Chapter 296 Masumi: Congratulations on being able to touch my body again.
"Um... I'm sorry, Kamuro, Shimizu-kun."
The three had been wandering through the bookstore for a while. Just as Shimizu Akira was picking up several workbooks, Yamamura Miki suddenly bowed deeply toward them.
"...I should have considered the point-weighting issue. If only I had intentionally lowered my score to be paired with Kamuro-san!"
"What are you talking about?" Kamuro Masumi shook her head, caught between a laugh and a sigh.
"Nishikawa might be irritating, but she's actually quite good at studying! Being paired with me is her loss, not mine."
Nishikawa Ryoko had ranked ninth in Class A during the midterms, with scores consistently above 90. That was the only reason she had been paired with someone from the lower-middle tier like Kamuro.
"Yamamura, detailed grouping only works if everyone in Class A cooperates, right?" Shimizu Akira added thoughtfully.
"Your class is split between the Katsuragi and Sakayanagi factions. The probability of that plan succeeding is far too low."
"I-is that so?!" Yamamura Miki looked dazed and nodded instinctively.
"I really don't get it!" Kamuro glanced at her, crossing her arms.
"Yamamura, you look so spacey, so how are your grades so good?"
She accepted it from Shimizu; he was brilliant, nothing more to say.
But why was Yamamura Miki so good at studying? They had been studying together for weeks, and she felt she spent the same amount of time as Yamamura. Yet, while Kamuro would stare at a problem repeatedly without a clue, the other girl always solved it with ease.
"Well, for my method..." Yamamura reached onto the shelf and pulled out 300 Math Examples, handing it to her.
"Actually, you just have to do a lot of practice problems. Most math is just a variation of basic formulas."
Kamuro glanced at the thick workbook, felt her head throb, and immediately dove into the manga section.
"I'm not doing that! Looking at textbooks every day is enough!"
"Kamuro..." Yamamura watched her back with a worried face, then turned to Shimizu. "Shimizu-kun, she hasn't been focusing on her studies lately. What if she fails the exam?!"
Since they studied together every day, Yamamura knew the truth. Kamuro would start focused but eventually end up scrolling through her phone in the dorm. In the whole school, Shimizu was probably the only one who could convince her to actually study.
"No need to rush." Shimizu shook his head, looking at Kamuro with an inexplicably doting gaze as she opened a manga.
"We haven't been on a date in a while. She's probably genuinely tired of studying. Since she's tired, letting her relax with manga is fine. This is a bookstore, after all. Let me think of a way so she doesn't have to study so hard."
'Ah?! Even Shimizu-kun is starting to spoil her.'
Still, Yamamura thought about it. The two really hadn't seen each other in a long time.
Could Shimizu really find a "good way"? Studying wasn't something you could usually slack off on.
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The three spent a full hour in the reading area. It wasn't a library, so the atmosphere was relaxed. Kamuro Masumi was quickly engrossed in Detective Conan.
It surprised Akira that she liked mystery and detective themes.
He had seen Conan too, though he was an anime fan rather than a manga reader. He was in elementary school when he first saw it; he hadn't expected it to still be serializing after all these years.
Now his current body was 16, and Conan was still 7. A perpetual elementary student!
People always say, "I watched this kid grow up." In his case, he might never see Conan age a single year. He even asked the clerk and found that One Piece was still updating.
Of the "Big Four" shonen series, it seemed only these two were still ongoing.
Instead of reading, Shimizu sent messages to Ichinose Honami and Kanzaki Ryuji.
"Tsk! So that's how the crime was done!" To his left, Kamuro was reading with gusto, letting out small gasps of surprise. To his right, Yamamura was reading 300 Math Examples with extreme focus, occasionally closing her eyes as if calculating answers mentally.
Yamamura was truly studious. Compared to her, Kamuro's manga-browsing would definitely result in lower scores.
After a few minutes, Shimizu went to the front and bought two hot cocos and a mango juice. He placed a hot coco in front of Kamuro.
"Oh, thanks." Kamuro blinked, her face reddening as she whispered her gratitude.
"Since when are we so polite?" Shimizu smiled and lightly flicked her nose.
"Hmph!" She didn't dodge the intimacy this time. Instead, she rubbed her hand against his.
"Mhm? Want to hold hands?"
"Idiot! You touched me, I'm just trying to get even!"
Beside them, Yamamura watched the interaction, and her workbook suddenly felt tasteless.
'Wow! They really are in that kind of relationship!'
Touching noses and holding hands... Kamuro had become so bold. Is this what a "mature girl" is like?
"Yamamura?"
Shimizu's voice snapped her back to reality. He was holding out the remaining hot coco and mango juice. "I know Masumi likes hot coco, but I wasn't sure about your taste," Shimizu said. "Pick one, and I'll drink the other."
Yamamura stared at the drinks. "I-I'll take the mango juice. Thank you, Shimizu-kun."
Shimizu took the remaining hot coco.
"By the way, Masumi, there was a bit of a loophole in that murderer's alibi you just read, wasn't there?"
Kamuro didn't look up from the page.
"Of course I saw it! The clock was obviously tampered with. The police just didn't notice at first." She closed the manga triumphantly.
"Actually, the methods in Conan are quite clever. If you used them in real life..."
"Stop right there," Shimizu waved his hands. "Don't go learning crime methods. Let's stay law-abiding citizens."
Kamuro pouted. "I was just saying." She turned to Yamamura.
"Do you usually read manga? Want to read Conan together? There are a few more chapters left."
Yamamura hesitated, then nodded. "O-okay."
She moved over to the other side of Kamuro, and the two sat head-to-head, flipping through the pages together.
Shimizu sat back, smiling at the rare sight of harmony between them.
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A bit later, Shimizu checked his phone. Ichinose and Kanzaki had both replied: "No problem."
He put the phone away and looked at Kamuro.
"Masumi, I've thought of a way. You won't have to study so hard."
Kamuro stopped flipping pages and looked up, confused.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You hate rote memorization, right?" Shimizu explained.
"Class B is setting the questions for Class A this time. It just so happens that my friends in Class B asked me to be in charge of the questions. I just asked them, and they agreed to send the questions to you and Yamamura privately. It's essentially a leak. You can pass the finals 100% without extra tutoring. However, there's a condition: you both have to sign a non-disclosure agreement. This can't be leaked to other students."
"What?!" Kamuro was stunned.
She forgot to flip the page, even though she was in the middle of a thrilling Phantom Thief Kid chapter. She had only been complaining; she wasn't actually going to skip studying. Yet, in the span of an hour, he had settled everything.
Yamamura's eyes widened, nearly spilling her mango juice.
'Shimizu Akira is setting the questions for Class A!'
"To be honest, it's a bit unfair to your classmates," Shimizu rubbed his chin.
"But I just want you to have an easy end to the semester. I don't want you to risk failing." He added, "Of course, if you care about fairness, I'll just send the questions to your email. Whether you look at them is up to you."
Kamuro felt warm, yet also slightly exasperated. She grabbed his hand and lightly tapped his forehead with her other hand.
"Idiot! You're thinking about me too much! I've never been a 'good person'—I wouldn't have stolen beer from the convenience store otherwise! What happens to other students is none of my business! You worry too much!"
She, Kamuro Masumi, had a kleptomania habit. She never considered herself a model student. If there was a shortcut, she'd take it!
Shimizu was taken aback by her immediate agreement.
"Masumi, you really aren't hesitant at all."
She turned her head away.
"Obviously! If someone is willing to pave the way for me, why would I refuse? Besides, you did this specifically for me, you idiot. I'm not stupid enough to waste it."
Yamamura lowered her head. That scene was so sudden—Kamuro proactively grabbing Shimizu's hand.
They really were close... She peeked at their joined hands and looked away, feeling a bit envious of such a direct relationship.
Shimizu laughed.
"Right. I'm actually happy you accepted it so readily." He turned to Yamamura.
"Yamamura, same for you. I know your grades are good and you probably won't need it, but I applied for the same privilege for you. If you need it, just tell me. You don't have to worry about Masumi's studying anymore."
Yamamura nodded vigorously.
"Mhm, thank you, Shimizu-kun! You've thought of everything."
She felt like she was in a dream. A problem she had been agonized over was solved by him in less than two hours.
"That's enough for today." Shimizu stood up. "Give me the books, I'll go pay."
Kamuro handed over her manga without a word. Seeing Yamamura hesitating to trouble him, she snapped, "Don't be polite! Just let him pay!"
Given her relationship with him, a few books were nothing to be shy about.
"I'll get the bill," Shimizu added with a smile.
"I might need to trouble your tracking skills later. Consider this bookstore run a pre-emptive thanks."
Yamamura, blushing, finally handed over her workbook. The two girls watched Shimizu's back as he carried the stack of books to the counter.
"Shimizu-kun is really good to you, Kamuro," Yamamura whispered.
In her high school life, she only had Kamuro as a friend, but because she lacked presence, she had observed many couples. None were like these two. He worried about her studying, brought her to the bookstore, watched manga with her when she didn't want to study, and even rigged the exam just for her.
Kamuro was blooming with joy inside, but she kept her face steady.
"Really?"
"Mhm!" Yamamura nodded.
"I looked up occasionally and saw him looking at you so warmly. He went to buy hot coco because he saw you lick your lips, like you were thirsty."
"Well... that guy is indeed quite nice to me." Kamuro finally broke into a genuine smile. No wonder he brought her favorite drink just as she felt thirsty.
"Kamuro..." Yamamura hesitated, then whispered, "Shimizu-kun is an excellent person. Many girls must like him. I can see he likes you a lot, and you like him too... You two should be dating."
"Tsk! I don't like him nearly as much as he likes me!" Kamuro stayed stubborn, then grit her teeth.
"We are together, it's true. But because he's so nice and popular, he's thinking about starting a harem!"
"Huh? A... a harem?! Then, Kamuro? You really..." Yamamura was floored.
"I agreed to it," Kamuro said with a trace of indulgent helplessness.
"What else can I do? Look at what he did for us today. Do you think I could leave him now?"
"That..." Yamamura was speechless. Shimizu's careful and comprehensive actions would make anyone's heart flutter, let alone someone as involved as Kamuro.
"So, what do you think of him starting a harem?" Kamuro pressed with a hint of complaint. "Don't you think he's going too far? He already has me!"
"Uh... well..." Yamamura said bashfully, "I think, for someone like me, just having someone willing to like me would be enough to make me satisfied."
She was not a confident person. Shimizu was excellent—handsome, top-tier student, strong, brilliant in exams, and with over 20 million points.
He was the definition of security. If someone like that even looked at her twice, she'd be flattered; she didn't have the confidence to demand he belong only to her. For her, being remembered occasionally was enough.
"I wasn't asking you to put yourself in those shoes!" Kamuro tapped her head. "I'm asking for your evaluation of the behavior!"
"I... well..." Yamamura's face turned bright red. She was too flustered to organize her thoughts.
"Fine, fine, I won't force you." Kamuro shook her head. "I shouldn't have asked you. With your personality, you'd never say anything harsh."
"I'm sorry..." Yamamura looked down.
"Stop saying sorry." Kamuro suddenly lowered her voice.
"I won't be going back to the girls' dorm with you later. He's a boy, after all, and he solved a huge problem for me today. We haven't spent time together in a long time. I'm going to his dorm, and I'll try to satisfy him... cough... so you go back on your own."
"Mhm!" Yamamura's face was completely red as she nodded.
Just as they finished talking, Shimizu arrived with three heavy bags.
"All set? Let's go."
Kamuro straightened her back and put on a stern face, but couldn't help stealing a glance at him.
"Yeah, let's go." She waved to Yamamura. "I'm heading off. Be careful on the way back."
"You too!" Yamamura nodded, clutching her own book bag as she watched them leave together.
A few steps from the bookstore, Kamuro tugged at Shimizu's sleeve, her voice very low.
"Hey... I'm going to your dorm."
Shimizu paused and looked at her, a spark of surprise in his eyes.
"Sure. I'll organize the questions for you and go over some math highlights."
"Who wants to hear math highlights?!" Her face turned redder, but she didn't let go of his sleeve.
"I want to... thank you for today." She paused.
"Hmph! You're right, congratulations! You get to... use my body again..."
The rest of her sentence was cut off by Shimizu's laughter.
"Right, I got it. Thanks, Masumi."
They walked along the path lit by streetlights. The night wind was cool, but Kamuro felt warm all over. Inside the dorm, Shimizu set the bags on the table and poured her a glass of warm water.
"Drink some water first; it's cold out."
Kamuro took the cup, her eyes tracing his movements. He turned on the AC and organized the workbooks on the desk. Soon, the chill faded. Kamuro took off her coat, revealing a form-fitting brown thermal top. She bent down to take off her shoes, revealing her ankles in over-the-knee socks.
She looked at her outfit: the winter school skirt and long socks, the standard for girls at this school. That morning, she had worn white stockings, but remembering that Shimizu preferred black ones, she had gone back to the dorm specifically to change.
She sat on his bed, leaning against the edge, and looked up at him.
"Stop pretending! You've been holding back for over a month, haven't you? I know you like my legs. Just go ahead and do what you want."
Shimizu's mouth twitched. Before he could react, she pulled a small pair of scissors from her pocket and waved them.
'She even prepared scissors?!'
Shimizu looked at the scissors and the expectation hidden behind her pride. He burst out laughing.
"You're way too prepared. It makes me look like the desperate one."
"I didn't prepare them for you!" Her face was scarlet, but she refused to back down, though she nudged the scissors toward him.
"I just... brought them from the dorm! If you don't want to, I'll put them away right now!"
She didn't move her hand, though. She watched his reaction like a kitten waiting to be petted. Shimizu walked over, gently took her wrist, and placed the scissors on the nightstand. His palm brushed the back of her hand.
"What's the rush? Warm up first."
"Cut the talk!" She looked away.
"Just do it quickly... with your skills, you probably can't make me happy anyway."
Shimizu narrowed his eyes.
As a man, he couldn't let that sentence slide! It was a matter of pride. He sat on the edge of the bed and gently grasped her ankle. Kamuro's body tensed, her toes curling instinctively, but she remained still.
Shimizu thought for a moment, then lightly tickled the sole of her foot.
"Hahaha! Hey! You idiot! What are you doing?!" She stiffened and burst out laughing, her body twisting. Before she could complain, he held her foot steady, the tingling sensation spreading and making her want to dodge.
He kept tickling her. Kamuro's waist went weak with laughter. She twisted on the bed, but her foot was held tight. She couldn't escape.
"Stop... stop! Hahaha... it itches! Idiot Shimizu! Stop!"
Shimizu watched her gasping for breath, her face flushed. He slowed the rhythm, his fingertips tracing the sole of her foot.
"Who was it that said I couldn't make them happy?"
"Who... who is happy?!" She huffed through her laughter. "It's just... being tickled suddenly... I'm not used to it! This isn't real happiness!"
She tried to push him away, but the laughter robbed her of strength, and she ended up tumbling into his arms. Shimizu caught her, his arm around her waist as she sat on his lap. His other hand didn't let go of her foot, but the tickling turned into a gentle caress.
"Happy now?" Shimizu whispered, his nose brushing hers.
Kamuro calmed her breathing, her cheeks still rosy. She pinched his cheek.
"This is physical happiness, you despicable guy!"
Despite the complaint, her arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer.
Shimizu kissed her hand. "Alright, I won't tease you anymore." He looked down at her legs. "But... the black stockings you wore specifically for me look very good."
Praised so directly, she blushed again. She tried to pull her foot back, but he held it tight.
"If they look good... then look a bit longer."
Shimizu smiled, his palm sliding up her ankle. Her body tensed, but she didn't resist. She peeked at him, her eyes full of shyness and expectation. His fingers traced her calf, and he leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her knee.
"Masumi, thank you for everything."
Kamuro's heart jumped. She looked into his serious eyes, gathered her courage, and pulled his neck down, pecking his lips quickly.
"Idiot... why are you saying thank you? You're the one who did everything for me!"
It was her first kiss, and she didn't regret it one bit. This was the boy she liked from the bottom of her heart. Shimizu held the back of her neck and leaned in, deepening the kiss tenderly.
After a few moments, they parted. Since it was her first time, she hadn't remembered to breathe through her nose; her chest heaved as she panted.
"Idiot... I want hot coco."
"Okay, I'll make some!" Shimizu was startled, thinking she was tired after the kiss. He tried to get up.
But Kamuro sat firmly on his lap, her arms tight around his neck. She didn't look like she was moving.
"Masumi? If you don't get off, how am I supposed to get it..."
"Idiot." Kamuro interrupted, pointing to his lips before quickly turning her head away.
Shimizu froze, then realized.
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Kamuro was still in Shimizu's room. On the small table by the bed were the snacks she loved: strawberry cookies and soft fruit candies. Beside them were a glass of water and a steaming cup of hot coco.
She held a Conan book, flipping through the pages slowly. Actually, most people got one thing wrong: she didn't read Detective Conan for the mystery! She cared more about the romantic development of Shinichi Kudo.
As for which ship she supported? The Conan x Haibara faction, obviously!
The reason? The destiny of two people meeting in an extremely idealized "shared fate" was so romantic. They were so well-matched; why couldn't they be together?!
She occasionally reached for a snack. Shimizu, lying beside her, would sometimes pick up a gummy or cookie and feed it to her directly.
After a while, she put the manga down and turned to him.
"Idiot... what about you?"
Shimizu's hand was still on her leg.
"What do you mean?"
"What else could I mean!" She ignored his wandering palm and explained, "The final exam! Class A is setting the questions for Class C. Have you thought of how to handle it?"
"Mhm, I have."
"What's the plan? Tell me!"
"Doing nothing is the best plan." Shimizu pinched her cheek confidently.
"Sakayanagi will definitely do something extra, like suppressing the Katsuragi faction. So, the difficulty of four of the papers will likely be very low. I'll just go with the flow then."
"Hmph! You really do calculate everything!" Kamuro touched his chest. It felt solid.
Men and women were different.
Shimizu loved touching her legs, saying they were smooth and comfortable.
She, on the other hand, found that his arms, chest, and firm abs felt great to touch—they gave her a sense of security.
"Alright, it's late. You should go back." Shimizu checked the time; it was almost 10:00 PM.
"Idiot! How am I supposed to go back!" She rolled her eyes and pointed at her legs. Her black stockings had been cut into several pieces; they were unwearable.
It wasn't entirely Shimizu's fault. One leg was her teasing him with her own foot; the other was Shimizu's work. They were both to blame. But it was winter; going out with bare legs would be freezing.
"Uh... should I go buy you a pair? Or you can wear my gym pants?" Shimizu, knowing he was in the wrong, suggested.
"No need, I'll just have Yamamura bring me a pair." Kamuro was already typing a message.
Ah! You can even ask Yamamura for this?! Have they become that close?!'
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