The following night.
Downstairs at the dormitory, in front of the vending machine.
Hearing the "thud-thud" sound of the falling can, Hikigaya took out a MAX coffee and took a beautiful sip.
These past few days have been exhausting.
Every day has been parties, and every day everyone was crying a messy heap.
However.
He should consider himself lucky; only his classmates were having parties.
Ichinose and the others must be having it harder; during this period, they have been saying goodbye to close classmates and juniors.
Just then.
"Finally back."
Ibuki Mio appeared before Hikigaya wearing a blue vest, with denim shorts below that revealed her fair thighs.
"Hikigaya, do you have time now?"
"Ibuki...?"
Hikigaya was a bit surprised: "You're still at school?"
This period was basically the carnival season for graduates. One could often run into various acquaintances at Karaoke, including Shiina and others from Ryuuen's class.
But he had never run into Ibuki Mio, and he thought this person had definitely left the school a step ahead of the rest.
"What of it? Do you have time now?"
Ibuki Mio asked again with her arms crossed, her fierce gaze seemingly telling him not to change the subject.
"I do, but is something the matter?"
"That's enough, follow me."
Saying that.
Ibuki Mio grabbed Hikigaya, returned to the dormitory building, and entered the elevator.
"Hey, what exactly is going on?"
Hikigaya frowned, suddenly a bit bewildered.
However, Ibuki did not respond. The two quickly stepped off the elevator, and Ibuki Mio opened the door and walked into her room.
"What on earth are you doing?"
"Could it be that you forgot?"
Looking at Hikigaya's speechless expression, Ibuki Mio spoke with her arms crossed in an indifferent tone:
"Back during the Class Poll exam, didn't we agree that as long as you guys gave your praise votes to Ryuuen, I would become your woman."
"Even though you have a girlfriend now, it doesn't make a difference. Anyway, I didn't plan on making you take responsibility. Alright, let's start quickly."
Saying that.
Ibuki Mio took off her jacket on her own and threw it on the floor.
"Huh?"
Hikigaya was instantly dumbfounded.
After recalling for a moment.
He remembered that there indeed was such a thing.
It's just that at the time, it seemed he had already refused, and Ibuki hadn't said much more.
But, it currently appeared.
Ibuki Mio hadn't forgotten; rather, because they were in different classes, she simply waited until graduation so she could focus her energy on her class.
"We've already graduated, there's no need for you to care about this anymore."
"That won't do."
Hearing this.
Ibuki Mio stopped her movement of unbuttoning her denim shorts, her face couldn't help but turn red.
Even she felt a bit ashamed, her arms shielding her slightly bulging little "white rabbits."
"It was a promise to begin with. If I don't pay it back, I'll always feel like I owe you something."
"Alright, let's start quickly. Let's finish up soon."
After saying that.
Ibuki Mio walked to the bedside and sat down.
Her eyes darted around, masking her inner nervousness.
Although she had showered and made some preparations, she didn't actually know what she was supposed to do.
"You're scared to this extent, are you serious?"
"Hmm? As I said, finish early and end early. Are you coming or not?"
Ibuki Mio instantly shot him a fierce glare.
She seemed to really dislike being looked down upon.
"Hmm..."
Hikigaya scratched his hair, catching a slight glimpse of Ibuki Mio's snowy-white, delicate body and her tight, powerful, straight legs.
Ultimately.
He still decided to follow his desires.
Late at night.
Ibuki Mio lay on the bed, hugging a pillow with a face full of happiness.
In the past, she only thought love was boring, meaningless, and something unrelated to her.
But now.
She felt she could understand it a little.
The physical intimacy between people was actually such a wonderful thing.
With her small hand draped over Hikigaya, she felt as if her heart had been captured.
A certain writer surnamed Zhang was indeed correct.
Watching Hikigaya suddenly get up and put on his clothes, Ibuki Mio felt slightly lost. She opened her mouth to say something but ultimately didn't speak.
She quickly turned her body away from Hikigaya and stopped looking.
She didn't have much original affection for Hikigaya; it was just that feeling of owing someone that was unbearable to her.
It was only to fulfill the promise.
Yet for some reason, at the moment of parting, there was a trace of reluctance.
"Actually..."
Just then, Hikigaya's voice rang out from behind.
"I think I belong to the type with a rather strong sense of possessiveness. I remember the agreement was that you can't leave until I am satisfied. Does that agreement still count?"
"Eh?"
Ibuki Mio was stunned for a moment, her heart instantly feeling some joy.
But on her lips, she still said as if it were nothing:
"It seems to be so. Then there's no choice. But, let's get the unpleasant words out of the way first."
"Don't think that because of this you can interfere with my life. The agreement is just to let you play until you're satisfied; you don't need to be responsible."
"So whatever I want to do is my freedom. Don't expect me to cook or do housework for you. In the end, you can only look for me when you want to do 'it,' understand?"
Hikigaya's mouth twitched.
This girl really said one thing but meant another. He had originally wanted to comfort Ibuki, but her words left him somewhat speechless.
"Isn't that just simply being 'friends with benefits'?"
"Eh? What is 'friends with benefits'?"
Ibuki Mio seemed to lack knowledge in this area.
After all, she didn't have many friends, and the online information she encountered was likely unrelated to topics like romance.
"Don't worry about it."
Hikigaya turned back, only to find that Ibuki had already turned her head toward him, but she instantly averted her gaze upon feeling his eyes.
"However, until I am satisfied..."
Hikigaya stroked her hair and laughed softly.
"That might very well be for a lifetime. You might not have the chance to touch other things anymore."
"..."
Hearing this.
Ibuki Mio's face turned bright red, and her heart pounded wildly.
She lowered her head and began to murmur.
"Then there's no choice, since that was the agreement. But, can you really play with me for a lifetime? Ichinose and the others are better, right?"
Suddenly.
Ibuki, who had never envied those "good people," felt jealousy for the first time; it was the first time she felt such a girlish heart.
"That's not the case at all. Ibuki has her own unique charm. At least I like it very much."
"Hmph..."
Ibuki Mio lowered her head and did not respond.
Words that in the past would have made her feel so disgusted that her goosebumps rose, suddenly felt like they could make a person so happy.
At this time, Hikigaya lay back on the bed, caressing her cheek.
"One more time?"
Ibuki used action to represent her response, pressing Hikigaya beneath her, wanting to let Hikigaya experience the same happiness as her. .