The special exam on the cruise ship had, before anyone quite realized it, already been over for a good while.
With the four-day special exam having been forcibly declared a washout on the very first night—an unprecedented thing—the first-year students, after a brief spell of bewilderment and shock, naturally drifted back into the normal, relaxed rhythm of their summer vacation.
Around dusk, inside a room in the student dormitory.
Shikime Natsu was sitting leisurely on his soft bed.
He idly scrolled through the screen of his phone, glancing over a few inconsequential messages.
And it was right at that moment that a new message notification suddenly popped up at the top of the screen.
Shikime Natsu casually tapped it open and took a look, and a trace of surprise flickered through those golden eyes of his, because the person who had sent him the message was Amikura Mako.
It wasn't that there was anything wrong with it—just that it had been quite a while since the two of them had last communicated by message. Though, of course, they'd met up offline plenty of times.
Opening the chat window, Shikime Natsu looked to see what Amikura Mako had sent him.
[Amikura Mako: Good evening, Shiki-san! Are you free tomorrow during the day?]
Looking at this message that carried such an obvious tone of invitation, Shikime Natsu mulled over his schedule for these past few days in his mind.
In the stretch of time since the cruise ship exam had ended and they'd returned to school, he'd basically spent every day quite at his leisure, always in the company of cute girls—his days could be called rather idyllic.
And so, his fingers lightly tapped at the virtual keyboard, giving an affirmative reply.
[Shikime Natsu: Good evening, Amikura-san. I'm free.]
At the same time, inside the girls' dormitory of Class 1-B.
"Ding-dong——"
Hearing the special-care notification tone come from her phone, Amikura Mako—who had been lying boredly on her bed, cradling her phone in both hands—instantly perked up.
When she clearly saw those words "I'm free" that Shikime Natsu had replied on the screen.
Amikura Mako, dressed in a loose, comfortable home nightdress and sprawled atop the soft bedding, couldn't help but happily wiggle her pair of fair, well-proportioned little feet.
In those bright, big eyes of hers, at this moment it was as though tiny fragments of starlight were sparkling, her whole self looking utterly elated.
"Wonderful!"
The girl cheered inwardly.
She drew in a deep breath, calmed her somewhat excited heartbeat, and then her two thumbs tapped rapidly across the phone screen, eagerly sending Shikime Natsu the formal invitation for tomorrow.
[Amikura Mako: So here's the thing! I heard that tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, a very famous fortune-teller is coming all the way to set up a stall at our school's Keyaki Mall!]
[Amikura Mako: And supposedly this fortune-teller's predictions are super accurate—lots of the upperclassmen are talking about it. Shiki-san, if you're interested, want to go check it out together tomorrow?]
After sending off this long message, Amikura Mako pressed her phone tightly against her chest, waiting full of anticipation for the other party's reply.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the dormitory.
Looking at this string of words that had popped up on his screen, the corner of Shikime Natsu's mouth curled up slightly into a knowing arc.
As for the news that this "famous fortune-teller" was about to come to the school's shopping mall, Shikime Natsu was naturally quite well aware of it.
This topic had, over the past few days, basically become extremely hot—whether among the upperclassmen's circles or in the after-class chitchat of the various clubs.
Although Shikime Natsu was no upperclassman, and had from the very start of the term refused to join any club.
Nevertheless, relying on the information channels he now held in hand, his web of connections had long since been laid out quite extensively.
This sort of hot gossip spreading all over campus, Shikime Natsu basically learned of the moment it happened.
Just this afternoon, when Kamuro Masumi and the others were chatting idly with him, they too had talked about this fortune-teller—though, granted, they weren't all that interested. They had a bit of curiosity, but... the thought that tomorrow probably a good many people from the school would be heading over, and that they'd have to queue up, made them drop the idea.
After all, the people who specifically run off to have their fortunes told—especially to have their love fortunes told—are for the most part either fresh young couples who've only just started dating and are full of unease about the future, or those one-sided pining types who have someone they secretly love in their hearts but can never quite work up the courage to confess, and can only pin their hopes on the mystic arts.
For the likes of Kamuro Masumi, who had long since been dating Shikime Natsu, and could feel the affection and bond between them, there was naturally no need to pin their hopes on something so intangible.
Romantic fortunes and the like weren't needed at all—ever since dating Shikime Natsu, every single day had been spent quite wonderfully.
[Shikime Natsu: That does sound rather interesting. Of course we can—let's go together tomorrow.]
After all, no matter how you put it, this was an invitation Amikura Mako had specially worked up her courage to extend to him, and toward this likable Class B girl, Shikime Natsu had no real reason to want to refuse.
"Ha—" she let out a soft, breathy sound.
The moment the message of Shikime Natsu's agreement displayed on her phone screen.
Amikura Mako, sprawled on the bed, had the smile on her face bloom even more brilliantly in an instant.
[Amikura Mako: Then it's settled! Shiki-san.]
[Amikura Mako: But, since that fortune-teller is really famous, I'm guessing there'll be a lot of people queuing over at the Keyaki Mall tomorrow morning, so we'd better agree on a meeting time a little earlier.]
Amikura Mako looked at the screen, seriously thinking over tomorrow's itinerary and the possible crowd situation.
[Amikura Mako: Hmm... how about nine-thirty in the morning? That way, if we arrive half an hour early, we should be able to get a fairly forward spot in line, which would be a bit better.]
[Shikime Natsu: That works. Nine-thirty tomorrow morning, then.]
After replying with the specific time and place, Shikime Natsu recalled some of the details from the times the two of them had spent together before, and then continued his reply.
[Shikime Natsu: Come to think of it, Amikura-san, you really do still love fortune-telling sorts of things, don't you.]
He clearly remembered that, on the few previous occasions when he'd occasionally gone out wandering with Amikura Mako, or killed time over coffee.
Whenever they passed by one of those coin-operated love-fortune machines in an amusement area or a shopping mall, this girl brimming with maidenly sentiment would basically always drag him along with her, eagerly dropping in a coin to have her fortune calculated.
Seeing this line Shikime Natsu had sent, Amikura Mako's cheeks grew slightly warm, as though some little secret of hers had been seen right through.
[Amikura Mako: Mm, I just really like it! That sense of anticipation toward the unknown feels so much fun.]
Though in the input box she replied frankly and openly, in the depths of her own heart Amikura Mako was silently praying and hoping.
She hoped that this time, that legendarily infallible fortune-teller could give her a result beautiful enough to grant her courage.
"If... if tomorrow's fortune really turns out wonderful..."
The girl buried her cheek in the soft pillow, murmuring to herself in her heart in a voice thin as a mosquito's whine.
"Then I'll just go ahead and borrow the courage that good fortune brings, and seize the moment to confess to Shiki-san!"
Once this idea took root and sprouted in her mind, it began to grow wildly and uncontrollably.
After all, during those few days of the preferential-person special exam on the cruise ship, a rather explosive piece of news had quietly spread through the first year.
And that was that even Karuizawa Kei of Class D—who had always presented herself with that gyaru image—had, before anyone quite realized it, successfully become one of Shikime Natsu's girlfriends!
Though this news hadn't been loudly publicized, in the keen intuition of the girls and their private gossip network, it had long since ceased to be any kind of secret.
This too made Amikura Mako clearly aware that the girls around Shikime Natsu really were growing more and more numerous.
Kamuro Masumi, Shiina Hiyori, Sakura Airi, Morishita Ai, and now one more added—Karuizawa Kei.
She had to seize the moment.
Amikura Mako rolled over, gazing at the ceiling, her thoughts growing ever more complicated.
She thought to herself how the leader of her own class, that seemingly radiant Honami-chan, clearly—even in their everyday interactions—showed an extraordinary degree of fondness toward Shikime Natsu.
Yet Ichinose Honami had, from start to finish, never expressed her feelings to Shikime Natsu, and just why that was, no one knew.
Then, Amikura Mako suddenly realized something: among the four classes of the first year, only Class B had no girl dating Shikime Natsu.
"In other words...."
Amikura Mako's heartbeat began to quicken, the temperature on her cheeks steadily climbing.
"If... if I confess successfully tomorrow and really do start dating Shiki-san, then... wouldn't I count as the first girl in Class B to be with him?"
This thought, carrying a few inexplicable competitive undertones, sent an indescribable feeling welling up in the girl's heart.
But soon enough.
"Pat, pat."
Amikura Mako hurriedly stretched out both hands and gently patted her own little cheeks, which had already grown a bit feverish.
"Pull yourself together, Amikura Mako!"
She secretly admonished herself in her heart.
Nothing was even close to settled yet—tomorrow was only going to be a simple fortune-telling, that was all.
She still couldn't let herself think about things so far off.
If she got her hopes up too high, then if she were rejected when the time came, she'd be terribly heartbroken.
In order to dispel those blush-inducing, heart-racing fantasies from her mind, Amikura Mako simply climbed up out of bed.
She strode quickly over to her wardrobe, yanked open the doors, and began wholeheartedly picking out the clothes she planned to wear for tomorrow's date.
"Just what kind of outfit should I pick to make Shiki-san think it looks nice, to make his eyes light up?"
The girl stood before the wardrobe, her fingers brushing back and forth between the skirts and tops, her delicate brows knitting slightly, sinking into deep deliberation.
After all, on this rare day of rest.
Shikime Natsu hadn't chosen to keep company with those several beautiful official girlfriends of his, but had instead readily agreed to go out shopping with her, an ordinary "friend."
This special allotment of time alone was already enough to make Amikura Mako feel she had to be fully on guard.
She really didn't want to come across as too casual at tomorrow's meeting and lose her appeal.
"Would this light-blue dress be too plain? And this white chiffon blouse seems a bit ordinary too..."
Amikura Mako held up one piece of clothing after another in front of the mirror, unable to help fretting over gains and losses in her heart.
She had no idea, either, whether tomorrow's fortune-telling and outing would go smoothly.
Standing by the window, gazing out at the pitch-black night sky, Amikura Mako silently prayed in her heart.
"I really hope the weather tomorrow turns out a bit nicer—please don't let it be too hot, and absolutely don't let it rain."
After all, in late-August Tokyo, once it got hot, that stifling, steamer-basket sort of mugginess was enough to ruin any meticulously prepared date, leaving one's makeup and hairstyle in a wretched mess.
....
Meanwhile, on the other side, inside a room in the Boys' Dormitory.
Shikime Natsu set down his phone, turned, and walked over to the window. He had always been someone who knew how to enjoy life, the sort who would absolutely never lightly let himself suffer.
Since he was going out to keep an appointment tomorrow, he naturally had no intention of enduring that sweat-soaked torment.
Shikime Natsu directly took out the item the System had given him—the Barometer—and then tampered a bit with the meteorological parameters for the school area on the Barometer, adjusting it to a temperature comfortable for the human body, and also tweaking the wind direction and humidity.
It was basically the same as the weather on the Deserted Island. Having dealt with all this, Shikime Natsu put the Barometer away, and just then, accompanied by the sound of the bathroom door handle turning, a wisp of hazy steam and an alluring fragrance of body wash came drifting out through the cracked-open door.
Kamuro Masumi, who had just finished bathing inside, came walking out with a white dry towel in hand, wiping at her still-dripping long purple hair while striding on a pair of long, straight legs.
She wore only a slightly oversized men's T-shirt, its hem just barely covering the base of her thighs, and that languid, casual posture of hers gave off an extremely heart-fluttering allure.
Kamuro Masumi raised her head, and those purple eyes happened to fall upon Shikime Natsu standing by the window.
Seeing Kamuro Masumi come out, Shikime Natsu revealed a smile and spoke to her.
"Masumi, tomorrow I'll be going out for a bit with Amikura-san. Amikura-san is really into fortune-telling sorts of things, and that quite famous fortune-teller is coming tomorrow."
"Amikura-san?"
Kamuro Masumi softly read out Amikura Mako's name. She was familiar with Amikura Mako too—in terms of timing, Amikura Mako had actually come to know Shikime Natsu even earlier than she had.
"Mm."
Shikime Natsu nodded.
Having gotten his reply, Kamuro Masumi walked over to the bedside and sat down, then wiped at her hair, no jealousy or any such emotion arising in her heart.
After all, this was nothing more than her everyday life. And besides, Shikime Natsu hadn't grown cold toward her just because his girlfriends had increased in number, and—she'd known all along that Shikime Natsu wanted to build a harem, and had firmly chosen him; so this sort of thing couldn't be more normal.
"Let me dry your hair for you."
Shikime Natsu walked over to Kamuro Masumi's side with a smile, took the towel from her hand, then dried her hair for her, and after that had Kamuro Masumi sit still while he blow-dried her hair.
"Thanks, Natsu."
Kamuro Masumi said with a smile. Once her hair had dried, her whole mood lifted quite a bit.
"Don't mention it."
Shikime Natsu gave a slight smile, then tidied away the hair dryer, and after that walked over to stand in front of Kamuro Masumi. Giving her no time to react at all, he directly stretched out his powerful arms and clasped them around her slender, soft waist in one motion.
Kamuro Masumi put up no resistance whatsoever, and was thus pulled straight into Shikime Natsu's embrace, then dropped down to sit on his lap, her whole self pressed up against him.
And it was right at this moment that that warm, freshly-bathed scent on Kamuro Masumi—mingling a clean citrus fragrance with a girl's body scent—instantly filled Shikime Natsu's entire nose.
And through that single thin layer of T-shirt fabric, Shikime Natsu could feel with utmost clarity the unbelievably soft curves of the girl in his arms, as well as her slightly hurried heartbeat.
That dry purple hair lightly brushed against his chin, bringing a tingling, prickling sensation.
Held captive in his embrace, Kamuro Masumi's cheeks instantly flew up with a charming crimson, those purple eyes carrying a few traces of bashful reproach, yet those fair arms of hers made no substantive resistance or push to break free—instead, they rested ever so obediently on Shikime Natsu's shoulders.
She even, without thinking, adjusted her sitting posture a little, settling herself more comfortably into that warm embrace.
Shikime Natsu lowered his head, gently resting his chin in the crook of her neck, his warm breath spilling over her sensitive skin.
The night deepened.
Shikime Natsu freed up one hand and gently pressed the switch on the bedside table.
"Click."
Accompanied by a soft sound.
The light in the room went out in an instant, and only the bright moonlight beyond the window, slipping through the gap in the curtains, spilled quietly down upon the two figures locked in an embrace.
____
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