Chapter 046 Chiaki's Kiss / Yagami Takuya is Too Scared to Sleep
After walking dozens of meters away, Shimizu Akira couldn't help but open the OAA system to check the profiles of Shiraishi Asuka and Nishikawa Ryoko.
Shiraishi Asuka: Academic Ability: B+ (76), Physical Ability: D (34), Adaptability: C+ (57), Social Contribution: C- (44), Overall: C (54)
Nishikawa Ryoko: Academic Ability: B (68), Physical Ability: C+ (60), Adaptability: C (46), Social Contribution: C (46), Overall: C+ (57)
'Shiraishi Asuka's physical ability is only a 34?'
During Musical Chairs, the stamina, endurance, and focus she displayed were not at all like those of a D-tier high school girl. She didn't just outlast Nishikawa Ryoko (who has a 60); she outlasted that senpai who looked like he exercised regularly. At a conservative estimate, she was at least a B, or even B+ level.
This person was definitely hiding her true colors.
Come to think of it, during last year's VIP exam, Shiraishi Asuka had been stealing glances at Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. Now, during this uninhabited island exam, the two of them had met "coincidentally" twice, narrowing the distance between them. She had even exchanged contact info with Shimizu.
Was she secretly planning something? Or was he just overthinking it?
He shook his head, feeling that he still knew too little about Shiraishi Asuka. Beyond knowing she was a fake "One-Hundred-Slayer," had a proactive and direct personality, spoke logically, and was a "voice-con," there wasn't much else.
But regardless, her sharp words today left a deep impression. If this person decided to stir up trouble in the shadows, she wouldn't be like Nanase Tsubasa—who mostly just gave out "fan service" proactively. If Shimizu wasn't careful, he might actually fall into her trap. That sense of unease was exactly why he had extracted himself so quickly.
It wasn't that he was "scared" or anything; he genuinely had a lunch date with Matsushita Chiaki. Why waste time with those two?
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After walking for twenty minutes following the GPS, he finally found Matsushita Chiaki. She was sitting in a clearing in the forest, a picnic mat spread out before her, preparing to eat lunch. Remembering Kei's warning to avoid Sato Maya, he was glad the three of them weren't operating together today.
He walked straight over. "Chiaki, good afternoon!"
Matsushita Chiaki looked up. Seeing him, a look of pleasant surprise flashed across her face. "Aki-kun, good afternoon." She quickly scooted over to make room. "Have you eaten?"
"Not yet. Let's eat together." Shimizu sat beside her and pulled out his own lunch.
Lunch for both consisted of the school-issued biscuits and luncheon meat set—hardly a feast. Chiaki looked at Shimizu, appearing inexplicably nervous; her eating became noticeably more delicate. After all, strictly speaking, this was their first official meal as a couple and their first time sitting together as significant others. One has to maintain an image, right?
Shimizu, however, ate at his own pace. Compared to Chiaki's small bites, he was practically devouring his food. He bit into a biscuit and smiled at her dainty manner.
"Sorry. As your boyfriend, I should be taking you out for a better first meal."
Chiaki shook her head quickly. "It's an uninhabited island; conditions are limited. And by your logic, as the girlfriend, I should be the one cooking for you. We're even."
Chiaki was logical and lacked rigid gender stereotypes. It fit Shimizu's impression of her perfectly.
'As expected of a girl aiming to be a diplomat!'
He thought for a moment, then asked, "So, the reason Kei became so proactive... that was all you giving her advice from behind the scenes, wasn't it?"
Chiaki was silent for a few seconds before nodding. "Mhm."
She wasn't sure of Shimizu's stance. Normally, a boyfriend might dislike his girlfriend's best friend meddling. But then again, she was also his girlfriend—the eighth one, anyway.
This sparked her curiosity. "Aki-kun, how many girlfriends did you have before? How did they all agree to let you have a harem? When did you confess? When did you fall for them?"
Once Chiaki's habit of questioning kicked in, the queries came like rapid-fire. Shimizu was used to it. He gestured with his hands and began slowly, "Well, the story starts on the bus on the first day of school..."
It took four or five minutes for Chiaki to finish listening to Shimizu's complete romantic history.
'Well... how to put it...'
Shimizu and those seven girls had truly been through a lot, especially Kushida Kikyo and Horikita Suzune. By comparison, she was not only a latecomer, but her experiences with Shimizu were limited; even their meetings were few and far between. She felt a slight, inexplicable sense of loss.
But Shimizu continued, "Actually, looking back, Chiaki, you've helped me secretly many times. It started at the beginning of the year. If you hadn't helped me get votes, I wouldn't have progressed so fast with Kikyo, and she might not have sought me out for cooperation later. If you hadn't encouraged Kei to stay in the Boxing Club, she might have quit long ago. And then there was Haruka; if I had shown up personally, I might have had a direct conflict with her. Even the VIP exam—you found a way to date me, which indirectly spurred Airi's feelings for me..."
Chiaki was stunned. Thinking back, it was true. She had seemingly done many small things, but they had a real impact on many people. Was I actually the biggest contributor to Akira's harem?
"So, I wanted to say thank you."
"No need, it wasn't intentional." Hearing this, Chiaki felt a sudden sense of participation and importance. Her mood brightened instantly.
With her high EQ, she knew Shimizu was comforting her because he saw her feeling down. But so what? Everything her boyfriend said was the absolute truth. And these small things—if Shimizu hadn't kept her in his heart, how could he have noticed them?
Seeing her cheer up, Shimizu smiled. "However, the things you did with Kei on this island... those were intentional, right?"
Seeing him smiling and not angry, Chiaki grew bolder. "Kei liked it, and you liked it too. I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"
Shimizu paused, then thought about it. "No."
The shy Karuizawa Kei had finally taken the last step with him. That night had been very comfortable for both. To be fair, the only one who suffered was Horikita Suzune.
"So, has Horikita crawled into your sleeping bag these past few days?"
"No. Why do you ask?"
"That's strange." Chiaki fell into thought. "Suzune's feelings for you shouldn't lose to Kei's. She personally heard the two of you together that night; it's impossible for her to have no reaction. Once the island exam is over, she won't have such a golden opportunity again. Did she really fall asleep that night?"
"Why are you analyzing Suzune's movements?" Shimizu laughed. "Weren't you only helping Kei?"
"I planned to help Kei, but on this island, it's impossible to completely avoid one person joining while another is present," Chiaki glanced at him. "Ultimately, given your personality, since you've 'eaten' one, you'll surely find time for the other. It was better for me to have Kei take the lead proactively; at least it ensured she was ahead of Suzune."
Shimizu was floored. "So you intentionally let Kei go first?"
"Not intentionally, just following the flow," Chiaki said righteously. "You'll eat Suzune sooner or later, but Kei is different. Kei needs a push, or she'd drag it out until graduation."
Shimizu had to admit she had a point. With Kei's personality, she really wouldn't take the initiative. Without Chiaki's advice, she might have stalled forever.
"Aren't you afraid Suzune will be mad?"
Chiaki thought for a moment. "Suzune will be mad, but she won't blame Kei, and she won't blame me. She'll only blame herself."
"Why?"
"Because that's the kind of person she is," Chiaki said. "In Horikita Suzune's character, the first reaction to a problem is self-reflection. She'll wonder if she wasn't proactive enough, if she was too conservative, or what she did wrong."
Shimizu remembered Suzune's flushed ears that night and her expression when she said, "I'm just not ready." She really was blaming herself.
"But don't worry," Chiaki whispered. "Suzune won't endure it forever. She just needs time."
"How do you know?"
"Because she's Horikita Suzune," Chiaki smiled. "Once a person like her makes up her mind, she's more decisive than anyone."
Shimizu thought about it; that sounded right. Suzune would hesitate for a long time before a decision, but once decided, she was swift and resolute.
"So when do you think she'll make up her mind?"
"Probably within the next few days."
"That certain?"
"Mhm." She nodded. "The island exam is ending soon. Once we're back on the ship, you won't be able to sleep together every night. Suzune won't miss her last chance."
Shimizu looked at her, realizing this girlfriend was much smarter than he had imagined. Not just smart, but a keen observer of people.
"Why have you thought so deeply about Suzune's business?"
"Because I thought about it for a long time. You already have seven girlfriends; I'm the eighth. If I do nothing, I might be the eighth forever. So I thought, at the very least, I should do something to make you feel I'm different. If I can make you like Kei more in the process, then all the better."
Under the sunlight, her profile had a faint blush, but her gaze was serious.
"Do you think you've achieved 'different' yet?"
Chiaki pondered. "I don't know. But at least... you're willing to listen to me say these things. Before, when we spoke, you were always very polite, like with a normal friend. Now it's different. You'll talk to me about Kei, about Suzune, about their feelings. It means you've started treating me as one of your own."
Shimizu was stunned, then laughed. "Your observation skills are indeed strong."
"Of course," Chiaki puffed out her chest. "I'm the woman who's going to be a diplomat."
They looked at each other and laughed. After laughing, Chiaki suddenly asked, "Aki-kun, do you think I'm too calculating?"
"No," Shimizu shook his head. "You're just smart."
"Really?"
"Really."
Chiaki stared at him for a few seconds to confirm he wasn't lying, then let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. I was afraid you'd think I was too manipulative."
"It doesn't matter if you are," Shimizu said. "You're doing it for my sake, anyway. However..." He intentionally trailed off.
"However what? Tell me! You know I hate when people leave sentences half-finished. Speak up, Aki-kun!"
The harvest from this lunch was greater than Shimizu had expected. Not only did he glimpse Chiaki's true nature, but she had lost her previous restraint and was becoming quite blunt. He smiled and patted her head.
"You are also my girlfriend, but you've put all your thoughts into the other girlfriends. What about you?"
"That..." Chiaki looked embarrassed.
"You don't have a plan at all, do you?"
"...No. I have many plans for Kei, though," she whispered. "Is... is that not okay?"
"No, it's not," Shimizu said seriously. "I personally want to keep getting closer to you, too."
"I-I see..." Chiaki felt her forehead grow hot. Strange. It was just a normal romantic line. She had watched so many romance movies—did they really have this much power? She began to understand how Kei felt.
"I've already planned it out," Shimizu said. "After we finish eating, let's go to the beach, hold hands, and look at the scenery. How's that?"
"Okay, I'll listen to you," she replied softly after a few seconds.
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They finished lunch and Chiaki packed her things. "Let's go."
They walked side-by-side toward the shore. The atmosphere wasn't awkward. After a while, Chiaki spoke.
"Aki-kun."
"Yeah?"
"Were the things you just said true?"
"Which ones?"
"About... wanting to keep getting closer to me."
Shimizu stopped and turned to her. She stopped too. "They're true," he said.
Chiaki looked up into his eyes. "Then why didn't you come find me before? It's been several days since we started dating."
The question was direct. "Because..." he thought. "Because I've been busy with the exam, and I had to take care of Kei and Suzune, and I had to find time at night to track Yagami Takuya."
"So I was at the back of the line?"
"Not at the back. I just hadn't gotten to you yet."
Chiaki stared at him, judging his sincerity. Then she smiled. "Fine. I forgive you."
They emerged from the trees to an open beach. Sunlight sparkled on the waves. Chiaki took a deep breath. "So beautiful."
"Mhm. I've been so busy with tasks I haven't looked at the sea properly."
"Me too," she turned to him. "Let's look at it properly today."
As they walked along the shore, Shimizu reached out his hand. Chiaki blinked. "Holding hands?"
"Mhm."
"Why?"
"Because I want to."
Chiaki stared at him for two seconds before placing her hand in his. Shimizu gripped it gently. Her hand was small, her fingertips a bit cool, but her palm was warm.
"Aki-kun."
"Yeah?"
"Your hand is so big."
"And yours is very small."
"A girl's hand is supposed to be small," she whispered, secretly tightening her grip. Shimizu felt it and tightened his own. They walked slower now, fingers intertwined.
The wind blew Chiaki's hair; a few strands brushed against Shimizu's arm, tickling him. He reached out to tuck her hair back.
"Aki-kun, why did you do that?"
"Because I wanted to."
"I see. Honestly, Chiaki, do you have to ask a question for everything?"
"Can't I? I have a lot of curiosity. You're dating me now; you'll have to get used to it."
"Then... can I hug you?"
"Yes... you don't have to ask that!"
"I was afraid you'd question me again."
"Baka..."
Shimizu reached out and pulled Chiaki into an embrace. Her body stiffened for a moment—not from nerves, but because a boy's embrace was broader and warmer than she imagined. She could smell a faint scent of soap mixed with the sea breeze. After a few seconds, she relaxed and leaned her face against his chest.
"Aki-kun."
"Mhm?"
"Your heart is beating so fast."
"Is it?" Shimizu looked down. "Yours is fast, too."
They stood there listening to the waves. After a while, Chiaki looked up.
"Aki-kun, do you want to kiss me?" she asked directly.
Shimizu was just as direct: "Yes!"
Chiaki's smile faltered for a beat, her ears turning red. "I shouldn't have asked..."
Shimizu smiled. He lowered his head. Chiaki didn't pull away; she just closed her eyes, her lashes trembling in anticipation.
His lips pressed against hers. Chiaki's fingers gripped the hem of his shirt. He didn't rush, just keeping the contact light so she could adapt. After a few seconds, he added a bit more pressure. Chiaki's body trembled slightly before she began to relax, trying to respond. Her movements were awkward but earnest.
When they finally parted, Chiaki's face was as red as a ripe apple. "So that's a kiss?"
"Mhm."
"It feels..." she thought. "Better than in the movies."
Shimizu laughed. "Should we do it more often, then?"
"...Mhm." She paused. "Next time you want to be intimate, you don't have to ask beforehand."
"Why?"
"Why are you becoming as curious as me?" Chiaki swatted his back irritably. "There is no 'why'!"
'So this is what it's like to have a lover—the sweet talk, hugs, kisses, and teasing. It's quite nice.'
She thought that if her boyfriend had no place to live after graduation, she was a rich young lady after all; she could let him live in one of her family's empty apartments.
'After graduation, I'll spend more time with this person!'
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7:00 PM
Shimizu was back with Ayanokouji, learning more White Room knowledge.
"So, what are we learning today?" Shimizu asked, crouching by a tree.
Ayanokouji looked at the ground, then the bushes. "Today, I'll teach you how to determine if someone is nearby."
"How?"
"Sound," Ayanokouji said. "In White Room training, there was an exercise for blind positioning. In total darkness, you rely on hearing to determine how many people are around, their distance, and what they are doing."
"I get the concept. But it's night; the forest is full of sounds..."
"Which makes it harder," Ayanokouji interrupted. "But effective because it's hard."
He gestured for Shimizu to stand. "Close your eyes."
Shimizu obeyed. "Now, tell me what you hear."
Shimizu listened. "The wind... rustling leaves... waves in the distance... and insects."
"What else?"
Shimizu listened longer. "...Nothing else."
"Someone is behind the bushes about fifty meters away," Ayanokouji said calmly. "He's been standing there for about five minutes, looking in our direction."
Shimizu snapped his eyes open. "Who?"
"I don't know. But he's gone now."
Shimizu looked into the darkness. "How do you know?"
"The insects," Ayanokouji said. "When someone passes, the insects temporarily stop chirping. In that area fifty meters away, the chirping stopped for five minutes. If it were an animal, it wouldn't have stayed that long."
Shimizu was stunned. "You had me listen just so I'd discover that?"
"Mhm. You didn't notice."
"I really didn't. Your ears are too sharp."
"Practice more. This area is open; we'll stay here. Just listen."
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8:00 PM
Yagami Takuya had just sat down in his tent when his White Room-honed hearing picked up movement dozens of meters away.
"Who!" He stood up alertly, put on his jacket, and crept out. He hid in the grass and used binoculars. Seeing it was a student he didn't recognize, he breathed a sigh of relief. "It's not Shimizu or Ayanokouji."
He returned to the tent. Less than ten minutes later, there were footsteps again. He frowned and checked the GPS instead. "Two kilometers away? That far?"
'I shouldn't have checked. Wasted a point.'
Kushida Kikyo had told him Shimizu was looking for him to teach him a lesson. He knew those two had been searching for him since the eighth day. For three days, those two had spent two
or three hours every night wandering the forest, making it impossible for him to sleep. Yesterday, fearing they would find him at midnight, he had checked the GPS over ten times.
"It seems they only look until about 9:00 PM. I don't need to worry too much after that," Yagami analyzed.
He stared at the positioning for a long time and noticed that today, those two had stayed in one spot for a while. "Why aren't they moving? Are they planning something bad?"
He grew more anxious. It was Ayanokouji and Shimizu, after all. They wouldn't just do nothing.
'Is it a trap? No, that would hurt other students.'
Then what? Just talking? They wouldn't stay still that long just to talk!
"Wait!" A thought struck him. "What if they intentionally left their watches in one spot to distract me while they come to catch me?"
The naturally suspicious Yagami began to sweat. When he first broke his watch, he had tried to dismantle it; as long as the alarm and bio-detection systems were disabled, the tracker still worked. If he could do it, Ayanokouji could surely do it.
Though Ayanokouji-senpai's strength had regressed, Shimizu's level was a total unknown. He gritted his teeth and packed his things. He thought about moving the tent, but decided to abandon it entirely. Grabbing a jacket, he dove into the depths of the forest.
He was a White Roomer. In the wild, he could sleep under a layer of grass if he had to.
Yagami moved through the darkness for nearly half an hour. Once he was sure he was far away, he leaned against a thick tree trunk, gasping for air. The deep forest was pitch black; the canopy blocked the stars.
He crouched, wrapping his jacket tight. It was cold. Even in summer, the night wind in the deep forest was chilly. No tent, no sleeping bag. He curled up, trying to stay warm. But more than the cold, it was the unease that hurt.
He hadn't felt this in a long time. In the White Room, training was clear. What to do today, what to face tomorrow—it was all mapped out. No matter how hard it was, at least he knew what he was doing. Now, he didn't know where he was, what Shimizu and Ayanokouji were doing, or when they would suddenly appear.
The unknown was more agonizing than any training.
He closed his eyes, but the unease wouldn't subside. A moment later, he heard a sound. He tensed, holding his breath. Footsteps. Light, but approaching. He clenched his fists.
Ten meters... five... three...
A wild rat scurried out of the bushes and ran away. Yagami exhaled, realizing his palms were soaked with sweat. He leaned against the tree, suddenly realizing he was capable of being this afraid.
In the White Room, he never felt fear. No matter the training or the opponent, he was calm. But now, just a few footsteps made him this nervous. Was it because he left the familiar environment? Or was it because... those two had never panicked from the start?
Whether facing the White Room's pursuit or his provocations, they were always composed. And him? Hiding in the forest, unable to sleep, terrified of every sound.
Yagami Takuya suddenly felt tired. Not physically, but mentally. He leaned back and closed his eyes. This time, he heard no footsteps. But the thoughts wouldn't go away.
The wind blew, the leaves rustled. Yagami curled at the base of the tree and remained awake for a long, long time.