Minami Shouko's eyes narrowed, but she didn't argue.
Instead, she took another sip of the tea, the warm liquid seemingly calming her nerves, "Lonely? You're right, that best describes . Do you think you're so clever, Onoda-kun?"
"Are we still playing the ga? Is that your question?"
Her eyes snapped to , a hint of surprise and sothing else in them. But she nodded. "Yes. That's my question."
I nodded before putting my thoughts into words, "I do think I'm clever. However, I'm not here to play mind gas, senpai. I'm here to understand you. Your motive. And maybe through this talk. We can help each other out."
At this point, I decided to stop the ga. I didn't wait for her response to what I said. Her expression alone was enough.
Standing up, I walked over to where she sat and gently placed my hand on her shoulder. "Look, Minami-senpai, I know you're looking for sothing. And maybe, just maybe, you've convinced yourself that playing these gas is the way to find it. But it's not. It's just hurting people, including yourself."
Her eyes searched mine, the anger and challenge from before now replaced with sothing else entirely. Sothing raw and unguarded. "How do you know what I want?" she whispered, the defensiveness in her voice cracking.
"I've seen it in others, senpai. The need to be seen, truly seen, for who you are beneath the facade. It's a universal desire, one that doesn't just apply to and my girls. And I think, deep down, you're searching for that too." I replied.
Underneath the layers of her tough exterior, Minami Shouko was as fragile as a butterfly's wing. This girl has been leading her life like this.
I might have been warned by Ryouko-san and my girls about interacting with her, but I think I'm finally seeing a different person beneath all that layer that I've just taken off of her.
"Look, Minami-senpai. The gas, the thefts, the manipulation... It's all a facade. However, you're mistaken about sothing."
"What's that?" she asked, her voice shaky.
"The connection you've built with all the students in your ga. They're real." A gentle smile tugged at my lips as I continued, "They're not just pawns to be moved around for your amusent. They're people with feelings and desires, just like you and . And I know they believed you for a reason."
Minami Shouko stared at , her expression a mix of confusion and doubt. It was clear she hadn't considered this before. She was so caught up in her own world that she'd forgotten the humanity of the people she was playing with.
"They do?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
I nodded. "They do, senpai. They see the real you, even if it’s through a twisted lens. And they want to reach out to you, but you keep pushing them away with these gas. It's like you're afraid to get too close."
That's how it is. Just like how I pushed my girls away before, that's also what she's doing to them. Maeda said she delivered on her promise.
"Yes, they do. You have the power to make them smile, to make them feel alive. But in the process, you've forgotten to let yourself be seen. You're afraid of letting anyone in because you're afraid they'll see the parts of you that you don't like. Am I right?"
At this, I pulled the nearby chair, sat down and leveled myself with her. My hands moved from her shoulder to her cheek, caressing it with my thumb.
"Onoda-kun...," she began, her voice trembling slightly.
"Let tell you a secret, Minami-senpai," I leaned closer, my eyes searching hers. "Everyone has flaws. Everyone has things they're afraid of. But that's what makes us human. And when you open up to soone, when you trust them enough to let them see those flaws, that's when the real connection starts. Just like what I have with my girls. I don't claim to be a normal person but I have those connections."
Her eyes searched mine, the doubt slowly lting away. It was like watching a sculpture being chiseled, revealing the beauty beneath the stone. "But, Onoda-kun, I've been playing these gas for so long... I don't know how to be real with people anymore."
"Then you continue playing but change the ga. You can all play without inconveniencing soone else." I said, my thumb still caressing her cheek.
Minami Shouko's eyes never left mine and I could see the storm brewing in her gaze. It was a mix of fear, doubt, and perhaps a glimr of hope. It was a dance of emotions that I probably hadn't seen a lot before. I was a bastard, after all.
"You can start with , Minami-senpai," I said, my voice gentle. "Trust . I've seen the good in people even when they couldn’t see it themselves. And I think I see it in you."
Her eyes searched mine, the storm in them slowly calming down. "But why? Why would you care about ?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Since I talk about honesty, the first reason is soone asked to correct your path." I started, stroking her cheek with my thumb as I spoke. "But the main reason is because, like I said before, I see the good in you."
Alright. I was half-sincere with that one. She still had to atone for her mistakes but like in most cases, you don't condemn soone further after making a mistake. You correct them.
I can use that phrase myself but... well, this isn't about .
"Let's start small, Minami-senpai. Let's make a deal." I suggested, my thumb still gently caressing her cheek. "You'll stop the gas that are causing harm to others and we'll help each other find that genuine connection you're looking for. Deal?"
Minami Shouko remained silent for a few monts, contemplating my words. The tension in the room was thick, but there was sothing else there, too. A hint of hope, perhaps.
"Fine," She finally said, her voice small but firm. "But where will you find a genuine connection?"
"Well, that's simple. Didn't you do all that to get my attention? Tell , did I pass your criteria?" I pressed my thumb on her lips, feeling a slight tremble on them.
Minami Shouko's eyes searched mine before she nodded. "Yes. You did."
The corner of my mouth twitched upwards into a small smile.
"Good. Then, we're already on the right track." I leaned back, taking my hand away from her cheek but keeping my gaze locked on hers. "The first step to finding a genuine connection is to drop the mask, senpai. Show the world the real you."
Minami Shouko looked at , her eyes filled with a vulnerability that was as rare as a shooting star. She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling with the effort of letting go of the facade she'd worn for so long. "Alright," she murmured, "I'll... I'll try."
I gave her a gentle nod. "Good. For now, that's enough. But rember, this is a two-way street. I need you to be honest with too. No more gas, no more thefts, and no more lying. Do you understand? Your group. You can keep them. Just don't do the sa things again. They will surely be reprimanded, or worse expelled from their club. But you can take them in if you want. Apply for a club that will belong to you and the connection you made."
Minami Shouko's eyes searched mine, looking for any signs of deceit or mockery. However, she found none. Just a sincere gaze that seed to say, 'I believe in you'.
She took a deep breath, visibly steeling herself.
"Okay," She murmured, her voice filled with a newfound resolve. "I'll try. But what about... us? What kind of relationship are we going to have?"
"We'll see. We can't decide that on the first eting, can we?" I gave her a warm smile, "But, I'm willing to give it a shot if you are."
The room felt warr as she returned the smile, a real one, not the one she wore to manipulate others. "Like the rumors say, you're a charr."
"Only when it's necessary," I replied with a wink, making her cheeks turn a light shade of pink. It was a sight to behold. It seed like she hadn’t felt this way for a while.
User Comments
0 comments from readers