Just a stone's throw away.
Breaths mingled in the quiet air.
Looking into her clear reflection in Amamiya Natsuki's eyes, Shinomiya Kaguya suddenly realized how dangerously close they had gotten—without either of them noticing.
[Too close, too close, too close!]
[What if he suddenly leans in?]
[Very likely.]
[Hayasaka said boys are like beasts. Once their blood heats up, they get super impulsive.]
[Will I get pregnant just by touching?]
Raised in a "sterile" environment, Kaguya still held the naive belief that boys and girls could get pregnant just by kissing.
Her snow-white face, framed by long black hair, flushed bright red—like the fiery clouds at sunset—which startled Amamiya Natsuki.
So… Kaguya's earlier blush wasn't because she wanted to sneeze, but because she was shy?
Where was the ice sculpture girl who could walk through Ghost Academy with a straight face? Why was she blushing now?
Amamiya held his breath.
Not only did he not move closer impulsively—he even deliberately kept his distance.
It's one thing to mess with others and get a beating.
But if you mess with Kaguya-san, Amamiya knew he might find himself feeding the fish in Tokyo Bay tonight.
Kaguya's long eyelashes fluttered slightly as she exhaled in relief.
Suddenly—
Bang!
The door slammed open.
"I, the Hero Chika, have returned!"
The loud voice of the girl known as the Cancer of the Earth echoed through the room.
Amamiya Natsuki and Shinomiya Kaguya jumped, simultaneously feeling a pinch of guilt as their eyes met.
A game prompt flickered before Kaguya's eyes:
[Game failed. Progress reset. Please restart the challenge.]
"Kaguya-chan, how's the mission going?"
Fujiwara Chika walked up briskly, her tone brisk and casual.
Kaguya closed her eyes, pressing her slender white fingers between her brows like scallions, sighed deeply, and bit her lower lip.
"The mission failed."
"Huh? Why?" Fujiwara asked, puzzled.
Kaguya smiled — a dangerous, queenly smile, like a death sentence about to be signed.
"What do you think, Fujiwara-san?"
"Kaguya-chan's smile is scary!"
Fujiwara startled, took two steps back, and hid behind Amamiya, clutching herself. "I feel like a hamster about to be devoured by a cat!"
Amamiya deadpanned: "Shouldn't that be a mouse?"
"I don't want to be a mouse!" Fujiwara shook her head quickly. "Ugly and black… If I get reincarnated, I want to be a hamster next time."
Unexpectedly, she was a looks person. As the saying goes, "a coarse willow basket won't make a fine willow bucket"—someone obsessed with appearances can't be trusted.
"It's normal for Kaguya-san to be mad," Amamiya rubbed his sore eyes, "I'm mad too."
"Why?"
"The mission was almost done, then you barged in without knocking. Now we have to start over."
"Ohhh…" Fujiwara clasped her hands and bowed dramatically. "Sorry, Kaguya-chan! I forgot to knock. I'll offer pudding as an apology sacrifice—please forgive me!"
"Pudding?"
Amamiya's gaze flicked down to Fujiwara's chest… The little rabbit bouncing there was indeed cute.
In a way, that was pudding, right?
"No pudding," Kaguya said, rubbing her eyebrows and exhaling a long breath, suddenly feeling the helpless grief of Zhuge Kongming.
Stars fell in the autumn wind at Wuzhangyuan.
At the final moment when the Seven Star Lamp was about to extend its life, it was knocked over by Wei Yan, and the lamp failed. The prime minister's mood back then must have been exactly like Kaguya's now.
Great plans unfinished, Shu Han yet to rise.
So unwilling!
"Fujiwara-san, remember to knock before entering next time," Kaguya said, clenching her fists.
"Got it. I promise!" Fujiwara cheerfully picked up her chocolate bar and crunched happily. "Kaguya-chan, you still have time to try again."
"No, my eyes hurt." Amamiya shook his head, rubbing them.
"What? Amamiya-san's exhausted already?" Fujiwara looked surprised. "It's been just a few minutes. You're weak."
Your sister!
How can a few minutes be weak? The silverback gorilla, the strongest primate on Earth, can only last tens of seconds!
But this is staring time. Anyone who can hold out for ten minutes is ruthless.
Fujiwara added, "When I'm deep in thought, I don't blink for hours…"
Wat a liar!
The Guinness record for not blinking is just two hours. You say you can go for several hours? Then break the world record!
"Blinking is unconscious, like breathing. You don't think about it," Amamiya grumbled at the innocent girl. "Humans blink over ten times a minute, but hardly notice it."
"I literally can go hours without blinking."
Fujiwara laid on the table, holding up her eyelids with her fingers, eyes wide and confident. "If Amamiya-san doesn't believe me, test it now."
"Let's just go back to the classroom." Kaguya pressed her brows gently, voice cold and clear again. "Your eyes need rest."
"Oh well." Fujiwara agreed, a little regretful.
Amamiya, Kaguya, and Fujiwara left the board game room and headed back to class.
The four morning classes passed quickly.
Lunch break.
The fifty-minute break was short. Shinomiya and Fujiwara ate their bentos while Amamiya went to the cafeteria. No time for the mission.
Before long, school was over.
"Kaguya-chan, no more activity room time. Everyone will be at club practice," Fujiwara suggested. "Why don't you and Amamiya do the mission in the classroom?"
"Okay."
Kaguya nodded.
"I have to go to the board game club, so I'm off." Fujiwara waved and left. "Good luck!"
"Remember to knock. Don't just barge in."
"Got it!" Fujiwara saluted.
Only Amamiya and Kaguya remained.
Amamiya stood and sat down opposite Kaguya at their desk.
The three were classmates; Kaguya and Fujiwara shared a desk, while Miko and Yurikawa were in another class.
Across the desk, they met eyes again.
"Kaguya-san, ready to start?"
"Let's begin," she said calmly.
Eyes locked.
The classroom fell silent.
Bright sunlight poured through the windows, forming a shining channel in the air.
A gentle breeze rustled some forgotten textbook pages.
Amamiya silently gazed into the ruby eyes before him, his mind empty, slipping into meditation.
Too bad some people couldn't calm down.
Soon, a faint blush appeared quietly on Kaguya's pretty face.
Hey, it's not even been a minute. Why the blush again?
If this keeps up, the ice sculpture girl's perfect image will melt away!
Time passed quietly.
This time, the desk kept them apart, the distance no longer shrinking like before.
Just as the mission neared completion, the buzz of insect wings suddenly pierced the silence.
"Eh hey hey?"
Kaguya's long, slightly curled eyelashes trembled.