Only upon getting closer did Shikime Natsu focus his attention on this beautiful girl's face.
It was a face full of youthful vitality. Her skin was fair and delicate, revealing a faint pink hue, like a freshly ripened peach that made one unable to resist the urge to take a bite.
Most striking of all were those cherry-red eyes, appearing as if they held cherry blossom petals. They were clear and bright, with the corners slightly upturned, carrying a bit of natural charm, yet perfectly neutralized by a somewhat dazed temperament.
Her long orange-red hair was draped casually over her shoulders. A few strands appeared somewhat messy due to the fall just now, but instead, it added a touch of endearing, disheveled beauty.
'Another quite cute beautiful girl,' Shikime Natsu lamented secretly in his heart.
The feng shui of this school was truly ridiculously good; one could pick up a god-tier beautiful girl just by taking a few casual steps.
Moreover, this was another fish that had slipped through the net.
In just a short day, first he discovered Himeno Yuki, who was unexpectedly interesting despite her cold face, and now he had encountered this slightly dazed and cute beautiful girl.
It seemed he would have to come out and walk around more often in the future, otherwise, how many fine sceneries would he miss?
"Um... thank you!"
Asahina Nazuna raised her head, those cherry-red eyes full of gratitude, and she scratched her hair with some embarrassment.
"Thank you so much, Shikime-kouhai."
"Mn?"
Shikime Natsu raised an eyebrow slightly.
Shikime-kouhai?
It seemed this Senpai knew him.
"Senpai knows me?" Shikime Natsu asked with a smile, his tone carrying just the right amount of doubt.
"Of course!" Asahina Nazuna blinked and said with a smile. "Shikime-kouhai is a celebrity in the school right now. Not only do you shine brilliantly in the Tennis Club, but you are also that legendary... Claw Machine God! It would be hard not to know you~"
"Am I already that famous?"
Shikime Natsu touched his nose and smiled somewhat helplessly.
"I didn't expect that after so much time had passed since those events, I would still be remembered by Senpai."
"Hehe, it's very hard to make people forget about you, Shikime-kouhai. I just didn't expect to meet you so coincidentally."
Asahina Nazuna smiled.
"Then, I haven't asked for Senpai's name yet. What is Senpai called?" Shikime Natsu asked, following the flow.
"Just call me Asahina-senpai."
"Okay, Asahina-senpai."
Shikime Natsu nodded slightly, and his gaze immediately fell on her ankle.
"Asahina-senpai, it seems your foot is sprained?"
Hearing this, Asahina Nazuna's small face instantly fell, and she lowered her head in embarrassment.
"That... it's because I didn't pay attention to the road when walking, and accidentally..."
Her voice became smaller and smaller; clearly, she felt this matter was quite shameful.
To be such a grown adult and still trip while walking, she was simply a model of clumsiness.
Shikime Natsu chuckled lightly, his gaze sweeping over the mobile phone tightly gripped in her hand.
So she was a phubber.
She was probably looking at her phone or making a call just now, too engrossed to notice the steps beneath her feet.
However, now was not the time to roast her.
He glanced at Asahina Nazuna's calf. On the originally fair and smooth skin, there was now an obvious bruise and several scrapes, stained with a bit of dirt. It needed to be treated properly.
"Asahina-senpai is injured. If it's not treated in time, it might get inflamed. Do you want my help?"
Shikime Natsu squatted down and looked carefully.
"? No need, no need!"
Asahina Nazuna waved her hands hurriedly, somewhat flattered.
"This little injury doesn't matter, I'll just go back and fix it myself..."
"Do you really not want it?"
Shikime Natsu raised his head, looking at her with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
Looking at Shikime Natsu's expression, Asahina Nazuna felt that if she said she didn't need it, this junior of hers might really turn around and leave.
"Ah... wait!"
Asahina Nazuna panicked the moment she saw him about to leave.
Her foot hurt terribly right now, and she couldn't stand up at all. If Shikime Natsu really left, would she have to sit here all night?
"Then... I'll leave it to you, Shikime-kouhai..." she said in a low voice, blushing.
"That's the right choice~"
Shikime Natsu smiled.
"Wait for me here a moment."
After speaking, he turned and ran toward the convenience store not far away.
Not long after, he returned with a bag of items.
Gauze, disinfectant, cotton swabs, and even a bottle of 'freshly bought' purified water. This bottle of water was actually conjured directly by him using his superpowers; after all, saving a penny is earning a penny.
"Here, use this to clean the wound first."
Shikime Natsu handed the items to Asahina Nazuna.
Although he also wanted to personally help the beautiful girl treat her wound, considering it was their first meeting, behaving too eagerly could easily arouse the girl's aversion.
At such times, maintaining an appropriate sense of distance was the mark of the most brilliant hunter.
Last time, Shikime Natsu didn't use his massage technique to help Karuizawa Kei recover either, but instead carried Karuizawa Kei to the infirmary.
"Thank you..."
Asahina Nazuna took the items and began to clean the wound cautiously.
The disinfectant poured onto the wound brought a slight stinging pain. She couldn't help but furrow her brows, but she didn't make any strange sounds, nor did she reveal any unsightly expressions.
After treating the wound, Asahina Nazuna raised her head and looked at Shikime Natsu gratefully again.
"Thank you so much, Shikime-kouhai. You really are a reliable and yasashi good junior!"
"It was just a small effort~"
Shikime Natsu revealed that signature yasashi smile, so sunny it was dazzling.
"So, now that the wound is treated, what does Asahina-senpai plan to do next? Do you want me to send you back?"
"That..."
Asahina Nazuna hesitated slightly.
"Shikime-kouhai hasn't eaten dinner yet, right? How about... to thank you, I treat you to dinner?"
"Treat me to a meal, huh..."
Shikime Natsu looked at Asahina Nazuna.
"Can Asahina-senpai walk to the cafeteria?"
"O-Of course I can!"
Asahina Nazuna propped herself up against the ground, refusing to admit defeat, and wanted to stand up.
However, although the scrapes on her calf were not a hindrance, the sprain in her ankle flared up genuinely.
The moment she exerted force, a piercing pain transmitted up from her ankle.
"Ouch!"
She cried out in surprise, her body went soft, and she fell back onto the steps.
"Looks like it's a no-go."
Shikime Natsu looked at her with some amusement.
"Better not force it. Let's owe the meal for now. It won't be too late for Senpai to treat me next time when your foot is healed."
"Next time..."
Asahina Nazuna paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Mn! Then it's a deal. Next time I definitely have to treat Shikime-kouhai to a big meal!"
"Alright, then I'll be waiting~"
Shikime Natsu chuckled lightly.
Very good, agreement for the next meeting achieved √.
"So now, let me send Senpai back first."
Shikime Natsu turned around in front of Asahina Nazuna and squatted down halfway.
"Get on, Senpai."
"?!"
Looking at the broad back before her, Asahina Nazuna's face turned completely red instantly, like a fully ripened tomato.
"N-No need! This is too..."
"Then who does Asahina-senpai plan to have take you back?" Shikime Natsu asked without looking back. "Call your classmates? Or... boyfriend?"
"Looking at Senpai's current situation, you won't be able to move for a while."
"I-I don't have any boyfriend!"
Asahina Nazuna retorted subconsciously.
Shikime Natsu was also aware of the fact that she didn't have a boyfriend. After all, in the CGs, if a beautiful girl had a boyfriend, there wouldn't be a CG—unless, of course, the boyfriend was himself.
Asahina Nazuna bit her lip. Thinking it over left and right, it seemed there really wasn't a better method than this.
If she asked classmates to come, several would have to come to carry her back. After all, they were all girls, and the girls she knew were the relatively delicate type. If she crawled back herself... that scene was too beautiful to imagine.
As for letting Shikime Natsu hold her... heavens, that princess carry posture, she would absolutely die of shame and find a crack in the ground to crawl into!
By comparison, carrying on the back seemed to be the most acceptable method.
"Then... then I'll trouble you..."
Asahina Nazuna took a deep breath, cautiously extended her hands, wrapped them around Shikime Natsu's neck, and then pressed her body against him.
"Mn."
Shikime Natsu reached back with both hands, steadily supporting the girl's thighs, and then stood up.
At that instant, an extremely wonderful sensation was transmitted from his back.
Although separated by the school uniform, he could still clearly feel that astonishing scale.
Compared to the last person who leaned on his back, Karuizawa Kei, this Asahina-senpai belonged to the type who looked smaller when dressed.
Those hands supporting the girl's thighs could also feel the delicacy and warmth transmitted through the skirt hem. The skin in his hands was firm and smooth.
Of course, Shikime Natsu was a gentleman of integrity and didn't make any excessive moves, only supporting her properly. But this didn't hinder him from enjoying this rare benefit.
And Asahina Nazuna, lying on Shikime Natsu's back, was also flushing red all over at this moment, her heart beating so fast it seemed like it would jump out of her throat.
This was her first time being carried by a boy, and also her first time having such close contact with a member of the opposite sex.
Moreover, this person was Shikime Natsu, recognized by the whole school as number one in looks and possessing super high popularity.
If other girls saw this, they would definitely be envious and jealous enough to want to assassinate her, right?
However...
Although she was very shy, she had to admit that Shikime Natsu's back was truly very broad and very solid, giving one an inexplicable sense of security.
Furthermore, his body didn't have that smelly sweat odor; instead, there was a faint fragrance that smelled very soothing, like the air after rain, fresh and natural.
Lying on his back, she unexpectedly had an impulse to just fall asleep like this.
"Say..."
To alleviate this ambiguous atmosphere that made one blush and one's heart race, Asahina Nazuna suddenly had a thought to tease Shikime Natsu a bit. She looked at Shikime Natsu's profile.
"Shikime-kouhai, if this appearance is seen by your girlfriend, she won't get jealous, right?"
Asahina Nazuna.jpg
"Girlfriend?"
Shikime Natsu smiled, speaking in a casual tone.
"I don't have one, you know."
"?!"
Asahina Nazuna widened her eyes in shock.
"How is that possible? Shikime-kouhai is so outstanding, handsome, can play tennis, catch dolls, and has good grades... yet surprisingly doesn't have a girlfriend?"
"Are there no girls confessing to you?"
"Well about that..."
Shikime Natsu thought for a moment; it seemed there really weren't any.
Since enrolling, although he could always feel the fiery gazes of the girls around him, not a single one had truly dared to walk up to him and hand over a love letter to confess.
Probably because everyone was too reserved?
Or perhaps, because he performed too perfectly, creating a sense of distance like 'can be observed from afar but not played with'?
Of course, if someone really came to confess at this time, they would probably only receive an exquisite 'Good Person Card'.
After all, for him who wanted to collect all CGs, hanging himself on a single tree too early was a great taboo.
"Maybe because I'm not outstanding enough yet; I still need to grow properly~" Shikime Natsu said modestly.
"That's too modest!"
Asahina Nazuna couldn't help but roast him. Shikime Natsu could be said to be versed in both civil and martial arts, and moreover, he treated people very gently. At least when in contact with Shikime Natsu, Asahina Nazuna didn't feel any discomfort.
"If this doesn't count as outstanding, then the boys of the whole school would probably be ashamed enough to jump into the sea. Shikime-kouhai, you are already good enough. Really, there is no girl who wouldn't like you!"
If Sakayanagi Arisu, Horikita Suzune, and Kushida Kikyou heard this right now, their heads would probably be full of question marks: Like? Wanting to beat him to death is more like it!
"Haha, then I'll take Senpai's auspicious words~"
Shikime Natsu said with a smile, and then changed the topic.
"By the way, Asahina-senpai, which building is your dormitory in?"
He didn't want to let this Senpai gossip too much further. In case they chatted about other cute girls, or some unnecessary misunderstanding arose due to gossip, causing Asahina Nazuna's favorability toward him to stop merely at 'best friend,' then the loss would outweigh the gain.
After all, for him who aspired to clear the game with full CGs, every beautiful girl was a potential target, and he absolutely would not allow a situation where someone remained an outsider.
Since you are already lying on my back, don't think about running away, Asahina-senpai.
"Ah, at..."
Asahina Nazuna reported her dormitory location.
"Okay, then setting off toward the destination~"
Shikime Natsu adjusted his posture to make the girl on his back a bit more comfortable.
"But next time Senpai must be careful. Otherwise, if you fall again next time and no one sees, you might really have to spend the night on those cold steps."
"Ugh... I know..."
Being lectured by her junior like a child, Asahina Nazuna's face turned a few shades redder.
"It absolutely won't happen next time!"
The two chatted on and off, the topic always firmly controlled by Shikime Natsu.
However, just as Shikime Natsu was carrying Asahina Nazuna past the vicinity of the library, a slightly cold gaze was suddenly cast over.
Kamuro Masumi, who had just come out of the library holding a book, happened to see this scene. Kamuro Masumi had secretly come to the library today originally intending to track Shikime Natsu and Shiina Hiyori.
But she didn't see Shikime Natsu come over; only Shiina Hiyori was holding a study session for her class. Originally, having relaxed her vigilance after the studying was over, she planned to return to the dormitory, but surprisingly saw such a scene.
Even though Shikime Natsu had never carried her on his back!
However, Kamuro Masumi also knew that this definitely had to do with the girl on Shikime Natsu's back. She should have fallen and gotten injured, leading to an inability to walk or something similar, and it should be their first meeting, as Kamuro Masumi hadn't seen her before.
Watching the two talking and laughing, Kamuro Masumi felt somewhat unhappy; she was jealous.
Those purple eyes were somewhat resentful. How could this guy flirt with women so much? She was so angry she felt she was going to split apart.
____
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