"Natsuha-nee."
Friday.
The rain had stopped, and the sky showed faint signs of clearing. Shinomiya Natsuha walked around the puddles on the ground and approached her childhood friend, Yamano Eitai. "Eitai-kun, why are you here?"
"I came to see you and walk to school with Natsuha-nee," he said.
"Our directions aren't the same," Shinomiya Natsuha replied with a slight smile.
"It's fine. I'll walk you to school first."
The two walked up the slope by the roadside, enjoying the fresh air after the rain. Shinomiya Natsuha didn't look at her childhood friend beside her; her gaze was fixed forward, and she felt somewhat uncomfortable and guilty.
"Eitai-kun, you seem to have something on your mind?" After a moment of silence, she noticed that his expression seemed a bit off and asked gently.
"No." Yamano Eitai did indeed have something on his mind. The scene he had witnessed at the school gate that day still bothered him. "How are you doing at your new school, Natsuha-nee?"
"It's alright. A lot of interesting things happen at school, and I've made some friends," the girl said, holding her shoulder bag with both hands. "But there's also an annoying boy who keeps bothering me, though I've already rejected him."
Yamano Eitai turned his head and forced a smile. "It's normal for boys to bother Natsuha-nee since you're so beautiful. Um… actually, that day I saw you walking with a boy, sharing an umbrella…"
After hesitating for a while, he finally asked.
"Eh? Eitai-kun, you saw us?" Shinomiya Natsuha was startled. Her heart instantly tightened with tension and confusion, but she quickly composed herself. "If you saw us, why didn't you call out to me? As for him, he's just a classmate. I only helped him that day because he didn't bring an umbrella."
Just a classmate?
Although Yamano Eitai was still a little suspicious, he trusted Natsuha. Natsuha-nee had never hidden anything from him.
He finally let go of his worries and left after walking her to the school gate. Once her childhood friend departed, Shinomiya Natsuha's smile gradually faded, replaced by a complicated emotion and a deeper sense of guilt.
While she and Kazuma were indeed just classmates and nothing more, her body had developed certain involuntary reactions to him. Shinomiya Natsuha found herself almost unable to control these changes. Yet when she walked with her childhood friend, she didn't feel that way at all.
My body seems to have betrayed Eitai-kun.
"Kazuma…"
When she entered the classroom, Kazuma was already seated, looking listless and yawning constantly.
He had been busy in that rural town for most of last night and had barely slept after returning. Tomorrow he still had to go to Miss Tohka's place. At this moment, he just wanted a good sleep. It didn't matter where he slept, so he ultimately chose the classroom.
Compared to the dispirited Kazuma, Luna—perched on the storage cabinet in the back—attracted far more attention. The girls were all drawn to her beautiful appearance, amazed that a cat could be so elegant and lovely.
"This seems to be Kazuma's cat, right?"
"I've seen it before. He does have a black cat with him. It's so cute! It makes me want to get a kitten too."
"Alright, alright, stop crowding around. Kazuma's cat doesn't like strangers."
It was Akane Nanao who said this, immediately drawing teasing from her friends. "Yeah, yeah, we're strangers, Akane—you're family."
Akane Nanao blushed furiously.
Luna indeed disliked being touched by strangers and proudly avoided their hands. As for Akane Nanao, since she was connected to her owner and already familiar, Luna didn't dodge her touch.
Perhaps seeing Kazuma looking sleep-deprived, Kanna Hiiragi and the others didn't disturb him. No teachers bothered him while he slept during class either—whether they didn't notice or the school was simply lenient was unclear.
In any case, he was sleeping very comfortably.
"Um, Kazuma-kun…" After the other students had left, only Shinomiya Natsuha and Kazuma—still slumped over his desk—remained in the empty classroom. The purple-haired girl hesitated for a moment, then walked toward him. "It's PE class soon. Aren't you going?"
"Mm-hmm…"
He slowly opened his eyes. "No! Shinomiya-san, please make an excuse for me. Just say I'm not feeling well."
"Okay."
As she left the classroom, she glanced back at the young man slumped there motionless, then finally walked away. Natsuha didn't go downstairs. Instead, after everyone had left, she quietly slipped into the boys' changing room, coming here once again.
With her previous experience, she was much bolder this time.
The girl skillfully went to Kazuma's locker and once again took out his clothes. "Already washed? And changed into a new set?"
Actually, Kanna Hiiragi had helped wash them.
Seeing that the clothes had been replaced, Natsuha felt a little disappointed, but she still lifted them and took a few quiet breaths. After thinking for a moment, she put them into her bag. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly noticed a black cat squatting nearby.
Was this Kazuma's cat?
For some reason, the cat's eyes looked sharp and piercing. Shinomiya Natsuha felt an inexplicable sense of panic, but she still forced a smile before hurrying away.
Natsuha-san seems to have no idea what "enough is enough" means. She's getting more and more out of hand.
At St. Peak Girls Academy, after the events of last weekend, this aristocratic girls' school returned to peace. After Student Council President Mizuki Miyama negotiated with the director, and with the help of Teacher Mifuyu Yukino, they successfully persuaded the director to dismiss those male teachers.
The school was finally rid of male staff, and only then did President Mizuki Miyama breathe a sigh of relief. She not only wanted to protect her sister but also to maintain the school's tranquility.
It's just… why hasn't Kazuma come? It's been almost a week, and he hasn't come to see her. This made Mizuki Miyama feel conflicted. She didn't understand why she cared about him so much.
President Mizuki Miyama snapped out of her thoughts and realized she was standing at the office door, having unconsciously walked there. "What am I doing here?"
She seemed completely unaware of why she had come. She had no work matters to discuss with the teacher. The beautiful blue-haired girl paused, but instead of turning to leave, she remained where she was, pondering for a moment before finally raising her hand to knock on the door.
"Please come in—"
Pushing the door open, her gaze met that of the silver-haired woman inside. Mifuyu Yukino looked as dignified and elegant as ever. Her beauty and refined demeanor made Mizuki Miyama feel slightly envious. "Mizuki, is something the matter?"
"Teacher Yukino, I came to ask you about… Kazuma," Mizuki Miyama said awkwardly.
"Oh?" Mifuyu Yukino seemed to have expected this. She smiled and blinked lightly. "Mizuki, you hesitated at the door for five or six minutes, all because of Kazuma? It seems you care about him quite a lot."
"No, no," Mizuki Miyama's face flushed crimson. The conscientious and responsible Student Council President revealed a shy and bashful side as she explained, "Last time, didn't he help my sister and me? I still haven't given him his reward. He hasn't come these days, so I came to ask—"
"Teacher Yukino, given your relationship with Kazuma-kun, you should be able to contact him, right?"
"I understand. But are you really asking for this reason? No other motives?"
Faced with Mifuyu Yukino's meaningful gaze, even the usually composed Mizuki stammered a little. "Of course. What else could there be? At most… just gratitude."
"Then give the reward to me. I can pass it on to Kazuma," Mifuyu Yukino said earnestly. "Kazuma is also a student. He has classes and other things to deal with. He's very busy, so of course he doesn't have time to come."
"Give it to me. I'll pass it on to him."
Mizuki Miyama was stunned. Her small mouth opened slightly, and her voice became even softer. "Teacher Yukino, I think it's better to give the reward to him in person. If Kazuma-kun doesn't have time, I can wait."
Mifuyu Yukino found it slightly amusing. "You girls are really something. I'll tell Kazuma when he has time."
Mizuki was still too embarrassed to ask Mifuyu Yukino for Kazuma's Line contact. Perhaps guessing what the Student Council President was thinking, the Yuki-Onna teacher smiled. "I thought that as Student Council President and an older sister, you'd be bolder in this regard."
"But I didn't expect that, compared to your assertive personality, your sister is actually bolder."
This left Mizuki confused. "My sister? What did Manaka Miyama do?"
"She came directly to me to ask for Kazuma's Line," Mifuyu Yukino said, shaking her head with a sigh. "That usually well-behaved and honest girl actually had the courage to do that. When I asked her why, Mizuki, do you know what your sister said?"
Mizuki Miyama looked puzzled. "Did Manaka also want to express her gratitude?"
"No. She said she wanted to get to know Kazuma and become friends with him," Mifuyu Yukino replied with a hint of praise. "In that regard, she seems much more proactive than you."
The Student Council President was shocked and speechless. She truly hadn't expected her sister to be so direct, without even looking for an excuse.
"Teacher Yukino… did you give it to her?"
"I did. Mizuki, if you want it, you can ask Manaka."
Mizuki Miyama walked stiffly out of the office. After a few steps, she suddenly stopped and stared at the girl with dumpling-style hair peeking from behind the corner.
"Manaka?"
"Eh? Sis, you saw me…" The pink-haired girl stepped out shyly. Manaka Miyama revealed her pure and bashful face and stuck out her tongue awkwardly. "Hehe, I was just a little curious about what you were saying to Teacher Yukino."
"Manaka, did you get Kazuma's Line from Teacher Yukino?"
"Eh? You found out?"
Manaka became even more embarrassed. "Teacher Yukino gave it to me directly. I was quite surprised. Sis, you were looking for Kazuma-kun to thank him and give him a reward, right? Well, if you don't mind, I can help you pass the reward to him."
"…"
Mizuki Miyama was speechless. The muscles in her cheeks twitched slightly. "No need. I'll give it to him myself. Manaka, give me his Line."
"Eh? But…"
"Manaka, you'll give it to your sister, right?"
Mizuki narrowed her eyes, putting on the authoritative air of an older sister.
Manaka Miyama had no choice but to lower her head. "Ugh… Sis always bullies me…"
When did I ever bully you? On the contrary, Manaka, you look shy and reserved on the surface, but you're actually so proactive behind the scenes. I really couldn't tell.
*****
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