The Heroines Want to Confess.

Chapter 146: Date with Chika

Evening.

Sakurai Saki was having dinner at the home of Minamoto Mashiro, a beautiful woman who had lost her husband and child early in life. Now, she invited Sakurai Saki to stay with her one night every week.

The job content was simply eating and chatting, very simple, yet the pay wasn't small.

"Saki-kun, is the food I made… tasty?"

❀.(*´◡`*)❀

Minamoto Mashiro put down her chopsticks and asked.

Sakurai Saki looked up at her. Her jet-black ponytail fell over her full chest, her figure had perfect curves, and her delicate face made people feel goodwill and a desire to protect her — she was a long-time client of his, and also someone he regarded as an older sister.

"Umu, it's delicious."

ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

The two of them chatted like ordinary family members.

"At the sports festival, my team and I won first place in volleyball." Sakurai Saki said.

He only shared this with this onee-san. As for his biological mother in Kyoto, he didn't dare mention it. Compared to winning a championship, she would care more about whether he got hurt.

In her eyes, Sakurai Saki was the kind of kid who could trip just from walking.

His current mother doted on him excessively. That, in turn, made him somewhat afraid. She showered him with unconditional attention despite not being his biological mother — Sakurai Saki was adopted, in other words, there was no blood relation.

"Saki-kun is amazing." Minamoto Mashiro praised him without holding back. "It's just a shame I didn't have time to come see you."

Most events at Shuchiin were open to the public, but smaller ones attracted very few spectators — at most, a few underclassmen from the high school division might come. Only big events like the culture festival would draw a crowd.

"Someone in class recorded it. If Mashiro-san wants to watch it." Sakurai Saki put down his chopsticks.

Just as he was about to take out his phone, he noticed her staring intently at his hands.

"No phones while eating, right?" Sakurai Saki said with a smile. "I almost forgot."

"If Saki-kun wants to use it, I wouldn't blame you." Minamoto Mashiro said gently.

She had received a noble upbringing from a young age. Her manners were gentle but also a bit rigid.

Of course, only a bit — by normal standards.

"Liar." Sakurai Saki didn't believe her.

Sakurai: ( •̯́ ₃ •̯̀)

Mashiro: (｡•̀ ⤙ •́ ｡)

"I'm not some auntie from the Showa era or anything..." Minamoto Mashiro said softly.

She had a bit of a Haraguro side — if you took her at her word, she'd mess with you.

(Note: "Haraguro" is a term for a character who appears outwardly friendly, but is secretly scheming and manipulative on the inside. They will pretend to be a kind and likeable person when first meeting someone, but on the inside they are secretly plotting something bad and they tend to use others for their own convenience)

(Makima, Light Yagami, Aizen, Pudding...)

"Oh right, Saki-kun, Yoko has something she'd like your help with, again." She brought up a new request.

"What is it?"

"Mm, about that little girl you met last time. A few days ago, she auditioned for a movie, a supporting female role — but that character has a kissing scene with the male role..." Minamoto Mashiro explained.

"So what does that have to do with me?" Sakurai Saki didn't get it.

Lately, Ichika's acting work had been going pretty smoothly. On the flip side, she had skipped cram school who knows how many times already. Using Shijo Maki's words, she was ["the laziest among the five idiots"].

By the way, the nickname Shijo Maki gave Sakurai Saki was — [Big Idiot].

Sakurai Saki objected to this, but that tsundere girl just ignored him.

With no other choice, Sakurai Saki retaliated by calling her — [Losing Tsundere]. In response, she said: "Hmph, this lady hasn't lost yet! Say that again when I lose!"

Maki: （￣へ￣）

Sakurai Saki felt like she had already lost miserably. It didn't even feel like she was fighting Kashiwagi Nagisa — more like she was fighting herself. That girl didn't know the meaning of "giving up." Once she jumped in, there was no getting out — just like gacha addicts.

"She said that if the role involves a kiss scene, she'd rather switch to another film. But honestly, Ichika-chan doesn't have many options. If she gives this up, who knows how long she'll have to wait for another chance. That's what Yoko told me."

"So, you want me to be the actor?"

"Umu, it's a movie about a teacher saving a troubled student — the two of you would be playing a delinquent couple."

Play a couple? Me and Ichika?

"Saki-kun, don't be so quick to reject it. Come on~ Try it for me~ I want to see you act." Minamoto Mashiro pleaded with a cutesy tone.

Mashiro: (இ﹏இ`｡)

This mature 27-year-old onee-san — just a few years away from 30 — when she used her "puppy dog eyes" attack, Sakurai Saki truly couldn't resist.

Blushing, he said: "I'll give it a try."

Sakurai: (,,¬﹏¬,,)

"Mmn mmn, good boy." Minamoto Mashiro reached her hand out, wanting to pat his head.

Sakurai Saki sighed, then slightly leaned forward.

She gently patted his head a few times.

"If you don't want to do it, that's okay too. Ah, the filming is next Saturday."

"Got it."

...

Sunday, the day of the date with Fujiwara Chika.

A "date" isn't necessarily limited to boyfriend and girlfriend. Even normal friends of the opposite sex can go on a date.

After all, taken literally, a "date" is just an appointment to meet.

This time, Sakurai Saki wasn't late.

He wasn't late for Chika, yet for his first real date with his girlfriend, he had been — but that was the damn fault of those demon bank robbers.

He didn't know if those low-class demons had been caught yet. Recently, Gabriel hadn't brought it up again with Sakurai Saki.

After being pinned down by Sakurai Saki last time, she'd been properly scared. Even when she finished homework and played games late at night, she spoke much more cautiously with him.

Gab-chan was worrying too much. Sakurai Saki didn't care about her body — all he wanted was for her to pay him back soon.

Sakurai Saki, dressed casually in a hoodie, looked down at his phone.

He was waiting in front of the movie theater.

Quite a few girls had already come up to strike a conversation.

Lifting his head again, Sakurai Saki spotted someone unexpected.

"Miko-chan?" Tokyo really was a small place.

Or maybe the movie was just that popular?

This newly released detective movie was getting pretty good reviews.

But... Miko-chan likes detective movies?

"Sakurai-senpai?" Iino Miko was just as surprised.

Sakurai Saki: "Here to see a movie?"

"U-umu." Iino Miko glanced at the posters outside the theater, one of which was for a Magical Girl movie.

Miko: (｡Ó﹏Ò｡)

…She couldn't say it out loud — that she had snuck out alone to watch an anime movie.

And the one she bumped into was Sakurai-senpai!

Glup~ She absolutely couldn't let this slip!

She had to find an excuse to leave and sneak back in later.

"Sakurai-senpai, are you waiting for someone?" Miko-chan asked.

"Waiting for Secretary Fujiwara. She said there was a movie she wanted to see, so I made plans with her here." Sakurai Saki smiled and asked back, "What are you planning to watch, Miko-chan? I feel like that anime movie suits you pretty well."

Miko: Σ(°△°ꪱꪱꪱ)

Can't say it.

Absolutely can't say it!

Already this old and still into magical girls—something like that! No one can know!

If my respected Senpai found out, my entire kouhai career would be over!

Yes! Say something loud and confident to cover it up!

Just as Miko-chan was searching for a way out, Fujiwara Chika stepped out from the corner of the theater. She wore a white short-sleeved shirt and a high-waisted long skirt. Her vibe had changed a little—less bubbly than usual, and instead more like a proper young lady.

"Miko-chan?" Chika looked at Iino Miko, then at Sakurai Saki. The two of them were standing quite close together.

Miko-chan came too?

"Fujiwara-senpai! Good afternoon~" Iino Miko admired Fujiwara Chika a lot.

Chika also liked this kouhai-chan… at least she did, before she saw Miko standing that close to Sakurai. Before that, she still liked her.

Chika: (✿◠ᴗ◠)っ▬ι═ﺤ

Sakurai Saki walked up to Chika, gently brushing aside the carefully styled bangs on her forehead, and said softly, "Your outfit looks great today."

"Really?"

"At first glance, I already wanted to hug you."

As soon as he said that, he turned his back to Miko-chan and turned his words into action.

"Miko-chan is still standing right here…" Chika blushed in his arms.

Chika: (,,Ծ‸Ծ,, )

After a few seconds of hugging,

Sakurai Saki let her go. "She seemed to be here to see a movie too. We just ran into each other outside."

Chika nodded.

Then she walked over to Iino Miko and chatted with her for a bit.

A moment later—

Miko-chan, eyes glistening, came up to Sakurai Saki: "Senpai~ I have something to do, so I'll head back now."

...She was acting!

Miko-chan just wanted to get out of there quickly, then sneak back in later to see the movie she actually wanted to watch.

"Go on, be… careful on the way." Sakurai Saki was about to say "let's watch together next time," but remembering the jealous look Fujiwara Chika had earlier, he thought for a moment and chose not to.

"Yes!" Iino Miko nodded firmly, then left.

...

After the troublesome kouhai-chan left, Fujiwara Chika and Sakurai Saki took out the tickets they had pre-purchased and bought some snacks and drinks.

Before long, the movie began, and the two of them entered the theater.

A few minutes later—

Miko-chan snuck back in, bought a ticket, and went to the screening room for the movie she really wanted to see.

"Fujiwara-senpai really is such a good person!"

(๑>◡<๑)