Ch 76 – 28 May, Eriri and Tomoya 01

When Kouta went back after lunch, he found out that Eriri was a bit different. She looked agitated by something, and from his point of view, she was in a bad mood, which meant something was happening to her during lunch break.

Kouta couldn't help but worry about her because Eriri rarely showed that kind of mood in school because she always pretended to be someone else in class.

[ Is there anything wrong? ] Kouta messaged her with a smartphone. Since Kouta couldn’t just come at her because of secrecy.

[ What? ]

[ Well, you look upset by something or am I wrong about it? I was a bit worried. ]

[ Eh, really… that’s bad? ]

[ Not really; I don't think any of my classmates noticed. But, I can see you are a bit upset. ]

Eriri looked at Kouta on her seat, there was a gleam of happiness in her eyes.

[ Hn… How can I say… It wasn’t bad… because of you. But still… I have a bit problem. ]

[ Is that so? Is there anything I can help with? ]

[ Huhu… Well, there it is… but not much. I talk about it later, after school. ]

Eriri thanked Kouta for worrying about her, even though she didn’t give Kouta her reasoning for being in a bad mood. She just told him to wait. So Kouta just followed her wishes and didn’t push it harder.

It was not like Kouta needed to wait long…

But before Kouta went to the audiovisual room, he went to the GCC club first. In particular, he gave Inada and Takao all of his work, and saw their progress too. While in the corner, the other trio had been working with their video and playing a simple board game.

"I can’t wait for our dates…" Kouta used his little time to try and flirt with Takao, as he whispered words in Takao’s ear so no one heard what he said. Takao seemed to have frozen for a moment, before she gave Kouta a delicate and pretty smile.

"Geez… me too you know…" Takao replied, it wasn’t wrong that this might be her first date ever. She has always been busy with her hobby, not only playing games, but also, of course, learning to make them too.

Takao was just like any other heroine in anime or manga. Especially in rom-coms or harem type anime or manga, they had similar tropes where the heroine didn’t have any experience with other opposite sex members. That’s why it's easy for Kouta to make a move on her.

Kouta didn’t spend much time in the GCC and moved to an audiovisual room. When he arrived at the room, there was only Utaha sitting on the seat, while Eriri was nowhere to be seen. She was probably still in the art club.

"Good afternoon, Utaha-senpai."

As Kouta greeted her, the girl blinked for a moment. "Ah… Good afternoon, Kouta-kun. Even though, less awkward than yesterday, Utaha responded to Kouta’s greeting without blushing like crazy like yesterday. There was some small pink in her cheek.

"Un… Ah, Utaha-senpai. They just posted the grade… How is your grade? Well, you must be first place…" Kouta tried to start the conversation.

"Um… Just like you said, I’m in first place after all." Utaha said those words like it was natural for them to happen.

After Kouta introduced Eriri, it took less time for him to be alone with Utaha. Usually, Utaha used those little times to get closer at him. But today was different, just like Sunday, Utaha surprisingly kept her distance when they had a conversation.

But as Kouta already got some glimpse of what happened from Eriri. He realized that Utaha might be really conscious of him. Now, he understood how much Utaha took a peek and felt like her eyes were checking on him. It was really obvious for the time and time, she actually stared at his bottom body.

Which made Kouta understand what Eriri meant about ‘she being in heat’. Kouta couldn’t help to amuze with this situation. Seeing her behavior, Kouta was quite sure that what Eriri said to him was true, and that might be something that Kouta could exploit.

"I'm sorry… I was a bit late…" But their time alone was over when Eriri arrived in the audiovisual.

"By the way… There is something I need to do… So can I ask you two something?" Eriri came and requested something from Utaha and Kouta.

"Hm… Well, I’m fine."

"Me too, but what is that?"

"Ok… Can I show the storyboard of this game to someone?" Eriri asked their permission with a serious expression on her face.

"Well, that’s…" Utaha was hesitant and looked at Kouta, of course she found it dangerous to see other people outside their circle in their core project, but she waited for Kouta’s answer.

"Hm… I’m fine with it. But I need more context…" Kouta gave a rational answer, and Eriri nodded when she heard Kouta’s reply.

"You know…  I have a childhood friend, and we are on bad terms with each other. I guess. And you know… in the past we had silly promises to make games together. And we had an argument about the game he wanted to make together with me. So… I want to show him about the game I make now…" Eriri  explained with a wry smile as she felt embarrassed for a moment.

"Ah… Is that so… I’m fine with it." Kouta understood immediately what Eriri was trying to do.

"Well, if Kouta is fine with it. I don’t have a problem either."

"Really, thank you." Eriri sighed in relief and came toward Kouta. "May I request your first proposal storyboard, which you created to show to Utaha?"

"Well, okay. I have it in my hand… but will you be fine?" Kouta gave the paper to Eriri. Eriri gave Kouta a smile and whispered to him.

"Can I borrow Rooftop’s key? I need it."

"Ah… Okay." Kouta nodded and handed Eriri the key without letting Utaha realize it.

"Thanks…" Eriri thanked Kouta, but her face was a bit pale and looked a bit disastrous.

Well, this might be the first time Eriri interacts again with Tomoya, his childhood friend and the male protagonist of the anime Eriri comes from, since after their argument, they didn’t talk to each other.

And from Kouta's perspective, he felt like he had already taken him out of Eriri’s life since she barely mentioned him at all. He never expected to hear that name so soon.

"Is something happening right?" Kouta asked, and he patted her head, "I know you may want to properly handle it by yourself… but I let you know that you can rely on me anytime." Kouta said with a gentle face that was filled with affection as if there was nothing behind his word.

Facing such an attractive man who displayed his affection so aggressively… Eriri’s heart could help to flutter with joy.

"Thanks…" She thanked him again softly and blushed a deep red.

While on the other side, Utaha looked at them with a suspicious stare and maybe felt something akin to jealousy too.

"Good to hear that…"

"Un… if there is something else… I will ask for your help. But… yeah. This is something I want to handle myself." Eriri said it with such a blossoming and happy face.

"Is that so? Please do your best!" Kouta encouraged Eriri.

"Un…" Eriri nodded before she left the audiovisual room, and not long after she left. Kouta felt his smartphone vibrate.

[ Can I sleep over tonight? Please, just give me a reward for my hard work. ]

Kouta read her messages, and he couldn’t help but laugh for a bit. Well, it looks like tonight he will be going to sleep very late.