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3:40 PM.
The dismissal bell rang on time.
Kitahara Makoto grabbed his backpack immediately and headed straight for the Astronomical Club.
Since Takamatsu helped so diligently, Kitahara Makoto naturally couldn't just sit back and do nothing. During lunch break, he went to the backyard garden and, as expected, found Takamatsu Tomori engrossed in catching bugs.
Unfortunately, their luck wasn't good. They couldn't catch all types of insects even after the entire lunch break. It wasn't until the break of the first class in the afternoon that Kitahara Makoto received a message from Takamatsu: the last type of bug had finally been successfully captured and was currently all in the Astronomical Club's activity room. After all, many people are afraid of bugs, and it would be inconvenient to bring them to the classroom.
"When I get home tonight, I'll dry the bugs with a drying lamp, and the daily quest for 'The Insect Book' will be completed..." Kitahara Makoto walked up to the vending machine. "I must thank Takamatsu properly. I've decided she's a friend; she really comes through when needed."
A moment later.
Kitahara Makoto, holding a drink, arrived at the door of the Astronomical Club's activity room.
Knock, knock, knock.
Kitahara Makoto raised his hand and knocked on the door.
Even if the door is open, one should knock before entering when outside; this is one of the rules of social interaction.
"Come in."
Takamatsu Tomori's calm voice came from inside the activity room.
"Excuse me."
Kitahara Makoto pushed the door open and entered. He looked around; Takamatsu Tomori was the only one in the not-so-large activity room. Takamatsu, with her gray short hair, sat by the window, quiet and adorable, like a delicate doll-like girl.
"Tomori-chan, I'm here." Kitahara Makoto handed her the drink. "You worked hard today, please have this drink."
"I, I don't drink..."
Takamatsu Tomori quickly shook her head nervously, refusing in a low voice.
She was clearly a bit flustered facing a gift from a boy.
"This is a thank you gift for your help today. If it weren't for Tomori-chan, I definitely wouldn't have been able to find all the insects by myself." Kitahara Makoto immediately explained, "Please accept it, and it's normal for friends to treat each other to drinks, isn't it?"
"F-friends?"
Takamatsu Tomori's face showed surprise.
Kitahara Makoto's tone became disappointed: "I thought Tomori-chan already considered me a friend. So I misunderstood..."
"No, no misunderstanding." Takamatsu Tomori stammered, always kind-hearted, "We are already friends."
Kitahara Makoto smiled:
"Since we're friends, please accept this drink."
"Thank you..."
Takamatsu Tomori parted her pink lips and finally took the drink.
"Tomori-chan, where are the bugs?" Kitahara Makoto asked, "I've already made plans with someone and have things to do later."
Today's main quest was still Ghost-senpai's search for her relatives.
Before school ended, Kitahara Makoto had already given Bocchi-chan and Miss Fallen Ojou-sama a heads-up, but he still needed to hurry.
"They're all in the drawer..."
Takamatsu Tomori opened the drawer, which contained many bottles and jars, as well as a whole large box of various colored band-aids.
"This is a seven-spotted ladybug..."
"This is a scarab beetle..."
Takamatsu Tomori happily took out her trophies, introducing them one by one to Kitahara Makoto.
Just moments ago, she was a quiet, introverted, and gloomy silent girl, but now, having found a connection, she immediately became lively and bright.
"Eh?"
After taking out the last small box, Takamatsu Tomori's face suddenly showed an anxious expression:
"It's, it's gone."
Kitahara Makoto asked:
"What's gone?"
"The rhinoceros beetle." Takamatsu Tomori bit her pink lower lip, rummaging through the drawer. "I caught a small rhinoceros beetle and put it in this box, but now it's gone."
"It probably snuck out." Kitahara Makoto gently reassured her, "Don't worry, let's search carefully. Maybe it's still in the activity room."
"..."
The Astronomical Club's activity room wasn't large, so Kitahara Makoto and Takamatsu searched separately.
Not long after, Kitahara Makoto suddenly heard a happy little shout from behind him:
"Found the rhinoceros beetle! It's under the desk."
Kitahara Makoto turned to look and saw Takamatsu Tomori already lying on the floor, half her body reaching under the desk, personally going to catch the rhinoceros beetle.
So white.
Dazzlingly white.
Bright sunlight streamed in from the window, falling perfectly on Takamatsu's body. The girl's uniform was originally long enough, but now that Takamatsu Tomori was kneeling on the floor to catch the rhinoceros beetle, her legs, which were normally hidden under the skirt, were naturally exposed to the air.
Against the black over-the-knee socks, the girl's thighs appeared even whiter and creamier. Kitahara Makoto felt his eyes were momentarily dazzled.
Not only that, Kitahara Makoto could even vaguely see a simple blue and white... cup.
As expected of you, you truly don't treat your friends as outsiders!
Kitahara Makoto only looked for two more seconds, and his blood quickly converged under the impulse of biological instinct, and an uncontrollable urge surged in his mind:
Cute, want to...
Want to what?!
Someone is helping seriously without expecting anything in return, yet he's thinking such lewd thoughts. How is that any different from a beast?!
"Listen not to what is contrary to propriety; look not at what is contrary to propriety..."
Kitahara Makoto took a deep breath, quickly averted his gaze, and did not act on impulse.
Unfortunately, girls are always sensitive to boys' gazes. Takamatsu Tomori clearly realized her predicament of being exposed after the fact. She quickly covered her skirt with her hand and then hurriedly tried to pull herself out, even hitting her head with a thud against the bottom of the desk.
"Ugh..."
A muffled groan echoed in the activity room.
Kitahara Makoto looked at the cherry blossoms falling outside the window and waited for a while, originally thinking Takamatsu Tomori had gotten up. But when he turned his head, Takamatsu was still kneeling under the desk in the same posture as before.
"Tomori-chan?" Kitahara Makoto couldn't help but ask, "Are you alright?"
"N-no, I'm fine..."
If you're fine, then get up quickly!
No matter how aloof you are, you should know that there's danger when a boy and a girl are alone in a room, especially when you're in such an awkward position. Any boy's sanity would just drop rapidly!
Kitahara Makoto waited a little longer, then turned his head and saw Takamatsu Tomori still kneeling in an awkward position on the ground. Not only that, but her breathing had clearly become heavy. He couldn't help but ask again:
"Are you sure you're really okay?"
"..."
After a brief silence, Takamatsu's voice was filled with shame and was very faint: "Hair..."
Kitahara Makoto didn't hear clearly and took half a step closer: "What did you say?"
"My hair... got caught..."
Kitahara Makoto hesitated for two seconds, then suggested: "How about I help you take a look?"
"..."
After a brief silence, Takamatsu responded in a low voice:
"...Please."
Kitahara Makoto wasted no time, quickly walked behind Takamatsu, and knelt down.
Sensing the boy's proximity, Takamatsu Tomori's body quickly tensed up, clearly very nervous. The two had only met today and didn't know each other well. It would be fine if she were a girl, but Kitahara Makoto was a boy... Even a stoic girl couldn't help but feel nervous.
"Don't be afraid, I promise I won't do anything strange," Kitahara Makoto comforted her gently. "Besides, it's a clubroom, so if Tomori-san shouts loudly, someone will rush over quickly."
Takamatsu Tomori managed to turn half of her small face. Because she had been kneeling for too long, her face was already flushed, and she said dazedly:
"The Astronomical Club is very remote... Even if I shout until my throat is hoarse, no one will come..."
Kitahara Makoto: "..."
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