Exchanging a ten-minute hug for Hoshimi's secret technique "Removal Modified" felt like a very profitable deal to Yukino.
Although she wouldn't normally need to use "Removal Modified," it's always good to be prepared. What if she encounters danger someday and it comes in handy?
Moreover, the most crucial point was that Hoshimi knew "Removal Modified," so she had to learn it too. Otherwise, what if Hoshimi used it to tease her in the future?
By learning it, she would have the power to resist. Otherwise, she would just have to watch this jerk Hoshimi be arrogant.
But...
Yukino glanced at Hoshimi, who was smiling meaningfully beside her. For some reason, she felt uneasy.
Was Hoshimi so kind to sell her "Removal Modified" because he was plotting something behind her back?
Yukino pondered, looking at the sofa beneath her and then at Hoshimi next to her. She felt that hugging on the sofa seemed a bit unsafe...
She thought for a moment, stood up, and looked at Hoshimi sitting on the sofa. "Come, hug me."
"Hmm?" Hoshimi blinked in confusion. "Yukino, you should be hugging me. Our deal was 'you hug me for ten minutes.'"
"Are you coming or not?" Yukino urged Hoshimi impatiently with a hint of coldness.
You hug me, I hug you, what's the difference? A hug is a hug anyway.
She just didn't want to hug on the sofa because she was worried Hoshimi might take the opportunity to do something. So standing and hugging felt a bit safer.
"Alright, I'll take a bit of a loss then," Hoshimi stood up, walked to Yukino's front, and looked down at her. "Yukino, are you ready?"
"..." Yukino slightly tilted her head back to meet the eyes of Hoshimi, who was a head taller than her.
Seeing the gentle look in Hoshimi's crimson eyes, Yukino's heart inexplicably started to race.
She pursed her lips tightly and turned her head away awkwardly. "I told you, don't call me Yukino!"
"Okay, Yukino," Hoshimi agreed while simultaneously pulling her into his arms.
As soon as he hugged Yukino, Hoshimi clearly felt her whole body tense up, and her heartbeat suddenly quickened.
He knew that Yukino was nervous, more so than ever before, and was at a loss.
To comfort her, Hoshimi placed his left hand on Yukino's lower back and used his right hand to gently stroke her waterfall-like hair repeatedly.
Gradually, Yukino's tense body started to relax.
What initially felt like hugging a stiff piece of wood slowly transformed into the sensation of holding soft jade.
Simultaneously, Hoshimi noticed another issue: Yukino, wearing pajamas, seemed to have truly only her pajamas on...
Realizing this, Hoshimi hugged her more tightly, as if trying to meld the now-softened Yukino into his body...
"Sniff~~ Sniff~~~"
Hoshimi lowered his head, gently sniffing the side of Yukino's neck that was turning pink.
The scent of her shower gel and shampoo mixed with her natural fragrance, creating an intoxicating aroma that made Hoshimi somewhat dizzy.
"Yukino, you smell so good..." Hoshimi couldn't help but murmur softly, now fully relaxed.
"..." Yukino heard him clearly but couldn't respond.
Somehow, an indescribable emotion surged from her rapidly beating heart, blocking her chest and clogging her throat, making it impossible for her to speak.
Additionally, the rising heat from Hoshimi's body caused her own body to soften uncontrollably.
With her right foot already sprained and unable to stand steadily, her now softened body couldn't muster any strength, leaving her no choice but to nestle helplessly in Hoshimi's embrace.
She noticed Hoshimi's hold tightening, but she didn't resist. After all, this was part of their agreement.
Straightforward Yukino wouldn't go back on an established agreement.
But...
She felt a bit regretful. Why did she change into her pajamas so early?
Wearing pajamas, while Hoshimi wore short sleeves, made their hug feel almost barrier-free...
She could even feel Hoshimi's heartbeat lightly trembling against her skin...
"..." She pursed her lips tightly, burying her flushed face into Hoshimi's chest in slight embarrassment.
Hoshimi was indeed a jerk, but a calculating jerk...
He had hinted at her to go to bed around eight o'clock in the elevator, then came to her house around that time, and used a hug as the condition for their agreement.
Had Hoshimi, this calculating jerk, already predicted that she would change into her pajamas around eight?
Ugh~ Got outsmarted again...
So annoying...
She lifted her hand, wanting to pinch Hoshimi's waist in a small act of revenge.
But when she touched the soft flesh of his waist, she didn't do it. Instead, almost instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his waist.
She was puzzled by her own actions...
After thinking it over, Yukino concluded that she was just too committed to the agreement and didn't want to do anything that would break it.
Yes... that must be it... there couldn't be any other reason... absolutely not...
Yukino, feeling like her chest was filled with a pool of spring water, confirmed this to herself...
Time passed by steadily, and as their body temperatures rose, both their breaths became a bit hot and rapid...
"Hoshimi... how long has it been...?"
Yukino couldn't help but ask first.
Her voice was soft and trembling, like a gentle drizzle caressing the face in March, itchy and soothing.
"Five minutes, I think..."
Hoshimi's voice had also changed slightly, like a quiet stream flowing, but with an underlying intense heat that couldn't be concealed...
It felt like a stream flowing on a volcano...
"... Hoshimi... you're not lying to me, are you..."
Yukino, feeling weak, sensed Hoshimi might be lying. It felt like it had been at least ten minutes...
"... I'm not..."
Yukino pursed her lips and chose to trust Hoshimi.
Time moved forward calmly, and after a while, Yukino spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
"... Can you let go now?"
"Sorry, I don't know that technique..."
After this brief exchange, they fell silent again.
Yukino, her pretty face buried in Hoshimi's chest and her arms wrapped around him, struggled to endure the strange itchy feeling inside her and the indescribable emotions flooding her heart.
Hoshimi, inhaling Yukino's unique scent, found his thoughts drifting.
There was never such a thing as love at first sight, only infatuation at first sight.
To be honest, his attraction to Yukino was purely based on her appearance, both in his dreams and in reality.
However, after spending some time with her, he suddenly found this stubborn, straightforward, and slightly inflexible girl quite adorable and interesting.
She just wasn't well-suited to this gray and treacherous world. If she were released into society with her current personality, she would definitely get hurt.
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