Considering the elevator was behind them, the two didn't fool around for long and soon separated—after all, girls tend to be easily embarrassed.
"Speaking of marriage, where's the ring I gave you?"
Kaoru looked at her fingers but saw no trace of a ring.
"I... I keep it in my room. I don't usually wear it out."
Amikura Mako felt shy, especially since he associated marriage with the ring. "Anyway, we're just friends. Whether I wear it or not doesn't matter."
Although they rarely saw each other normally, they occasionally bumped into each other on the street.
However, most of the time, she would be with her girlfriends and felt too embarrassed to greet Kaoru.
An unexpected encounter like this left Amikura Mako somewhat flustered.
"Start wearing it from today."
Kaoru said. "Otherwise, next time I'll make sure you take safety measures."
Amikura Mako widened her eyes, unable to believe what she had just heard.
This person was really perverted, as if he could pin her to the ground at any moment.
"Entrusting little Honami to you is really dangerous!"
The girl was full of vigilance. "No wonder little Honami is always looking at lewd things. What exactly have you been teaching her?"
"You're next."
Kaoru flicked her forehead impatiently. "Didn't you hear what I just said? It's just a ring. If I tell you to wear it, then wear it."
Amikura Mako rubbed her forehead and fell silent. She had wanted to brush it off, but Kaoru wasn't buying it.
"Actually... I was just about to go find you."
Kaoru was slightly startled, then smiled. "It seems we're on the same wavelength."
"I'm not blind. The chocolate in your hand must be for someone other than me. I'm just one of them."
Amikura Mako didn't buy his act either. "As for the ring, you've probably given it to many people. Although I was really happy when you gave it to me, I don't really want it."
Kaoru looked into her eyes. "Next time I give you something, it'll be only for you."
Amikura Mako felt warmth in her heart.
She couldn't help but nudge Kaoru with her elbow, a soft smile she couldn't hide spreading across her pretty face, her eyes sparkling.
"Compared to lewd things, I really like you as you are right now."
"Actually, I'm even happier because you're willing to tell me these things instead of keeping them to yourself." Kaoru said, "If everyone were the same, there wouldn't be jealousy or resentment in my heart."
Amikura Mako really liked this side of him - always able to see through what others were thinking and understand their feelings.
This had made her fond of him from the very beginning.
"The Harem Overlord shouldn't say things like that. It sounds hypocritical."
Though she said this, Amikura Mako was actually quite happy. "If you said that to them, your harem might collapse immediately."
Her worry was unnecessary.
Kaoru had already warned Kei Karuizawa and the others, but they had all tacitly agreed not to expose their relationships, keeping jealousy and competition limited to doing mischievous things.
That's why they appeared particularly enthusiastic about mischief - essentially, it was their way of competing with each other.
"Mako, you're so clever. I can't deceive you anyway. It's better to speak from the heart - that way I might actually earn your favor."
"Hey, what do you want my favor for?"
"To see your legs."
"I told you, no lewd things!"
Amikura Mako puffed up her cheeks in anger, then sighed softly and whispered: "I want to be different from them."
Kaoru showed a troubled expression, gritting his teeth as he said.
"Although I've never experienced platonic love before, I'll do my best."
Amikura Mako was taken aback, then let out a soft chuckle, unable to hold back her laughter.
"What are you talking about? That's not what I meant, you idiot, hahaha!"
Seeing Kaoru's confused expression, the girl laughed for quite a while before speaking intermittently.
"What I meant was... I don't want to be with them together... I know this sounds strange, as if I'm saying I dislike them..."
"But."
Amikura Mako's voice softened, "If they don't know, if only you and I know, just the two of us - that would be enough for me."
She didn't want to squeeze in with Kei Karuizawa and the others. So she would stay outside this circle, separate from it. She and Kaoru would just be two individuals. She could be with Kaoru without any reservations, without worrying about their opinions.
After all, they still didn't know about Amikura Mako's existence, only thinking the two were very close.
It sounded like self-deception, or even like voluntarily giving up the chance to join the circle.
"So you mean I should hide this from them and cheat with you?"
Kaoru was beginning to understand her thinking.
"Hey, don't put it so harshly!"
Amikura Mako pouted.
Actually, she even wanted to hide this from Honami Ichinose. "Well, although it does sound a lot like cheating."
Since Kaoru currently had a nominal girlfriend, hiding this from them was indeed cheating behavior.
Thinking of this, Amikura Mako suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.
"If possible, I want to be the first to become a mother."
Her voice grew quieter, "At least faster than little Honami."
Kaoru glanced at her lower abdomen, feeling his blood boil. After a moment of silence, he said: "Don't tempt me like this in the future. Accidents might happen."
"Huh?"
Amikura Mako seemed not to understand what he meant. When had she been tempting him?
No good, Kaoru felt he wouldn't be able to control himself if this continued, so he simply handed her another box of chocolate.
"This is little Honami's chocolate. Please help me give it to her."
"Why?"
"I still have some things to do."
Amikura Mako watched in confusion as he turned and left, holding two boxes of chocolates, wondering why he was suddenly running off so quickly.
Then the girl suddenly trembled.
"Eh eh eh eh eh?!"
Without a doubt, Amikura Mako immediately thought of one possibility.
Kaoru and Ichinose Honami had done it!
Otherwise, why would he run off so fast?
Mako patted her cheeks, even suspecting they hadn't used protection - otherwise why would Kaoru have been looking at her stomach?
Did that mean she would be next?
"Th-this is too bold!!"
It was the first time the girl had ever been so flustered, steam practically rising from her head.
Meanwhile, Kaoru had already reached the first floor of the dormitory, where he happened to see cherry blossoms blooming outside.
The slightly warm sunlight cascaded down, with a gentle breeze stirring the shadows of the flowers.
Only half a month remained.
Carrying the chocolates and enduring strange looks along the way, Kaoru arrived at the second-year dormitory building.
After a while, Asahina Nazuna brought him to her room, then pressed him against the wall with a flushed face.
"Who told you to read love letters downstairs!!"
"Because you didn't reply to my messages, senpai. I didn't know where you lived."
Kaoru naturally wrapped his arms around her slender waist. "Don't be so angry. At least someone applauded for me."
"You idiot!"
Just thinking about how today's incident would soon spread throughout the entire school made Asahina Nazuna feel her shame was about to explode.
"You could have called me! You clearly did this on purpose, you meanie!"
"This is called making a declaration."
Kaoru said, "Valentine's Day should be like this - letting everyone know that senpai already belongs to me."
Asahina Nazuna released her grip on him, looking somewhat guilty.
"I-I get it already. Next time I'll definitely give you a gift, is that good enough?"
Because she hadn't given Kaoru chocolates last month, she actually felt quite embarrassed about it herself.
At this point, Asahina Nazuna had no grounds to scold him - it would be fortunate enough if he didn't scold her instead.
Kaoru stuffed the chocolates into her hands while asking: "How about now?"
"Wh-what do you want?"
Asahina Nazuna said dryly.
"I've built up some frustration earlier, and now I want to vent it."
Kaoru whispered close to her ear, "I heard there's a special way to eat chocolate. Could you teach me, senpai?"
With his breath tickling her ear, Asahina Nazuna's ears turned completely red. Biting her lip, she unwrapped the chocolate and picked up a piece.
Asahina Nazuna put the chocolate in her mouth, then immediately kissed Kaoru.
After the two tangled for a while, Kaoru looked at her panting appearance and couldn't help but smile: "I thought you wouldn't know how, but it turns out you really do."
"Sh-shut up. Tachibana-senpai told me about it. You two play really perverted games."
If she didn't know she was at a disadvantage, why would Asahina Nazuna cooperate with him? For a girl to take the initiative in something like this was just shameless!
"I want to eat another one." Kaoru blinked.
This was exactly why he had come today - if he didn't teach her a lesson, this senpai might run off who knows where.
As if resigning herself to fate, Asahina Nazuna picked up another piece of chocolate, then kissed Kaoru again.
Only this time, Kaoru became slightly rougher, taking the opportunity to get some advantages over his senpai's body.
"Ahh... Mmm..."
The two switched positions, and it was his turn to press Asahina Nazuna against the wall, savoring the taste of his senior.
Nagumo Miyabi probably had no idea that his senpai could make such an expression.