework anyway, so that helps too.」

Tachikawa:「Whoa… I respect you more and more.」

Todo:「Listening to you talk, Satsukawa-senpai, it’s like you’re already Takanashi-kun’s wife.」

Sara:「Fufu… well, I am going to become Kazunari-san’s wife eventually.」

Todo, Tachikawa, & Nishikawa:「「「W-Wife…」」」

Sara-san used the term「wife」without any embarrassment, speaking with a tone that suggested she had plenty of room to spare.

She clearly has zero hesitation or sense of mismatch about it anymore. There’s no doubt that I’m a happy man beyond words to be loved that much by such a wonderful woman.

Hayato:「If the school finds out that Satsukawa-senpai is devoted to you this much, there’s going to be a lot of guys crying tears of blood. Well, putting that aside, giving back is going to be tough… by the way, don’t you help out?」

Kazunari:「She specifically asked me not to.」

Hayato:「Asked you… not refusing, but asking. That’s very like Satsukawa-senpai.」

Hanako:「Well… your wife finds her purpose in life by looking after Takanashi-kun, so she’s probably happier if he just accepts it gracefully.」

I’ve accepted that if Sara-san is satisfied with it, then it’s fine, but I still want to express my gratitude in some way. However, I also think relying on presents every time is a bit too easy.

Kazunari:「I want something that isn’t a physical object, something that can convey my daily thanks…」

Hayato:「Hmm… true, if it’s a present every time, it loses its meaning. And Kazunari won’t be satisfied with just words.」

Hanako:「Then, why don’t you let your wife do whatever she wants once a day or once a week?」

Kazunari: 「Whatever she wants?」

Hanako:「Yes. You just have to grant her wishes.」

I see… for example, let her choose where to go on a date, or if there’s something she wants me to do, I do it… it’s more like a reward than a simple thanks.

Hayato:「For Satsukawa-senpai, that might actually be better. If it’s something Kazunari does for her, she’ll be happy just with that. As expected of Hanako-san.」

Hanako:「Being praised by a handsome guy doesn’t make me happy… anyway, you should give it a try.」

Is Hanako-san still a bit harsh on Hayato? Come to think of it, she still seems to treat Yuji quite bluntly too. But just the fact that she’s responding properly means she’s probably more open with them than with the rest of the class…

Kazunari:「You’re right. I’ll try that. Thanks, Hanako-san.」

Hanako:「It’s not something you need to thank me for.」

Kazunari:「It’s not just this time. You’re always following up for me and teaching me things. I’m really grateful to you, Hanako-san.」

I told her my sincere thanks while looking her in the eye.

While thinking about how to thank Sara-san, I’d been thinking that I should do something for Hanako-san too. I’m well aware she’s been looking out for me in key moments ever since we met, so I wanted to do something, even if it was small…

Hanako-san looked a bit surprised, but whether my feelings reached her or not, she gave a soft, gentle smile.

Hanako:「I see. Understood, I’ll accept your feelings.」

Hayato:「(Hmm, so she shows that kind of smile when it’s Kazunari. As I thought, Hanako-san is…)」

Kazunari:「Actually, I wanted to give you some kind of thanks too, Hanako-san…」

Hanako: 「In that case, can I make a request too?」

A request from Hanako-san?

Apparently, she went along with the previous topic and decided to give me a chance to thank her in the form of a request. Of course, I’ll grant it if it’s within my power.

Kazunari:「If it’s something I can do.」

Hanako:「Then, I want you to come to my house this Sunday. There’s something I want to tell you.」

Kazunari:「To your house?」

…What should I do?

The thing she wants to tell me is probably related to the「Onee-chan」talk. I don’t think there’s a problem, but I have a precious woman named Sara-san, so I wonder if it’s okay to go to another girl’s house alone.

Hanako:「Don’t worry. I’ll tell your wife myself. If she says no, I’ll think of something else.」

Kazunari:「Got it. If Sara-san is okay with it, then I’m in.」

Hanako:「Yeah.」

It looks like Hanako-san understands that part too. If Sara-san gives the okay, I have no reason to refuse.

Regardless, it looks like the time to hear Hanako-san’s story has finally come. I’ve been curious about it for a long time…

Sara:「I think you’ll find they’re happy if you clean their ears while giving them a lap pillow. When I did that for Kazunari-san the other day, he was very pleased.」

Todo:「Th-that situation is something you see a lot in anime and romance novels. So guys really do like that?」

Sara:「At the very least, Kazunari-san was happy. Though, since Kazunari-san is shy, he ended up hiding his face in my stomach halfway through… fufu.」

Tachikawa:「I-In her stomach……」

Todo:「Fueee…」

Hanako:「Heh…… Her stomach, huh…」

Since it was just as our conversation hit a lull, I could clearly hear Sara-san and the others. I can’t believe the exposure of my embarrassing moments was still going on…

By the way, Hanako-san wasn’t looking at Sara-san; she was looking up at me with judging eyes.

Sara:「Finally, it’s good to blow softly into their ear. Kazunari-san was… fufu… quite something.」

I remember that time clearly too, and honestly, it was an event that was equal parts pleasure and embarrassment. Sara-san is talking about it so happily, but the longer it goes on, the more my shameful behavior is exposed. My life points were already long gone…

Natsumi:「Sigh… the fact that Sara is in a position to give romance advice is a sight I truly can’t believe. Actually, Takanashi-kun really seems to like ‘that,’ doesn’t he… honestly, men are all the same…」

Natsumi-senpai, who had been grilling Yuji, had returned before I noticed. And she had definitely heard Sara-san’s story.「All the same」… I guess that includes the exhausted Yuji standing behind Natsumi-senpai. It’s my first time seeing him look that drained…

Natsumi:「Eri-rin has it good though…… wait, Eri-rin?」

Nishikawa:「……Please stop… I can’t do this… S-S-Sleeping with a man, and chests this and ch-chests that… give me a break…」

I’d completely forgotten about her because she was so quiet, but Nishikawa-san had traveled to a place far away. She was still mumbling something like a spell…… yeah, the darkness is deep.

Natsumi:「Eri-rin has it good because her chest is big.」

Nishikawa:「What!?」

Nishikawa-san, who should have been sunk in darkness, suddenly woke up at Natsumi-senpai’s comment. She realized exactly where the surrounding gaze was focused, and with a bright red face, she hurriedly tried to hide「them.」And I barely managed to sense the danger of watching this. I hurriedly shifted my whole body and succeeded in the emergency evasion of averting my gaze.

Nishikawa:「W-W-W-What are you talking about, Natsumi!?」

Natsumi:「Well, Eri-rin is the only one here who can compete with Sara.」

Nishikawa:「Stop it!! You know I’m not good with these topics!!」

Natsumi:「I wouldn’t know. I wouldn’t know anything about people who are ‘big.’」

Nishikawa:「What!?」

Between her over-the-top reactions to topics about me and Sara-san and this, it seems Nishikawa-san is exceptionally unequipped to handle these topics.

In that case, the earlier conversation must have dealt heavy damage to her… Natsumi-senpai is a demon for dragging her back into it by force…

Natsumi:「By the way, Tachibana-kun, come back here one more time.」

Yuji:「Wait… Natsumi-san!?」

Apparently, Yuji didn’t perform the emergency evasion of averting his gaze. He was dragged out of the venue by Natsumi-senpai once again.

Todo:「……So you’re like that too, Yokogawa-kun…」

Hayato:「No, this is, well…」

Judging by Todo-san’s slightly sulky tone, it looks like Hayato messed up too. I avoided it at the last second because I realized Sara-san might get mad, but honestly, as a man, I want them to give us a little bit of a break.

Because this is just a man’s nature; it’s like a reflex. Even if we don’t intend to, it’s unavoidable that our gaze naturally drifts that way, so I wish they’d forgive them both.

By the way, it seems a reward was waiting for me since I succeeded in the evasion. Feeling a presence right next to me, Sara-san smoothly placed her hand on my head and pulled me into a soft hug.

Sara:「…Because you have me, Kazunari-san, right?」

Kazunari:「Y-Yes.」

To avoid poking the hornet’s nest with a bad answer, I chose the path of quietly letting myself be pampered for now.

Nishikawa:「Um… isn’t my treatment here a bit terrible?」

Hanako:「Who knows… I wouldn’t know anything about ‘big’ people.」