The weather has been getting warmer.
This afternoon, the sun was blazing, making the classroom increasingly hot.
The ceiling fan whirred above, creating a warm breeze that kept the air circulating but didn't provide any real cooling relief. It only prevented the room from feeling stuffy.
Although there was an air conditioner in the classroom, the teachers wouldn't allow it to be turned on, saying it wasn't hot enough yet and that the fan was sufficient.
It was absurd—if it's not hot now, then what's causing the sweat on my forehead and neck?
Kazusa, for the third time that afternoon, straightened up from her slumped position and wiped her sweat with a tissue.
The classroom was stifling, and the teacher at the podium was writing notes on the blackboard.
The students below were silent, seemingly attentive and disciplined. However, a closer look revealed that most of them appeared lethargic and drowsy.
Kazusa cupped her mouth with her hand, pretending to yawn while sneaking a glance to the right.
Chisato was focused on the blackboard, occasionally looking down to take notes in his textbook.
His profile was as handsome as ever, but seemed to have become even more so—more spirited, with brighter eyes, giving off a healthier and more vibrant impression.
What happened to him in such a short time? He used to look sickly and had even been overtaken in a long run...
Chisato seemed to sense her gaze and looked over.
Kazusa quickly turned away, resuming her slumped position on the desk as if she had just accidentally looked his way.
Chisato didn't show much reaction. He continued looking at the blackboard, occasionally jotting things down in his notebook.
Five minutes later, while the teacher was still writing on the board, Chisato tore a page from his notebook and slipped it onto Kazusa's desk.
Kazusa, already unable to sleep due to the heat, looked up at the noise and saw Chisato's pleased smile.
She was puzzled and turned the page over, only to be stunned the next moment.
The page was a sketch of a girl with long hair playing the piano.
The long hair was blown by the wind, delicate fingers resting on the keys, and the girl's eyes were slightly closed, her beautiful profile showing a serene and happy smile.
The entire picture was both beautiful and clean.
Kazusa's heart raced. The familiar face and hairstyle made it clear that the girl in the sketch was her.
"Boring."
She tilted her head and quietly gave this comment before pressing the sketch under her book, then immediately resumed her previous position.
Is that all the reaction I get?
Chisato felt a bit disappointed. His superb drawing skills had only elicited such a reaction from her.
Next time, I'll have to do something more stimulating, like drawing her in a more interesting context.
With his current drawing skills, that wouldn't be too difficult.
In fact, drawing scenes related to female nudity is his strong suit, given that he has inherited the talent and skills from Professor Eriri Kashiwagi, who specializes in adult content.
Just thinking about it, inspiration and ideas flooded his mind.
Imagine a highly anticipated piano concert where he becomes invisible, whispering dirty words into her ear while touching her body from angles unseen by others.
She would be unable to act out in such a public setting, overwhelmed by shame and desire, and would only be able to grit her teeth and continue the performance.
By the time she stumbles backstage, alone with him, her reason would be entirely consumed by desire.
He could then reveal himself and, after a bit of teasing, she would eagerly lift her elaborate evening gown...
In that case, he seems to have a talent for being a hentai artist. With his skills and imagination in place, he just lacks practical experience.
But it's probably best to avoid it. While imagining it is pleasant, actually drawing it might lead to trouble.
After this class, Chisato glanced at Kazusa, who was still slumped over her desk, showing no signs of getting up.
He left the classroom and quickly made his way to the rooftop.
On the rooftop, a few boys were gathered smoking. They left quickly when they saw someone else had arrived.
This is a common phenomenon in every school, and Chisato had no intention of reporting it to the teachers.
He walked to the edge of the rooftop, where a group of crows, about twenty or so, were perched on the iron railing.
One crow with particularly smooth feathers flew over and landed on his shoulder.
A week had passed, and Dark Wings had grown significantly, now nearly the size of an adult crow and no longer able to fit easily in his pocket.
Chisato took out two bags of cookies from his pocket. He broke off a small piece and fed it to Dark Wings, then crumbled the rest and scattered it on the ground.
The crows flapped their wings and landed at his feet, eagerly fighting for the food.
With his stable income, Chisato could easily afford to buy some inexpensive food for Dark Wings's friends—or rather, his subordinates—without any financial strain.
Moreover, it wasn't an unappreciated task.
Last weekend, when Chisato returned home after an evening run, he was surprised to find a group of crows on the floor as if holding a meeting.
In the center was Dark Wings, surrounded by his open wallet, with scattered bills and coins around.
Since then, every night when he came home, he'd find coins or bills covered in dust or mud by the window. Some bills were too damaged to use, but most were still in good condition.
Over the past few days, the crows had collected a total of 750 yen.
Not a huge amount, but definitely not insignificant.
Even though Chisato had always valued Dark Wings, this incident made him realize he might have underestimated it in some way.
The possibilities with Dark Wings might be far greater than he had imagined.
"Whoosh—"
The crows suddenly took flight, with Dark Wings blending in among them.
Chisato turned around to see Kazusa approaching him, eventually standing three steps away.
From Kazusa's perspective, the boy facing her was bathed in golden sunlight, making it seem like he was glowing.
"Hey, Touma-san."
Chisato was surprised but not alarmed. He took out another pack of cookies from his pocket.
"Want to join me in feeding them?"
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