Shikime Natsu's voice fell incredibly harshly on Sakayanagi Arisu's ears.
"An ordinary person with a little bit of cleverness..."
These few words were like heavy slaps, striking fiercely across her face.
It had to be known that ever since she was a child, no matter where she was, she had always been an existence crowned with the title of "genius."
Her wisdom, her insight, her ability to strategize—these had always been the capital she was most proud of.
But now...
Absolutely everything had been denied.
"I'm not..."
She subconsciously wanted to retort, wanted to loudly tell Shikime Natsu that she was special, a one-of-a-kind genius.
But...
The words reached the tip of her tongue, yet she simply couldn't voice them out.
Because the cruel reality was laid bare right before her eyes.
She lost.
Moreover, it wasn't losing to the unfathomable Shikime Natsu, but rather losing to that "ordinary person" she had always looked down upon, Kamuro Masumi.
An ordinary, even somewhat clumsy mortal, relying merely on a few weeks of effort and Shikime Natsu's tutoring, had crushed her head-on in the domain she excelled at the most.
How could this let her retort?
All her pride, all her self-esteem, seemed to turn into a joke in this moment.
A sense of humiliation continuously churned within Sakayanagi Arisu's heart.
Those cute purple eyes that originally always sparkled with a confident light were now gradually veiled by a faint mist.
Tears swirled in her eye sockets, as if they would burst through the dam at any given moment.
With this young lady's personality, if she cried, she would probably cry for a very, very long time, right?
Of course, Shikime Natsu didn't have the sick hobby of making girls cry.
Especially in this kind of public setting, with a group of proctors standing right beside them.
If he really made the Chairman's precious daughter cry, who knows, that guy Sakayanagi Narumori might actually make things difficult for him later on.
Although he wasn't afraid, less trouble was better than more.
"That is all I have to say."
Shikime Natsu stopped his speech at the right moment, his tone softening slightly.
"As for how you should choose your path going forward—whether to continue immersing yourself in the false dream of being a 'genius,' or to recognize reality and start anew...
"That is entirely up to your own choice, Sakayanagi."
After saying this, he paused. Shifting the topic, a playful smile hung on his lips once again.
"However, before that...
"Please absolutely remember to fulfill the wager between us.
"Even if you're going to cry, you still have to settle the bill first."
Shikime Natsu didn't want to generously give up this hard-won spoil of war just because of a few drops of a girl's tears.
No matter what, this was the fruit of victory that Kamuro Masumi had gone all out to win back.
If he just let Sakayanagi Arisu off because of soft-heartedness, wouldn't he be taking a massive loss?
Not to mention...
After Kamuro Masumi's victory, he still had to fulfill the condition he promised her.
If he didn't recoup a little something from Sakayanagi Arisu's end, this transaction wouldn't be cost-effective no matter how he calculated it.
Paying no more attention to Sakayanagi Arisu, who stood blankly in place with a complex expression, Shikime Natsu took Kamuro Masumi and left the academic building.
With the exam finished, the time had also just reached the lunch hour.
"Masumi."
Shikime Natsu turned his head, looking at the young girl beside him.
"Do you want to come back to my dorm for lunch?"
Kamuro Masumi froze for a moment, then nodded, a trace of imperceptible pleasant surprise flashing through her purple eyes.
"Mm... alright."
Going to Shikime Natsu's dorm for lunch on a weekend was indeed quite a rare occurrence for her.
After all, from what she knew, whenever the weekend arrived, Shikime Natsu was always surrounded by other girls.
But today...
Since he was actively inviting her, Kamuro Masumi naturally wouldn't be so foolish as to refuse.
Actually, before Shikime Natsu issued his invitation, a thought had also flashed through her mind.
Should she... invite him to her own dorm?
And then personally prepare a meal for him with her own hands?
But just as this thought sprouted, she completely snuffed it out herself.
No, no way...
Her current skill level was still completely inadequate!
If the food she made turned out to be too awful, it would be far too embarrassing...
She should wait until she practiced more in the future before bringing it up.
...
Returning to Shikime Natsu's dorm.
Shikime Natsu skillfully changed into his slippers, turned around to look at Kamuro Masumi, and revealed a smile on his face.
"Masumi, congratulations once again on your victory."
Hearing these words, Kamuro Masumi nodded gently, an indescribable sense of accomplishment welling up in her heart.
It was true.
She had actually, truly defeated that arrogantly insufferable Sakayanagi Arisu.
It had to be known, during the pop quiz just two weeks ago, there was still quite a gap between her and Sakayanagi Arisu.
But now...
In just a little over two weeks, she had crossed this chasm and stood in the position of the victor.
All of this...
"This is all thanks to you."
Kamuro Masumi raised her head, those aloof eyes appearing exceptionally serious at this moment.
"If you hadn't been constantly helping me review, preparing questions for me... wanting to defeat Sakayanagi would have been fundamentally impossible for me."
She was very clear in her heart.
The credit for this victory belonged to Shikime Natsu.
"Hehe, don't say that."
Shikime Natsu smiled and waved his hand, walking to the fridge to take out a bottle of juice and handing it to her.
"It also involves your own hard work, Masumi.
"If you weren't willing to learn yourself, I wouldn't be able to teach you even if I had the abilities of the heavens.
"Just how hard you've worked during this period, I've seen it all with my own eyes."
"..."
Hearing this sentence, the hand Kamuro Masumi used to grip the juice bottle tightened slightly, and a blush involuntarily flew across her fair cheeks.
So...
Her efforts, her dedication... he had been seeing it all along?
This feeling of being watched over, of being acknowledged, caused her heartbeat to involuntarily quicken a few beats.
Very quickly, Shikime Natsu got busy in the kitchen.
In no time, a few dishes perfectly balanced in color, aroma, and taste were served on the table.
The two sat facing each other, enjoying this rare period of tranquility.
Kamuro Masumi ate her food in small bites, glancing stealthily at Shikime Natsu across from her from time to time.
She opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but the words reached her lips only to be swallowed back down.
After doing this repeatedly several times, Shikime Natsu finally set down his chopsticks.
He wiped his mouth with a napkin and, looking at Kamuro Masumi's hesitant appearance, asked with a smile.
"What's wrong, Masumi?
"Is there something you want to say to me?"
He paused, a measure of understanding in his gaze.
"Is it about... that agreement?"
Since it had been brought out into the open, Kamuro Masumi decided to stop acting coy.
She took a deep breath, put down her chopsticks, and nodded.
"Mm. I want to use that promised condition... is now okay?"
"Of course, I am at your service anytime."
Shikime Natsu leaned back in his chair, watching her with a smile.
"Then... I'm going to say it."
Kamuro Masumi's voice trembled slightly.
Shikime Natsu nodded again, his gaze gentle.
Being stared at by him with this kind of look, Kamuro Masumi felt her cheeks burning astonishingly hot, and those purple eyes didn't dare to look directly at him, becoming slightly evasive.
"I hope..."
She bit her lip and finally summoned the courage to speak.
"For the following questions, you have to... answer me completely truthfully."
Shikime Natsu slightly raised an eyebrow, a trace of surprise flashing through his eyes.
He had originally thought she would use this rare opportunity to bring up a request for him to accompany her on a date, or perhaps ask for some special gift.
He didn't expect...
It was actually just to get a promise of a "truthful answer"?
But thinking about it again...
If she wanted a date, given their current relationship, she actually didn't need to use this condition at all.
As long as she asked, he wouldn't refuse.
"Alright."
Shikime Natsu nodded seriously.
"Since this is your wish, then I promise you.
"Ask away."
Kamuro Masumi raised her eyes and looked at Shikime Natsu.
In those purple pupils, a light flickered slightly, intertwining anticipation and apprehension.
She was hesitating.
She was afraid.
If she voiced the following words out loud, then...
This ambiguous veil between them would be completely torn away.
Perhaps, everything would become irreversible.
But...
She didn't want to continue waiting in such an unclear manner anymore. Furthermore, currently wearing the lucky hairpin Shikime Natsu had gifted her, she should be very lucky. She didn't know since when, but Kamuro Masumi had developed a superstition toward this seemingly ordinary hairpin gifted by Shikime Natsu—a hairpin that could bring luck.
"Natsu..."
Kamuro Masumi took a deep breath, then slowly spoke. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was very clear.
"How... exactly do you view me?"
In order to prevent Shikime Natsu from misunderstanding, she specifically added another sentence.
"I mean... as a member of the opposite sex."
Hearing this question, Shikime Natsu froze slightly.
Immediately after, looking at the young girl's face written full of nervousness and earnestness, he instantly understood everything in his heart.
So... that was what she meant.
"If it is this question..."
He looked into her eyes and delivered the answer, pausing after every single word.
"I like you, Masumi.
"It's the kind of like... towards the opposite sex."
Hearing this answer, Kamuro Masumi's entire being froze directly on the spot.
Her brain seemed to crash in this instant, completely unable to process this sudden influx of information.
She...
She had clearly only asked for his opinion of her.
How...
How did Shikime Natsu just directly confess?!
By the time her brain restarted its functions, a massive wave of heat instantly swept over her entire body.
Her cheeks turned bright red at a speed visible to the naked eye, to the point where even the roots of her ears and her neck were dyed in a layer of pink.
Shikime Natsu... actually liked her?
Did this... did this count as being confessed to?!
The immense joy almost drowned her.
But...
Kamuro Masumi was not completely blinded by this sudden happiness.
She forced herself to calm down.
Even if she was still dying of embarrassment in her heart, there were some things that she absolutely had to ask clearly.
"Then..."
She raised her head, those moist eyes locked tightly onto Shikime Natsu, and asked that most fatal question.
"Then regarding... the other students... and those other girls... do you also view them the same way?"
This question was extremely sharp, perhaps even somewhat inappropriate for the occasion.
But Shikime Natsu did not evade it.
Since he had promised to answer truthfully, he wouldn't lie.
"Mm."
He nodded, his tone calm and honest.
"I also like them."
Hearing this expected yet incomparably cruel answer, Kamuro Masumi's shoulders trembled slightly.
She looked at Shikime Natsu, the light in her eyes dimming a few fractions, carrying a complex and hard-to-understand emotion.
Actually...
Ever since a long time ago, she had already faintly guessed it.
For someone like Shikime Natsu, how could he possibly belong to only one person?
"I really hate two-timers..."
Kamuro Masumi lowered her head.
"People who juggle multiple boats... I hate them even more."
Shikime Natsu didn't speak, merely listening quietly.
"But."
Kamuro Masumi slowly raised her head, and in those purple eyes, a dazzling light gradually returned.
"I like you, Natsu.
"That is a fact.
"No matter how much of a playboy you are, it is an unchangeable fact.
"I feel happy because I am spending time with you.
"And I also feel happy because you just said... that you like me too."
Speaking up to here, the corners of her mouth curved into a bitter yet relieved smile.
"If I wanted to stop a playboy like you from building a harem... it definitely wouldn't work, right?
"After all... you are just that kind of greedy bad guy.
"But..."
Kamuro Masumi's voice choked up slightly, but her gaze became even more resolute.
"I also can't imagine... what I would become if you truly kept your distance from me and we became like strangers from then on.
"I definitely wouldn't be able to bear it.
"I've already gotten used to the days with you by my side, gotten used to your gentleness...
"Even if you fall in love with other girls and get together with them, I still like you, Natsu... so..."
Just as she gathered all her courage and prepared to say the decisive words, "Please go out with me."
A slender index finger gently pressed against her lips, stopping her subsequent words.
"Shh—"
Shikime Natsu looked at her, his eyes full of tenderness.
"Let me say the remaining half of the sentence. After all, I am a playboy, and since Masumi has already mustered up so much courage, I naturally have to respond."
Kamuro Masumi stared blankly at Shikime Natsu who was close at hand, feeling the temperature of the fingertip on her lips, her heart feeling as if it were about to leap out of her chest.
Shikime Natsu withdrew his finger, slowly stood up, walked over to stand in front of Kamuro Masumi, and took her small hand.
"Masumi, would you be willing to go out with me?"
Shikime Natsu earnestly gazed into Kamuro Masumi's purple eyes, his gaze gentle.
"Mm!"
Kamuro Masumi watched the scene before her and nodded, those purple eyes now entirely filled with joy.
That tender little hand could feel the temperature transmitting from Shikime Natsu's palm, a reassuring warmth.
For Kamuro Masumi, a young girl who had never experienced romance, there was currently nothing happier than receiving a confession from the person she liked.
[Ding~]
[CG53: Confession (Kamuro Masumi)]
[I want to be with Natsu, I want it so much.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Skill Card: Instant Transmission (After using this skill, you can reach the side of a designated person at any time. Requires the person to be dating the host. No cooldown.)]
Please go out with me
____
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