https://ncode.syosetu.com/n9531ga/94/
Episode 11: Invitation to the Handsome Women’s Club
The bell had just rung, marking the end to second period which I had managed to make it to after returning from the nurse’s office.
I was still feeling a bit chilly while tidying up my desk when suddenly, an arm was wrapped around my shoulder. Before seeing who it was, the scent of apple mint tickled my nose. I glanced to the side to find a redhead with messy bangs and tied back hair.
“Hey Yuriha. I heard you were feeling sick after getting caught out in the rain. You doing okay?”
“Akane-san….I’m feeling fine, but…..i-is there something up? This is kind of sudden.”
“Well, we kind of have a favor to ask you. Is that okay?”
From behind her, I noticed a girl with thin, swaying braids and blue bangs that covered her right eye. Aoi.
“Should we get straight to the point? It’s us. We’re part of the Cross-Dressing Girls Club, and we have to find another member before the end of the month. Sorry but, would you mind joining?”
“Pretty please. Yuriha-chan is an androgynous beauty, so you’d be the exact right person for the job.”
“Yeah yeah. We won’t do anything bad to you.”
“Come join us for a little bit of fun.”
“The more you talk the more unsettled I get….”
“Hmm,” I was caught off guard by the sudden offer and had to mull it over for a second. But an invitation to join their club eh? And one for cross-dressing girls at that. I remember hearing about some ‘Handsome Girls Club’ in the school; it sounded like something out of a shoujo manga where the members would greet visiting girls in their clubroom while entertaining them like a host.
For someone like me who is training themselves to become a cool, handsome girl, it would be a great opportunity to better myself. Obviously I’m interested…..but…..
“I’m sorry, but I’m pretty sure I have to decline. I’m already part of the photography club.”
“We already knew that. But the photography club doesn’t keep you very busy does it—? All you’ll need to do is stop in with us, show your face every once in a while. Maybe you could use it to kill some time or reduce your stress….. I’ll make sure you enjoy yourself with us…..”
Akane whispered sweetly into my ear.
“How about becoming my personal photographer, Kitten?”
Aoi lifted my chin to peer into my eyes.
Why am I allowing myself to fall right into their clutches? I don’t really have any problems with stress, and Aoi-kun is a little smaller than I am. Yet every word they say draws me further and further in.
But before they could secure me entirely, a large black shadow forcefully inserted themselves between them.
“Would you mind leaving my sweet flower alone?”
Ranko had firmly seized both their arms.
“Oh, it’s Suzushiro-san. That hurts a little you know?”
“G-Guhh. Let me go~……p-please?”
Akane-san showed off her strength with a laugh and a confident grin. Meanwhile Aoi-kun had broken down with tears in her eyes, quickly resorting to pleading for release with a child. What’s with this contrast…..it’s so cute!
Ranko’s eyes slowly moved from one girl to the other before slowly releasing them.
“Ah, still hurts—”
Aoi-kun immediately began moaning and rubbing her arm after being let go, but Akane-san didn’t pay her any mind, instead turning her full focus on Ranko while looking her up and down.
“How about you join our club instead then? I’d be sad to not have Yuriha join, but that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be fun to have too. I’ll take your heart captive…..”
“Ranko-chan is definitely a cool beauty….. You could be dropped into the darkest of slumbers, and I would still lift you up….”
“I am well aware of your two’s penchant to woo every girl you come across. But words of love are meant to be dedicated to one person and one person only. And so….”
Ranko looked like she had more to say, but she stopped once to catch her breath….
“Yuriha and myself both belong to me.”
and confidently proclaimed that aloud.
“So what, you refuse to give her up to anyone else? Heheh— So passionate”
“But~. Isn’t that all ego when the two of you aren’t even dating?”
“She’s not dating anyone, so that makes Yuriha free to do as she pleases…..don’t you think?”
“……..”
Ranko’s calm face morphed and twisted into a grimace as the two girls worked side by side to win the argument. I guess they’d hit on a sore part there.
It’s about hit the point where I can’t rely on Ranko anymore. I figured I’d have to do it eventually, but it’s time for me to intervene.
“I really appreciate you both asking me, but I’m afraid I can’t join your club. You’ll have to ask someone else.”
I gave them a wink while regretfully turning them away. At that the two gave me bitter smile, shrugging their shoulders and shaking their heads as if there was no other choice.
“We did kind of ask without any warning, so I’m not surprised you’d turn us down if we were to force you to give an answer….. But, you aren’t thinking this means we’ve given up right?”
“Wash your face and wait for us.”
The two girls flashed me a suspicious smile before turning on their heels and leaving us like that. They then headed for the door at the back of the classroom,
“Hey, isn’t the saying supposed to be ‘Wash your hands’….?”
“Let me think— ‘Wash your neck’…..is that the one for criminals?”
“People on death row”
while having a conversation like that. Those two good-looking girls…..might actually be kind of dumb. How cute is that? They even fired off a parting shot like some tv villain before arguing with each other. Who knew two people who were so handsome could also be this cute.
The only problem is…..
You two….We’re in the same class. Where are you going?
♠
“Yuri-chan~! I thought you were going to get seduced~!”
There was a moment of quiet serenity that set in after the girls left. That was soon killed when Saki came running in and hugged me from the side. I had already gotten used to this kind of thing, so I let her do what she wanted without a fuss as I stroked the top of her head.
“Sorry to worry you. But it’s fine. I’m the one who started our club, so I’m not about to just head off for a different one. And I wouldn’t leave you behind Saki”
“Uhyuuu~n”
Reassured by my words, Saki began nuzzling her head against my chest with a cute little sigh.
This got Ranko pouting from my other side.
“I’m the one who saved Yuriha, so shouldn’t I be the one getting rewarded?”
“I don’t think this really counts as a reward per se.”
The objection she gave didn’t make a whole lot of sense, but it did get me to chuckle a bit. She can be so cute.
“Right~? I’m just being lovey-dovey with Yuri-chan because I feel like it~ I’m not one of those people who only does something for someone when they want something in return~”
Why are we all smiles yet still always immediately ready to pick a fight with each other?
“Hmph. That’s a rather prickly way of putting it. But it’s true that I just managed to save her. So quickly step aside Saki so I can have my turn cuddling with Yuriha.”
“That sounds extremely patronizing~ And you were barely any help weren’t you?”
“Better than someone who just stood there with their jaw dropped. How could someone as passive as you ever save Yuriha?”
“T-There just wasn’t a chance for me to interrupt them! And those two managed to completely out-talk you Ran-chan!”
Both sides were even in this smiley cold war.
It’s true that with Ranko, Aoi-kun, and Akane-chan all on my right, Saki might’ve felt it difficult to squeeze herself in there to participate in the conversation at all. Besides, with Ranko and I leaving the way we did this morning, she might not’ve known how or when to get involved.
“Come on girls. The next time those two come up to me, I’ll turn them down right away and end the discussion there, okay? Our next class is about to start.”
It felt like the atmosphere was going to stay all squabbly like this if I didn’t do anything, so I clapped my hands together to get their attention. Since I was the one saying it, the two of them peacefully returned to their seats and prepared for the next class.
But phew, refereeing their little battles is tiring.
Thinking this to myself, I reached into my desk to pull out my own textbook.
…..Hm? What’s this?
I felt something I didn’t recognize brush against my fingertips when I stuck my arm into my desk. I pulled it out to see what it was,
“What’s that Yuri-chan?”
I immediately put it back.
“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Heh~”
I gave a nonchalant response like I didn’t think much of it. Man this girl has a keen eye for these sorts of things. I had pulled the object out for a split second, yet she instantly jumped on top of me. I was so focused on appearing calm that I couldn’t come up with a proper explanation to cover it up.
A written challenge, a secret request for advice, a summons from an upperclassman…..my brain came up with all sorts of possible explanation for the novel yet cute leaf-patterned letter paper, but the most likely possibility I could come up with was….
I can’t let her see this.
I have no other option than to hide this from Saki’s eyes.
Experimental Translations 