“What’s with that attitude, senpai? Don’t you know being a tsundere is so outdated these days? With a senior that perfect, if you don’t make your move soon, some sly fox is going to snatch him away.”

“Tsundere… what nonsense.”

Although Nogami didn’t know much about things like ACGN, she still understood terms that had already gone mainstream, like “tsundere.”

Tsundere.

Someone who acts cold and proud to hide their shyness, pretending to be tough while secretly blushing inside.

But her? Shy? No way!

Two-faced? Please. She and Hoshikawa clearly had unresolved grudges! She hated that guy, wanted to stomp him underfoot like a disobedient puppy! Like hell she liked him!

“I’m just… a bit strong-willed, that’s all! And besides, besides, that guy never even looks annoyed when I yell at him or glare at him!”

“Senpai… could it be that he’s a masochist?”

“He’s definitely a masochist.”

“Yeah, total M.”

The three middle-school girls spoke in increasingly certain tones.

“Senpai, next time you should try scolding him with a disgusted look, like, not too harsh, but biting enough,” said the short girl called Minami, who proudly dubbed herself a “love detective.” Her small brown eyes sparkled with excitement.

“If you can glare at him with real disdain, like you’re crushing a bug under your heel, he’ll probably just kneel right then and there, completely enthralled by your dominance, and beg you to date him!”

At least, that’s how it always went in the stories she read online.

“Y-you could also… like, buy a collar and leash! For dogs, I mean! Walking one around is super fun, you know… guh, ”

“Ryoko! What kind of weird stuff are you even watching?!”

The girl who had first approached Nogami flushed bright red, pushing her two friends away in a fluster while bowing over and over.

“Sorry, senpai! We’ll be going now! See you next year at Nichiya High, maybe! Byeee!”

“Uh… s-see you…”

Seriously, what are kids into these days?!

After tucking the photo of Harutaki safely inside her notebook and slipping it into her bag, the words of that junior, Ryoko, still echoed in her ears.

Maybe she should ask Minako for advice on Line later tonight. She was great at this kind of stuff, she’d have Harutaki wrapped around her little finger in no time!

Apparently, Nogami had already forgotten the last time she’d “flopped”, or rather, flipped over a chair and fled in panic.

But more than a week had passed, with all sorts of unexpected chaos in between, and by now she had almost forgotten why she’d started picking on Harutaki in the first place, or why she’d even held a grudge against him at all.

…….

When she got home to the apartment she hadn’t seen in “a whole day,” Nogami slipped off her black loafers and stared at the quiet living room. Only one pair of pink slippers sat by the door.

For some reason, that made her feel… lonely.

Something was missing.

Her mind flashed back to last night, when that jerk Harutaki had called out, “I’m home!”, and that cute little sister of his had actually come to greet him at the door.

Sure, she was a bit sharp-tongued, but people don’t nag someone like that unless they actually care about them, right?

After washing her hands and face, Nogami changed into a light green loungewear set as fresh as cucumber skin, then went to the living room and pulled out the printed photo of Harutaki again.

“Yeah… this’ll work…”

Murmuring under her breath, she carried the sheet of paper back to her room.

Even though she lived alone, she crept through the apartment like a burglar about to do something very bad.

Something precious was about to be stolen.

Her princess-pink bed was piled high with plushies, adorable animals and expensive doll figures in fancy, custom-made dresses.

After rummaging through the pile for a while, she finally pulled out a large, half-body-sized tan Shiba Inu plush.

It had a strawberry-pink tongue, a round, tank-like body, mochi-shaped brows, big shiny eyes, and soft triangular ears.

The kind of plush that would cause a line of girls to spend coins nonstop at a crane machine.

But to Nogami, it was the least likable of them all.

What’s the point of a cute dog?

A good dog should be loyal and affectionate toward its owner, and bare its fangs at everyone else!

“That should do it…”

She whispered to herself, setting the Shiba Inu plush belly-up on her bed, then slapped the photo of Harutaki’s smiling face right on top of it.

Rustle.

Her bare, delicate feet, usually wrapped in dark navy sailor socks, stepped carefully onto the bed. With both hands, she began mercilessly pressing, kneading, and tormenting the plush.

Ahhh… yeah. This felt amazing.

A satisfied grin tugged at her lips before she even realized it.

My face must look awful right now, huh?

Gazing at the distorted smile on the photo beneath her fingers, Nogami felt a rush of wicked glee.

Talking down to me like that… hitting me, lecturing me, who the hell do you think you are?!

You damn jerk.

You insufferable idiot!

She released the photo, patted the plush’s round backside twice,

What, not even wagging your tail?

If you’d just wag your tail and beg for forgiveness, crawl on the floor and show me your loyalty and devotion, then maybe, maybe, I’d give you a reward like a good dog deserves!

“Woof woof! Nogami-sama, I was wrong! I’m really, really sorry…!”

Imitating the boy’s bright, clear voice, she bobbed the Shiba Inu’s head up and down. If only Hoshikawa could say those words himself…

“Heh heh…”

The plush’s flannel surface was silky smooth, its stuffing plump and springy. Whether she squeezed or stroked it, the tongue-out Shiba Inu gave a tactile comfort almost like petting a real animal.

“Say it, Hoshikawa! You were all high and mighty when you were scolding me, weren’t you?!”

“Woof, Nogami-sama! I was wrong! I, Hoshikawa Harutaki, will never do it again!” she squeaked in a boyish voice that neither Sae nor Minako had ever heard before, shockingly close to his real tone.

“Tch, stupid dog! Who said I’d forgive you?! You think just saying sorry makes it all okay?!”

She grabbed the plush’s chubby cheeks and pinched hard, her eyes burning with vindictive delight.

“Ha… hahaha! Hoshikawa, you’re only fit to grovel, crawl like a dog, and maybe then your master will give you the reward you deserve…”

Looking down at the Shiba Inu plush sprawled across her bed, her lips curved upward. The proud rose-red of her eyes made her look every bit the queen surveying her kneeling subject.

Slap slap.

The photo crinkled sharply under her hands.

Rustle rustle.

The soft plush fur rubbed together, making a faint whispering sound like wind through grass.

“Woof! Nogami-sama! I really wanna be your dog! Please, noble mistress, punish me as you see fit, for I, Hoshikawa Harutaki, am but a foolish mutt who knows nothing of heaven or earth, woof!”

Of course, she knew the real Hoshikawa would never say something like that. But just for the sake of her pride… she said it anyway.

Thump thump thump, BANG BANG BANG!

Nogami froze. Her breath caught. She snatched up her phone from her shorts pocket, thumb swiping across the screen as she snapped in a sharp, irritated tone:

“WHAT!?”

If looks could kill, whoever was on the other end would have dropped dead instantly.

……