"Probably more than three or four stories tall."
"That's the first time I've heard it put that way. Then let's go with that."
Fushimi Makoto's confidence rekindled Matsukaze Mayu's curiosity.
The two of them were getting along wonderfully. Just listening to Matsukaze Mayu's sweet voice was enough to lift anyone's spirits.
The little expressions of surprise she occasionally made only made her even more adorable.
Fushimi Makoto even wondered whether, if he had an affection meter, he'd be hearing an endless stream of "Affection +1" notifications right now.
He remembered a post he'd seen online: How much did a man have to give a woman who'd never been in a relationship to win her affection?
The answer was: just a little.
A little was enough to win her over and earn an enthusiastic response.
The two of them went to the supermarket to pick out ingredients. Taking the opportunity, Fushimi Makoto said, "Let's make dinner together. Teacher Matsukaze, you can make one of your specialties, too."
Matsukaze Mayu smiled. "Didn't you say you were a great cook? I thought you were planning to handle all of dinner."
"I've never tried anything you've cooked, Teacher Matsukaze. I'm really looking forward to it."
"Got it. Then we'll make it together."
Matsukaze Mayu, usually gentle and sweet, was noticeably more enthusiastic now.
Since this was their first time having dinner together, of course he had to let her feel involved. Even if she wasn't much of a cook, simply telling her, "I'm looking forward to it," would fill her with the motivation and enthusiasm to give it a try.
Whether her cooking tasted good wasn't important.
What mattered was that a woman being willing to cook for a man meant she could be won over.
These were all lessons Fushimi Makoto had learned during the Time Loop.
They picked out ingredients and chatted happily as they went.
Matsukaze Mayu asked about his relationship with the Nakano Quintuplets.
She'd seen the scene outside the school gates earlier.
Fushimi Makoto replied casually, "I'm only really close with Nakano Ichika. It's because she really liked a short story I wrote."
"A short story?" Matsukaze Mayu was clearly interested. Her curvy figure unconsciously leaned closer.
If she moved just a little farther forward, her chest would touch Fushimi Makoto's arm.
That showed just how completely she'd let her guard down around him.
"Yeah, it's just a short story I thought was pretty decent."
Fushimi Makoto took out the little notebook.
Matsukaze Mayu hurriedly took it and began reading intently.
Fushimi Makoto didn't disturb her. He continued picking out meat, when the phone in his pocket suddenly buzzed.
He took it out and saw a message from Yukino.
Yukino: [Do you have any more stories like the one from before that would be suitable for an adaptation?]
No small talk at all—she'd gotten straight to the point, which showed how much she cared.
Fushimi Makoto: [I do. I think I have nine stories that would be suitable for adaptation.]
Nine?
Yukino leaned back in her chair, her beautiful eyes glinting.
She'd been thinking about it ever since she got home. If the Time Loop was real, then Fushimi Makoto had gone out of his way to learn photography and screenwriting for reasons beyond simply distracting himself from his frustration.
Nakano Ichika!
That girl was an actress!
Fushimi Makoto had never hidden the fact that he was trying to win her over.
Yukino immediately concluded that he'd learned those skills to help him win Nakano Ichika over.
If so, what method was he using to win Yukino over?
She'd been thinking about that question ever since she got home.
More than anything, she wanted to learn more.
This was her first time encountering a supernatural phenomenon. It would be a real shame if she couldn't satisfy her curiosity.
Yukino quickly typed out a message: [Didn't Ichika say she wanted to treat us to a meal? I don't have her contact information, so could you pick a time?]
After sending it, her modest chest rose and fell slowly.
She was inexplicably nervous.
Her intentions were a little too obvious.
But her curiosity really was intense.
She stared at her phone. Ten seconds after she sent the message, Fushimi Makoto replied.
The message he sent made her blush instantly.
[Why beat around the bush? Is it so hard to admit you're really interested?]
Yukino nearly turned bright red.
Then Fushimi Makoto sent another message: [If you want to know more about the Time Loop, you can just ask me directly.]
Yukino: [And you'll tell me directly?]
Fushimi Makoto: [No.]
Yukino: "..."
What a jerk!
Yukino took a deep breath, feeling her blood pressure rise.
This time, she decided to hit him with a direct question: [You're learning photography and screenwriting to win Ichika over, right?]
Fushimi Makoto: [I thought I'd made it very clear. I have to find something to distract myself.]
Yukino: [So you still don't have Ichika's contact information?]
Fushimi Makoto: [Of course I do.]
Yukino was about to press him and get back at him for making her mad, but then she saw another message from Fushimi Makoto: [The only reason I got Ichika's contact information so quickly was that she happened to belong on my friends list.]
Yukino: ???
Fushimi Makoto sent another line: [You do, too.]
Yukino fell silent.
She put her phone down and decided to ignore him for the time being.
She'd read a book to calm herself down!
Yukino picked up her book. As she read, the words popped into her mind again: "Is it so hard to admit you're really interested?"
Then came the other line: "You do, too."
She could even picture the mischievous smile on Fushimi Makoto's face as he sent that message.
Great. Now she couldn't read!
Fushimi Makoto really was smiling.
He'd expected Yukino to be this interested.
A clever girl with such an insatiable thirst for knowledge would naturally be fascinated by a supernatural event.
Especially when he'd told her so much without giving her the full story.
People who spoke in riddles were the worst.
Just as Yukino was interested in him, he was interested in her, too.
What interested him most were Yukino's beautiful legs.
They already looked so lovely. They had to feel wonderful to touch, and carrying her would be even...
Enough.
Fushimi Makoto reined in his thoughts.
Matsukaze Mayu leaned in just then, her little face glowing with excitement. "I finished reading it. That story was great."
"Right? I thought it was pretty good, too." Fushimi Makoto took the notebook back.
"Better than pretty good! I could picture the ending. It really gave me a fright."
"Thanks for the compliment."
After they finished shopping and left the supermarket, Matsukaze Mayu kept talking about the story.
It was clear she really loved the twist.
Just then, a slender figure emerging from the bookstore up ahead caught Fushimi Makoto's attention.
The girl happened to glance over as well.
Their eyes met, and a flicker of surprise appeared in hers.
Her name was Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Chapter 9: Who Could Resist Looking at This? (Thumbs Up)
"It's Kasumigaoka."
Matsukaze Mayu had spotted Kasumigaoka Utaha, too.
Before Fushimi Makoto could say anything, she gave the girl in black stockings a small wave. "Did you come out to buy a book, Kasumigaoka?"
"Hello, Teacher Matsukaze. I was just passing by and decided to take a look in the bookstore."
Kasumigaoka Utaha was very polite.
Matsukaze Mayu was well-liked at school. Both the boys and the girls thought highly of her.
Even Kasumigaoka Utaha admitted that she liked this gentle, petite, adorable teacher.
As for the person beside her...
Kasumigaoka Utaha knew him, too, of course. She greeted him normally. "Fushimi."
"Kasumigaoka-senpai."
Fushimi Makoto didn't stare at her for long. He'd already had plenty of chances to admire her during the Time Loop.
But if someone asked whether a senpai in black stockings was irresistible, the answer was a definite yes.
She was tall and curvy, with perfect contours wherever she was meant to be slender. Her waist and hips had the proportions of a mature woman, while her shapely long legs, wrapped in 50-denier black stockings, caught the light and drew the eye before narrowing into delicate ankles.
"Come to think of it, the two of you might have something in common," Matsukaze Mayu said suddenly.
Her words left Fushimi Makoto and Kasumigaoka Utaha looking puzzled.
Fushimi Makoto remembered what Yukino had said earlier: whenever someone said "come to think of it," they'd usually planned it all along.
Was this the same sort of situation?
With Fushimi Makoto and Kasumigaoka Utaha watching her, Matsukaze Mayu kept smiling warmly. "I just realized that Kasumigaoka likes reading."
Utaha looked even more confused. "So Fushimi likes reading, too?"
"I guess so. If he didn't have a lot of knowledge, he couldn't have written such a wonderful story."
"He writes stories?"
A look of interest appeared in Utaha's beautiful red eyes.
Fushimi Makoto suddenly understood.
Before you continue