Yuria was right on the edge of outing herself as an otaku thanks to her own slip of the tongue.
"Um, uh..."
Her eyes spun in circles as she desperately scrambled for an excuse. She was uncharacteristically panicked, and it was clear I was the only one who could provide her with some cover.
"M-Miyama? When she says 'discs,' she's just using a general term for things like music CDs. And an 'oshi-shelf' is, well... I think she means a shelf you push or pull, you know? Like the sliding kind?"
I knew it was a painfully weak excuse, but I threw it out there anyway to bail her out.
"Ohhh! Airi didn't know that. You sure are smart, Ryouta!"
"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah."
Because the explanation came from me, Miyama believed it without a single doubt. Seeing her trust me so implicitly filled me with an intense wave of guilt. If I had tried that line on Rui Kuroki, she would have seen through me in a heartbeat, especially with how much my voice was shaking.
"But Yuria, I didn't think you were interested in idols or K-pop singers, so that's a surprise. Whose CDs do you have?"
"U-Um..."
Yuria was still in total "um-uh" mode, her hands flailing about. Usually, she was such a confident, composed gyaru; I couldn't believe she was falling apart like this. Since the three of us normally got along so well, maybe she had just let her guard down a little too much?
I scanned our surroundings, looking for anything I could use to change the subject and throw her another lifeline. Then, something caught my eye.
"O-Oh, right! Miyama! Ice cream! You want some? My treat."
I pointed toward a Thirteen Plus One ice cream parlor just down the street.
"Really!? Ryouta, you're treating me!?"
"I am, I am!"
"Airi wants a Triple! Can I? Is it okay!?"
Miyama lunged at me like a puppy jumping on an owner holding a treat. Her massive breasts slammed into my chest repeatedly, the sheer elasticity nearly knocking me off my feet. It felt less like a hug and more like high-stakes sumo collision practice.
"A-All right, I get it. I'll buy you whatever you want, just..."
"Yay! Ryouta, you're so generous!"
"Phew..."
Well, if I could resolve this situation for the price of some ice cream, it was a bargain. Besides, I figured the "collision practice" with those breasts was enough to make it worth my while.
Our cardboard search was officially put on hold as Miyama dashed into the shop to make her selection. Yuria and I followed her in, though for some reason, Yuria stopped right in front of the azuki flavor.
"Ryouta, um..."
Yuria glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, looking genuinely apologetic.
"S-Sorry."
"It's fine. You don't need to—"
"I think I want some ice cream, too."
"Huh?"
Yuria went ahead and ordered an Azuki Single. Meanwhile, Miyama was still agonizing over her choices, so Yuria and I sat down at one of the small tables to wait for her.
"Ryouta... thanks for the backup earlier. And for the ice cream."
Sitting directly across from me, Yuria spoke softly while licking her azuki ice cream. Watching her stick her tongue out right in front of me was a little... well, honestly, it was incredibly erotic.
"Hey, Ryouta? Were you just thinking about something weird?"
"Ahem... Anyway, Yuria, if I hadn't covered for you, Miyama would have figured out you were an otaku for sure. Why are you making so many slips today?"
"That's because! I-I don't know, it's just that you were constantly praising Airi, and you kept grinning while you looked at her chest... it was just... irritating."
"I wasn't staring at her chest! ...Well, I can't say I wasn't looking at all, but why would that make you irritated, Yuria?"
"I-I don't know myself, but it just did!"
"It just did," she says... Was she saying she couldn't keep her cool because I was there? Was she actually shifting the blame onto me?
"...A-Anyway, I'm sorry, Ryouta. I'll be more careful from now on."
With that, Yuria finished her ice cream and stood up.
"I'm gonna go wash my hands. Stay here and relax with Airi."
"O-Oh, okay."
Just as Yuria headed toward the back, Miyama arrived to take her place, beckoning me over.
"Ryouta, Ryouta! I decided which ones I want!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."
Miyama had picked out a Triple that included some popping candy ice cream. Once I paid for it, she began eating with a look of pure bliss.
"Mmm~ I love this popping sensation!"
She looked like she’d completely forgotten about her earlier suspicion. Good, good... wait. I had been so focused on Yuria that I almost forgot.
"Hey, Miyama. By the way, back there, you almost said something about our 'job' right in front of Ichinose."
"Ahhh, sorry about that! Since you were right next to me, it just kind of slipped out."
"B-Because I was there? I’m the reason you had a slip-up?"
"Yep! So, sorry, okay?"
Miyama spoke with a smile, the ice cream making little popping sounds inside her mouth. I felt like I had no choice but to forgive her—in more ways than one.
"I know! Ryouta, do you want a taste of the popping ice cream?"
"Eh?"
"Should Airi give you an 'aahn'?"
"Is... is that really okay?"
"Why are you getting all formal on me?"
First yesterday, and now today? Was I really getting another Indirect Kiss Chance with Miyama?! Buying this ice cream was the best decision of my life!
"Well then, don't mind if I—"
"If you want ice cream that badly, how about I buy you some myself? Ryouta?"
Before I knew it, Yuria had returned and was standing directly behind me. I felt a massive wave of déjà vu from the last time she’d blocked an indirect kiss. She was smiling, but I could feel the sheer, unadulterated will radiating off her—she was absolutely not going to let this happen.
"Ahaha... just kidding."
"Eh? Well, if Ryouta says so, Airi will just have to eat it all herself!"
I had a feeling that if I crossed Yuria now, things would get a lot more explosive than popping candy, so I wisely turned the offer down.