Chapter 370

"Where did Miyuki Hanazawa go?"

"Home."

"Why?"

"Her grandmother is visiting, so they're eating out."

"Ah... so that's why you asked to work out today, sunbae-nim?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Wasn't it because you wanted to work out alone with me?"

"You're free to delude yourself. Just do your stretches."

"Yep."

Grinning, Hiyori stretched her arms straight up and interlocked her fingers, palms facing the ceiling.

As she arched her back in that position, her bare stomach peeked out in a subtly provocative way.

Did she notice my gaze on her midriff?

Hiyori curled up one corner of her mouth and asked.

"Aren't you curious if I got a piercing or not?"

"You didn't."

"How do you know?"

"You said you'd send a picture if you did. Since you didn't, you must not have."

"I didn't send one because I wanted to show you in person."

"Did you?"

"I diiid."

Even after my warnings, she went ahead and did it. She was so dead.

With that thought, I reached for her head, but she just giggled and suddenly yanked her T-shirt all the way up to expose her waist.

"How is it?"

Startled, I stared at Hiyori's waist.

A slender waist, a neat vertical slit of a belly button right in the middle, and sitting just below it was a tiny, white... jewel-like cubic zirconia.

I felt a massive headache coming on. Just as I was about to snap at her, she grabbed the cubic zirconia and pulled.

The piercing popped off with ease.

I gaped, entirely dumbfounded by the reality-defying sight. Hiyori giggled and spoke.

"It's not a real piercing. You just peel off the backing paper and stick it on. Here, look."

She handed the jewel to me.

Looking closely, the back of the cubic zirconia protruded slightly, and that part was sticky like a sticker.

There were actually stick-on accessories like this. I had no idea.

"Are you going to hit me like last time? Are you planning to mess me up?"

At her playful tone, I handed the jewel back and answered.

"Forget it. Just don't get caught."

"By who?"

"The Student Council, obviously."

"I'll never get caught as long as I don't expose my stomach."

Seeing her so overconfident, she was definitely going to get caught and receive demerits in no time.

Especially if Miyuki caught her—she'd be in for a serious scolding.

"By the way, do I look like I gained weight?"

Hiyori asked, poking at her lower belly with her T-shirt still pulled up.

I snorted at her pointless worrying as she stared down at a complete lack of fat, and answered.

"You haven't."

"No, I did. I think I gained two kilos."

"Right."

"Excuse me? Why are you saying it like that?"

"You said you did, so I agreed. What's the problem?"

"Good job."

I could only chuckle as her glaring eyes instantly rounded back into an innocent look.

This girl treated life like a joke. If I'd had a rolled-up newspaper on hand, I would have smacked her on the butt like last time... What a shame.

"Get back to your stretches."

"My neck is stiff. Can't you massage it for me?"

"Out of nowhere?"

"I must have cramped it sleeping face-down on my desk today. I can't work out like this."

Sighing in exasperation, I walked slowly over to Hiyori and grabbed the back of her neck.

Her slender neck fit perfectly in my grip.

As I began to massage the area, Hiyori shrank her neck into her shoulders like a turtle and spoke.

"That's too hard...!"

"Massages are supposed to be hard."

"There are gentle massages too, you know...! Go a little easier."

She sure asked for a lot.

I clicked my tongue and eased up on my fingertips, letting her shoulders drop back down to normal.

The more I massaged her, the more the tension seeped out of her neck.

"Your hands are so warm..."

It was a random sentiment from Hiyori, quietly entrusting her body to my touch.

Tracing the line of fine hairs down the back of her neck with my thumb and middle finger, I spoke.

"You're cold. You should drink a lot of cinnamon tea."

"Why?"

"It warms up the body."

"Is it bad to be cold?"

"It's bad for you. Do you have poor circulation? I'll have to extend your workout time today."

"No way. Too much exercise is exhausting."

"You don't have a choice."

"I suddenly feel so sleepy... Can I take a nap on your futon, sunbae-nim?"

"No."

"After the workout?"

"If you work hard without slacking off, I'll think about it."

"Really?"

A sharp smack rang out from Hiyori's neck.

Her face had just lit up, only for her to scowl after being lightly struck on the back of the neck by my palm.

"Ah, why did you hit me...!"

"I didn't hit you. I did it for your own good."

"Is this some kind of tough love?"

"Exactly."

"They say people who justify corporal punishment are the worst kind of people."

"Then don't do things that warrant a smack."

"When did I ever do that?"

"Alright. I'm sorry, so let's just work out now."

"Notice how you're not saying you won't hit me next time?"

"A smack is the cure for kids who don't listen."

"Aren't I listening well enough as is? Why are you so violent? And why doesn't your apology feel genuine at all?"

I gently closed my eyes, ignoring Hiyori as she whined playfully.

I half-listened to her sharp voice prattling on right next to my ear. After a brief flurry of nonstop chatter, she spoke in a sullen tone.

"Let's work out now."

"Right. Good choice."

"Will you feed me when we're done?"

"I'll decide after seeing how you do, so shut your mouth."

"But..."

I sealed Hiyori's plump lips shut with my fingers to stop whatever she was about to say.

Pressing down on her upper lip with my index and middle fingers, and pulling her lower lip with my thumb, I watched her eyebrows and eyes dart all over the place.

Even now, she was goofing off.

Seeing her act like this, my assumption that she would be shy around me after sleeping beside me was completely wrong.

She's the type who would keep running her mouth even during her first time.

"Haa... It's s-so hard... You never said anything about jogging...!!"

Running ahead, I glanced back at Hiyori's whining.

Her posture was definitely that of someone running, but her speed was far slower than a person walking.

I chuckled at the sight of her panting with zero regard for her image, and walked over to hand her some water.

"Here."

In response, Hiyori parted her lips slightly, resting the bottom of her tongue against her lower lip.

She was asking me to feed her... but her exhausted face was full of sex appeal.

She looked exactly like she was gasping for air right after sex, sending blood rushing straight to my lower half.

Feeling that urge, I did as she wanted and squeezed the water bottle directly into her mouth.

"Do you have enough strength left to shower?"

"Yep..."

"Then let's call it a day here."

"Sounds good..."

I figured it was about time she adapted to the workouts, but Hiyori's legs were shaking uncontrollably.

It didn't seem like she was acting pitiful on purpose, but because it was Hiyori, I couldn't help but be suspicious.

Still unsure if she was faking it or not, I headed back home with Hiyori. I finished my shower in the small bathroom and waited for her.

It took quite a while before Hiyori finally emerged from the bathroom.

She wore a refreshed expression, like someone who had just washed away all her sweat with a cold shower. Unlike last time when she came out in her underwear, this time she had changed into actual clothes.

I suppose that stunt really was just to get under Miyuki's skin.

Whatever the case, her current outfit was still a bit revealing.

A pair of shorts so short they barely covered the curve of her bottom, and a tight T-shirt that faintly revealed her underwear...

I didn't know if that was her everyday wear or not, but every time I saw her in that kind of outfit, I couldn't help but feel just how bold this girl was.

The moment she came out, she swung open the refrigerator as if this were her own home.

She casually pulled out a two-liter water bottle, poured water into a cup, and looked over at me.

"What are you doing over there?"

"Watching TV."

"Where's the light switch?"

"Don't turn it on. It's more comfortable to watch in the dark."

"Are you sure you don't have ulterior motives?"

"What kind of motives?"

"Naughty things."

What a brazen thing to say.

I seriously debated whether I should show her what truly naughty looked like.

After finishing her water, Hiyori walked past me where I sat on the tatami, and laid down on the thick, neatly spread white futon.

She pulled the blanket over herself, buried the back of her head into the plush pillow, and let out a languid yawn. Why did that make me want to tease her so much?

"Sunbae-nim."

"What."

"Once I'm asleep, make me food and wake me up."

She must have felt so comfortable making demands with that thick skin of hers.

I raised my hand slightly to give her shameless mouth a light tap with my palm.

Realizing what I was about to do, Hiyori cheekily stuck her tongue out.

It was a dare: if I wanted to hit her badly enough to risk getting spit on my hand, then go ahead and try.

Hiyori must have expected me to get flustered by that, right?

But she was wrong.

When she was basically offering herself up on a silver platter like that, it would be rude to back down.

With that thought, I savored the lemon scent wafting toward my nose, and tapped my fingertips against her lips.

"Ack! Eugh...!"

Every time my fingertips met her lips, Hiyori didn't just blink; she jerked her head back and let out bizarre noises.

She must not have expected me to actually touch her, because the bewildered look she shot up at me was a sight to behold.

Her tongue was still sticking out.

Faced with my unexpected reaction, she seemed completely frozen, unable to even think about retracting it.

I seriously debated taking it a step further and sticking my fingers straight into her mouth, but instead, I just yanked off the blanket she was under.

Then, I wiped my saliva-dampened fingertips dry on the hem of her T-shirt.

Flinch.

Did the touch at her waist feel oddly provocative?

Hiyori's body gave a large jolt.

"Don't push your luck."

Seeing her reaction, I lowered my voice and issued a playful warning. Shuddering once more, she dragged the discarded blanket all the way over her head.

Judging by her ahoge swaying stiffly in the air even while damp, she was definitely dying of embarrassment. If she was going to react like this, why did she keep pushing it?

Did she have some strange fetishes? If so, I could certainly indulge her.

Grinning to myself, I lightly tapped her collarbone area through the covers and spoke.

"Get up so we can go out and eat."

"....."

At those words, Hiyori lowered the blanket just enough to peek out with her eyes.

Thinking that her bright red ears would make me burst out laughing, I asked.

"You don't have any plans tomorrow morning, do you?"

"W-Why do you ask...?"

"So you can get plenty of rest."

"Ah..."

Seeing her visibly flustered expression, she must have been expecting something else.

Next time I ask a question like that, I'll make sure to ask her to sleep with me, just as she clearly wants.

Chuckling inwardly, I grabbed a towel and draped it over Hiyori's head as she sluggishly sat up.