Kaoru returned to his dorm.
The moment he opened the door, two girls who had been waiting for him immediately grabbed him.
"There's a woman's scent on you!"
Kushida Kikyo clutched his clothes, sniffing him all over. "It's a scent I haven't smelled before. Who have you been with this time?"
"Another thieving cat!"
Karuizawa Kei glared at him displeasedly. "And here I've been waiting for you all this time. You're so mean to your girlfriend—aren't you worried I might run away?"
Kaoru raised both hands, his expression unchanged: "I just hung out with Airi and the others."
His situation with Tachibana Akane was currently somewhat awkward.
If he were to mention Sakura Airi to them, it would likely trigger another wave of jealousy.
"Tch, no wonder someone targeted her. Whoever you get close to ends up suffering. If I weren't in so deep already, I'd want to run away right now."
Kushida Kikyo accepted his explanation, then let her thoughts wander. "Hey, will I be next? You care about us too much, making it completely obvious to others."
Karuizawa Kei felt somewhat sour.
Perhaps this was exactly why Kaoru had given the Protection Points to Kushida Kikyo.
"It'll be over soon. Nagumo won't be student council president next semester."
Kaoru tried to reassure them. "Now we just need one opportunity - one chance to take down Nagumo in one fell swoop."
Karuizawa Kei wasn't particularly interested in this topic, but Kushida Kikyo's eyes lit up.
"Things would definitely be easier without Nagumo, but what about Ryuen?"
Just as Kaoru was about to ask why they cared about Ryuen, another girl walked out from the living room.
"Um, hello, Kaoru-kun."
For some reason, Tachibana Akane had appeared here.
With a somewhat restrained smile, she greeted Kaoru lightly.
Kaoru froze immediately, because this underclassman senior was actually wearing a maid uniform - the same style that Kushida Kikyo and the others had worn before.
The black and white color scheme wasn't particularly revealing, but the low-cut design revealed a expanse of pale skin from the girl's full chest, plump and swelling, drawing Kaoru's gaze.
The corset made her figure appear even more slender, with the skirt hem only reaching her knees, revealing calves wrapped in white stockings below.
Since they were indoors, she wasn't wearing shoes, allowing a rare glimpse of her delicate feet.
Wrapped tightly in the sheer stockings, only her ankles showed a hint of tender pink, perfectly illustrating what it meant to be white with a rosy glow.
Though she appeared petite and delicate, this underclassman senior had one of the best body proportions Kaoru had ever seen in a girl - developed quite fully yet very well-balanced, neither too plump nor too thin.
Especially the proportion between her chest and her overall figure, even her calves had a slight R-rated appeal.
Recalling it now, he could still remember how excellent the texture felt.
But why was she here? Had Kushida Kikyo convinced her to participate in the Sound party?
Perhaps accustomed to such thought patterns, Kaoru's first reaction was that Tachibana Akane wanted to join the Sound party.
"Your relationship is really subtle, still using that form of address."
Kushida Kikyo teased Tachibana Akane with a giggle.
She had been eyeing this underclassman senior, secretly hinting at Kaoru with her eyes.
"I-I'm not really used to it yet."
Tachibana Akane tried hard to conceal her expression. "I heard your exams were over, so I thought I'd come ask about the situation. I'm relieved to see you're all safe and sound."
The latter part seemed like an explanation to Kaoru about why she was here - that she hadn't just shown up without reason.
"If we hadn't come to check, this senior would probably have been waiting pitifully downstairs for hours."
Karuizawa Kei took the opportunity to criticize Kaoru, complaining that someone had returned too late.
"That's not true! I was waiting in the café, wondering whether I should call or not!" Tachibana Akane wanted to prove that she, as their senior, wasn't a fool.
"So cute~"
Kushida Kikyo ran over and hugged Tachibana Akane.
Watching her senior blush crimson only made Kushida like her more, nuzzling against her repeatedly.
"Hey, someone~ Doesn't Akane-senpai look great in this outfit?"
He hadn't expected their relationship to become so harmonious, especially since their last meeting had been quite awkward.
What could Kaoru say? Other than nodding in agreement, he had no objections.
Fortunately, he was currently in a state of post-nut clarity.
"Senpai, are you wearing this to play house with me?"
Tachibana Akane blushed and quickly pushed Kushida Kikyo away.
"Kikyou-chan forced me to wear this!"
"That's right, it was me!" Kushida Kikyo patted her chest proudly, "Just as I imagined, Akane-senpai looks absolutely adorable in it!"
"Super adorable!"
Karuizawa Kei inexplicably got excited too, "Now quickly put on the cat ears! Let's take photos together!"
"No way! It's too embarrassing!"
Tachibana Akane covered her face.
The reason she had been dawdling and hadn't come out immediately to see Kaoru was precisely because she found this outfit utterly mortifying.
"Didn't we agree you'd all wear outfits too? Why am I the only one dressed like this?"
"Because there are only two maid uniforms. You're wearing one, so we can't have one of us going naked, can we?"
Kushida Kikyo replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Kaoru understood - the two girls had set up Tachibana Akane.
He hadn't expected the young senior to actually fall for it.
Though, this level of trickery wasn't particularly excessive - just typical playful banter between girls.
Returning to his living room, Kaoru noticed Horikita Suzune was absent.
She was probably on her period.
Strange, she usually still visited during this time. Why was she avoiding him now?
Even during her period, he wouldn't be that depraved, would he?
After the girls played around for a while, their stomachs began to growl.
Karuizawa Kei volunteered to prepare dinner, wanting to showcase her domestic skills.
Kaoru initially tried to help but was shooed out by Karuizawa Kei.
"That's weird. Why aren't you getting horny over Akane-senpai today?"
Kushida Kikyo felt his forehead as if suspecting he was sick, wearing an extremely puzzled expression.
Tachibana Akane stared at her in shock.
Even senior students had probably heard about the first-year "little angel," but discovering her dual personalities in public versus private must be utterly bewildering.
"Don't make me sound like some kind of sex-crazed animal."
Kaoru grabbed her hand. "The day after tomorrow is Kei's birthday. I wanted to discuss it with all of you."
"If it's about gifts, I can help!"
Kushida Kikyo immediately offered, "But I want compensation!"
Kaoru flicked her forehead: "I've already decided what to give her."
Kushida pouted pitifully: "Then why did you ask me? I'm such a convenient woman - just give me a little treat and I'll work three hundred percent harder."
He didn't need her to spell it out - Kaoru knew exactly what kind of "compensation" she meant.
"I plan to spend a day alone with Kei."
Kaoru thought for a moment. "The day after tomorrow is exam day, so I'm thinking of taking her out tomorrow."
Kushida Kikyo clicked her tongue: "That plan probably won't work."
"Why not?"
Kaoru asked curiously.
"Because Kei and Honami-chan already have plans. You just need to be their tool man."
Kushida Kikyo offered no further explanation, instead gazing at the ceiling with a melancholic expression before slowly crawling onto Tachibana Akane's lap.
"Only Akane-senpai can understand my feelings now. Ah, these couples..."
Kaoru was bewildered.
What were his two girlfriends secretly planning behind his back?
It seemed like everyone knew something he didn't?
"I think this is quite nice," Tachibana Akane whispered, "When the time comes, I'll give Kei a gift too."
Kushida Kikyo chuckled, "It feels like we're taking advantage of Akane-senpai. Both times it's been you giving us gifts."
"What's wrong with that? I'm your senior!" Tachibana Akane began to boast, though it was unclear what she had to be proud of.
"No, we need to return the favor to Akane-senpai too." Kushida Kikyo pointed at Kaoru, "Hurry up and kiss her! She's been waiting for you so long - you should pin her to the ground right now!"
Tachibana Akane flushed with embarrassment.
This little angel was completely a little devil! The true angel would have to be Ichinose Honami!
Wait, no - what Ichinose Honami did wasn't much better than Kushida Kikyo.
As a student council officer, she actually did such naughty things in the student council office...
Tachibana Akane could only look to Kaoru, thinking he would be normal, but he actually leaned in and kissed her.
The moment their lips met, he grasped the girl's shoulders.
The resistance she had been about to offer stopped there, and she obediently let him have his way.
Below them, Kushida Kikyo revealed a triumphant smile. She had skillfully opened Pandora's box.
Kaoru shifted slightly, unsure what expression to wear.
He looked at Tachibana Akane before him - she clearly felt the same way he did, face completely red, eyelashes fluttering, gazing at him softly and vulnerably.
"I-It's okay... you can think of me as a cup," Tachibana Akane mustered her courage.
Both Kaoru and Kushida Kikyo nearly choked, the latter widening her eyes in shock.
"Wait, Akane-senpai, do you actually know what that means?"
This was too absurd - had he already conditioned Tachibana Akane this quickly?
"O-Of course I know!" Tachibana Akane couldn't stand their looks, "It's... it's a vulgar meaning... Anyway... anyway I'm your girlfriend, what's wrong with helping my boyfriend?"
She'd probably get along well with Horikita Suzune, though Horikita Suzune saw her relationship with Kaoru as one of user and being used.
That way, Horikita Suzune wouldn't count as having fallen for Kaoru and she was often mocked by Kushida Kikyo for self-deception.
As for Tachibana Akane's meaning - she knew the true implication, but she didn't care. Instead, she considered this as one of a girlfriend's duties.
"Akane-senpai, you're spoiling this guy too much," Kushida Kikyo said with a resentful tone, having understood Tachibana Akane's meaning.
"When you become a mother someday, you'll definitely be the kind who can't bear to scold her children."
"Who's going to become a mother!" Tachibana Akane denied, her face red.
Kaoru covered Kushida Kikyo's mouth to keep her from speaking any further.
If this continued, Tachibana Akane would run away - the young senpai couldn't handle such teasing.
"Mmmpfh!" Kushida Kikyo glared at him, cheeks puffed in anger.
Faced with Kaoru's fierce expression, Tachibana Akane didn't dare move, probably recalling the scene from the office.
"Wah! What are you all doing!" Kei Karuizawa pointed at them with a soup ladle, fuming with anger.
"At least wait until I finish cooking before doing something like this! Sneaking food behind my back... I'm not into that kind of cuckoldry nonsense!"
Kaoru and Tachibana Akane exchanged glances.
So it wasn't about their relationship that she cared about, but rather them eating without her?