Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

Saying farewell to Ruka, who was cheerful until the end, Miyu and I returned home.
Today was absolutely exhausting, mentally speaking.
「*Fwaaaah*～」 I breathe out deeply, as if my soul was trying to escape with the air, before lying down on the living room sofa.

「Still, Misaki, you’re such a sinful woman.」
　
After tidying the trash on the table and preparing the bath, Miyu returned.
She sat right beside my head.
I can’t let that statement pass. I quickly sat up.

「How?」
「After all, she broke up because being with Misaki is more fun, she said.」

Indirectly NTR-ing Ruka from her boyfriend.
That’s a malicious way to put it. Ruka was simply already wavering to begin with, and that was only one of the many factors that finalized her decision.
There’s nothing weird about that.
　
「Again, she didn’t mean it in a weird way! She meant it as friends! If you say that, aren’t you the same too?」
「Really? For me, it felt like you’re the only one she wanted, and I was just an extra.」

Again with the unnecessary comment.
It was pretty misleading, but Ruka’s stance was that she just wanted to be friends.
The gal just confessed about wanting to have fun with her buddies, and we (hardcore lesbians) reached a misunderstanding on our own. *Ahh*, that was so embarrassing.

「『Friends』, *hmm*～…」

Miyu uttered in a suggestive tone.
Well, it’s not like I can’t understand her sentiment. And it’s not like I’ve had the need to expressly tell Miyu, “We’re friends, aren’t we?” before.

「She said that, but there’s no way of knowing the truth, you know?」
「W-what do you mean?」
「You probably awakened her, you know? She probably just doesn’t realize it yet.」

In other words, she might completely awaken sometime in the future, *huh*.
True, she absolutely has the makings.
While Ruka was left greatly satisfied today, as expected, Miyu is a bit displeased… or rather, unconvinced. Maybe she didn’t like how I overdid the lip service with Ruka.
Still, it was necessary for the harmonious resolution that situation.
With my exaggerated response, it should feel less serious, too. And frankly, it’s not like I lied about liking her as a friend.

「I-Incidentally, Miyu, that『I like Misaki』 earlier; your tone was pretyy desperate, wasn’t it?」

Since we’re alone, I want to bring this up and make things clear.
This time, without any weird conditions, Miyu said it out loud. As things were nearly about to erupt into a love triangle, Miyu expressed her true feelings. Her tone was absolutely serious that time.

「… I didn’t want you to get taken from me, that’s all.」
「I see. So your true feelings came out.」
　
Now even the constantly bullied Misaki-chan can rest at ease.
Miyu suddenly gasped, lowered her head, and, with a pout, muttered.

「…Stupid.」

*The* Miyu is at a loss for words.
Catching her red-handed, she’s left embarrassed!
It seems like she can’t even refute it. As expected, humans reveal their true selves when in dire situations.

「I hate you, Misaki.」

… Why are you saying that all of a sudden? Why would you even say that?

「I love Misaki when she properly listens to me. But I hate the Misaki that gets close with other girls to show off. Understood?」
「I get it already, so stop it now.」
「Do you really understand?」

I don’t care any more; just please stop using the word ‘hate’ addressed to me. It’s bad for the heart.

「Then I hate you when you’re acting like that～!」

I fired back.
I’m not the type to chicken out and not say what’s honestly in my mind. I can say no when I need to. If I don’t, it won’t be good for Miyu either.

「… *Hmm*?」

There was a sudden glint in Miyu’s eyes.
*Eh*, what’s with that, “Are you challenging me?” gaze?
The overwhelming aura of a boss character. No signs of being shaken at all.
S̲h̲i̲t̲, at this rate, it’s gonna be like a fight and I don’t want that.

「I’m kidding, it was a lie! I don’t hate you at all! I love you!」

Chickened out in a span of 5 seconds.
Seeing me flap my hands like a hen, Miyu’s expression softened.

「There, good girl. I love Misaki when she’s honest～」

She reached out and started patting my head. What is this lovebirds moment?
Riding this opportunity, I leaned my head and snuggled up to Miyu’s shoulder.

「Miyutan, pet me more～ *Brr*, *meow～*」
「*Oh*～ There there, you’re an adorable little Misa-nyan, aren’t ya～」
「Miyu, be more honest with yourself, too.」
「I hate it when Misaki plays around like that～」

The hand patting my head retreats, and she pushes me off her shoulder.
As a former man, I don’t consent to being a complete pet. I still have a sliver of pride left in me.

「Still, it’s only natural to have something to hate. I am a nasty person, after all.」
「*Eh*?」
「You don’t have to lie. Properly say what you don’t like about me.」
「*H-haa*…」
「In exchange, I’ll be honest too.」

So she wants a slug-fest with no blocking?
Still, Miyu does have a point. The closer two people get, the more unavoidable it is to see each other’s bad side. This is much better than having pent up frustration with each other.

「Well, you do have a bit strong of jealousy～ And you’re prone to worrying～」
「Yeah, that’s right.」
「And your emotions fluctuate so much, it’s like your whole personality changes.」
「That’s true.」

All-accepting girlfriend.
She seems self-aware yet isn’t keen on changing her ways.

「But you like that, don’t you? Misaki.」

With that phrasing, it sounds like I have a fetish for mentally unstable girls, though.

「Actually, you’re not really that different.」

Whoops, that’s a boomerang.
You’re not out-Yandere-ing me, you know?

「Sure, it’s true that seeing you close with other girls annoys me… But, well, I wouldn’t want the all-popular Misaki any other way.」
「W-What does that mean?」
「In the end, girls love the popular guy, after all.」

The ‘Popular people tend to get more popular’ theory.
In truth, men who play around with many girls are apparently more popular than the loyal ones.

「… So side pieces are OK?」
「Did I ever say that?」
「I-I’m just kidding, jeez〜! Don’t have such a serious look.」
「Nothing about that was funny, though?」

That’s dangerous; I thought I was about to get stabbed.
Rather, I did. Her cold piercing gaze stabbed through my heart.

「Well, it’s not like you have the guts to have side pieces anyway. And you’re probably going to be the one gobbled whole instead. If Ruka-chan seriously tried cornering you, you probably can’t resist. It’ll be like, 『Ah, n-no, stop it, Ruka…』 at most.」

What the hell, there’s no way that… wouldn’t be possible, damn it.
I’m even starting to suspect that she might have seen what happened when Ruka and I were alone.

Actually though, being taken by surprise is pretty scary. The shock made me freeze up.
Still, I can’t let her make fun of me here.

「No, no, absolutely not. Miyu-san, did you forget? I’m a former man, a carnivorous predator.」
「*Hmmnh*? Then why don’t you try devouring me?」
「*Hwe*?」
「Here, have your fill.」

Still sitting on the sofa, Miyu raises both of her arms, as if to show how defenseless she is.
What’s with her, suddenly doing a 「The present is me」 kinda thing?

「B-B-By devour, you mean…」
「As much as you like.」
「R-Really? Are you sure?」
「Feel free.」

A sudden fan service time; I couldn’t conceal my panic. However, considering our topic just now, I need to look calm.
I pursed my lips tight to stop my stuttering and stared straight at Miyu’s face.
As our eyes met, Miyu slowly lowered her eyelids. She lowered her arms and relaxed her whole body.
On closer inspection, though, her mouth has a slight mischievous smirk. She’s completely underestimating me, or rather, making fun of me.
If you’re up to it, then I’ll take up your offer.
Mustering my resolve, I lifted my hips and reseated myself to be close enough that our knees touch.
I brought my face right before her nose.
Still, Miyu’s eyes remained closed; she’s not moving even a bit.
But, still, devour? How do I specifically go about it?
Do I touch her soft-looking body? Nom on her soft-looking lips? No, do I strip her down first?
As I imagined it, my heart suddenly started beating fast. My fingers can’t stop shaking.

My gaze moves downstream from Miyu’s white neck. Her shirt is frilly with a large collar. Her chest forms a shapely curve.
My hands move towards her jutting breast… and pass by to grab her upper arm. There’s no particular meaning to it. I just chickened out on touching her breasts.
Miyu’s eyes slightly opened and her lips moved.
A provocative smile, as if saying,「So? What are you going to do?」

The two of us fell quiet. This room with only the two of us has become awfully silent. No signs of any obstruction to stop us.
If this was a manga or drama, there might be a sudden doorbell or phone call, halting us once again.

But the room is simply silent.
With this silence, I feel like I can’t run away or play ignorant. I am once again overwhelmed by the mood Miyu has created.

She hasn’t given me direct commands on what I should do. But as though controlled by Miyu, my body moves.
How did we end up like this again? I vaguely wonder at the corner of my mind as my face slowly draws close to hers.

Just as our eyelashes were about to touch, Miyu closed her eyes. And like a puppet compelled to do the same, I closed mine, too.
In the dim darkness, our lips touched.