Chapter 152: Kushida's Complex, Sports Festival Plan (Two-in-One, 5k) (Patreon)

Although he'd agreed to Fuuka Kiryuuin's request, Hikaru Naruse really couldn't adjust his plans over the next few days. It wouldn't be fair to the others.

His schedule was already packed to the brim, with a fixed arrangement for practically every day.

On the fourth day, since he'd be meeting Fuuka Kiryuuin tomorrow, he hadn't planned on spending the night in a girl's dorm.

But today's girl was Kikyo Kushida, and once that one got worked up, whether he'd be able to leave was anyone's guess.

Around eight in the evening, in Kikyo Kushida's room.

The warm, yellow-lit living room was filled with a mix of fruity-floral shampoo, body lotion, and the natural scent of a girl.

Hikaru Naruse and Kikyo Kushida were sitting on the sofa, not in the bedroom.

Once things got heated, a lot of it slipped out of anyone's control. The two of them had set out from the bedroom, "messed around" all the way to the living room, and finally come to a stop on the sofa.

Right now, Naruse had Kushida wrapped in his arms and was helping her get dressed.

He'd done this many times by now, so he was practiced at it.

He tidied the loose strands of hair on her forehead, then used a tissue to wipe the sweat from her brow and neck.

The whole process was gentle, and Kushida was enjoying it.

"You... you're like a bull. How do you have so much strength?"

Her voice was a little hoarse, tinged with the weariness that came after exertion.

Naruse laughed and told her to raise her arms, then slipped her bra on for her.

"You're the one who kept pushing herself. How is that my fault?"

Kushida, hearing that, felt a little embarrassed and a little unwilling to concede.

To be fair, she'd been the one to pounce first today.

Naruse had come over after breakfast. From around eleven they'd gone a few rounds, eaten lunch, and then started again, right up until now.

Faced with her enthusiasm, Naruse hadn't held back either. He'd been giving it his all the entire time.

The result was this scene of the aftermath: Kushida had burned through so much stamina that she barely had any strength left.

"There. All done."

Once she was dressed, Naruse gave her back a light pat.

"I'll stay a little longer and then head back. I've got things to do tomorrow, so I need to get to bed early."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She might have been out of strength, but she bristled in an instant.

"No way. You're staying here tonight, and we're doing it again later."

The girl reached out and pointed at the boxes on the coffee table, each with 001 printed on the cover. Half of them were already used up.

"We have to use all of those up!"

"..."

Naruse looked at the boxes on the table and sighed helplessly.

"Didn't I spend the whole day with you?"

Kushida still wouldn't agree. She pushed him straight down onto the sofa, bracing both hands on either side of his shoulders.

"No..."

They looked at each other for a moment, and Kushida's expression shifted slightly.

"Don't think I don't know. You went to see Suzune Horikita before, didn't you?"

"You knew about that?"

Kushida stared into Naruse's eyes and spoke one word at a time.

"That woman... I've been so obedient, so why did you still go see her?"

"Uh, what does one have to do with the other?"

"Because I don't like her. And that question you asked earlier... I never pushed any further on it."

Kushida's expression turned cold. Her past had always been a major knot in her heart.

"I see."

Naruse thought it over. He did know what Kushida's past was.

Suzune Horikita had gone to the same middle school as her. Back then, Kushida had thrown her class into utter chaos. The students' trust in one another had been shattered, friendship had turned to hatred, unity had turned to suspicion, and it had gotten so bad that the whole class was eventually suspended.

Suzune Horikita had heard about it too, but she didn't mind, and she'd had no intention at all of using it against Kushida.

But because of Kushida's own insecurity, she'd always been hostile toward Suzune Horikita, even hoping she'd drop out as soon as possible.

After all, ever since she'd come to this school, she'd been everyone's beloved "little angel."

That dark past of causing a classroom disaster in middle school was something she meant to bury forever.

"I know what's bothering you."

Naruse patted Kushida's back lightly, his tone soft.

"And even if I know about that, it won't affect our relationship or my feelings for you."

Hearing that, Kushida's heart gave a sharp jolt.

"That woman really told you?"

"Heh."

Naruse smiled, then reached up and gently cupped Kushida's face.

His large hand enveloped her small cheek, and he deliberately stroked his thumb across her fair skin. It was a gesture meant to soothe her mind.

The next moment, the boy's tone turned earnest.

"Honestly, a thing like that isn't worth mentioning to me. Everything I choose to do with you, I do because I like you yourself."

"As for what you did in the past... why you did it, none of that is something I care about."

"Besides... I know why it matters to you, but I won't leak it."

Naruse paused, then pinched Kushida's cheek and went on.

"As for your worry, for me right now there's actually a simpler way to deal with it."

"What do you mean?" Kushida fixed her burning gaze on Naruse's face, wanting to hear what he'd say.

"I can have a word with Horikita-san and get her to promise she won't tell anyone."

"..."

Even with an answer like that, Kushida's hang-up was long-standing, and a couple of sentences weren't going to dispel her concerns.

And more than the dark past, what she cared about right now was what Naruse himself thought.

Kushida looked at her man and asked again.

"You really don't mind?"

Her voice suddenly dropped quite low, as if she didn't have much confidence.

Naruse tightened his arm around Kushida's slender waist.

"I really don't mind."

The boy's voice was gentle as he explained slowly.

"Besides, Horikita-san isn't the type to spread something like that around anyway. She's not that bored."

Hearing Naruse's tender words, Kushida was moved. Not only did warmth fill her heart, a rush of heat surged up inside her too.

She wanted to push Naruse down again and "thank" him properly.

But then she heard him say the name "Suzune Horikita" several times, and the girl's emotion was suddenly replaced by a fierce surge of jealousy.

In the next moment, her expression soured again.

"You... can you guarantee that Horikita woman will really listen to you?"

"Uh, sure, Horikita-san and I are..."

Naruse didn't get to finish, because Kushida abruptly lowered her head and bit down on his shoulder.

"Ugh..."

"Did you sleep with her?"

"Of course not."

"Really?"

"Really."

Kushida released her little fangs, lifted her head, and kept her eyes on Naruse's face as she asked.

"Then why can you guarantee she'll listen to you?"

"Our relationship right now has gone from acquaintances to allies, I'd say."

"What does 'allies' mean?"

Kushida asked again, and couldn't stop herself from reaching out a small hand to stroke the fresh tooth marks she'd just left on his shoulder.

"Honestly, you..."

Naruse rubbed her little face and continued softly.

"I've said all this, but it comes down to one thing."

"The only people who know your past right now are probably just Horikita-san and me."

Actually, there was also Manabu Horikita. But the aloof siscon President wouldn't care about a trifle like this, and he'd probably forgotten it already, so Naruse left him out for now.

Then he went on.

"But neither of us will bring it up on our own, so you can relax a little."

His voice grew a few shades gentler as he kept soothing Kushida's heart.

"That dark side of you is cute too, but overall these are tiny matters. You don't need to agonize over them."

When he said that, Kushida's big eyes widened slightly.

"Hmph!"

The "dark side" Naruse mentioned was, of course, the violent scene by the railing at the edge of the island at night, back when the two of them had first made a connection.

Back then, Kushida had dropped her "little angel" disguise and radiated black aura and cold fury. It had looked quite striking.

"Whichever you it is, I like you."

"So I don't want you to keep dwelling on this. Of course, if it matters to you, I don't expect a few words to ease it all away."

"But you can try."

"Otherwise, wouldn't it be boring?"

After hearing all that, warmth welled up in Kushida's heart again. She knew Naruse well enough to tell that he wasn't just saying pretty words. He meant it.

"You... really know how to sweet-talk a woman, don't you."

"Do I?"

Since he was holding her, Naruse could clearly feel her tense body go soft.

"A little sweet-talk never hurt anyone. She's my woman, after all."

"When did I ever say I'd be your woman?" Kushida protested coyly, the corners of her mouth curving into a bright smile.

"Oh, if you won't, you won't. Then I'm leaving."

"No way!"

Kushida knew he was doing it on purpose, so she pressed his shoulders down again and spoke with her head lowered.

"Since you just told me not to dwell on the past, I'll give it a try."

"But..."

"I don't think I'll ever be friends with that Horikita woman!"

"That's fine. I don't expect you two to become friends. Just be natural about it."

They held each other for a while in the afterglow. Then Kushida suddenly smiled and straightened her back again.

"What's wrong?"

Naruse seemed to sense something and asked hesitantly.

"Hikaru-kun~"

Kushida lowered her head, her voice turning sticky-sweet, like melted honey.

"You've made me so happy with all that sweet-talk, so I have to repay you properly."

"Huh?"

Before Naruse could react, the clothes he'd just put on her with his own hands were stripped off again by this troublemaker, and a wide expanse of fair skin was back before his eyes.

"What are you doing?"

"Everything I said earlier was to untie your knot. Are you going to repay kindness with spite?"

Kushida smiled, her whole face radiant.

"This isn't repaying kindness with spite."

"I'm a delicate little woman, and I like being unreasonable. So today... Hikaru-kun, you absolutely can't leave!"

"Can you stop me?"

Naruse raised an eyebrow and said with a smile.

"I can't stop you, but I can find another way to make you forget about leaving."

Kushida smiled, then lowered her head and brought her lips to Naruse's ear.

"I can give you..."

She whispered a particularly "interesting" idea, and Naruse's throat bobbed involuntarily.

"You really want to do that?"

"Don't you want to try it, Hikaru-kun?"

Kushida blinked, her tone full of smug "I've got you now."

"Anyway, all of me is yours. You can do whatever you like."

"...Fine, then I'll stay."

"Hmph, pervert!"

"Just watch what I do to you!"

*

The next day.

Morning sunlight squeezed in through the gap in the curtains. The boy rose early, and after washing up he slipped quietly out of Kushida's room.

Around eight o'clock, he met Fuuka Kiryuuin at a café.

The silver-haired upperclasswoman wore a white dress today, and her whole presence carried a cool, sharp beauty.

Naruse sat across from her, his expression calm.

They'd already ordered two desserts and two coffees. The desserts were tiramisu and a pineapple bun.

As for the coffees, one was an iced Americano that Fuuka Kiryuuin had ordered, and the other was a latte that Naruse had ordered.

"You're up early today, Junior. I'd planned on sleeping in a little," said Fuuka Kiryuuin, stirring her coffee with a spoon, the ice clinking faintly against the glass.

"Can't be helped. I knew you were going to coach me, Senior, so I've been eager all day."

Naruse smiled, then got straight to the point.

"So let's not beat around the bush. What is it you're planning to teach me?"

"Aren't you supposed to cook for me yourself? The job isn't even done and you're already asking for your reward?" Fuuka Kiryuuin teased with a smile.

"The cooking can be at lunch or this afternoon. I just prefer to inspect the goods first."

Naruse didn't feel the least bit awkward and simply carried on with the topic.

"Heh, Junior Naruse, you really are a special one."

Fuuka Kiryuuin smiled, the silver hair down her back swaying slightly under the lights, and her whole bearing looked impossibly elegant.

"Fine, I'll just tell you."

"I'm all ears."

Naruse smiled. He could guess part of it already. After the second semester began, there was really only one major event: the Sports Festival, which the entire year would take part in.

"The Sports Festival will be held in October. By long-standing tradition, the classes of all grades are divided into the Red Team and the White Team, and the two camps compete against each other."

Fuuka Kiryuuin explained unhurriedly. She knew exactly what Naruse liked, which was why she'd brought this up on her own.

"The Class As of all three years and the Class Ds of all three years will be placed together on the Red Team. In other words, six classes become a single whole."

"And so?"

Naruse figured he'd guessed right. The Sports Festival really was an important event. It wasn't merely one of the Special Exams, it was also a golden opportunity for working behind the scenes.

"On the Red Team, you can openly make contact with the people in third-year Class A and second-year Class A."

Fuuka Kiryuuin looked at the boy's composed expression and went on with a smile.

"Once the Sports Festival is over, at the end of October or the start of November, the Student Council will hold its leadership election."

"If I'm not mistaken, you're definitely planning to do something, aren't you?"

"Guilty as charged."

After hearing Fuuka Kiryuuin's words, a smile finally appeared on Naruse's face.

"So that's what you wanted to coach me on. It really is important. By the way, that means Class B and Class C will be teammates then?"

"Hmm?"

"Then wouldn't you become my opponent, Senior?" Naruse teased with a grin.

"That's right."

Fuuka Kiryuuin smiled.

"Though I've no interest in causing an uproar at the Sports Festival. We'll see later."

"What I'm more curious about is what you plan to do there."

"Hmm... I just got hold of some very weighty information. I'll need a little time to come up with a plan."

Naruse stirred the latte in front of him and mused slowly.

"Actually, I'm not all that interested in the Student Council President's seat."

"Is that so?"

Fuuka Kiryuuin could feel the sincerity in his words. But she'd brought this up mostly for the fun of it, since Miyabi Nagumo had already started preparing his campaign plan.

She still had plenty of faith in Naruse.

"But if I can't find the right person, I can do it myself."

Naruse had no particularly strong desire for the post. As long as it wasn't Miyabi Nagumo, that was fine.

Judging from how the Sports Festival was set up, physical education would probably be intensified once classes resumed in September.

And in the Red-versus-White showdown, Class A and Class D would be teammates, which meant he could also have Ayanokoji do a few things.

On the other side, Manabu Horikita hadn't explicitly said he'd back him in the campaign, but winning people over was actually simple.

Miyabi Nagumo won people over with Private Points and promises, and Naruse could naturally do the same.

If he reached out early to the core members of second-year Class A and third-year Class A, and got Fuuka Kiryuuin to help out as well, his chances of winning would be pretty good.

"More to the point, will you still help me then, Senior Kiryuuin?"

"Help you?"

"Yes. I'd like you on my side, Senior."

"That depends on your attitude. I've said so much today, and I haven't tasted a single bit of sweetness yet."

Fuuka Kiryuuin lazily stroked her hair, a smile hooking the corner of her mouth.

"What do you want for lunch? Shall we go grocery shopping together afterward?"

"Going to the supermarket with me. Aren't you afraid your girlfriends will see and get jealous?"

"Not afraid."

"Then I'm pushing the cart!"

"Ow."