After Ayanokoji Kiyotaka finished bandaging, he went to the ward where Ikishima Midari was resting.
Her wound was already bandaged, and she could leave the clinic at any time, but the doctor still advised her to stay here for two more days of observation.
Because she had eaten the [Milk Candy], Ikishima Midari was still asleep. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had already agreed for her, and she would decide whether to leave after she woke up.
Anyway, the ward was free; no extra money was needed.
Ikishima Midari lay on the hospital bed. When she was asleep, she was quiet and elegant, and the two silver-white studs on her cheeks gave her a mysterious gothic beauty, like a sleeping European princess.
—It was impossible to tell that she would be a madwoman who would actively replace a blunt instrument with a sharpened dagger, wanting to self-harm.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka sat by Ikishima Midari's bed. The anesthetic effect of the [Cake] had long worn off.
Feeling the dull ache in his left hand, Ayanokoji regretted it even more, laughing self-deprecatingly.
If Ikishima Midari hadn't suddenly gotten injured this time, and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had used the System's power to win the last two rounds, he might still be smug now, thinking that exchanging an injury for victory was a brilliant choice.
Perhaps from then on, he would continue this dangerous gambling method.
It was Ikishima Midari's injury this time that poured cold water on his arrogance.
Ikishima Midari only changed her own dagger. If she had changed his too, he dared not imagine the consequences.
What had possessed him to risk his left hand to play such a dangerous game as Quick Knife Finger Stab?
Because of Ikishima Midari's body?
Then why did he have no interest at all now that she was sleeping soundly in front of him?
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's inbox still held several R-rank items that could alleviate his pain and speed up his recovery, but he didn't want to use them now.
The pain in his left hand allowed him to more clearly recognize his foolishness this time, teaching him a lesson.
…Doing such idiotic things once was enough.
It was already dark now. The casino had closed, day students were gradually leaving school, and students living inside the school were also leaving the Club Building to eat at the school restaurant.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka wasn't hungry. He didn't go to eat. He sat by Ikishima Midari's side for a while. Seeing that she showed no signs of waking up, he turned his gaze to the hospital bed next to hers.
This female doctor, treating them as a couple, thoughtfully prepared a double ward so Ayanokoji Kiyotaka could stay and keep watch.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had already told his father this morning that he wouldn't be going back tonight.
Unexpectedly, on the first day of not going back, he wasn't staying in a hotel but had to spend the night in a hospital.
After experiencing so much today, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka also felt tired.
The ward thoughtfully provided phone charging cables. Before going to sleep, he didn't forget to charge his phone.
…
When Ikishima Midari woke up, it was already the next day.
She opened her eyes, felt the pain in her left hand, and laboriously sat up from the bed, seeing a male sitting by her bedside.
"You're awake."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka put down his phone, poured a cup of warm water from the kettle, and handed it to her: "Drink some water."
Ikishima Midari subconsciously reached for it with her left hand, but halfway through, she felt a tearing pain and couldn't help but cry out.
But then, she actually laughed "hehe," looking at her left hand, which was bandaged like a zongzi, with a mesmerized expression, seemingly very excited.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka watched her coldly, placing the water on her bedside table.
Ikishima Midari finally looked up after several minutes: "Ayanokoji, were you here all last night?"
"I slept on the bed next to yours." Ayanokoji pointed to the spotless, clean, and seemingly unused bed next to Ikishima Midari.
Originally, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't like folding quilts, but under Hiratsuka-sensei's meticulous education, folding quilts had become his habit, which he had maintained for several years.
Ikishima Midari didn't seem to care about this. She raised her left hand and smiled at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: "As you can see, I can't play the fifth game anymore.
"You won this gamble. Both the casino and my body are yours."
Ikishima Midari said, then asked curiously, "By the way, since you and I were in this room last night, and I was asleep the whole time, didn't you do anything to me?"
Ikishima Midari seemed genuinely curious about this.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka rolled his eyes: "Forget it. I don't want to be Shinji and take advantage of someone when they're lying in a hospital bed."
Ikishima Midari didn't watch anime, so she didn't know what Ayanokoji Kiyotaka meant, but the general idea was that he didn't want to make a move while she was asleep.
"Is that so…"
Ikishima Midari straightened up, showing no sadness of a loser, and even with anticipation in her tone, she said: "So now you are the victor, and you have the right to dispose of me, the loser. Whatever you do to me, I'm willing to cooperate!"
"I heard that the first time doing that kind of thing hurts a lot. I'd like to try and see how much it hurts…"
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked up at her.
Ikishima Midari was only wearing a white shirt on her upper body, and the top two buttons were undone, revealing her ample bosom and well-endowed figure.
When a girl says she'll let you do whatever you want, no male could possibly ignore such words, right?
As if sensing Ayanokoji's scrutinizing gaze, Ikishima Midari deliberately opened her mouth and licked her tongue. The stud on her tongue shimmered in the sunlight, as if coated with the highest-grade lubricant.
"When I got my piercing, the tattoo artist told me that when you use your tongue to do that kind of thing for a male, the male feels extremely comfortable… Do you want to try it?"
Ikishima Midari's tone was full of temptation, and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka almost couldn't hold back, but when he saw her left hand wrapped in bandages, his desire instantly vanished.
Ayanokoji shook his head and softly said, "Let's not for now. Your left hand just got stitched up yesterday; you can't exert force or get it wet, otherwise the wound will easily split open. I don't want to be in the middle of something and see your hand bleeding profusely, then have to call a doctor."
Although Ikishima Midari was a little disappointed, she agreed with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's judgment: "You're right. Then, when my injury heals, I'll do it with you."
Both seemed to tacitly agree that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was the winner of this gamble.
After a moment of silence, Ikishima Midari still couldn't forget the gambling, and she looked up at Ayanokoji with anticipation: "Ayanokoji, after my injury heals, can you still gamble with me?"
Ayanokoji glanced at her, expressionless: "...Do you still want to gamble with Quick Knife Finger Stab?"
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