Chapter 418

“Who said I was crying...! I wasn't crying...!”

She’d just been sniffling a second ago, yet here she was, claiming she hadn't shed a tear.

That delicate vulnerability added to her usual lively charm made me want to hug her like crazy.

Unable to resist the urge, I pulled Hiyori’s slender frame into a gentle hug. I patted her back and spoke.

“There, there.”

“Don't treat me like a child...!”

“Alright.”

I nodded and told Hiyori to stay still as she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

Plucking a tissue from the box on the table, I carefully dabbed at the corners of her eyes.

“Why are you crying?”

“I told you I'm not crying!”

Even her squawking protests were cute enough to kill me.

“I'm sorry.”

At my ready apology, her protests died down. Her eyelids fluttered whenever my tissue-wrapped finger brushed against her skin.

“Be quiet...”

“Got it.”

“I'm never doing this with you again, sunbae...”

That's not really your choice to make.

I swallowed those words. Still huffing, Hiyori continued.

“Why aren't you answering...!? Are you planning to force me or something...?”

“You told me to be quiet.”

“No... haa... you're unbelievable...”

She bit her lower lip, the corners of her mouth twitching.

She was fighting the urge to burst out laughing at my lame joke cutting through the serious mood.

I hadn't actually intended it as a joke, but whatever. As long as she laughed, it was fine.

Regardless, Hiyori really had been angry just a moment ago.

I had touched her intimately out of nowhere and without permission, making her climax into an embarrassing mess. It was only natural she'd be furious on top of feeling ashamed.

When else would Hiyori have ever felt an orgasm like that?

She had gotten pretty heated back at my place, but the pleasure she'd just experienced was far more intense, leaving her completely drenched. It would be a lie to say she wasn't humiliated.

The only reason she was acting this calm was because I had held her from behind instead of facing her; she assumed I hadn't seen the messy face she made when she came.

Had I been looking at her, she probably would have been screaming her lungs out at me.

“Drink this.”

I held out a half-empty glass of water from the table. Still sporting a sullen pout, Hiyori leaned in and pressed her lips to the rim.

Seeing her obediently drink from my hand was adorable.

While I was thinking that, she grabbed the glass with her own hands.

Turning her back to me, she gulped down the water, then rummaged through the shopping bag to pull out the pants I had brought for her.

“Get out.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why?! So I can change my clothes!”

“Then change.”

Did my sheer shamelessness leave her completely dumbfounded?

Hiyori just stared at me blankly.

I caught her off guard, planting a sudden kiss on her forehead. She let out a weird little shriek—“Eek!”—and I finally stood up.

“I'll be back in five minutes.”

“...Okay.”

I left the room, stopping by the restroom to wash my hands. After taking my time looking around the place, I headed back about ten minutes later.

Hiyori wasn't in the room. For a second, I wondered if she'd made a run for it, but her Cell Phone was sitting by itself in the corner. She'd probably just gone to the restroom like I had.

I sat quietly in the immaculately clean room, waiting. It wasn't long before she returned.

She shot me a pouty glare before taking her seat. She looked so ridiculously pretty that the urge to push her right back down surged through me.

“Why did you bring that towel?”

She asked this after trudging past me with sluggish steps and pressing her back flat against the wall as she sat.

Pulling her knees to her chest, she wrapped her arms around her legs. Watching her, I just shrugged and answered.

“Thought we might need it.”

“You brought it for exactly this reason, didn't you?”

“It could have rained. I was just being prepared.”

“Don't lie. How can you be so shameless?”

“I think I'm starting to take after you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?!”

Whenever I initiated any physical contact to advance my relationships with the other heroines, they'd all universally turn shy.

They could barely speak, let alone look me in the eye.

But Hiyori was different.

She was just as easily embarrassed as the rest of them, but she never lost her inherent personality.

Simply put, she still carried herself with an air of confidence.

Meeting her slightly teary gaze head-on, I pointed at the oversized capri pants she was now wearing.

“Comfortable, aren't they?”

“...Annoying.”

Hiyori let out a huff, lifting the menu so I could see it.

She pointed to a picture of curry and karaage.

“I'm having this.”

She looked incredibly cute all dressed down in the baggy t-shirt and pants I'd brought.

Even the way she jabbed her finger against the picture of the food with a sharp tap was adorable.

There wasn't a single thing about her I didn't love.

“Go ahead.”

“You're paying for it, sunbae.”

“Alright.”

“Good.”

“Not getting anything to drink?”

“I was about to order one.”

“Good girl.”

“I thought I told you not to treat me like a child.”

“I wasn't.”

“Haa... you're so annoying...”

Given the way she drew out the last syllable, she wasn't actually annoyed at all—she was having fun.

Well, maybe ‘fun’ was pushing it. It was more accurate to say she was just basking in the lingering afterglow of the moment.

In truth, I shouldn't have moved so fast.

I should have taken it slower, given it a bit more time, and at least dropped a few hints to Miyuki that I had my eyes on Hiyori before making my move.

But what was done was done. I couldn't turn back time.

It was Hiyori's fault anyway for being so alluring.

“Am I really that annoying?”

“Yes. What are you going to do about it?”

“What do you mean, what am I going to do? There's nothing I can do.”

“Excuse me?”

Hiyori glared at me, clearly upset that I wasn't humoring her complaints.

I let out a soft chuckle and reached over, brushing her messy bangs away from her forehead.

Smack.

Halfway through, Hiyori slapped my wrist in a petty show of rebellion. But when I didn't react, she lost interest, letting her arms drop to her sides as she went back to sitting quietly.

“Should we order now?”

“Yeah.”

“What do you want to drink?”

“Pineapple juice.”

It was a choice that suited her perfectly.

If she'd told me to just get whatever, I would have ordered her a lemonade. But pineapple juice wasn't a bad fit, either.

I picked up the receiver in the room and placed our order with the staff. Beside me, Hiyori rubbed her stomach, muttering something under her breath.

Her lips were jutting out in a deep pout to prove she was still sulking, making them look incredibly kissable.

Keeping those thoughts to myself, I scooted closer to her and turned on the TV.

“Want to watch a movie while we eat before we go?”

“Okay.”

“What do you want to watch?”

“Anything but an adult movie.”

She was clearly worried that watching something like that in our current situation would just get her fired up all over again.

Finding her utter transparency endearing, I agreed and threw on a random, decent-looking movie.

We sat there watching it together, peacefully sharing the food the staff brought up to our room.

...

“See you later.”

I parked the car in front of her house. At my farewell, Hiyori lifted her chin with a haughty air.

“You may go.”

“What was that?”

“I was just copying you, sunbae.”

She stepped out of the car, clutching the shopping bag holding her wet clothes. Bringing her index and middle fingers to her eyes, she flipped her hand around and pointed them straight at me.

It was the classic “I'm watching you” gesture, served with a playful smirk.

I found it hilarious, so I just flashed her a bright smile in response.

Hiyori's lips jutted out in a pout again before she gave a dismissive wave.

Then, spinning on her heel, she headed up and opened her front door.

There was a distinct lightness to her step as she went inside. Watching her, I got the distinct feeling that the day Hiyori and I took our physical relationship to the next level wasn't far off.

I drove home after parting ways with her. After a quick shower, I flopped down spread-eagle on my bed.

I'll rest for a bit, then head over to Miyuki's place.

I lay there, mindlessly fiddling with my Cell Phone as I made my plans, when—

Bzzzt—!

[Ma.]

The vibration caught me off guard. Seeing a message from Hiyori, I tilted my head in confusion.

Was she too lazy to even type out ‘Matsu’, so she just went with that?

Or is this her way of telling me she's still mad?

Whatever the reason, it was a cute way to get my attention. A smile playing on my lips, my thumbs flew nimbly across the screen to fire back a reply.

[What.]

[I've got something to use against you now, sunbae.]

What a terrifying thing to declare.

I figured she'd try to weaponize what happened today.

I highly doubted she'd actually try to use it to boss me around, but knowing Hiyori, there was definitely a chance she'd wave it in my face to get her way.

If I wasn't careful, I could have a massive storm brewing on the horizon.

[Is that so?]

[Of course it is.]

[I understand.]

[Take responsibility.]

Ah, yes. The classic soap opera line.

To be fair, it fit our current situation perfectly.

Still, it was a bit of a shame. It would have been way better to hear her say that after we went all the way for the first time.

But that was fine. Knowing Hiyori, she would definitely give me all sorts of amazing reactions down the line.

[How?]

[Figure it out yourself.]

[Alright. I ate way too much today. Want to work out together tomorrow?]

[What kind of workout?]

[The kind that burns calories.]

[And what exactly is that? You're thinking something dirty right now, aren't you??]

[I was talking about going for a run... Aren't you the one with your mind in the gutter?]

[I bet you were thinking the exact same thing I was, sunbae.]

[I wasn't, actually.]

[Liar. You've got the total makings of a con artist.]

I could practically picture her fuming on the other end of the line.

My affection for her was blooming out of control. It made me want to get my hands all over her again tomorrow.

[You'll at least text me before you come over tomorrow, right?]

[No? I'm going to show up whenever I feel like it. I'm going to crash your date with Miyuki Hanazawa just to ruin the mood.]

Chuckling at her rampage, I sent back a sweating emoji and thought to myself.

I was definitely going to have to behave myself for the time being.

She might be acting like her usual self right now, but she'd just gone through a major first. She was bound to stay highly sensitive for a while.

I would make sure to take good care of her while handling my remaining tasks. Then, when the timing was perfect, I'd make my move for our first time.