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Chapter 140 - 139: Mere Love Triangle Drama

"I passed the audition today! The director even praised my acting. Too bad it was already dark by the time I finished. Otherwise, I would've called everyone to celebrate."

In the living room, the two girls sat on either side of Makoto. 

Ichika was cheerfully talking about her audition, her voice loud enough to drown out the TV commercials.

"That's definitely worth celebrating," Makoto said.

"So I came here to find you," Ichika said, beaming. "Though it's too late for dinner, at least you can keep me company, right?"

Nino abruptly cut in. "And this is why you're not going home tonight?"

"Huh? I never said I was spending the night. Nino, why is your mind jumping to weird conclusions?"

"Am I jumping, or are you lying?"

Instead of responding, Ichika turned to Makoto and said, 

"The film I auditioned for has a character who's a teenage boy in a suit. I couldn't stop thinking this afternoon that you'd be perfect for that role."

"I'm really not interested in acting," Makoto replied.

Ichika blinked at him, smiling sweetly. "I know. But even if you're not going to act, you could still wear a suit—for me."

Before Makoto could answer, Nino cut in sharply. "No way! Suits are off-limits!"

Makoto in a suit totally clashed with her taste.

And besides, Nino knew full well Ichika was competing with her—otherwise she wouldn't have sidestepped her question earlier.

So she stood up without hesitation and looked down at them. "I think Ichika's idea is terrible."

Ichika calmly looked at her sister. "Oh? Do you have a different opinion?"

Nino did.

Her gaze shifted to Makoto, eyes brimming with anticipation. "I think Makoto would look great with dyed blond hair—like a delinquent straight out of a manga."

Then she reached toward Makoto. As he started to move, she added, "Don't move."

She undid the top two buttons of his shirt.

Her expression turned even more satisfied as her eyes reflected his collarbone. 

"I knew it—this suits you so much more. Just the hair color needs to change."

Ichika, seeing Nino actually touching him, started to lose her composure. "Nino, don't you think calling my sense of style awful is a bit strange?"

"Why would it be?"

"If Makoto really looked like a delinquent, he'd give a lot of people a headache."

"I think you're the only one who'd be bothered."

"I knew you'd say that. Why don't we ask Makoto and see whose opinion he agrees with?"

Both girls turned toward Makoto simultaneously.

"What do you think, Makoto?" Nino asked, tension in her gaze.

Ichika smiled smugly. "You're not into the delinquent look, are you?"

Makoto slowly raised a finger. "Hold on, I have an idea."

"What idea?" ×2

"I could wear the suit Ichika likes, pair it with a shirt, unbutton the top like Nino suggested, and dye my hair blond. That way, I satisfy both your tastes, right?"

Ichika and Nino: "…"

Neither of the girls responded.

They looked at each other briefly, then quickly looked away.

What started as a competition between sisters ended up with a solution where no one got to win alone.

Now look what happened—neither of them was happy anymore.

Makoto observed the scene, thinking to himself, You think a little love triangle is enough to hold me back?

He deliberately stood up and made a show of heading toward the bedroom. 

"I think I really do have a blond wig at home. I also have a suit. Since we're all free right now, I'll go change and show you what I'd look like."

"No!"

Nino instinctively grabbed Makoto's right arm.

Ichika was momentarily stunned. Nino, you're going hands-on again? Just how sly have you become?

Initially, she had been curious enough to want to see what kind of strange outfit Makoto was talking about.

But now, she'd changed her mind.

She grabbed his left arm as well.

Seeing that his goal was achieved, Makoto said, "I was joking. I just wanted to change into pajamas."

"Really?" Nino asked, skeptical.

"Of course it's true. I do have a suit, but I've never bought a wig, nor do I have any hair dye."

Only then did Nino let go.

Then she and Makoto both looked at Ichika, who was still holding on.

Ichika, turning on her acting skills, smiled sweetly. "Why are you two looking at me?"

Nino gritted her teeth and was just about to act when Makoto lifted a hand and gave Ichika's little backside a firm pat.

"Let go already. I need to change," he said.

Nino froze.

He just smacked Ichika's butt?

And he did it so naturally, like it was no big deal?

If I hadn't let go, would he have smacked me too?

Compared to Nino's shock, Ichika only blushed a little and then let go naturally.

Once Makoto entered the bedroom, the two sisters fell into simultaneous silence, as if they had agreed to it beforehand.

For a moment, the only sound in the living room was the television.

"Nino, what are you thinking?" Ichika decided to probe first.

Nino gave her sister a complicated look. "You and Makoto... exactly what is going on between you two..."

She trailed off before finishing the question.

Ichika's face was still tinged with a flush as she chuckled softly. "Take a guess."

"I won't guess!"

Nino quickly lowered her voice, her face cold. "But if you're not going home tonight, then neither am I."

"Are you serious?"

"It's not like you're the only one who likes him."

That one clean line from Nino rendered Ichika speechless.

"Jeez." This time, Ichika's helpless expression wasn't acting. She even sighed. 

"During today's audition, the director heard I had four sisters and said my house must be noisy. Sisters always like to fight over things."

Nino's face turned slightly red.

Ichika looked her sister up and down and said in a low voice, "Looks like the director was right. Sisters don't just fight over stuff—they fight over people too."

"Like your little war with Yukinoshita?" Nino suddenly said.

Ichika was stunned. The question caught her completely off guard.

Seeing her reaction, Nino couldn't help feeling a little smug. 

"I may not talk to Yukinoshita much, but you seem to have forgotten—besides you, there's someone else in our family who gets along quite well with her."

"Was it Itsuki who told you?" Ichika finally realized.

Nino's confidence was surging again. "To be exact, I asked Itsuki. You didn't hide your conflicts with Yukinoshita from her. Did you really think she wouldn't remember?"

Damn it, why would that airhead Itsuki tell Nino all this?

She was supposed to be on my side—I even gave her so many treats. How could she switch sides like this?

Ichika was feeling conflicted.

Now that Nino knew about her rivalry with Yukinoshita, she would definitely see it as Ichika competing with Yukinoshita for Makoto.

In that case, if Nino tried to do the same, she wouldn't feel any guilt or hesitation.

She could even say out loud, "I learned this move from my big sister."

The more Ichika thought about it, the worse the situation seemed.

Meanwhile, Makoto stood just behind the bedroom door.

He really was changing into pajamas—after all, they were more comfortable.

But after changing, he didn't come back out. Instead, he sneakily stayed by the door.

He was gathering intel.

Until now, it hadn't been hard for him to hold both girls' hands.

The tricky part was getting them to hold each other's hands in peace.

Conveniently, the solution to that tricky issue had presented itself tonight.

Earlier, instead of using words to get Ichika to let go, he had smacked her soft, round little butt. He did that specifically for Nino to see.

Nino had already been competing with Ichika that night. Her fighting spirit was flaring. So by giving her that extra little push, he could crack the stalemate.

He really was shameless.

Seeing that the two sisters had fallen silent, Makoto finally stepped out and said, "I just realized it's kind of boring for us to sit here doing nothing. Do you two want to do something?"

"No," both girls answered in unison.

Neither of them had the mental capacity to think about what to do. Their minds were full of all sorts of personal schemes.

As everyone knows, timing is everything when launching a group attack.

Makoto seized the moment. "Since you don't know what to do, I could give you a little private tutoring session—"

"I object!"

Ichika immediately reacted the moment she heard the word "tutoring."

She had no intention of turning this night into a study session.

Before Nino could say anything, she jumped in, "Do you have any videotapes, Makoto? I think watching a movie at night would be just perfect."

"I agree. Let's watch a movie," Nino chimed in.

Makoto turned to rummage through a drawer. "I've got tapes. Most of them are tokusatsu shows and a few horror films."

"Then let's watch a horror movie!" Ichika's eyes lit up with an idea.

"Eh?" Nino froze. Horror was not her thing.

She clenched her little fists, convinced that Ichika just wanted to see her freak out in embarrassment.

Nino steeled herself. She would keep her composure no matter what.

But when the movie started, she was the one sitting next to Makoto and could no longer keep calm.

She bit her lip tightly, unwilling to embarrass herself in front of Ichika or the boy she liked.

What she didn't expect was that just when a classic "jump scare" scene played out, while she was still trying to hold it in, Ichika loudly cried out, "So scary!" and dove straight into Makoto's arms.

Nino: "???"

So dirty!

Only now did she realize Ichika had never intended to watch Nino embarrass herself. The horror film was part of a calculated plan from the start.

Her heart soured as she turned to look at her sister hugging Makoto with a pleased expression.

But just then, Makoto looked over and met her gaze—and held out his other arm toward her.

Nino hesitated for less than a second. With a mixture of surprise and delight, she leaned into his embrace just like Ichika.

And once again, the two sisters locked eyes.

Before they could resume their duel, Makoto casually gave each of them a soft pat on the butt.

"Watch the movie properly."

Both girls blushed and fell silent.

Makoto smoothly pulled both of their soft, fragrant bodies into his arms.

A mere love triangle?

He would crush it effortlessly.

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