"I always feel that something is not quite right."
During the break, after catching a glimpse of Kazusa getting up and leaving the classroom, Fukube finally expressed his doubts.
Chisato pretended not to understand. "What do you mean?"
"Of course, I mean Touma-san. Not only after class, but also during class, you all seemed to be having a great time chatting."
"Where's the happiness in that? It's not the same as usual."
"If you want to make excuses, you might want to put away the smile on your lips first. That would be more convincing."
Chisato wanted to argue further, but after reflecting on her interactions with Kazusa throughout the morning, he felt there was no need to quibble about something anyone with a discerning eye could notice.
Besides, Fukube was not an outsider either.
"It seems I guessed correctly. I'm really curious how you managed it. That's Touma-san we're talking about."
"Sir, monitor, you seem to have a bias against her."
"No, I'm biased against you. I've known for a long time that you are very powerful, but I didn't expect you to be this powerful."
"The meaning is unclear."
"Anyway, congratulations."
"Please have some chocolate, and don't talk about this anywhere else."
"Hey, do you think I'm the kind of person with a big mouth?"
Chisato silently thought, "Yes, you're the one who told me about Touma's past situation and her ankle injury."
Though he was somewhat dissatisfied, Fukube still took the chocolate from Chisato.
"But I noticed that you seem to have candy on you at all times, yet I almost never see you eating it."
His doubts were answered the next second.
Kazusa, who had returned to her seat from the back door of the classroom, glanced at Fukube, then glared resentfully at the unsealed package in his hand before lying silently on the table.
Fukube felt a bead of sweat form on his forehead.
"...Where did you buy this chocolate? I'll buy it and return it to you later."
"...No, no, no."
Chisato turned her head to glance at Kazusa, feeling both sweet and sad inside. The sweetness came from their close relationship, while the sadness stemmed from the guilt of hiding it.
Since last weekend, they had officially crossed a line.
Although they hadn't explicitly stated it, they had hugged and felt each other's warmth in the most intimate way possible. It was undeniably a relationship.
The problem arose because the expected relationship had progressed much earlier than anticipated, disrupting all of his original plans.
The changes in Kazusa were also significant; she was completely different from her previous selves.
She no longer left early or arrived late.
Although she still yawned profusely in class and occasionally got distracted while passing notes to him, she persevered.
It was a big improvement that she didn't just go to sleep like she used to.
Just as she had said that day, she wanted to change and improve herself to keep up with her lover.
Chisato had never doubted her resolve, but he didn't expect to make such a big change in just one night.
However, was this change truly a good thing?
Kazusa secretly opened her eyes, her face flushed. When she realized that Chisato was staring at her, she quickly turned her head away.
Due to her shy nature, she didn't want him to see her hot cheeks or, as her mother had said the night before, her overly happy smile.
The short silent interaction between the two was fully visible to Fukube. Feeling despondent, he rested his cheek on his hand and sighed softly.
Based on his observations, he wouldn't be surprised if the two got married after graduation.
During the lunch break, as the weather grew increasingly hot, Chisato asked Kazusa to wait in the first music classroom while she went to the cafeteria to buy lunch.
However, the girl who had just confirmed their relationship was unwilling to do that. She stubbornly insisted on following him, and the consequences were quite apparent.
Kazusa was simply lonely and not adept at communicating with others, but her slender figure and beautiful appearance, coupled with her famous mother in the music industry, made her a topic of discussion on campus.
So, when she displayed a gentle smile that was completely different from her usual demeanor and followed a boy step by step with an attitude of absolute obedience, it undoubtedly reignited the gossip around her.
It was the first time Kazusa had experienced those subtle appraising glances. She looked at her lover beside her and found him increasingly attractive.
The corners of her lips lifted, and her smile broadened, glowing with an undeniable light.
In the afternoon, news of their relationship spread, and even the head teacher was aware of it.
After class, she lightly coughed, called out Chisato's name, and asked him to follow her to the office.
When he returned, Kazusa, slightly concerned, asked him what the teacher had called him for.
"It's nothing. Let's not cause any trouble while we're dating."
"Trouble?"
"Don't accidentally harm anyone or anything."
"?"
Kazusa was a little slow to react, and it wasn't until Chisato chuckled that she realized what he meant.
"Who would cause trouble with a guy like you? The Teacher wouldn't say such a thing!"
After saying this, she kicked him without thinking, stood up, and left the classroom in a huff.
In the final class, she didn't look at him again.
But after school, she obediently sat in her seat, waiting for Chisato to walk out of the campus together after his duty was over.
The two of them walked to the tram stop together.
"I have to go to work later, so I won't be able to walk you back."
"Chisato."
"Send me a message when you get home. If you need anything, you can contact me anytime."
"Chisato."
"That's it, see you tomorrow."
"Wait a moment..."
Faced with Kazusa's squirming and evasive gaze, Chisato asked in confusion, "Anything else?"
"...Nothing!"
This insensitive and dense guy!
Kazusa snorted and walked toward the train that had just arrived at the station without looking back.
Chisato wasn't angry at all. He stood there, waving goodbye and watching her leave, then the smile on his face faded and turned dull.
So many life simulations in the simulator brought more than just happiness to his lower body.
Of course, he knew that Kazusa's fiery eyes longed for contact with him.
Chisato wanted the same.
Before parting, whether it was a hug or a kiss in a secluded corner, it would have been an intimate moment to cherish in the long night ahead.
However, the situation was a bit complicated now, and he couldn't do it.
At the tram stop, Chisato turned around and pushed through the crowd moving in the opposite direction.
He walked toward the entrance and arrived at a certain pillar with a billboard.
As he approached, he noticed a pink-haired girl squatting on the ground in her blind spot, wearing the same uniform as him.
The girl raised her head, revealing a face that was on the verge of tears.
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