The sound of knocking pulled me out of my sleep.
"Souta-kun! Wake up! You'll be late!"
Her clear, pleasant voice rang out from outside. It was the voice of my childhood friend and first love, Minase Kotoha.
In my last life, I would have groaned, complained and treated her like a nuisance. Now, her voice filled me with nothing but joy. I was young again.
"Coming!"
"Should I wait for you?"
"Yeah!"
I swung out of bed and ran to open the door for her.
And there she was.
Kotoha stood in her school uniform, hair tied back in a loose ponytail. A few wisps clung to her cheeks, still flushed from her jog to my door. Her big eyes, round and clear, met mine with that same unguarded innocence I remembered, framed by lashes that made her look too perfect for this world. Her face was doll-like, lips a soft cherry red, parted just slightly as she caught her breath. Lips I could already imagine wet with spit, stretched around me.
Her blouse hugged the shape of her chest, modest but tempting, the faint outline pulling tight when she shifted. That small swell was nothing compared to the other women I'd one day take, but on her it was pure. An untouched treasure I wanted to claim first.
Her skirt swayed against her thighs, pale and smooth, each step teasing flashes of skin that made me imagine gripping them hard enough to leave marks. Her socks clung snug around her calves, lines guiding my eyes lower before dragging them back up again, tracing every inch of her legs.
She smiled, bright and clueless.
She looked so innocent, but I knew better. Behind that smile was a girl with a submissive kink. She loved to kneel and beg for anal sex.
"Just a second. I need to dress myself."
"Umu. Okay."
She was a little flustered from how I treated her. I always told her to go ahead first and would always end up late to class.
"Do you want to come in?"
"Is that fine?"
"I don't mind."
My house was quite spacious. A two-bedroom, two-story house, perfect for a small family of three. After my parents passed away in junior high, it became a place that was too big to live in, too empty for someone like me.
"It feels pretty weird to be in here so early in the morning."
"Is it?"
"It is! And I haven't been in here in a while."
"That's because I always head to your place, right?"
"Right!"
Kotoha was always so friendly and bright. It was no surprise I couldn't forget her. We got together near the end of school and broke up shortly after graduation. After we went our own separate ways, she became a famous gravure model.
"But Souta-kun?"
"What is it?"
"How long are you going to talk to me like this? We'll be late if you don't start dressing."
"I'm sorry. I'm in a pretty good mood today."
"Is it because it's the first day of school?"
"Hm. Could be."
"Get to dressing already!"
"But you're the one who kept on talking."
"Are you blaming me right now?"
"I'm not. Or should I start dressing here?"
I tugged my shirt halfway up.
"W-what are you doing!? Hic!"
"Just kidding."
"Hic!"
It was so cute to see her hiccuping from embarrassment I almost confessed on the spot.
"Be right back!"
I hurriedly changed into my uniform so I could see Kotoha again. She sat nervously in the living room, fidgeting her fingers, her skirt smoothed neatly over her lap.
"I'm back. Let's go."
"That was really fast."
"Maybe we have time to sit around and eat?"
"Souta-kun… If we do that we'll really be late!"
"Should we be late for school together?"
"It's the first day. We can't be late!"
"Okay. Okay. No need to get mad."
She pushed me outside and we began to walk to school together. Her cheeks ballooned up like a blowfish, pouting cutely.
"Are you mad?"
"I'm not mad."
"Yes you are."
"I'm not mad."
"Yes you are."
She pouted again. She was so cute, I could tease her forever. It was easy to get her back into a good mood too.
"Look. A butterfly."
"Where?"
"Over there, see?"
"It's so pretty…"
It was the beginning of spring. Flowers blooming, blossoms falling, the air alive with color and newness. It was easy to catch the sight of butterflies dancing above the grass.
The morning air was cool, carrying the scent of wet earth. Houses lined the street, neat and silent.
Kotoha walked beside me, swinging her bag, humming under her breath like she didn't have a care in the world. I watched her out of the corner of my eye—the sway of her skirt, the way her blouse pressed against her chest with each step, her track-toned legs moving light and careless, yet clumsy in the most endearing way.
We chattered about school, about little things, about nothing at all. In my previous life, I treated this as nothing. Now, every laugh, every glance she stole in my direction made me fall for her all over again. It made me want to put a collar on her and fuck her until her voice gave out.
"But you feel a little different, Souta-kun."
"How so?"
"Much brighter, and happier."
She wasn't wrong. At this point in my last life, I was still washed over by the depression of losing my parents. I treated her coldly, but she never treated me any differently. That was why I fell in love with her in the first place.
"Really? I thought you were going to bring up what happened in the house."
"D-don't mention that anymore."
"I'm just kidding. Do you prefer me this way?"
"I-I do."
Seeing her blush profusely like this was cute too. Soon enough, I'll make you even cuter, Kotoha. You're the cutest when you call me Master.
We passed under the school gate, the stone arch framed by falling cherry blossoms.
In this world, education begins a little later, high school first years are 18 years old when they enroll.
First High was a fairly prestigious school. I got into here because of my family's donations. On the other hand, Kotoha was smart. She got in here with her scores.