How To Ruin A Love Comedy

Chapter 80

Chapter 80Chapter 80

“Did you rest well? How’s your body feeling?”

Tetsuya’s question carried a note of concern. Miyuki responded with a nod, though her expression was awkward.

“Yeah, I’m feeling a lot better.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Did someone say anything in the Kendo club?”

“The Kendo club? Don’t you mean the student council?”

“No... Since Matsuda-kun couldn’t participate in the club activities because of me... I was just curious.”

“They didn’t really say much. Just acknowledged it...”

Sitting between Miyuki and Tetsuya, I leaned my elbows on the desk, eavesdropping on their conversation.

“How’s Kendo going these days?” I asked Tetsuya.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Are you doing well? Last time, you were getting extra lessons from the coach and Inoo Sunbae.”

“Ah... It’s going alright, I guess.”

“Keep at it.”

My encouragement lacked any real sincerity, and as I finished, I felt a light tap on my elbow from behind. Turning around, I looked at Miyuki.

“What are you doing?”

“There was some dust on you. I brushed it off.”

“That’s thoughtful of you.”

“Why don’t you open your book? Class is about to start.”

With a shrug, I pulled a textbook from my desk drawer. Glancing sideways at Tetsuya, I noticed he seemed a bit flustered. He must have been surprised by Miyuki’s brief touch.

It was rare for Miyuki to touch me, except when scolding or hitting as a form of nagging. I guess I’ll have to show more of that in the future.

**

Lunchtime.

After eating quickly, I went to the Kendo club alone and stopped by the storage room to inspect the gear.

Everything was meticulously cleaned.

The shinai too, looked glossy as if it had been well oiled.

Stepping outside, I chuckled as I saw all the dojo uniforms spread out to dry.

Chinami must have finished everything up. It must have been tough doing it all alone. Good job.

With nothing left to do, I kicked a pebble and was about to leave when,

“Heh heh.”

I heard a smug laugh from behind. Turning around, I saw Chinami standing with her arms crossed, and I widened my eyes in surprise.

“When did you get here?”

“Just now. I called you to say you didn’t need to come, but you didn’t pick up.”

“You called? When?”

“About 20 minutes ago.”

Checking my phone, sure enough, there was a missed call from Chinami. It had been during my meal, and my phone was on silent, so I hadn’t noticed. I nodded a couple of times before speaking.

“I told you to only do half. It must have been hard by yourself.”

“Gear like this needs to be cleaned regularly. Besides, I usually do it alone, don’t I?”

“Did it take long? Didn’t you get home late?”

“I was only about 10 minutes late. I focus better when I’m alone.”

“That sounds like you’re saying I’m a disturbance. I’m a bit hurt.”

“Oh...! You should listen to the end. I was bored without my hubae-nim.”

Chinami came closer and patted me on the back energetically. She seemed in high spirits. Was there some good news?

Chinami’s encouragement made me smile wryly and I asked,

“Sensei seems to be in a really good mood today?”

“I have to be. I found a limited edition Momo doll at a good price online, and decided to buy it. I spotted it just as I logged onto the site, and contacted the seller right away to make arrangements. I was really lucky.”

“Is that so? That’s great...”

I was about to congratulate Chinami but then clamped my mouth shut.

Something felt off. This Momo doll was something Chinami had been struggling to find even after much effort. Listings were rare, and when they did appear, they were priced prohibitively high for a student.

Could a genuine article be listed at such a good price?

“Sensei.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you think it might be a scam? It’s suspicious that such a rare item is listed at a good price.”

“Heh heh... I understand your concern. But I checked the seller’s phone number on a scam prevention app and confirmed it’s safe. We agreed to meet in person, so it should be fine.”

Of course, it’s slow, but it’s clear we’re making our way up step by step.

“Was the cake good?”

“Absolutely. I had it with a peach smoothie.”

“You didn’t try a peach-flavored cake, did you?”

“No, it was a new café and unfortunately, they didn’t have it. So I went with chocolate.”

Peach-flavored cake... Although it exists, it’s not something you see often. I’ve never tried it myself and am curious, though I’m also afraid it might permanently damage my taste buds.

Best not to willingly open Pandora’s box.

As Chinami and I chatted our way towards the meeting place, I noticed a man with a deeply pulled-down hat sitting on a bench, tapping on his phone. When his fingers stopped, Chinami’s phone vibrated.

“There he is.”

Chinami’s expression fluttered as she checked her messages, clearly filled with anticipation about finally acquiring the Momo doll.

I suggested, “Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

Chinami responded energetically and took the lead. Approaching the seller, she greeted him politely.

“Hello? Are you the person selling the Momo doll?”

“Yes, that’s right. Hello.”

“Thank you so much for offering it at such a good price...! It’s unopened, right?”

“As I mentioned, only the outer wrapping was removed, but the contents are unopened. Please, have a look.”

“Thank you! I’ll just check!”

Chinami opened the box handed over by the seller. The doll, properly packaged in plastic and non-woven fabric, was exactly as advertised, melting her eyes in delight.

“Wow...! It’s just right...!”

Seeing Chinami’s genuine reaction, I decided to take a closer look at it myself and took the box. It matched the picture Chinami had sent perfectly but selling it at just above cost didn’t make sense, especially given its recent release and high value.

Drawing in a deep breath, I asked the seller, “Why are you selling it at such a price?”

“Ah... It was hard to find, but my daughter didn’t like it much. And my wife has been urging me to sell it quickly...”

“I see. May I take a closer look?”

“That’s possible, but I’m in a bit of a hurry...”

“Didn’t we agree to meet at seven?”

“Why does that matter...?”

“It’s only 6:45 now. We still have fifteen minutes. We assumed we’d meet at seven, so there’s still time.”

“... It seems like everything has already been checked... If you’re still uneasy, go ahead and check again.”

“Thank you. I’ll only need a couple of minutes. I’ll be quick.”

I proceeded to carefully inspect the doll once more, ensuring that everything was as promised. It was crucial to be thorough, given the deal’s unusually favorable terms, to ensure that everything was legitimate and Chinami wouldn’t face any issues later.

As I reached to check the label on the back of the doll,

“Here is the money...! Thank you for selling it at such a good price!”

Unaware of our conversation and immersed in her own world, Chinami had taken an envelope of money from her crossbody bag and was handing it to the seller.

“Wait...”

I tried to intervene quickly, but it was too late. The envelope had already left Chinami’s hands.

“Please enjoy it. Take care now.”

The seller had already turned away with the money in hand. He had agreed to let me finish checking, yet the instant he received the money, his eagerness to leave was suspicious—it screamed scam. The audacity to attempt a scam in a face-to-face transaction almost deserved a begrudging respect.

In a typical romantic comedy, the protagonist might have let him get away, leading to a chase or a call to the police. But I was not so dull.

In a swift motion, I grabbed the hem of the man’s jacket as he tried to slip away. His center of gravity shifted backward, nearly pulling me along.

“What are you doing...!”

Even as I stabilized myself, I kept a firm grip on his jacket. The man burst out angrily, but he fell silent as I murmured my next observation.

“You’re not wearing a wedding ring.”

“Excuse me...?”

“You said your wife told you to sell it. But there’s no wedding ring on your ring finger.”

“That’s—”

Sure, maybe he couldn’t afford a ring, or perhaps there really was an urgent reason for him to rush. But those possibilities didn’t eliminate the fact that he was likely a scammer. Because the evidence was clear—not just circumstantial, but physical.

Sighing, I looked at the perplexed Chinami and the scammer, pointing to the box that had fallen to the ground during our scuffle.

“.....”

“.....”

There lay the Momo doll, having bounced out of the box and rolled onto the cold ground. Tragically, the doll’s head was almost detached, separated within the plastic wrap, clearly indicating it had been tampered with.

(‿(‿୨ * ୧‿(‿(

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