Yui, lying on the desk, secretly watched them, feeling like a whole new world was opening up.
While she was hesitating and fighting with herself, her elbow accidentally knocked her ballpoint pen onto the floor.
"Ah, my pen fell too."
"Want me to pick it up for you?" Megumi asked.
Yui frantically waved her hands. "N-no, no, no. I'll get it myself."
With that, Yui also went under the desk to look for her pen.
Tatsuki was in a really good mood.
Maybe because his ballpoint pen hadn't fallen like theirs—it was still on the desk.
"..."
Yukino had a whole forehead full of gloom.
Could you two be any more obvious?
SLURPP~ SLUURP~ SLURPP~
Forcing herself to endure the discomfort in her body, Yukino faced the open window and refused to look at them. She ignored whatever sounds were happening behind her—only the cool breeze blowing in could calm her down.
After a while...
"Found it!"
"Me too!"
Yui and Megumi found their pens and got up from under the desk, each holding the ballpoint pen that had just fallen.
Yui cast a super cautious look at Yukino.
When she saw Yukino wasn't looking their way, she patted her chest, looking visibly relieved.
"Gulp." She hurriedly swallowed, then wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Yukino's mouth twitched slightly.
Did they seriously think she couldn't see? Was Yui actually an idiot?
Megumi, on the other hand, calmly took a sip of water to wash out her mouth like it was nothing. She was already used to it.
"Yui, I bought it for you."
When Yumiko walked in, she warmly handed Yui a bottle of water.
She hadn't even noticed the bottle of water in front of Megumi—showing just how guilty she felt toward Yui.
Yui took it with an awkward dry laugh. "Ha... th-thanks, Yumiko."
"It's okay. As long as you're fine."
Yumiko hurriedly shook her head—then her body suddenly stiffened.
She was wedged between Tatsuki and Yui, perfectly blocking Yui's line of sight.
Someone was messing with her from behind, and who it was didn't need saying.
No—Yui's still here! Yumiko screamed internally.
Oh? So it'd be fine if Yui weren't here? Tatsuki asked her through her thoughts.
Ugh, o-of course not. I'm not that easy! Yumiko's refusal came out in broken fragments.
The corners of Tatsuki's mouth curled up.
This was Yumiko's tsundere, passive side—ridiculously fun.
"Haa~ Haa~!"
Yumiko's face instantly flushed red.
Feeling the pressure get stronger, she hurriedly thought, Fine, fine! Okay, okay! Just stop already—Yui's looking over!
"Yumiko, why are you panting?" Yui asked, tilting her head after taking a small sip of water to wash away the strong taste in her mouth.
Yumiko fanned her scorching cheeks with her hand. "Th-that's because I ran too fast buying you water, so I'm tired!"
Yumiko, do you want to come over to my place sometime?
Ugh... fine. I'll go when I have time—can you stop now?
Mm-hm.
Yumiko finally relaxed. Tatsuki had stopped, so she didn't have to worry about Yui catching on.
Yumiko turned back and shot Tatsuki a gorgeous glare, then sulkily went back to her seat, rubbing her slightly aching, perky ass.
Tatsuki really enjoyed how cute she was—and that look in her eyes, half shy and half pissed off.
Body freed, heart satisfied.
Now he could finally go back to paying attention to what was going on with Tsunade and Kushina.
He had a lot of questions about those two.
Tsunade: "Hey. Whoever's using genjutsu, come out and talk."
Kushina: "Isn't it your genjutsu? Fake Lady Tsunade!"
Silver Wolf: "Tch. Shut up. No one's using genjutsu on you."
Just as the two were about to start fighting, someone had already had enough.
Seitenshi: "The newcomers' reactions are a bit too intense. It might have to do with the state of their world."
After all, what kind of normal world even has genjutsu?
Emilia: "I think they've mistaken the chat group for a hallucination."
Aqua: "Tatsuki, you idiot Tatsuki, hurry up and explain it to them."
Tatsuki: "Who are you calling an idiot?"
Getting called an idiot by dumbass Aqua—why did that feel so humiliating?
Tatsuki: "Aqua, have you ever heard a saying?"
Aqua: "What saying?"
Tatsuki: "If stupidity had a color, it'd definitely be blue!"
Aqua: "What does that mean?"
Tatsuki: "..."
A vein of annoyance popped on Tatsuki's forehead. She didn't even get that?
Exusiai: "If I remember right, Aqua's hair is blue."
Aqua: "Yeah. The water goddess has blue hair—what's wrong with that..."
Silver Wolf: "She's so dumb. He's saying you're an idiot."
Aqua: "Huh?! Tatsuki, you're the idiot!"
Tatsuki: "*Cough cough.* Don't accuse me. I might not have said that. Silver Wolf said it."
Silver Wolf: "Who do you think would believe that?"
Emilia: "Blue hair... then Rem also..."
Tatsuki: "Emilia, stop right there!"
Tatsuki: "And there's another saying—if true love had a color, it'd definitely be blue!"
Emilia's eyes lit up.
Rem and Ram were arranging flowers in a vase.
Emilia said to Rem, "Rem, Tatsuki just complimented you."
"Tatsuki!"
The first one to speak wasn't Rem or Ram—it was Betty, who suddenly appeared. She looked left and right, but didn't see Tatsuki anywhere.
"Tatsuki isn't here..."
Betty stared straight at Emilia, who'd mentioned Tatsuki.
Emilia's pretty face filled with apology. "Sorry, Betty. I just wanted to pass along something Tatsuki said to Rem. He didn't come."
Betty's visibly excited expression quickly wilted into disappointment.
Seeing that, Emilia regretted speaking so loudly. She pressed her lips together and sent Tatsuki a private message.
Emilia: "Tatsuki, will you come to my world again?"
Tatsuki: "What's wrong? Miss me?"
Emilia: "Eh?!"
Tatsuki: "I mean Ram and Rem."
Emilia: "O-oh... okay. Aha, I misunderstood."
Emilia's little face reddened a bit.
Emilia: "That's right... and Betty looks like she's really looking forward to it too."
Tatsuki: "Betty, huh... alright. Tell them that when I have time, I'll come see them."
Emilia: "Okay."
Emilia patted her cheeks, then repeated Tatsuki's words to Betty and Ram and Rem.
After hearing it, Betty's disappointed expression didn't go away, but her eyes clearly brightened.
Then she suddenly lifted her chin and huffed, saying, "Betty doesn't even care. Betty's going to rest."
A ripple in space—then Betty vanished.
Without a contract binding her, Betty could have her own room now.
Betty was extremely happy. The only tiny regret was that she wanted to form a new contract, and she was looking forward to it...