After that, throughout all the classes started by the ringing of the bell.
Having his thigh pinched, his foot stepped on, the back of his hand touched, a quill pen used on him, his fingers held—after enduring many such pranks from Elena, after-school time finally arrived.
“Thank you for the enjoyable time today.”
“No, no, not at all.”
“I would be happy if we could meet again when you have time.”
“I believe I can come to school on Friday, so by all means, then.”
Standing next to Elena and nodding, Byleth was exchanging farewell greetings with Aria.
“I pray that you can resolve the matter regarding Sia-san, Byleth-sama.”
“I will strive to resolve it by the end of today.”
“Ah, that included the matter of after school, didn’t it? Fufu.”
“Ha, haha…”
“If the shape of this guy’s face changes, please guess why, Aria-sama.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Being considerate of the busy Aria, Elena created a good flow to end the conversation.
“Well then, I shall take my leave here.”
“Good day, Aria-sama.”
“Please do not push yourself too hard.”
“Ye~s.”
With a bright smile and a perfect bow, Aria left the classroom while exchanging greetings with other classmates as well.
“……Just now, I didn’t mishear that, did I?”
“Hmm?”
As the classroom was wrapped in silence after the majority of classmates had left, Elena spoke as if taken aback.
“The fact that Aria-sama gave such a casual reply.”
“Ah, now that you mention it, that’s true.”
From Byleth’s perspective, it didn’t feel out of place, but for Elena, it was likely something she was hearing for the first time.
She was revealing a surprised expression.
“By the way… how did you feel, Elena? Hearing Aria-sama’s reply just now.”
“You ask strange things.”
“I was just a little curious.”
“I don’t think anything negative about it, you know? There is no mistake that her appearance was different from my usual impression of her, but if she is opening her heart more to both me and you, then there is nothing but happiness in that.”
“I see.”
Is that really a line typical of Elena?
Hearing words that felt favorable toward Aria’s true self made him happy, even though it was about someone else.
Byleth met her gaze and directed a relaxed expression toward her.
“……”
“……”
How many seconds passed like that?
“H-Hey.”
Elena narrowed her eyes halfway in a glare.
“Don’t create a weird atmosphere. There are still other classmates remaining, you know.”
“Eh? I don’t feel like there is one.”
“I’m telling you not to show that face yet… Tighten it up a little more.”
“Am I that sloppy?”
“It’s not that… it’s just special, that is.”
After looking up at him, she turned a glaring look at him again.
“I feel like the one making a weird atmosphere is you, Elena.”
“It seems you really want to be scolded, don’t you?”
“N-No, no!”
“Then I’ll let it slide, so hurry up and tighten your face.”
“Tighten… Tighten…”
Honestly, he had no self-awareness of it.
Without really getting the point—he tried to put strength into his mouth and strength into his eyebrows, making as much of a conscious effort as possible.
“It’s become much better. Keep it up.”
“I feel like I’m making a pretty weird face right now, though…”
“Fufu, well isn’t it fine? Better than before.”
“It’s definitely not good…”
While thinking that, seeing Elena looking somewhat happy meant he couldn’t stop immediately.
If she felt happy, he wanted to continue like this.
He had been won over by her before he knew it, but that was also something he found pleasant.
“……Now then, it looks like classmates will be using the classroom a bit longer, so maybe I’ll go get a drink at the cafeteria.”
“In that case, I think I’ll study here.”
“Won’t you come with me?”
“I thought that would be nice too, but there are people who want to greet Elena everywhere you go, right?”
He interacted with her naturally every day, and they were lovers, but Elena was a popular person.
If he followed along, he would inevitably crush the interactions Elena naturally had.
That was something he hated just thinking about.
“Oh, really. If that’s the case, as thanks for your consideration, I’ll teach you one difficult aspect of a woman’s heart.”
“Oh?”
“The [kindness] you show is something that feels very happy, but at times, it’s also something that feels unhappy.”
“U-Umm… is it okay if I ask what that means?”
“I’ll teach you even if you don’t make that face. Though the logic itself is simple.”
“I-Is that so?”
If he could have been convinced smoothly, he wouldn’t have interrupted, but words that could be taken as a contradiction are not immediately understandable.
“Frankly speaking, it means that sometimes you should prioritize yourself first and push your selfishness through. There are times when being asked for something that causes trouble is actually happier. Especially for girls.”
“D-Difficult… that is.”
He somewhat understood what she was trying to say, but depending on the timing and content, it could conversely cause discomfort.
He should be able to build a smoother relationship if he grasped this sense, but the courage to put it into practice didn’t come easily.
Elena was also the type to instantly perceive such feelings.
“Well then, take this opportunity to become self-centered and ask me for something. Without worrying about anything else regarding me heading to the cafeteria.”
Likening it to the easy-to-understand phrase [Self-Centered], she directed an expectant gaze at him.
Including the fact that she prompted him, with this kind of support, he didn’t feel like he was being told something difficult.
“Umm… Then, just for today, please keep the greetings short and come back. So that the time we are together doesn’t decrease.”
“Oh my, you can do it if you try.”
If they were in a place just for the two of them right now, she might have touched his shoulder or poked his side with her finger.
Elena smiled, showing her white teeth, looking that delighted.
“Well, I was expecting to hear the words [I’ll go with you], though. Personally.”
“This is also one of my selfish requests.”
“Hmmm.”
[I don’t want to crush the interactions Elena naturally has]—this wasn’t just him being considerate of those around her, it was a thought he absolutely could not concede.
It was also a self-centered thing.
“Alright then, I’ll make it short and come back. …I also want to be with you.”
“……Nn, thanks.”
Embarrassment suddenly attacked him, but he met her eyes firmly and conveyed his thanks.
“Also, I don’t mind if you use my quill pen to study.”
“Elena’s?”
“You can work harder if you use your lover’s item, right? With that said, work hard on your studies in this spare time.”
By the time she finished saying those words, Elena was already walking toward the hallway while lightly waving her hand.
“I-I really can’t win against her…”
Immediately after she began to move hurriedly and disappeared from his sight.
Realizing her intention to let him take even a little time for studying, Byleth muttered in surrender and decided to take advantage of Elena’s words and use her quill pen.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
And then, about ten minutes after he started self-study.
“Say~, you should at least notice the presence of your lover.”
“Tsk!”
The classroom where he sat alone, isolated.
While Byleth was correcting his posture and studying, Elena wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly from behind.
“When did the classmates remaining in the classroom disappear?”
“Hard to talk about… right after Elena left. There were few people left, so maybe they thought they’d get entangled with me.”
“Oh my, that is pitiable.”
“Your true feelings?”
“I’m happy I found a way to occupy the classroom sooner.”
“Jeez…”
He grabbed Elena’s wrists wrapped around his neck and made a light protest.
After becoming lovers, spending time in this classroom after school became a daily routine.
On the first day that triggered it, they had even exchanged a kiss in the classroom, but—
“Isn’t this daring in its own way? In the sense that the possibility of being seen by someone is highest.”
“I suppose.”
“Eeeh—?”
Even though she understood enough to answer immediately, she showed absolutely no sign of letting go.
On the contrary, she put even more strength into it.
“U-Umm, if you do that, it hits me more, or rather…”
“I’m hitting you with them on purpose, obviously. It’s comfortable. Because they are heavy.”
“…………”
A sensation that was hard to describe in words, like his neck was being sandwiched between two soft balloons.
Byleth, trying as much as possible not to devote his consciousness to the feel of his lover, placed the hand that had been holding the pen until a moment ago onto Elena’s head and spoke.
“Did something unpleasant happen when you went to the cafeteria?”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because this is the first time you’ve done something like this, I guess.”
“Too bad. Incorrect.”
“R-Really? It’s not a lie?”
“I see now. You patted my head because you were confident. To comfort me.”
“Ahaha…”
It was such a fair point that he ended up smiling bitterly.
“Instead of admitting that, tell me what happened. You wouldn’t do something like this without reason, right? Elena.”
“Even knowing that, you still ask… you’re quite the curious one. Even though you should know that I am a troublesome woman.”
“Elena, who is dating a man hated by those around him, is quite something herself.”
He released his hand from her head and placed his hand over the back of Elena’s hand.
“So, what happened?”
The reply to those words came after a short pause.
“……Please don’t tell anyone……”
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