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Chapter 105: Unexpected Encounter
🕑 Added 2025-08-21 15:53:01 +0000 UTCOutside the convenience store.
Holding an energy drink in hand, Aoki’s thoughts were a mess.
Although he’d still been seeing Yamada Ryo during band practice, ever since that misunderstanding, they hadn’t once ended up alone together in the rehearsal studio.
Today was the first time since then.
So, understandably, it was… awkward. Very awkward.
Technically, Aoki could ignore Ryo and just head straight to STARRY.
But deep down, he didn’t want things to stay like this between them.
In other words—he wanted to apologize.
The problem was how to say it.
Should he just come out and say, “I’m sorry about that day”? Or maybe start with some small talk, then wait for the right moment to bow and apologize?
He was still mulling over what to do when the convenience store door swung open, interrupting his thoughts.
Ryo stepped out, holding a different flavor of energy drink.
Snapping out of it, Kei stood still, quiet for a moment.
He couldn’t drag this out forever. It was now or never.
Steeling himself, Kei looked directly at her and decided to just speak first and figure out the rest as he went along.
But before he could get the words out—
“Suki-san, about that doujin magazine thing—” Ryo started.
“Ryo-san, about that day, when I—” Kei said at the same time.
Both stopped.
The awkwardness came flooding right back in.
After two seconds of dead silence, they both opened their mouths again.
“You go first.”
“No, you go first.”
“……”
Was this some kind of rom-com cliché? Really?
Suppressing the twitch in his brow, Aoki gave up trying to speak and decided to just let Ryo go first.
He looked at her and waited.
Ryo, who always seemed so calm and emotionless, was visibly a bit flustered by the situation.
But since Kei was clearly insisting she speak first, she sighed and glanced away slightly.
“Suki-san,” she began, “about that magazine… Could you please not tell anyone about it? I’m begging you.”
Ryo had considered trying to explain herself—that she didn’t buy the R-rated doujin because she wanted to read it—but eventually realized that no matter how she spun it, it would only make things worse.
So she gave up trying to defend herself and just leaned into the damage.
Let Kei think what he wanted, so long as he didn’t spread the story around.
It was simpler that way.
Of course, even Ryo herself felt an overwhelming urge to flee the scene after saying that out loud.
But Kei didn’t waste any time.
“Don’t worry, Ryo-san,” he said firmly. “I’d never tell anyone.”
She didn’t say anything in return, so he continued after a brief pause.
“And… about that day. When I touched your leg... I just—look, I know I can’t make excuses. I didn’t mean anything weird by it, I swear, but I get that it looked bad. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but still… I’m sorry.”
Ryo blinked, a bit surprised, then quickly collected herself.
After a brief pause, she replied, “Oh… that. It’s fine. It felt a bit awkward at the time, but… I didn’t hate it or anything.”
She nodded. “So yeah. It’s okay.”
“…It’s okay?” Kei asked cautiously.
Ryo nodded again. “It’s okay.”
He’d been worried ever since dinner at her place.
And while he knew full well that if she hated him for it, he’d have no one to blame but himself, hearing her say it was “okay” brought a quiet relief.
Letting out a breath, Kei continued, “Ever since that night, I’ve felt awkward talking to you. Even now… I guess I’ve been avoiding you because I thought you were uncomfortable with me—"
But before he could finish, Ryo suddenly cut in.
From her perspective, Kei’s weird behavior these past few days—avoiding eye contact, barely speaking to her—had all been because she bought that R-rated doujin.
She figured he was just weirded out and didn’t want to talk to her anymore.
But now he was saying it was actually about something else—something she hadn’t even been bothered by?
He didn’t care about the doujin at all!?
Like a weight finally lifting from her shoulders, Ryo looked at Kei and blinked.
“Suki-san,” she said, cutting him off, “you really care a lot about that time you touched my leg, huh?”
He hesitated, then nodded.
“…I see.” Ryo nodded back, the awkwardness in her voice fading just a bit.
Now was her chance to regain her footing after nearly two weeks of radio silence.
Looking straight at Aoki, she pushed down every awkward emotion she had and asked calmly:
“Then… can you still remember it? How did it feel?”
“……”
There it was again—that familiar sense of mischief.
Even if it embarrassed others, Ryo had to see their reactions.
Kei took a deep breath. He knew this version of her all too well.
He wasn’t going to answer.
But she wasn’t done.
Staring at him thoughtfully for a few seconds, Ryo spoke again.
Her tone was cool, almost clinical, like she was talking about something serious:
“Suki-san… you’re unexpectedly pure.”
“……”
“…?”
Taking a deep breath, Aoki finally answered.
“…It was soft. Cool to the touch. Your calf was smooth, and your stockings… really silky.”
