[Protagonist’s POV]
「Isn't it too early...?」
I tilted my head, and Shiratori-san stood up holding the slip in his hand.
「Um, Shiratori-san?」
「I'm leaving. I heard that the date is supposed to end after the confession. Oh, you don't have to walk me out. I heard these things are for enjoying the afterglow.」
「No, no, no, wait...」
Shiratori-san walked toward the cash register, easily avoiding my hand.
I thought about following her, but what was the point in keeping her there? What would I ask her?
After paying the cashier, Shiratori-san walked out of the store, and when I couldn't see her anymore, I plopped down on the table.
**a
「I don't understand... What the hell is this?」
If there is a winner and a loser, it's probably my defeat. I was lured into the kill zone when I thought I had her cornered, and then I was taken by surprise and had to leave. That's exactly what happened.
「I don't know how to interpret the word 'love'...」
If I have to decide whether Shiratori-san is a love interest or not, it is usually not. It's not just a matter of appearance, but if someone can always see through what I'm thinking, there's no time to relax.
Anyway, I reach for the plate across from her, propped up on my elbow, and take a bite of the clubhouse sandwich she left untouched. The lettuce was shriveled and not tasty. It tasted cheap.
Maybe I shouldn't push her too hard here. Everything's messed up in my head. I need to sort it out first.
And first, although Shiratori-san has brushed it off, the person who tore Hanabusa-san's uniform is not the same as the person who contacted Kitou.
This must be one of the three second-year students.
These three are in Okinawa, and Lolisla and Inui-san are with them. This means that I need to reassign them as the main target, even though I left them out of the list once.
The problem is what to do with the two first-year students.
Monkey is completely unrelated. Sankon is a perverted stalker who will be confined.
（...Shiratori-san, she really stirs things up, doesn't she?）
There is another death game going on tonight, but now that I know the truth, my liking for Sankon is going down the drain. Before that, what kind of an ending should I give to this story?
If I follow Shiratori-san's idea, Monkey should be released and Sankon should be confined and thoroughly subverted. In other words, I suppose that I should bring Sankon to the state of Enslaved, but that would mean that her stalking target would change to me.
（What's this punishment game...?）
For a moment I thought of asking Lili about it, but I can guess her answer, "Just corrupt them all. It doesn't matter anyway."
**b
（Still, should I leave Shiratori-san alone like this?）
I plop down on the table again and moan.
（But her word "love" is blue. I guess I'll have to trust the fact that at least she was blue when she said she was on my side... Still, I'd like to put a watch on Shiratori-san, though it's not like a bell for a cat. Is there some function that would do?）
Anyway, I'm tired today.
I asked Lili to make sure that Kayama-san is placed at the bottom of the list today, and I'm off to bed. Kurosawa-san and Akira are supposed to come over at midnight, so it might be a good idea to discuss about the three people in Okinawa with them while they heal me.
With this thought, I leave the restaurant and open the "Door", hiding behind the building.
The maids who had been waiting in standby looked puzzled for a moment, then they all bowed once, saying "Welcome back."
「Thank you for your hard work, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, but it was all right, you can leave now. Thank you... uh, and Ulrich, stay here for a while」
「Huh?」
Ulrich's face turned into a strange expression. Nothing to worry about, I just wanted to give her a good smooch to relieve my exhausted spirit.
After the maids leave, I sit down on the bed and call out to Ulrich, tapping my thigh.
「Come here」
「Yes」
She turns her back to me and sits down on my lap. When I put my hand on her stomach and hold her in my arms, she looks up at me and tilts her head.
「M-Master, are you tired?」
「Yeah」
I smile at her, and she extends her tongue and starts to lick my cheek. She really is like a dog.
And for the next 30 minutes, I spent a lot of time with Ulrich, and somehow managed to regain my mental strength.
Animal therapy is great.
* * *
**c
[Asuka Nitani POV]
「Really...! It was so good! Satisfaction! Satisfaction!
Ichida throws herself on the bed with a toothpick in her mouth.
「Ichida, that steak weighs 150 grams a piece. Even if it's an all-you-can-eat buffet, three steaks are too many calories, right?」
「Don't worry, I don't gain weight」
When Doremi looks amazed, Ichida waves her hand with a flutter.
After the beach shoot, we went to the studio for individual photos. Of course, the main subject is Lolisla-san, but Ichida and Doremi also have their own shots, and I was the only one who didn't have a shot.
I tried to talk to Ponpoko-san, but she wouldn't take me up on the offer, saying "You are being taken care of". In the end, the whole shoot ended as it was.
After the shoot, we had a garden barbecue by the pool. All-you-can-eat steak.
Lolisla-san was slurping down beers with sea grapes while making fun of the film crew.
It was a completely out of place picture because she looked like a little girl. I mean, why was she wearing a school swimsuit even at the drinking party?
「Ahhh, I'll have to say goodbye to Okinawa tomorrow... I hate school...」
Doremi lamented as she threw herself on the bed following Ichida's example. I agree with her.
（Maybe I should quit school and ask the President to let me come to Tokyo?）
My parents are not too protective of me, and I am allowed to do whatever I want as long as I decide to do it myself. If I become a full-time model, I will not have to go through the same frustration as today.
As I was thinking this, I heard the sound of a phone vibrating somewhere in the room.
「Ah, it's mine...」
Ichida says, and reaches into her bag and pulls out her phone. At that time, the incoming call seemed to have already been disconnected.
She looked at the screen and said, "Well, I'll call back," grabbing her key card from the bedside, and went out of the room.
.
Thanks for reading.
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