Chapter 14

This is the second chapter of the third volume and the fourteenth chapter overall of the More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers manga series written by Yūki Kanamaru.

## Summary

Jirō wakes up realizing he fell asleep on the couch. Looking around, he finds Akari half-naked, sleeping on his arm. He panics, trying to recall how all of it came to be. Akari wakes up and greets him good morning. Jirō tries to ignore her, averting his eyes from Akari's scantily clad body. Akari gets annoyed that he is ignoring her. She calls his attention, but he gets even more flustered, demanding to know how he ended up in this situation with her in her underwear. She teases him and acts annoyed that he could forget what happened last night when he was the one who took her clothes off.

Jirō gets even more confused when Akari implies that they had sex. His mind begins to race, trying to make sense of everything. He asks Akari if he is no longer a virgin. He starts to feel like an asshole for not remembering something so important and begins to feel sorry. Akari asks him if last night truly was his first time. He tells her that it was and that there was no point in him lying about it. Jirō starts apologizing once again, but Akari isn't really listening. She's relieved knowing that nothing happened between him and Shiori.

Akari tells Jirō that she was just kidding and Jirō starts throwing a fit but admits that something like that was not likely to happen to him. Akari tells him to at least show some disappointment and not readily accept it as it is. Jirō tells her that he is actually disappointed because it means that he's still a virgin. Akari gets annoyed and starts pulling on his ears. Jirō explains that Akari would never do it with someone like him and that him thinking of it as a possibility was cocky.

Akari covers his ears so he can't hear and says that it wouldn't have happened either way because Jirō already has Shiori, so he'd never do it with her. She adds that Jirō would want his first to be with Shiori, a girl he actually loves. She demands that Jirō just say that so that she can feel good about cheering on his love for her.

In school, Shiori is taking out the trash when she runs into Natsumi and Sachi. They offer to help her out and she gladly accepts their help. Sachi sees Jirō and Sadaharu and calls them over so they can help out, too. This is the first time Jirō and Shiori are face to face after the incident at the school infirmary. They both awkwardly blush. Sachi tells Natsumi to pair up with Sadaharu and then she has Jirō and Shiori pair up as well. However, Shiori suddenly asks Sachi to carry it together with her instead. Jirō freezes and hunches down, hurt by Shiori's rejection to be paired with him.

Later, Akari, Sachi, and Natsumi are hanging out together. They're talking about this and that when Sachi suddenly asks Akari to tell them honestly about how she feels about Jirō. Sachi notices that Akari isn't denying it anymore. She tells Akari that she can tell that something is bothering her. She can also tell that Akari already has feelings for Jirō. She says that they're best friends and that it sucks seeing her down like this. Natsumi asks Akari how she feels about Minami because she hasn't been showing the same excitement that she used to show when she sees him. Akari starts to tear up, thinking about how Shiori and Minami would make a good pair and that she'll be in their way, too. Sachi and Natsumi assure her that it's okay for her to like Jirō or any boy she wants and that they'll support her either way.

Some time later, Akari heads home. Sachi and Natsumi try to assess the whole situation. They wonder if Jirō and Shiori actually started dating for Akari to be feeling down lately. It's hard to say but they assume that something did happen for Akari to react the way she did. In the end, they decide to just support her in whatever way they can. They browse some pamphlets and see one about a fireworks festival. This gives Sachi an idea for a "finishing blow."

## Characters in Order of Appearance

Jirō Yakuin
Akari Watanabe
Minami Tenjinmentioned
Shiori Sakurazaka
Sachi Takamiya
Natsumi Ōhashi
Sadaharu Kamo
## Chapter Notes

* Jirō wakes up with Akari half-naked in his arms. Akari implies that they had sex, which is not the case.
* Akari learns that Jirō and Shiori never had sex in the infirmary.
* Sachi and Natsumi both suspect that Akari may have developed some feelings for Jirō and assure her that she can open up to them whenever she's ready.