9 Chapter 7 When Hands are Touching One Another

After our holiday on the luxury cruise ship, we boarded the bus and returned to the Advanced

Nurturing High School.

After that, we spent our days going back and forth between the dormitory life and the mall, and

I think I could call it lazy and self-defeating.

During that time, the number of members I hung out with increased incomparably compared to

last year.

There were members of the Ayanokouji group, Sudou, Ike, and other students that I had gotten

to know in the beginning, and even Ishizaki, Hiyori, and Ichinose class members that I had

started chatting with. All these things continued.

And then…

"Ah, the summer vacation is over today…"

As she sat down on her bed, Kei looked up at the ceiling and muttered depressingly.

My girlfriend, Karuizawa Kei, and I have been having regular secret dates since the second

semester in order to keep our relationship open. Today would be the last of these dates.

Although we shared a somewhat uncomfortable time, it was not uncomfortable at all.

If we were just friends, we might have felt rushed to say a few words to each other, or we might

have felt somewhat muddled.

"You don't mind if I tell others about my relationship with Kiyotaka tomorrow, do you? ... I'm

kind of nervous."

"You don't have to force yourself to tell others, though. I won't take any responsibility if your

position in class falls."

"I'm definitely going to tell it. If something happens, Kiyotaka will protect me, so I'm fine. Right?"

Kei says it jokingly, but it's unmistakable that she means it.

She is protecting herself by becoming a parasite on a strong host.

I drank my last sip of coffee and sat down next to Kei.

I took her thin hand in mine and she squeezed it gently back. Kei turned to

me, looking embarrassed.

"Kei."

At that moment, I put my own lips on her soft lips.

"Ki, Kiyotaka...."

"Are you surprised?"

"Yes, I was surprised. shouldn't you give a little advance notice?"

I don't answer that question with words, but with actions. I grabbed her shoulder gently and pull

her close.

"mmmm….!"

A second kiss. The moment our lips touch, Kei's shoulders bounce upward a little, and I can feel

her surprise.

As soon as we parted our lips, she looked at me with eyes that seemed relieved and regretful.

"... took me by surprise again."

"Really? I thought it was rather normal."

The only way to learn about timing is to start learning it over and over again.

"At least, my feelings weren't ready yet, and ..."

"Then you think you'll be ready this time?"

"Huh? ... Yeah ...."

Kei nodded her head and closed her eyes, showing a gesture of acceptance, so I kissed her

again.

The previous two times I had only touched for about a second, but this time was different.

For five or ten seconds longer.

Then she moved her lips little by little and repeated the kiss like a little bird pecking.

In the flow of time that only Kei and I felt had stopped,...

The second year of high school, the last day of summer vacation. Kei and me climbed one flight

of stairs together, knowing that we were kissing.

The first half of the romance curriculum has been completed, and we are now entering the

second half.

From now on, we will live our school lives as lovers without hesitation. This may get us into no

small amount of trouble.

Even so, the two of us will work hand in hand to face the difficulties.

Slowly but surely, one step at a time, just as the seasons change from summer to autumn and

from autumn to winter.

Our relationship with each other becomes something indispensable and deeply stained.

While repeatedly checking the taste of her lips, my thoughts wandered to the future.

As the season of parting approaches, this love affair enters its final phase…

And it's sure to face an extremely difficult ordeal.

When Karuizawa Kei is separated from her host, she must be able to stand alone and look

forward.

That is the most important thing in this romance curriculum.