Seeing that the person was Dango-chan, Masuzu opened her mouth in shock. It took her a moment to process.
"Dango-chan… Why are you here?"
This convenience store should be quite far from Yuigahama's house.
Though she wasn't particularly interested, since Yuu and Yuigahama lived close to each other, Masuzu had unintentionally learned her address—that's why she found it odd.
Why did she run into her here?
Could it be that she, too, deliberately came here to "coincidentally" meet Yuu, putting them on the same path?
Thinking this, Masuzu immediately became wary.
"Me? I'm just here to pick up a package since my mom ordered from the wrong store…" Yuigahama blinked, still recovering from her surprise. Her eyes kept darting between Masuzu and the small box on the shelf.
"My business isn't important… Natsukawa-san, were you just about to buy that… rubber thing?"
"…"
Masuzu fell silent. Various excuses flashed through her mind, including the option to turn and leave.
But in front of her number-one rival, she finally composed her expression to remain calm, like a queen plucking a small grape from a plate. She elegantly pinched the small box between two fingers.
"Yes, so what?"
"I have a boyfriend. Isn't it normal to think a bit about my safety?"
Masuzu raised an eyebrow. As long as she didn't feel embarrassed, the one who'd be embarrassed was the person who caught her! Though this situation could hardly be called getting caught.
"Eh? Y-yeah, that's normal… Wait, am I overreacting?" Yuigahama's eyes showed confusion. After briefly doubting herself, she suddenly realized, "No, that's not it! Natsukawa-san, by buying this, does that mean you two have already… already…"
"Exactly." Facing her incredulous stare, Masuzu let out a long sigh. She placed her other hand on her smooth cheek, looking down sadly.
"Don't be fooled by Yuu's usual polite and gentle demeanor. In bed, he's a beast in a suit… So wild and passionate, every day at least three or four Mr. Okamotos get ruined. It'd be bad if I didn't stock up."
"Haaah, I see, so you haven't done it." Yuigahama let out a relieved sigh, her face still flushed.
"You…" Masuzu's expression stiffened, and she stared at her with a twitching mouth. "Why are you so relieved? Do you think I'm lying?"
"Because your joking expression is way too obvious." Yuigahama smiled, her honest gaze meeting Masuzu's. "And if you were really showing off, your face wouldn't be that red. Most importantly, there's no way the gentle Yuu is a beast in a suit!"
"Have you tried?" Masuzu quickly caught the crux of her words and frowned.
"Tried… HAAAAH?!" Realizing the implication, Yuigahama frantically waved her hands. Her face turned even redder, and she said in a panic, "No way! I'm still a virgin… I mean, that's not the point! Anyway! I get it now—you haven't done that, but Natsukawa-san is planning to buy it in advance!"
"…Tch." Masuzu clicked her tongue in irritation. Being seen through by Yuigahama made her extremely annoyed.
What irritated her most was feeling embarrassed and awkward because of Yuigahama's words, and without realizing it, she put the condom back on the shelf, as if conceding to her rival.
(Looks like my courage isn't as strong as Zeppeli and the others.)
"Think what you want, I'm leaving."
With three drink bottles in her basket, Masuzu walked around Yuigahama and headed to the cashier.
After paying, she noticed Yuigahama hurriedly grabbing her package and following her out of the store.
"Natsukawa-san, wait for me!"
Masuzu frowned. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned to the side, like a hedgehog bristling with spines. Her eyes looked at Yuigahama warily.
"What? You want these drinks? Like a wanderer in the desert willing to drink their own urine to quench their thirst, are you trying to get these drinks from me?"
"So full of JoJo vibes…" Yuigahama gave a wry smile. She was used to her attitude and theatrics, so it wasn't strange. "I just wanted to ask—since you're preparing for that with Yuu, does that mean you two are officially dating, right?"
"So what if I say yes?"
Masuzu had no intention of answering. She turned and walked away. Her cold, dismissive attitude made Yuigahama pause, but she still stepped forward, persistently asking:
"I like Yuu too. Isn't that reason enough?"
Her tone seemed to say, You're just a fake girlfriend, so why act so smug?
"Like? How easily you say that word…" Feeling increasingly irritated and unable to hide her agitation, Masuzu sharply turned her gaze to Yuigahama, sneering.
"Since you're like that, I'll tell you honestly—Yuu didn't just come to my house, he took care of me when I was sick, kissed me, and made porridge for me! Are you satisfied now?"
"Those things happened too?"
Unexpectedly, Yuigahama only blinked. She didn't seem shaken as Masuzu had imagined. "But even if those things happened, you're not officially dating. Still in a fake relationship?"
"…"
(Enough! What's with this Dango-chan?)
(She's usually silly, fitting her big-chest, small-brain persona, but now she's so direct and aggressive. Was it all an act?!)
(To throw me off guard, she even acted to this extent… Well done, I underestimated you, Dango-chan.)
(You're the Tobio guided by Bucciarati to the Colosseum!)
"So what if we are? And what if we aren't?"
Masuzu took a deep breath, pushing her wavering feelings deep down. She looked at the defeated dog in front of her with the calm of a girlfriend. "I don't need to report my relationship with him to you. If you're really curious, ask him directly. Don't bother me."
"Well, yeah, you're right."
Yuigahama looked at her. Her gaze didn't waver at all, and she even casually countered, "But when it's just a matter of saying 'We're dating' or 'We're not dating,' why does Natsukawa-san always take the long way around?"
"Wouldn't it be easier to make people give up if you were more straightforward?"
Masuzu fell silent. She opened her mouth but couldn't say anything.
For some reason, she didn't dare meet Yuigahama's straightforward, honest gaze. She turned her face away, tightly gripping the plastic bag's handle, and kept walking quickly.
"Yeah, we're dating! So give up already! Yuu's mine alone!"
And Yuigahama's infuriating voice, accompanied by a helpless laugh, came from behind.
"Natsukawa-san, ever since you fell for Yuu, you've gotten worse at lying."
After that sentence, Masuzu's fleeing steps halted.
"…What?"
She slowly turned, bewildered, her eyes wide as she stared straight at Yuigahama behind her.
"You said… I fell for him?"