—
On the Balcony
Chisa and Iori stood facing each other.
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
Chisa was genuinely confused. Had Iori overheard her conversation with Otoya?
"I wasn't trying to do anything…"
Wait a sec—
Iori felt something was off. Was Chisa mad at him for interfering with her and Otoya?
If so… then she must like Otoya?
He imagined the two of them embracing… and for some reason, he just couldn't accept it.
"Actually… that wouldn't be so bad…"
That wouldn't be so bad?!
Chisa clutched her face, mortified. Their thoughts weren't even close. She imagined Iori and Otoya together.
If he heard that conversation earlier, then saying "that wouldn't be so bad" must mean… he was accepting Otoya's feelings?!
No way!
She had to probe further!
Watching from the window, Shiro furrowed his brow. Were these two even talking about the same thing?
"How's it going now?" came Azusa's voice from behind—she'd been quietly watching too.
Shiro thought for a moment, then said, "They might be playing a game of 'mental telephone.'"
(′｀;)?
Azusa tilted her head. What had she missed during the brief time she was gone?
Back on the balcony, Chisa was locked in a psychological battle. Logically, she knew Iori had always ogled big boobs. But then there was that Tokyo trip…
Maybe after Tokyo, he developed a fear of large breasts?!
What if his whole orientation had changed?
The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became. She looked at Iori with increasingly strange eyes.
(???)
"What's with that look?"
That look reminded him of Shiro's annoying stare. He even felt like someone was secretly watching him…
(Shiro and Azusa silently confirmed that his instincts were spot-on, but their hiding spot was secure.)
The balcony grew quiet again.
One of them was trying to figure out how to ask the right question…
The other was worried Chisa was angry and about to dump him.
Come to think of it, their whole "relationship" was fake to begin with—meant to deter creeps from hitting on Chisa. There was no confession, no hand-holding, none of the usual romantic steps.
So, if she wanted to end it now that she liked someone else…
It was perfectly reasonable.
And yet—
Why did he feel so annoyed?!
This was totally like one of those awkward breakup scenes in a drama!
Looking at Chisa deep in thought, for the first time, Iori actually wanted to run away.
Still…
If this was what Chisa wanted… or rather, if this was normal…
"Say, Iori… do you really like boobs?"
As Iori spiraled in his own mental storm, Chisa launched her attack. She'd thought long and hard about it—this was the perfect way to gauge whether Iori was still into girls!
"Eh?!"
Just as Iori had mentally prepared himself to be dumped, he was dumbfounded by the unexpected question.
This… wasn't what he had imagined at all.
Could it be a trap?
Was she trying to start a fight over something like breasts, and then use that as a pretext to break up?
But that would be totally unnecessary!
Thinking it through, Iori felt the question wasn't so simple. For example, he didn't even understand what she meant by "really."
Of course he liked them—who doesn't like boobs?!
Wait, to be more precise, girls' boobs!
He shuddered as memories of his time in Tokyo flashed through his mind.
Yes, with an important condition: they must belong to a young woman.
"Of course I like…"
Just as Iori was about to answer, he had a sudden realization!
This couldn't be that simple!
It had to be a trap to get back at him. If he answered too honestly, he'd definitely be labeled a pervert and beaten up!
But if he said he didn't like them… there's no way she'd believe that. He'd be seen as a liar and get beaten up anyway!
Cold sweat rolled down his forehead. He couldn't think of the right answer. Saying he liked "small boobs" would just be sexual harassment!
Was there really no way out of this?!
Iori kept thinking. He wasn't opposed to breaking up—but getting beat up afterward? That was a hard no!
His eyes sharpened. He had to come up with the perfect answer!
Behind the laundry hanging on the balcony, Shiro and Azusa-nee peeked their heads out.
"Aaaah just go for it already! Be more assertive, would you?!"
As Azusa got worked up, Shiro helplessly clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Keep it down! You'll blow our cover. Besides, this looks like a break-up scene. Going for it now would just end it!"
"Mmmph mmph!"
"Huh? What?"
"MMMPH!!"
"What—?"
Shiro, being childish, got himself punished by Azusa. She shot him a glare.
"I know what it looks like, but I'm telling you—it's not a break-up, this was the couple she chose. How could it just end like that?!"
Shiro didn't reply, but truthfully, he thought it was odd too. Even if Chisa was going to break up, she wouldn't ask that kind of question out of nowhere. There had to be something more going on here.
The two exchanged a look, then simultaneously poked their heads out a little farther.
Still unclear. Better keep watching.
Back with Iori—after navigating the vast ocean of thought, he finally came up with the perfect answer.
"I… I like the right boob a little more."
PFFT—!
Azusa completely lost it, laughing out loud. If Shiro hadn't covered her mouth again, they would've been discovered for sure.
Shiro himself was struggling to hold back laughter. The right one?! This idiot actually differentiated between left and right—what a guy!
Really makes you wonder what the world looks like through this moron's eyes.
(λ???)_
Meanwhile…
Chisa, the one who asked the question, was now seriously pondering the answer.
The right boob, huh? She never thought there was any difference between them, but if Iori said so, he must have his reasons.
Wait a second!
She snapped back to reality. Her original goal was to find out whether Iori still liked girls.
And now the answer she got was… the right boob?!
She imagined a humanoid figure with only one boob…
Σ( ° △ °|||)︴
That's just a straight-up monster!
Clutching her forehead in exasperation, Chisa muttered, "Seriously, what the hell is this conversation? Everything coming out of your mouth is nonsense!"
"Hey! That's my line!"
Iori shouted, utterly confused. He had no idea what Chisa was trying to do anymore. Were they breaking up or not?!
"Forget it, I'm calling Shiori-chan!"
Failing to get what she wanted from Iori, Chisa whipped out her phone to call Shiori. She was determined to get to the bottom of this question today!
Σ(っ °Д °;)っ
"Hey—hold on a second!!"
Iori rushed to stop her. Asking a brother's sister whether he likes boobs? That would completely ruin his image as a respectable older brother!
Shiro and Azusa just quietly watched as what had started as a break-up scene turned into a couple moment.
Yep.
Watching their lovey-dovey antics, Shiro suddenly felt like drawing a circle to curse them.
Thankfully, a savior arrived!
Kohei came by, carrying his chainsaw. As soon as he arrived, he heard the word Shiori.
The "couple moment" now became a trio scene.
Yep.
Shiro felt a lot better watching the three of them. His job as an observer was done.
Back at the shop, Shiro noticed that the angelic Otoya-kun had been staring out at the balcony with a wistful smile the whole time.
"How does it feel?"
Shiro approached Otoya, who looked even more delicate up close.
"Shiro-san?!"
Startled by the sudden approach, Otoya quickly calmed down and smiled again at the balcony.
"It feels nice. I'm guessing that was all completely unfiltered, right?"
"Eh, pretty much…"
As in, unfiltered 24/7.
"I feel like Kitahara-san has this kind of magic, you know? Like he can make people around him be completely honest and still accept their true selves."
Because he's a dumbass, Shiro thought to himself. But Otoya wasn't wrong. Even idiots have their moments of envy-inducing charm.
"Someone like him… is really admirable."
Shiro nodded. So that's what this was…
Wait a sec.
Did he just hear something super incredible?!
Even Shiro's eternally squinty eyes flew open in shock. He finally realized—Otoya had been staring at Iori this whole time.
This was…
A very immature thought popped into Shiro's mind.
Could the joke he used to tease them actually be real?!
Shiro slowly backed away. Sure, he always joked like this, but to actually see it become reality?!
What could he do? Just offer his quiet blessing…
Now, he seemed to understand a little bit about Chisa's strange behavior too.
Yep, this was one juicy bit of gossip. As a satisfied observer, Shiro was ready to retreat from the scene.
But he forgot…
He had his own battlefield to return to.
Two hands patted his shoulders. The voice of his beloved friends rang out—
"Come drink with us, Shiro~"
"Drink mine!"
"Mine!"
"Me!"
"…."
Looking at the two already-drunk girls, Shiro chuckled.
This kind of life… maybe wasn't so bad after all.