Chapter 151: Shiraishi's Curiosity, Kiryuuin's Thoughts (Two-in-One 5k) (Patreon)

Asuka Shiraishi's sudden appearance caught Hikaru Naruse a little off guard.

He'd been halfway through enjoying the gossip and wasn't satisfied yet, so he simply followed the thread.

"Forget my eavesdropping. What I'm more curious about is how you answered in the end, Shiraishi-san."

At his question, Asuka Shiraishi's clever eyes flickered. It was a moment before she asked in a playful voice.

"Naruse-san, does it really bother you?"

"Yeah, it really does."

"Does it really bother you… or are you just pretending it does?" A meaningful smile curved the corner of Asuka Shiraishi's lips.

"Fine. Honestly, I'm just pretending."

Hikaru Naruse had never let a girl lead him around by the nose. If she wanted to talk, fine. If not, forget it.

"I see."

Seeing that Hikaru Naruse refused to play by the script, Asuka Shiraishi only smiled and went on.

"Then I won't tell you the answer."

"Suit yourself."

Hikaru Naruse shrugged and turned to leave. He still had to get back to Airi Sakura's room. But this time Asuka Shiraishi took the initiative and caught up, trailing a step behind the boy.

"Are you heading back to the dorm, Naruse-san?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm… I'm going back to the dorm too. Let's walk together."

Asuka Shiraishi smiled as she suggested it.

"Of course."

Hikaru Naruse didn't mind at all. He glanced at her face and knew she was still hesitating about something.

Since she'd come over to talk to him on her own, she obviously had something to say.

Let's see who cracks first.

After walking together for a while, Asuka Shiraishi finally spoke up first.

"Actually, I turned down Yoshida-san just now with a very simple reason."

"What did you say?"

"I told him I already have someone I like, so I couldn't say yes."

"Someone you like?"

Hikaru Naruse deliberately raised an eyebrow and asked, sounding curious, "Shiraishi-san, you really have someone you like?"

"Is that not allowed?"

Asuka Shiraishi tilted up her small face, her soft golden hair drifting lightly behind her head.

"Naruse-san started dating less than a month after term began. It should be perfectly normal for me to have someone I like, right?"

"True."

Hikaru Naruse nodded, then pressed further.

"So who is it? Do I know him?"

"The person I like?" Asuka Shiraishi smiled, her expression gentle.

"Yeah."

"You know him. Naruse-san, you definitely know him."

"Is that so?"

Hikaru Naruse could more or less grasp what she meant. He smiled just as softly and continued.

"Wow, that's something. Whoever he is, he's one lucky guy to be liked by you, Shiraishi-san."

"He really is, isn't he~"

After that exchange, neither of them said anything more. They simply walked side by side in silence.

Seeing the two of them together naturally invited more speculation and daydreaming from the other students.

Still, neither of them minded the rumors about themselves much. They were used to it by now.

First, there was Asuka Shiraishi. Because she had to gather intelligence and keep watch on Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, she had dealings with a lot of people, most of them boys.

As a result, once the first term ended, rumors of her being involved with several boys had kept fermenting, and lately the phrase "Hundred-Man Slayer" had even started going around.

The label was naturally vicious, and for a girl it carried thick malice.

Next was Naruse himself.

Ever since he'd entered the school and taken first place on the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School Handsome Ranking in one go, he'd held on to the top spot.

At least until the new first-years arrived next year, that title wasn't going anywhere.

The title put him in the spotlight from the very start.

On top of that, he made no effort to hide how close he stayed to Ai Morishita and the other girls of Class A, and he'd also officially announced his girlfriend Kei Karuizawa, so rumors that he was juggling several girls spread fast.

It wasn't as outrageous as "Hundred-Man Slayer," but the name "playboy" was surely going to stick.

What's more, since the cruise ship came back, the rumor seemed to be growing wilder by the day.

Some people even said he'd stretched his claws across all four first-year classes, that every class had a girl he'd deceived, and that he'd soon make a move on the upperclass girls, like that silver-haired one someone had photographed.

That's what school is like. Everyone loves a good romance scandal, and the more complicated and absurd it is, the more they love it.

"By the way, I talked with Ayanokoji on the cruise ship about working together. It went pretty well."

Hikaru Naruse suddenly remembered it. At that meeting on the cruise ship, Asuka Shiraishi and Ryoko Nishikawa had stood far away and hadn't heard what they discussed.

"Right. My assignment is long-term. It won't change because of exams or leaving the school."

Asuka Shiraishi nodded.

"Then if I really do end up working on something with Ayanokoji, will you join in too?" Hikaru Naruse asked on purpose.

"Of course."

Asuka Shiraishi nodded, a strange smile surfacing on her face.

"If it's really something important, then whether or not it serves my assignment, I'll care about it."

"Fine. Whatever we want to pull off, the more people the easier it is."

"Mm."

When the conversation turned to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Hikaru Naruse could sense a shift in Asuka Shiraishi's attitude. After all, the assignment had come from the White Room, so it mattered quite a bit to her.

After a little more walking, the two of them reached the dormitory building.

Hikaru Naruse didn't choose the boys' floor. He was heading for Airi Sakura's room, so he reached out and pressed the button for the 14th floor.

Airi Sakura lived on the 14th floor, while Asuka Shiraishi lived on the 15th.

Asuka Shiraishi glanced at the button, thought for a moment, and a smile tugged at her lips as she asked on purpose.

"Naruse-san, don't you live on the 9th floor?"

"I'm not going back to my own room. I'm visiting someone else's." Hikaru Naruse smiled lightly.

"Morishita's room is on the 11th floor and Karuizawa's is on the 13th, but you pressed neither."

Asuka Shiraishi was excellent at gathering intelligence and had known all this for ages, but she'd chosen today to ask about it.

"How do you know so much?" Hikaru Naruse raised an eyebrow.

"Never mind how much I know. You still haven't answered my question, Naruse-san."

Asuka Shiraishi smiled, looking perfectly harmless, as if she were truly curious where he was headed.

"Alright, no harm in telling you. I'm not here to see Kei or Morishita today. It's another girl."

"Another girl?"

"Yep."

Hikaru Naruse was completely unbothered and waved a hand.

"What, is that not allowed?"

"Of course not. I was just a little curious, and now my curiosity has been satisfied."

A gentle smile bloomed on Asuka Shiraishi's face. She lifted a hand and tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear, her bright eyes and sweet look charming.

"Satisfied?"

"Mm."

"Then I'll excuse myself."

The elevator reached the 14th floor. Once the doors opened, Hikaru Naruse turned back and smiled at Asuka Shiraishi, then walked out without a moment's hesitation.

"Bye-bye, Naruse-san."

"Mm, see you."

The instant the elevator doors closed again, the gentle smile vanished from Asuka Shiraishi's face.

The elevator kept rising and arrived at the 15th floor, where she lived.

When the girl stepped out, she touched her hair, her expression impossible to read.

After a while, she murmured softly.

"The 14th floor."

"Who could it be?"

———

Hikaru Naruse arrived at Airi Sakura's room and knocked. The girl came to open the door right away.

"Hikaru-kun, you're back."

The moment that familiar figure appeared before her, a satisfied smile spread across Airi Sakura's face.

"I thought you'd be busy until late."

"Of course not. Didn't I promise? All of today's time belongs to Airi."

"Mm-hmm."

The girl pressed eagerly into Hikaru Naruse's arms. Once he'd put his arm around her and sat down on the sofa, his eyes landed on the convenience store bag on the coffee table.

Inside were only the wrapper of one rice ball and an unopened loaf of bread, which meant Airi Sakura had eaten just a single rice ball for lunch.

"Airi… what's this about?"

"Oh, it's because Hikaru-kun wasn't here, so I didn't have much of an appetite. I just ate a little."

"Are you out of points?"

Besides Kei Karuizawa, Hikaru Naruse had naturally transferred a good number of Private Points to Airi Sakura as well, a hundred thousand or so all told.

"No, it's just that I wasn't hungry."

Airi Sakura flushed and quickly waved her hands. Lovesickness was hard to cure, and losing her appetite was only a minor symptom.

Besides, the girl didn't eat much to begin with, so one rice ball for lunch was already about normal for her.

"No more of that. Even when I'm not around, Airi has to eat properly."

Hikaru Naruse pinched her soft, squishy cheek and looked straight at her, completely serious.

"I told you last time. Airi's figure is just right. You don't need to diet, and I don't want to see you getting thinner. Understand?"

"I understand."

"From now on, at least one boxed meal at lunch, and eat more at breakfast. As for dinner, eating a little less is fine."

"Airi, how many Private Points do you have left?"

"I still have… let me check."

Unlike Kei Karuizawa, when Hikaru Naruse transferred Private Points to her, the girl didn't agonize for long before accepting.

It wasn't that she was used to this kind of thing. She just didn't crave the title of girlfriend, so she knew he did it for her own good.

As long as she was obedient and played her part as his lover well, that was enough.

Of course, that was also the core reason Airi Sakura was becoming more and more lustful. Hikaru Naruse treated her so well that she naturally wanted to repay him twice over.

How does a girlfriend repay her boyfriend?

You know how it is.

"A little over thirty thousand left."

Airi Sakura glanced at her student account and looked up from his arms.

"Mm. Then I'll send you another hundred thousand. Use that for now."

After the September term began, Class D's class evaluation points would drop to two digits, and the Private Points issued would only be a few thousand. That definitely wouldn't be enough.

"Isn't that a bit much?"

"It's fine. Airi, just remember to eat more in everyday life. It's good for you."

"Do you know why your stamina gives out?"

Hikaru Naruse explained with a smile, and the girl in his arms listened very seriously.

"Besides not exercising, you also aren't taking in enough energy day to day."

"I understand."

Airi Sakura asked earnestly.

"Hikaru-kun… do you feel unsatisfied every time?"

"No, no. I just want Airi to keep getting better and better."

"Oh…"

The girl suddenly drooped. She used to think weak stamina was no big deal, but ever since she'd started snuggling up with Hikaru Naruse, the problem had become obvious.

Airi Sakura wanted Hikaru Naruse to be hopelessly hooked on her body, yet every time she was the first one to give in.

"Hikaru-kun, I'm going to start working out tomorrow!"

"Haha, I'll be cheering Airi on."

"Mm!"

Airi Sakura took a deep breath, resolved that she absolutely had to try harder.

———

Hikaru Naruse stayed in Airi Sakura's dorm room until past eight that evening.

Around six, he'd cooked dinner for the girl himself, and Airi Sakura ate it happily.

He'd stayed over here quite a few times, so Airi Sakura knew his tastes, and the fridge was always stocked with some of his usual ingredients.

After dinner, Hikaru Naruse kept her company a while longer, then finally decided to leave.

After all, tomorrow's time was Ai Morishita's, so he naturally couldn't spend the night here today.

"Good night, Hikaru-kun."

Airi Sakura looked at her man with reluctance, standing behind the door, her eyes a little sore.

"Mm. Airi, remember to go to bed early."

"Bye-bye."

Airi Sakura rose on tiptoe and pecked him on the cheek.

"Next time… when can Hikaru-kun come over?"

"Hmm… in three days."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

After leaving Airi Sakura's room, Hikaru Naruse didn't head straight back to his own dorm. He went downstairs to buy a few things.

They'd only been back on campus a few days, and the daily necessities in his room had nearly run out, so he needed to restock.

After browsing for a good while, Hikaru Naruse walked out of the convenience store carrying a big bag, and suddenly spotted a familiar figure ahead.

A silver-haired upperclass girl stood under the streetlight at the store entrance.

Her arms were folded across her chest, her whole presence overpowering, with a strange allure that seized the heart.

"Well, if it isn't Junior Naruse. What a coincidence, running into you here."

"Kiryuuin-senpai?"

Since she'd helped him out before, Hikaru Naruse walked over, perfectly polite.

"Good evening, Kiryuuin-senpai. Are you waiting for someone?"

"I am. A completely heartless junior. He promised he'd come play with me if he had free time over the summer, and he never showed up."

"Really? There's actually someone like that? That's outrageous!"

Hikaru Naruse joined in the condemnation in a tone of righteous indignation.

"You think so too?"

Fuuka Kiryuuin looked at the boy before her with a smile. She'd been a bit irritated moments ago, but the instant she saw him, her mood improved considerably.

"Absolutely. Making someone like you wait this long is really failing to appreciate a good thing."

"Then how do you think I should punish him?"

"Well, I think, Kiryuuin-senpai, you're a kind and generous person. If it's his first offense, you could still forgive him."

Hikaru Naruse offered his advice, his tone earnest.

"After all, that would make him feel terribly guilty."

"Not a bad idea."

Fuuka Kiryuuin laughed, then, quick as lightning, shot out her right arm and hooked it around Hikaru Naruse's neck.

A rich fragrance washed over him, and the next moment, Hikaru Naruse's face was less than ten centimeters from hers.

"But I don't want to forgive that junior. Not unless he can cheer me up."

Their eyes met, and the boy could see her lovely gaze shimmer.

"Then what does Senpai like?"

Fuuka Kiryuuin's arm around his neck wasn't pulling hard, so Hikaru Naruse caught on right away.

She'd already laid out the steps for him, so naturally he should play along.

"I like lots of things. I hear your cooking is good, Junior Naruse, and I happen to be a little interested."

"No problem. I can cook you a meal myself."

"Just one meal?" Fuuka Kiryuuin arched a willowy brow, apparently not satisfied.

"If you like, I can make all three meals a day. You did me a big favor before, after all."

Hikaru Naruse was referring to the Rectification Campaign Miyabi Nagumo had stirred up. Because he'd roped in the second-year Ikuto Kiriyama, the second-years had ended up the group with the heaviest point deductions.

"If I'm satisfied with your cooking, there's something I can tell you in advance."

"What is it?"

Hikaru Naruse lifted his head and found Fuuka Kiryuuin looking straight at him.

Fuuka Kiryuuin stood about 170 centimeters tall, and Hikaru Naruse was close to 180. Since he was bending his head, their faces were very close, near enough to feel each other's breath.

They were so close that the tips of their noses were nearly touching.

"It's about the Sports Festival."

"Does Senpai have some inside information?" Hikaru Naruse asked with a smile.

"If you want to know, you'll have to show some sincerity first, Junior~"

Fuuka Kiryuuin loosened her arm, then raised a hand to straighten the collar of his short-sleeved shirt that she'd just crumpled.

"Are you free tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow… probably not."

"The day after?"

"The day after I'm going shopping with my girlfriend."

"…"

Fuuka Kiryuuin folded her arms again, her tone turning cold all at once.

"So this is your sincerity, Junior?"

"How about this: Senpai waits a little longer, and within this week I'll definitely find a day to spend with you and cook for you."

"This week?"

She seemed to think that was a bit far off. Fuuka Kiryuuin's expression wasn't pleasant, but it still couldn't dull her sharp beauty.

"Senpai should be understanding too. A lot of things were already arranged in advance."

"You flirt with women every day, and only now that there are so many do you realize it's hard to manage?"

Fuuka Kiryuuin had her own sources of information and knew exactly what Hikaru Naruse's love life looked like and how tangled he was with several members of the opposite sex.

"Heh heh, you flatter me, Senpai."

"That wasn't a compliment!"

Though Fuuka Kiryuuin was domineering by nature, she wasn't stupid. Closing the distance had to be done step by step, of course.

From their very first meeting, she'd known Hikaru Naruse was fiercely proud at heart, someone who responded to gentleness and never to force.

Throwing a little tantrum was fine, but if she insisted on forcing him to change his plans, it would probably backfire.

He didn't lack for women anyway, so there was no need to pile on pressure. She was only at the stage of being interested in him, and she could take it slow.

"Fine. I'll give you five days. Within five days, you must set aside one day for me."

Fuuka Kiryuuin issued her final ultimatum.

"Okay. Don't worry, Senpai, I'll definitely make the time."

"Mm."