Ch.287Fashion Guy Shota (3)

“I… really don’t like you! Kiryu Umi!!”

Biwashima Aki shouted loudly.

By the way… it suddenly struck me that Umi’s surname “Kiryu” was incredibly cool. It was the kind of name that seemed capable of defeating any enemy. If Umi had seriously trained in martial arts, she might have been called “The Dragon of Emoshita.” Maybe I should start training Umi now…

“Umi. Repeat after me.”

I said while hugging her.

“Okay. Awajeng.”

Umi replied without a hint of suspicion.

“Only those who wish to die, come at me!!”

I shouted the line.

“Only dose who wish to die, come at me!”

Umi also clenched her fist and repeated after me. Her pronunciation was slightly off, but that couldn’t be helped. Umi tended to regress a bit when she was with me. As if I were somehow absorbing her intelligence. Umi… I hope she doesn’t get any dumber.

“Umi… grow up healthy.”

I patted her head. Huh? Why are tears welling up in my eyes?

“Ehehe. Shota. Pat me more.”

Umi said with a silly grin.

“What are you two doing?!! Pay attention to me!! I said I don’t like you!! I declared it quite impressively!!”

Aki shouted loudly.

“Ah. But why? Do you feel anger toward someone you’ve never met before?”

Umi tilted her head.

“No!! We’ve clearly met before!! We’ve done photoshoots together!!”

Aki shouted while scratching her head.

“Hmm… did we? Sorry. I just look at my phone when it’s not my turn.”

Umi said.

“Arrrgh!!!”

Aki clicked her tongue in frustration.

“My, my. It seems Miss Umi has innocently provoked Miss Biwashima’s fighting spirit.”

At that moment, Andre-san smoothly slipped in beside me. This guy… his infiltration skills are impressive.

“Miss Biwashima Aki is also one of our magazine’s high school models. I’ve been keeping an eye on her talent as well.”

Andre continued speaking as he pleased.

“Aki is a good model, but it seems she feels inferior to Miss Umi. It’s been about a year since I noticed her one-sided rivalry.”

Andre said while adjusting his sunglasses.

“A year?!! For such a long time?”

And yet Umi’s self-centered obliviousness about Aki is frightening!!

“Yes, that’s right. I’m worried because Aki has been losing her pace due to her competitive spirit.”

Andre said.

“Hmm…..”

I roughly understood the complicated situation.

“I wonder if… Shota-boy might be able to help me. That’s what I’m hoping for.”

And then Andre looked at me with a strange gaze.

“Well… since it’s Umi’s workplace, it wouldn’t be good if there were troubles.”

I said as I stood up.

“Ufufu. I knew the boyfriend who cares for his girlfriend would say that.”

Andre laughed.

I immediately approached Umi and Aki, who were engaged in their psychological warfare.

“Anyway, Aki-chan. You want to defeat Umi fair and square as a model, right?”

I said to Aki.

“What? You. Don’t interfere.”

Aki glared at me. Having such a fierce blonde girl glare at me… my heart strangely skipped a beat. That’s right. I had a thing for gyaru types.

“Why are you blushing?!”

Aki immediately got angry.

“Hey!! Don’t flirt with my boyfriend!!”

Umi immediately got angry too.

“I wasn’t flirting!!!”

Aki said, genuinely indignant.

“Anyway!!! Then let’s have a contest!! If we clearly determine a winner and loser this time, would that satisfy you, Aki?”

I said.

“Yes!! That’s what I want!!! Spiky-head!!”

Aki shouted loudly.

“Is it okay if the winner gets to give an order to the loser?”

I casually suggested.

“Yes!!! I definitely have something I want to order!!”

Aki’s eyes sparkled as she said that.

“Eh? W-what are you going to make me do…”

Umi made a displeased face and hid behind me.

“I, I want you to properly acknowledge me as your rival. If, if possible, as a friend too… and I’d appreciate it if you followed me back on social media.”

Aki mumbled shyly.

Wow. She’s cute.

Umi! Aki is gathering her courage to ask to be friends! Umi! You should respond to that…

She’s not listening. I closed my eyes tightly. Umi was always like this. She would just space out when faced with topics she wasn’t interested in. Umi embodied every characteristic of someone who wasn’t good at studying.

“Fine. As long as you don’t make me do anything weird.”

Umi said in an indifferent tone.

“That’s what I don’t like!!!”

Aki immediately got angry.

“Umi, isn’t there anything you want to make Aki do?”

I asked Umi with a pleading look.

“Don’t flirt with our boyfriend. Don’t fall for him either.”

Umi hugged me possessively.

“I won’t fall for him!!!”

Aki got angry.

“Umi!! You have three photos left to shoot, right? Let’s compete there!! Let’s see who can take better photos!!”

Aki shouted loudly.

Better photos… the criteria are a bit vague. It would be better if it were like kendo where both wear the same outfit. At least the results would be objective.

“Oh, I’ll take care of that. Shota-boy. I am a fashion authority, after all.”

Andre said. Right. Andre would handle everything cleanly and neatly.

And so, the competition began.

I could tell Umi to lose on purpose… but Umi had her competitive spirit too. It was right to let them have a fair match in this case. That’s… youth, after all. Besides, Aki wouldn’t want that either.

Anyway, the three photos of Umi and me together were completed.

After that, Aki took her turn for the photoshoot.

“I thought she was just a girl with strong pride and a tsundere attitude… but models really are different.”

Her impression completely changed once she was in front of the camera. I don’t know much about fashion, but I could tell that Aki had talent.

And then… Andre soon came to a conclusion with a serious expression.

“Miss Umi is the winner.”

At those words, Aki fell silent.

“………”

She didn’t offer any objections. Aki too, deep in her soul, acknowledged her defeat.

“I need to use the bathroom for a moment.”

Aki said, then headed toward the corridor.

“……….”

Somehow this left a bad aftertaste. Just as I was thinking that.

Thump-!

Umi patted my back.

“I don’t like the idea of Shota comforting other girls… but let’s go comfort her together.”

Umi said.

“Heh. That’s the right thing to do, isn’t it?”

Umi… started showing consideration!! I was moved to tears by this.

Umi and I immediately ran toward the bathroom.

“Yare yare. Youth is such a splendid thing.”

Andre’s voice echoed from behind us.

———–

Umi and I immediately headed to the women’s bathroom where Aki had gone.

Clack-!!!

Umi opened each stall one by one, looking for Aki.

“Aki, come out!!! Biwashima Aki!!!”

Umi shouted loudly as she opened each bathroom door.

“This stall!! This is the only stall that’s locked!!”

I immediately shouted.

“There’s no sign that anyone else entered the bathroom besides Aki!! It must be Aki in this stall!!”

Umi immediately started frantically knocking on the bathroom stall.

“Aki!! Come out and let’s talk!! Okay?”

Umi shouted loudly.

We came to comfort her, but somehow it turned into a scene of harassment.

“………..”

Nevertheless, Aki stubbornly maintained her silence, pretending to be someone else.

“This isn’t working. Let’s pour water on her.”

Umi, forgetting our original purpose, exclaimed with gleaming eyes.

“Umi!!! Get a grip!!!”

What is this crazy woman doing?! That would be actual bullying!!!

“In times like this, we need a sergeant jump.”

I said decisively, and leaped high.

Thud-!!

I landed on top of the bathroom stall with precision.

There was Aki, crouched down and crying.

“What are you crazy couple doing!!!”

And then Aki burst into loud sobs.

Ah… we got carried away and went too far.

———-

We took Aki to the break room to let her compose herself. After a while, Aki regained her composure.

“Phew……”

Aki stopped crying.

“I’m… really pathetic. Feeling inferior to you on my own… harboring bad feelings toward you.”

Aki said with her head bowed low.

“I… was quite confident as a model. I thought I had talent. But… because of you, Umi, that confidence was shattered. So I just acted spiteful. I’m… really ugly.”

Aki’s eyes welled up with tears.

“………”

Umi seemed unsure of how to comfort her. Can’t be helped. Time for me to step in.

“Is it bad to feel inferior?”

I asked Aki.

“Huh? Well… it is bad.”

Aki looked at me with round eyes, surprised by my unexpected question.

“To envy someone… to genuinely feel inferior means you’re serious about your dream. You’re facing your dream sincerely. That’s much better than the many mediocre people in this world.”

“………!!”

“Envy more, be more greedy. It’s proof that you’re serious about your life.”

I finished what I wanted to say.

“……….!!”

Aki just stared at me with a blank expression. Perhaps from crying so much, her cheeks were flushed.

“I can see why the proud Umi is so into you. I understand why she suddenly started shining after meeting you.”

Aki smiled and stood up.

“I still… think Umi is amazing. That’s why I get jealous.”

Aki said.

“Feel free to be jealous. I don’t mind.”

Umi also smiled slightly as she spoke.

“Yeah. And… if possible, I’d like to be friends with Umi. Would that be okay?”

Aki asked hesitantly.

“Sure. No reason why not.”

Umi said plainly. Yet she seemed pleased to have made a new friend.

Heh. Did my comfort… work? My talent for solving problems by running my mouth was frightening.

“Ah. Then… what about the winner’s request, what will you ask for?”

At that moment, Aki asked.

“Hmm… what I said earlier. Don’t fall for Shota. Don’t flirt with him either.”

Umi’s request was simple.

“…That might be difficult.”

Aki blushed slightly and mumbled.

“…Huh?”

I was taken aback by her words. W-when did I trigger this flag?

“Hey. You little…”

Umi’s expression immediately hardened.

I learned a lesson that day: women’s friendships can form quickly and break just as easily.