13 I will work hard

A soft, sweet, honey-like nasal voice exploded in his ears.

Although he could never tire of such sounds, wishing he could play it on repeat every night, at this time, Sasaki felt like he was digging a hole for himself.

Shaking Otome, whose face was red and her eyes were as soft as water, Sasaki Fuyumi bent over and lowered his head, leaning against her shoulder.

As Otome regained her senses from the shaking, she also realized something was off with him.

Thinking that he was in discomfort due to his injuries, just when she was about to ask and check what was wrong with him, her little hand hanging on one side accidentally touched the loaded and cocked 'sniper rifle.'

Instantly, the blush that hadn't yet faded flooded her cheeks again like a tide.

The girl subconsciously wanted to wave her hand and flee from this place, but then she noticed the reason why he was leaning so close to her.

Sakuragi Otome, who had figured it out, cast a sidelong glance at Sasaki, who had brought this upon himself, feeling angry, ashamed, and amused in her heart.

But no matter what, he was still her...boyfriend and she couldn't just leave him behind and walk away by herself.

However, letting it continue like this wasn't a solution either.

After all, there were many schools in this area, which was one of the paths often taken by students.

Although there weren't too many students right now, in a little while, the streets would definitely be full of students in uniforms.

Noticing that there were already curious students looking over, the embarrassed and anxious Sakuragi Otome, supporting Sasaki's arm, asked with a slightly flustered tone:

"Fuyumi, hurry up and make it go down~"

Pretending to be holding his stomach, the boy raised his head when he heard the words with a wry smile on his face:

"Otome, I can't control it. The relationship between a man and it is like a cat and its tail, they're like two different creatures."

Otome, who didn't want to know anything about their relationship right now, didn't care about these things; she just wanted it to end quickly.

"Is there a way to solve this?"

"Uh…"

His face stiffened slightly.

Not knowing how to speak, Sasaki opened his mouth and finally shook his head:

"How about... let's wait for a while? Maybe..."

Feeling more and more eyes around her, the girl shook her head and interrupted him:

"We can't wait any longer. There will be more and more people in a while."

After speaking and feeling that he was still hesitant, Sakuragi Otome, who wasn't ignorant about these matters, fell silent for a moment before muttering softly as if she had made up her mind.

"It's okay, if it's Fuyumi, it's okay…"

'Suck~'

After his body was inexplicably strengthened, his five senses were also strengthened, and the boy naturally heard her inaudible words.

Taking a breath of cold air to calm his violently beating heart, Sasaki Fuyumi lowered his hand and shook her little hand.

"Actually, you can do this..."

After whispering in Otome's ear and seeing that although she blushed, she did not refuse, Sasaki Fuyumi felt excited and pitiful in his heart and pointed to the deep and dark alley next to them.

"Uh…"

Glancing at the boy, who still couldn't stand up straight, Otome pursed her lips, took a deep breath, gripped the hem of the skirt tightly, and then, supporting Sasaki, walked into the alley.

…

After a long time, outside the alley.

"Cough, cough..."

"Ah, Akane, drink it slowly, no one is competing with you."

"Grumble~ Let me tell you, Ayako, this store's milk tea is really good, I'll buy you one next time?"

"No need, drinking milk tea early in the morning will make you fat."

"Eh~ It's okay.

Let's get fat together. Doesn't that mean we haven't gotten fat at all?"

"That makes sense... nonsense!"

The noisy but crisp sound of girls playing gradually faded away like the sound of wind chimes.

After the two girls passed by the alley, another cough came from within.

"Cough, cough..."

"Oh, Otome, drink more slowly, and, Ouch! I was wrong Otome, I got carried away, stop pinching! Stop pinching!"

A voice different from the girls' crispness, but also filled with 'doting' comfort, scared away the birds resting on the branches outside the alley.

A few minutes later, a pink-haired girl peered out from the alley.

Following her was a boy with a refreshed face but walking in a very strange posture.

Quickly catching up to stand beside Otome, Sasaki Fuyumi watched her occasionally purse her lips and look at the buttons of the shirt on her chest from time to time, and he couldn't help but squeeze her small hand.

Faced with his silent comfort, Sakuragi Otome couldn't help but purse her lips and gave him an annoyed glance, looking like she didn't want to pay attention with him or talk to him.

But thinking of her own clumsy performance earlier, she couldn't help but raise her head and tug at his sleeve:

"Fuyumi, am I useless?"

Hearing her question, the, not knowing why she would say that, tilted his head while holding her hand:

"Why would you say that?"

"Because I feel... you didn't seem comfortable..." After hesitating for a moment, Sakuragi Otome bit her lip and responded in a very small voice.

Hearing this response, which was almost as faint as a mosquito's hum but extremely heartwarming, the latter smiled and held her shoulders with both hands, making her face him.

At the same time, he kissed the delicate and white face wordlessly.

"That kind of thing is not important, Compared with my feelings, your acceptance is what touches me the most."

The gentle and heartfelt comfort eased the slight sense of loss in the girl's heart.

But before she could look at him with moved feelings, Sasaki's next words made her puff up her cheeks in response.

"But, if you really want to learn, I can teach you."

"Hmph~ Who would want to learn such a thing." Pinching his arm, Sakuragi Otome huffed a little angrily.

But when the hands of both parties were connected again, she added in a low voice.

"I will work hard."

Hearing the answer, Sasaki Fuyumi, who didn't tease her further, smiled gently.

Then he turned his gaze to his own stomach, that is, his body.

From going to bed after eating at noon yesterday to being woken up by Otome this morning.

His body, which was neither weak nor strong, underwent 'some' changes that were hard to understand.

Judging from the appearance, it seemed like his body got stronger and 'taller.'

But in reality, his physical fitness had greatly enhanced.

Not to mention this morning's incident where he almost crushed the bedside table while dressing.

Just the incident just now.

If he wanted to, even if Otome dislocated her jaw, or rubbed off a layer of skin on her palm or chest, it wouldn't make him yield.

It wasn't a lack of feeling, but simply an increase in control and physical fitness.

Although he didn't know exactly how much he had enhanced, judging by the current situation, using Otome as a unit of measure.

He said 'fighting ten' would still be 'a bit' modest.

With doubts in his heart, he arrived at the school..