The Heroines Want to Confess.

Chapter 129: Shijo Maki is Crying

After finishing the confrontation with Shinomiya Kaguya, Sakurai Saki prepared to go tutor the five Nakano sisters.

There was still some time before the next important exam—the midterm. Sakurai Saki felt there was still plenty of time; at the very least, as long as all five of them passed, then it should be fine.

Of course, he didn't dare to be too sure.

People who are overconfident often fall the hardest. Even though Sakurai Saki was fairly confident, these five were opponents that not even the secretary[Word Spirit]could handle. Only thanks to the efforts of the veteran staff[Feeding]last time did the monthly test scores of the five sisters turn out barely acceptable.

It was once again proof that the power of "Word Spirit" was absolutely useless. A piece of trash that couldn't even solve problems with a vending machine had no business dreaming of anything greater.

Cursing the trash-tier superpower inside himself, Sakurai Saki made his way to the self-study room in the library.

In front of the library door.

Sakurai Saki greeted the person on duty today.

"Shijo-san, good afternoon. Are you okay?"

The other person had her head down on the table, her whole body trembling—clearly not okay at all.

[Favorability level: 37?]

There it was—a girl who's hostile toward him!

This was the kind of favorability level where if he got hit by a car, she'd stand nearby and laugh to herself with glee.

Shijo Maki was already very upset, and being comforted like that only made her cry even harder.

She lifted her head, tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes, and choked out a greeting: "Hello… classmate, good afternoon."

Maki: (っ˃̣̣̥ -˂̣̣̥ς)

That expression like she was about to cry but trying to hold it in to save face…

'Oh no, this is way too interesting!' Sakurai Saki had just discovered a new toy.

Sakurai: (｡✪ω✪｡)

"Hu~" Shijo Maki wiped her tears with her sleeve and muttered, "Why did it have to be you?"

The person she liked had just confessed to her best friend, and now she had to face her academic rival.

I'm so miserable! sob sob sob~

Thinking that, Shijo Maki's whole body seemed to deflate. She tilted her head, her two cute twin buns drooping to one side: "What are you here for? To mock me?"

'...'

Sakurai Saki tried to hold back his laughter and turned his head away.

This isn't good—this girl is way too interesting, isn't she?

He had a rough guess about why she was crying—it was very likely that Tanuma Tsubasa had successfully confessed.

"Umu..." Sakurai Saki nodded unconsciously, then shook his head.

Maki: ( ͠ಥ_ಥ)???

"Of course not. It's not like I enjoy watching people cry over heartbreak and laughing at them." Sakurai Saki said, but a slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Then wipe that stupid smile off your face!!!" Shijo Maki shouted through her tears, then realized they were in the library. Even though there weren't many people around, she still had to keep quiet.

She covered her face and lowered her head again, sobbing.

"Uwaa~~"

.·°՞(¯□¯)՞°·.

"Shijo-san, don't be sad. Think about something happy." Sakurai Saki glanced at his phone—it wasn't time for class yet, so he got a bit interested in playing around with Shijo Maki.

Shijo Maki slightly raised her head and looked at him with hopeful eyes: "Something happy?"

Maki: (இ﹏இ`｡)

"Umu, just think of it as him going to gain experience or something." Sakurai Saki was texting with Miku on his phone.

While typing on his phone, he chatted with Shijo Maki: "It's just dating, not like your chances are completely gone. Wait until that Tanuma guy gets bored and then…"

"Huh?" Shijo Maki suddenly stood up.

"How do you know this lady likes him? Don't tell me… you like me?" Maki clutched her chest and said in horror, "That would be seriously disgusting."

Sakurai Saki didn't even bother looking up, "He told me himself—said last week you guys asked him if he had a girlfriend."

"And then?" Shijo Maki asked curiously.

She wanted to hear more behind-the-scenes stuff.

"And then what? Oh, you mean did he say anything after that?" Sakurai Saki smirked: "He said he likes Kashiwagi-san."

Maki's expression visibly dropped, her mood falling through the floor.

She mumbled: "Did he say anything about me?"

"Of course he mentioned you." Sakurai Saki said, then suddenly turned and walked toward the self-study room.

"Hey!?" Shijo Maki shouted, "At least finish what you were saying before you go!"

She hurriedly ran up and grabbed Sakurai Saki's sleeve.

Sakurai Saki reluctantly took a few steps forward, and Shijo Maki was dragged along just like that.

"Please, tell me!"

Sakurai Saki turned back with a sigh.

But he said nothing.

"What are you sighing for?" Shijo Maki asked irritably.

"This is something my close friend told me in private. I can't reveal it." Sakurai Saki made it clear that he could keep a secret.

Sakurai: ¯\_(- > -)_/¯

"Please tell me! I'll do anything!" Shijo Maki pleaded.

"…You said you'll do anything?" Sakurai Saki asked seriously.

"Yeah, within reason of course, small stuff is a piece of cake! After all..." Shijo Maki puffed out her chest and brushed her ponytail proudly: "This lady is a descendant of the Shijo family."

"The power of the Shijo household isn't something a commoner like you can comprehend."

Sakurai Saki pretended to be terrified: "What?! The Shijo family? I really must have been blind! And here I was trying to make conditions with you!"

"ಠ_ಠ" Shijo Maki fell silent for a few seconds: "Are you mocking me?"

Sakurai Saki acted innocent: "What makes you say that?"

"Forget it! Just tell me about Tsubasa-kun!" Shijo Maki brought the topic back. "As long as it's within my ability, one condition—I'll help you!"

"Alright, since you said so…"

Sakurai Saki hesitated for a moment, then put on a gloomy expression.

"We actually knew he was planning to confess since last week. He came directly to the student council to ask." Sakurai Saki sighed and spoke in a reluctant tone, "Please don't tell anyone else."

"And then?" Shijo Maki pressed on.

There were still tears on her face, and her expression right now looked a bit ridiculous.

Maki: ಥ﹏ಥ

Sakurai Saki tried to suppress his laughter.

Laughing at someone who's heartbroken isn't something a normal person should do—Sakurai Saki, you're cosplaying as a normal person right now, so quit laughing!

"…Cough." Sakurai Saki cleared his throat softly. "He said your attitude toward him was too strict, so he didn't dare date you. Compared to that, he found Kashiwagi-san gentler, and more his type."

Sakurai Saki felt that Tanuma Tsubasa was doing the right thing—at least he wasn't the type to string girls along.

"Bad attitude? Huh? That's not true at all!" Shijo Maki tried to argue.

"Didn't you just admit earlier that you liked him?"

"I don't like him! It's just that he seems kind, and his family is in the medical field, which makes him feel safe."

"Isn't that basically liking him?"

"No it's not! I don't like him!"

That mouth of hers was really stubborn!

"You were planning to date him. If that's not liking him, then what is?"

"…No, I really don't like him."

Sakurai Saki was getting annoyed. He shouted: "You like him! Don't you!!!"

"..." Shijo Maki hesitated for a few seconds, her face turning bright red. She whispered: "Mm."

Maki: (,,Ծ‸Ծ,, )

Damn!

'This girl is way too cute,' Sakurai Saki screamed internally.

Who the hell is tsundere to this level!?

"Ever held hands before?"

Shijo Maki lowered her head, crying: "Never."

"What about hugging?"

"…Also never." Shijo Maki sank to the floor.

Good thing there was no one else in the library right now, or people might think Sakurai Saki was bullying her.

"Well then—"

Sakurai Saki hadn't finished speaking when she cut him off loudly——

"None of that ever happened!!! You're so annoying!!" Shijo Maki snapped, then covered her face and cried again: "Uwuuwuwuu~~"

Sakurai Saki crouched down in front of her, holding out his hand like he was coaxing a puppy——

"It's okay, I'll help you! When it comes to love, you can always come to me."

This was too fun—Sakurai Saki wasn't going to let this girl go!

After Fujiwara Chika and Miko-chan, Sakurai Saki had found another interesting toy!

"Uuh~" Shijo Maki looked up at him with eyes like an abandoned animal. "Really?"

Maki: ｡ﾟ(₌இᆽஇ₌)ﾟ｡

"Of course!" Sakurai Saki lowered his head, trying hard not to laugh.

A few seconds later, the two of them held hands.

Sakurai Saki stood up and pulled her up with him.

[Favorability level: 74?]

That went up fast. This woman's way too easy to coax!

...

"Alright! Do you have any wish you want granted?" Shijo Maki took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears.

Even though her face was still wet with tears, her voice now rang out with full confidence: "Just leave it to this lady!"

Sakurai Saki stroked his chin in thought.

A few seconds later——

"What a coincidence. I really do have something I need your help with."