Who Can Resist Nakano Nino? [180]

“I—I’ll pass!”

Nakano Nino blurted out the words before Kojima Kana could even finish her question. Relief washed over her—thank goodness Kana hadn’t pressed further about what had happened in the bedroom.

But go out together right now? No way. Even if Kojima Kana didn’t care, Nino’s pride absolutely wouldn’t allow it.

She made her excuses in a hurry and left.

Noticing the awkward air lingering in her wake, Shirase stood up. “Then I’ll go change, Kana-nee. I’ll head to Kirisu-sensei’s place with you.”

“Hold it.”

Shirase stopped, turning back in feigned confusion.

Kana crossed her arms, eyes glinting with mischief. “So, what exactly were you and Nino doing in your room earlier?”

“Studying foreign languages,” Shirase said smoothly.

“Answer seriously.”

“Alright—English.”

Kana exhaled sharply, rolling her eyes. “I knew you wouldn’t tell the truth.”

She paused, then smirked faintly. “Still, you’d better be careful.”

Shirase assumed she meant Nino’s feelings—that he should be considerate so she wouldn’t feel awkward coming over again.

So he nodded earnestly. “Yeah, I understand. I’ll call her later to clear things up and make sure she doesn’t overthink it. You’re really thoughtful, Kana-nee.”

“Who said I was talking about that? But thanks for the compliment.” Kana puffed out her chest with pride. “I meant don’t cause any accidents.”

Shirase: “…”

You really couldn’t underestimate grown women. Even the ditzy ones thought that far ahead.

After they’d both changed into casual clothes, they headed out.

On the way, Kana announced cheerfully, “You haven’t eaten yet, right? Me neither. I even skipped dinner on purpose—so when we get there, you can cook.”

Shirase gave her a flat look. “So I’m not just your personal masseur now, but your personal chef too?”

Kana giggled, looping her arm around his. “I want to show off your cooking to Mafuyu-chan. Let her see how great my life is lately.”

“…That’s kind of rude, don’t you think? What if Kirisu-sensei gets jealous?”

“Then you can just cook an extra serving and deliver it to her personally,” Kana said without missing a beat.

Shirase nodded sagely. “You’re absolutely right. What’s the point of success if you can’t flaunt it? Showing off is a basic human need. I fully support you.”

“I knew you’d say that,” Kana muttered, rolling her eyes again.

Shirase wisely pretended not to notice. No way was he running food deliveries every day—too much hassle, and Kirisu Mafuyu would probably die of secondhand embarrassment.

Then another thought struck him. “By the way, after we cleaned her apartment last time, did Kirisu-sensei actually start tidying up more?”

“Probably…” Kana said uncertainly.

Shirase sighed. So much for optimism. Looked like tonight he’d be cooking, massaging, and cleaning.

When Kirisu Mafuyu opened her door, she was in the same old-fashioned tracksuit as always. As expected, her apartment was still… far from spotless.

Kana froze mid-step, blinking. “You didn’t sound like this on the phone.”

A faint blush crept up Mafuyu’s cheeks, though she forced her tone to stay calm. “I have been trying. Just give me a little more time—I’ll handle it.”

You’re saying that so confidently it almost sounds convincing, Shirase thought dryly.

He turned to Kana. “I’ll leave it to you, Kana-nee.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll do it,” she huffed, rolling up her sleeves. “As long as there aren’t any bugs, I’m fine.”

“Sorry for the trouble,” Mafuyu said awkwardly, clearly embarrassed after how self-assured she’d sounded earlier.

“It’s nothing,” Kana said breezily, bending down to start sweeping. Her neckline dipped slightly as she leaned forward, exposing a graceful curve of pale skin.

Even while cleaning, she didn’t forget her true purpose. “Let Shirase cook dinner. I’m telling you, his cooking’s unbelievable—better than a five-star chef’s.”

Mafuyu blinked. “No, you two are guests…”

“What’s the big deal? We’re friends, aren’t we?” Kana interrupted. “Oh, and drop the formality—just call me Kana. It sounds more natural.”

“Hmm… Kana,” Mafuyu said softly. Then she looked over at Shirase. “Is your cooking really that good?”

Shirase grinned, leaning back. “It wouldn’t sound right if I bragged, but—yes. It’s amazing.”

Mafuyu was silent for a moment. “…Then I’ll trouble you.”

Curiosity had won her over.

While Kana continued cleaning, Mafuyu slipped out to buy groceries. When she came back and turned on the rice cooker, she hesitated before glancing toward Shirase.

Kana, crouched on the floor with her skirt stretching snugly over her legs, piped up first. “Your back still hurts, right? Shirase said his massage skills have improved a lot. Why not let him give it a try?”

Mafuyu let out a small sigh of relief. She had been thinking the same thing, but was too embarrassed to ask—especially since they’d already done so much.

Then Shirase spoke, tone unreadable. “My massage technique is special. It relieves both physical and mental tension perfectly. But…”

“But what?” Mafuyu asked without thinking.

Shirase looked her straight in the eye. “It’s too effective. I’m just worried Kirisu-sensei might accidentally make… strange noises.”

“Hah?” Mafuyu crossed her arms, glaring. “You’re seriously underestimating me.”

“Yeah, Shirase, that’s going a bit far,” Kana agreed, though she was clearly amused.

“I’m not joking,” Shirase said solemnly. “If Kirisu-sensei does make strange noises, I’ll have to stop immediately. That’s my promise as a man.”

“Such confidence. But let’s not forget—you’re still a boy. You’re at least ten thousand years too early to call yourself a man,” Mafuyu said coolly.

“Exactly!” Kana jumped in instantly. “That’s exactly what I always tell him, but he never listens!”

Mafuyu nodded, expression turning serious. “Then let’s use this opportunity, Kana. Shirase clearly needs to learn firsthand what true adult dignity is.”

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T/N: rest in peace mafuyu-chans dignity

This is a fan translation of 谁能拒绝中野二乃呢？by 六花吖六花. Rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!