Since they were currently in the hospital, it wasn't convenient for Haruka Kasugano to get too handsy. He simply supported her as they sat down on a nearby long bench.
"Azaka-chan, I've done what I promised. Don't go breaking your end of the deal now!" Haruka Kasugano teased.
"Hmph..." Azaka Kokutou snorted coldly, but her voice lacked its usual confidence.
"Let's exchange numbers. It'll make things easier to stay in touch—well, easier for these seven days, at least. What you do with my contact after that is your business!" Haruka Kasugano laughed.
Though extremely reluctant, Azaka had no choice but to comply. Raised with a proper upbringing, she hated breaking promises. At school, she was a leader, a top student in academics, sports, and character. She maintained a perfect image, never went back on her word, and gave her all in everything she did. That was exactly why she was so popular. Even now, with her own body as the bargaining chip, she didn't want to be a hypocrite, no matter how much her heart resisted.
After exchanging numbers, Haruka Kasugano left with a smile. By 1998, mobile phones had evolved significantly compared to 1994, they were no longer just toys for the ultra-rich, and children from average middle-class families had begun using them.
"Let's count tomorrow as Day One, shall we?" Haruka Kasugano suggested.
Azaka kept her head down, her legs tensed. "Whatever," she muttered unpleasantly.
"Good. See you tomorrow then. We'll decide on a spot for our date. Be mentally prepared, though—I'm an adult, so I won't be playing house with you." Haruka Kasugano leaned in to catch a whiff of her youthful fragrance as he spoke.
"I get it... how many times do you need to emphasize that!" Azaka snapped.
"Alright, alright. I'm heading out. Bye!" Haruka Kasugano waved and departed.
Azaka's brow remained furrowed. Now that Mikiya was out of danger, she began to seriously weigh Haruka Kasugano's words.
Dating "officially" for seven days...
Doesn't that just mean sleeping together for seven days? Why be so vague about it...
Should I break the deal? It was only a verbal agreement, and Mikiya is safe. I could easily flake...
Should I violate the integrity I've always believed in just for the sake of my "virtue"? Am I... going to be an untrustworthy girl?
Wait, no... I can't flake. He still holds the evidence that I killed someone... My reputation doesn't matter, but I can't let it affect Mikiya. If Mikiya gets dragged into a murder case, his future will be ruined.
I can't let that happen. Even though I don't know how that teacher dealt with the body, he seemed so confident, there's no reason for him to lie. As a teacher and a social elite, he must have the connections to handle it.
Fine... It's just seven days. It's just losing my virginity... plenty of my classmates brag about playing around with their boyfriends every day. They aren't ashamed, they're proud of it. Meanwhile, a "pure" girl like me gets mocked for it. Fine! I'll just join them! Hmph!
Despite her inner monologue, her brow didn't relax. She still couldn't quite get over that hurdle in her heart.
---------
The Next Day.
The stir caused by the bizarre murder cases continued. Someone had discovered Keita Minato's body by the river. The cause of death was identical to the victims in the abandoned bar. Of course, this was the result of Haruka Kasugano taking the corpse to Fujino Asagami for "processing."
With that, Fujino's current task was complete. All that remained was to wait for Shiki Ryougi to come hunting. However, since Shiki hadn't made a move yet, Fujino found herself with some free time. For a while, the case became the focus of the entire city's attention, but the police remained clueless.
Azaka saw the news on TV. She finally understood what Haruka Kasugano meant by "covering up the crime." He had framed the killer from the case Mikiya had been investigating. It was a brilliant move! However, she couldn't fathom how Haruka Kasugano made the wounds look exactly like the other killer's work. Of course, Azaka wasn't suspicious enough to link Haruka Kasugano to the murderer, she simply lamented that he was a highly skilled "beast in a suit."
Her mind was so busy cursing him as a pervert that she had no room for other thoughts. Just then, her phone buzzed with a text.
[Azaka-chan, meet me at the National Library!]
Azaka blinked. Wasn't he looking for sex? Why the National Library? Is this "teacher" trying to stay in character? Does he need to pretend to be cultured before doing that?
Regardless, she knew he wouldn't let her go. He definitely wanted to taste her body. She looked at a small pink "umbrella" (condom) tucked in the corner of her room. She grabbed one and headed out.
--------------
In the National Library, on the second floor—the section for Japanese history and sexual culture research.
Haruka Kasugano had arrived early and set up a Rune Magecraft barrier to repel ordinary people. In other words, no one would disturb them. Azaka walked in, her fists clenched and her whole body stiff. Under the sunlight streaming through the windows, her figure looked exquisite.
"Yo, I didn't expect you to keep your promise. I thought you'd chicken out," Haruka Kasugano teased from where he sat on a desk.
"Hmph, you think everyone is like you? I would never do something to ruin my character!" Azaka barked.
"Heh, says the girl who has a crush on her own brother. How can you sound so righteous?" Haruka Kasugano laughed.
"You—!" Azaka was instantly speechless. She hadn't expected him to know that. She wanted to kill him right then and there. Unconsciously, a flame flickered in her right hand.
"Oh? You actually know magecraft? What a pleasant surprise!" Haruka Kasugano remarked.
The flame in her hand died out instantly. She hadn't expected him to know about magecraft either. No wonder there wasn't a soul in the National Library...
Suddenly, Haruka Kasugano pulled her into his arms, his hand touching her lips.
"Ah—!" Azaka screamed. Her flames ignited again, but her logic told her she couldn't do this, so she forced them out. She allowed him to touch her. A sharp, electric sensation surged through her entire body.
This was the first time in her life she had been bullied like this. The situation was both intense and humiliating. Haruka Kasugano wrapped an arm around her chest and kissed her collarbone.
"Ah—ahhhh!" Azaka couldn't take it. Her legs felt weak.
Suddenly, as he touched her, Haruka Kasugano found the "little umbrella" in her pocket.
"Oh? Look what I found. Tsk tsk, I didn't realize that beneath such a pure exterior, you were actually looking forward to merging our Yin and Yang!" Haruka Kasugano laughed, kissing her fragrant neck.
"I wasn't!"
Azaka couldn't stand it anymore. She broke free from his grasp, raised her hand, and swung it toward his face.
--------------
Slap!
Haruka Kasugano caught her swinging hand with one of his own. And she couldn't break free.
One had to remember that she was known as a "monstrously strong" girl—strong enough to pin Shiki Ryougi to a bed such that Shiki couldn't escape. Yet her strength felt pathetic before Haruka Kasugano. She couldn't even budge. She was only human, after all, how could her strength compare to Haruka Kasugano, whose physical stats reached Servant levels with a B-rank Strength?
Driven by this sense of powerlessness, Azaka's anger vanished instantly.
"Is this how you repay the man who saved your life? What an ungrateful wolf!" Haruka Kasugano provoked.
"I'll give you two choices. One: get out of here right now and be a promise-breaking woman for the rest of your life! But I won't guarantee I'll keep hiding the truth of that murder for you."
"Two: Take it off yourself. Now."
His words, bolstered by [Narrator], [Incitement], and [In That Era, Once More!], carried an irresistible magic.
The impulse at the bottom of Azaka's heart was triggered. Who is a promise-breaking girl? Based on my upbringing and my character, I could never be that kind of woman! Who are you looking down on?