Chapter 5 – Unconscious Thumbs Up

After school, Ryou stopped and was waiting along the back street.

(Why, did it come to this…………, is it the fault of those guys from yesterday? Was my manner of doing things wrong……, no, it’s the fault of those guys. I wonder if I won’t see them around this area, if I see them in the background I’ll dropkick them. No, rather I should call them……)

While Ryou was thinking of dangerous things, three people came into his sights.

“You waited properly”

Azusa says so with a well done expression to Ryou.

“Sorry, did you wait?”

Erika says so apologetically. In truth, Ryou had waited for approximately 20 minutes.

Ryou shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s fine, there’s nothing particularly scheduled. Beside I’ll follow what I promised”
“That’s a good att.i.tude”

Azusa nods, and when she suddenly notices something she said.

“Which reminds me, the promise that Erika made to you yesterday. Isn’t it fine to hear the details of yesterday from you?”
“Ahh……, it may be fine, but I don’t want to talk about the subject myself……. It’s fine you, you can say”

Ryou was muttering to himself, but the final words were said when he turned his neck towards Erika.

Erika showed a little surprise on her face.

“It’s ok?”
“Ah, even if we remain silent, I have a feeling this woman would find out someday”

While saying so, Ryou glances at Azusa, and she laughs happily.

“Why would you think so?”
“Intuition”

Azusa who heard so laughed furthermore and Erika nodded her head in admiration.

“Certainly if it’s Azusa…………”

As expected, Ryou who thought so, determined to furthermore strengthen his wariness of Azusa.

“Then, should I call today?”

When Erika asks Azusa, Azusa nods.
While walking and chatting for a few minutes, Ryou didn’t neglect being vigilant of the surrounding.

Vigilant of what, the sight of other students of course.

If he senses the presence of other students, Ryou intends to immediately hide himself.

Moreover, Ryou noticed that even his spirit had become a little cheerful.

(However these three, are really pretty……, since entering high school I haven’t spoken much with girls)

While he was thinking so absentmindedly, Azusa called out to him.

“That’s right, I want you to accept my reward”
“Reward? For what?”
“Of course, as thanks for helping a close friend”

Erika quickly says

“On that subject, what to do for my thanks”

Ryou said while shaking his head.

“Juice is fine”
“Yesterday I heard Erika’s story about her grat.i.tude, and was consulted with, right, Erika?”
“Then, do what you wish to”

About the grat.i.tude from the people besides him, Ryou started to worry.

Erika enquires towards Azusa.

“A reward from Azusa……?”
“Ah……, Sakuragi-kun, will you come here for a moment?”

Ryou was cautious.

“Why?”
“It’s fine, it’s nothing bad”

Though Ryou is cautious, he moved back with Azusa, and they started to go along the road together.

“Hey, Azusa……?”
“Sorry, just for a little, can you two wait there”

Azusa says so towards Erika and Saki, while walking with Ryou.

Azusa while looking back many times, measures the distance, and stopped in place when Erika and Saki’s faces could just barely be made out.

“This spot……is good, can you lend me your gla.s.ses for a bit?”
“Huh? For what……”
“It’s fine, so lend it”

Though Ryou couldn’t let go of the bad feeling he was having, taking of his non-prescription gla.s.ses, he pa.s.sed them to Azusa.

“Thanks……, ah, look at Erika”

Ryou who doesn’t know what on earth is happening, while vigilant of his surroundings, paid attention to Erika as he was told.

Thereupon, Azusa takes out her phone, a mechanical ‘click’ sound is made and it is turned towards the two. At the same time Azusa raised her hand.

Seeing Azusa who raised her hand, Saki moved.

Ryou observed the nature of what was happening. Saki who was standing diagonally behind Erika, bent down, and in one go she lifted up Erika’s skirt.

The skirt was magnificently lifted upwards.

“Eh”

A small voice leaked out from Erika with the sound of her skirt fluttering.
Ryou’s eyes turn into dots, that spectacle, the spectacle of that moment was certainly seen.

Erika has a facial expression of not understanding what has happened.

After looking at the face of such an Erika, Saki expressionlessly turns her head towards Ryou, and thrust out her hand with only her thumb up.

Ryou who understood that it was raised towards himself, unconsciously in the same way as Saki, returned the thumbs up. Though it was unconscious, it was done with great vigor.

Looking at the thumbs up of the two, Erika finally came back to reality, ah-a-ah, while moaning both hand are slowly applied on her reddened cheeks, ‘kyaaaaaa’ she shrieks, turns her back and runs. A splendid Doppler effect was left behind.

Saki who saw off such an Erika this time made a thumbs up towards Azusa, who returned it similarly.

Seeing Azusa’s thumbs up Saki nodded, and ran after Erika.

Ryou is dumbfounded by the outcome of the situation, from his side he could hear muttering, shifting his attention to Azusa, she was holding her phone up with an expression of ecstasy while muttering.

“Ah, how adorable……, there’s absolutely no other such of an adorable creature……”

Ryou instinctively took a step back.

While noticing Ryou, Azusa puts away her phone, and asks him.

“Did you see?”

Probably because of the scene from earlier which was burned into his eyes, Ryou wasn’t aware he was a state of high tension. His mouth moved on its own.

“Red and white checkered”
“Hmm, that was the reward from Saki and I for helping our close friend”
“You’re awful. But I thought that girl was splendidly wearing tights, was it you by chance?”
“That’s so, Erika put them on today. However, before leaving school, I said that I might possibly be moving around a lot with my legs, so she took them off and lent them to me. Erika’s tights are currently being worn by me.”

“So that’s why you were late. You, you’re a villain”

Ryou from the bottom of his heart, felt that the woman before his eyes was terrifying.

“You saying do is an honor”
“What does that mean?”
“The meaning is what it is. Besides I can see clearly from this distance, these gla.s.ses of yours seem to be non-prescription”

Azusa says so while raising Ryou’s gla.s.ses.

Ryou remembered that he currently isn’t wearing his gla.s.ses.

“Ah……, d.a.m.n it. Well, fine……. You’re wicked”
“When it’s said by you, I can only hear it as a compliment”
“More or less, it is praise. It’s the first time in my life I felt from the bottom of my heart that a woman is terrifying”

Azusa gave a truly delightful laugh. Seeing such a Azusa Ryou’s eyes opened wide.

“You really are interesting. Then I’ll be leaving before Erika starts to worry. You must not come”

Ryou receives his gla.s.ses, replies that he understands, and sees Azusa running off.

“When that woman laughs earnestly, she’s cute……, though the point of her laughter still feels strange”

Ryou who was left alone muttered so seriously.

“Sorry, Erika. Forgive me, it won’t happen again”
“I absolutely won’t forgive you”

Erika, while pouting, refuses.

After that happened Saki caught Erika who had stopped in front of the station, and Azusa caught up. She was apologized to many times, but after all they weren’t forgiven. Erika who went down to the station separated with them, and they returned to their mutual homes.

Yesterday it was Erika who had called, at the same time of a bit past 8 ‘o clock, Erika received a call.

At first Erika didn’t answer the phone, but her patience was exhausted by Azusa’s persistence and by the fifth time hearing her ringtone, she answered.

“Then, what would it take to forgive me?”
“No matter what, I won’t. It’s unbelievable, that was the reason for taking off my tights”
“Ah, you found out?”

Tee hee, hearing the onomatopoeia noise Azusa made, Erika’s anger increasingly welled up.

“Why, like that……, also in front of him……”

Recalling that time, Erika’s voice tapers near the end and becomes soft.

“It was intended to be a reward from Saki and I. He seems to have been very pleased”
“Hey! What is that!! I’m nothing like a pervert!!”
“It’s alright, he won’t think such a thing”
“Such a thing, you don’t know!!”
“It’s really alright. After that, it was expressed that I was a villain”
“Th-that’s wonderful……”

Reflexively, Erika forgot her anger and replied. Saying such a terrible thing to her close friend, was a very bold act.

“That’s a mean thing to say”
“…………, but, I agree”

Muttering just a few words, Erika’s true opinion was let out.

“…………”
He-hey, Azusa!? Why are you silent!?”

When her close friend suddenly became silent, Erika panicked.

“I was called mean by Erika……”

Azusa says so while sighing.

“Wh-what……, it’s me, who still has a reason to be angry!”
“Then, you won’t forgive me for displaying you panties for him? ……oh well, it’ll just be the two of us in a room with a bed”
“Wh-wh-what are you saying! That’s absolutely no good!!”
“Then, will you forgive me?”
“…………fine! If I keep waiting to, it’ll be the end of our friendship!!”
“I’m glad, thank you, I love you, Erika”

Azusa sincerely felt relieved that Erika’s anger had calmed down.

“Next time, treat me to something”
“Of course, as much as you like”

After that, Erika spoke in detail to Azusa about what happened yesterday.