Chapter 48 - Wannai-san is A Bratty Little She-Dog
All of the heroines, Wannai-san included, shared the same belief:
“Every girl on Earth desperately wants to date Sanada Saiga.”
“Becoming his one true love is the greatest happiness in life.”
“There isn’t a single girl who wouldn’t be overjoyed to receive Sanada Saiga’s affection.”
If you looked at things from that perspective, it became easy to understand why Wannai-san acted that way. To her, choosing to support Mogami-san was nothing more than an act of pure kindness. The very idea that anyone would refuse that goodwill simply did not exist in her mind. That was why she had been so stunned that she could barely speak.
“I-I can’t believe it. I never even imagined someone could think that way…”
“I’m sorry… I mean, I’m not denying that you like him, Wannai-san, but it’s just… I don’t really like him or anything.”
Mogami-san apologized softly as she repeated her refusal, and this time, it seemed Wannai-san finally processed it.
“But that’s just so weird. Saiga is handsome, right?”
“I… guess? I don’t really understand the standards for what counts as handsome or not...”
“Well, personality then! Doesn't he make your heart race with how kind he is?”
“He seems like someone who's kind to everyone. But... that's kind of it, isn't it?”
“Then what about, um… you know! Your instincts as a female? Like… like wanting to have his children or something—”
“W-w-w-what do you mean instincts!? We're not animals, Wannai-san...!”
Hey, now. Don’t suddenly turn into a she-dog in heat, Wannai-san.
She was so shaken she started spouting a bunch of nonsense.
“Calm down. Here, drink some water.”
"But I only drink juice, you know?"
“…I’ll go get you one. Just try to settle down a little.”
What a cheeky little brat.
Ah, well. I didn’t really mind being pushed around by kids. Our bodies might have been the same age, but my soul was more than ten years older. That was why I wasn’t angry. For a moment I almost thought she was a cheeky little brat in heat, but that was just my imagination. Yes, definitely my imagination.
“Here.”
“Ew, what is this? Orange juice? Why isn’t it carbonated? Pretty weird, no?”
“…I’ll go get you another one.”
"Whatever, it's fine. Since you already brought it, I guess I'll do you the favor of drinking it. You should be grateful."
“T-thanks…”
Damn it. If it were not for the pity I felt for her as the poor, losing heroine, I might’ve just accidentally… cough, well, even if I got irritated, I would never yell at a kid or raise a hand against one, so my attitude would not have changed anyway. This was what it meant to be an adult.
Handling a cheeky little brat was nothing to me. Or so I told myself while swallowing my frustration.
Then, when I happened to glance to the side, I saw Mogami-san gazing at me with a dreamy look in her eyes.
“…Fuhih. Sato-kun, you’re so kind and wonderful…”
M-Man, Mogami-san sure laughs weirdly sometimes. Maybe it's because she's such a bookworm, but she just has these moments where she gets lost in her own world and starts grinning.
It seemed that she had sensed some kindness from me in the little exchange I had with Wannai-san. I tried to explain that I wasn’t actually being kind, that it was only because of the pity I felt for her… but before I could say anything, Wannai-san started talking and the chance slipped away
“Wait, no way. Fuko, don’t tell me… you like this Saito guy!?”
Who the hell is Saito?
…Oh. Me.
This cheeky little brat… she can't even be bothered to remember my name. That's it, I'm done. I will definitely make her cry someday.
“…It’s Sato-kun. Don’t ever get his name wrong again.”
See? Even Mogami-san had gotten angry. And, true to her 'puppy' nature, Wannai-san looked intimidated and was completely scared stiff.
"Eek! I-I-I-I'm so sorry!"
The fact that she was able to immediately apologize after being called out was one of her good points, too.
Fine. I'll call off my plan to make her cry someday. A real gentleman is supposed to be forgiving, anyway.
“Sato, huh… Sato. Hey, what’s your first name? I’m not really good at calling people by their last names.”
Then again, 'Sato' is a super common last name, so maybe that's why she couldn't remember it. If that's the case, maybe I can cut her some slack.
“Sato-kun’s first name… is ‘Sato.’”
“Huh? So his full name is Sato Sato? Isn’t that weird?”
“It’s not weird! If… if I tell you his first name, you’ll start calling him by it, too, right?”
“Why else would I want to know someone’s name?”
“Th-then… then his first name is Sato! You can keep calling Sato-kun as Sato!”
No, no. Mogami-san, that's not going to fly.
But, still... how do I put this... dammit, she's so cute.
She probably just didn’t like the idea of other girls calling me by my first name.
Was this what they called a maiden's heart? This girl was just really super endearing and cute—.
