Ding... Dong—
The bell rang, signaling the end of class. After the teacher left the classroom, the noise around him brought Hayato back to reality. He had been absentminded throughout the lesson, thinking about what had happened that morning.
When class ended, he immediately looked toward Kaede's seat. He had so much to say to his childhood friend and wanted to explain everything that had happened that morning. He had been keeping it all bottled up during the entire class and couldn't hold it in any longer.
However, when he looked over, the seat was empty. Kaede, who had been there just moments ago, had disappeared without him even noticing.
Hayato looked to the side and saw Suzu still sitting in her seat. After hesitating for a moment, he walked over.
"Suzu, where's Kaede? Do you know where she went?"
The expressionless girl didn't answer.
Seeing this, Hayato gritted his teeth.
"I want to apologize to her. What happened this morning was my fault. Suzu, I'm sorry... Aren't we childhood friends? Please forgive me this time."
Seeing his sincere apology, Suzu's expression seemed to soften slightly. The emotionless girl raised her head and looked into his eyes.
"I don't know where my sister went, but judging from how she looked, she probably went to Class B."
"Class B? Why would she go there?" Hayato was stunned. He didn't think she knew anyone there.
Suzu answered calmly, "Kazuma-kun is in Class B."
Hayato froze, his pupils shrinking.
"Kaede must have gone to find him."
No way, this can't be happening! How could Kaede...?
Judging from his expression, he found it difficult to accept. It was as if he couldn't believe that his childhood sweetheart, whom he had always been with, had gone to look for another boy.
A terrible feeling welled up inside him—the feeling that his childhood friend was being taken away by someone else.
Taking a few quick breaths, Hayato rushed out of the classroom.
At the entrance to Class B, Kaede cautiously peeked inside. After looking around several times and failing to spot Kazuma, she wondered whether she should ask someone. At that moment, Chizuru Shiina, carrying a book in her arms, walked over.
"Excuse me, is there something I can help you with?"
"I'm looking for Kazuma. Ah, I'm from the student council. Is Kazuma-kun here?" Kaede asked after clearing her throat.
Upon hearing Kazuma's name, the usually serious expression of the top student, Chizuru Shiina, changed subtly.
The diligent class representative blushed slightly, recalling how she herself had already fallen for that guy.
Quickly suppressing those thoughts, she forced herself to maintain a straight face. "I don't know. He skipped the previous class."
"Skipped class?"
Chizuru Shiina gave the unfamiliar yet cute blue-haired girl several curious looks, wondering when Kazuma had started getting close to another girl.
But then she remembered that the girl had said she was from the student council. Maybe she had misunderstood, and perhaps it was something important.
After thinking it over, Chizuru nodded. "Yeah, he's not in the classroom. If you're looking for him, you might find him in the old school building."
Kaede suddenly remembered that the first time she met Kazuma-kun had also been in the old school building. That place was eerie, full of strange legends, and she had even encountered that enormous snake monster there.
Still, considering how eccentric Kazuma was, it wasn't strange for him to stay in such a strange place.
"I understand. Thank you, classmate."
Watching Kaede leave, Chizuru Shiina shook her head and returned to the classroom.
Several minutes later, Hayato arrived, only to find nothing.
Neither Kaede nor Kazuma was there. His anxiety only intensified.
"Kaede..."
Inside the old school building, after Kazuma and Izumi Nogami climbed out of the Space Mat, their fierce battle had already ended.
Izumi lazily leaned against Kazuma's chest, her face flushed and her body limp, looking weak and exhausted.
It wasn't because she was sick, nor because her body couldn't endure the strain. Rather, she was currently undergoing evolution, which was the real reason Kazuma had brought her to the old school building.
"Izumi, lie down and rest for a while."
Kazuma gently laid her on the floor.
Her damp body had already been dried by him, and the evolutionary energy quickly restored her weakened state.
Just like Rurikawa and the others before her, Miss Izumi's body began heating up as energy continuously surged through her.
"Kazuma, where are you going?"
Perhaps because of her unique evolutionary state, or perhaps because of what had happened between them, she seemed unusually soft and dependent.
There was almost no trace of the passionate girl from earlier. She looked utterly delicate.
"Someone's coming. I'll go check it out. Don't worry, it's safe here. I'll be right back."
Kazuma smiled and gently touched her soft cheek.
"Mmm... come back soon."
Izumi nodded reluctantly, her voice sweet and innocent.
Kaede cautiously stepped into the dangerous old school building, feeling that she had completely lost her mind.
Last time, she had encountered such a horrifying monster here. That giant snake had scared her so badly that she had wet herself.
And now she was actually back here again? Wasn't this practically courting death?
But that snake should be Kazuma-kun's pet, right? It obeyed him, so it shouldn't hurt her... right?
Clutching her chest nervously, Kaede muttered, "Why would anyone keep snakes at school? That's so strange."
The moment she stepped inside, she saw the gigantic pinkish-white snake lying there.
Even though she had seen it before, Kaede almost fainted from fear. The instant the snake's eyes fell upon her, she hurriedly said,
"I-I came here to find Kazuma-kun!"
"Hissssss..."
"Kazuma said he likes my body. My body belongs to him! You—you can't eat me!"
Seeing the giant snake preparing to pounce, Kaede no longer cared about anything else and screamed the words at the top of her lungs.
Surprisingly, those words worked.
The snake actually stopped. Not only did it refrain from attacking, but it even withdrew. However, for some reason, the murderous intent in its eyes seemed to grow even stronger.
As Kazuma came down the stairs, he saw Kaede's legs give way as she collapsed onto the floor.
Winking, he teased her. "You've grown, Kaede. At least you didn't wet yourself this time. You've become much braver~."
"Kazuma..."
Kaede immediately relaxed when she saw him.
However, she still didn't dare raise her voice. Leaning against the wall, she stood up and bit her lip angrily. "Are you making fun of me?"
"No, I'm praising you. It's already impressive that Kaede managed not to wet herself." Kazuma gave her an encouraging smile. "You've become much braver."
"I still think you're making fun of me. Why would you raise such a terrifying monster?"
"The school rules don't prohibit keeping pets, do they?"
Kazuma shrugged.
Kaede, as a student council member, was left speechless.
"And what's so scary about it? Don't you think Kana is cute?"
Kazuma patted the white snake's head. Immediately, the snake revealed a contented expression.
Kana's heart-shaped pupils shone brightly as she affectionately rubbed against Kazuma.
Kaede was speechless.
Cute? What kind of strange taste is that...?
Although... She did seem kind of cute.
Of course, that was only when she was with Kazuma.
"More importantly, if dangerous people appear again, Kana can protect us. If you're ever in danger, Kaede, come here for help."
"That's true. Compared to that snake, that man from this morning was even more dangerous. But I still prefer your little cat, Kazuma-kun. That little black cat is much cuter."
"She's not here right now."
Kazuma led Kaede upstairs.
"By the way, why did you suddenly come to the old school building? Did you specifically come looking for me?"
"W-Who came here to see you?!"
Kaede turned her head away, looking embarrassed. "I was just inspecting the old school building. The student council plans to demolish it, so I came to take a look. It has nothing to do with you."
"Demolish the old school building?"
Kazuma narrowed his eyes. "Kaede, you know I won't allow that, right?"
His rare serious expression made Kaede nervous.
Lowering her head, she muttered softly, "The old school building does affect the school, but you spend a lot of time here. If you need it, then... then forget about it."
She secretly glanced at his face and only relaxed when she saw him smile again.
She didn't understand why his opinion mattered so much to her.
"The old school building is important to me. It's also connected to the back mountain. More importantly, it can protect all of you."
Kazuma chuckled and lightly tugged her hair. "Didn't I just tell you? If you're ever in danger, you can hide here. Destroying such a useful safe house would only hurt yourselves."
"Mmm... I understand now. I'll withdraw the proposal once I return to the student council."
Kaede twisted awkwardly and fell silent.
She wanted to know more about Kazuma's secrets, but she was too embarrassed to ask.
Just then, Kazuma suddenly turned around and stood in front of her. "Kaede, have you finally made your decision?"
He gazed at the petite and adorable girl. "Do you want me to touch your breasts?"
"Huh?" Kaede froze.
"Why do you still remember that? I told you, I didn't come here to find you."
"Oh? But I seem to remember hearing someone say that her body belongs to me." Kazuma smiled mischievously. "Kaede, you admitted it yourself, didn't you?"
The girl's pretty face instantly turned crimson.
"I-I... y-you... nothing like that happened! You heard wrong! I never said anything like that!!"
Her embarrassed screams echoed throughout the old school building for a long time.
*****
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