Haruto opened the door to his apartment and said, "There are still some cookies left, you can take them home later."
"Okay."
Nino curiously glanced around the small apartment. Compared to the Nakano family's apartment, this place was nothing, but at least it was neat and tidy.
This surprised her a little.
"Nino, wear these sandals."
Nino sighed, her eyes following Haruto as he changed into his slippers, and her cheeks slowly heated up.
On impulse, she had really come to Haruto's place.
Haruto glanced at her: "What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing."
After changing her shoes, Nino walked into the living room and sat on the sofa, trying to hold herself back. Her bright eyes wandered around the room curiously.
Haruto took out some cookies and packed them: "Here you go."
"Uh~ Thanks..."
"Would you like some tea?"
"No."
"That's good."
Haruto sat down with a friendly smile on his face: "We're just in time. Why don't we do something meaningful?"
Something meaningful?
Nino instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, her face suddenly flushed, her eyes wary, and she spoke fiercely: "What are you planning to do? Let me tell you, I've learned Taekwondo..."
'Sorry, stop talking about Taekwondo. Even if you learned Turtle Style Qigong, it wouldn't help! How dare you casually follow a boy home? Today, I'll show you just how dangerous the human heart can be!'
"Nino, sit here."
Haruto patted the spot beside him with a friendly smile, looking very handsome, but Nino felt a bit nervous inside.
"I-I'll leave now."
Haruto grabbed Nino and said seriously, "Nino, don't worry, I won't mess with you."
Nino blurted out in embarrassment, "I'll call the police."
Haruto tilted his head: "I'm just asking you to study with me."
"Study...?"
Nino opened her eyes slightly and looked at him with a shocked expression.
Haruto, looking serious, said, "Besides studying, what did you think I was going to do to you? Nino, you're too perverted and need a strong dose of cleansing powder."
"..."
'Am I the one who's perverted?'
Nino looked at him in disbelief. Clearly, he was the one who said things that could easily be misunderstood, wasn't he?
A man and a woman alone together, doing something meaningful...
Anyone would get the wrong idea!
"Let me go."
"Fine."
Seeing that he really released her, Nino hesitated for a moment, then hummed softly and sat down beside Haruto.
Isn't it just studying?
Who's afraid of who!
However, when Haruto took out several exam papers and placed them in front of her, Nino was stunned for a moment, then heard Haruto calmly and seriously say: "This is all your fault. Nino is very smart, so this should be no problem, right?"
Nino couldn't help but slam the table, the black swallowtail on her temple trembling violently, and she angrily shouted: "Kuromori, you're going too far!"
Haruto remained unmoved: "Hurry up, if you don't finish before it gets dark, there will be punishment."
"I'm not doing it."
Nino crossed her arms and gritted her teeth, "You want to punish me? Go ahead if you dare!"
Haruto's expression remained calm: "Are you sure?"
"Hmph!"
Nino turned her head away: "I'm sure."
Although she had heard from Itsuki and Miku that Haruto's punishments were intense, Nino wasn't worried at all.
In her view, those so-called punishments were just Haruto's way of bluffing.
Could he really hit someone?
However, the next moment, Nino suddenly exclaimed and shouted in disbelief: "What are you doing!"
"Punishing."
Haruto grabbed Nino's right foot, remembering that her right leg seemed slightly uncomfortable while walking earlier.
Nino's face flushed red and she stammered in embarrassment: "What kind of punishment is this? I think you're just a foot fetishist pervert!"
Haruto remained stoic, looking at her with disdain: "That's not true, so please bear with it from now on!"
Seeing his expression, Nino suddenly became furious.
How hateful!
'You were so serious when massaging Miku's feet, but when it's my turn, you act like you don't care?'
Nino gritted her teeth, her eyes sharp and full of anger.
She looked like she wanted to pounce and bite someone.
Noticing this, Haruto added: "Let me warn you beforehand, there's a price to pay for biting or pinching."
Nino suddenly lowered her head and extended her hand.
A super sweet smile appeared on her face, and she gently said: "Kuromori, what do you think the price should be?"
"You're going too far, Nino!"
"You're the one going too far!"
Nino crossed her arms, suppressing her embarrassment, and coldly snorted: "My feet don't smell bad. If you don't believe me, go ahead and take a good sniff!"
A vein popped on Haruto's forehead.
He frowned and grabbed Nino's foot.
Nino snorted, a sudden blush covering her face, her foot recoiled reflexively, and her toes curled up tightly, "Idiot, don't touch it, it tickles."
"Endure it!"
Haruto, with a serious face, lifted Nino's foot and placed it on his own leg. At this moment, his eyes briefly paused, and it turned out the colors were pink and white?
Nino held the edge of her skirt with both hands.
Haruto remained composed: "I didn't see anything."
Nino was silent for a few moments, then completely exploded: "Pervert! I'll fight you!"
But the next moment, she whimpered, her body going limp as she collapsed back onto the couch.
She widened her eyes and stared at him in disbelief.
Haruto's face was expressionless: "What are you looking at? It's time for your punishment!"
"Hateful!"
"Mmm~"
Nino quickly covered her mouth, deep shame filling her eyes. She bit her lip hard and glared at Haruto.
But soon, Nino couldn't help but give in: "No, don't pinch anymore..."
Haruto stopped: "Do you admit you were wrong?"
Nino bit her soft lips: "I... I admit it."
"What was that?"
"..."
Nino lifted her head and glared at him sharply.
Haruto: "I'll continue."
Nino: "No—"
Very well!
Not convinced, huh?
Haruto didn't hesitate and chose to continue.
Soon, Nino had collapsed onto the table. She gritted her teeth but refused to give in.
In truth, Haruto could clearly see the sweat on Nino's face.
But Nino just wouldn't admit defeat.
Haruto couldn't help but smile. Only now did he realize how stubborn Nino was. If it were Miku, she would have surrendered in tears by now, waving the white flag!
What to do?
Continue?
Haruto hesitated for only a moment before deciding to proceed.
A promise is a promise, after all.
He wanted to see how long Nino could last.
Of course, the more important reason was that if Haruto backed down now, given Nino's character, she would probably laugh at him!
The living room gradually fell into silence.
Only Nino's breathing could be heard clearly.
Before long, Nino slumped into his arms, biting her lip hard, and barely squeezed out the words: "N-No more."
Haruto asked: "Do you admit defeat?"
Nino gasped for air, feeling both embarrassed and angry, but more than that, she doubted everything.
If he continued, Nino feared she wouldn't be able to hold out. If she made an embarrassing sound, she'd probably have no choice but to jump from here!
Nino secretly clenched her teeth and, with great reluctance, said: "I... I admit defeat."
"Good, then hurry up and finish the work."
"..."
Nino looked at the exam papers in front of her and regretted everything.
If she had known, she wouldn't have come here in the first place!
A girl comes to a guy's house, and the guy actually makes her do test papers.
Haruto deserved to be single for life!