"You're late."
Just like yesterday, Mina opened the door to their clubroom for after knocking on it for a while.
I already dropped Aya to the room next door and greeted Haruko. Hiko was also there with her so I got the chance to check on her situation which ended up taking so of my ti.
Well, seeing her cheerful and lovely face today, she's not hurting that much anymore. That was also with Haruko's help by giving her tips to ease the pain.
Seeing the two, their relationship also took a step forward. Before, Hiko was also worried about taking Haruko away from them. Now that she also beca one of my girls, that worry was lifted which resulted in her understanding Haruko better and in turn, Haruko also didn't need to always appease her due to the number of tis I am with her.
Leaving the two in that kind of atmosphere, I excused myself to the three girls and went next door.
"I thought I would see you next door, are you waiting for ?"
"You're already this shaless when we haven't even started yet."
"Ah. I'm just asking you know? It's either you or Hiko who's always at Haruko's side so I'm wondering if you waited specifically this ti."
Though she's also here yesterday, I naturally omitted that. I wanted to see her reaction to my shalessness after all.
"… Co in and stop flaunting your shaless aura there."
Mina rolled her eyes and widened the opening of the door.
Alright, that's a nice reaction at least.
Just like the first ti I visited this club, Mina guided to the low table with cushions around it for us to sit.
Now that I'm here again, the other three are nowhere in sight. Did they find out that I will co to visit so they naturally avoided running into ?
"A tea is enough, right?"
Mina asked. Though she's already brewing so at the sa corner she did before. I guess, she's the one always in charge of their tea.
"Un. I still rember the taste of your tea back then. You're quite good at it, do you…?"
"My mother taught about brewing teas. It's not an admirable skill."
Before I could finish my question, she already gave the answer.
This girl. The way she wanted to end the conversation quickly showed that she still had the habit when she was still an introvert.
Well, so things really couldn't change. Opening up to soone doesn't an one's introverted nature will be cured. It only lets them open up to a specific person.
Look at Hiko and Aya, it is still hard for them to interact with other people. What Haruko cured about them was most likely their loner status. Gathering them together to open up to one another, they beca closer than their families.
"What do you an not an admirable skill? Being able to craft delicious tea like this… What are the chances that you're an heir to a famous Tea Shop?"
As if it's that convenient to find soone with a background like Hiko or Otoha. Also, it doesn't really matter what kind of background they have. What matters to is how I like them.
Well, after what Rae talked about earlier, I might actually start looking at their background. I just need to be conscious enough to make that the entire reason for liking soone. I love Otoha's personality and the way she wanted to stand up to herself. The sa with Hiko, her desire to change was too admirable. It's not about what's behind them but what they showed .
Err… They both beca targets of my desire before the change in so… I don't think those words are valid. In any case, that's the reason now why I love them.
"Stop assuming things, Onoda-kun. This is just a hobby of my mother which she passed to ."
"So you're not a forr mber of tea ceremony clubs?"
"It's too troubleso to learn the proper etiquette and the way they prepared the tea. Doing it like this is better."
Mina shook her head. The brewing of tea finished at the sa ti, she then poured it into two cups before moving towards the low table.
She put one of the cups in front of before settling herself in front of . At the sa place she sat during my previous visit.
Looking at her this ti, only now did I get a better view of her. Most of the ti she would veer away from and hide behind Haruko's back. But through her observations of , whenever I would visit Haruko, it finally reached this point where she gave a chance to steal her.
Or rather to know her better.
Mina had ponytailed-black hair and a rather small stature. But still, she gave off so sense of elegance and diligence at how she carried herself. Her most striking trait is that little mole at the left side below her lips. It added to her attractiveness.
When she noticed staring at her and not at the tea she brewed. Her eyebrows slanted before muttering,
"Drink it now or it will get cold."
"Ah. Sorry, it's the first I got a better look at you. I'm glad you gave this chance. This made want you more than before. Maybe as much as I wanted my other girls before."
And like I expected, my words didn't have any effect on her. She picked up her cup and sipped on her tea without as much change in her expression.
"That kind of pick up line will enrage most of the girls, you know? Why do you have to be brutally honest? Don't you know how to lie?"
"It's not that I don't lie, but I want you to know my honest thoughts. Impressing you with lies will just make you turn off if the truth was revealed."
Lying to impress soone, of course, that's a no-no. However, being brutally honest like this is surely not any better. I've already been told about this before but I keep doing it.
"At least, moderate it. You see, even if they already accepted your kind of relationship, they will still be a little hurt knowing that you will probably say to the others what happened between the two of you."
Well, I'm not always saying every detail on them, just enough for them to have the idea of what happened. But I guess, I'll ride this topic of hers. Maybe I will learn more from her.
"I see. You're right. I don't want to lie to them, to you. But hearing about it now, I guess I should omit so things."
I nodded and picked up the still burning hot tea. I sniffed the scent coming from it and it's not the usual bitter tea. There's a hint of sweetness in it which I preferred. It's different from the tea she brewed before. Did she ask Haruko about this?
"Haa… At least you understand."
Upon hearing my answer, Mina shrugged and dropped the topic before sipping her tea again.
My eyes were locked on hers as she gracefully placed her lips on the cup before slowly lifting it up. Her eyes were closed as she savored its taste.
Halfway through, her eyes opened and glared at who was still holding the cup without sipping it.
"Thank you for this tea, Mina."
"Stop with that, just drink it already."
She said after placing down her now-emptied teacup
"Does it bother you if your tea grew cold?"
Anyone would, I guess. I keep postponing drinking it that she might beco irritated soon.
"Of course. I made that with your satisfaction in mind. If you just let it cool down. It's like you're throwing my efforts."
"How thoughtful. You're making like you more."
And these words beca the fuse which lit flared her up. Mina visibly blushed before standing up to get the teapot she left on the counter where she made it. Most likely to stop from seeing that expression.
"I did that to everyone, idiot. Don't get too cocky."
I watched as she slowly walked there while putting a hand on her cheeks. Well, I didn't know it would be that effective. Did I do sothing which changed her impression of ? Better ask her about that.
After a while, she ca back with the teapot and put it on the low table. Her face already recovered its normal color. She then poured another cup of tea for her.
"I know, I just really want to see your reactions. Anyway, can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead but drink your tea first!"
With a vein popping up on her forehead, Mina finally couldn't take it and shout at .
Well, that's enough teasing. To appease her, I downed the tea in one gulp. It's really sweeter than before and it tasted high class despite using normal leaves.
"Alright here."
"Co on. Give that, I'll refill it. You're going to drink this all before you go."
Still a bit incensed, Mina asked for my cup.
Her teapot is big enough to fill 15 cups of it… She already drank two… This girl.
"Say, Do you have a grudge on ?"
"I do. Because you showed up, Haruko always has a smile on her face now. I can't cheer her up like before."
Ah… That makes sense. Haruko really cheered up more than before, especially when I started to keep dropping by to see her and the night we shared every week.
Well, all her girls love Haruko too much. It's only natural for Mina to feel like this.
Now, how will I make her like too?
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