Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Sanada Minako was almost stomping her feet in anger.
She had a big fight with Nogami Izumi, and they almost came to blows. In the past, she would never have offended Izumi like this, but she was so consumed by anger that she couldn't hold back... Before, she might have worried about Izumi's retaliation, as Izumi hated anyone who went against her, but now she had no mind for such things.
If she lost to Miyajima Sakura, okay, she'd accept it.
Losing to Kobayashi Ayaka… that was also acceptable.
But why!?
Why should she lose to that flat-chested Hinata Sae!? Does that person have any charm whatsoever!? Why!? As the saying goes, ten years of friendship in this world can't compare to a couple of pounds of flesh on the chest. Could that possibly be a lie? Are the ancients dishonest and only deceive me?
Just looking at Hinata Sae's confident expression earlier, Sanada Minako already guessed that what she said was mostly true. With that low IQ, she definitely couldn't act out such a profound expression.
"Don't worry, Menako… and Izumi, you don't need to argue. The plan you two couldn't complete, I'll finish it."
↑ These were Hinata Sae's last words. After she finished speaking, she walked out of the tiered classroom.
It was less of a promise and more of a boast.
Seeing the third member of this team show such a boastful expression, and the "capital for boasting" was snatching away her original prey… it was enough to make Sanada Minako's heavy chest ache with anger. Damn it! She had to ask that scoundrel for a detailed explanation.
So, when her mood calmed down a little, she sent a message to Hayato.
Sanada Minako originally wanted to use a questioning tone, but she managed to hold back. Hinata Sae might be causing trouble, and although the above statement could largely be considered true, Sanada Minako couldn't fall into that girl's trap, even if there was a one in ten thousand chance.
Moreover, even if what she said was true, Menako felt that it wasn't impossible to turn the tide. If she completely broke up with Hayato in a fit of anger, that would be a complete and utter defeat.
And Sanada Minako pondered for a moment, feeling that something was still not quite right.
Firstly, she heard gossip this morning about something happening to a delinquent from High School. She had previously investigated the backgrounds of those delinquents who had tried to harass her. If she wasn't mistaken, those were the ones who had trouble. And they encountered an accident right after harassing her. Sanada Minako was eighty percent sure that Hayato was taking revenge for her.
One might ask, if that guy had no good feelings for him at all, would he go to such lengths?
Secondly, he also asked her for her laptop and often talked about Kobayashi Ayaka. If he had no feelings for her, he wouldn't frequently discuss such private topics.
After a brief moment of further thought, Sanada Minako came to a conclusion. Hinata Sae's words were largely true, but she definitely concealed some minor details.
So she deleted the angry lines, thought for a moment, and sent a message:
"Do you have time? I'd like to talk to you after school today. I'll wait for you at the school gate. It's very important. I hope you'll definitely come."
This time, it was almost an instant reply. Menako quickly received a message back.
"Okay, see you there"
"?"
"See you there, sorry, I'm exercising, a bit out of breath."
"It's fine."
Menako clutched her phone, a triumphant expression on her face.
Although this was only the first step, as long as he was willing to meet her, it couldn't be considered a complete failure.
…
Under the lush green shade, Sanada Minako immediately spotted the remarkably outstanding Hayato.
Menako put away her bared fangs, patted her cheeks, and forced a sweet smile. She raised her small hand and waved:
"Senior Kobayashi~~~~?"
"Hello, Sanada," Hayato said with a nod.
Sanada Minako's smile instantly cooled by half. She fiddled with her fingers and said, somewhat unaccustomed, "…Senior Kobayashi, why are you so distant today? Didn't you used to call me 'Minako-chan'…?"
"Ah, speaking of that." Hayato scratched his head, a little embarrassed: "I thought about it afterwards, and it seems not so good to always address a girl that way. It might cause misunderstandings and probably cause you trouble, right?"
Sanada Minako didn't speak. She narrowed her eyes:
"Was it Sae… who told you to do that?"
"Ah… mm…" Hayato seemed a little flustered, waving his hands in front of him: "N-no, don't, don't overthink it, it's not like that."
It really was that bitch!! Sanada Minako almost ground her teeth to dust, her knuckles turning white from clenching, but she couldn't show it. She endured and endured, practically squeezing the words out from between her teeth: "Senior Kobayashi, so your relationship with… Sae… is that good."
"Mm…" Hayato smiled shyly: "Actually, um… I met her even later than I met you."
Sanada Minako's fingernails were practically digging into the flesh of her palm. That girl actually came from behind and overtook her! Why!? What on earth did she have!?
"...Let's go eat something." Sanada Minako could already feel the muscles in her face twitching in disbelief.
"That's not a good idea," Hayato said, somewhat hesitantly. "…I have something to do at home."
Sanada Minako's heart went cold again. Since when did it become so difficult to make plans with this guy?… It must be that bitch Hinata Sae's doing. But this guy actually listens to that bitch! Why is that bitch so lucky?
Could it be that this scoundrel really fell for her?
Sanada Minako took a deep breath, barely managing to keep her true nature hidden. "I… I want to talk to you about Sae…"
"Then, let's talk as we walk." Hayato walked towards the subway station with his hands in his jacket pockets.
"I don't think I've ever heard you mention Sae before," Sanada Minako said.
"Hmm… I'm a bit embarrassed…" Hayato chuckled, "It always feels a little shy…"
Shy?
Sanada Minako's heart sank even further. As a female delinquent who understood human nature, she had more or less figured out what kind of feelings Hayato harbored for Hinata Sae. She held back, then finally decided to get straight to the point:
"Senior Kobayashi, do you like Sae?"
She secretly observed Hayato's micro-expressions. He froze, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks, and he scratched his head as if uncomfortable… Sanada Minako already knew the answer.
"She's… very cute, isn't she?"
Cute my *ss—Sanada Minako originally wanted to reply that way, but being too vulgar would ruin Hayato's impression of her. She quickly bit her tongue, forcing herself to stop the words: "…Indeed."
"Hinata-san… Sae… she's very much like a puppy, you know." Hayato put his hands in his jacket pockets, turned to Sanada Minako, and smiled. His crescent-shaped eyes held a light called 'yearning': "I've always loved 'dogs' since I was little. Looking at Sae, I feel like she'll 'woof woof' and I even get the illusion that she might nip at my sleeve. She's just too cute."
A… a puppy?
Sanada Minako was stunned. Although Sae had cat-like eyes, her demeanor was indeed more like a small dog. This much, that scoundrel had said perfectly. But… because she was like a puppy, he found her cute?
She couldn't quite understand. Was it because of that scoundrel's 'moe' point… no, should she just say his XP was special?
"Actually," Hayato said, as if confiding his heart, "Sanada-san, you're also very cute, but you don't have that 'woof woof' feeling like Sae does."
He smiled innocently.
Sanada Minako, however, couldn't echo that smile; her tears were welling up inside. Just because… she was like a puppy, Hinata Sae was more liked by this scoundrel than her? Just because of that, she had to lose to that *sshole?
Hayato tilted his head, looking at Sanada Minako.
Sanada Minako's hands hung down, her fingers curled and pointed at the ground, then she placed them on her soft chest, and then she stuck out her pink tongue:
"Woof, woof."
"…"
"I-is that right?"
"Hmm…"
Hayato tilted his head, as if something had been touched.
"Woof, woof! Awoooo—" Sanada Minako desperately imitated a puppy's sounds and demeanor: "…Now, Senior Kobayashi, can you imagine it?"
Hayato reached out to touch Sanada Minako's hair.
Menako originally wanted to step back, but she suppressed it and stood still.
Hayato first ruffled Sanada Minako's head, then scratched her chin.
"W-wait… that tickles…" Sanada Minako resisted slightly.
Then she saw the displeased look on Hayato's face after she spoke.
She quickly changed her tone.
"Woof, woof… awooo, awooo… woof…"
She even rubbed her head against Hayato's hand.
At this, Hayato's smile became more pleasant.
Sanada Minako also began to feel happy. Senior Kobayashi didn't resist, which meant she still had a chance against Hinata Sae!
She still had the advantage!!
…
"Wow—"
Aiya Yayoi sat at the dining table looking at the phone Hayato handed her. A video was playing on the phone screen.
A girl, roughly high school age, was making pleading 'woof woof' sounds at the camera. Yayoi looked at Hayato with a complex expression, then back at the phone screen: "You have such strange tastes."
Hayato was in the kitchen, stewing chicken soup. While controlling the heat, he said, "Isn't it interesting?"
"If I didn't know she was already a bad girl, I'd definitely suspect you're a pervert… No, even knowing she's a bad girl, I still suspect you're a pervert." Aiya Yayoi threw the phone aside as if her hands were dirty. After thinking for a moment, she stood up and walked out of the kitchen.
Her delicate lips approached Hayato's ear, and she softly called out:
"Woof, woof…"
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