Back on the Deserted Island, Shikime Natsu had already figured out that Nishikawa Ryouko was the classic type of girl with high offense and low defense.
To put it another way, she belonged to that category of players who were terrible at the game yet loved to play it anyway.
In this respect, she actually bore a certain resemblance to Sakayanagi Arisu.
The only difference was that Sakayanagi Arisu placed herself on a rather lofty pedestal, treating the people around her as toys, calling herself a genius, and looking down on everything from on high.
Nishikawa Ryouko, on the other hand, wasn't quite so arrogant. But that malicious taste for "wanting to see other people embarrass themselves," along with that constitution of "getting flustered the instant she was counterattacked"—those two were practically cut from the same cloth.
At this moment, seated across from Shikime Natsu, Nishikawa Ryouko was doing her best to compose her emotions.
There was still a trace of that flush lingering on her cheeks, though the redness on her face had faded somewhat.
She secretly urged herself to calm down.
She'd originally meant to tease this guy, Shikime Natsu, but this Shikime Natsu character was so infuriating that he'd immediately started counterattacking her, and on top of that, he'd calmly said those kinds of face-reddening lines without batting an eye.
Something like "Nishikawa-san, who once wore the same clothes as me," or "Don't tell me you've got some kind of feelings for me"...
This man's mouth really didn't cut anyone any slack.
Nishikawa Ryouko fumed inwardly.
Saying she might have feelings for Shikime Natsu of all people—how could that possibly be true?
Shikime Natsu was just a bit good-looking, that was all.
Mm, just a little good-looking.
And then... back on the Deserted Island, he'd helped her out a little.
But come to think of it, back then it had been her who'd taken the initiative to go strike up a conversation with Shikime Natsu, and then he'd helped carry the fish and shrimp, and only after that had she carelessly fallen into the water.
So... merits and demerits cancel each other out!
Thinking of it that way, Nishikawa Ryouko regained a little of her mental equilibrium.
But... then she thought of another detail.
Back then, this guy Shikime Natsu had also worn her clothes.
The moment she thought of that, Nishikawa Ryouko couldn't help but recall how she'd felt deep inside when she'd worn Shikime Natsu's clothes on her own body.
Those pale golden eyes flickered faintly.
Her little heart started going "thump-thump."
That feeling... how should she put it.
The oversized T-shirt draped over her body, carrying Shikime Natsu's body heat, along with a faint, refreshing scent that made her unable to resist wanting to breathe it in a little more.
Nishikawa Ryouko hurriedly flung that thought out of her mind.
She wondered—could it be that it was at that moment she'd developed those same kinds of feelings toward Shikime Natsu?
And that ever since then, the figure of this Shikime Natsu character had started appearing in her head?
She thought back carefully.
Originally, back in Class A, Nishikawa Ryouko had only paid attention to Shikime Natsu now and then.
After all, Shikime Natsu's performance in class could be described as absolutely dazzling.
First place on quizzes, first place in every physical fitness test, on top of taking charge of important decisions within the class and helping everyone in Class A with their tutoring.
She had to admit—even though her own academic grades were fairly decent, after Shikime Natsu explained the material to her, she could still easily understand those problems that had originally been a bit tricky.
That man's way of explaining was rather unique; he could always break down complicated problems into something simple and clear.
And moreover... Shikime Natsu was frighteningly strong.
Whether it was studying, athletics, leadership, or wilderness survival, building a log cabin, identifying plants...
It seemed like there was nothing this man couldn't do.
For a person like that, not being noticed was simply impossible.
So the kind of "attention" Nishikawa Ryouko had previously paid to Shikime Natsu was probably... probably just like the other girls in class—merely the normal sort of attention one paid to an outstanding member of the opposite sex.
But... ever since she'd come back from the Deserted Island, that "attention" seemed to have become a little different.
She found that she would unconsciously think of Shikime Natsu.
Think of the way his movements had been so fast they blurred when he caught fish by the river.
Think of that near-perfect physique of his when he took off his shirt.
Think of the somewhat comical yet inexplicably good-looking way he'd looked when he put on that small-sized T-shirt of hers.
Think of that smiling voice when he'd told her, "There's a really nice scent."
...
Enough!
Nishikawa Ryouko fiercely told herself in her heart.
Stop thinking about it!
Shikime Natsu is a guy with something like ten girlfriends!
How could I possibly have feelings for a person like that...
But... there was a tiny voice in her heart that retorted: it was precisely because Shikime Natsu possessed such an extraordinary charm that so many girls liked this Shikime Natsu character.
Nishikawa Ryouko pushed that voice back down too.
She lifted her head, and those pale golden eyes refocused on Shikime Natsu.
And at this moment, Shikime Natsu was holding his coffee cup, leisurely watching her, that unreadable smile hanging at the corner of his mouth.
Those pale golden eyes seemed to see right through her heart.
"Nishikawa-san."
Shikime Natsu set down his cup and gave a little smile.
"You've been silent for quite a while just now. What are you thinking about?"
"N-nothing!"
Nishikawa Ryouko denied it as though by conditioned reflex, then averted her gaze, not daring to meet his eyes.
"I was just... just thinking about how to answer your question, that's all."
"Oh?"
Shikime Natsu raised an eyebrow.
"But I haven't asked my next question yet."
Nishikawa Ryouko was at a loss for words.
This guy, really...
She took a deep breath, reorganized her words, and then those pale golden eyes looked toward Shikime Natsu once again, carrying a hint of viciousness.
"Shiki-san, do you really not have any feelings for me at all?"
Hearing this question, Shikime Natsu first went slightly blank, then laughed out loud.
"Nishikawa-san, isn't that a line I should be asking you?"
"I..."
Nishikawa Ryouko's face flushed again.
She gritted her teeth and spoke in as forceful a tone as she could manage.
"Of course I don't! Does Shiki-san really need to ask something like this a second time?"
"Yeah, I do."
Shikime Natsu nodded as if it were only natural.
"Because Nishikawa-san's reaction really doesn't look like 'no.'"
"Wh-what's wrong with my reaction!"
Nishikawa Ryouko retorted indignantly.
"Anyone who suddenly got asked a question like that would react strongly, wouldn't they!"
"Is that so?"
Shikime Natsu said unhurriedly.
"But if you really had no feelings whatsoever, you'd deny it very crisply, not like Nishikawa-san here... blushing, stammering, averting your eyes, and then even taking that long to answer."
"Th-that's because..."
Nishikawa Ryouko wanted to find a reason, but discovered she couldn't come up with one at all.
This man's powers of observation were simply too sharp; no detail could escape his eyes.
"Because of what?"
Shikime Natsu watched her with great interest, as if waiting for her to make some sophistic excuse.
"Because... because Shiki-san's question was too rude! I was just angry, that's all!"
Nishikawa Ryouko finally found an excuse that seemed at least somewhat reasonable.
"Angry?"
"That's right! Angry!"
Nishikawa Ryouko nodded forcefully, as if trying to convince herself.
Being suspected of having feelings for no reason at all—anyone would get angry over that, right?
"I see."
Shikime Natsu nodded thoughtfully.
"So what Nishikawa-san means is, you don't have any feelings for me, and your reaction just now was purely because you were angry?"
"Exactly!"
Nishikawa Ryouko thrust out her chest, doing her best to make herself look justified.
"That's how it is."
"All right then."
Shikime Natsu picked up his coffee cup, gently blew on it, and then took a sip.
"Since Nishikawa-san says so, then I'll believe you."
"..."
For some reason, hearing Shikime Natsu say "I'll believe you," a wave of indescribable displeasure instead welled up in Nishikawa Ryouko's heart.
This guy—he just believed it that easily?
Shouldn't he have pressed the matter a little further?
No, no, what on earth am I even thinking!
Nishikawa Ryouko hurriedly flung those messy, tangled thoughts out of her head, then took a deep breath and looked back at Shikime Natsu.
"Shiki-san."
"Hmm?"
"Chatting with you... doesn't seem to have been a very good decision, huh."
As she said this, there was a hint of plaintive resentment in her tone.
"Oh?"
Shikime Natsu smiled.
"Is that so? But I think... having a one-on-one chat with Nishikawa-san is a pretty nice thing, too."
Upon hearing this, Nishikawa Ryouko's heartbeat once again quickened by half a beat, against her will.
This guy, saying that kind of misleading thing again.
She bit her lip, those pale golden eyes fixed on Shikime Natsu with a look of helplessness.
"Shiki-san really is a guy who talks a load of nonsense, huh."
She delivered her assessment without the slightest reserve.
"Saying that kind of thing—it really won't make you popular with girls."
"But..."
The smile on Shikime Natsu's face remained as composed as ever.
"It seems like right now I'm... rather popular with the girls."
Hearing this, Nishikawa Ryouko couldn't help but be rendered speechless.
This guy Shikime Natsu had, you could say, the most girlfriends in the entire school.
And what's more, the number was already approaching double digits.
If you added in all the girls who hadn't officially confirmed a relationship with him but clearly held affection for him, that number would probably be even more staggering.
To say that Shikime Natsu wasn't popular with girls... that was simply impossible.
After all, if he really weren't popular, how could Shikime Natsu possibly have so many girlfriends?
Nishikawa Ryouko realized once again a certain fact: when it came to talking, she simply couldn't out-argue Shikime Natsu.
This man's silver-tongued skill, just like his other abilities, was on a monster-level scale.
Every time she thought she'd gained the upper hand in an exchange, the very next second she'd be casually overtaken by Shikime Natsu, who then left her several lengths behind.
But... the more she found she couldn't out-argue Shikime Natsu, the more a competitive drive welled up in Nishikawa Ryouko's heart.
She refused to accept it—she was clearly supposed to be the "little devil," she was clearly the one who liked to tease people and enjoyed watching others embarrass themselves.
How was it that in front of Shikime Natsu, she'd become the one being teased, the one being made a laughingstock instead?
No way. Absolutely no way.
Nishikawa Ryouko secretly swore in her heart that she would definitely win back some ground.
But by what method?
A head-on confrontation clearly made her no match for Shikime Natsu.
If she kept up this back-and-forth bickering, the one who lost in the end would definitely be herself.
So then... change strategies?
Nishikawa Ryouko's mind spun at high speed.
If she could get hold of some leverage on Shikime Natsu, or some unspeakable secret of his, then she could use that to threaten him, saying something like "Shiki-san wouldn't want so-and-so to find out, would he?"
By then—let's see whether Shikime Natsu could still maintain that composure of his.
The instant she imagined a troubled, or even pleading, expression appearing on that face of Shikime Natsu's that was forever wearing a smile, the corners of Nishikawa Ryouko's mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.
That kind of scene... just picturing it was already so entertaining.
But... after that thought had made a full circle through her mind, Nishikawa Ryouko hurriedly shifted her gaze away a little.
Her cheeks flushed red again.
She wondered what on earth she was even thinking about.
This wasn't the sort of thing she was supposed to be doing.
What she was supposed to do was get hold of leverage on Shikime Natsu, and then watch him look thoroughly troubled.
Not... not sit there fantasizing about all sorts of nonsense.
Nishikawa Ryouko took a deep breath and pulled her attention back to Shikime Natsu.
But... for Nishikawa Ryouko, this was obviously an enormous challenge.
This guy Shikime Natsu conducted himself flawlessly in class as a matter of course.
Whether in studies, in athletics, or in dealing with people, he maintained a near-perfect image.
Finding leverage on him—how could that possibly be easy?
And besides... if Shikime Natsu really did have some unspeakable secret, then with his abilities, he'd probably have hidden it away airtight long ago. How could it possibly be discovered by a girl like her, who couldn't even out-argue him?
At this thought, Nishikawa Ryouko's mood instantly grew a little dejected.
Was there really no way at all?
Just as a battle raged in her mind, with all sorts of thoughts tumbling over and over—
Shikime Natsu, seated across from her, suddenly spoke up.
"Nishikawa-san."
"Hmm?"
Nishikawa Ryouko lifted her head, those pale golden eyes still carrying a trace of not-yet-dispersed thoughts.
Watching her in that state, Shikime Natsu couldn't help but smile.
"If you don't have anything to say, then it's my turn."
"...What?"
Nishikawa Ryouko looked at Shikime Natsu, her eyes full of wariness.
What did he mean, it was Shikime Natsu's turn?
Hadn't Shikime Natsu just been on the offensive the whole time? How was it still Shikime Natsu's turn now?
From the moment she'd sat down, it had clearly been she who'd started the topics, yet Shikime Natsu had turned the tables on her time and time again.
And now this guy actually had the nerve to say, "It's my turn"?
That's not fair!
Watching her bristling like an angry cat, the smile on Shikime Natsu's face didn't fade in the slightest.
"Nishikawa-san, calm down a bit."
"I am calm!"
Nishikawa Ryouko said through gritted teeth.
"All right, since Nishikawa-san feels she's calm, then I won't beat around the bush."
Shikime Natsu set down the coffee cup in his hand, those pale golden eyes gazing at her calmly.
"Just now, wasn't Nishikawa-san trying the whole time to dig up gossip about me?"
Hearing this, Nishikawa Ryouko's eyes lit up slightly.
She nodded.
"That's right."
"So..."
Shikime Natsu deliberately drew out his words, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening a few degrees.
"I won't tell you."
"...Huh?"
Nishikawa Ryouko blanked out for a second before she registered what this guy had said.
Several dark lines instantly appeared on her forehead.
"Shiki-san."
Her voice carried a note of teeth-grinding fury.
"Are you making fun of me?"
"Making fun?"
Shikime Natsu tilted his head, a face full of innocence.
"I'm just stating a fact, that's all. Nishikawa-san wants to know my gossip, but I don't want to tell it—I'm merely letting Nishikawa-san know in advance, so that Nishikawa-san doesn't waste her efforts."
"..."
Nishikawa Ryouko felt her fists tighten.
This guy was absolutely doing it on purpose, toying with her emotions at will.
Damn it, what a truly rotten personality.
Though it wasn't as if she herself was any better.
Those pale golden eyes of Shikime Natsu's settled on Nishikawa Ryouko.
"I'd like to confirm something—is Nishikawa-san really this interested in my gossip?"
"..."
Nishikawa Ryouko fell silent for two seconds, then frankly nodded.
"Yes, I'm very interested."
"Oh, so Nishikawa-san is that interested..."
Shikime Natsu paused in his speech.
During that pause, Nishikawa Ryouko didn't for a moment think this guy Shikime Natsu would just come out and spill his gossip directly.
This guy was definitely brewing up something with ill intent.
"Then Nishikawa-san can just stay interested. I, too, am looking forward to seeing whether Nishikawa-san can find a weakness of mine."
The two pairs of pale golden eyes met, and Shikime Natsu revealed a faint smile.
"..."
"All right, it's chatting time now, so let's switch to another topic next."
"What topic?"
Nishikawa Ryouko looked at him, her eyes full of wariness.
This guy—he wasn't planning to dig another pit for her to jump into, was he?
Watching her wary state, the smile on Shikime Natsu's face grew a few shades thicker.
He picked up his coffee cup, took a shallow sip, then set the cup down, those pale golden eyes gazing calmly at Nishikawa Ryouko.
"When is Nishikawa-san's birthday?"
"...Huh?"
Nishikawa Ryouko went slightly blank.
She clearly hadn't expected that Shikime Natsu would suddenly ask a question like this.
Her birthday? What did this guy... want with her birthday?
Nishikawa Ryouko's wariness instantly maxed out.
"What is Shiki-san asking this for?"
She furrowed her brow, those pale golden eyes brimming with suspicion.
"Don't tell me... you're planning to do something weird?"
"Something weird?"
Shikime Natsu raised an eyebrow.
"Just knowing your birthday, there's nothing weird I could do with that, is there? I merely want to give Nishikawa-san a gift—is there some problem with that?"
This guy... wants to give her a birthday gift?
Her brain instantly crashed for a fraction of a second, then rapidly rebooted, the expression on her face shifting from surprise to wariness.
Give her a gift? Was Shikime Natsu that kind-hearted?
"Shiki-san..."
Those pale golden eyes of Nishikawa Ryouko's fixed tightly on Shikime Natsu's face, trying to read some clue from his expression.
"Don't tell me you're trying to use this kind of trick to... to win my heart?"
She paused, as if weighing her words. But as she spoke them, the girl's cheeks couldn't help but flush a little.
If Shikime Natsu really did give her a birthday gift... it seemed like she really would be quite happy?
No, no, no, absolutely impossible. This guy was definitely trying to bait her interest—getting her to know that Shikime Natsu already knew her birthday, and that he'd give her a birthday gift on the day.
Making her look forward to that day, when in reality he had no intention whatsoever of giving her a gift on that day.
The moment she thought of this possibility, Nishikawa Ryouko couldn't help but curse inwardly at how truly wicked this guy Shikime Natsu was.
"Win your heart?"
Shikime Natsu laughed out loud.
"I just asked casually, that's all. If Nishikawa-san thinks I have some ulterior motive, then forget it."
"And besides..."
"Even if I really did give Nishikawa-san a gift, Nishikawa-san wouldn't be so easily fooled by me like the other girls, would she?"
Of course she wouldn't. Of course she wouldn't!
She was Nishikawa Ryouko!
That sharp-tongued, wicked-natured, teasing-loving Nishikawa Ryouko!
How could she possibly be won over by a mere birthday gift?
"Of course not!"
Nishikawa Ryouko said almost as though by conditioned reflex.
"Even if Shiki-san really does give me a gift, there's absolutely no way I'll be so easily fooled by you like those other girls!"
She thrust out her chest, doing her best to make herself look full of confidence.
"Since Shiki-san wants to know, then I'll be gracious enough to tell you: my birthday is January first. Remember it."
As she spoke these words, Nishikawa Ryouko couldn't see what expression was on her own face—she only felt as though her face was burning like fire.
[Ding]
[CG66: A Maiden's Heart (Nishikawa Ryouko)]
[I absolutely will not be happy over a birthday gift I haven't even received yet]
[Congratulations, Host, on obtaining the Skill Card: Future Sight (allows you to see up to ten seconds into the future)]
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