Chapter 276: Cunning Animals Often Get More
"Mmm… As expected, a good stretch makes you feel so much more relaxed."
As Kirari stretched languidly and walked out, her eyes fell upon Kasugano Sora, who was reluctantly wrestling with a pair of dumbbells. A faint smile touched Kirari's lips. She delicately wiped the corner of her mouth and glided over.
"Sora~"
"Eek! Kirari-nee…"
Kasugano Sora looked up at the radiant Kirari, her head tilting in confusion. "Eh? Is it just my imagination? Kirari-nee, your complexion seems even better than before."
Kirari paused, her smile widening. She reached out and gently stroked Sora's head. "Mmm… As expected of my dear Sora. You're usually so quiet, but when you do speak, it's always exactly what I like to hear."
Kasugano Sora's mouth twitched. Nearby, Gina set down her twenty-kilogram dumbbell with a heavy thud, breathing a sigh of relief. "Eh? Sora, how many reps do you have left in your set of five?"
"Two…" Sora mumbled.
Gina's expression twitched in sympathy. "Alright, if it's really too much, just change it from five reps per set to four. We'll just add one more set to make up for it."
"Okay… But Gina, why does this weight feel so… strange to use?"
"Eh? How so?"
Kasugano Sora managed two more lifts before setting the weights down, her arms trembling slightly. "I don't know how to explain it," she said softly. "It feels very light in my hand, and it's easy to start lifting, but the moment I complete the motion, I feel like all my strength has vanished."
Gina scratched her head, completely baffled. "I have no idea…"
"It's because your mindset hasn't adjusted yet, little one. When you pick them up, you're subconsciously telling yourself that you shouldn't have any strength, so the weight feels heavier than it is."
Just as Sora was about to elaborate, Ren's calm voice cut through her confusion. She looked over at him and nodded slowly. "Oh… so that's how it is. But if that's the case, it sounds like all I need to do is improve my mindset."
Kirari smiled and gently pinched Sora's cheek. "You clever little girl. Did you think we wouldn't see what you're trying to do? But, what you said is technically correct."
Kasugano Sora chuckled awkwardly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Actually… I feel like I could go do the incline walk. Really, I think the incline walk would suit me much better."
Ren looked at her, a playful glint in his eyes. "Are you sure about that, Sora?"
"Sure! Absolutely sure!"
Kirari's expression also turned peculiar. "Are you really certain you won't regret it? Once you start on that thing, it won't let you stop. After all, it's just walking."
In truth, Kasugano Sora was a girl destined to have nothing to do with a gym in this lifetime, let alone an incline walker; she probably didn't even know how to properly use a treadmill. She simply reasoned that since it was just walking, there couldn't possibly be a problem. She could even play on her phone while she did it. The very thought was a comforting balm to her soul.
Ren sighed. "Alright. Since you want to do the incline walk, Sora, I'll take you over. But let me make one thing clear: you won't be stopping until you've covered the full distance."
Kasugano Sora nodded repeatedly, her spirits soaring. It was just an incline walk. How steep could the incline possibly be? Easy peasy! A piece of cake!
"Ah?! I have to walk at this incline?! And why is it so fast?!"
Stepping onto the treadmill, Sora watched in horror as the incline immediately shot up to its maximum setting and the speed settled into a brisk walking pace. Her entire worldview shattered. In that moment, she felt a deep sense of regret, suddenly thinking that slacking off with the dumbbells would have been a far better fate.
As she trudged along, Kasugano Sora turned her head to look at Kirari, who was now holding Ren's arm, and asked nervously, "H-How long do I need to walk for…?"
"Five kilometers."
"F-Five… Five kilometers?!"
Seeing Sora's utterly shocked expression, Kirari smiled sweetly. "Don't worry. It's not as far as you think. The walk from Ren's shop to Koyo Academy and then to the gym is already over two kilometers."
"I walked that far today?!"
Kasugano Sora felt a wave of dizziness. Just as she was about to protest further, Ren handed her phone over. "Sora, the privilege of the incline walk is that you get to use your phone," he said with a smile. "However, playing a game while walking might be a bit difficult, so you can choose to watch videos instead."
Hearing this, Sora felt a sliver of her will to live return. At least she still had her phone.
Watching Sora trudge along on the machine, her eyes glued to a TV show, Ren remarked with a helpless shake of his head, "Sora is really dependent on her electronic devices."
Kirari nodded, then said playfully, "But you're not against it, are you?"
"As long as it doesn't affect her studies or her sleep, why would I be? Entertainment is also a sign of progress, isn't it?"
Kirari tilted her head, a thoughtful look on her face. "If you put it that way, then even if I were an internet addict, you'd still like me."
Ren reached over and pinched her cheek in mock annoyance. "You used the word 'addict,' so of course I would care. Besides, it's not like you have much time to play games or anything, do you?"
"Don't worry about the details. I'm just asking. If I became an internet addict, how would you manage me?"
Ren leaned in, his lips brushing against Kirari's ear, and whispered something. Her eyes widened instantly, a deep crimson blush spreading across her cheeks. She slapped his arm, though with no real force. "That's going too far! But… it does sound a little interesting. How about we go home and go on strike to play games?"
"If you're not afraid of being overthrown, you can certainly try."
Kirari sighed, her playful mood shifting. "Speaking of which, those people really are annoying. How about we play one big game and make sure they can never recover?"
"Ah! Ow—don't hit my head! I'll become as stupid as Rindou!"
"Rindou isn't stupid, alright?" Ren corrected, rubbing his head. "She's just about to graduate and doesn't have to worry about anything, so she's letting her true nature show."
Hearing the words 'about to graduate,' Momobami Kirari let out a soft sigh. "Speaking of graduating… I'm a third-year now… I'm about to graduate, too."
Looking at the sudden melancholy that clouded Kirari's expression, Ren said with a touch of exasperation, "Even if you graduate, you're not the type to hand over Private Hyakkaou Academy to someone else, are you?"
Her mood shifted in an instant, the familiar, predatory confidence returning to her eyes. "Ara. As expected of my man. You really do understand me. That's right. A school I control so perfectly… I would never hand it over to anyone else. After all, Hyakkaou is mine!"
"You don't need to announce your grand ambitions to me."
Kirari paused, then looked up at Ren, her head cocked in confusion. "Usually, at a time like this, shouldn't you say a few words to encourage your future woman?"
Ren chuckled softly. "That's because I know you can do it. The Kirari I know never loses."
"Eh?"
A slow, dazzling smile spread across her face. "Indeed, Ren, you're the best. But really, you're usually so reserved, yet you suddenly say such captivating things. You're far too cunning."
"Cunning animals often get more benefits."
"Like… one Momobami Kirari?" she purred, leaning against him.
"Eh? That's a bit too small of a benefit, don't you think?"
"You big heartbreaker!"
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