Afternoon, club activity time.
Today's theme was free drawing: in other words, draw whatever you want. Technically, that meant even drawing lewd art during club was fair game.
Provided you weren't afraid of social death, that is.
After three solid seconds of deliberation, Mio decided to just sketch a random pretty girl to warm up—the safe-for-work kind, naturally.
Even she couldn't bring herself to draw lewd art in the middle of club activities.
Once she'd knocked out a simple portrait, Mio set down her pen and turned to Eriri beside her. "Eriri, what are you drawing?"
"I'm just doodling something... huh?"
Eriri had been about to say she was just doodling—only to discover she'd drawn Shirai Mio.
She looked at Mio, then looked at her own drawing, and did her best to muster a composed expression. "It came out pretty accurate, don't you think?"
Mio studied it for a moment, then gave a small nod. "It's really well done. You even caught the mole on my collarbone—looks like you've been sneaking plenty of glances at me, hmm~"
"Wh—who was sneaking glances at you?! I just happen to have a good memory, that's all!" Eriri shot back at machine-gun speed.
The words had barely left her mouth when she caught the grinning look on Mio's face—clearly, she'd been played again.
In the past, being teased like this might well have made her fur stand on end. But now—maybe she'd just gotten used to it—she only shot Mio a glare before turning back to her unfinished piece.
Out of all the things she could have drawn, she couldn't for the life of her explain why she'd chosen Shirai Mio.
Probably because Shirai Mio was on the prettier side, she reasoned. People are always drawn to beautiful things.
Mm. That had to be it.
Someone else who'd made Shirai Mio her model was Shiina Mashiro. Whenever it was free drawing, she'd pick Mio as her subject and carefully commit her to the page.
The club session was usually never quite long enough, though, so she'd take her unfinished pieces home to keep working on them—right up until she was satisfied.
Club time slipped by quickly, and when the club president announced the end of today's session, Mio patted Mashiro on the shoulder. "Mashiro, time for us to head back."
"Oh."
Mashiro answered and began packing up her things.
Eriri, who'd already finished gathering her own things, hesitated for a moment—then, instead of leaving right away as she usually did, she stood by the door and beckoned to Mio.
Noticing the little gesture, Mio walked over. "What's up?"
"This is for you. That draft from last time—I touched it up again after I got home. Take it back and see how it turned out." Eriri pulled the draft art from her bag, looking a touch nervous.
Taking the draft, Mio's eyes flickered with surprise. She'd assumed that, given Eriri's bashful nature, she'd never show her the art again—yet here she was, handing it straight over.
Feeling Mio's faintly surprised gaze, Eriri gave a cold little hmph. "Don't get the wrong idea. I just think it'd be a waste to let hard-won inspiration go unused, that's all."
"I'll give it a proper look when I get home, and let you know what I think."
"Fine. I'm off, then."
Eriri watched the pair leave together, a flicker of envy in her eyes. She wanted to walk home with Shirai Mio too— wait. Why was it Shirai Mio again?
It wasn't as if she didn't have friends. So why, whenever something like this came up, was Shirai Mio the first person to surface in her mind?
She suspected it might be because she'd been drawing too many doujinshi lately, and that was making her act strange.
Besides, Shirai Mio went to and from school with Shiina Mashiro basically every single day. She never got so much as a chance.
Not long after Eriri left, Mashiro finished packing up and came over to Mio, then asked softly, "Just now—what did Sawamura-san give you?"
"Nothing much, just an ordinary draft," Mio said with a smile.
Mashiro might know what she was really like, but this was one thing she'd rather not let her in on, if she could help it.
Mashiro, for her part, wouldn't dream of doubting anything Mio said. She simply gave a small nod, then started talking with Mio about buying dessert on the way home.
The two of them chatted as they walked out of the school—and then Mio spotted Rita, standing near the school gate.
The moment Mio saw Rita, Rita noticed the two of them as well. She came striding over at a brisk pace. "Well? Are you surprised to see me?"
"Rita? What brings you over here?"
"I was just out for a walk and ended up here. Thought I'd see what your school looks like—and wait to walk home with you two while I was at it."
"Perfect timing, then. Let's all head back together. And feel free to think about anything you'd like to eat and let me know—we can swing by the supermarket on the way."
Three girls walking together, each with her own distinct charm—naturally, they drew no small amount of attention.
Rita paid it no mind, though. She took in the way the shops lining both sides of the street were decorated, then remarked, "Valentine's Day is just a couple of days off, isn't it?"
"Valentine's Day?" Beside her, Mashiro's expression shifted to something like surprise at Rita's words.
"You didn't know?"
Mashiro shook her head honestly. She knew what Valentine's Day meant—she just hadn't paid attention to when it fell.
In the manga she read, Valentine's seemed to involve giving handmade chocolate to the person you liked. If she asked Shirai Mio for help with something like that, Mio could surely handle it easily—but the chocolate was meant for Shirai Mio, so asking her didn't seem quite appropriate.
And so, Mashiro turned her gaze to Rita.
She hadn't said a word yet, but Rita already had a pretty good read on what Mashiro was trying to convey. She let out a soft laugh, then murmured to Mashiro, "If you want to make chocolate, I can help you."
"Mm."
"What are you two whispering about over there? Have you decided what you want for dinner tonight?"
"Chocolate."
"Chocolate?"
Mio looked at Mashiro, thoroughly puzzled as to why she'd suddenly want to eat chocolate.
Beside them, Rita clapped a hand over her own face, then decisively sidled up to Mio and changed the subject. "So—Mio, you're such an amazing cook. Think you could teach me?"
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