Beneath the girl's shorts, a generous length of smooth thigh was exposed.
The lightweight sneakers lay discarded to the side as she balanced on her tiptoes, her calves maintaining a slender, straight line.
The white ankle socks resembled sweet, creamy soft-serve ice cream or a bottle of delicious milk.
Still bent over, she used both hands to peel off her stockings.
Her chest pressed against her knees and from the side, Kaoru caught glimpses of her breast and a flash of sky-blue bras inside her sleeves.
At the same time, Kaoru noticed Karuizawa's high ponytail, a few stray strands brushing against her porcelain neck like fine sand, further accentuating her flawless complexion.
Outside, the setting sun streamed gently through the window, spilling across the creaky wooden floor.
In the distance, the sports field buzzed with students—the rhythmic thuds of runners, the urgent shouts of mock cavalry battles, the rallying cries of tug-of-war.
All these sounds danced in Kaoru's ears before gradually slowing his perception of the girl before him.
She complained about the chair, then shifted to talking about the competition—her teammates' lack of coordination, troublesome classmates, and how someone had been ignoring her all along.
In just a short while, the thin stockings slid off her feet.
Now barefoot on her right foot, Karuizawa Kei's restless toes wriggled like mangosteens, clearly unaccustomed to being barefoot in public—especially in front of a man.
"Can you see it?" Karuizawa touched her toes, frowned slightly, then timidly withdrew her fingers.
"You're kidding... it actually hurt a little?"
Kaoru instinctively held his breath.
He didn't know if Karuizawa was truly in pain or simply acting spoiled.
Many girls habitually exaggerated minor injuries to those close to them, making even the smallest scratch seem severe.
"Did you stub your toe?"
"Yeah, otherwise I would've run out to find you sooner."
"I don't see any wounds."
"Not necessarily bleeding, maybe an internal injury?"
"Internal injury..."
That sounded familiar.
Kaoru decided not to overthink it for now.
Next, he glanced toward the gymnasium.
No one should be paying attention here—everyone was busy practicing, and the idle students had already gone home early.
Except for a few students taking a break, like Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Sakayanagi Arisu, and Kushida Kikyo.
"Can I take a look at your leg?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Kaoru realized he had misspoken and quickly corrected himself.
"I mean, I want to check if there's any swelling. If it's serious, I'll have to take you to the infirmary."
"O-Oh, sure!" Karuizawa feigned nonchalance, though her heart was already pounding.
Did this count as being affectionate in front of everyone?
It should be fine.
She was still Hirata Yosuke's girlfriend, after all.
Even if people saw this, they wouldn't suspect anything between her and Kaoru—at most, they'd just find it odd.
Besides, she had a perfectly valid reason.
Even if someone questioned her, she could handle it calmly.
Thinking this, Kei felt a twinge of guilt.
It sounded like an excuse for cheating, her mind entirely preoccupied with covering her tracks.
But—but if she didn't do this, she'd fall too far behind!
Kushida Kikyo always wore an angelic smile around the boys, the very image of their dream girlfriend.
Yet, she maintained just the right balance of closeness and distance, something that had always bothered Kei.
Kikyo was too skilled—her pure and cute persona was anything but aloof, yet she expertly controlled the boundaries, making her wildly popular among the boys.
But then—
Kushida Kikyo had shattered that delicate balance herself.
For the first time ever, she openly wrapped her arms around Kaoru in front of everyone while beaming brightly.
Karuizawa bit her lip.
As expected of the official girlfriend.
At this rate, they might make their relationship public soon.
Compared to that, her own progress was lagging far behind.
So, she had to get closer—just a little more cunningly, without being obvious.
Slowly, then a little faster, then even closer.
With her heart racing, Karuizawa lightly lifted her calf, about to extend it towards Kaoru—only for him to suddenly grasp her ankle, her cute little foot now firmly in his grasp.
"Mmm…" She instinctively pressed her lips together to stifle any strange sounds.
This was too weird—why did having a man hold her ankle make her so nervous?
Clearly, Karuizawa hadn't considered her own feelings, nor had she guessed Kaoru's nickname.
Meanwhile, Sakayanagi had already turned her face away, her cheeks burning.
Even after a month, the lingering sensation on the top of her foot was something she'd remember for a lifetime.
"Does it hurt here?" Kaoru carefully flexed her toes, his gaze flickering upward to catch a glimpse of her calves, the subtle curve of her thighs, and the slight lift of her hips.
"A little..." Karuizawa replied, suddenly flustered as she realized the intimacy of the situation.
Kaoru examined her toes closely, finding no visible swelling or redness—only a faint coolness to the touch.
Feet, being the farthest from the heart, naturally ran cooler than the rest of the body.
Because of this temperature difference, Karuizawa could distinctly feel the warmth of his hands, a comforting heat that seeped into her skin.
At the same time, his gentle movements sent faint waves of warmth radiating from her soles, slowly spreading through her entire body. Unconsciously, she bit her lower lip.
"I'll help improve your circulation." Kaoru was well-practiced—he often played the role of masseur, tending to feet, legs, and shoulders, sometimes even giving full spa treatments.
Karuizawa had no idea her boyfriend possessed such skills.
Dazed, she watched him before a sudden jolt of sensation shot through her soles, sending her mind blank and her body limp.
"Mmm... Wh-what is this... ah..."
Not far away, Horikita Suzune happened to witness the scene, her lips twitching in disbelief.
Was this foot-obsessed pervert really doing this in public?
Strangely, an odd tingling sensation crept into her own chest and toes, as if she could still feel the teasing touch from before.