Late at night, the flower shop was quiet, filled with the fragrance of blossoms. A desk lamp on the coffee table dispelled a small patch of darkness in the center of the living room.
Shuichi held Ichika in his arms, feeling as if he were in a daze, as if this were all a dream.
"Is this really okay?"
Ichika was turned sideways to him, her expression as calm as ever, her tone of voice natural. Only her long, slender eyelashes, catching the light, trembled faintly.
"Yes, it's okay. Thank you for doing this, Shuichi-kun."
"It's no trouble. But, would you like to look at something interesting? To distract you, so you don't get too nervous?"
Shuichi worried that Ichika, being passive for the first time with no control, might feel overly anxious, so he made the suggestion.
Ichika pondered for a moment and didn't refuse. "What is this interesting thing?"
"Cosplay photos of Nagase-sensei. You'd be interested in those, wouldn't you, Ichika-san?" Shuichi chuckled lightly, picking up his phone from the side and starting to scroll through photos.
He was currently busy with Sumire's affairs anyway, so using a bit of her dark history shouldn't be going too far, right?
Hearing this, Ichika's eyes lit up, and she smiled faintly. "I am quite interested, actually. I've been a little curious ever since you mentioned it last time."
"It must be hard for you too, Ichika-san, deliberately keeping your distance from Nagase-sensei all this time, right?"
Shuichi placed the phone in her hand, then tentatively began by gently stroking her soft, lustrous hair—this time, it was definitely real.
Her dark hair was as smooth as satin. Gently lifting a strand to his nose, he could smell a fresh, natural, faint fragrance.
Ichika looked at the recent photos of Sumire cosplaying as male characters on the screen and couldn't help but praise, "Nagase really suits this kind of outfit. She looks very good."
Shuichi's hand climbed onto her smooth back, caressing it gently. "Indeed. If the young girls at school knew, they'd probably worship her like crazy, don't you think? Unlike now, where she wears frumpy tracksuits every day and is just a fierce female sensei in the students' eyes."
"Nagase... she was probably influenced by my experience, wasn't she?"
Feeling the scorching heat of his palm, Ichika felt an inexplicable sense of security, but at the same time, she felt a little too secure.
Today, Shuichi-kun was exceptionally calm, like still water. It lacked some of the thrill from the past two days. She was starting to want a more dangerous feeling...
When you lack a sense of security, you desire it. Once you obtain it, you start to yearn for danger.
"Maybe a little, but it's more likely that she just wants to be a proper female sensei, right?"
As Shuichi spoke, his hand slid all the way down to her soft waist, while his other hand gently caressed her thigh.
"By the way, the flowers here in your shop, Ichika-san, are growing better and better. I was thinking, maybe they would be great for making essential oils and aromatherapy?"
Ichika looked down at his constantly moving hand, watching it as if studying some interesting picture, carefully savoring the strange sensation spreading across her skin.
"It is a bit puzzling, now that you mention it. Recently, the flowers here have shown a marked improvement in their color, shape, foliage, and fragrance."
"Perhaps the environment here is more suitable? And maybe your flower-raising skills have improved, Ichika-san?" Under her gaze, Shuichi began to gently comfort her boobs.
"Mmm..." Ichika's lips parted slightly, her body trembling. "It is indeed very comfortable to live here at your place, Shuichi-kun, but my planting skills haven't improved that much. As for aromatherapy, I don't have enough flowers here. I probably can't make much."
"Hmm, that's okay. We can try a bit to try it first. If the effect is good, we can cooperate with the beauty salon across the street later. I think we could create something unique."
Shuichi gently hooked the strap, and the soft body in his arms trembled more noticeably.
"I know you don't like crowds, Ichika-san, and you don't care about income. Otherwise, any of the flowers in your shop could win an award if you entered them in a national flower competition. But having an extra source of income gives you a bit more freedom, doesn't it? For aromatherapy, you only need to provide the flowers. You don't need to interact with too many people, so it won't affect your current lifestyle."
Ichika's attention was already wandering. She just felt inexplicably weak and hot all over, and subconsciously wanted to lean against his chest.
As for what Shuichi was saying, she no longer had the inclination to think about it.
"If Shuichi-kun thinks it's feasible, then let's do as you say. More than that..."
A haze of desire clouded Ichika's clear eyes. "Kiss me, okay?"
Shuichi was taken aback. He suddenly realized that it seemed she was no longer in a state of resistance, but perhaps even the opposite?
"As you wish."
Without much hesitation, Shuichi tightened his embrace around the soft body in his arms and kissed those lips that glistened with an alluring sheen, his hands becoming even more audacious...
...
Back in his bedroom, Shuichi leaned back comfortably in his chair, repeatedly summoning and dismissing the system interface, then staring at the clock on the wall.
"Eleven o'clock..." Shuichi tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest. "Three point six million..."
"What three point six million?" Tsuki opened the balcony door, letting in a gust of evening wind.
Shuichi didn't look up, still lost in thought. He just beckoned to her with his hand, and she obediently walked over, knelt on the floor, and rested her head on his lap.
Shuichi comfortably stroked her head and replied casually, "My monthly salary is coming. Is there anything you want?"
"Monthly salary? Is it the allowance from your family?" Tsuki hummed twice. "Master's monthly allowance is more than what many people earn in a year."
"Nonsense. It's clearly a salary. It's tiring managing the shopping district, you know," Shuichi said, straightening his back and stretching a bit.
"If you call that hard work, then a lot of people would be dying to experience it," Tsuki said, shaking her head, clearly not buying his excuse.
Shuichi pressed down on her head to stop her from shaking it. "The average annual income in Japan is over four million yen. I'm still far from that, so I need to work harder. By the way, do you really not want a gift? Little maids can have salaries too."
"A little maid doesn't need a salary, only the Master's bullying~" Tsuki lifted her small head slightly, her eyes filled with fanaticism.
"..." Shuichi felt numb. "It's a cold day. I don't feel like going on the swing."
"I didn't say anything about the swing. Didn't you say you were coming to my place for a bath tonight?" Tsuki pouted expectantly.
It dawned on Shuichi. He must have been too tired today to have forgotten. "Right. Is the class rep asleep?"
"An-chan is dead to the world. Unless you tempt her with food, you won't be able to wake her up right now," Tsuki said, smacking her lips with a lack of interest.
"Oh. In that case, will going to your place for a bath late at night wake your mother?" Shuichi asked, poking her puffy cheek.
"!!!" A thrill shot through Tsuki. "That's certainly a possibility. If Mom finds out, my image will be completely ruined!"
"Ah, you might even be too ashamed to show your face in public, right?" Shuichi knew this would only make her more excited.
"So, if the Master insists on going, please be as quiet as possible..." Tsuki put on a pleading expression.
"That depends on your performance," Shuichi replied, cooperating with a mischievous smile.
After a quick tidy-up, they didn't delay any longer, getting up and climbing from the balcony to the one next door, entering the Akiyama sisters' bedroom.
Shuichi walked to the bedside, looked at An Akiyama's sweet sleeping face, and reached out to poke her delicate, plump cheek, which was so soft it looked like it would break from a mere touch.
In her sleep, An pursed her pink lips, probably dreaming of something delicious. But it was unlikely to be more delectable than her adorable appearance right now.
"You promised... not to touch my sister..." Tsuki bit her lip, a look of humiliation on her face.
"Is the bathwater ready?" Shuichi couldn't be bothered with her antics and turned to walk out the door.
"I prepared it before I came over," Tsuki quickly followed. The two left the bedroom, glanced quietly at the room next door, and then headed for the bathroom.
Tsuki dutifully helped Shuichi undress. Looking at his body, she suddenly realized this was the first time she had seen him completely naked.
"Stop staring. Hurry up and get undressed, then come help me scrub my back," Shuichi said, squeezing her butt before walking straight into the bathroom to wait.
As for watching a girl change? Not much to see, and he'd seen it plenty of times anyway.
He sat on the small stool in the narrow bathroom for a while, first wetting his body with the shower head. When Tsuki came in with tiny, mincing steps, she said:
"Master, your phone is vibrating. I think it's Naomi-sensei."
Shuichi turned his head and was met with a speechless sight. The girl had actually come in holding the phone between her thighs.
No wonder her steps were so mincing...
He irritably reached out, pulled the phone away, gave her a hard slap on the butt, and then looked down. Sure enough, it was a call from Naomi.
Shuichi felt that he had been really disorganized lately, to the point of even forgetting his bedtime chat with Naomi.
However, he didn't hesitate and answered the call directly. "I was just wondering if you had forgotten about me, sensei."
"I wish I could. It would be even better if you could forget about me too, Shuichi-kun," Naomi chuckled lightly. "By the way, you took a while to answer. Were you busy?"
"I was in the bathroom taking a bath. The phone was outside. I scrambled to get it when I heard it."
As Shuichi spoke, he saw Tsuki squat down in front of him and start lathering herself up right before his eyes.
"I'd kind of like to see you looking flustered, Shuichi-kun," Naomi said, tilting her head slightly, thinking it would probably be quite amusing.
"You have a wicked sense of humor, sensei. But... if you could move over here, you could see me in any state, not just flustered~"
Shuichi chuckled lightly and held out his hand. Tsuki immediately understood and clamped onto it, helping him lather up.
"We agreed not to talk about that," Naomi refused his suggestion again. "By the way, is it okay to be on the phone in the bathroom? Even though modern phones are waterproof, the steam can still damage them, right?"
"It's fine. The phone is old anyway, and I was planning on getting a new one. Before I do, being able to use it to experience the feeling of listening to your voice while lying in the bathtub is well worth it."
Shuichi squeezed the girl's delicate thigh, grabbing it hard, but the flesh, covered in foam, slipped right out of his hand.
"Listening to my voice in the bathtub? What kind of voice are you talking about, Shuichi-kun?" Naomi asked, lying on her bed and picking up the small gift.
"A particularly alluring voice that can make one's body and soul drunk would be the best."
Shuichi felt the slippery touch on his back and thought to himself that Fumika's touch was still the best. The President was, after all, too thin, lacking something.
"It seems you can decide for yourself what kind of voice you want to hear?"
Naomi's slightly short breaths traveled through the airwaves, sending a shiver down Shuichi's spine.
"This weekend, will you still be staying at Nagase-sensei's house, sensei?" Shuichi asked as he started the app.
"Mmm..." Naomi hummed in response. "We agreed not to talk about me moving to your place. Be good, and listen to your sensei, okay?"
"I'm not bringing that up. It's just that I might be going to Nagase-sensei's house this weekend too. You'll be there then, won't you, sensei?"
Shuichi felt his back was now clean, and then the slippery little lamb slipped into his arms.
"Mmm..." Naomi hummed in assent. "Are you coming... for something specific, Shuichi-kun?"
"A friend of Nagase-sensei's is currently running a shop here. Have you heard the name Ichika Kitagawa, sensei?" Shuichi asked, playing with the little lamb in his arms.
"Kitagawa..." Naomi repeated, biting her lip. "Sumire has indeed mentioned her quite a lot, but I don't know her."
"I see..." Shuichi wasn't surprised. After all, a friend of a friend is not necessarily my friend. That was perfectly normal.
"Nagase-sensei asked me to help take care of her friend before, and that's why I'm going over there this time. If I can see you there, sensei, this trip will be something to really look forward to."
"Look forward to what?" Naomi let out a long sigh. "Isn't seeing me at school enough? You even have to see me on the weekend break. You've fallen for me, haven't you, Shuichi-kun?"
"No, don't worry about that, sensei."
"Really?"
"Really. I'm still waiting for you to introduce me to a girlfriend," Shuichi said. The slender body in his arms suddenly slipped out, leaning against the wall as if to take a rest.
Shuichi also subconsciously stood up.
"In that case, I'm relieved. You have to promise me you won't fall for me, Shuichi-kun..."
"Yes, I won't," Shuichi said, but what he was doing was the complete opposite of his words.
Even Tsuki, who was just listening at his side, could clearly feel that he had already fallen deep, unable to extricate himself.
"That's good..."
The call continued, but suddenly, the sound of shuffling footsteps came from outside the bathroom door, along with a faintly audible mumble.
"Who's taking a bath so late? Is it Tsuki-chan or An-chan?"
Shuichi narrowed his eyes, then turned down the phone's volume and set the app to its highest mode.
Seeing a figure appear outside the glass door, he immediately covered the microphone with his hand. Then he gently bumped Tsuki, signaling her to handle it.
The bathroom floor was very slippery. Tsuki carefully moved to the door. "It's me, Mom."
"Why are you taking a bath so late? Do you need Mom to help you scrub your back?" Mrs. Akiyama said, reaching to pull open the sliding door.
Only the three of them used the family bathroom, so they usually didn't lock it.
Tsuki's heart leaped. She quickly pressed her hand against the door. "It's nothing, no thank you. There isn't much steam in here, don't open it."
"Oh, is that so?" Mrs. Akiyama pretended to believe her, turning her head to look at the two sets of clothes in the laundry basket. A nostalgic expression appeared on her face, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.
So, my daughter has reached that age too.
"Soaking for too long can make you dizzy. Be careful."
"Mmm... I know..."
"Are you really okay? You sound a little unwell. Are you crying? When Tsuki-chan was little, she would always hide in the bathroom and toilet to cry."
"No, I'm not crying," Tsuki tried to keep her voice steady.
"If you're stressed, remember to talk to Mom, okay? It's okay to act spoiled. Mom knows how hard you work, Tsuki-chan," Mrs. Akiyama said, comforting her daughter with great tenderness.
"I'm not stressed. Mom, you should go back to sleep. I'll be done in a little while, re-really..." Tsuki managed to reply.
"You're already crying with a vibrato in your voice. Sigh, Tsuki-chan is always so strong-willed. Alright, since you don't want to be spoiled by Mom, I'll give you some space. If you can't hold on, remember to tell me, okay?"
Mrs. Akiyama shook her head and turned to leave.
Tsuki leaned her shoulder against the wall, her entire body devoid of strength. It seemed her mother's comforting words had moved her to tears. She began to sob uncontrollably, her shoulders shuddering.
Shuichi comfortingly stroked her back, then uncovered the microphone and continued his call with Naomi.
"What happened just now? Suddenly... hmm, I couldn't hear your voice anymore, Shuichi-kun."
"I could hear your voice clearly the whole time on my end. I don't know, maybe the microphone is broken," Shuichi replied calmly.
"Hmm, see? I told you not to use your phone in the bathroom. Looks like you'll really have to get a new phone now. Is your allowance enough, Shuichi-kun? Do you need some support from your sensei?"
As Naomi said this, she suddenly felt it sounded inappropriate. "Ah, I didn't mean it like that. Don't overthink it, Shuichi-kun."
"Eh? You didn't mean it like that?" Shuichi put on a disappointed tone. "My heart just skipped a beat, and I was just about to say yes."
Hearing this, Naomi couldn't help but laugh. "You really are very mature, Shuichi-kun. I was worried I had almost hurt your pride."
"That kind of thing doesn't matter. In fact, if you were going to be my sugar mommy, sensei, I could just throw my pride away," Shuichi said lightly.
"Then... shall I get you a new phone? What brand would you like?" Naomi said sincerely, even sounding a little excited.
The desire to give a gift had never felt so joyful.
Shuichi was about to refuse, but on second thought, he felt there was no need. He could just give her a suitable gift in return later.
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