Chapter 163: Fuka Kiryuin: Junior Naruse Eats Really Well (Two-in-One 5k) (Patreon)

Sunday afternoon.

Hikaru Naruse headed to Airi Sakura's dorm. He'd promised to keep her company today.

During last week's joint PE class he had kept an eye on Airi, but with both Class A and Class D present, and Airi being as timid as she was, there was no way she could walk up and talk to him the way Kikyo Kushida did.

Apart from a few glances across the field, the girl could only keep playing Class D's invisible girl. When class ended, she quietly went back by herself.

So today, he had to comfort her properly.

Around three o'clock, Naruse pressed the doorbell to Airi's room.

"Ding-dong."

The chime echoed down the quiet hallway. The door opened almost at once, and Airi threw herself straight into his arms.

"Hikaru-kun~"

She was like a cat whose owner had finally come home. Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and a contented smile bloomed on her lips.

"Airi, let's get inside first."

"Mm-hm."

After closing the door, Naruse kept an arm around her and walked her into the living room.

September's summer hadn't completely ended yet. Knowing Naruse was coming, Airi had deliberately put on a pale blue, airy nightdress.

The hem reached only the middle of her thighs, leaving her slender, fair legs bare. The neckline and the back were both quite sheer, letting the lines of her pale skin show through.

Holding the girl in his arms, Naruse thought it felt pretty good.

Once they sat down on the sofa, Airi kept clinging to him, wrapping herself around his waist like an octopus.

"Airi, how about I cook dinner myself tonight?"

"Sure! I knew you were coming today, Hikaru-kun, so I went grocery shopping yesterday." Airi had tasted Naruse's cooking before, so she was looking forward to it.

"Mm."

Holding the girl against him, Naruse asked with a grin.

"So what did you buy, Airi?"

"Lamb and vegetables, and also…"

"And also what?" Naruse lowered his head, curious.

"Chives, oysters, and goji berries."

Airi blushed. She had looked it up on purpose: those ingredients were supposed to make things feel better for her.

"Honestly, you."

Naruse was a little helpless. He pinched her cheek and said with a smile.

"It's too early to be eating that stuff. The shape I'm in right now, handling you is easy~"

"I know you're amazing, Hikaru-kun. I was just getting ready ahead of time!"

"Hmph. Little minx~"

"I just…"

Airi pressed her face into the crook of his neck, utterly content. He patted her back gently, and the two of them cuddled on the sofa for a while.

After a while, they finally got around to talking about the Sports Festival.

As a member of Class D, Airi was on the Red Team, same as Naruse. Even if the [Recommended Events] were optional, the [All-Participant Events] still had to be faced.

Her physical ability was D-. That was already very ordinary, even a bit weak.

Of the nine [All-Participant Events], such as the hundred-meter dash, the obstacle race and the two-hundred-meter dash, she'd most likely finish near the bottom in all of them.

The other events wouldn't be easy for her either, so her final total was certain to be at the bottom.

Naruse wasn't counting on her scoring points for the Red Team. A mediocre result was enough. That way she wouldn't finish last, and she wouldn't draw too much attention from her Class D classmates.

After all, coming dead last at a Sports Festival still gets noticed.

And for someone like Airi, not being noticed was exactly what kept her comfortable.

"Hikaru-kun…"

Leaning against his chest, Airi said, a little embarrassed.

"I really am bad at sports. I'm definitely going to drag the Red Team down at the Sports Festival."

Naruse only smiled faintly, his tone still gentle.

"That's fine. Progress comes slowly, not all at once. I just want you to improve little by little, Airi."

"It's like studying. Your score went up quite a bit on last semester's finals, didn't it?"

Before last semester's finals, Naruse had tutored Airi several times. Her total score could now hold steady around 350, which put her in the upper-middle of Class D.

If she kept working hard, a steady 400 would put her near the top of the class.

"Mm. When it comes to studying, with you helping me, Hikaru-kun… I feel really motivated."

Airi knew herself well. She could only study properly with Naruse beside her, which was exactly why she clung to him so much.

"Athletic ability is the same. It takes time," Naruse said gently, unhurried.

"This Sports Festival will be a good chance for you to train a bit more."

He thought for a moment, then asked.

"How did the ball-throwing drill feel for you in the last joint PE class, Airi?"

Airi thought about it, her face turning red.

"It was tiring. I didn't get very many in."

"Haha, take it slow."

Naruse looked down at her, his gaze sweeping over the girl, and couldn't help laughing.

"Maybe your body just carries a heavier load than most, so raising your arm to throw is harder for you."

Airi froze, then blurted out an explanation without thinking.

"Hikaru-kun, do you think I've gotten fat? Lately I've been…"

"I didn't say you got fat."

Naruse pulled the girl in closer, letting her feel exactly what he meant by "heavier load."

"Ah…"

Her little face flushed. She finally understood what her man was talking about.

She was shy, but mostly she was happy. Naruse clearly loved her body, and that left her deeply satisfied.

A moment later, she threw her arms around his neck and sat up straight.

"Hikaru-kun, I was thinking of going for a night run tonight to train. Will you come with me?"

"Of course."

Naruse's face was buried in her mountains, and he spoke a little short of breath.

"But we should eat dinner first and rest a bit before going. That'd be better."

"What time do you want to finish eating, Hikaru-kun?"

"Around six."

"Then there's still over two hours. I want you to help me train a different event." Airi's face turned even redder, and her heartbeat began to quicken.

"What event?"

Naruse lifted his head and found his nose right in front of Airi's eyes.

"Endurance training…"

"Haha, sure."

He caught the hidden meaning in the girl's words, so he naturally wouldn't refuse.

The next moment, Airi tugged her nightdress straight down, and that familiar fragrance washed over Naruse's mind once more.

"Hikaru-kun~"

"Mm. I'm coming."

The sweet afternoon began on the sofa.

*

Around seven in the evening.

It wasn't fully dark yet, but the sky was slowly dimming.

Airi wanted to do a night run, but she didn't choose the professional rubber track on the sports field. She wanted somewhere with fewer people.

After all, the Sports Festival was only about three weeks away. Nearly every night now, plenty of students were out on the field training, running, long jumping and so on. With so many students practicing different events, it was lively every evening.

Airi didn't want anyone noticing her at all. Besides, she wanted to keep their "world for two" going, so a place like the field was naturally out of the question.

After some searching, Airi and Naruse found a running route in the school building area, looping around several buildings and a grove of trees. One lap came to thirty-some meters.

There were also benches along the path for resting, and few people passed by. It was the best choice.

The distance of one lap was just right, and for Airi's current stamina it made a very good training opportunity.

Naruse fully supported the idea.

When they left the dorm building, he had deliberately brought a small bag with mineral water, wet wipes and other supplies, and he ran along beside Airi.

Since the girl's stride was short, the training naturally alternated between jogging and quick running.

But for Naruse, training at this intensity was no different from taking a walk. It wasn't tiring at all.

He deliberately slowed his pace and ran alongside Airi.

Airi was quite pleased as well. The exercise was hard on her, but being able to reach out and touch Naruse at any moment gave her a deep sense of security.

Hikaru-kun really is the most important person to me.

The girl's conviction only grew stronger.

Or rather, that belief had never changed in the first place.

*

After about forty minutes of running, Naruse could tell Airi's stamina was nearing its limit.

So he suggested taking a break.

The two of them found a bench by the path, and he had Airi sit down first.

The trees around them swayed gently in the breeze. Night had fallen, and the orange glow of the streetlamps began to light the path.

Naruse took a bottle of mineral water from his bag, twisted off the cap and handed it to the girl beside him.

Perhaps because Airi looked wiped out, he also took out the wet wipes and dabbed the sweat from her forehead and hands.

"How are you feeling, Airi?"

"Mm… I think I'm getting used to this intensity."

"If we take it slow, you'll be able to keep going longer and longer."

Airi was touched by Naruse's tender care, but then she noticed that the man who shared her pillow hadn't broken a sweat at all.

"…Hikaru-kun, your stamina is amazing. You're not even sweating?"

She couldn't resist reaching out to touch his chest. He had run the entire way with her, yet there was barely any sweat on him.

"Of course."

Naruse laughed and ruffled Airi's hair, teasing her.

"My stamina has to be good enough, or how else would I handle you~"

"Ah…"

Airi blushed. A moment later, she reached out a small hand and covered his big one.

"Hikaru-kun, are you staying over tonight?"

"After we finish exercising, we can take a bath together. You can do whatever you want."

Hearing the girl's ardent words, Naruse agreed at once.

"Of course. I came here today to keep you company, so I'll stay the night at your place."

"Mm."

"But we can't stay up too late. Tomorrow's Monday, and we've got class."

"Okay."

Airi nodded, but she still said with anticipation.

"Next time, you could come on Friday, Hikaru-kun. I'll prepare a surprise for you."

"A surprise?"

"Mm…"

Airi gripped his hand back with her small one, and once their fingers were interlaced, she spoke softly.

"You're so good to me, Hikaru-kun. I have to repay you properly."

"I bought new clothes…"

As a print model, Airi knew very well what kind of outfits her man liked. She had also deliberately picked the cheaper, lower-quality kind, so they'd be easy to ruin while in use and add some fun.

"Oh? Then I'll look forward to it."

Naruse smiled. He understood exactly what the girl meant.

The two new swimsuits Airi had bought before had long since turned into shreds. As for what exactly happened, those who know, know.

Just as the atmosphere between them was at its sweetest, a figure suddenly approached from the dark direction of the school building, her footsteps unmistakable.

Then the voice reached them.

"Junior Naruse, you really are a gentleman toward the ladies."

The voice was clear and pleasant, and just from how she spoke, you could glimpse her style: free-spirited, proud and unrestrained.

"Your little girlfriend even gets you running at her side. How enviable."

Hearing those two sentences, Airi jumped, then shrank into Naruse's arms.

"Hikaru-kun… who is that?"

"Haha, don't be nervous, Airi. It's an acquaintance of mine. She doesn't mean any harm."

Naruse patted her hand lightly, his tone gentle.

The next moment, he called out into the darkness.

"Kiryuuin-senpai, there's no need to tease her on purpose. Come out and say hello."

*

The footsteps drew nearer, and the person who stepped out of the shadows was, naturally, Fuuka Kiryuuin.

Her long silver hair looked even colder and more striking under the streetlamp. She wore a tracksuit, hands tucked in her pockets, a playful smile curling at the corner of her mouth.

Once she was close, Fuuka first looked Airi up and down, taking in her slender yet full figure, all the way up to her delicate face, which was shielded on purpose but still pretty.

Then Fuuka folded her arms, a flicker of displeasure rising in her.

"Junior Naruse, you eat well."

"A girl this charming really does deserve to be doted on."

"Er…"

Naruse didn't take the bait. He just smiled.

"Kiryuuin-senpai, did you need something from me?"

His tone was calm, his gaze steady on Fuuka's face.

She smiled faintly, then sighed on purpose and put on an affected tone.

"What a heartless junior."

"I went and looked into the second-year situation for you, and this is how you talk to me?"

Fuuka was joking, but there was a thread of sincerity in it.

She liked Naruse, but she couldn't tell what he really thought of her.

"Of course not. I remember every bit of help you've given me, Senpai. That won't change."

Naruse smiled and kept hold of the conversation's initiative.

"But this situation is a bit awkward, admittedly."

"How about I walk Airi back to her dorm first, then come find you? The café should still be open. I could buy you a coffee, Senpai."

Naruse sounded sincere, but Fuuka shook her head.

"No need to go to the trouble. Besides, I don't like being a second choice."

The silver-haired senior's voice was crisp as she went on with a grin.

"Come to my room after school tomorrow. I've got something important to tell you. Before you come, you might want to go see the Student Council President first."

"…Okay."

Naruse knew Fuuka never spoke without purpose. If she wanted him to see Manabu Horikita, then the plan from before might be taking effect.

To deal with Miyabi Nagumo, they had to push forward one step at a time.

"I won't interrupt your world for two any longer."

Looking at Airi, who was gripping Naruse's hand tightly, Fuuka teased.

"Junior Naruse has so many little girlfriends. Tomorrow's meeting with me won't be a problem, will it?"

"Please don't worry, Senpai. I'll be there on time."

Tomorrow he was supposed to see Kei Karuizawa, but as long as he mentioned Student Council business, she wouldn't press him much.

"That's more like it."

Fuuka had plenty of intelligence, but she didn't know exactly how many girls were tangled up with Naruse. She wasn't a stalker, after all.

So far, she knew of one official girlfriend, Kei Karuizawa, then Ai Morishita of Class A, and the one she'd just met for the first time today, Airi Sakura.

"Then I'll be off. I won't stay and wear out my welcome."

"If you put it that way, Kiryuuin-senpai, I'll feel guilty."

"Then remember to bring a gift tomorrow. If you don't make me happy, I won't tell you."

"Please don't worry, Senpai. I'll prepare something good."

After Fuuka turned and left, Airi finally poked her head out from beside Naruse.

She looked toward where the tall, silver-haired senior had gone, and couldn't help asking.

"Hikaru-kun, are you close with that senior?"

Naruse nodded slightly.

"Yeah. She's helped me with quite a few things."

After a while, Airi thought it over and spoke again.

"She likes you."