Chapter_16

"Sana wants to return home, though," said Sana.

I sigh in exasperation after hearing Sana's answer. We stop near the stairs.

(…as expected, it would not be easy to convince Sana.)

After I thought that, I unintentionally recall my memory as Sanada Seiji before time-traveling.

The memory is about the adult Sana…

Sana ended up working at a game company. Since she was an avid Otaku of Japan's subculture, she ended up choosing the work of making games.

Even though if she went out a bit more, she could have been scouted to be some celebrity. The adult Sana in my memory as Sanada Seiji hid the fact that during high school, she was an otaku. Because of that, she had people that she could call "friends"—no, acquaintances would be the correct word to describe them. However, she had no close friends.

I never intended to say that being a shut-in is wrong. After all, all the games Sana plays, the manga she reads, and the anime that she watches as a shut-in are connected to her successful career later.

"Come on. It is not like you have an important thing to do, right?" I said after ending my short recollection.

"What were you saying? Of course, Sana has something to do!"

"Like what? Holing up yourself in your room to play games?"

"No. Sana has another plan today."

"What was that?"

"Sana wants to read manga until dinner time."

"Regardless of which, you will be holed up alone, right? Come on. Accompany me there. Pretty please?"

"Sana will not enter some random club for no reason. Sana does not even know who is there."

"That was why I was saying we should go observe, right?"

"For Sana, everything is fine as long as I have games, manga, anime, and Sei-kun…" mumbled Sana with a bashful, red-faced expression. She also gave me an upturned gaze that made my heart throb.

Even though Sana has a troublesome personality, she is still an attractive girl. Perhaps, if I never saw her as a love interest, I would not react like that. However, I have convinced myself of my decision. Therefore, Sana's surprise attack was super effective…

I want to hug and pepper her with kisses. But, I end up resisting the urge to do so. I almost lost my self-control because of Sana's surprise attack.

Sigh! "I really want us to take a look at the home economics club."

"Sei-kun, why are you so interested in the home economics club?"

Of course, I cannot tell Sana that it is because my cute yet erotic girlfriend, Haruka, will become the advisor of that club starting the next year.

"It's because I thought it is a club that we can enter together. It seems like there is only one member in it right now, so I think that maybe we can spend our time together there without many people between us," I lied with a straight face.

"…making Sana observe a club that Sana has no interest in… Sei-kun, isn't that a little forceful?"

"Well, yeah… my bad. Sorry about that."

"Sei-kun. You did not seem to be sorry at all!"

Sana narrows her eyes as she looks at me, her eyes silently questioning me.

"Ah, Sana got it… Sei-kun actually really wants to enter the club with Sana."

I raise my brow at Sana and wait for her next words.

"About this last member… is this person a girl or a boy?"

"A girl…"

I have no reason to lie about this.

However, it seems that it was the wrong answer.

Sana's expression twists as if saying, "As expected!"

She is not pleased, and I quickly calm her down.

"Wait! Don't misunderstand, please! Let me explain first… I am not close to that girl. She does not have any connection with my desire to join the Home Economics club. I swear."

Thankfully, Sana listened to me. Even though her face looks like she has swallowed a bug, Sana does not lash out.

"Really?" asked Sana after she controlled her temper.

"Really!"

Sana searchingly gazes into my eyes. In return, I meet her eyes and hold on.

"Alright. Sana believes in Sei-kun," said Sana.

Then, Sana sighs in exasperation before going on, "Sana will join the club… Of course, Sana will join such a boring club because Sei-kun is hopeless without Sana around! Do not misunderstand, okay?!"

"Yes, yes…" I quickly agreed before things could escalate.

Inwardly, I feel exasperated by Sana's Tsundere disposition.

***

On Monday, the 3rd day of May, Sana and I officially joined the Home Economics club. At that time, only I knew that Haruka will become the advisor for the club.

Since I had no appointment with Haruka, I accepted the invitation of the last member of the Home Economics club, Ii Kanata, to have lunch together in the club room. Of course, Sana was there too. Even though I explained to her that I had no prior relationship with Kanata, Sana still had her doubt. Thankfully, Sana lost her doubt after meeting and getting to know Kanata. Sana and Kanata quickly bonded due to their shared interest in games.

By the way, my lunch at that time was the same as Sana's for the first time in a long time. Usually, I bought lunch in the cafeteria when I had no clandestine meeting with Haruka in World History Prep Room.

Today is Tuesday, May 4th. When the lunch break starts, I quickly get Sana before we go to the club room. We find that Kanata is already there.

"Kana-chan! Hello~."

"Hello, Ii-san."

Sana and I greeted Kanata.

In return, Kanata leaves her chair to stand up and give us a slight bow. She is a polite and reserved girl.

"Hello." Kanata's voice was quiet.

Then, we are having lunch together. Sana and Kanata are also having a conversation about some games that Sana played and how she cleared them.

They are absorbed in their discussion until I am left out. However, I do not really mind.

Speaking of Kanata, I know some interesting information about her.

In my memory as Sanada Seiji, Sana and Kanata were coworkers in a game company. Kanata was Sana's senior. However, they were unaware of each other when they had been attending school.

In all alternate futures that were changed by the original Seiji, Sana and Kana had always been coworkers with a good Senior-Junior relationship. It was pretty much constant.

Kanata is a quiet, attractive girl with an average height, slender figure, and purple hair styled in a bob cut. She wears our school's spring uniform. She also carries a handheld game console with her.

When I saw her for the first time, I could not help but want to add her to my harem. My greed influenced me to get her too.

"Um, ano, Sanada-san…"

Kanata suddenly called me. She seems to be embarrassed and self-conscious due to my intense gaze.

Admittedly, my gaze at Sana and Kanata, who were chatting, was pretty intense. It could not be helped. Both of them are attractive girls, and I want to savor the sight of two pretty girls chatting happily.

Even so, for a reserved girl like Kanata, my gaze made her feel uncomfortable. Unlike Sana, who seemed to bask in my attention.

"Seiji," I said to Kanata. "I have told you to call me Seiji, right?"

"Then, Seiji-san…" said Kanata awkwardly. She averted her eyes away from me, and her cheeks were stained by a pink hue.

"Yes?"

"Could you stop staring at me?" Kanata seemed troubled as she spoke up.

"Sei-kun!" Sana, who's been silently watching, chimed in. "You were making Kana-chan uncomfortable, you know."

Sana seems displeased by my sudden interest in her new friend. Kanata nods her head in agreement.

"My bad," I apologized to Kanata.

I could not help it. As I watched Kanata, I was thinking about what I know about her and how to seduce her.

According to my memory from my old life, Kanata is an introvert girl. She is also attentive and creative. I am not sure if Kanata had a romantic interest in the original Seiji or not because of her mixed signals.

After that, I continue scheming while keeping off my attention on the two attractive girls. Meanwhile, Sana and Kanata have their merry chat.

As we kill time, we are waiting for the new advisor of this club.

We are interrupted by a newcomer.

"Excuse me," said Haruka as she entered the room. A cheerful smile stuck on her face. Her eyes skimmed everyone in the room, getting brighter as they lingered on me a little longer.

Sana, Kanata, and I stand up and give Haruka a slight bow. The girls are confused by Haruka's sudden appearance.

Haruka tells them that she is now the new advisor of the Home Economics club as the previous advisor is on maternity leave. Sana and Kanata accept her explanation.

After that, we return to our chairs while Haruka gets one for herself. We plan to eat on the same table.

"Sensei, are you going to be eating that?"

"Ah, this?"

Sana inquired when she saw the big lunch box that Haruka carried with her. She and Kanata have a curious expression when they look at Haruka and her lunch box.

Haruka has an awkward expression when she notices her mistake.

(…she is unbelievable…)

Inwardly, I am feeling helpless.

I am sure that I have told her not to bring an extra portion for me. Sana and Kanata will be suspicious if I eat Haruka's surplus lunch in front of them.

Well, Haruka is an airhead, so I should have expected this. I have let my guard down. I only hope that she will not do anything that gives Sana and Kanata an idea about our secret relationship.

"Um, you see. I made more to share with the member of the club I am going to advise, so I was wondering if we could eat it all together…"

At least, Haruka made a good excuse. It was better than the one from the Canon.

Sana and Kanata exchange a silent glance before looking at me. I give them a helpless face. We silently come to a tacit understanding.

We are going to accept Haruka's offer.

Then, Haruka opens her lunch box.

"Oh!"

Sana and Kanata clamored in amazement as they saw the content of Haruka's lunch box.

There are Kaarage and Seafood. They are my favorite food.

Then, I spot a frown quickly appear on Sana's face. The next moment, Sana gets her cellphone from her pocket and types something.

I feel my cellphone vibrate and quickly take it out from my pocket.

My Tsundere Imouto: [Don't be deceived by this witch, Sei-kun! My intuition is warning me that she is trying to get your favor using her cooking skill!]

I am speechless by Sana's message. I cannot deny it, though.

"Please, don't hold yourself," said Haruka as she laid out her lunch box on the desk.

Her lunch box is the two-tiered type. The upper compartment is filled with my favorite dishes.

Thankfully, Kaarage is not the only thing in there. Sana is not aware that I also like Seafood. She only knows that I like Kaarage.

Meanwhile, the lower container has rice and balanced side dishes, basically an ordinary Japanese lunch.

Sana is looking at the first container with an intense glare. It seems like the existence of the food, or the reason behind the food creation has wronged her.

I know that Sana is sharp. But, I have underestimated her intuition.

Then, my cellphone vibrates again. Another text came.

My Tsundere Imouto: [She definitely made that for Sei-kun! No matter how you think about it, that has to be it! This is a dirty trick from a girl's handbook. She is definitely showing off that she is a girl that can do housework.]

Me: [Weren't you being hasty with that conclusion?]

My Tsundere Imouto: [No! My pest radar is buzzing off! She is dangerous!]

My lips twitch after I read Sana's latest text.

When I peek at her, I meet her cold eyes. They are as if warning me not to choose the wrong choice.

Despite her airhead disposition, Haruka is not insensitive to Sana's sudden animosity and wariness at her.

"To-today, I had some ingredients left from dinner, you see… so, I ended up putting my all into filling another lunch box. Normally, I hold back a little more, right?"

(What the heck?! Don't look at me!)

I screamed in my head when my eyes met Haruka's pleading eyes.

From the edge of my visual field, I see Sana's frosty red eyes move back and forth between us.

Thankfully, Kanata smoothly stretches out her chopsticks and gets some of Haruka's Sushi Rolls.

"…it was delicious. Sa-chan, Sensei's lunch is really delicious."

Kanata's compliment for Haruka's dishes caught Sana's attention.

Sana stops watching us closely and glares at the innocent food in Haruka's lunch box.

(Kanata, I really want to kiss you now!)

I cheered in my head.

"Is that so? If Kana-chan says so, then…" said Sana.

She sounded skeptical, but she also ate one.

Then, Sana's expression melts. But, her face twists from bliss to a complicated mess when she heard Haruka's question.

"Sana-chan, how is it?"

"…Yeah… it is good…"

Sana's expression is full of humiliation and aggravation as if she has swallowed shit and is forced to say that it is tasty.

"Bu-But! Sa-Sana can also make it if it is just this much!" Sana vehemently declared as if she was trying to pick a fight.

Under my calm face, I feel amusement and hollowness at Sana's false bravado.

I am aware of Sana's pitiful culinary skills. She cannot cook shit, except for sweet curry.

Haruka smiles and laughs as if she has successfully won a competition. "Sanada-kun as well," said Haruka as she held out her lunch box to me.

(Yeah. Superb as usual…)

I was sure that I kept my real opinion in my head. But, Sana's wronged glare at me, Haruka's smug expression, as well as Kanata's contemplative stare, told me that I am broadcasting my thought on my face.

And so, the awkward lunch goes on. In the end, the girls become full from eating their own lunch, and I get forced to eat the rest.

Thankfully, I have no problems with eating everything.

I am conscious of my increased food intake after I began my workout.

***

The night of the same day…

After I entered my room, Haruka's call comes.

It is 9.09 p.m. I just finished playing some video games with Sana after helping her with her study.

By the way, Sana was trying to get information from me. At least, she did try it indirectly.

Sana asked me if Haruka is my type, did I like her homemade food, and other things. Of course, I misdirected her without openly agreeing nor denying.

Sana is still innocent and inexperienced compared to me. I was a scoundrel in my old life, after all. Playing her like a fiddle is a small matter…

I am really a scumbag, huh?

Anyway, I am currently talking with Haruka. She has called me the moment I texted her that it is okay.

"Haruka-chan, be careful from now on, alright? I feel like Sana and Kanata has some doubts about our relationship."

"…I'm reflecting on that already. I as well thought that it was bad."

"Actually, Sana seems to suspect that Sensei likes me… she has been indirectly interrogating me when I helped her with her study…"

"Kya~♪ She found out~!"

"You weren't reflecting at all, weren't you?"

"Ehehe~ Peace~♪ …Anyways, Sana-chan is so cute. She got super overprotective over her beloved Onii-chan. What a brocon~♪ Ufufufu…"

I helplessly smiled as I listened to Haruka, who seemed to be having fun.

Our chat stops as we lapse into silence.

"Ne, Seiji-kun, can I ask you something?" asked Haruka out of the blue.