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V5 Chapter 36: How Much Do You Like Me?
🕑 Added 2025-06-25 13:45:27 +0000 UTCHad she just imagined it?
Togawa Sakiko thought she'd heard something from the cool, beautiful blue-haired girl before her, something like "With my body." Words so vulgar and inappropriate surely couldn't have come from another girl.
Had she misheard it somehow? Maybe she misunderstood?
Feeling her thoughts spin into chaos, Sakiko's face slowly flushed. She instinctively pinched the edge of her skirt and took a deep breath to collect herself. With her eyes lowered and her voice carefully composed, she tried to keep her tone as steady as possible.
"Yamada-san, what exactly… did you mean by that?"
What else could it mean?
Without the slightest hesitation, Ryo Yamada just as beautiful as Sakiko, with not a trace of shame, popped the last piece of tempura into her mouth, then casually lifted her slender fingers and formed a small circle with her thumb and index finger.
Squinting her golden eyes, she replied in a perfectly matter-of-fact tone, "Isn't it obvious? I meant SE—"
Smack!
Just as he expected where she was heading, Kazami Haru landed a firm "Hell Burial Chop" right to Ryo's forehead. The decisive strike caught her off guard, and she stared back at him in astonishment.
Clutching her head, she sputtered, "Haru, you... When did you learn that from Nijika?"
Please~ What kind of relationship does he have with Nijika-san?
That a mere Ryo Yamada dared to mess with him. If she pushed it any further, he'd show her the true meaning of cream puff filling.
"…"
Ryo raised a brow at the hint of smugness on Haru's face.
The smile she offered was as calm and elegant as blue plumbago in bloom, her golden eyes glinting with something unreadable as she stared straight at him. Her lips curled as if to continue speaking—
But just then, Togawa Sakiko, who had been frozen in shock, finally snapped back to reality. Her wide amber eyes trembled as they locked onto Ryo's. In a fluster, she thrust her finger forward and pointed accusingly.
"Ut—utterly shameless…!!!"
That was all she could manage after blushing for so long, and Haru, watching from the side, couldn't help but cover his face with his hand.
Seriously, Togawa-san.
Did she know that even her insults sounded like a pout?
"I don't think there's anything wrong with it."
As expected, Kazami Haru's prediction was spot on. That soft, feather-light "scolding" from Sakiko barely made a dent in Yamada Ryo's defenses.
Sure, both girls were "blue-haired waifus" in their own way, but in terms of sheer battle capability, Togawa-san and Ryo-san weren't even playing the same sport.
"How could there be nothing wrong with that?!"
Seeing Ryo's completely unbothered face, Sakiko's amber eyes widened in disbelief. She hadn't expected this girl (this Yamada Ryo) to be such a shameless villain.
Yet Ryo, seeing Sakiko all puffed up in outrage, just smiled smugly. She tilted her head slightly and said lazily, "It's fine. See? Haru doesn't even mind—"
Before she could finish, Haru's hands were already clamped on her cheeks. With a serene smile, he tugged at Ryo's soft face, stretching it outward as he spoke with slow emphasis.
"I don't recall ever saying I didn't mind. Now quit playing around and pay me back already."
"…Haru, that hurts."
Even with her face pinched red, Ryo's tone stayed flat as she protested. Only once he let go did she finally fall quiet, returning to her usual aloof and elegant self.
Watching them, Sakiko (still dazed) finally started to settle down too.
Now that Ryo was being obedient about "repaying" her debt, Sakiko felt like her role as a friend was done. Still, she couldn't shake her wariness toward this strange and shameless girl. To casually blurt out something that crude? No way. Sakiko decided she'd need to talk to Haru alone later and urge him to steer clear of this blue-haired troublemaker.
"…"
Ryo's golden eyes glimmered faintly as she gazed at Sakiko's flushed and burning cheeks.
With an air of lazy confidence, she rested her pale chin on the back of her hand. Her delicate features curved into a smile full of intrigue, and the small beauty mark by her left eye gave her expression an extra touch of allure.
In truth, Ryo hadn't come to the ramen shop just to eat.
She was staking it out. She'd had another dream (that specific kind of dream again) where she saw the weakest one, Bocchi, somehow beat everyone and end up happily married to Haru.
With everyone from the disbanded Kessoku Band now having a shot with him (not to mention MyGO and even this pure-hearted lightweight, Togawa) Haru was suddenly surrounded by more threats than ever before.
Things were slipping out of her control.
Ryo knew she couldn't sit back any longer.
Simply put, she was starting to panic.
If this kept up, she'd end up the loser. She couldn't wait anymore.
If she hadn't caught him here tonight, she was fully prepared to just show up at his place again.
…
The three composers wrapped up dinner chatting idly. By the time Togawa Sakiko walked out with her shoulder bag, night had already fallen. The streets were bathed in neon light.
The sky had long since dimmed, and a cool autumn breeze drifted through the city. Sakiko lifted her head slightly, eyes squinting against the wind.
"Autumn already, huh…"
Summer break had slipped by in a flash. Thinking back, had she really done anything with her time?
She'd poured everything into the band and her plans for the future. Even when she did have a bit of free time, she hadn't spent it with Haru.
Their relationship hadn't really progressed at all.
But still, there was no need to rush.
"Haaah… I should probably head home."
"Haru, see you when school starts again?"
Having calmed her mood, Sakiko's beautiful face lit up with a brilliant smile as she looked at Haru. Her voice was soft, her farewell tender, her moonlit eyes brimming with quiet affection.
A girl this gentle and lovely, what a waste that only he got to see her like this.
"Want me to walk you home?" Haru offered, raising an eyebrow with a hint of concern.
But the moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. He suddenly remembered that Sakiko's current living situation wasn't exactly something she wanted others to know about.
Walk her home?
Sakiko's expression darkened almost instantly. She opened her mouth, ready to accept without hesitation, but the words stuck in her throat, blocked by pure will.
Her fingers clenched around her bag strap. A storm of emotions swirled inside her, and she sighed inwardly.
"Haru, thank you for the offer."
"But I'd like to walk home alone tonight. I really enjoyed dinner. And if there's a next time… I'd love to try your cooking again."
There was no way she could let him see where she lived.
Just imagining it made her breath catch. Sakiko didn't want him knowing about her home life. Not yet, anyway.
That's why she still hadn't invited him over. It wasn't that she didn't want to. She simply couldn't.
"Oh yeah? Then maybe next time we'll throw a band party at my place."
"No way…"
Her tone dropped a notch, her eyes shifting. She muttered the words like a kid hiding their favorite toy, unwilling to let others touch it.
But catching herself, Sakiko shook her head and smiled sweetly.
"…Anyway, I'll definitely be back to mooch another meal."
The autumn breeze lifted her soft hair, and her pale blue ponytail danced through the air in graceful arcs.
That smile was way too sweet.
You're not coming over just for food, are you, Sakiko?
"I'll be waiting for you, Sakiko-san."
He tossed out the line half-jokingly, and she nodded in satisfaction. As she turned to leave, she caught sight of Ryo leaning lazily by the ramen shop entrance, yawning. Looked like once she left, Ryo and Haru would be walking home together.
A pang of jealousy tugged at her chest.
If not for her family situation, she'd have asked Haru to walk her home herself!
Still, even if she was a little jealous, Sakiko didn't see Ryo as a real threat.
Tonight, just like before, Ryo had eaten like a starving animal. Aside from saying wildly inappropriate things, she was just a quiet, sleepy girl. She didn't really seem like the "romantic rival" type.
"Haru, you absolutely can't agree to what Yamada-san said... that… that…"
"Sunshine, Rainbow, White Pony?" (1)
Kazami Haru frowned, testing out the absurd phrase. Just hearing that nonsense actually helped Togawa Sakiko cool her embarrassment. Flushed with both shame and irritation, she tugged at the corner of Haru's shirt and muttered in a slightly sulky voice,
"Of course not! I meant that other way she said she'd pay you back!"
You're banning everything else? Then, Little Sakiko, are you offering to pay her debt?
"Anyway, that's it! I'm heading home!"
Her face burning like fire, Sakiko blurted it out and turned away. What she'd just said didn't sound like something a "friend" would say at all. Her heart thumped wildly before it finally began to settle.
Taking in a long breath of the crisp night air, she lifted her eyes to the sky.
From this moment on, the future would be different.
Having now formed Ave Mujica, this was Togawa Sakiko's starting line. From here, step by step, she'd prove her worth, and when she finally established herself through the band, she'd be ready to openly confess her feelings to Kazami Haru.
She was confident, she wouldn't lose to anyone.
"…She left already?"
Watching Sakiko's figure vanish into the night-lit street, Yamada Ryo approached Haru with her arms crossed. As always, she wore her signature blend of aloofness and elegance.
Only now that they were alone, she stood noticeably closer.
"You were gonna walk her home just now? You've never offered to walk me home…"
"You live right around the corner."
Haru raised an eyebrow, face blank.
"I still want you to walk me."
Ryo narrowed her pale gold eyes, locking them on his.
Normally so unreadable, she didn't hesitate for a moment. With that beauty mark near her eye and her flawless features framed in blue, she exuded a quiet, sultry charm that made it hard to look away.
Under normal circumstances, Haru would have had no chance of ignoring a request like that.
"Escort service, 2000 yen."
But before that look could sink in, Haru recovered his cool. Thanks to rigorous mental training, he could now resist even Bocchi's charm on most days.
As for Ryo? Sure, her face was stunning, but knowing her rotten personality, it did nothing for him.
"…"
Haru expected her to grumble about the price. Instead, she reached into her pocket and casually pulled out two crisp thousand-yen bills.
Wait, what? Was this some kind of alternate reality?
"Mm-hmm~"
Ryo grinned as Haru's expression shifted, extending her slender hand toward him from under her long sleeves.
Her cold, flawless face lit with quiet satisfaction. She spoke like it was only natural:
"Hold my hand. That's part of the service, right?"
City girls, huh. Always got the upper hand.
Haru gently took her smooth, soft hand. Despite being a bassist, her fingers were delicate, almost fragile, and the second he grabbed hold, she squeezed back without hesitation.
As they walked, her calm face flushed ever so slightly with color.
Now that he was closer, Haru realized just how good Ryo looked tonight.
Her short blue hair smelled faintly of roses. Long, slim legs in black velvet tights. A pleated black skirt beneath a gray knit sweater, and her already stunning face? The cool aura just amplified her beauty.
Damn it. Why was this rotten girl suddenly looking kind of… hot?
"Do I look good?"
Walking ahead, Ryo spoke flatly, not even turning her head.
She ran a hand through her soft blue hair, revealing a pale ear with a small metal earring. Her flawless profile, slightly tilted, glanced back at him.
There was no way Haru could lie in that moment.
Eyes fixed on her porcelain skin, he replied with full honesty, "Yeah. You look good."
Clearly pleased, Ryo lifted her chin proudly, like a swan basking in praise.
"Hmph~ I knew it."
"It's only natural for you to fall for my charm. I'm a super pretty girl, after all."
Seeing her smug grin, Haru gave a resigned shrug and offered his most exaggerated praise.
"Yep, Ryo-san is super pretty."
"As expected."
Still clutching his hand, Ryo looked smug and completely satisfied. The Yamada estate wasn't far, and it wasn't long before they arrived.
Even once they reached her gate, Ryo showed no sign of letting go.
"Haru, is your 'service' ending here?"
"If Ryo-san isn't satisfied, I can toss you over my shoulder and carry you inside."
Haru spoke playfully, shrugging again.
"No need."
Ryo looked down at their joined hands, her icy expression unchanged.
Then, as if she'd planned it from the start, she pushed Haru up against her gate. Her smooth, pale neck peeked from beneath her sweater, the soft scent of roses hanging in the air.
Her right eye, half-hidden behind her fringe, shimmered faintly. At this close range, the two of them stared at each other in complete stillness.
Ryo's gaze studied Haru's calm expression. Not even a flicker of panic.
Even pinned to the gate, he wore that same cocky look like everything was going exactly as he planned. The corner of her mouth curled ever so slightly.
"Not surprised?"
"Not really."
Kazami Haru gazed steadily into Ryo Yamada's eyes. Truth be told, he'd more or less seen this coming. Even if she had to spend money to make it happen, Ryo would find a way to get him to walk her home, and now, they were standing at her front gate, arguably the battlefield itself.
How many times do you think he was kissed by Ryo in the simulation?
"Hmph~"
Ryo had no intention of letting go. She'd finally cornered him, and she wasn't about to waste the opportunity.
Now face to face, so close they could feel each other's breath, even her usually unreadable expression gave way to a warm, wine-colored flush. Without another word, she rose slightly onto her toes and pressed her lips to his.
It looked like a bold, forceful move, but it couldn't hide her inexperience or hesitation.
Her aggressive approach was all in, a desperate gamble. She didn't have his stamina or control, and before long, she was already being pushed back. In just a few exchanges, her snowy skin had begun to glisten with tiny beads of sweat.
"…Haa."
To be honest, that was a close one—
If it hadn't been for the lingering taste of fried tempura on her lips during the kiss, Haru might've actually been swept away by her charm.
"Haru."
A cool whisper brushed his ear.
"How much do you like me… right now?"
