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Athletic Festival Arc
22 Left Cheek and Straightforward

 "Meru-chan."

Coming out of the bathroom, Meru stiffened. Having changed out of his costume into the boy's uniform, Fuuga was standing there as though he had been waiting.

"Yeah. This is on the edge of being sexual harassment, as expected…"

Right as Meru was finishing her line, Fuuga hugged her.

"Wai, Rengetsu-kun! What are you doi…"
"Meru-chan, why are you taking it all on by yourself…"

Fuuga spoke heartbreakingly. Meru thought her leg injury had been revealed and she showed some impatience.

"Rengetsu-kun, you noticed…?"
"Isn't that obvious?"

Fuuga held Meru tightly. She couldn't hide her surprise at the sharpness of Fuuga's perception. Could it be that he had read her mind? But he said that he wasn't able to read hers. Various thoughts came to Meru's mind.

"Meru-chan, you did your best… So crying tears of frustration in the bathroom is being too distant, isn't it…? I'll lend my chest to you as much as you want."

Meru was currently making an incredibly stupefied face. However, that was natural. She hadn't anticipated what Fuuga would say.

"Um…Rengetsu-kun. Did you think that I was crying in the bathroom because I was frustrated about getting third place?"

When Meru asked that in a dry voice, Fuuga nodded firmly.

That's right. Fuuga had no clue about Meru's injury.

The feeling of fatigue suddenly flooded Meru. When she thought about it a bit more, it made sense. If Fuuga had noticed, he would definitely have a different type of reaction.

"Meru-chan?"

"Ahh, yeah. It's a pain, so let's just go with that."

"…?"

Fuuga was bewildered, not understanding her at all. However, Fuuga's eyes suddenly flew open and, without releasing Meru, he hid in the shadow of the bathroom building.

"I have to get back to work soon…"
"Sorry. Bear with it for just a bit."

Meru's back was currently to the wall with Fuuga blocking her in front. Fuuga placed his placed his hands right next to Meru's head. Her means of escape were completely cut off.

"Renge…"
"Fuugkun, where are you?"

At the sudden, sugary voice, Meru blocked her own mouth.

"Just now, there was a voice, right?"
"Haven't we already missed him? It's because you were fixing your hair, Saya."
"Well you were looking at your hand mirror, weren't you?"

From the voices and the mood, there were 3 or 4 girls. And they were most certainly Fuuga's fans.
Meru let out a small breath, wondering why Fuuga's fans were so different from the other executives' fans, why these girls who seemed to hate losing gathered around him.

"But, earlier in the 100 meter race. That Kusuhara Meru…it really felt like it served her right."
"Seriously, I felt that way, too! Even though she said things like she'd take first place, she ended up in third."

Meru was a little surprised because they unexpectedly started insulting her. However, it wasn't any big shock since it wasn't the first time for her.
If she had to say something, it'd be that she wanted to correct that the one who had given the pointless declaration that she would take first was Takimoto.

However, the boy just before Meru's eyes was apparently not like that, and it seemed that he would go out in front of the fans at any moment. Meru pulled his arm with all her strength and held him back.

"But, Meru-chan…"
"Ignore it, ignore it."

Meru said while shrugging her shoulders. It was a scene where you would wonder which one of the two had actually been insulted.

Fuuga seemed unconvinced, but he stayed according to Meru's wishes in any case.

"Why does Fuugkun care about that girl?"

Continuing, the discussion began to mix Fuuga in.

"You can say that again. That ugly woman doesn't suit him."
"Anyway, he'll lose interest soon."
"Speaking of losing interest, did you hear that rumor? The one that 'Fuugkun's girlfriend reservation system' went away."

Hearing an unfamiliar system name, Meru frowned. Facing her, Fuuga was obviously trembling.

"Rengetsu-kun?"

When Meru turned her gaze upon him, Fuuga gave his usual smile, but several times more stiff.

"Ehh, no way. That's a shock!"
"My turn was gonna come up in September!"
"But Fuugkun is weak to pressure, so if you confess, wouldn't it work?"

The fans' conversation continued in the background. From the contents of the conversation and Fuuga's expression, it wasn't a good topic as far as he was concerned.

"I can't hear anything."

Meru plugged her own ears. Fuuga seemed surprised by Meru's abrupt action.

"Meru…chan?"
"See, I can't hear anything."

Meru said with a smile. Seeing that form of hers, Fuuga felt something tense within himself loosen.
Fuuga imitated Meru and plugged his ears.

"Yeah. I can't hear anything."

After a short time, Fuuga's fans left. Meru let out a breath and left the shadow of the building.

"Rengetsu-kun. Is it ok for a leader of the cheer squad to be somewhere like this for this long?"
"… Well, if you're saying that, what about you, Meru-chan? Won't Hayate-kun get mad at you?"
"Ahh… I'll give some kind of excuse."

Meru laughed seemingly a little surprised.

"Meru-chan."
"Hm?"

The Fuuga Meru saw when she looked back had a lonely face.

"Meru-chan, do you know about that system?"

'That system' was probably referring to the one Fuuga's fans were talking about a bit ago, the "Fuugkun's girlfriend reservation system.'
Meru shook her head. However, from the name, she understood what kind of system it was.

"But, I…!"
"It's okay. You don't have to say it."

Meru said while looking at Fuuga's brooding expression.

"That system is already gone, right? Then there's no point pursuing it."

Meru said that if it was something Fuuga wanted to say, then he should say it. But if it was something he didn't want to say, then he didn't have to say it.

"The Rengetsu-kun in front of me is a bit of an idiot even though he has a nice face, but he's a straightforward person. Knowing that is enough."

Fuuga opened his eyes in wonder at her words.

"Then, I'll be going."
"Meru-chan!"

Fuuga pulled Meru's hand with all of his strength and it seemed like she was going to fall backward. Because her right leg became the axis of her body, a little bit of pain ran up it.

"Ow…!"
"Chu."1

The pain flew off somewhere.
Together with the lip sound, only a soft feeling remained on Meru's cheek.
Meru separated from Fuuga and touched her own left cheek.

"Rengetsu-kun…"
"That's because I'm straightforward."

Fuuga said with a smile so bright that it seemed to sparkle in the background. Meru thought about taking back what she had just said with "You're just a sexual harassment idiot."
However, it was quite likely that Fuuga would be even more excited if she said anything more. Meru left Fuuga and quickly headed toward the sports ground.

1 Japanese sound effect for a kiss.


Just one for this week and also (probably) for next week because I am traveling this week again. Sorry!

This one's for you, Fuuga shippers.

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