Sakayanagi glanced at the time; it was indeed getting late.
It would be a bit reckless to look for someone at this hour.
Although she felt a slight regret that Amane hadn't asked for her help, her mood had improved quite a bit after feeding Amane just now.
"If there's nothing else, you should go back. I'm going to take a shower."
"Go back for what? I'm staying here tonight."
Sakayanagi stopped what she was doing.
Amane rubbed Sakayanagi's head.
It was very soft and smelled nice; she must clean herself thoroughly every day.
"Wait, what did you just mean?"
Sakayanagi looked as if she had heard something terrifying.
"It means exactly what it says. I'm staying here tonight."
Amane said, already unbuttoning her skirt.
"No, I'm not asking about that... You, why are you staying here?"
Sakayanagi covered her eyes while loudly questioning Amane.
"I can't help it. Suzune locked me out, and it's because of you, so it's normal for me to stay here tonight, right?"
Amane naturally slipped into Sakayanagi's bed.
"It's not normal at all!!! If a girl doesn't let you into her dorm, why don't you go back to your own dorm?"
Sakayanagi's words made Amane pause.
"Oh, right, I have my own dorm, but I'm already in here... Look."
Amane gently patted the empty space beside her.
Sakayanagi quickly backed away a few steps.
"I'm not sleeping on the same bed with you again!"
"Didn't we often do this before? I can't sleep without something to hug, so just one night... Arisu, when did we become so distant?"
Amane's lost expression made Sakayanagi's heart soften.
"Only for tonight."
Sakayanagi said, then took her change of clothes and went to take a shower first.
Listening to the faint sound of water splashing from the bathroom, Amane's ears twitched.
Ahem.
Arisu had been in there for too long.
What if she fell inside?
Perhaps Arisu needed help right now.
Amane tiptoed to the outside of the bathroom.
Then she saw the words 'No Peeking' written on the door.
Damn it!
A quick peek wouldn't hurt.
Just as Amane was about to turn back, the bathroom door suddenly opened.
Sakayanagi, wrapped in a towel, and Amane stared at each other.
"Amane, you weren't trying to peek, were you?"
Sakayanagi leaned close to Amane, her fair fingertips tracing from Amane's cheek to her neck.
Amane's breathing fluctuated slightly.
Sakayanagi chuckled and released her other hand, letting her cane fall, while she herself collapsed into Amane's arms.
Her other arm wrapped around Amane's neck.
"What do you want to do to me?"
Sakayanagi lightly tapped her toes, asking Miyako Amane in the softest voice right next to her ear.
The scent of shower gel wafted into Amane's nostrils.
Sakayanagi's loosely tied bath towel faintly revealed two small, milky-white mounds, a captivating size that seemed to fit perfectly in one hand.
"Can I?"
Amane wrapped her arms around Sakayanagi's waist.
"Of course... you can't!!! Is idiot Amane thinking perverted thoughts again? You're hopeless. I won't let you have your way so easily... Wait, what are you doing?"
Sakayanagi saw Amane directly pick her up by the waist, and she immediately became flustered. She had only meant to tease Amane.
At least for now, she wasn't ready for that step.
"You tease me and then try to run?"
Amane's voice was a bit hoarse.
Her expression had also become one of impatience.
She looked just like those people in some'study materials' she had secretly read, those who were consumed by desire.
"Amane, let go! We... we can't, the light! The light isn't off yet!"
The next second.
Snap!
After a crisp sound.
The light switch near the door miraculously turned off.
The room plunged into darkness.
Only Amane's increasingly heavy breathing could be heard.
"Amane..."
Her bath towel was untied.
By the moonlight, Amane could see Sakayanagi's elf-like delicate face still carrying a hint of panic.
Even Sakayanagi, known for her composure, was caught off guard by Amane's sudden attack.
Amane gently embraced Sakayanagi's petite body.
"I... I don't have experience in that area. Later... if it hurts a lot later... please be gentle."
Sakayanagi timidly pleaded with Amane.
She wasn't a girl who was easily scared, but facing the unknown process, Sakayanagi was still a bit uneasy.
"What are you talking about?"
Amane rubbed Sakayanagi's cheek.
"You... you weren't going to... take it... today?"
"I just need a soft pillow. Although it's a bit small and not as comfortable to hug as Suzune, your skin is super smooth and feels amazing!"
Amane's words plunged Sakayanagi into silence.
"Miyako Amane!!! Are you an idiot? I was all prepared, and you actually..."
"I actually what?"
Amane's mischievous chuckle made Sakayanagi's face turn crimson.
"Go to hell!"
Sakayanagi grabbed the brown bear pillow and threw it at Amane.
However, Amane caught it with one hand.
As for the other hand?
"Amane, isn't your hand... in the wrong place?"
Sakayanagi's mouth showed signs of twitching.
If it were just resting there, it would be fine, but the key was that Amane wasn't being well-behaved.
"I remember someone saying they'd 'drain' me... How come we've barely started and you're already giving up? Tsk tsk tsk, Arisu, you're not very good."
At the mention of this, Sakayanagi Arisu frowned in confusion.
"Do these two things have any relation?"
"Why wouldn't they? Are you regretting it now and want to take back what you said? All you need is one 'I love Amane the most,' and then a little kiss, and this matter will be over. How about it? I'm very understanding."
Amane tossed the pillow aside, propping her head with one hand to admire Sakayanagi's expression, while continuing to toy with the softness.
Sakayanagi took a deep breath.
"What I meant was, I'd give you information, and you'd have to play chess with me all night, draining your time."
Sakayanagi's voice was icy cold.
"Eh? If you say it like that, anyone would misunderstand, right?"
"Only Amane, whose head is full of perverted thoughts, would misunderstand, right?"
Sakayanagi directly pinched Amane's cheek.
"Ow ow ow, it's a misunderstanding, just a tiny misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding my foot, go to hell, Amane!!!"
...The next morning.
When Amane opened her eyes, her first reaction was to touch her shoulder.
Hiss.
Amane couldn't help but gasp.
Clearly visible teeth marks.
Yesterday, Sakayanagi had abruptly bitten her shoulder.
She hadn't expected the teeth marks to still be there in the morning.
She looked down.
Sakayanagi Arisu, who had been wild and completely uninhibited yesterday, was now quietly lying in Amane's embrace.
She was as docile as a sleeping kitten.
Perhaps... she was different from herself.
Amane had enough capital to choose to abandon everything from before and live a new life at Kou-Iku.
But... not everyone gets a chance to start over.
The last time Arisu was so happy seemed to be during the snowball fight.
Even though Arisu had difficulty with her legs, she laughed loudly from beginning to end, even when Amane almost buried her in snow.
Yet, her face was still beaming with joy.
But... ever since that day Sakayanagi Arisu went back and was scolded by her mother.
In Amane's memory, she hadn't seen her smile once in almost six years.
Yesterday... perhaps Sakayanagi Arisu had simply used Amane's name to vent freely for once.
The real idiot was Sakayanagi Arisu.
Fool.
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