"U-um, excuse me."
With nervousness in her heart, Ichinose Honami cautiously stepped into Kaoru Mitoma's room.
The first things she noticed were his bed and the laptop on the desk.
There didn't seem to be many personal belongings.
Though there were kitchen utensils, it looked like he only cooked occasionally.
The trash bin was nearly empty, and the entire room was spotless, the floor faintly gleaming.
"I'll make some tea," Kaoru's voice startled her, making her shoulders tremble slightly.
She hadn't thought much before impulsively coming up here.
Well, Ichinose Honami had acted on impulse, driven by her emotions at the moment.
Perhaps it was Sakayanagi Arisu's words, or maybe something Kaoru had just done, but her emotions had surged intensely.
Their relationship had progressed too quickly, skipping some of the usual steps.
Like birthdays—how could they be a couple yet know nothing about each other's birthdays?
It was strange.
While Kaoru went to make tea, Ichinose Honami slowly approached his desk.
There was a laptop on it, seemingly rarely used.
When she touched it, dust clung to her fingertips.
No gaming consoles, no otaku merchandise, no manga or DVDs.
On one side of the desk was a bookshelf lined with numerous books.
Snow Country, Paradise Lost, Anna Karenina, Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, A Study in Scarlet, The Decagon House Murders, The Long Goodbye, The Tragedy of X…
Ichinose Honami pulled out one of the books and skimmed the preface, surprised to find it was a mystery novel.
Did Kaoru usually enjoy reading these?
It wasn't like most boys.
Many guys in her class talked about games and anime, and a few even said they wanted to see their favorite idols live.
As she flipped through the pages, she noticed Kaoru had left notes inside—even cheekily marking the killer's identity, making her lips twitch slightly.
Just as she placed the book back, she turned and saw Kaoru holding a tray with barley tea.
"Does Kaoru usually go to the bookstore?"
There was a bookstore in the Keyaki Mall.
Although Ichinose Honami had never been there, she could recognize the store's label on the bookshelf—clearly, even the shelf had been purchased from that shop.
"Occasionally. Actually, I've already read these books—just bought them as collectibles." Kaoru placed the barley tea on the table.
These books were ones he had casually picked up while accompanying Shiina Hiyori to choose her own reads.
Especially when he had theatrically picked up Junichi Watanabe's Lost Paradise, discussing the plot with Shiina Hiyori in an overly serious manner, just to watch her face flush red.
"Did you go with Shiina-san?" Ichinose picked up his barley tea.
Since she was wearing a dress, sitting properly on the floor was a bit inconvenient, so she settled on his bed instead.
Kaoru found it strange—was he in a state of being 100% mind-read now?
Sakayanagi Arisu could also read minds, and now even Ichinose Honami could do it?
"I guessed it." Ichinose blinked at him, amused.
"Weren't you two always discussing mystery novels during summer break? Shiina-san even lent me a book once. I read it afterward and talked with her about it a lot."
"Shiina-san doesn't have many people to talk to in Class C. She's usually either in the library or inviting me to the bookstore." Kaoru sighed.
"But I think it's because of her personality that the school placed her in Class C."
Class C and Class D were similar—full of party-goers and delinquents.
Forget reading, they probably only knew Conan and had no clue about Sherlock Holmes.
"I thought you two didn't interact much." Ichinose shot him a sideways glance.
This guy was way too familiar with Shiina Hiyori.
Kaoru sat beside her, watching her slightly unnatural expression with a faint smirk.
"More than that, I'm curious about what you're thinking. You know full well that in a situation where it's just the two of us, I might do something bad to you."
Though her dress was light and airy, Ichinose could feel her body growing warm.
Her exposed shoulders had a delicate, smooth sheen, making her appear fragile and petite.
When he took her hand, the girl's chest tightened.
Her fair cheeks gradually flushed, her breathing growing rough and uneven.
Her once-clear, beautiful eyes trembled, veiled with a faint haze of shyness.
Her snow-white legs lightly pressed together, her fingers unconsciously brushing over her ring—it felt a little hard.
As Kaoru drew closer, even her slender feet reacted, unsure where to rest.
Would she face his merciless teasing again today?
"Even so… I still wanted to come into Kaoru's room. It's exactly as I imagined." Ichinose pressed her lips together firmly, her long lashes trembling, yet her voice held no hesitation.
"Don't you find it boring?" Kaoru stroked the girl's small hand.
Unlike the bony feel of a man's, even though it was petite, her hand was soft to the touch.
"I keep wondering what Kaoru usually does in his room, whether he dreams when he sleeps, what he sees when he wakes up each day, whether he puts on his shirt or pants first, what he thinks when the weather outside is bad, if he ever considers cooking for himself..." Ichinose Honami grew slightly embarrassed.
"Every corner here carries your presence, and I can't help feeling like I've accidentally intruded into your world."
Kaoru studied her for a moment, making her blush furiously before smiling.
"Honami, you have the makings of a mother."
"Eh, m-mother?" Misunderstanding his meaning, Ichinose's face turned even redder.
"S-suddenly saying that... I'm completely unprepared!"
"I rarely dream when I sleep, and I don't snore, grind my teeth, or sleepwalk." Kaoru pointed to the desk and bookshelf.
"Though there are many books here, I don't read them unless they're new to me."
"The first thing I do when I wake up is check my phone, then wash up. If I bought ingredients the day before, I'll make a bento to bring to class."
"After returning, sometimes I use my computer, sometimes I stare out the window, and sometimes I go out for a stroll."
Hearing this, Ichinose bit her lip, her eyes softening as she whispered.
"Could you give me a spare key?"
"A key?" Kaoru was taken aback by the sudden shift in topic.
"I'm your girlfriend. I should be taking care of your life." Ichinose suddenly became serious, something within her stirring—just as she had cared for her younger sister during their mother's hospitalization.
Kaoru looked at her strangely. "I can give you one, but I don't think my life is particularly dull."
Before, he had been busy with idol activities, but now that the agency was gone, his current lifestyle just seemed a bit odd.
"That's not for you to decide." Ichinose thought of her plush caterpillar.
"We could put a stuffed toy on the bed, maybe a potted plant by the window... Actually, how about I come over in the evenings?"
"To tuck me in at night?" Kaoru chuckled.
Ichinose pressed her thin lips together, her eyes shimmering as she murmured.
"If you promise not to do anything too... improper, I don't mind helping you sleep."
Kaoru heart skipped a beat.
"What counts as 'too improper'?"
"Too improper is... too improper."
She was flustered, how could she possibly say it out loud?
Seeing the girl's smooth blushing cheeks, Kaoru couldn't resist kissing one.
"Does this count as too improper?"
His sudden attack startled Ichinose, the kissed spot burning as she pouted.
"You're so mean, teasing me again!"
"You being this cute is unbearable." Kaoru wrapped his arms around her slender waist—her skin was so smooth, her body soft and fragrant.
"But I won't do anything too bad. It's too early for that. I still owe you something."
Feeling his warmth, Ichinose quickly relaxed, lifting her gaze to his face as she whispered.
"What if I forced you to choose?"
"Before that, I'll make sure you can't say such things." Kaoru kissed her lips.
Her moral compass was indeed strong, but her weaknesses were just as apparent.
If Amikura got involved, she probably wouldn't even let Kaoru make a choice—she'd likely withdraw on her own.
However, humans are greedy creatures.
So-called rationality is merely neurons and nerve impulses generated by the brain.
The sensation of sugar triggers dopamine, compelling humans to indulge in more sweetness for the sake of pleasure.
Pavlov's conditioned dogs, Stockholm syndrome where victims fall for their abusers, and corporate wage slaves—all these phenomena prove that humans are no different from other animals at their core.
The mark Kaoru left inside her surged the moment their lips met, like a fruit quietly ripening, gradually releasing its unique fragrance.
The intoxicating sweetness was utterly mesmerizing.
The rush of dopamine filled her with pleasure, the restlessness in her body driven by hormones—not just from Kaoru's skill, but also from the deepest recesses of her own desires.
Ichinose didn't realize she was sinking.
She knew she didn't dislike this feeling—in fact, it was rather comforting.
It seemed the worse the act, the more pleasurable it became.
Yet, she didn't realize that physical sensations could also sway human consciousness.
From body to mind, Kaoru had no intention of relinquishing either.
The taste of Ichinose her soft lips, the way her fingers unconsciously tightened around his hand, her trembling body—every detail was intoxicating.
"I'm greedy. The more you resist, the more I want to force you to stay with me," Kaoru whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
Ichinose eyes glazed over, her lips slightly parted as she murmured weakly.
"No… this can't… you're going too far…"
For a girl with such strong morals, Kaoru sighed softly.
Unless he dragged her down completely, her resolve would remain unshaken.
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