Chapter 164 – The floor is a little cold

After enjoying a breakfast prepared by Shiina, Yukio planned to take over the dishwashing, but Shiina gently pushed him out of the kitchen.

In Shiina's view, these tasks were her responsibility, so she made him a cup of coffee and told him to just relax. Yukio could only sip his coffee and wait.

Soon enough, with her hands dried, Shiina eagerly approached, opening her arms toward Yukio. He understood and embraced her, fully experiencing the warm and soft sensation.

Shiina smiled radiantly, her every gesture exuding happiness, with her chin lazily resting on his shoulder, and her head occasionally nuzzling against him.

While hugging Shiina, Yukio discreetly measured her, surprised by her slender frame. Her waist was truly delicate, almost like he could break it with a slight pressure.

"Yukio-kun, hold me tighter," Shiina made a small request.

Yukio complied, fully aware that, after taking Shiina's most precious possession, girls often become more affectionate the day after.

Under normal circumstances, it would be better to discuss the situation on the second day. But Yukio had a different perspective, planning to talk while Shiina was in a clingy mood, thinking it would be the best timing.

Although it wasn't entirely fair to Shiina and might not seem considerate, he felt it was necessary to use everything at his disposal to ensure Shiina's happiness and avoid any hidden resentment.

He never claimed to be gentle or a good person; from the beginning, he took a direct and sometimes ruthless approach.

As he hugged Shiina, Yukio's expression turned serious, and he lightly patted her back, as if soothing a child to sleep: "Hiyori, there's something I need to tell you."

Shiina, who had closed her eyes and seemed to be enjoying the embrace, didn't open them even after hearing the serious tone in Yukio's voice.

Still with her eyes closed, like a purring cat or a singing lark, she said: "Is it about Ibuki? If it is, can we talk about it tomorrow?"

"Huh?" Yukio was puzzled. What did Ibuki have to do with this? He was planning to talk about Kushida.

Shiina, sensing his confusion, finally opened her eyes, tilting her head in bewilderment, her nose almost touching Yukio's neck: "I mean, Ibuki-san…, I saw her rushing to find someone yesterday. I think she was looking for someone to take me back to my dorm, right? I didn't want to bother anyone, so I asked Ishizaki to get you."

"He wouldn't be unaware of her little schemes." As she spoke, Shiina unexpectedly showed a sneaky grin, like a weasel that had successfully stolen a chicken.

"Wasn't it just about sending me home early so that she could play dumb and pretend to be drunk, hoping you would take her back to the dorms? I already figured out her plans during the second yacht celebration."

"..." Yukio held Shiina and silently mused, 'Are all girls this cunning? They seem to master these little tricks effortlessly.'

If they applied this intelligence to their classes, even without Yukio's involvement, they would have already toppled Ichinose and outshined Sakayanagi, reaching Class A.

Yukio remembered what Shiina was referring to, the second yacht party when Ibuki seemed to be getting close to him. But a single sarcastic remark from Ishizaki, and she went straight to drinking, competing and throwing up, displaying her strength on the drinking table.

"And so?" Shiina finished her explanation and seemed to nuzzle Yukio's side, almost as if prompting him, rubbing her nose against his neck like a playful sea lion pushing a ball with its nose.

"And so what?" Yukio recalled Ibuki and momentarily failed to understand what Shiina was asking about.

"The thing you were going to tell me," Shiina said, smiling contentedly and closing her eyes, snuggling like a clingy sloth hanging on him.

"Who's it about? If not Ibuki-san, is it Honami-san?"

Ever since the test-of-courage event, when Ichinose befriended Shiina, they had gotten along well. After the event, while coming down from the rooftop, they already addressed each other by their first names.

Yukio finally remembered what he originally wanted to say, directly and without any concealment: "It's about Kushida from Class D."

"?" This surprised Shiina. She expected it to be either Ibuki or Ichinose, maybe even Sakura. But then Kushida Kikyou from Class D was mentioned? What's up with that?

Yukio didn't disclose all of Kushida's darker aspects—her complex personality and how she thrived on keeping secrets and wielding control over others. He only mentioned that Kushida had a grudge against Horikita from Class D from middle school, and she provided him with information about Class D as part of their agreement, leading to their collaboration.

"That's pretty much it." After finishing his explanation, Yukio looked at Shiina with concern, ready to comfort her.

To his surprise, Shiina showed no sign of sadness or disappointment, still nestling close to him with her eyes closed.

Yukio was taken aback. "Hiyori?"

Could she have fallen asleep?

Not at all. Shiina slightly opened her mouth as if planning to bite Yukio's shoulder but couldn't bring herself to do it. Her soft, gentle voice echoed in the room as she spoke.

"Yukio-kun, you might not realize it, but you're like a ray of light that transformed my dull and dreary life," she said. "I never imagined that someone like me, who found it hard to socialize, could one day comfortably talk about fashion trends with Rika and share knowledge from textbooks."

"I wouldn't have thought I'd make friends with wonderful girls like Airi-san and Honami-san. The campus, which I used to dread, now feels like it's been magically turned from gray to rosy, thanks to you," she continued.

In a soothing tone, Shiina added, "Whether it's Ibuki-san, Honami-san, or even Kushida-san from D-class, it doesn't matter. In books, people like you are never tied to just one relationship."

"These are things I've come to terms with early on. Do you remember what I said on the yacht? I'll always support you, no matter what," she said, gently brushing her cheek against his.

Yukio held her even closer. He didn't expect that Shiina had already thought through all these things in silence.

"Hehe." Shiina's bright smile was like the warmth of a spring day, enough to dispel any shadow from one's mind. "This way, you'll always feel a little guilty, and I'll always be the one you cherish the most."

Her honest words were wrapped in a touch of mischief, but instead of being off-putting, it only made her more endearing.

Yukio's throat felt tight, and he held Shiina firmly. In this moment, his usually sharp mind couldn't come up with the right words to respond to her sincere and clever remarks.

That was to be expected. Shiina had been thinking about these heartfelt words since the yacht, contemplating them for at least two months. It would be impossible to find an instant reply.

Yukio lowered his head and gently kissed Shiina. "Hiyori, I love you."

"Yukio-kun..." Her voice was soft and cloud-like, calling his name.

Then she used a more formal tone: "Yukio-kun..."

Finally, she simply said, "Yukio."

With his heart racing, Yukio regained his composure and asked, "What's up, Hiyori?"

"The floor is a bit cold," Shiina said with a playful smile, tapping the floor like a defeated boxer signaling their loss.

***

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