Nakano Nino's skin had always been flawless—well, truthfully, all five sisters had excellent skin.
The girl had clearly agreed to let him put on her stockings. But after waiting for a while, she noticed he still hadn't moved and was instead openly admiring her foot. Anxiety flashed briefly in her eyes. "Hey, what are you thinking about? You're not still thinking about earlier, are you?"
Shirase deliberately kept a straight face. "I was just thinking—probably no one in this world actually likes licking smelly feet."
"What did you just say?"
As a beauty-conscious and delicate young lady, Nakano Nino could never tolerate someone calling her feet smelly.
Especially if that someone was a boy she genuinely liked.
Driven by sudden embarrassment and anger, her temper flared. Without thinking, she lifted her foot and aimed a kick directly at Shirase's face—a kick so fierce it felt like it could launch summer itself.
But Shirase's physical abilities had been enhanced twice by the system. Nino's delicate kick, to him, looked as slow as a movie missing several frames.
He simply raised a hand and easily caught hold of her soft foot again.
Of course, the girl's foot wasn't smelly at all. It carried a faint scent, similar to the subtle fragrance always present on her body.
Her foot was as soft and warm as her palms. The moment Shirase grasped it again, Nino's slender leg instantly stiffened nervously.
"Stop moving around."
Shirase spoke gently this time, no longer pausing to admire. Instead, he carefully began sliding the white thigh-high stocking onto her leg.
As the soft fabric moved gradually upward, Nino—already overwhelmed with embarrassment—clenched her fists tightly, heart racing faster than ever.
Especially when the stocking reached the very top, tightly hugging her thigh, she could distinctly feel the warmth from Shirase's fingertips.
Nino blinked rapidly, breathing shallow and rapid, her chest rising and falling clearly—everything revealing her inner turmoil.
Shirase naturally noticed this, but he remained quiet, knowing if he teased her further, the thin-skinned girl might snap from embarrassment.
And that would ruin everything he'd accomplished so far.
"Done."
With Shirase's announcement, the white thigh-high stockings now neatly covered Nino's beautifully pale legs.
"Mhm… Mm."
Nino gave two muffled responses, a bead of nervous sweat forming at the tip of her delicate nose.
Returning to his seat, Shirase calmly remarked, "Just as I thought—this look suits you best."
"Suits me?" Nino's eyes shot back with dissatisfaction.
I let you take advantage, and that's all you can say?
But Shirase looked perfectly serious. "Well, if they'd been black stockings, it would've been perfect. Since they're white, let's say it's just natural."
"Pervert!"
Nino snapped at him, yet a thought involuntarily entered her mind: I actually do have black stockings at home… Maybe next time, I'll wear them for him.
After all, she had total confidence in the attractiveness of her legs.
Shirase didn't linger long after that. It was already quite late, and staying too long in Nino's bedroom as a boy wouldn't be appropriate anyway.
Better just stay all night.
After standing up and heading toward the door, he suddenly heard the girl's shy voice behind him.
"Um… Are you free next weekend?"
"I am." Shirase turned around.
Nino's cheeks were still flushed, her gaze flickering nervously. "Well, my friends were supposed to go shopping with me, but something came up, and they canceled. So, if you're free… How about we go see a movie together after dinner next Saturday?"
"Is this an invitation for a date?" Shirase looked very serious.
Nino immediately denied it. "Of course not! It's just… friends hanging out."
"I see." Shirase nodded knowingly. "Since it's a date invitation, I'll accept. By the way, will you be wearing black stockings next week?"
"I will not! You pervert—I already said it's not a date!"
Watching Shirase leave, Nino shamefully covered her burning cheeks. She couldn't believe she'd actually invited him to the movies, especially considering her friends had messaged her just this morning about the classic romance film returning to theaters.
But seeing Shirase chatting privately with Itsuki on the balcony, and hearing her sisters' carefree laughter, she couldn't resist her impulsive jealousy.
Perhaps it was that subconscious sense of crisis that made her instinctively want to act.
"Black stockings… a pervert will always be a pervert. Did you really think I'd do what you said? I'll purposely wear white ones instead!" Nino resolved defiantly.
But recalling her bold invitation just now made her pale face flush all over again.
Returning to her bedroom, Nino gazed out the window at the familiar figure fading into the distance. Gently touching her still-warm face, she thought: Tonight's moonlight must be too strong—it's even making my face burn.
Unfortunately, the moon disagreed.
...
Meanwhile, Shirase, having left the apartment, had already anticipated Nino's reaction.
Truthfully, black stockings or white stockings—he liked them both.
But if he hadn't mentioned his preference, knowing Nino's personality, tomorrow she might've even gone out without wearing stockings at all.
Such exquisite legs not wearing stockings would simply lack soul.
When he arrived home, Kojima Kana was sprawled comfortably on the couch watching TV, just like always. When Shirase entered, she merely glanced at him briefly before returning to her show.
"Kana-nee, why did you leave without even telling me?" Shirase asked, entering the living room after changing shoes.
Still staring at the screen, Kana replied nonchalantly, "Even though I'm close to them, I'm still quite a bit older than the girls. There's inevitably a generation gap. Staying too long probably would've made them uncomfortable."
"No way—they were secretly admiring you," Shirase said matter-of-factly.
"Huh? Really?" Kana immediately abandoned the TV, spinning around and crawling excitedly to the edge of the sofa, pressing her chest against the armrest so hard it seemed the buttons on her shirt were protesting.
Shirase laughed, continuing, "You probably didn't notice, but while you were talking, even Nino was secretly stealing glances at you. If I had to guess, they were admiring your mature charm."
"Really?"
Kana smiled so brightly her eyes curved into crescents. No longer lying down, she sat up properly, smugly wiggling her hips and running her hands over her slender waist, exuding satisfaction. "Well, it can't be helped! Who told your dear sister to have such an amazing figure and aura? Honestly, this body alone—I can't even count how many men are dying to chase after me."
Puffing out her chest with pride, she added arrogantly, "But unfortunately for them, up until now, no man has managed to gain access to your beloved sister~"
Shirase briefly glanced at her alluring curves, thinking inwardly: I'm pretty sure gaining that access would come with plenty of risks…