Eriri Spencer Sawamura, the side of her that everyone usually saw was that of a well-mannered young lady from a good family.
But in private, she could shed that mask, becoming a carefree, slightly sloppy hidden otaku.
Regardless of which side she showed, though, her attitude toward others remained polite.
Occasionally, if something displeased her, she'd only grumble silently in her mind, endure it for a bit, and move on.
But there were always exceptions.
There were certain things she absolutely could not tolerate.
Things involving her beloved family, close friends… and, most importantly, her childhood friend.
It's often said that a child's personality is shaped by their parents and their surrounding environment.
In Eriri's case, this was certainly true.
Her classic tsundere tendencies and her habit of saying one thing while meaning another were inherited from Mr. Spencer himself.
Long ago, it had been Sawamura Sayuri who had taken the initiative, which led to Eriri's smooth arrival into the world.
Still, although she inherited most of Spencer's embarrassing traits, there remained a small portion of Sayuri's genes, allowing them to have their own influence.
Usually, these traits lay dormant, quietly in the background. But at critical moments—like now—they could suddenly take control, without Eriri even realizing it, dominating the situation completely.
Rikka Minamoto was starting to feel she couldn't hold back anymore; it seemed like it could all spill out at any moment.
Her usually cheerful friend now looked terrifying!
Rikka had never seen this expression on Eriri before. Even when they'd once shared a bed and Rikka had kicked her to the floor, Eriri had never looked so sharp, so ferociously dangerous, like she could devour her whole!
But fear wasn't the only factor.
What made it even worse was that Eriri wasn't just making a scary face—she was physically pressuring Rikka.
She held Rikka's skirt tightly, pressing down on her lower abdomen with controlled force.
And the location—an empty, private bathroom stall—made it all the more intimate.
What kind of school bullying was this?!
"E-Eriri… let's talk… please, just let me go to the bathroom first."
"No, we settle this first!"
"But I promised I wouldn't…"
"Huh?!"
Eriri pressed harder.
And leaning close, her voice carried that sharp, almost delinquent threat in her tone…
This isn't the Eriri I know! This is a completely different personality!
"I… I get it… last night, Shiho Kasanohara came over, and when I went to call everyone for dinner, I saw…"
Rikka kept reminding herself internally: I was forced, I had no choice…
And then she spilled every detail she knew.
When Eriri learned that Shiho had used the guise of gathering material to get so intimately close to her childhood friend, her face immediately burned red.
Yet the situation wasn't as serious as she had imagined.
Seeing how mysteriously Rikka had acted before, and then discovering Shiho was involved, she had thought maybe Chiyo Minamoto was officially dating her—she had felt like the world was ending…
Still, it was important and couldn't be ignored!
How could someone be so sly? Like a sneaky cat, a shameless wildcat!
"Alright, I've told you everything. Can you let me go now?"
"Ah… sorry."
Once Eriri understood the actual situation, her face and aura, though still filled with indignation and disdain for that girl in black stockings, relaxed considerably. The terrifying, intense presence vanished as if it had never existed.
She released her grip on Rikka, who quickly adjusted her skirt and pure white cotton underwear, crouched down, and finally breathed a sigh of relief before Eriri could even turn away.
"Rikka, you said after dinner they went back to the room together. Don't you have any idea what they were doing?" Eriri crouched in front of her.
Rikka gave a deadpan look: "Eriri, do you really have to ask me this right now?"
"It's important!"
"Even if it's important, wait until I'm ready, don't stare at me like that!"
"Doesn't matter, we're both girls!"
"Fine! Then from now on, I'll go to the bathroom with you every day, and we'll do exactly what you just did to me!"
Bring it on, mutual damage!
Eriri looked at Rikka and awkwardly smiled, choosing to retreat.
At this point, Rikka, her face still flushed, finally showed a rare trace of anger, giving Eriri a chance to pause her questions and step back, leaving a relaxed space for her friend.
Later, Rikka stood, lifted her skirt, and it was now Eriri's turn to crouch.
Rikka didn't seek revenge for what had just happened.
Eriri's terrifying display had left Rikka still feeling uneasy.
But she dared to sneak a glance.
Eriri had similar tastes to her—though hers were in blue-and-white stripes, and of course… not exactly like hers.
Eriri's were golden, matching her hair.
Afterward, they both washed their hands, dried them with paper towels, and slowly headed to class.
Eriri immediately brought up the previous question again as she crumpled the damp towel and tossed it in the trash.
Rikka sighed, helpless:
"…I already told you everything I knew. Chiyo had locked the doors and windows tight—no fly could get in, let alone me. How could I possibly know what they were doing in there?"
Eriri stomped her foot in frustration: "You didn't peek through the window to listen?!"
Rikka, feeling completely free from Eriri's grip and no longer intimidated by her sudden outburst, replied more casually: "I was curious, sure, but I didn't need to go that far."
Eriri paused.
Rikka playfully poked Eriri's side, trying to reclaim some authority after being bullied moments ago: "Honestly, Eriri, I didn't expect you to react so strongly. If you really cared that much, why not ask my brother directly instead of me, who only knows the gist? He's free for lunch break right now—I can text him and set it up?"
Eriri snatched the phone back:
"No, don't misunderstand. I'm not that concerned. I just think Shiho is completely inconsiderate—bothering him at such a critical time, like preparing for the Sci-Fi Literary Award, without a thought for anyone else."
Her voice pitched higher, her words speeding up:
"Alright, class is about to start, let's go back!"
With that, she quickened her pace, swinging her arms energetically. Her golden ponytail bounced joyfully in the air.
Ah… she's running away.
That's the real Eriri.
But what had just happened in the bathroom stall…?
Ultraman transformation? Saint Seiya cosmos explosion? Super Saiyan awakening?
Rikka shook her head, confused, and hurried to catch up.
Soubu High School. Lunch break. School rooftop.
The usual spot. The same two people.
Saeko Tokushima saw Shiho Kasanohara's bright, genuine smile and knew immediately that she was in a great mood today.
And she was right.
"Saeko, the gift you asked me to deliver was well received. Aunt Takanashi was very pleased and even said she'll think about a return gift. She also asked me to thank you. You really went out of your way—I'll visit her again sometime."
"Glad she liked it. Thanks for taking the trouble."
"No need to thank me for something like this—it doesn't feel awkward between us at all."
"That's true."
They opened their bento boxes.
Shiho shared a shrimp patty made by her mother, her favorite, with Saeko.
Saeko returned the favor with a sweet tamagoyaki.
"So, how was last night?"
Saeko brought it up casually.
A simple greeting, really.
How her aunt treated her was important, but not the most important thing.
What she truly cared about was the plan Shiho had secretly put in motion for her beloved Chiyo.
No one else knew—so Saeko had to learn the progress directly from Shiho.
"…Last night," Shiho said, recalling with a smile, "Toka-nee made a lot of dishes and even prepared barbecue. It was a feast, and I couldn't resist—ate way more than I should have, exceeding my nutritional limits."
She showed the small portion of her bento, clearly too little even to feed a cat:
"So today, I asked Mom to make me a smaller portion to balance out yesterday."
"You don't need to worry about that at all, Shiho. You're so slender, you have room to relax."
"Can't say that. I don't exercise like you do, Saeko. I hate sweating and being lazy, so at least I have to control my diet. Otherwise, if my figure changes, it'll be too late to fix it later."
Saeko chuckled, but a new worry rose in her chest.
At first, she had only been looking for someone suitable to substitute for her inability to be with Chiyo.
Shiho had naturally entered her view during that period.
It was coincidental, but now Saeko realized something: this literary girl's physical stamina was concerning.
Even Saeko, capable of running thousands of meters before an hour of practice, couldn't sustain one-on-one training with Chiyo fully. She would start losing energy—and more—halfway through.
The dry grass would quickly turn muddy from the "storm" she unleashed.
If she struggled, could Shiho really handle full one-on-one practice with Chiyo?
It was… questionable.
But she could only hope.
Hope that Shiho, though not physically strong, had exceptional technique and a physique that could be her secret weapon against Chiyo.
Perhaps she had that potential.
"…Uh~" Shiho blushed, squirming nervously. "W-what are you doing, Saeko?"
Saeko quietly withdrew her hand from Shiho's thigh: "Sorry. I just wanted to check your fitness after what you said. And you know, not only do you look perfect, but your skin feels amazing. Your future boyfriend's lucky."
Hearing "boyfriend," Shiho's expression subtly shifted.
The memory of the bold kiss she had given Chiyo's cheek last night returned to her chest.
She twirled her hair nervously, eyes downcast, and made a decision:
"Oh, there's one more thing I want to tell you, Saeko. Last night, I asked Chiyo for help."
Saeko's interest peaked—anything about Chiyo was important.
She quietly looked at Shiho, no longer eating, ready to listen.
"It's about my writing… as you know, I write school romance. Recently, I hit a block, so I asked Chiyo to pretend to be my boyfriend to help me regain inspiration."
As soon as Shiho stammered that out, she clearly saw Saeko's surprise and delight.
She didn't need words—Saeko's reaction alone deeply moved her.
Saeko genuinely cared about and supported her and Chiyo.
Shiho felt like the luckiest person alive, having both a dream partner and a friend who sincerely wished for her happiness.
"Chiyo could help you? That's amazing."
"Yes, I think so too."
"So, by your account, last night, when you pretended to be a couple, you did couple things?"
"Mm…"
"Can you tell me more? I'm curious."
"No problem."
After all, it's Saeko.
But even close friends couldn't reveal everything—some things were just too embarrassing.
So besides the gentle removal of knee-high socks and the fleeting kiss on his cheek, everything else could be explained freely.
Regarding what she learned from Rikka, Eriri didn't have the guts to confront Chiyo directly.
But she urgently wanted to discuss it with a lifelong friend.
Eight hours behind in Eagle Country, Eriri timed it perfectly—right as Yukinoshita Yukino got up in the morning—and called.
"Yukino! Listen, Shiho that girl… that girl…!"
A familiar opening.
Yukino, just waking up, rubbed her eyes, thinking the same thing.