It wasn't because of a sudden jolt, but rather the abrupt change in position—
That was what made Misaki =let out that startled, almost girlish yelp.
Just a moment ago, she'd been riding on =Makoto's back. Now, as if by magic, she had somehow ended up in a princess carry.
A princess carry. A princess carry!
If a piggyback ride could still be considered relatively normal, this posture was definitely not.
Since ancient times, the princess carry had been a way for men and women to express romantic affection.
The meaning it conveyed was pure romance.
And if both parties happened to have feelings for each other, then this gesture would send those emotions skyrocketing.
As for the current situation—
Makoto still seemed fairly composed under the circumstances.
Misaki, on the other hand, had already fallen into complete chaos. Her eyes stared blankly at his face while her arms, almost mechanically, looped around his neck.
I… I… am I really okay like this…?
I should… probably jump down, right? No matter how you look at it… this is just moving… way too fast.
B-but…
This should have been an incredibly embarrassing situation—yet this warmth, this scent… what was going on?
Because of the way her arms were around his neck, her head was resting against his chest.
Which meant she could feel—
That strong, blazing heartbeat.
And she could smell—
A clean, pleasant fragrance, faintly like gardenia blossoms.
It was nothing like what her clique members had once described—no stench of sweat that supposedly clung to all boys.
Wrapped in that scent, she felt like she just wanted to stay here forever.
It was the very embodiment of a sense of safety.
Here, she wouldn't need to face the scheming between powerful figures, or think about maintaining her carefully built faction, or keep her guard up against conspiracies targeting a Level 5 like her.
It was relaxation, from the depths of her heart to the very surface.
"At the end of the day, you're still just a 14-year-old girl, huh."
With a rumble of thunder from the sky, heavy rain began to pour down.
And the Misaki in Makoto's arms drifted completely into dreamland—her peaceful, beautiful sleeping face untouched by the storm.
Makoto took off his jacket and draped it over her, leaning forward as he ran to shield her from the falling rain as much as possible.
So—
Even with lightning flashing and rain pouring down outside, Misaki still slept soundly in his arms, undisturbed.
It was a display of absolute trust—she had given Makoto all of it.
That was why she could look so utterly defenseless now.
The rain was still coming down.
Although Makoto was running at full speed, they had already wasted a lot of time earlier thanks to Misaki, so it was impossible to avoid getting caught in the downpour.
But in a way, the rain was actually a stroke of luck.
Because of it, the streets were nearly deserted, and Makoto could run along the main road without worrying about attracting a scene.
Thanks to that, a trip that would normally take at least fifty minutes was cut down to about twenty.
The downpour had come quickly, but ended just as fast.
Its duration was exactly as Academy City's forecast had predicted—precise down to the second.
After slipping through a narrow alley between two buildings, Makoto arrived in front of a modern, six-story apartment complex with white stone slabs making up the pathway.
Three buildings stood in a concave arrangement, with a small garden in the open space below.
At first glance, it looked like a student dormitory.
And indeed, that was exactly what it was.
This was District 7—one of the most important areas in the entire city.
It occupied the largest area of all the districts, housing most of Academy City's schools and student dorms.
For a city centered around students, District 7 was naturally vital.
As for this dormitory in front of them—
No, don't get the wrong idea. This modest, civilian-style dorm wasn't Misaki's residence.
She was a Level 5, after all!
She attended one of the city's five most prestigious schools—Tokiwadai Middle School.
An elite academy with an entire student body of just 180 girls, all at least Level 3 espers.
Its mission was to cultivate the highest-class young ladies.
Naturally, the rules were strict.
A tight curfew was enforced—outsiders could not enter the Tokiwadai dorms without a special pass, and residents had to be back before 8:00 p.m. or face penalties.
And the current time?
They were well past that.
Misaki was also sleeping far too soundly to be of any help in guiding him to her dorm.
So, he had no choice but to take her to his place.
Unlocking the door, he stepped inside. It was a simple, single-room apartment.
"Sleeping like the dead, huh?"
He gently set her down on the tatami floor. She still showed no sign of waking.
After a moment of watching her sleep and setting down his water glass, he knelt beside her, removing the jacket he'd used to cover her.
Immediately, she curled up like a little cat, her body shrinking into a ball.
"Hey, Miss Shokuhou, we're here. Time to wake up."
Makoto wasn't exactly being rough, but he wasn't overly delicate either, giving her shoulder a light push.
She stretched lazily, rubbed her drowsy eyes—
"We're here already?"
Her voice was soft and sweet, the kind that could crumble any man's defenses in an instant.
Her beautiful, starry eyes blinked open as her vision cleared, the surroundings gradually coming into focus.
"Where is this?"
Everything around her was unfamiliar.
"This is my place."