After comforting Fumika and putting her completely at ease, Shuichi turned his attention back to Sayuki.
After some effort, the two pairs of sisters were now basically able to get along harmoniously. All that remained were the three female teachers.
Wanting a happy end, and not a tragic one, really wasn't easy.
Hm? Wait, how did I... end up like this?
Shuichi suddenly felt a wave of disorientation. Since when did things turn out this way? So strange...
Wasn't his original hope for a normal, leisurely life of collecting rent?
He leaned back on the sofa and began to space out, recalling every little thing that had happened since he took over the shopping street. Soon, the culprit was identified.
"It's the president, no doubt about it!"
"Did you call for me, Master?" Tsuki, who had appeared out of nowhere again, clung to him upon hearing his words, crawling in front of him and kneeling on the carpet, her hands on his legs.
"What are you doing here again? Isn't the ramen shop busy?" Shuichi asked, snapping back to reality.
"It's time to go. It's almost two in the afternoon. I'll help you change, Master," Tsuki said, and as she spoke, she unbuckled his belt and pulled down his pants.
Throughout this process, Shuichi was completely uncooperative; the belt even snapped against the little maid's face, leaving a faint red mark on her delicate features.
After a great deal of effort, they finally changed into clothes for going out. The two of them went downstairs together and headed to the flower shop next door to pick up Ichika.
Ichika didn't really have anything to prepare. She was only slightly surprised that Tsuki was coming along. She simply locked the shop door, and they set off.
She wore a loose, simple, and elegant long dress made of a thicker fabric and carried a simple canvas bag.
It was a very simple and casual outfit, yet it exuded a strong charm of intellectual and understated elegance.
The three of them walked along the shopping street. Tsuki, separated by Shuichi in the middle, studied Ichika with a burning gaze and couldn't help but remark.
"Kitagawa-san, you're just like the Master said. You'd look good even wearing a burlap sack."
Ichika smiled faintly, her slender fingers tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear.
"Is it that much of an exaggeration? Shuichi-kun, how have you become just like Nagase, saying things like that?"
"It's just a fact. But I'm not like Nagase-sensei. From the very beginning, I never believed that perfect people exist in this world, so naturally, I wouldn't worship and admire someone the way she does," Shuichi shrugged.
The three of them chatted casually for a while, and after becoming a little more familiar with each other, Tsuki couldn't hold back any longer.
Once they left the shopping street and saw that there were no passersby, she secretly grabbed Shuichi's hand and pulled it under her skirt.
Shuichi began to knead the soft flesh of the back of the girl's thigh. He turned to the curiously observing Ichika and explained, "This... Ichika-san, you should understand, right? Her... situation."
"It's fine. Just do your own thing, don't mind me," Ichika said with a wave of her hand, watching their little antics with considerable interest.
Ever since that chance encounter on the balcony, she hadn't seen their games again, though she would occasionally hear strange noises from next door at night.
Then she would sit alone, hugging a book, smelling the fragrance of flowers, and imagining the scene in the dim room.
Hearing this, Tsuki became even bolder. "Master, that decorative pull-ring on the blue and white stripes, can you help me take it off? It might dig into me when we're on the train."
"Huh? You didn't take this off beforehand?" Shuichi was startled. He checked carefully and, sure enough, found the familiar decorative item.
He then hooked it with his finger and pulled it outwards slightly.
"Gent-gently. If you're too rough, the clothes will tear. Master, could you please use a bit of technique to help?" Tsuki's face was flushed, and she pleaded with a trembling body.
"The pull-ring you're talking about is..." Ichika asked with curiosity as she watched the scene, completely baffled.
Tsuki's eyes lit up at her words, and she looked at her with a fervent gaze. "Kitagawa-san, are you interested? Would you like me to find a place... and explain it to you?"
Shuichi's face darkened. Just as he was about to stop her, he heard Ichika agree, "If it's not too much trouble for you."
"Ichika-san, are you sure about this? The president's games are much stranger than yours. You might not be able to accept it right now," Shuichi whispered in her ear, trying to dissuade her.
Ichika smiled slightly. "It's alright. I've caused her quite a bit of trouble before, and I've taken up so much of Shuichi-kun's time. I already feel like I owe her."
In Ichika's view, Tsuki was Shuichi's official girlfriend. The fact that she didn't mind her private interactions with Shuichi was already quite generous.
So, playing along with a little bit of her fun was nothing.
As long as it didn't go too far.
Shuichi shook his head helplessly. Fine, Ichika will probably regret this in a moment, but I have to say, I'm a little excited to see her shocked expression.
It seemed that since they had met, only his confession that one time had managed to startle her. Other than that, she had always appeared very calm, even... when passions ran high.
The two of them hadn't spoken too quietly, and with Tsuki's pull-ring still hooked and them being so close, she naturally overheard some of it.
Noticing Ichika's sense of indebtedness, she narrowed her eyes and licked her lips, already thinking about how to use that guilt to achieve even more of her goals.
The three of them found a narrow, deserted alley nearby, one so tight that only one person could pass through at a time, and two would have to turn sideways. They walked a short way inside.
Ichika stood with her back to the alley's entrance; with her stature, she could surprisingly block the view from outside.
Tsuki leaned against the wall, lifted her skirt, and let Shuichi raise it further, revealing everything for her to see.
"See, this thing here. Ichika-san, you've probably never seen one before, right?" Shuichi said, hooking the pull-ring and pulling a section of it out.
Ichika's eyes slowly widened, and she couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand. "Is this... and there's a hole in them?"
"Exactly! I don't know who designs this kind of clothing. It has a pull-ring that's uncomfortable to sit on, and if you try to rip it off, you'll tear the clothes."
Shuichi spouted nonsense with a perfectly straight face as he pulled out another section.
"Forget it, let's just put it back. You'll have to endure it for today. We're on the street, after all, so we can't deal with it properly."
After speaking, he tucked it back in and patted Tsuki's dramatically curved, slender waist, signaling that they were done.
Contrary to what Shuichi expected, while Ichika was indeed surprised, she was far from shocked.
In the end, she just left the alley with a complicated expression. Although she had heard of many things, seeing them with her own eyes was still a powerful shock.
She didn't look at this strange, tanghulu-loving girl any differently because of it. In fact, wasn't it precisely because Tsuki was strange enough that she could tolerate her heart-to-heart relationship with Shuichi-kun?
But... could something like this really be fun?
Ichika was a little doubtful, but on second thought, things she had previously thought would be terrible turned out not to be as painful as she imagined upon experiencing them. Instead, they offered a novel experience that was hard to describe.
Perhaps it really does hold a wonderful feeling that my current self cannot comprehend.
"Kitagawa-san, may I ask you for a favor?" Just as Ichika was lost in thought, the flushed Tsuki suddenly spoke.
"Please, go ahead and ask. If I can help," Ichika said, nodding as she came back to her senses.
Tsuki licked her lips, her face filled with longing. "I want to see you and the Master kiss. Is that okay?"
Ichika paused, feeling that this was truly strange. "Are you really not bothered by this? You two are the ones who are..."
"Not at all! In fact, I'm very much looking forward to it!" Tsuki's eyes were frighteningly bright.
"Well... alright then." Ichika seemed a little helpless, but she just smiled it off and didn't refuse.
She even proactively placed her hand on Shuichi's face, turning him towards her, and then gently kissed his lips.
Shuichi released the pull-ring and instinctively wrapped his arms around Ichika's slender waist, pulling her soft, beautiful body into his embrace, holding her tight.
The afternoon sun was on the two of them, the golden light making the scene dazzling. If Tsuki weren't present, it would likely have been a touching scene of pure love.
Unfortunately, there were no ifs.
After their kiss, Tsuki impatiently wrapped her arms around Shuichi's neck and kissed him, excitedly employing all her techniques.
She even deliberately demonstrated some of the finer details for Ichika, who was standing to the side.
Ichika was indeed captivated. She only knew some simple, instinctive reactions, and Shuichi had never specifically guided her before.
So, the girl's demonstration gave her a lot of inspiration. She realized once again that some things truly had to be observed and experienced firsthand to touch their reality.
Only then would the words she wrote have life.
"Akiyama-san, where did you learn all those techniques?" After the three of them boarded the train and found a less crowded corner to sit, Ichika asked curiously.
Tsuki remained standing, holding onto a support pole to make it easier for Shuichi to reach up and casually grope her.
Hearing Ichika's question, she squeezed her legs together and answered, slightly out of breath:
"I just watch some video tutorials and then find suitable props to practice with. You get the hang of it after a lot of practice."
"Props?" Ichika looked thoughtful but felt that techniques learned that way couldn't provide an experience comparable to the real thing.
"Right, since this is a formal visit, we probably should have brought a host gift, shouldn't we?" Shuichi suddenly remembered. "Should we find a suitable pastry shop later and buy something?"
Ichika pursed her lips and smiled upon hearing this. "Shuichi-kun, you're not always so thoughtful, are you? Don't worry, I've already prepared the gifts, including your share."
As she spoke, she lifted her canvas bag and opened it to show them. Inside were two vases of flowers.
The bouquets were not of a single type of flower but a mix, and they were wrapped in paper bags.
Seeing this, Tsuki added, "I also prepared a special gift for Nagase-sensei. I hope she likes it."
Shuichi couldn't help but glance at her, subconsciously rubbing his fingers together. The things this girl gave as gifts were, in all likelihood, not going to be very proper.
But at least they had both thought of it. He was the only one who hadn't remembered. It seemed he had been really busy and overwhelmed lately.
"Oh, right, I think I forgot to mention, Hajime-sensei has also been staying at Nagase's place recently. Ichika-san, you should be okay with that, right?"
Tsuki quickly held her breath. This news seemed to shock her immensely. Her whole body froze, and she even began to tremble slightly.
If she hadn't been holding onto the support pole, she might have collapsed onto the floor.
"Hajime-sensei?" Ichika recalled for a moment. "Nagase mentioned her to me. I think she's a very close colleague and friend of hers."
"It's just a meeting. She's a very nice person. If you feel uncomfortable, you don't have to talk. Just leave the communication to me."
As Shuichi spoke, he pulled his hand back and then pressed his fingers against Tsuki's lips.
Ichika watched their interaction intently and replied somewhat absentmindedly:
"It's fine, Shuichi-kun. You don't have to worry so much. I was able to live and work normally before I met you."
Tsuki, savoring his fingers, didn't forget to chime in, "Master, you're worrying too much. Kitagawa-san isn't that fragile. Just because she doesn't like socializing doesn't mean she can't."
"Bringing you along was already an unexpected burden for Ichika-san. How dare you say that? Can't even eating shut your mouth?" Shuichi casually pinched the wriggling tongue.
Tsuki was immediately at a loss for words, stammering guiltily.
...
Throughout the journey, the interactions between Shuichi and Tsuki were a real eye-opener for Ichika.
Although she had seen the two of them playing on the balcony before and knew Tsuki had strange tastes, witnessing so many different antics firsthand still challenged her perceptions.
Most importantly, it was their boldness.
For years, she hadn't dared to act on her own thoughts even once. Not even in the dead of night had she dared to try walking naked through the small woods in the park like that one evening.
But Tsuki, who was equally strange, seemed completely unconcerned about being discovered by others.
Although their little actions didn't reveal anything explicit, if someone were paying attention, they could easily guess what was happening under their clothes.
She claimed not to care about others' opinions and had always acted very nonchalant, but compared to them, Ichika felt she might still care too much.
After all that fuss, by the time they arrived at Sumire's residence, Tsuki was so tired her legs were weak. She had finally quieted down a little, leaning against the doorframe to wait.
Shuichi rang the doorbell, and immediately a flurry of panicked footsteps came from inside, accompanied by a few heart-stopping yelps of pain and the sound of things being knocked over.
"Nagase... are you okay?" Ichika couldn't help but ask with concern.
Shuichi also had a bit of a headache. He had clearly told her he had sorted things out with Sumire, yet she was still acting so disgracefully.
"It's not a big deal."
Although she was stumbling, Sumire's speed didn't slow. By the time he said that, she had already opened the door directly, without even looking at the video intercom.
"K-Kitagawa, welcome!" Sumire tried hard to suppress her excitement, forcing a stiff smile.
Ichika looked at the very unique black dress she was wearing, the openwork vinyl socks, and her slightly disheveled appearance.
Her gaze softened. She smiled and reached out to tidy her messy hair. "Did you fall and hurt yourself anywhere? Do you need some ointment first?"
"No need! I'm fine! I'm great! Please, come in!" Sumire shivered. Kitagawa just fixed my hair! And her eyes were so gentle!
Is this really not a dream?! The pain from her knee told her it was all real! That guy Shuichi had actually done it! He had really brought Kitagawa to her place as a guest!
As for the remaining issues with what to call her, being honest with each other, and all that, it didn't matter even if it was all a lie. The price she paid was already worth it!
"You say 'please come in,' but could you actually move? What are you spacing out for?"
Shuichi pushed her aside irritably and, without any hesitation, was the first to enter the genkan, familiarly changing into slippers.
Ichika followed closely behind, and under Sumire's bewildered gaze, she took off her shoes, revealing her smooth, fair feet.
Sumire froze. She's... not wearing any socks? Am I even allowed to see this?
As expected of Kitagawa, even her feet are so perfect! How fortunate these slippers are to be worn by her! I can't wash them later, I have to preserve them!
"Your feet are very beautiful too, Sensei. There's no need to be so envious of others."
Tsuki was the last to enter. Noticing Sumire's expression, she whispered softly in her ear.
Sumire jumped, her eyes widening as she stared at her. "Y-you, why are you here too?"
"Eh? Wasn't this the price we agreed upon, Sensei? You'd allow Master to bring me along to discuss cosplay with you." Tsuki slowly licked her rosy lips.
Sumire's heart leaped into her throat, terrified they would do something outrageous in front of Kitagawa.
"Don't. I have something very important today. I'll make it up to you next time, even double is fine, but please don't cause any trouble today, okay? I'm begging you."
"You should be saying these things to the Master, Sensei. I'm just a little maid who follows orders. Besides serving the Master and Mistress, I have no right to comment on anything else."
As Tsuki spoke, a mischievous look appeared on her face again. "Or is it... that you're one of the mistresses too, Sensei? In that case, this little maid would have no choice but to obey."
Sumire turned and peeked. Seeing that Ichika had already been led into the living room by Shuichi, she breathed a sigh of relief and gritted her teeth.
"Whatever's fine. Whatever you say, goes. Just please, please, please don't cause any trouble today. I'm begging you."
"Your will be done." Tsuki smiled sweetly, lifted the hem of her skirt with both hands, and performed a curtsy, mimicking a scene from a movie.
Sumire gave her a helpless look. She really couldn't understand why a perfectly good student council president would insist on playing these strange role-playing games.
But now was not the time to think about that. She couldn't be bothered with Tsuki anymore and hurried to the kitchen to bring out the tea she had prepared for her guests.
"This is too much trouble for you. I'm not some important person; there's no need for such a grand reception."
Ichika glanced at Naomi bustling in the semi-open kitchen and the pile of ingredients on the counter. Feeling a bit helpless, she turned to look at Shuichi.
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