Hitori ultimately couldn't withstand the pressure, hugging her head with her hands and speaking up first.
"I'm... sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?" Chisato asked, playing dumb.
"Because... because I did something bad."
"Did you accidentally spill soup on me from the dumplings? You've already apologized for that."
"No, no, it's something else."
"Something else? Strange, I don't remember you doing anything that would make me angry. Can you help me recall?"
Chisato was pretending to be puzzled, not out of malice but to clear his own doubts, hoping Hitori would reveal more and give him a better understanding.
"It's... it's about biting your finger earlier. I'm sorry."
"Eh, was that intentional? I thought you were just joking."
Chisato feigned anger.
"But if you want to apologize, you need to lift your shirt and show your stomach, and perform a full bow. Isn't that common sense? You can't just brush it off with a simple apology."
"Eh?"
Hitori slowly raised her head, her hands still covering it, and looked at Chisato in shock.
His stern expression and serious tone made it clear he wasn't joking.
Panicked, she bit her lip, feeling a mix of fear and excitement.
She could actually show her stomach and kneel in front of Chisato.
So cruel! But she liked it so much!
What should she do? Should she follow through? But this is a public place.
However, it should be fine; she was hiding behind the bar counter, so no one else would see.
Ah, she had eaten several dumplings and buns earlier, plus breakfast; would her stomach look unattractive?
Her mind was in disarray as she pondered, her expressions shifting multiple times. Chisato frowned more deeply, unable to figure out what she was thinking.
As he grew impatient and was about to prompt her, Hitori took a deep breath and sucked in her stomach.
"If... if this will make you less angry, Chisato-kun..."
She said this while lowering her head, extending her hands to pull her shirt out of her pleated skirt, and began unbuttoning it from the bottom up.
No way, she's really doing it.
Chisato grabbed her hands.
"If the store manager knew I made you do this, she'd be very upset. So forget it; let's try a different way to apologize."
"Eh?"
Hitori's excitement and anticipation faded, replaced by disappointment upon hearing this.
"You bit me earlier, so now it's my turn to bite you. That should make it even."
Chisato raised his index finger and said this.
"Bite, bite back!"
Hitori's gaze was fixed on Chisato's lips, her excitement even more intense than before!
Her cheeks flushed red, and her heart raced.
She nearly agreed immediately but managed to hold back and just nodded.
"So, which hand will you use to apologize?"
Don't ask me that! I'd like to use both hands to apologize; it's fine if all my fingers get bitten!
After much hesitation, Hitori timidly extended her right index finger.
"Ple... please…"
She covered her mouth with her other hand, fearing she might show an unbecomingly delighted smile when her finger was in Chisato's mouth, so she needed to conceal it.
Chisato didn't intend to stop halfway. Without hesitation, he bit down on the finger Hitori extended.
"Mm!"
Hitori made a strange sound, and Chisato looked up at her. He temporarily released her finger and asked,
"Does it hurt?"
"No…"
It didn't hurt at all; it actually felt quite pleasant.
"Then put your hand down and keep looking at me. Don't move your gaze until I'm done."
Chisato gave a commanding order.
Believing this was part of the apology, Hitori complied without protest.
Her eyes, glistening with tears as if about to cry, looked at Chisato with affection and a touch of infatuation.
She timidly met his gaze.
The fleeting feeling from before returned.
Chisato took a deep breath to calm his thoughts and bit down on Hitori's finger again.
This time, he didn't just lightly touch her with his teeth but applied more pressure, slowly closing his teeth.
According to common sense, this should make Hitori show a pained expression.
But the reality was the opposite; Hitori's body trembled lightly, and as Chisato's bite pressure increased, her breathing became more rapid.
Her hand also rested on her increasingly heaving chest.
Chisato observed Hitori's response to the pain with keen interest.
He released her finger and held her wrist to keep it steady.
Her index finger bore clear teeth marks from Chisato's bite.
After a moment of silence, he gently stroked Hitori's flushed, abnormal cheek with the back of his hand.
She responded with a satisfied and emotional expression, slowly turning her head to allow his hand to touch her ear, nose, and chin.
At this moment, Chisato's hand became like a cat toy, teasing the kitten in front of him, making her mind whirl and struggling to maintain any semblance of clear thought.
He narrowed his eyes, his hand's movements growing more intense.
Yet, even so, Hitori didn't show any discomfort.
Instead, her already excessive excitement only intensified, her shoulders shaking noticeably as she emitted a muffled, almost crying sound before boldly throwing herself into Chisato's arms.
She grabbed his hand and placed it on her thigh.
Although Hitori had seemed so timid and fearful before, she was now boldly and proactively different.
Can someone change so much in just one night?
Not to mention, the obvious affection indicators from the pure love system.
Chisato withdrew his hand, deciding not to push things further. His probing had reached its conclusion.
Hitori's rationality began to return to her as he stopped.
She realized her disheveled breathing and the shamelessly proactive position she was in.
Panicked, Hitori prepared to leave, but Chisato extended his arms to pull her back.
He held her tightly, not letting her go.
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