The most troublesome issue with Rice Shower had finally come to an end for now. As for the rest, she could only slowly come to understand it herself through her future races.
And on the very next day after that matter was resolved, Tokai Teio could not wait to fulfill their promise. She dragged Kuroha out the door and joyfully played with him for an entire day.
However, although their daytime outing had been very satisfying, when it was almost time to go home, Teio stared at a certain spot by the street, a few traces of distress appearing on her face.
"Huh? Why don't I get that feeling when I come out to play with Trainer?" the girl said, touching her chin with a somewhat disappointed tone.
"What feeling?"
At that moment, Kuroha walked over with two ice creams.
Teio took one from him, licked it with her pink tongue, and narrowed her eyes in satisfaction before answering.
"That sort of... How do I put it?"
She thought hard for a few seconds. Then she went, "Oh," as if a light bulb had appeared above her head, and raised one finger in sudden realization.
"Like before, when I secretly followed you and McQueen on a date, Trainer."
"Halfway through, you two would always kiss, right? And around this time, you'd also go to a love ho-"
Thump!
"Owie!"
Before she could finish, Kuroha's knuckle chop landed precisely on the girl's forehead.
Teio immediately clutched her head in exaggerated fashion and crouched down, looking deeply wronged.
"You actually followed me and McQueen on a date?" Kuroha looked at her speechlessly.
"I-It was just by chance... Right! By chance! I was just passing by!" Teio's eyes darted around as she defended herself guiltily.
Kuroha sighed. "So what you mean is, when the two of us went out today, it didn't feel like the kind of couple's date I had with McQueen. Right?"
"C-Couple..." Tokai Teio's body stiffened slightly. Then she bashfully lowered her head. "I... I was thinking something kind of like that."
"..."
Another straight-ball player.
At this point, Kuroha was already used to it.
He took Teio's small hand and pulled her up, then casually pinched her cheek with a helpless expression.
"You really have the nerve to say that? Think about where you dragged me today."
"We played rhythm games and fighting arcade games all morning at the game center. In the afternoon, you ran off to drive go-karts, but you floored the gas by yourself and sped around the whole track, leaving me behind where I started. Where in that is there any couple-like daily life?"
After hearing this criticism, Tokai Teio finally scratched her head in belated realization.
"Ahaha... Is that how it was?"
Then she carefully glanced at Kuroha and humbly sought instruction.
"Then, Trainer, if I want that kind of atmosphere and feeling, what should I do?"
As a girl who had been in True Blooming for less than a year and a half, she clearly knew nothing about this profound-sounding pink "atmosphere."
"..."
Kuroha was silent for a long while, then helplessly rubbed the girl's head.
Seeing her comfortably narrow her eyes, he looked around. After confirming there was no one nearby, he finally let out a soft sigh.
"Trainer?" Teio had just raised her head to ask a question when she felt a tightness around her waist.
A broad hand steadily supported her waist. With a slight pull, it drew her entire body into that familiar embrace.
At the same time, as Kuroha deliberately lowered his head, the face that made her heart race and her cheeks burn rapidly enlarged in her vision.
When his movements stopped, the two of them were already close enough to feel each other's breath.
Teio instinctively blinked. Her long lashes nearly brushed the tip of the young man's nose.
"Eek!"
The brown-haired girl instantly overheated. Her eyes turned chaotic, and steam seemed about to rise from the top of her head.
However, what she did next completely exceeded Kuroha's expectations.
Relying purely on instinct, the girl immediately activated facehugger mode.
She threw away the ice cream in her hand, wrapped both arms tightly around Kuroha's neck, and then coiled her long, strong legs around him as well before going straight in.
"???"
This sudden fierce assault left Kuroha completely stunned.
Wait, no.
According to the usual pattern, weren't you supposed to lower your head shyly here?
All your Chasing Light seniors were like that. Even the boldest one, Maruzensky, would at least act symbolically shy for a moment before making a move.
How did it turn into you charging straight in?
A proper date doesn't work like this!
But those thoughts flashed through Kuroha's mind for only an instant.
In the next second, a cool, soft sensation pressed against his lips. Immediately after, a mischievous little tongue barged in without the slightest politeness.
Where did she even learn this?
A few minutes later.
The two of them walked along the road home again. Teio was holding Kuroha's ice cream now, licking it with immense satisfaction.
I made a profit. I made a huge profit today!
The girl with crescent-shaped bangs cheered loudly in her heart.
Not only did I play with Trainer all day, I successfully kissed him too! Teio really is the strongest!
Her mouth was sweet, and her heart was even sweeter as she secretly thought:
The internet was right after all. When you do that kind of thing, you're supposed to use your tongue.
Hehe, Trainer didn't refuse anyway. Kissing makes me so happy. From now on, I have to kiss him every day!
As she was making plans, the two of them passed by another love hotel.
Teio froze. Then her eyes suddenly lit up.
She grabbed Kuroha's hand and whispered excitedly, "Trainer, Trainer! Should we do that too while we're at it?"
Thump!
"Owie!"
With his face full of dark lines, Kuroha rewarded her with another knuckle chop.
"I'm going back to Ireland in two days. Wait until my expedition is over for that! What exactly goes on in your head all day?"
"Also, while I'm overseas, if Aoi tells me you've been slacking off in training or getting careless in races, then your punishment will be..."
"...Uh... Your punishment will be no kissing for the rest of the year!"
Although it sounded a little abstract, after thinking it over, Kuroha realized this was probably the only thing that could scare Tokai Teio.
Hearing this, Teio did not get discouraged at all. Instead, she confidently patted her slightly curved chest.
"Don't worry, Trainer! Because Teio is invincible!"
...You really are invincible.
Kuroha sighed inwardly.
Only today did he learn that the most repressed person in Tracen Academy was not Maruzen or McQueen, but Tokai Teio, the one standing in front of him with a harmless-looking face.
(End of Chapter)
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