Cherreads

Chapter 121 - Chapter 121. You’re S-rank pervert

As they spoke, Sakurahara Momo and Tsukimi exchanged a knowing glance, their eyes slowly drifting toward Hozuki Nozomi.

"Ne, Nozomi-kun... are you perhaps interested in getting to know us more intimately?"

Momo tilted her head with a teasing smile, while Tsukimi added with a mischievous glint, "They say the best way to forget someone... is to dive into something new."

Nozomi twitched, his expression going stiff. "Oi oi, what kind of eroge line is that? You two need to go home, take a hot bath, and cool your heads! Seriously!"

The girls both pouted in unison.

How could this be? Whether it was Hose—err, Hazuki Yasuo—or Hozuki Nozomi, both of them looked down on their feelings. Were they just joke characters in this high school drama?

Feeling slightly dejected, Momo sighed.

Then, without warning, Nozomi pulled out his phone.

"This is a robbery," he declared with a smirk, waving the device like a weapon. "Hand over your keitai. I require contact info, preferably the kind that can text and call."

("keitai" is commonly used to refer to mobile devices in general)

Tsukimi blinked, amused. "Eh? What's with this sudden mood shift?"

Sumireko, standing nearby, rolled her eyes like a tired onee-san. Yukinoshita Yukino sent a sharp glare that could cut through steel.

Neither of them objected, though.

Momo and Tsukimi exchanged surprised glances, then giggled, covering their mouths.

"You're flipping the script too quickly, Nozomi-kun," Tsukimi said. "I thought you were brushing us off."

"Of course not. You two bravely faced your feelings. There's nothing laughable about that. I admire it, actually," Nozomi said with a genuine smile, handing his phone over so they could input their numbers.

"Besides," he added with a shrug, "after today's drama, I doubt Hose will stay the same. Maybe he'll finally level up in emotional intelligence. Until then, nothing wrong with staying in touch, right?"

Momo nodded, her tone a little more serious. "We're honestly tired of waiting. But... let's see where this goes."

She handed his phone back and winked. "Just promise not to spam us with weird memes or rabu-rabu texts."

(essages that are sweet, loving, or flirtatious, often expressing affection or romantic feelings)

"I don't send creepy messages! I'm not that kind of guy!"

Both Sumireko and Yukino looked at him with the deadpan expressions of judges delivering a guilty verdict.

"Why are you two looking at me like that? Don't tell me you think I'm a bottom-tier pervert or something?"

"You're not bottom-tier," Yukino said flatly. "You're S-rank pervert. Measured directly from your lower instincts."

"Harsh! That's a critical hit straight to my kokoro!"

Meanwhile, Yukino's face burned slightly red.

Why had she allowed Nozomi to get those girls' numbers? Weren't they rivals? Hadn't she placed a bet with him? And didn't this mean... he was winning?

No—wait. Technically, the girls had only said they might seduce him. No actual seduction had happened yet. So the match wasn't over.

Still, the whole thing made her chest feel tight.

Sumireko, ever the composed observer, watched the situation unfold calmly. She had fought her battles with Momo and Tsukimi before. She knew how crafty they could be. But she trusted Nozomi—at least, more than she trusted fate.

After the day's club activities wound down, everyone returned home.

Yukinoshita didn't go to Sakurasou that evening but still reminded Nozomi to take care of the cats.

"Seriously? You care more about those furballs than me?" Nozomi grumbled, sulking.

One day, he swore—one day, he'd show Yukino-nee that he was more important than some spoiled neko.

As for Momo and Tsukimi? Nozomi didn't overthink it.

They had exchanged numbers and laughed a bit. That was enough.

He had a feeling they'd cross paths again—whether as rivals, allies, or something more.

And anyway, it's not like he was losing anything in this deal.

On the other hand, Hazuki Yasuo—Hose-kun—was probably not doing so great right now.

He had lost two loyal girls in one go.

Not that Nozomi planned to meddle. He wasn't some matchmaking side character.

If he had free time, he'd rather spend it flirting with cute girls—or spending more time with Yukino-nee.

...

Elsewhere...

Hazuki Yasuo stood awkwardly, watching as Momo and Tsukimi kept their distance.

He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came.

Couldn't they just go back to how things were? Laughing, joking, sharing bentos?

But...

Reality had changed.

Once a confession was rejected, there was no going back.

No matter how much he wished otherwise.

And that was the painful truth.

Rejecting the feelings of a girl who had the courage to confess—it's like trampling on her pride, her onna no tachiba.

("Onna no tachiba" (女の立場) in this context emphasizes the position and feelings of women, highlighting the courage it takes for a girl to express her feelings and the potential impact of rejection on her self-esteem and pride.)

Sakurahara Momo and Kusami Runa weren't the type to crawl back after being rejected. They had dignity, joshiryoku, and self-respect.

("Joshiryoku" (女子力) is a Japanese term that translates to "feminine power" or "girl power" in English.)

Besides, after all that time spent by Hazuki Yasuo's side, he never truly tried to understand them. He was always obsessed with Sanshokuin Sumireko. They were merely background characters in his drama, sidekicks to his unspoken love.

Being treated like a prop, like a tsukkomi in someone else's rom-com… that kind of pain, it cuts deep. No girl should have to go through that.

(tsukkomi; it suggests that the person feels like they are merely a supporting character or a tool for someone else's narrative, rather than being seen and appreciated for who they are)

The heavy silence that hung in the air was almost suffocating. Hazuki Yasuo felt it in every breath, in every heartbeat. The harmony around him, once warm and comforting, now felt like a hollow illusion.

Was it wrong to turn down a confession from someone he didn't have feelings for? No, of course not. Sore wa chigawanai.

("Sore wa chigawanai" (それは違わない) translates to "That's not wrong" or "That's correct" in English. It can be used to affirm someone's statement or opinion, indicating agreement or validation.)

More Chapters