Kushida Kikyou walked over with brisk, light steps, that gentle-looking smile of hers hanging on her face.
"Natsu, Mei-chan, good morning."
Her voice was as soft as ever, pleasant to listen to, just like an angel's. Purely on the surface, Kushida Kikyou was entirely qualified to be called an angel.
"Good morning."
Shikime Natsu nodded, his tone betraying not the slightest ripple.
Mei-Yu Wang followed with a greeting of her own, but her voice was noticeably smaller than usual.
"G-good morning, Kikyou-chan..."
Her gaze was a little evasive; she didn't quite dare to look Kushida Kikyou straight in the eyes. At this moment, Mei-Yu Wang felt rather guilty inside. After all, last night Kushida Kikyou had invited her to go out together on this rare weekend, and she had turned her down.
And the reason she'd given had been rather ambiguous too—in short, the kind that wasn't the least bit convincing. At the time, Mei-Yu Wang had wanted to indicate that she had something to do, but she also hadn't wanted to tell Kushida Kikyou that today she was coming to go on a date with Shikime Natsu.
Mm... of course, even if she had told Kushida Kikyou, Mei-Yu Wang wouldn't have used such an ambiguous word as "date." After all, the two of them weren't a couple, so this behavior shouldn't count as a date. Then... what should she call it?
Quickly, Mei-Yu Wang flung the somewhat jumbled thoughts in her head aside. What on earth was she even thinking? Now wasn't the time to be thinking about that sort of thing, was it?
What's more... when Mei-Yu Wang's gaze cautiously fell upon Kushida Kikyou once again, her heart was still quite uneasy, quite guilt-ridden.
After all, before this, her getting to know Shikime Natsu had basically all been thanks to Kushida Kikyou acting as the go-between, and then... it had also been Kushida Kikyou who stayed at her side, which was why back then she hadn't been too nervous in front of Shikime Natsu.
And yet her current actions made it seem as though she had used up Kushida Kikyou and then simply cast her aside, ugh... she'd become a really terrible girl.
Kushida Kikyou's gaze swept back and forth between Mei-Yu Wang and Shikime Natsu, and then she asked with a smile.
"Are you two out shopping?"
"Mm, yes."
Shikime Natsu nodded, his gaze also settling on Kushida Kikyou.
Hearing this answer, Kushida Kikyou gently clapped her hands together, an apologetic expression appearing on her face.
"Um... I'm not intruding on you two, am I?"
Her tone carried a hint of cautious probing, sounding as if she were truly worried about disturbing them.
"N-no!"
Mei-Yu Wang hurriedly shook her head, a touch of fluster in her voice.
"You're not intruding..."
Shikime Natsu shook his head as well.
Hearing both their answers, the smile on Kushida Kikyou's face grew even more radiant.
"That's good, then."
She paused, then continued.
"So then... you don't mind if I join you, do you?"
When she said this, her tone was still that gentle, natural one, sounding like a good friend making the most ordinary of requests.
But upon hearing these words, a strange feeling welled up in Mei-Yu Wang's heart.
Looking at the Kushida Kikyou before her, she couldn't help but feel...
that something was a little off.
The Kushida Kikyou she knew shouldn't be like this.
If it were the Kushida Kikyou from before, she would have been more considerate.
Seeing her and Shikime Natsu together, she would probably have smiled and said, "Then I won't disturb you two," and then tactfully taken her leave.
Rather than, like now...
proactively offering to join them.
Mei-Yu Wang thought this to herself, and couldn't help but grow a little uneasy.
Kushida Kikyou, she...
She really was angry, wasn't she?
After all, Mei-Yu Wang had turned down her invitation yesterday, yet now she was out shopping with Shikime Natsu...
No matter who it was, they'd feel a bit put out, wouldn't they?
Mei-Yu Wang thought this, and a sense of guilt surged up inside her.
She subconsciously stole a glance at Shikime Natsu.
After all, today it was Shikime Natsu who had taken the initiative to invite her out.
She had no right to decide whether or not Kushida Kikyou could join.
That was for Shikime Natsu to decide.
However, if it were up to Mei-Yu Wang herself, she would probably agree.
After all, she still felt somewhat guilty toward Kushida Kikyou in her heart.
Although this guilt wasn't really anything major to speak of—she had merely turned down going out to have fun with Kushida Kikyou...
But still, Mei-Yu Wang just felt a little bad about it.
Sensing the gaze Mei-Yu Wang cast his way, Shikime Natsu didn't say much.
He merely nodded, then spoke up.
"Since Kikyou's willing, then let's all go together."
Naturally, Shikime Natsu didn't mind one more beautiful girl joining—even if Kushida Kikyou was, for the moment, the type harboring ulterior motives, in the end she was still quite easy on the eyes.
Hearing this answer, a happy smile appeared on Kushida Kikyou's face.
"Then I won't hold back."
As she said this, she walked over to Mei-Yu Wang's side and, as natural as could be, linked arms with her.
Mei-Yu Wang was a little flustered by the gesture, her body stiffening slightly, but she didn't pull away.
"So, where do you two plan to go next?"
Kushida Kikyou tilted her head, looking at Mei-Yu Wang and Shikime Natsu as she asked.
Then, as though she'd just remembered something, she added a line.
"Oh, right—what did you two just go do? You look like you had a lot of fun."
Her tone carried a hint of curiosity. This kind of question was the simplest thing in the world—after all, when you're chatting, you either ask about past things or about upcoming ones.
"We just went and did a pottery experience."
Mei-Yu Wang answered, a touch of bashfulness in her voice.
"A pottery experience?"
Kushida Kikyou's eyes lit up for a moment.
"That sounds really fun! If you don't mind, next time, Mei-chan should come along with me too?"
Hearing these words from Kushida Kikyou, Mei-Yu Wang earnestly nodded and agreed.
"Mm."
Kushida Kikyou's gaze soon fell upon Mei-Yu Wang's clothes.
"Oh, right, Mei-chan, your outfit today is really lovely."
She looked Mei-Yu Wang up and down, genuine admiration in her eyes, those orbs showing not the slightest trace of pretense.
"The color of this skirt suits you really well; it looks especially cute."
Hearing this praise, Mei-Yu Wang's cheeks couldn't help but flush slightly.
"Th-thank you... Kushida-chan looks lovely today too..."
She said softly, her gaze falling upon Kushida Kikyou.
Today Kushida Kikyou wore a white chiffon blouse paired with a light-blue high-waisted miniskirt, and on her feet a pair of beige flats.
She looked altogether quite gentle, drawing much closer to the image of a little angel.
"Really? Thank you~"
Kushida Kikyou smiled, then continued.
After the group had wandered around the Keyaki Mall a while longer, Mei-Yu Wang spoke up with a slightly pained look on her face.
"Um... I'm going to step away for a bit, to make a trip to the restroom..."
"Sure, we'll wait for you here."
Shikime Natsu nodded.
"Go on, go on~"
Kushida Kikyou also waved with a smile.
Mei-Yu Wang nodded, then walked briskly off in the direction of the restroom.
Her figure soon vanished around the corner of the corridor.
Kushida Kikyou watched the direction in which Mei-Yu Wang had left, the smile on her face slowly receding a little.
She turned her head and looked at Shikime Natsu beside her.
Shikime Natsu was looking at her too, those pale golden eyes carrying a hint of contemplation.
"Kikyou, coming to find me today—what is it you're planning?"
Shikime Natsu's gaze fell upon Kushida Kikyou without the slightest concealment. Kushida Kikyou was quite used to holding eye contact with others, because communicating through the eyes could, much of the time, turn the complicated into the simple.
Whether boys or girls, when they saw her sincere gaze, they always lent her no small measure of trust.
But... even so, Kushida Kikyou still couldn't endure meeting Shikime Natsu's eyes. Unlike at the start of the school year, she didn't even know when it had begun, but Kushida Kikyou found that she actually no longer dared to meet the eyes of this detestable fellow Shikime Natsu.
And so Kushida Kikyou quickly shifted her gaze away, letting it settle on the scenery to one side, then spoke with a light laugh.
"Natsu... could it be that, in your heart, I'm just such a scheming girl?"
Kushida Kikyou tilted her head, placing the index finger of her right hand beside her lips, striking a thoroughly harmless pose. No one would think a Kushida Kikyou like this was a scheming girl—they'd only think this girl was quite cute, quite innocent.
Especially Kushida Kikyou's tone, which made one's heart itch all the more. It had to be said, Kushida Kikyou truly did wring every last bit of use out of everything she could exploit.
Shikime Natsu looked at her in this state and gave a soft chuckle.
"But... as I recall, Kikyou, haven't you always hated being together with me?"
"How come today you came up to me of your own accord?"
"If you're telling me that Kikyou approached me with no purpose whatsoever, well, I simply don't believe it."
Hearing these words, the expression on Kushida Kikyou's face stiffened slightly.
Then she gave a light sigh and shook her head.
"Natsu really is awful, isn't he?"
Her tone carried a hint of feigned reproach.
"To actually think so badly of me."
"I do occasionally want to chat with Natsu and so on, you know—after all, we're both students at the same school, and we're rather close friends who can call each other by familiar names."
As Kushida Kikyou said this, her tone couldn't help but lean a little heavier on the words "close friends," and within that tone was also a touch of a maiden's discontent.
Naturally, Shikime Natsu knew exactly how dissatisfied Kushida Kikyou was with him—after all, he had engaged in intimate contact beyond friendship with her, having kneaded those soft, squishy "cakes."
It was just that when Kushida Kikyou spoke this way, Shikime Natsu didn't catch the rather thick resentment in it—of course, that was also because the environment had reined in Kushida Kikyou's performance.
Right now they were, after all, in a place like the Keyaki Mall, and the hour wasn't all that early either, so naturally Kushida Kikyou still had to maintain her little-angel image—even if she were furious, it would be a poor place to vent it.
After listening to these words from Kushida Kikyou, Shikime Natsu smiled, then raised an eyebrow.
"Is that really so? I think... Kikyou must have some other purpose, doesn't she?"
"Just so we're clear in advance: if Kikyou intends to state that purpose next, well, I won't be listening."
Hearing this, Kushida Kikyou's expression went blank for a moment, but she quickly regained control of her face.
"Natsu really is clever—nothing at all can be hidden from you."
Kushida Kikyou still wore a smile—even being seen through didn't matter in the least, so long as she kept smiling.
Although the people around them couldn't make out what she and Shikime Natsu were saying, they could certainly take note of her expression.
"All right, I really do have something I want to ask you."
Shikime Natsu looked at her, saying nothing, signaling for her to continue.
Kushida Kikyou looked at Shikime Natsu with a beaming smile, then slowly spoke.
"I want to ask... Natsu, what exactly did you do to Airi and Kei?"
As she said this, Kushida Kikyou's steps shifted slightly toward Shikime Natsu, giving off the impression of a young couple whispering to each other.
It had to be said, Kushida Kikyou really did have an awful lot of little gestures—though, granted, these little gestures weren't off-putting.
Especially since Kushida Kikyou carried a faint, fresh fragrance about her, stirring up a gentle breeze as she leaned slightly closer.
"The physical fitness of those two, compared to before, is like night and day."
"Whether it's Airi or Kei, both of them showed quite remarkable improvement in the physical fitness tests, I'd say—I think... an ordinary person could absolutely never accomplish such a thing."
After listening to Kushida Kikyou finish, a hint of amusement entered Shikime Natsu's eyes, and then he slowly spoke.
"So... Kikyou, having said all this, what is it you intend to do?"
Naturally, Shikime Natsu knew the little schemes turning in Kushida Kikyou's heart—after all, for Kushida Kikyou, becoming a rather outstanding presence within Class D, then becoming the leader of Class D, becoming the perfect existence in everyone's hearts, and basking in everyone's praise—this was what she desired.
"Honestly, Natsu should already understand what I mean, right? Playing dumb like this—isn't that just too sly of you?"
There was a hint of a coquettish lilt in Kushida Kikyou's words.
"Could it be... that it's also that so-called massage technique of Natsu's?"
The moment she uttered those three words, "massage technique," a flash of embarrassed annoyance couldn't help but cross Kushida Kikyou's face.
She certainly hadn't forgotten what had happened that night on the cruise ship.
Shikime Natsu making her chest grow bigger and smaller...
That feeling—just recalling it made her feel ashamed.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she still fought hard to stay composed. In front of Shikime Natsu, if she let herself feel ashamed or anything of the sort, then she'd be at a disadvantage.
Kushida Kikyou didn't know just how formidable the massage technique's functions really were, but... the current situation only led her to think in that direction. After all, if even changes to body parts could occur, then slightly boosting a person's physical fitness or the like shouldn't be any problem either.
Shikime Natsu smiled, his gaze once again falling upon Kushida Kikyou.
"The massage technique can't do that sort of thing, you know."
There was a hint of teasing in Shikime Natsu's tone.
Hearing this answer, Kushida Kikyou's brows furrowed slightly.
"It really can't be done? But... if even that rather exaggerated change can be pulled off, how could improving a person's physical fitness be impossible?"
Kushida Kikyou paused, clearly still not quite believing what Shikime Natsu said. She was certain that this annoying fellow before her definitely knew exactly what she was thinking, and was now deliberately leaving her dangling.
"Kikyou, have you ever heard of massage being able to improve a person's physical fitness?"
"No..."
Kushida Kikyou added a line inwardly: she'd never heard of massage being able to improve a person's physical fitness—but she'd also never heard of massage being able to freely change the size of a person's oppai either!
"Then... what method did Natsu use?"
Kushida Kikyou had no intention of giving up just like that—even if she had to wheedle and pester, she would pry it out of Shikime Natsu's mouth.
As for things like face, Kushida Kikyou had long since lost every shred of it in front of Shikime Natsu, and there was no getting it back at all.
Right now she simply wanted to coax the method out of Shikime Natsu's mouth.
That way, her impression points within the class could be pulled up quite a bit more.
And besides, having good physical fitness would definitely prove of no small use in the days to come.
"That, of course... I'm not telling you."
Shikime Natsu looked at Kushida Kikyou with a light chuckle.
When Kushida Kikyou heard the first half of the sentence, there was still anticipation and surprise in her eyes—after all, Shikime Natsu was actually just going to tell her the method like that—but after hearing the second half, Kushida Kikyou couldn't help but inwardly curse that Shikime Natsu was indeed exactly like this.
"You really can't tell me?"
Kushida Kikyou could only keep up the coquettish approach—out in front of a public crowd, this was the only method available to her.
Even though Shikime Natsu wasn't very susceptible to this sort of thing, Kushida Kikyou still used it.
She refused to believe there was any man who actually wouldn't take a liking to this sweet appearance of hers.
Of course, Kushida Kikyou didn't raise her voice—although she was, after a fashion, somewhat well-known around school, at moments like this in particular, Kushida Kikyou still didn't want to attract too much attention.
"Fine, seeing as you want to know so badly, I'll make an exception and give you one hint."
Shikime Natsu said with a light chuckle.
"Without any price at all?"
Kushida Kikyou looked at Shikime Natsu somewhat warily, afraid he'd pull some hidden clause out of his sleeve.
"Oh? Does Kikyou distrust my character that much? In that case, I think I'd best not tell you this hint after all."
Shikime Natsu chuckled lightly and shifted his gaze off to the other side.
"Wait! I trust Natsu—sorry, I spoke out of turn just now. Please, tell me."
Kushida Kikyou caved at lightning speed; it had to be said, she really did have some nerve.
"Fine, who told me to be such a generous person."
"Mm-hm, mm-hm."
Kushida Kikyou nodded in smiling agreement, while the area of shadow in her heart steadily expanded.
"Let me ask you, Kikyou—what do the two of them have in common?"
Shikime Natsu asked.
Hearing this question, Kushida Kikyou couldn't help but sink into deep thought. What did the two of them have in common? Hair color? No. Oppai? No, that wasn't it either...
Were they both Shikime Natsu's girlfriends?
Kushida Kikyou stared at Shikime Natsu in disbelief—to improve your physical fitness, you had to become Shikime Natsu's girlfriend?
Could it be that this fellow Shikime Natsu was trying to lure her into becoming his girlfriend?
____
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