As soon as Kushida left, the silence in the room felt heavy. Ayanokoji's sharp gaze lingered on the closed door for a moment before he shifted his attention to the bathroom. He knew Ichinose had heard everything—the intimacy, Kushida's moans, her brazen words. It was only a matter of time before Ichinose's emotions would spill over.
He walked toward the bathroom door with calm, measured steps, his expression unreadable. Gently, he knocked on the door. "Ichinose," he said quietly, but with enough authority to let her know it was safe to come out. "You can come out now."
For a moment, there was no response. Ayanokoji waited, his patience unwavering. He could sense the tension on the other side of the door, the confusion and hesitation Ichinose must have been feeling.
Finally, the door creaked open slightly, and Ichinose slowly emerged. Her face was flushed, a mixture of embarrassment and shock etched in her features. She avoided making eye contact with him, her fingers fidgeting nervously with the hem of her shirt. Her usual calm, confident demeanor was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she looked vulnerable, almost fragile.
"Ayanokoji-kun…" she began softly, her voice trembling slightly. She finally looked up at him, her eyes searching his face for answers. "I… I don't understand. You and Kushida…"
Ayanokoji didn't respond immediately, letting the silence between them stretch for a few beats. His mind raced, calculating the best way to navigate this situation without allowing it to spiral out of control.
"We have a complicated relationship," he finally said, his voice calm, almost clinical. He didn't offer her any more details, knowing that too much information would only make things worse.
Ichinose's brows furrowed, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "I heard everything," she said, her voice trembling again. "Is that… is that something you do often? With her? With… other girls?"
The vulnerability in her voice tugged at something deep inside him—something he wasn't used to feeling. He could tell she was hurt, confused, and trying to piece together the image of him that had just shattered before her eyes.
Ayanokoji took a step closer to her, closing the distance between them. His hand reached out, gently cupping her chin, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. "Ichinose," he said softly, his tone shifting, becoming more tender. "What I do with others doesn't change what I think of you."
Her breath hitched, her eyes wide as she stared up at him. "But… why? Why did you call me here tonight? Was it just for information?"
Ayanokoji held her gaze for a long moment before responding. "I called you here because I wanted to be alone with you. Not just for information."
Her heart pounded in her chest, conflicting emotions swirling inside her. A part of her wanted to believe him, to trust the words he was saying, but the scene she had just overheard with Kushida made it difficult to process.
"But… what was that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "What I heard with Kushida…"
Ayanokoji let out a slow breath, his hand still gently holding her chin. "I didn't want you to hear that," he admitted. "But it doesn't change why you're here tonight."
Ichinose's emotions were all over the place—confusion, frustration, a strange sense of jealousy she hadn't anticipated. Yet, standing this close to him, with his intense gaze focused solely on her, it was difficult to stay angry. She couldn't deny the pull she felt toward him, the inexplicable way he always seemed to draw her in, despite everything.
Ayanokoji could sense her inner turmoil. He wasn't blind to the effect he had on her. Slowly, he let his thumb graze her lower lip, watching as her breath hitched again. "Ichinose," he murmured, his voice low. "You don't need to worry about what you heard tonight. You're here with me now. That's what matters."
Ichinose swallowed hard, her mind spinning. She knew she should be angry, that she should demand more answers, but the way Ayanokoji looked at her made it impossible to think clearly. She had always admired him for his intellect, his calm demeanor, but now, standing so close to him, she felt something deeper—a connection she hadn't expected.
"I…" she started to speak, but her words trailed off as Ayanokoji leaned closer, his lips brushing against her ear.
"Stay with me tonight," he whispered, his breath warm against her skin.
Her heart raced, her face flushing an even deeper shade of red. She felt conflicted, torn between her rational thoughts and the emotions swirling inside her. But in that moment, all she could focus on was how close he was, how his hand felt against her skin, how his words sent shivers down her spine.
"I don't… I don't know if I should," she finally managed to say, her voice shaking slightly.
Ayanokoji pulled back slightly, just enough to meet her gaze again. His eyes were calm, steady, but there was an undeniable intensity behind them. "It's your choice," he said softly, giving her the space to make her own decision.
Ichinose stared up at him, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. Part of her wanted to walk away, to process everything she had heard and seen tonight. But another part of her—a part she didn't quite understand—wanted to stay.
After what felt like an eternity, she slowly nodded, her decision made. "Okay," she whispered. "I'll stay."
Ayanokoji's lips curved into a faint smile as he released her chin, his hand trailing down to rest on her shoulder. "Good," he said simply.
He led her to the bed, where they both sat down. The room was still heavy with the tension of everything that had transpired, but in the silence that followed, there was a sense of calm. Ichinose sat beside him, her hands resting in her lap, still unsure of what the night would bring, but no longer feeling the same sense of unease.
Ayanokoji remained composed, as always, his mind still calculating every possibility, every outcome. But for now, he focused on Ichinose, knowing that the rest could wait.
Under the dim light of Ayanokoji's dorm room, the tension between him and Ichinose lingered, thick in the air. The intimacy from before had shaken Ichinose, and yet she stayed, drawn to him by an invisible force, her emotions swirling with confusion and desire. They sat together on the edge of the bed, their bodies close, but neither making the next move—until Ichinose broke the silence.
"Ayanokoji-kun," she began softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn't meet his eyes, her gaze falling to the floor, her fingers fidgeting nervously in her lap. "Do you… do you enjoy messing with my body more than Kushida's?"
Ayanokoji's expression didn't change, his face remaining as calm and unreadable as ever. He glanced at her, observing the way her lips trembled slightly as she waited for his answer. Without hesitation, he leaned toward her, his lips dangerously close to her ear.
"I enjoy your body far more," he whispered in a low, smooth tone. "Kushida doesn't even compare."
Ichinose's breath hitched, her face flushing a deep shade of red. She was speechless for a moment, her mind racing with his words. The sincerity in his voice sent shivers down her spine, and for a few seconds, she could hardly think straight. Her hands clenched tighter in her lap, as if trying to ground herself.
Ayanokoji's gaze never wavered. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against her earlobe as he spoke again. "Even now, I'm finding it difficult to restrain myself. My hands want to touch you—your body is irresistible."
Ichinose's heart pounded in her chest. Her mind screamed at her to pull away, to think about what she was doing, but her body refused to listen. Instead, she found herself whispering back, her voice small and shy.
"You… you don't have to hold yourself back."
The moment those words left her lips, Ayanokoji wasted no time. His hands shot out, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her closer. His fingers slid under the hem of her shirt, tracing the soft skin of her stomach as he leaned into her, his lips grazing the curve of her neck.
Ichinose let out a soft gasp, her body trembling beneath his touch. Ayanokoji's hands were cold, but the fire spreading through her body at his touch was undeniable. He continued to move his hands, exploring her body with a sense of purpose, slipping under her shirt and letting his fingers brush the underside of her breasts.
"Your body," he whispered into her ear, his voice low and full of desire, "it's even more perfect than I imagined."
Ichinose bit her lip, her face flushed with both embarrassment and excitement. She felt overwhelmed by his touch, by the way he seemed to know exactly where to place his hands to make her shiver. Her breathing quickened as his fingers traced her curves, and for a moment, she forgot about everything else—about Kushida, about the situation she had found herself in tonight. All that mattered was Ayanokoji, and the way his hands moved across her skin.
They remained like this for a while, the room filled with the sound of their quiet breathing, the air thick with tension. Ayanokoji's hands roamed her body, his fingers teasingly slipping beneath her shirt, playing with the softness of her breasts. Ichinose's mind was spinning, her thoughts clouded by the sensations coursing through her body.
But then, suddenly, she spoke again, her voice quiet but firm.
"Ayanokoji-kun," she whispered, her breath shaky, "would you stop… your relationships with other girls… if I gave myself to you?"
Her words hung in the air, cutting through the tension like a knife. Ayanokoji paused for a brief moment, his hands still resting on her skin. He could feel the seriousness in her tone, the weight of the question she had asked. Slowly, he pulled back, just enough to meet her gaze.
Ichinose's eyes were wide, her expression earnest. She looked vulnerable in a way that Ayanokoji hadn't seen before. It was clear that this question was important to her—that she was willing to give herself to him, but only if he gave her something in return.
Ayanokoji's mind raced, calculating the best response. He knew what she wanted to hear, and he knew exactly how to play this situation to his advantage. His lips curved into a small, reassuring smile as he leaned in closer, his voice soft and convincing.
"Yes," he whispered, his eyes never leaving hers. "If you give yourself to me, I'll end all my relationships with other girls. I'll be yours alone."
Ichinose's breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in surprise. For a moment, she felt a sense of relief wash over her—a sense of security in his words. She had been so worried, so unsure about what she had heard earlier, but now… now she felt like maybe she had a chance. Maybe Ayanokoji really did care about her, more than anyone else.
But what Ichinose didn't know was that Ayanokoji's mind was working on a different level entirely. While he whispered those words to her, telling her what she wanted to hear, his thoughts remained cold and calculated. He had no intention of ending his relationships with Kushida, Sakura Airi, or Karuizawa. He knew that once he took Ichinose, once he claimed her as his own and took her virginity, she would be bound to him. Even if she found out about his other relationships in the future, she would have no choice but to endure it—just like she had endured hearing him with Kushida tonight.
And so, Ayanokoji readily agreed, knowing that this was the easiest way to get what he wanted. He would give Ichinose the illusion of security, the illusion of being his only one, and in return, she would give herself to him completely.
Ichinose smiled softly, her face still flushed as she looked up at him. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice filled with a mixture of relief and affection. "That… that means a lot to me."
Ayanokoji's smile never faltered as he leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips. His hands moved once again, sliding under her shirt and caressing her soft skin, feeling the warmth of her body beneath his touch. Ichinose's breath hitched, her body trembling in his arms as his hands explored her curves.
The night stretched on, and the intimacy between them deepened. As Ayanokoji continued to touch her, to whisper sweet words in her ear, Ichinose felt herself falling deeper into his grasp, unaware of the cold calculation that lay behind his every action.
And for Ayanokoji, this was just another step in his carefully crafted plan—another piece of the puzzle falling into place.