No one knew how much time had passed.
In this quiet room brimming with an air that put one's heart at ease, Amikura Mako finally drifted hazily back to wakefulness from her sleep.
She slowly opened her eyes, her long lashes trembling faintly. At first her vision was still a little out of focus. Looking up at the somewhat unfamiliar ceiling overhead, and at the furnishings around her that clearly did not belong to her own dormitory, the girl's thoughts came to a halt for a few seconds.
Then, all at once, Amikura Mako suddenly realized that this was not her own room.
When her gaze shifted slightly and she noticed Shikime Natsu sitting at the desk not far away, quietly leafing through the book in his hands, a blush couldn't help but instantly fly up onto the girl's little face, freshly woken from sleep.
Only then did she remember that she had come to her boyfriend's dormitory for lunch, and that afterward, feeling a little drowsy from playing games, she had unknowingly fallen asleep on Shikime Natsu's bed.
For some reason, Amikura Mako found this whole thing a little incredible.
Normally, in an unfamiliar place, or whenever she was even slightly bothered by sleeping in a strange bed, she found it very hard to fall asleep.
And yet, in this room filled with his personal scent, lying in these covers stained with that faint, light fragrance from his body, she had actually fallen asleep so utterly defenseless.
Could it be because last night, in her anticipation for today's date, she had gotten too excited and hadn't rested well?
Buried in the covers, Amikura Mako gently shook her head, dismissing that guess.
Although she had been very much looking forward to it last night, she had in fact fallen peacefully asleep after finishing picking out her clothes; the quality of her sleep hadn't been bad at all.
So how was it that, upon arriving here today, she had instead become so sleepy she couldn't even keep her eyes open?
Perhaps it was because, by this person's side, her whole self felt remarkably relaxed.
Just as Amikura Mako lay on the bed letting her thoughts wander, Shikime Natsu keenly sensed the faint stirrings coming from the bed behind him.
He closed the physical book in his hands, set it gently on the desktop, then stood up, walked over to the water dispenser to the side, and with practiced motions poured a cup of warm water.
Holding the cup, Shikime Natsu walked slowly over to the bedside.
Looking at Amikura Mako, who had just sat up from beneath the covers with her hair a little tousled, the corners of Shikime Natsu's mouth curved into a gentle smile.
"Awake now?"
He spoke softly, his tone carrying a trace of concern.
Hearing his voice, Amikura Mako nodded a little bashfully, her fair fingers instinctively smoothing out the slightly wrinkled hem of her skirt.
She couldn't help feeling a little jittery inside—she'd slept so deeply just now; she hadn't drooled, or shown some terrible sleeping posture, had she?
If, on the very first day of being together, she revealed some unsightly side of herself in front of the person she liked, that would truly be far too embarrassing.
Amikura Mako murmured a soft word of thanks to Shikime Natsu, then stretched out both hands and took the cup of warm water he handed over.
The warm stream of water slid down her throat, gradually warming up her just-woken body and soothing her parched throat considerably.
After finishing the water, Amikura Mako held the cup in both hands, lifted her eyes slightly, and looked at Shikime Natsu cautiously, opening her mouth to ask tentatively.
"Um... Natsu."
She bit her lip, her voice carrying a trace of unease.
"While I was asleep just now... I didn't do anything really weird, or really awful, did I?"
Hearing this question from Amikura Mako, brimming with that worry unique to young girls, the smile on Shikime Natsu's face deepened a few degrees.
He reached out and, with a gentle motion, tucked a strand of purple hair that had slipped down beside her cheek back behind her ear, then spoke to Amikura Mako with a smile.
"Not at all."
Shikime Natsu said with a smile, looking into Amikura Mako's eyes.
"Mako, while you were asleep you were very quiet, and your breathing was very steady. You looked... very cute."
Hearing the blunt evaluation of "cute," Amikura Mako's cheeks instantly turned even redder, like a fully ripened apple.
She lowered her head, unable to help thinking quietly to herself.
So Shikime Natsu... had been secretly watching her sleep while she was asleep.
For a girl in the midst of adolescence, to have the boy she had just confirmed a relationship with, the boy she deeply liked in her heart, quietly gazing at her sleeping face from the side—though such a thing felt sweet, it was at the same time quite embarrassing.
In order to conceal that almost-burning heat on her face.
Amikura Mako set the empty cup in her hand on the nightstand, then nimbly flipped herself down off of Shikime Natsu's bed.
After putting on her shoes, she looked toward Shikime Natsu and requested in a soft voice.
"Natsu, I... I'd like to borrow your bathroom for a moment, to wash my face and freshen up. Is that okay?"
Shikime Natsu naturally nodded in agreement.
Having received his permission, Amikura Mako briskly walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
Standing before the brightly lit mirror in the bathroom, Amikura Mako let out a long breath, then hurriedly leaned in close to the mirror's surface and carefully inspected her current appearance.
First she checked the corners of her mouth, confirming that she really hadn't drooled while sleeping.
Then she carefully fixed that signature single purple ponytail of hers, tidying up the stray strands that had gotten mussed in her sleep.
After confirming that her makeup hadn't smudged and that her overall appearance still maintained its fresh and adorable state, the girl finally let out a sigh of relief.
Good, good.
As long as she hadn't left any terrible impression in front of Shikime Natsu.
Turning on the faucet, Amikura Mako cupped a handful of cool tap water in her hands and gave her cheeks a few simple pats.
The icy sensation made the heat on her face recede a little, and restored her mind to clarity once more.
After drying off the water with the handkerchief she carried with her, Amikura Mako pushed open the bathroom door and walked back out.
By this point, Shikime Natsu had already returned to sitting at the desk.
Amikura Mako's gaze fell quite naturally onto that thick physical book he'd placed on the desktop.
She walked over to his side and asked, a little curiously.
"Natsu, the whole time I was sleeping, were you reading the whole time?"
And the very moment these words left her mouth, Amikura Mako couldn't help thinking about what kind of question she'd just asked—if Shikime Natsu hadn't been reading while she slept, then what would he have been doing?
Surely it couldn't be that he'd been watching her sleeping the whole time? Once this terrible thought surfaced in her mind, Amikura Mako couldn't help blushing; this sort of notion of hers really was a bit too shameless.
"Yeah, I was reading the whole time."
Shikime Natsu naturally also noticed the little changes in expression on Amikura Mako's face—though, of course, Shikime Natsu didn't possess anything like mind-reading, so naturally he had no idea what the girl was thinking at this moment. A girl's heart was quite complicated. He turned his head, looked at Amikura Mako, and smiled gently.
Having received Shikime Natsu's answer, Amikura Mako's gaze settled on him, those eyes full of admiration.
"Natsu, you're already so outstanding—not only are your grades good and your athletic ability strong, even your cooking is so delicious. And then, during your leisure time, you actually choose to read books to enrich yourself."
She blinked her bright eyes.
"It's really impressive. If it were me, with free time I'd definitely only ever think about going shopping or hitting the gym."
Hearing this praise, Shikime Natsu merely smiled faintly.
"It's nothing, it's not as exaggerated as you make it out to be."
He picked up the book on the desk and showed Amikura Mako the title printed on the cover.
"What I'm reading actually isn't anything special, just some leisure reading to pass the time."
These books were basically all recommended to Shikime Natsu by Shiina Hiyori, and in his free time Shikime Natsu would take them out to read. Of course, for Shikime Natsu, things he had read basically would not be forgotten, so Shikime Natsu basically did not opt for quantum-speed reading, but rather kept an even pace—otherwise, passing the time would be no easy task.
Just as the two of them were chatting in a harmonious atmosphere.
The phone Shikime Natsu had placed on the corner of the desk suddenly let out a crisp ringtone.
The screen lit up, showing an incoming call.
Shikime Natsu reached out, and the moment he picked up the phone, he saw clearly whose name was displayed on the screen.
Before he could even press the answer button.
With a soft "beep—,"
the person on the other end of the line had actually, directly and decisively, hung up the call.
This call came quick and went quick, as though it had only rung for the sake of ringing once.
Still, Shikime Natsu had clearly seen the identity of the caller.
It was Horikita Suzune.
Looking at the missed-call notification left on the screen, Shikime Natsu's brows rose slightly.
What was Horikita Suzune trying to do, contacting him?
But... if she was looking for him, then the more appropriate way to do it should have been through the chat window.
Beside him, Amikura Mako had also noticed the commotion from the phone. She blinked her eyes and asked, a little puzzled.
"Natsu, who was that calling? How come it only rang once and then hung up?"
Shikime Natsu set down the phone and answered truthfully.
"It was Horikita-san from Class D calling."
"But I'm not sure what she suddenly called for. The call hung up before it even connected—maybe she pressed the wrong button by accident and dialed the wrong number."
Shikime Natsu could only tentatively arrive at such a conclusion for now.
After all, although the relationship between the two of them had eased somewhat, in Shikime Natsu's own estimation, he wasn't yet at the point where Horikita Suzune would, in her free time, intend to call him up for a chat.
Hearing this explanation, Amikura Mako nodded and didn't continue pursuing the topic any further.
Amikura Mako turned around and came back over to that big bed of Shikime Natsu's.
She cautiously sat down on the edge of the bed, both hands propped on either side of her body, then lifted her head, those smiling eyes looking at Shikime Natsu standing not far away.
The girl raised one hand and gently patted the empty spot beside her, beckoning Shikime Natsu to come over.
Watching this gesture of hers, Shikime Natsu was, for a moment, unsure of what exactly Amikura Mako wanted to do.
Still, he didn't refuse.
He went along with Amikura Mako's wishes and walked over, sitting down right next to her in the spot she had left open beside her.
When she felt Shikime Natsu draw near, the distance between the two of them shortening to the point where they could clearly feel each other's body heat.
Amikura Mako smiled happily, her eyes curving into two beautiful crescent moons.
Then, without saying much, she simply tilted her body slightly and lightly rested her head against Shikime Natsu's broad shoulder.
After doing this.
Amikura Mako closed her eyes, let out a satisfied little sigh, and said with a smile.
"Actually... I've always fantasized about being able to do something like this."
Her voice was soft, carrying a completely defenseless dependence.
Shikime Natsu smiled and adjusted his sitting posture a little, so that his shoulder could offer the girl a more comfortable angle to lean on.
Feeling that light weight belonging to the girl slowly transmitted onto his shoulder.
As well as the faint, fresh, floral-fruity shampoo fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose as she drew close.
Shikime Natsu just sat there quietly, letting time flow gently by in this afternoon room.
Leaning against his shoulder, Amikura Mako looked utterly enamored.
She was like a little bird that had finally found a safe harbor, fully savoring this intimacy that belonged only to lovers.
As for this somewhat clingy behavior of hers, Shikime Natsu naturally didn't mind in the slightest.
After a little while.
Shikime Natsu naturally raised one hand and gently placed it on that bundle of Amikura Mako's long purple hair.
His slender fingers followed her smooth, silky strands, gently stroking her head with slow movements.
Feeling that gentle caress coming from atop her head, Amikura Mako nuzzled slightly against the crook of his neck, revealing an expression of enjoyment just like a kitten's.
On this tranquil afternoon.
Though the two of them didn't exchange many words, just this kind of physical contact of leaning against each other had already made the very air in the room turn sweet and cloying.
Time slipped away unnoticed amid this warm, cozy interaction.
When the hands of the clock quietly pointed to six o'clock in the evening.
Shikime Natsu's and Amikura Mako's phones simultaneously let out a system notification chime.
Shikime Natsu picked up his phone to check—it was a notification email sent out en masse by the school's dormitory management office.
The email explained that, due to maintenance issues, the student dormitory area would face a temporary water shutoff for several hours tonight.
Seeing this notification.
The original plan to cook dinner in the dorm naturally fell through.
After discussing it briefly, the two of them decided to leave the dorm together and go to the food street at Keyaki Mall for dinner.
At a restaurant with good reviews, the two of them enjoyed the delicious food while chatting about all sorts of amusing things concerning school and the future.
This dinner was eaten in a relaxed and pleasant manner.
After finishing dinner, the two of them walked slowly back toward the dormitory area along that tree-lined path on campus illuminated by streetlights.
The night breeze drifted past, bringing with it a trace of coolness belonging to a summer night.
As the distance to the dormitory grew shorter and shorter.
Amikura Mako's steps also grew slower and slower, and that trace of reluctant-to-part emotion in the depths of her eyes grew ever more apparent.
She knew that this perfect, dreamlike day had, after all, arrived at the hour of parting.
Amikura Mako stopped in her tracks.
She turned around, looked at Shikime Natsu standing before her, and raised a brilliant smile as she spoke.
"Natsu, I really had so much fun today."
Those bright eyes of hers looked at him, her tone full of anticipation.
"Next time... let's go on a date like this together again."
Looking at her reluctant-to-part manner, Shikime Natsu smiled, nodded, and readily agreed.
"Sure, it's a promise."
Hearing his promise, the smile on Amikura Mako's face deepened further.
But she didn't immediately turn around and walk into the dormitory building.
She stood where she was, both hands behind her back, her head slightly lowered, the tip of her toe gently tapping at the ground.
Under the warm yellow glow of the streetlight, a moving rosiness gradually surfaced on that pretty little face of hers.
Amikura Mako lifted her head, those moist eyes looking at Shikime Natsu, and in a tone carrying a few traces of shyness yet also a hint of boldness, she requested in a soft voice.
"Natsu."
"Could you... lean in a little closer?"
Faced with this request from the girl that clearly carried a certain implication.
Shikime Natsu didn't hesitate; he obligingly took a step forward, lowered his head slightly, and closed the distance between the two of them.
At the very instant he lowered his head.
Amikura Mako took a deep breath, rose slightly onto the tips of her toes, and closed her eyes.
Two soft lips carrying a trace of sweetness were gently pressed onto Shikime Natsu's cheek.
This kiss, carrying a few traces of inexperience and youthful innocence, was like a feather lightly brushing across the heart.
After the kiss.
Amikura Mako didn't immediately pull away.
She went with the moment and stretched out both hands, wrapping them around Shikime Natsu's waist, burying her face deeply into his chest.
The girl held him tightly, the strength in her arms so great it was as if she feared that the moment she let go, this beautiful dream would wake.
She just held him quietly like that, and after a little while, reluctantly released her hands.
That embrace seemed to be her way of using the most direct method to brand Shikime Natsu's warmth and scent deeply into the depths of her own memory.
After doing all of this.
Amikura Mako stepped back two paces, her face flushed, and waved at Shikime Natsu.
"Well then, Natsu, goodnight."
The two of them stepped into the elevator, and when the floor reached Shikime Natsu's level, Amikura Mako gazed at Shikime Natsu's retreating back until the elevator doors closed once more.
Shikime Natsu returned to his own dormitory, and just as he sat down at the desk, at that very moment, Shikime Natsu's intelligence system actually refreshed once again.
Shikime Natsu poured a cup of water, set it on the desk, then opened his intelligence system to see whether there was any intel.
The previous two intelligence-system updates could be said to have been very useful—first directly exposing the leader roster for the Deserted Island exam, and then the roster of preferential persons.
What would it be this time?
Still, Shikime Natsu mused that there didn't seem to be any exams in the period coming up. Could it be the answers to the exam after the new term began?
If that were the case, it would be giving him too great a head start.
Shikime Natsu's gaze condensed slightly, and with his mind he clicked open that newly refreshed piece of intel.
When he saw clearly the content displayed in the intel, his brows rose slightly.
[Intel Update: Class D students Yamauchi Haruki, Ike Kanji, Sudou Ken, and Sotomura Hideo, a group of them, are scheming to carry out secret filming in the women's changing room at the pool on August 31st.]
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