Ch 178 – 15 June, Michiru 03

Michiru listened carefully to Ayaka's instructions. Although Michiru was known for being fickle, she was still naturally talented and good at everything she did. She was currently focusing on her band and music. However, as the most tomboyish heroine in the anime series. She is still sometimes interested in participating in sports activities like this.

Ayaka herself was quite impressed to see Michiru, who learned quickly following all the instructions she did. Although not as good as one of her friends, who sometimes had the strength of a gorilla.

"Oh, you really learn quickly. Are you interested in becoming a boxing player?" Ayaka talked to Michiru.

"I'm sorry, but no— I have my bandmates, and we will perform on the big stage someday," Michiru replied as she hit the sandbag according to Ayaka's instructions, looking like they were having fun. Meanwhile, Kouta was doing her own thing, warming up and basic training not far from them.

"Ooo, Kouta-kun, how do you teach your friend a little—"

Ayaka spoke while gesturing to Kouta, who nodded his head and replaced the gloves in his hand with the punch mitts.

"Okay, Michiru-san, come over here—" Ayaka called Michiru to teach her some boxing techniques while demonstrating them by hitting the punch mitts in Kouta's hands.

After seeing everything Ayaka taught her, Michiru immediately followed the techniques learned by Kouta, who became her spar training. As someone who was quick to learn things, Michiru had a different attitude. It wasn't strange that she sometimes took small things that didn't really matter too seriously. One of them was the small pride she had that she had always been skilful in activities such as fighting against boys her age, even if it was limited to her cousins and a few people she knew.

After all, Michiru is basically taller than Kouta as well as Michiru, has a prejudice against otaku culture and is unhappy with Tomoya being an otaku and trying to get him out of the 'nerd phase'. So, she was basically a little frustrated that she could be weaker than people who were weak and prejudiced by her. Well, somehow, it makes her a little annoyed.

Although Michiru knew that Kouta had practised boxing and also understood that he was basically stronger, Kouta gave her a little sparring so that Michiru could learn what she had just learned. Michiru slightly understood that there was a refreshing feeling of wasting energy by trying to punch like this. She felt a little frustrated seeing Kouta who didn't seem to be tired at all, while she was currently resting according to Ayaka's instructions.

While sitting on a chair near the ring, Kouta and Ayaka seemed to have a different training regime than Michiru. Not only that, the skills and abilities displayed by Kouta and Ayaka were far from the level Michiru had imagined. She only heard from Kouta that he only used this as exercise, but what she saw that he was doing with Ayaka was beyond just exercising.

Of course, Michiru knew that Kouta was moving quickly as she herself felt alone. However, what she saw now was several levels away from how she felt. It was quite intense as the sound of the two of them exchanging their punches was quite loud.

At the same time, once again, Michiru could see a different side of Kouta. Usually, he was a guy who made games and also had a cute face, so Michiru would not have expected to see a different facial expression from Kouta. Yeah, Kouta's expression and tone turned serious, which was different from Michiru's mind.

Yes, Kouta showed a manly attitude towards Michiru which might be the first time he saw it, because usually Kouta is always seen as a lovable guy who couldn't hurt people. Kouta thrust his hand in such a fast manner, and it could be seen that he must have practised countless times, which made what he did look manly and powerful doing it.

Michiru was amazed to see something she never thought Kouta would do.

After the workout that Kouta usually did at least once a week, he immediately cleaned himself up in the shower room and returned to the gym he finished. He could see Michiru, who was also back in her school uniform and preparing to go home. The two of them would, at most, walk together to the station before parting ways.

"I was thinking a bit. What kind of place would you like to perform?" Kouta asked Michiru after they both said goodbye to Ayaka who was also getting busy with the other members.

"I'll be happy to perform in any place."

"Is that so—"

Kouta knows that the members of Michiru's band are all otaku and they usually cover famous anime songs or also create songs that are usually similar to Japanese anime songs. It was just that until now, they had never told Michiru, nor did Michiru realize the secret of her bandmates. In other words, places that can accept them to perform are likely to be house life-themed otaku and the like.

"Well, if you say so— Ah, you also want to know why your cousin likes otaku stuff and is also making otaku games. So how about trying—"

"No, I don't think I have time to play any of those games."

Kouta tried to make Michiru play games several times, but she rejected it like this. It looked like her prejudice was quite strong.

"How about a famous anime and other stuff—"

"Hm, I'd rather learn and make music than do that."

"That's quite harsh. What about the manga that I and Eriri made or Utaha's novel?"

"Well, I read you and Eriri's manga. It's quite interesting, I guess, but—"

As Michiru said, she seems to have read the manga she made and started commenting and criticizing it from a point of view that may be rarely seen by people who are too used to otaku culture.

"Ahaha, that's quite harsh—" Kouta commented on listening to Michiru's complaints and criticisms. Despite Kouta's words, Michiru found no negative reaction from Kouta, who seemed to accept her criticism.

In addition, once again, Michiru found Kouta's face uncharacteristic. A face that was handsome and cute and didn't look like it could hurt someone. Sometimes, Michiru felt a little strange at this difference. Michiru was basically a person who did not know otaku culture, so she did not realize a common thing in a cliche called 'gap moe'.

This is something that is difficult to explain, but either way, you could refer to when someone does something that goes against their usual behaviour or their established outward attitude.

"Ah, wait—" Kouta suddenly stopped Michiru's steps, and his facial expression looked more serious than usual. That face made Michiru unable to help but feel confused and flustered—

Especially when his serious face slowly approached Michiru and his hands slowly approached her face, a gesture that Michiru rarely received from boys her age.

"Eh, what are you doing—" Michiru was a little surprised and didn't know what to do.

"It's alright— I don't do anything weird. I just saw something stuck in your hair. Ah, look, I've picked it up." Kouta showed a small thread while smiling pleasantly, returning to his cute face again.

"You don't have to do that—"

"Uh, even if it's a trivial thing. It feels a bit of a shame to stain your beautiful hair."

Michiru rarely heard such words from the opposite sex as her cousin never said such things to her, and she spent her time in an all-girls school. She always heard her friends talking about this kind of stuff when they were talking about romantic stuff, but she never understood what they were talking about since she never experienced that. Such a common thing for a girl her age, but because she was part of heroines in harem anime, she fated to rarely get those kinds of stuff.

And right now— Michiru felt what her friend was talking about, and now she realized how good it felt. So, without realizing it, Michiru was slightly looking forward to Kouta's praise. It's just a shame that, for now, they have to separate first.

Next time— She will get it again, right?