"Dylan Sensei, your gaze..."
Feeling Dylan's scorching gaze, Kikuchi Sonoka's face turned very red, and her eyes began to dart around, not daring to look directly at him.
"Ahem, sorry."
"It wasn't as noticeable when you were wearing the down jacket. When you took it off, everything was suddenly on display. It was truly breathtaking!"
Hearing Kikuchi Sonoka's voice, Dylan coughed awkwardly twice, then spoke his mind.
This sight, which man could possibly resist?!
"Is that something you can say directly to a girl? Dylan Sensei, you're so naughty..."
Hearing Dylan's extremely direct words, Kikuchi Sonoka's face grew even redder. She then turned her face away and spoke in a tone that was more coquettish than reproachful.
"I'm just speaking the truth. Also, aren't you cold standing outside? It's autumn now, and the temperature has started to drop significantly."
Dylan understood the meaning in her words, a smile couldn't help but appear on his face, and he then gestured with the blanket he was holding.
"It is cold. But after I get in, you won't... try anything funny, will you?"
Kikuchi Sonoka hugged her shoulders, rubbing them to generate warmth. Looking at the bed before her, which had started to radiate heat after only two or three minutes, an expression of longing appeared on her face.
"What kind of nonsense are you thinking! Didn't you come here to ask questions? I haven't sunk to the level of making a move on my own student."
"Alright then."
Hearing Dylan's reproving words, a look of relief appeared on Kikuchi Sonoka's face, yet her heart felt a little disappointed.
Clearly, this wasn't the answer she wanted to hear.
Compared to being proactive, she preferred to be passive. If Dylan could be a bit more assertive at this moment, she would definitely get excited!
Sighing inwardly, Kikuchi Sonoka sat on the bed, bent down to take off her shoes and socks, revealing her beautiful, jade-like feet.
Lifting the blanket, despite her heart pounding "thump-thump," she mustered her courage and slipped in, sharing the same bed as Dylan.
"So warm..."
Feeling the warmth of the bed, the young woman's face was full of enjoyment. The chill from her thin clothes dissipated in an instant.
This was a feeling one could never experience alone at home, someone having warmed the bed in advance, just waiting for you to come in and enjoy...
"I'm turning off the lights."
Seeing Kikuchi Sonoka get in, and looking at her flawless face, Dylan reached out and turned off the lights. The next moment, the room plunged into darkness.
"So dark..."
With the surroundings suddenly dark, Kikuchi Sonoka muttered a small complaint.
Dylan was on the opposite side of the bed. Because they were very close, she could clearly hear his breathing and feel the faint warmth of his breath on her cheek.
This feeling...
Her hand, resting in the bed, couldn't help but move to her chest. Feeling her heartbeat growing stronger, Kikuchi Sonoka felt her body burning hot, as if something was on fire.
Especially in the darkness, she didn't know what Dylan was doing, whether he was looking at her, or what his hands in the bed were doing...
"Go on, what problems did you encounter in your cooking? You can ask about previous problems too; we can take this opportunity to answer them all for you."
Pulling the blanket further up, Dylan yawned, looking incredibly lazy, and then asked Kikuchi Sonoka.
"Ah? Oh... Actually, when I was making Western cuisine today!"
Dylan's voice snapped Kikuchi Sonoka out of her embarrassment. Realizing she had been overthinking things, she buried her head in the blanket.
After a good while, she began to talk about the problems she had encountered, soon getting into the flow and talking animatedly with Dylan.
In a session of questions and answers, Kikuchi Sonoka learned a lot and also forgot the awkwardness of sharing a bed, becoming completely immersed in the ocean of knowledge.
Just as Dylan had said earlier.
Not only the problems encountered this time but also previous ones—whenever she remembered them, she would ask, and Dylan would patiently answer.
This process lasted for over two hours.
During this time, without either of them noticing, their bodies drew closer and closer, until Dylan's hand touched something incredibly soft.
"Hmm? What's this..."
A puzzled sound escaped his lips.
"Mmm..."
A slightly seductive sound came from Kikuchi Sonoka's mouth. The young woman, her cheeks exceptionally rosy, looked at Dylan, a hint of shyness in her eyes.
"Dylan Sensei, I'm a little cold. Can you come a bit closer?"
Although embarrassed, this was also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Given Dylan's earlier gaze, and now this seemingly inadvertent but actually planned move, if she just showed a little interest in that direction, he would definitely be eager!
"Alright, it's getting late anyway. Let's sleep."
Dylan said, boldly embracing Kikuchi Sonoka. He had to admit, this girl had a great figure—slim where she should be slim, and curvy where she should be curvy. Holding her was more comfortable than any bolster pillow.
"Okay, good night, Dylan Sensei."
Feeling the heat in front of her, the young woman's face grew even redder, her breathing becoming somewhat rapid. She closed her eyes, relaxed her body, and a strong sense of anticipation welled up in her heart.
However, Dylan, while holding her, actually just went to sleep. Apart from his hand tightly around her waist, there were no other movements.
This gradually cooled her fervent heart, and her gaze towards him gained a hint of resentment. She even began to doubt her own charm.
"Forget it, let's sleep first."
Having been in the dark for a long time, she could more or less make out the silhouette of the young man before her. Looking at his incredibly peaceful sleeping face, Kikuchi Sonoka watched him for a long time, finally revealing a relieved smile.
This was the Dylan she knew. If he had made a move on her at this moment, it would have been different from the him in her memory.
Although a bit regretful, Kikuchi Sonoka didn't feel sad. After all, compared to before, the two of them were now sleeping in the same bed!
In a sense, it was progress.
Thinking of this, Kikuchi Sonoka found a comfortable position in Dylan's embrace, closed her eyes, and genuinely savored the beauty of this moment.
The first time in her life entering a boy's room, the first time lying on a boy's bed, the first time sleeping with a boy.
She truly hoped that the beauty of this moment could last forever.
The next morning.
Sunlight 灑落 on the large white bed. Dylan opened his eyes, suddenly feeling a pressure on his chest.
Looking up, he found Kikuchi Sonoka clinging to him like an octopus, and the pressure he felt was indeed from her chest—the weight was too astonishing!
"This girl... how did she suddenly end up like this while sleeping? Even the blanket has been kicked to the floor. No wonder she's hugging me like this; she probably sees me as her only source of heat..."
Taking a few seconds to clarify the current situation, Dylan analyzed the scene and came to this conclusion.
If his memory served him right, last night he should have been holding Kikuchi Sonoka's waist, and she was lying beside him.
But now, her entire body was pressed against him...
If someone were to suddenly burst in at this moment, he probably wouldn't be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.
Dylan thought with a wry smile, then reached out towards Kikuchi Sonoka, planning to get her off him first.
However, just then, a knock came from the door: "Dylan Sensei, the bus is about to depart. Erina-sama asked me to come and get you."
"Got it, you go on ahead. I'll be over in a moment."
The sudden voice made Dylan subconsciously lower his hand. Noticing where his hand had landed, his expression became rather peculiar.
Because, Kikuchi Sonoka in front of him had also opened her eyes after feeling a strange sensation on her body. It took only a second for her to go from dazed to mortified.
"So you finally couldn't hold back and revealed your true nature, Dylan Sensei..."
On the bus, Dylan looked at his hand, unable to help but recall the sensation from earlier.
Because it happened so suddenly, when Kikuchi Sonoka opened her eyes, he hadn't immediately withdrawn his hand. On the contrary, he had even pressed his five fingers inward a little.
Fortunately, the other party didn't get angry. After a brief moment of bewilderment, as if having made up her mind, she lowered her head and kissed him.
Then, out of shyness, she quickly got up, threw on her down jacket, slipped on the hotel slippers placed by the door, opened the door, and rushed out of his room.
The moment she opened the door, she brushed past Hisako Arato and finally disappeared at the end of the corridor, leaving the two embarrassed individuals looking at each other.
Dylan would never forget the look Hisako gave him when he reached the door.
It was a complex gaze, a mixture of shock, resentment, disbelief, shyness, disappointment, envy, and other emotions.
However, when he had changed his clothes and come out, Hisako Arato didn't say anything, just blushed and didn't dare to look at him, clearly having misunderstood something.
Dylan didn't explain, nor did he deign to explain.
He merely inquired about the content taught yesterday, and only when she could answer everything did he nod with satisfaction, then followed her downstairs to the bus.
It was worth mentioning that while there had been twenty to thirty buses when they arrived, only two remained for the return trip. Catching glimpses of the scenery flashing by the window, Dylan's gaze was somewhat lost in thought.
Ring.
The phone rang. Dylan looked down and found that the message was from Kikuchi Sonoka, the one who had kissed him and run off earlier.
Kikuchi Sonoka: [That kiss just now was my heart's intention. I like Dylan Sensei. I liked you back in Guangzhou, I just didn't know then that this was 'like.' But now, to be precise, after our call that day, I deeply understand my own feelings. I, Kikuchi Sonoka, like Dylan. Of course, I don't expect you to like me too; that would be too unreasonable. But I want to ask for your permission to stay by your side. Just being able to watch you from the side, I'm already content!]
In Dylan's room, Kikuchi Sonoka had come to retrieve her forgotten socks and shoes.
Dylan had thoughtfully placed the room key under the mat by the door and texted her about it, so it didn't take her much effort.
"Dylan Sensei..."
After sending the text, Kikuchi Sonoka felt a bit breathless. She tossed her phone aside, her face flushed, not daring to look at it.
Then, she threw herself onto the bed. After calming down for a bit, she buried her face in a nearby pillow, gently sniffing the scent.
Although faint, some of Dylan's scent still lingered.
That kiss this morning, born from deep emotion, had completely made her understand her own feelings.
When she ran out and came to her senses, even she was a little surprised that she would make such a bold move, especially since she preferred to be passive...
Ring.
The phone rang. Kikuchi Sonoka turned over, lying on her back, staring blankly at the ceiling, her chest rising and falling, her heart beating very fast.
After calming down for a good while, she finally mustered the courage, reached for the phone beside her, and with trembling fingers, unlocked it with her fingerprint and opened the screen.
Dylan: [Actually, I'm quite fond of you too, and I do have feelings of 'like'; otherwise, I wouldn't have taken such good care of you. But there are quite a few people around me. If we were to be together, it would be difficult for me to treat you as the only one. However, I will do my best to make you happy.]
Looking at the message from Kikuchi Sonoka on his phone, Dylan thought for a moment before replying.
The girl had already mustered her courage to confess to him; how could he continue to play dumb? So, he decisively stated his thoughts.
He was an out-and-out admirer of looks. Kikuchi Sonoka was beautiful and cute, with an astonishingly good figure; she was his type in every aspect.
Of course, these were not the decisive factors for his affection. The most crucial thing was that the young woman had an excellent personality—soft and yielding, making one want to cherish her intensely and compellingly!
He was no exception. If he hadn't had reservations yesterday, Kikuchi Sonoka absolutely wouldn't have left his room unscathed!
"Yay!"
On the other side, seeing the message from Dylan, an expression of joyful surprise appeared on Kikuchi Sonoka's face. She then picked up her phone and started typing again.
Kikuchi Sonoka: [It's okay, I can accept everything about Dylan Sensei! Besides, the fact that many people like Dylan Sensei just proves how strong your charisma is. This should be something to be happy about!]
"So... Dylan Sensei likes me too? That's right, who would let someone they don't like stay overnight, sleep holding them, and even..."
After sending the message and putting down her phone, thinking about what had just happened, Kikuchi Sonoka's face reddened a few shades more. She then buried her face in the pillow again.
"What's making you so happy? You haven't been able to stop smiling since just now."
Seeing Dylan holding his phone, occasionally typing a few words, a constant smile on his face, Alice Nakiri asked curiously.
"Chatting with someone, it makes me very happy."
Dylan answered truthfully.
"Who is it?"
Hearing Dylan's words, a sense of vigilance couldn't help but arise in Alice Nakiri's heart. She then looked towards his phone, wanting to see who was contacting him.
"Kikuchi Sonoka."
Dylan didn't hide it and directly handed her the phone to look, appearing very generous.
"Oh, it's her. I asked her about the details of the Guangzhou Special Grade Examination before. She's a very gentle and beautiful girl. Do you like her?"
Seeing Dylan being so frank, much of the vigilance in Alice Nakiri's heart dissipated. She stopped looking at his phone and then asked, feigning nonchalance.
"Mm, she just confessed to me."
"And you agreed?"
Dylan's words made Alice Nakiri's tone rise a few pitches, attracting the attention of many people.
"Of course. After all, she finally mustered her courage; it would be too pitiful to refuse. Don't worry too much about it. No matter what, you are still my favorite girl. That won't change no matter who comes along!"
Dylan nodded, still not hiding anything. At the same time, worried that she might get jealous, he once again expressed his feelings for her.
"I know, I was just curious. Kikuchi-senpai, huh? She has a pretty good reputation at Tōtsuki, liked by many boys. She is indeed qualified to be by your side."
Hearing Dylan's undisguised words, Alice Nakiri felt her heart skip a beat, but she still forced a smile for him.
Although she had previously said it was fine if he had several girls.
But, when it truly came to this moment.
Hearing Dylan agree to Kikuchi Sonoka's confession, Alice Nakiri still felt uneasy; simply put, she was jealous.
However, Dylan's honesty was very comforting to her.
This proved that he was a responsible man, or perhaps he simply didn't care about these things, and love was just a bit of spice in his culinary life.
"Master."
After a few minutes of silence, as if brewing something, Alice Nakiri suddenly spoke.
"What's wrong?"
Dylan put down the phone he was using to chat with Kikuchi Sonoka and looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"In two more months, it will be winter break. I checked the official website; this year's Guangzhou Special Grade Examination will be held in November. During this period, I hope you can train me in the strictest way possible. After I pass the Guangzhou Special Grade Examination and become a Special Grade Chef, I want to... with you..."
When saying the last sentence, due to her shyness, Alice Nakiri leaned close to Dylan's ear and whispered her long-cherished reward in an extremely low voice.
"Originally, I planned to wait until you were eighteen. But if the appearance of others has given you a sense of crisis, moving it up a bit isn't out of the question. The Guangzhou Special Grade Examination, I'll accompany you on that trip. After you become a Special Grade Chef, I will fulfill your wish."
Looking at Alice Nakiri's determined eyes, and thinking of the girl's unreadable expression when he mentioned Kikuchi Sonoka earlier, Dylan finally agreed.
Because of Alice Nakiri's initial confession, Dylan had decided to reserve his first time for her, which was why he maintained a gentlemanly conduct towards those other proactive girls.
As for why he specifically wanted to reserve it for her.
Purely because Alice Nakiri had accompanied him the longest and was also the first girl to make his heart flutter; he wanted to give his youth a perfect ending.
"No need, let me go by myself. You've accumulated a lot of prestige in Guangzhou. I don't want others to know I'm your disciple and give me preferential treatment. I want to pass the culinary examination with my own strength and earn the honor of a Special Grade Chef fair and square!"
If it were before, Alice Nakiri would definitely be very happy if Dylan said this, but after experiencing the midterm assessment, she wanted to be a bit more independent.
Dylan had made a great name for himself in Guangzhou and knew many titans of the Guangzhou culinary world.
If Dylan took her to participate in the Guangzhou Special Grade Examination, it was possible someone might give her special treatment, which was not what she wanted to see!
_____
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