"...."
Ritsu wanted to cry at that moment. She had used all of her courage, but who would have thought she would bite her tongue in the most important moment?
She couldn't control her emotions and ran away.
"Ex-Excuse me!"
This reaction was normal since she didn't have any experience in the matter of love. It was her first time, so she was nervous, thinking that her action had caused everything to fail, yet she couldn't run away since he held her hand.
"Don't run away, Senpai. If you run, our relationship will become awkward from now on, or for you, that confession is nothing but a joke?"
When his voice fell, she stopped while lowering her head.
"It's not a joke. That's how I feel toward you..."
Her eyes were in mist at this moment since she didn't want him to misunderstand her.
At this moment, her heart was a mess, and she just didn't know what to do since many things kept appearing in her head, which made her confused and panicked.
"Then, don't run since that way; I can take you seriously." He moved closer, and he held her hands gently. "Calm down, okay?"
"Ye-Yes."
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
While he was a scumbag, he had always been gentle. It was something that made her love him. He might also tease her, but it didn't make her hate him. Instead, it tickled her and made her unable to forget about him.
This feeling... she had felt it for so long, and she also had realized what kind of feeling she felt.
Now, she was brave enough to confess what she felt in her heart, but now, was she going to run away?
"I... I wuv you!"
"....."
Ritsu bit her tongue again.
"Should I say it instead?"
"No, let me say it." She was already full of tears but didn't need his pity. She also knew that it was difficult for him to confess to her, considering his situation and all. More importantly, he was a scumbag with many women. Even so, it didn't change her feeling, but if he was the one who confessed, it would make it cheap, so she had to be the one who confessed.
She looked at him and said, "I love you, Shishio-kun."
"Yes."
"....."
She waited for a while, but she didn't hear his answer. "Hmm... your answer is?" However, when she saw him chuckle, she was angry. "Shishio-kun!" She had used all of her courage, yet he chuckled.
Right now, she wanted to smash him with a board like the two guys that bullied the girl before.
"Sorry, it is just that it's a surprise to me that you have decided to confess to me now." He looked at her and said, "I thought that our relationship might start when you are about to graduate."
"Wh-Why you think so?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
It was obvious.
There was no need for him to answer, especially when one thought about her personality.
Even Ritsu also knew her personality well.
She was only interested in books, and she had never thought much about people. She didn't even have friends since she only looked at the book.
Book, book, and book.
Yet he took her away from her world.
Her world was no longer books anymore.
There were many things in her words.
Well, not everything in her new world was good, she thought.
Sometimes, it was bitter and sour, but at the same time, it was also sweet.
Everything was because of him.
Yes.
Him.
To be honest, she was also surprised at herself for suddenly trying to confess to him since, as he had said before, her personality was passive. She had gotten used to waiting and staying still, so when she broke out of her shell and confessed to him, she messed up several times.
However, she suddenly realized something and looked at him with a dumbfounded expression.
"...you thought that I might confess to you?" She looked at him in a daze.
"...."
"Why?!" She asked while blushing.
He sighed and patted her head gently. "You're so obvious. You're like a book. It is easy to read."
"......."
She was so embarrassed at that moment but also annoyed. She puffed her cheeks before she looked away.
Honestly, he hoped she didn't confess to him in this attire since it was hard to see her as a beautiful girl, considering her androgynous appearance. Still, her breasts were noticeable, so he could only see her as a female.
However, this wasn't the time for him to think about such a messy thing.
Still, he had to say this confession was a bit lacking in impact; considering all the confessions that he had, many of them were pretty impactful.
If he gave an example, one of the most impactful was the confession of Rio Futaba. She confessed to him while staining her feet in the mud and wet from the rain.
Even the latest confession, which was Yui's confession, was also amazing since he had to do it with her mother too.
Yet Ritsu lacked that.
She just bit her tongue.
It was cute, but it lacked an impact.
However, this was good since it had been a while since he received such a confession.
While he was in the middle of his thought, Ritsu was nervous since he didn't say anything.
What about my confession?
What was your answer?
There were many questions in her head, but she didn't dare to question them since she was afraid to hear them. However, she was startled when she was hugged suddenly from behind. Her body was tense, but slowly she relaxed and leaned on his chest.
"Honestly, I should just agree to your confession, but I have been thinking a lot."
"Thinking?"
"Yes." He put his chin on her head and said, "I have a lot of women, so I can't be with you all the time. You have to share me with others. Even so, is that okay with you?"
"...why do you ask that question?"
"Because, like how you seriously confess your feeling to me, I also need to think to answer your confession seriously."
"So... if I can accept it, what will you do?"
"I will do this."
Suddenly, she felt his waist pulled and realized she was sitting on his lap with her hands grasped by him. Her chin was also lifted, and his eyes stared into him like a beast.
"I will kiss you and mark you mine."
She could feel hot air in her ear, which caused her face to turn red. After all, it reminded her of a certain plot in her book.
As she wanted to learn about her feelings, she also started to read a romance, and it also included a romance with slightly adult taste, which made her a bit addicted somehow.
"So, think carefully."
"I..." She looked at him and said, "I have thought about it, and I won't ever regret my confession to you." She didn't bite her tongue or get nervous at this moment since she wanted to tell him how serious her feeling was.
"You know, I have been thinking a lot about this. Whether I sleep or wake up, every time I try to force you away from my head. Unfortunately, I can't do it. You have always been on my mind. Even when I read, your face will also appear. It is hard for me."
She suddenly looked resentful and said, "So you should take responsibility."
"Responsibility?"
"Yes, you have messed me up! So take responsibility!"
"...don't say something misleading." He was speechless.
Mess her up?
Did he?
However, he knew what she meant, so he just kissed her lips.
"...."
Ritsu was dumbfounded and opened her eyes wide.
Eh?
Did he kiss her?
Really?
'Well, it feels good.'
She hugged him on his neck and started taking the initiative despite being awkward. Her knowledge might not be zero since she had read many books, but compared to real experience, everything was just different.
Her heart was fluttering, and she just wanted this to continue until he put her tongue inside her, which made her realize that the fluffy-like kiss could become so lewd yet addicting kiss.
Yet, what made her feel a bit unacceptable was that she could accept everything so easily.
Was it because of her book?
Suddenly, she realized that it might not be good to read an adult book.
While his kiss might be quite bold, he was quite gentle since it was her first time. Still, it made him realize how good he was now at tainting girls. Even if Ritsu was a virgin and didn't have any experience, he could make her into such a lewd girl so quickly.
Still, fortunately, everyone was still playing around at the cultural festival, so their place was rather quiet, and no one bothered them.
At this time and place, they just enjoyed their time together.
As they parted, their faces were flushed red like they were burnt by their desire.
Ritsu was shy and buried her face in his neck. "...if you throw me away after all of this, I will bury you with all of my books, then I will also bury myself."
"I won't." He hugged her tightly in his arms and said, "Thank you for confessing to me. I am happy."
"Un."
Those words alone made her smile, and she hugged him even tighter.
"Say, Shishio-kun."
"Hmm?"
"Can you hug me even tighter?"
"...."
Shishio wondered whether Ritsu was infected by Shiro-san's virus.
---
As the two confirmed their relationship, they spent a few hours on this place until she realized she needed to return to her class, even though she was reluctant.
"By the way, will the literature club be alright?"
She was still worried that something might happen to the literature club because of Kiriya.
"It's okay. The culprit is going to be caught soon."
"That's good."
Ritsu nodded and sighed in relief.
As they walked, they met Shiina and Rita, who played together at the cultural festival. Still, when the two of them saw him and Ritsu holding hands, they were surprised.
"Shishio is a beast," Shiina said blankly.
"...." Shishio and Ritsu.
However, Shiina accepted it, and the three of them talked to each other about many things.
Yet, Rita, on the other hand, was looking at Ritsu in shock before she looked at Shishio with a complicated gaze. However, because of this, she was no longer hesitating. Her time was limited, and she was going to use the best of it since she didn't want to return to England with regret.
In the end, the four of them decided to play together and decided to visit Ritsu's class's exhibition.
As they enjoyed the cultural festival, the first day ended, and it was time to close their exhibitions, but at this moment, someone used this chance to enter the literature club.