Under the gaze of Makoto and the others, Utaha calmly picked up the tea the bookstore owner had brought.
She gently blew away the steam with her red lips, then slowly took a sip.
Her deliberately slow movements made Ichika's friendly expression a little more forced.
Which only made it more amusing for Utaha.
She had thought Ichika was just a lively, cheerful girl—but now, it seemed she wasn't much different from the typical love-struck girls in class.
Teasing a younger girl and watching her get all flustered and red really is quite entertaining.
Especially when Ichika's hostility toward her is so obvious.
That's what makes it worth it.
Utaha held her teacup and said in a calm tone, "I just suddenly realized—I actually learn things pretty quickly."
Ichika felt a sense of foreboding in her heart. "So?"
Utaha looked at her with a half-smile. "If I joined Fushimi-kun's club, I think I'd be fully capable of taking the ace position."
Wicked woman!
Ichika's chest, in no way inferior to Utaha's, slowly rose and fell. She leaned forward slightly, resting her chest on the table.
She was entering battle mode.
But just then, Makoto's voice suddenly rang out. "Nope, senpai, you wouldn't be able to take that position."
Utaha and Ichika were both stunned.
Itsuki, on the other hand, asked seriously, "Why not? Does Ichika have something special about her?"
Makoto replied earnestly, "She does."
There are four other girls like her.
If she's not the ace, how am I supposed to win over the other four?
As alluring as the black-stocking senpai is, when it comes to big chests, all five sisters have them.
When it comes to black stockings, Miku has those too.
They're a group of five who have both looks and academic ability.
"And?"
Utaha had been waiting for more, but after Makoto said "She does," he just fell silent.
Ichika and Itsuki both looked at him.
Makoto glanced at the guests taking pictures nearby and said casually, "As long as I know what makes her special and amazing, that's enough."
Critical hit!
Ichika clutched her full chest as her heartbeat sped up.
That kind of instant, no-windup attack—that's a top-tier meta move.
Itsuki looked unsure. She felt like she was picking up on an unfamiliar scent.
Utaha hesitated as well.
She couldn't quite tell whether Makoto had just accidentally spoken his true feelings, or if he had seen her trying to tease Ichika and took the opportunity to swoop in.
If it was the latter, didn't that mean she had created an opening for him—made herself his wingman?
Suddenly, Makoto turned around and asked, "By the way, senpai, what you said earlier about joining the club—did you mean it?"
Utaha blinked. The unexpected question broke her train of thought.
She replied immediately, "I haven't decided yet."
Makoto muttered to himself, "I thought you'd already made up your mind, which is why you said that."
Utaha's eyes filled with suspicion. "Why would you think that?"
Makoto replied, "I was thinking about it seriously earlier—senpai, you're really sharp. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come up with that 'one arrow, three birds' plan."
"One arrow, three birds?"
That phrase immediately caught Ichika and Itsuki's attention.
Utaha's expression stiffened slightly, but her tone stayed calm. "What do you mean?"
Makoto smiled casually. "You already knew I lived in the same apartment building as Matsukaze-sensei, but instead of going directly to her place, you waited for me at the school gate. That means…"
He deliberately paused for a second. Utaha's gaze clearly became a bit more tense.
Looking her straight in the eyes, he said, "If I agreed to go with you to see Matsukaze-sensei, you'd not only get closer to her, but with a peer present, the mood wouldn't feel stiff or formal like it might with an adult around."
"Most importantly, you'd be able to ask me more questions. With how kind and gentle Matsukaze-sensei is, if you had any doubts or needed help, she'd go all out to support you…
Like, if I didn't want to talk about literary stuff, she'd bring it up herself to keep you from feeling let down."
Makoto took a sip of tea. "You'd ease the tension, get a smooth visit with Matsukaze-sensei, and gain more insights—doesn't that count as one arrow, three birds?"
Itsuki looked completely stunned. She hadn't expected this turn in the conversation at all.
Ichika gave Utaha a long, deep look. So senpai wasn't just a wicked woman, she was a scheming wicked woman.
Feeling the intense gazes of all three, Utaha looked down at her teacup, trying to compose herself, though she was internally shocked.
So I was right last time after all!
It's like he's known me for a long time—he understands me so well.
Utaha really had thought of all those things.
She knew she was beautiful and a well-known student, but if she kept discussing professional topics with Makoto, there was no guarantee he wouldn't grow impatient.
That's why she had decided to visit Mayu today.
With such a kind teacher present, she felt confident she could extract even more insights from Makoto.
She really wanted to improve!
All the knowledge outside of textbooks she'd gained had been through self-study. And while she considered herself outstanding, even the best still need guidance from a pro.
Now she had finally met someone who could help her improve quickly, and they got along well too—she wasn't going to let that opportunity slip away.
Makoto eased up on the pressure and spoke more gently: "I probably won't be free today—since I just decided to form a club, I still have some things to discuss with Ichika."
Before Utaha could say anything, his tone shifted again: "But, of course, if senpai is willing to join the club, then you'd have a chance to grow every day."
Once again having her true thoughts laid bare, Utaha grew so embarrassed that even her shapely legs in black stockings under the table tensed and pressed together.
"I'll have to think about it," she mumbled vaguely, not even having time to compose herself.
See? Now that you've been actually invited, you're not even happy.
Makoto almost laughed.
Judging by her expression when she tried to tease Ichika earlier, he could easily guess that she probably thought, "I'm not interested in some weird club."
If she agreed to join now, that boomerang would smack her right in the face.
At that moment, Makoto noticed Ichika staring at him. He deliberately asked, "What is it?"
Ichika responded with a beautiful smile. "Nothing."
Just her heart pounding, an unbearable itch, and a bit of yearning, that's all.
Club member Ichika salutes the president!
Loyal! Devoted!
Ever since Utaha tried to challenge her, and Makoto suddenly stepped in and masterfully handled the situation—while even considering her feelings—
Honestly, for a moment, she was totally dazzled.
And now, she was starting to think that senpai and Itsuki were kind of… in the way.
If it were just the two of them here, that would've been perfect.
So she thought.
What followed was casual chatting, still led by Makoto.
He knew these three girls' personalities and interests very well—he knew what to talk about, and what to avoid.
After a while, Makoto noticed Itsuki looking at a beautifully decorated wall nearby and asked, "If you're interested, Itsuki, I can take a photo for you."
Itsuki blushed slightly. "I wasn't thinking of taking a picture—I just thought it looked nice."
"I know, but I can take an even better one for you."
"Eh?"
Hearing that, Itsuki was slightly tempted.
But a girl's modesty kept her from standing up.
Makoto held out his hand. "Give me your phone. Just follow my instructions—I'll help you take a really nice photo."
"I was really just looking…"
"Just hand it over."
Under Makoto's urging, Itsuki finally walked over to the wall, cheeks flushed.
The other customers were unfazed—it had become a tradition in this café.
Some of the male customers, though, kept glancing toward Makoto's table.
Who could blame them? Utaha and the other two were just too pretty and too well-endowed.
"Itsuki, move a little to the right. That's it—relax your expression, give me a smile."
Itsuki blushed the entire time as she moved according to Makoto's directions.
Once the photo was taken and Makoto handed the phone back, Ichika immediately leaned over. "Let me see!"
"I haven't even looked yet!" Itsuki protested, pushing her sister aside.
"Let me see… whoa, it's really pretty! Itsuki, look at this one—your long legs really stand out, the lighting is great, and the whole vibe is so gentle and serene."
With Ichika's amazed voice in her ears and her own image shining in the photo before her eyes, Itsuki had to admit—
Makoto really knew how to take pictures.
Way better than the ones she took herself.
She often worried in private that she looked stiff and boring—but the girl in this photo was different.
Calm, elegant, with a graceful smile that captured the beauty of youth.
"You've studied photography?" Utaha didn't join the commotion, but from the sisters' reactions, she could tell Makoto's photography skills were excellent.
Makoto nodded. "I studied it a bit in the past."
If Yukino were here, she'd probably ask, "Studied again?"
But Utaha just softly said, "Oh."
"Makoto… um, I want you to take a photo for me too."
Ichika walked up to Makoto, tilted her head cutely, cheeks flushed red—the shy charm of a young girl on full display.
Her adorable look instantly captivated several nearby male customers.
They practically turned into bystanders from The Mad Monk, dying to shout, Let her take it! Let her take it!
Even Makoto had to admit—at this moment, Ichika was extremely alluring.
And he knew she was putting on an act.
Because a girl can be prey—and a hunter.
She can be the delicious prey.
Or the beautiful hunter.
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