Chapter 203I Couldn't Just Let Him Go Alone Like That, Part 3
"W-Wataru...!!!"
"E-Eh!?"
I jumped off the edge of the wall and headed straight for Wataru's position. As Wataru looked at me in surprise, he shrugged his shoulders and took a step back as if he had seen something bad. What kind of look was I putting on right now? I didn't want to think too much about it.
"N-Natsukawa... ...how come...?"
"What did you ask Shirai-san to draw?! You didn't force her to draw something naughty by quoting the illustration you saw that time, did you!?"
"Th-That's..."
"Just show it to me, here!"
"Oh, wait a minute...?"
A bad feeling arose in me as I saw Wataru not denying it. This further strengthened my resolve. Some of the postcards in Wataru's hands must have illustrations like that. When I tried to check, Wataru raised his right hand which was holding the cards out of sight.
"Hey! Just show me!"
"I-I don't want to!"
"How can you not want to!"
Wataru shook his head as if being a petulant child like Airi. I held on to Wataru to take the card and grabbed the cover of the postcard he was holding. As Wataru's strength began to weaken, I grabbed his arm and made him put the cards down, then snatched the postcards from Wataru's hand. At some point in my mind, I got a little nervous that there might be a picture of "Natsukawa Aika" on the postcard.
Feeling my heart racing, I turned my body around and held the three postcards to my chest. After hesitating for a moment whether I should look at the illustrations, I exhaled in resignation and decided to look at the illustrations on the postcards.
"Oh..."
The first postcard I picked up. When I looked at it... —It wasn't my illustration.
The person depicted there was a petite girl who was close to Wataru. Ichinose-san, a girl, who looks cute in her school uniform, has been attached to Wataru since the second term after their part-time job during the summer vacation, and the sweet events have continued to accompany them after that.
─What was depicted there was her figure holding a large Gatling gun*.
(TL Note: A Gatling gun is a heavy machine gun that has multiple rotating barrels and is rotated by a hand twist that was invented in the 18th century.)
"...What is this...?"
I turned around and asked in a trembling voice. Wataru and Shirai-san turned their faces away awkwardly. As I stared at Wataru, dumbfounded and looking at them for an explanation, Wataru opened his mouth loudly, as if he couldn't stand it, and as if he had given up hope.
"S-So what? It doesn't matter, right? Even though that petite and innocent-looking Ichinose-san is holding a Gatling gun that's as tall as she is!"
"That's no good! How could Ichinose-san be holding such a dangerous object!"
"That's why it's good! It's something beautiful, isn't it!"
"What do you mean something? What are other objects you asking Shirai-san to draw!?"
"Oh no... ...this is my first time drawing a Gatling gun."
Shirai-san put her hands in front of her head in embarrassment. Somehow, a look of satisfaction appeared on her face after finishing the drawing. I don't think that's the case. ...It seems that Shirai-san didn't realize that she had been forced to follow Wataru's hobby. No, it's probably because Shirai-san was also enthusiastic to the point of calling Wataru "The Pervert".
"You finished looking at them, right? Give them back to me here!"
"You... ...are a pervert!"
"Ugh..."
Not only was it not what I expected, but the illustration on the postcard wasn't even me. Just as I was about to return the postcards to Wataru with mixed feelings, somewhat disappointed because of this, the pile of postcards shifted. Right, come to think of it, there wasn't just one card. I pulled back the postcards I was about to give away.
"Eh, um, Natsukawa-san...?"
"...What are the other illustrations, the contents are the same?"
"Th-Those are..."
As I looked at them, Wataru and Shirai-san looked away with shy expressions. Is it possible that Ichinose-san's illustration is just a disguise to hide the illustration I suspect? Are you saying that this is where the perverted stuff started? What should I... do if Ichinose-san's nude illustration turns up later?
"..."
I slid the first postcard down as I paused. If it's true that this illustration tarnishes Ichinose-san's dignity, I'll take responsibility by calling the teachers, the authorities, and finally his Big Sis to rehabilitate Wataru. Have her tell him to reflect properly so he can get out of prison as soon as possible.
(TL Note: If Wataru is imprisoned, who will be our MC?)
With determination, I finally decided to open my eyelids that I had closed tightly.
"This is..."
The person depicted on the postcard had a familiar face to me. The moment I thought that this was who Wataru wanted to ask for a picture, I felt my face heat up. I immediately felt like fanning my face. I wondered what kind of clothes they were depicting in my illustration. With my heart pounding, I turned over the postcard with Ichinose-san's first illustration.
I was the person depicted on the second postcard. Yeah, it was me, Natsukawa Aika, in my school uniform, with braided hair and a few other details.
—That's me holding the Meriken Sack* with both hands.
(TL Note: Meriken Sack is a weapon that looks like a ring with more than one hole, if you've ever played GTA San Andreas, or maybe Street Fighter, you might know what it looks like).
"Why!!!?"
I yelled out loud, unintentionally. I don't know what impression I have of myself, but I can't help but have negative words for this illustration. It was impossible. I've often argued over differences of opinion, but I'm pretty sure that I've never gotten into a fight with someone, gotten violent, and swung my fist at them.
"Wh-What is it!? Doesn't it matter if the serious Natsukawa is a fist-swinging character?"
"This is no good! How could I hold such a dangerous thing? I mean, you should never give a weapon to a girl!"
"This illustration is likened to an action game character!"
"In that case, there are more weapons that are more suitable for girls, right!"
A magic wand, for example! Other than that... I don't know much about other weapons...! At the very least, I'm not the type to fight, especially not with my fists! How can I be Airi's Big Sis if I have such a cruel personality?
"That's not it, ...I'm laughing because "Meriken Sack" kept coming to my mind after I finished drawing this illustration of yours."
"Sh-Shirai-san..."
The fact that Shirai-san, who was supposed to be on my side and comfort me, was instead on Wataru's side made me feel sad. From her seemingly shy demeanor as usual, I didn't feel any negative emotions as if she was being forced to draw by Wataru. I wonder if there's something wrong with me.
"Th-The last one is..."
"Ooh..."
The illustration on the third and final postcard. I was sure that this was also a picture of one of Wataru's girl acquaintances. I thought about who was drawn on the postcard in my head. I was sure that other girls besides the face had just appeared in my mind, which I probably didn't recognize. No, since Wataru was thinking of asking Shirai-san who drew it, it might be difficult if it wasn't an acquaintance of the two of them. Come to think of it, that third one must be...
"...!"
This last illustration I've never seen in real life. I had already guessed it in my head, and I must say that it was exactly what I expected. On the postcard was an illustration of Ashida Kei, my very energetic best friend, with whom Shirai-san and I usually get along.
—That's a figure illustration of Ashida Kei — wearing monk's clothes while praying.
"Why is it only Kei's illustration that's so suspicious?"
"That's not it!?"
I gripped Wataru's blazer. For some reason, I had already guessed that this last one was Kei's illustration, but the situation and even the clothes were completely unexpected. And it was also rather special and unexpected that Kei was the only one given special clothes, and I didn't want that.
"Wh-What's wrong with that!? It doesn't matter, does it, if the tomboyish and sporty Ashida becomes a character who dresses neatly and simply, that's fine!"
"This is no good! You can't put special clothes on a student in our class! Why are you giving Kei such clothes instead!"
"No, ...Ashida-san does not wear heavy weapons or wear a uniform with a lot of decorations, and, in terms of drawing budget, this is the... the easiest thing to do."
"Can't you just shut up for a minute!"
Shirai-san looked so relaxed. I don't know what a drawing budget looks like, but that's not the point. With this, I think Wataru's inclination is very clear, because Kei is the one being treated special and I don't want that, or because I don't like being treated as the second best!?
"Why is it that only Kei doesn't have a weapon? Let Kei fight too!"
"A-Ashida is a healer! She fights too, you know! Her weapon is her ability...! A healer has her way of fighting!"
"I don't know about that!"
No matter how many words they threw at me, I couldn't just let this go. Although it was still a safe point in terms of the content of the postcards, it was not normal to illustrate and take examples from your female classmates without their permission. This —Isn't he a perverted boy...?
"...Th-These postcards are confiscated!"
"Oh, no! Don't! —Wait."
"Y-You can only keep the one with my illustration! But for the other two postcards you must ask permission from them... directly!"
"Eh? Th-That's a difficult thing, I think...!"
"Hehe."
"Natsu...! Ouch..."
Wataru tried to coax me with his body movements. Then he groaned, probably because he had been swinging his left hand hard and it was causing pain. He groaned on the spot with teary eyes. If I hadn't screwed up to this extent, I probably wouldn't have ventured to take care of him at this time.
"..."
Finding Ichinose-san and Kei so beautifully illustrated. Just as I was thinking that Shirai-san would draw these illustrations for Wataru's sake, I couldn't help but notice their skirts and breasts. It doesn't seem too revealing, but I wonder if Wataru ordered this part as well.
I kind of hate the thought of Wataru holding Ichinose-san and Kei's illustrations, and looking at them from time to time.
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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