"I just wanna let you know that it's almost time to study for mid-term!..." The thin homeroom teacher spoke sternly in front of the class.
"...I might say it too early. But next month will be over before you know it! I warn y'all now so you can prepare in advance!" Edon Takeshi-sensei added and he paused to cough briefly.
"You over there? You got some questions for me?" The teacher pointed at Shinji who had a hand raised. The dazzling white wolf, Aoyama Shinji, wore a black turtle-neck shirt underneath his school uniform, which added style to his athletic physique and handsome face 'combo-wombo'.
"Will the club activity stop now?" Shinji asked for the rest of the class.
"That will be another 2 weeks. I believe. Anyone else?" Takeshi-sensei asked while gazing around the classroom. It appeared that everyone got the note.
Soon, the class resumed as usual. Ayane in particular seemed extra focused on her study and diligently jotting down notes as she went. Ever since the club room incident, she never spoke another word to Shinji and Shouichi again. It was like she went back to being her old self, the peerless ice princess as people nicknamed her.
The blessing school bells reverberated throughout and saved fatigued students from lethal boredom. Shouichi eagerly shoved his stationary into his school bag.
"Clubbing time!~" Shinji exclaimed with a joyous melody as though he was singing.
"It's one of your favourite practices, Shouichi," Shinji spoke cheerfully and tapped Shouichi's shoulder lightly. Shouichi looked up and saw his trademark smirking face.
"Yeah! Kicking is super fun, Hahaha!" Shouichi agreed, chuckled with enthusiasm, and thought about his plan, "I have a meet-up with Misa-chan after the club today. Man, I can't wait!"
In the corner of Shouichi's eyes, he thought he saw Ayane standing behind him with her hands outstretching. When he was about to turn, he instantly was interrupted as Shinji wrapped his arm around Shouichi's shoulder. Shortly after, Shouichi got a chance to glance back, Ayane was already further away, and he pondered, "Maybe it's just my imagination."
***
In the male locker room, the duo changed into their tracksuits. As Shouichi glanced over, he noticed that Shinji wasn't wearing the turtleneck he had initially assumed. Instead, it was a sleek black compression shirt that clung tightly to his athletic frame. The shirt outlined his toned physique, and Shouichi could clearly spot the defined lines of Shinji's abdominal muscles even from a distance.
"Oh, why would you wear that instead of normal tracksuits?" Shouichi probed out of curiosity.
"Hahaha, um, I'm too lazy to change into it." Shinji laughed it off and gave a half-heart answer.
"The nice hair, the tight compression shirt, amazing perfume, Shinji is going all out today. But who is bro trying to impress?" Shouichi questioned in his mind while finishing up his dress in the blue and white tracksuit. Lastly, Shouichi adjusted the sweatband on his left wrist a little to fully cover his scar.
***
"Emi-chan!" Shinji called out to the manager, who stood waiting by the audience stands. Shouichi scanned the field and noticed only rugby club members were present. It seemed Emi had gone out of her way to reserve the entire field exclusively for their club that day.
"Good evening, Aoyama-senpai, Seito-senpai," she greeted them amicably, waving her long limbs with energetic enthusiasm. Out of the corner of his eye, Shouichi noticed Ito Emi's gaze locked onto Shinji, her eyes glimmering with something more intense than admiration. Her cheeks were a deep shade of red, and her voice took on an unusually gentle and higher-pitched tone as she spoke to him. She seemed almost entranced, her demeanour betraying a subtle yet undeniable arousal in Shinji's presence.
"Ahem!" Shouichi deliberately cleared his throat, sending a signal to the girl. Emi regained her consciousness, averting her gaze away and shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Ohhhh. You sly dog, Shinji!" Shouichi smirked internally.
"Oh! Sorry. We are just waiting for my brother for now. He and the boys are getting the rugby balls from the storage room."
"Emi-chan, you look thinner, though. It seems your diet is going well!" Shinji complimented her, shooting a charming smile. As a result, it made her even more fluttered. It was clear as days that the girl had already fallen into Shinji's trap.
"I hadn't really paid attention before, but now that I think about it—the first time we met in front of the main board—she seemed a bit... chubbier. Yet her cup size has stayed roughly the same. How does that even work?" Shouichi pondered, sneaking a subtle glance to confirm his observation, feeling slightly guilty but unable to shake his curiosity.
"Thanks, Senpai!" She accepted the compliment as she bowed gracefully. Shinji patted her head gently as if she was his kitten. However, the girl seemed to be enjoying it somehow.
"Good girl, Cutie Pootiepie!" Shinji teased as he patted Emi's head affectionately. Her face turned explosively red, yet she seemed to melt under his touch, offering no resistance. "Ugh, just date already, you two!" Shouichi grumbled internally, rolling his eyes at them.
"Keep up the good work, Emi-chan!" Shouichi chimed in, encouraging her with a gentle smile.
"Shinji! You brat! Stop treating my sister like a stray cat!" Suddenly, a loud, coarse voice resonated from a distance, it was unmistakably Ito Toru's. The big brother fiercely threw a ball with full force, aiming Shinji's way. It cut through the air like a bullet and hit right on Shinji's head, Toru's throw was as precise as they claimed.
"Ouch!" Shinji cried out in pain, rubbing his head.
"Senpai? Are you alright?" Emi exclaimed with her eyes widened in shock.
"Shinji, didn't I tell you to catch it with your hands, not your head? Hahaha!" Ito-senpai shouted, his voice booming across the field as he broke into mocking laughter. Behind him, Hinoda and Naggi trailed closely, their arms loaded with several rugby balls, smirking at the scene.
"Sorry, Cap' Toru!" Shinji apologised humbly. Unexpectedly, Shinji seemed recovered and unbothered by the impact, a thought crossed Shouichi's mind, "Shinji sounds smart but his skull is so thick like literally."
Afterwards, the club members took turns kicking the balls from various spots on the field toward the rugby goal. The rugby goal—two tall poles with a crossbar—differed from the goalposts used in Australian footy, which had no crossbar. Despite the unfamiliar setup, Shouichi outperformed nearly everyone on the team, except for Ito Toru, who remained a cut above the rest.
"Good kicks today, Shouichi-kun. Getting used to the rugby goal now, huh?" Toru asked, slapping his shoulder so hard, the impact travelling downward to his feet.
"Yes, Cap' Toru. Thanks!" Shouichi returned with a modest smile.
"Club's dismissed guys! Good work!" Toru shouted so everyone could hear. Later, the captain went back to return the balls with his favourite lackeys, Hinoda and Naggi.
"Oz!!!" The excited chanting came from the exhausted junior club members, resting on the soft grass field.
"Shou-senpai!" A familiar voice echoed across the field. It was the divine voice of the enchanting Ishikawa Misaki. She had been watching him practice for a while. Shouichi turned toward the sound and saw Misaki sitting beside Emi on the stands. The girl flashed a wide grin and waved energetically. In response, Shouichi walked toward them, with Shinji following closely behind.
"Must have been noice (nice)!" Shinji teased, making fun of his friend. The pole boy seemed to be sweating more than usual. Perhaps it was the poorly-breathable compression shirt he wore. On the bright side, it accentuated his outline even more, adding to his overall allure.
"Hey! Misa-chan. Have you been waiting for long?" Shouichi asked once he was within earshot. She shook her head in response.
"I've just arrived but I managed to catch you practising a little. You were so cool, senpai!" Misaki replied, wearing her sweet smile in admiration.
"Emi-chan, if you don't mind, would you like to go grab a bubble tea with me? Shouichi already got a plan with Misaki, here." Shinji asked Emi, seducing her with his striking purple eyes.
"Odds, I didn't tell him that I made a plan with Misaki this evening. But perhaps he'd be able to sniff it out from the get-go" Shouichi wondered at his sudden claim, and later dismissed it.
"Sorry, Aoyama-senpai. I can't drink sweet stuff right now." Emi refused without hesitation in her complexion. The girl could be serious about her diet and exercise among other things; undying determination truly ran in the Ito family's bloodline.
"...That's so sad," Shinji said, his voice tinged with mock sorrow. The tall boy hung his head, his eyes cast downward as though his mood had just plummeted. Shinji then lifted his drenched shirt to wipe off his sweaty face, exposing his well-defined waistline. Emi was the first to react, her eyes widening in response, though she quickly tried to hide it.
"...But I can come along with you, Shinji-senpai," Emi playfully replied, her divine answer gave Shinji a new sense of hope. His eyes sparked beautifully.
"Really?! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Shinji shouted as though he was in a euphoric state, cloud nine as they called it. Others were amused by his overreaction, giggling collectively.
***
In the evening, Misaki and Shouichi arrived at the Hoshimashi Shopping district, they decided to rent a karaoke room in the shop which was located on the top floor of a building.
The girl rationalised that it was a more private setting for their conversation. When the couple opened the door, they found a karaoke room dimly lit and secluded, with only one small frosted window on the door. It was one of the few rooms further down the corridor.
"Umm? Why did you pick this room in particular? Misa-chan." He asked out of curiosity.
"I dunno, I just think it would be more exclusive for us. You don't mind it right, senpai?" She replied gleefully while browsing on the karaoke machine.
"Not at all," Shouichi replied, his tone calm as he waited patiently, though he was eager to get to the point. He took a long sip of his cola, hoping it would ease his nerves. It was literally his first time with a girl, of course, he would feel all sorts of emotions.
In a matter of a second, Misaki sat down on his lap. Her delicate back rested on top of his firm chest. Shouichi could feel her warmth and smell her sweet fragrance from her nape. His heart was racing fast but his mind on the other hand went completely blank. It felt incredibly ecstatic, to be intimate with a girl for the first time.
"Senpai… Um..." Misaki seemed to fidget for the right words.
"...Am I heavy?" She whispered softly. Despite her bold, free-spirited nature, Misaki seemed to flutter in this situation, just like any other girl might.
"Not at all. It's just a bit sudden. Hahaha," Shouichi answered, pretending to be as nonchalant as he could mutter, and laughing it off at the end. "Endure! Endure! Endure! She can't know that I've got no rizz!" Shouichi was fighting a battle in his head.
"About my past... I wanted to tell you… Um... " Misaki fumbled her words, threading her twin tails using her fingers.
"Please tell me, Misa-chan. If anything, I want to know you better, the past and the present," Shouichi stated firmly.
"Right... Here we go. Last year, I was diagnosed with... depression," Misaki said softly, her voice trembling. "I couldn't enjoy myself, couldn't smile even though I wanted to. I couldn't eat properly. It was like all the colours drained from my world, and everything turned grey... After a while, I couldn't even bring myself to take my medications anymore. That's when I met a boy named Yuta during my doctor's visits. He was there for the same reason. Since we shared similar experiences, we clicked right away... But it only made things worse for both of us..."
Despite the quiver in her voice, Shouichi understood every word. He wanted to comfort her, to touch her shoulders, but he hesitated, unsure if it was the right moment.
"... Misa-chan." Shouichi gasped, his heart ached as he pitied the girl immensely.
"I'm okay, senpai…" Misaki murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "We decided to leave this world. Nothing really mattered to us at the time. Everything felt like too much. So we decided to overdose in his hospital room... I don't know how long I was out, but when I woke up, I was in my hospital room. My mother was there, crying her eyes out. Later, I found out that Yuta-kun never woke up... He's... he's really gone..."
Misaki's words were thick with sorrow and regret, each gesture of hers heavy with the pain of those memories.
"I kept lying to myself that he was an angel that finally got to return home, to his heaven. It only worked for a bit, then my depression worsened so I attempted it again but it was too painful, I didn't have a heart to continue..." Misaki's expression faltered as she grew emotional, her voice trembling. She slowly rolled up her sleeve, revealing the faint but visible scars on her wrist. The marks, evidence of her struggle, spoke volumes in the silence that followed.
"Maybe I'm a failure… Maybe I am a murderer like they all said." She continued with self-deprecating. She began to cry and tears flushing down her beautiful face.
Shouichi was silent, his words caught in his throat. He couldn't find anything to say, overwhelmed by the weight of her revelation.
"Shou-senpai... Are you going to hate me too?" Misaki asked and was about to stand up, knowing her plea might not be answered.
In the heat of the moment, Shouichi wrapped his arms around her slender waist, holding her close. It was a silent promise, a gesture that spoke louder than any words could.
"I'm glad..." Misaki sighed in relief, her eyes closing and gently ran her fingers across his veiny arms as she let herself absorb the feeling of his heartbeat, his warmth, and the quiet acceptance in his embrace.
After a good while of their mutual embrace, Misaki spoke up like a vow, a promise, "...Senpai! To be completely honest with you. I don't wanna die any more!"
Misaki shifted slightly, closing the distance between them. Her flushed face was mere inches from his, and Shouichi could feel the warmth of her breath and the sweet scent of candy lingering in the air. With a slow, deliberate movement, she leaned in and pressed her soft lips against his.
Their tongues intertwined in a passionate dance, exploring every corner of one another, exchanging their sweet nectar as they continued the naughty yet ecstatic endeavour.
Misaki wrapped her arms around Shouichi's shoulders, pulling him closer. The warmth of their embrace enveloped them as they shared a tender, lingering kiss. Shouichi's heart raced, overwhelmed by the new sensation. It was his first kiss, and the feeling was unlike anything he had ever experienced before—intimate, yet full of promise.
"...Senpai, your 'down there'… It's bricked, Fufufu." Misaki teased and giggled cutely. Her seductive eyes fixated on the thing.
"Sorry, you are so hot, Misa-chan, I... I couldn't help it." Shouichi shamefully stuttered slightly and truthfully praised the girl. "She is so beautiful and irresistibly erotic," Shouichi pondered.
"Hehe, do you want me to calm it down?" Misaki whispered the sweet words into his ear but her hands already had started working by fondling it sensually, it throbbed in response to her tease.
Shouichi nodded like an obedient boy, he needed it now.
Knock! Knock! "Time's up!" A sudden knock on their door, followed by the clerk's voice. The couple jolted in surprise and jumped apart almost immediately. The hour went by so fast, they didn't know how long they had been engaging with each other.
"Yes! W-We're just finishing!" Misaki nervously called out. The girl was still flushed from their recent actions as she pretended to fix her clothes.
Soon after, the karaoke clerk opened the door, she poked her head inside with a sly grin. "She knows exactly what she's doing, and she just cucked us!" Shouichi thought. He could still feel the lingering sensations, hot and tickling all over his body, especially his lower abdomen. Shouichi did his best to shake it off for the time being.
***
The couple strolled down the narrow, empty street in the evening sun. Misaki had returned to her cheerful self. Her twin tails caught the sunlight, shimmering with a hint of purple. Her delicate figure and graceful curves seemed almost divine. Her eyes, full of life, sparkled with an obsidian hue and a pink accent that could captivate anyone who looked into them. They held hands as they walked, having set aside their faults and fully accepting one another.
"My house is just around the corner, thanks for walking me home, Shou-senpai," Misaki said, a bright smile lighting up her face.
"No problem," he replied casually.
"Since I've met you... I want to live to see what tomorrow holds," Misaki said, her voice full of sincerity as her eyes shimmered in the golden sunlight.
"That's awesome, Misa-chan. I'm truly happy to hear that," Shouichi replied, his heart warmed by her words.
"Senpai... I..." She hesitated, her voice trembling slightly, and her eyes bounced around.
"Shouichi-senpai, I love you since the day we met!" Misaki confessed boldly, her eyes wide with innocence.
"You really are the colour in my otherwise grey life," she said, staying true to herself, her voice a little shaky yet filled with determination.
"..."
Shouichi's heart skipped a beat, dazed by the sudden confession. This whole experience was something completely new to Shouichi.
"It's a bit too early, isn't it?... I…" Misaki started to waver, her confidence faltering for a moment.
"I love you too, Misaki-chan." Shouichi returned with his verdict. For once, Shouichi followed his heart.
The beautiful junior smiled sweetly, leaning in to place a soft kiss on his cheek. Shouichi felt a warmth spread through him, a mix of heat and tenderness. This couldn't be anything but 'love'.
The wind blew gently, causing Misaki's twin tails to flutter gracefully, her delicate ribbons dancing in the air like the wings of an angel. It was a sight too beautiful to put into words.