#065 Step by step
I recently resumed cleaning Citrine’s office.
Citrine seemed bothered as usual, asking why I was worrying about such trivial things, but she came next to me while I was cleaning and helped me out knowingly or unknowingly.
This day, I stopped by her room as usual and put down a pudding on Citrine’s desk and said,
“Eat this.”
“What is this lump that makes you fat just by looking at it?”
“Emerald bought a ton of it. “The chairman asked me to leave one for you too, so I brought it.”
“… “
I carefully watched her reaction.
“… Okay.”
I thought he would get angry and ask me to take it back or why I brought it, but instead he reacted indifferently.
“… Hey, Chairman?”
“Why?”
“Are you not coming to the club room anymore? You haven’t come once this week… “
From the time Emerald appeared in the club, Citrine has never visited.
Perhaps it was to avoid encountering her.
“It may be difficult, but please stop by sometimes. “Everyone misses their senior.”
More than anything, he did not want the conflict between seniors to worsen any further.
“… I’ll try my best. Even if it’s because I’m thinking of you.”
Actually, just receiving this level of response was a huge step forward, but unfortunately, time was running out for our club.
In three days from now, the two-week grace period that Citrine had mentioned would end, and if Emerald was not officially added as a member by then, there would be no future for the club.
In the end, I had to force it to happen.
After finishing cleaning Chi’s today, I glanced at her and went behind her and put my hand on her shoulder.
“… !”
Citrine flinched and then she turned around and glared at me and asked.
“What is this hand?”
“Chairman… “I think her shoulders are really tight!”
When I started massaging while speaking in an unnatural voice, she got up restlessly.
“Why is this happening all of a sudden!?”
She gently pressed down on the most pleasant spot on the back of her neck so that she would naturally accept her massage.
Then a small moan came from her.
“Ugh… “
“Isn’t it cool?”
“… “It’s not bad.”
It was a massage and massage that I occasionally gave Ruby every weekend.
Citrine, who was sitting quietly enjoying her touch, spoke bluntly.
“… “I don’t know what your plan is, but don’t think this will make me change my attitude.”
“It’s not a ploy, it’s pure respect… !”
“If you don’t say anything… “
Citrine’s body was surprisingly small and delicate.
As she was immersed in her memories, feeling like she was touching Lady Ruby’s body when she was young, her hand inadvertently moved down to her arm.
“… Uh, are you doing it all the way to the bottom?”
I was also taken aback when I received her question from her. I was just thinking of ending it on her shoulder.
Why not finish what I started?
Starting from the inside of the arm, where it would be the most tense, it slowly worked its way down to the hand.
“… “
Citrine, who had been chattering non-stop, was suddenly looking into the distance without saying anything.
When her hand massage began, she suddenly burst into laughter.
“Ahahahaha, it tickles… !”
“It’s because I don’t touch you often. “Her muscles are tight.”
A blush bloomed on her face as she pressed her hand hard and with utmost sincerity instead of waiting for her to tickle her.
“… “I think it hurts a little.”
“It’s probably because it’s my first time. “It feels refreshing when you receive it.”
Unlike Ruby, who silently received the massage, it was cute that Citrine immediately responded with various reactions to each area.
I cleverly avoided areas where it would be rude to touch it, and before I knew it, my hands had reached my legs.
“I’ll massage your calves too. “Are you okay?”
“Now you can’t pretend to ask for permission… “I already did everything.”
“That means it’s okay, right?”
“… “
Since Citrine was silent, I took it as consent and started the calf part.
The legs were so thin that for a moment I thought they were arms. When I pressed my thumb against the area where her muscles were most concentrated, she screamed and hugged my head.
“Wow… !”
Her small breasts were pressed against my face, making it difficult to breathe.
The fragrant coffee scent and good scent permeated my clothes.
“… President. “I can’t breathe.”
“Oh, sorry.”
Citrin cleared her throat and took her arm away from me. After a moment of awkwardness, she spoke bluntly.
“… “Because there were bugs flying around.”
“I guess the bug was a bit big?”
“… “Just shut up and do what you’re doing.”
“Yes!”
After finally finishing the bridge over a long period of time, Citrine looked much refreshed.
“It’s all over!”
“… Good. “Are you done with your business now?”
She showed signs of trying to get me out, but when I kept looking at her with longing eyes, she sighed and said,
“… Under. Okay. “I’ll stop by the club this week.”
“Really?”
“Okay. “It’s real.”
My goal was to at least create an opportunity for seniors to meet each other face to face.
It seems like a success. To some extent.
***
Today was the last day of the scheduled two weeks.
If Citrine doesn’t change her mind by today, the club is truly over.
Everyone was trying not to be conscious and naturally enjoying tea time, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the atmosphere had calmed down somewhere.
‘Senior Citrine, I promised I would come… ‘
I sat in her corner and waited for her, biting her nails with an anxious expression on her face.
At that time, the door opened with great force and someone appeared.
“Chairman… !?”
“Senior… !”
Everyone looked at the door with shocked expressions, and Citrine stood there with an expression full of spirit.
“… “
Citrine, who was silent for a while, stared quietly at her emerald, then walked towards her.
Emerald looked at Citrine with an awkward smile and greeted her.
“… “Hello, Lynn?”
“Follow me.”
In an atmosphere as if they were challenging a fight, everyone was staring at the two seniors as if they were dead.
Emerald obediently followed Citrine out of the club room.
Amethyst, who was watching this, quietly grabbed me and dragged me.
“Amber, let’s follow him secretly.”
“Yes? “Two people?”
“If things don’t work out between you and your senior, you need someone to mediate.”
“… All right.”
Amethyst and I quietly walked behind the two people.
Citrine and Emerald were seen standing under a large tree planted in the school’s backyard.
We hid behind a tree so as not to be seen by them, and held our breath and overheard the conversation.
It was Citrine who spoke first. She asked, frowning at Emerald.
“Why did you come back?”
“… Sorry, Lynn. I didn’t mean to leave you… “
“I’m not asking that. She asked why I came back suddenly.”
Emerald was unable to answer Citrine’s question for a long time, and then, with difficulty, she opened her mouth.
“… “The association said they would like me to join the academy again.”
I felt puzzled by the words that came out of her mouth.
‘Association?’
After hearing the answer, Citrine sighed and said.
“Anyway, I’m saying I didn’t come back here with pure intentions.”
“… “
Emerald did not deny, she was unable to meet Citrine’s eyes.
Citrine crossed her arms, glared directly at her, and spoke.
From Noble mtl dot com
“Okay… “You said you wanted to join the club.”
“Yes.”
“What should I do after signing up? “Are you going to disappear alone again without saying a word?”
“Citrine, that is… “
Emerald tried to say something, but Citrine pushed harder.
“You’ve done that before. “Are you sure it won’t happen this time?”
“… “
“This is a club that those kids established through hard work from the beginning. If you’re thinking of going in with a light heart and then leaving, I still don’t want to accept you. Emerald.”
“… “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Citrine asked now with a sad face rather than an angry one.
“… “Why did you lie to me?”
With slightly teary eyes, he looked at the emerald and said.
“… You said you would stay by my side. “You said you wanted to see me become student council president.”
“I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”
“All you have to do is say you are leaving. That was so difficult… !?”
After a moment of silence, Emerald opened her mouth.
“I was scared.”
“… What?”
“… I was scared that if I said that, the relationship would end. You me… “I’m afraid I’ll end up hating it.”
After hearing her words, Citrine looked at her as if slightly surprised and then said.
“What the hell are you… Why do you think I’ll hate you?”
“But that’s right. If you suddenly leave… “
Citrine shook her head strongly, denying the words.
“… That won’t happen. “Just because you leave my side doesn’t mean our relationship will end.”
As I watched the two, I remembered what Emerald said before.
When I asked her why she didn’t finish knitting, she said, “I don’t like the feeling after I finish.”
Perhaps she was afraid of ending her friendship with Citrine.
I guess he didn’t tell me until the end because he thought that if he told me he was leaving, he wouldn’t be able to live like before.
Emerald wiped her eyes with her sleeve and took something of her own from her bag and handed it to Citrine.
“Citrine. This… “
Citrine took what she offered and made a puzzled expression.
“Scarf… ? “This is the scarf you used to knit in the student council room every day.”
When it seemed like it was complete, I undid it again and knitted it again and again.
“… Huh. “I finished it.”
“What? You’ve never finished it… ?”
“Actually, I was planning to give it to you when it was completed. I was going to give it to you before I left… “I couldn’t give it to you and left.”
“… “
Citrine wrapped her black scarf around her neck, then lowered her head and answered.
“… I’m accepting you because of Amber, Emerald. “I haven’t forgiven you yet.”
“Yes, I know…” “
The two stood like that for a long time without saying anything.
Citrine, who was burying her face in her scarf, suddenly changed her attitude and shouted loudly in this direction.
“Hey, those eavesdroppers over there! “Jump out here!”
“… !”
Amethyst and I, startled by Citrine’s shout, sneaked out from behind the tree.
“Ahahahaha… “
As I scratched the back of her head and smiled brightly, Citrine sighed and shook her head.
“If you’re going to follow me, why don’t you make it obvious? What the… “
“I’m sorry…” !”
“That’s it, do the same thing tomorrow.”
“Yes? That’s it… ?”
When I asked in confusion, Citrine mumbled and said.
“You know that! Something I did at work before… “
Are you really talking about massage? I thought she didn’t like it very much.
Emerald, who had been watching our conversation, tilted her head and asked.
“What do you mean by that? Lin?”
“You don’t need to know. “You idiot.”
“When you say that, I’m even more curious!”
“There is no need to know!”
I felt a little proud when I saw the girls being able to communicate even a little more naturally.
Would you say it felt like there was finally a support in a relationship that was on the brink? It still seems like there’s a long way to go.
