My stomach was bursting after lunch with Himesaki. Even though the afternoon classes had started, I spent most of the sixth period fighting a losing battle against drowsiness. Hardly a word the teacher said actually made it into my head.
Good grief, that "owner" of mine really overfeeds her pet...
"Ryouta-kun, class is almost over," a voice whispered from my right.
I’d been on the verge of drifting off completely when the sound snapped me back to reality.
"Ru... Rui..."
It looked like she’d been the one to wake me up. I rubbed my eyes and glanced around. Airi and Yuria—the two members of the "Reverse Paper-Scrap Group"—were still fast asleep, just like always. So why did she only bother waking me up?
"Hehe. It’s one thing for Airi or Yuria, but it’s rare to see you dozing off, isn’t it, Ryouta-kun? Especially during Tanabe-sensei’s class. She’s popular, has a fantastic figure... falling asleep now isn’t like you at all."
"Sh-shut up. Everyone has their off days."
"..."
Rui went quiet, fixing me with a frigid stare. For some reason, the air around her felt incredibly heavy today. Well, actually, she was always a "high-humidity" type, wasn't she?
"Your stomach is more distended than usual, and your sleepiness is unnatural for you," she began. "While simple sleep deprivation is a possibility, you don't have dark circles under your eyes today. Furthermore, you didn't yawn even once during the morning, so that hypothesis can be rejected as incorrect. That leaves a lack of concentration and lethargy caused by a blood sugar spike. However, you’re the type who settles for a single rice ball and a fiber-rich zero-calorie cider to save money. I can’t imagine you eating enough on your own to trigger a spike like that."
What was this? She’d started an analysis that sounded like a mathematical proof. Seriously, what was her deal?
"My conclusion... someone intervened in your lunch and forced a massive amount of food on you. And that person is someone other than the three of us. Q.E.D. Am I right, Ryouta-kun?"
The sleep-induced sweat on my skin chilled instantly. I felt a wave of nausea, like I was caught between a horror movie and the messy drama of a soap opera. Her bottomless insight was terrifying.
This was bad. Between this and what had happened before lunch, she’d definitely noticed something. She probably knew everything—or at least enough to enjoy shaking me down.
But I couldn't exactly come clean about Himesaki. I had to pivot.
"Look, Rui, you’ve got it all wrong... I haven’t done anything shady. Please, just trust me."
"Hehe... You sound just like a cheating husband making excuses."
"H-hey, cheating? I’m doing everything for your sake—"
"For my... sake?"
Crap. My tongue slipped.
"Hmm... So that’s how it is."
Her skeptical gaze vanished, replaced by a triumphant smirk.
"Wh-why are you looking so satisfied all of a sudden?"
"Oh, it’s nothing. You’re right. There’s no way someone who gave me a confession like that would ever betray me, right?"
"I-I’m asking what you mean by that!"
Rui seemed to have finished her investigation and reached her own conclusion. Well, if I told her the truth about Himesaki blackmailing me, there was no telling what she’d do to the girl. If she was willing to interpret things in her own way, maybe that was for the best.
"Hehe... You really are such a Mr. Tsundere, Ryouta-kun."
Was I the only one who felt like my words were being dangerously twisted...?