"Give me the things you want to throw away?" Nino raised her eyebrow, but without anger, she took out the items from the bag.
Then, she fell silent, without saying a word.
"..."
Staring at him, Nino showed no expression. She took out her phone from her pocket and pressed the emergency call button.
Shinichi started sweating and quickly stopped her.
"Wait, there's something I want to say!"
Nino glanced at him hand holding the wrist and uttered cold words.
"I have nothing to say to a perverted student council president wandering around school with stockings."
"Let me explain first." Shinichi could only say such vulgar words to slow down Nino.
Nino squinted her eyes with a disgusted expression on her face. "Explain? Explain why you're not moving right now. Is it because you think I'm not as sexy and beautiful as you wearing stockings?"
Holding the new white stockings in her hands, Nino stared at Shinichi and spoke harshly.
"If that's the case, I really can't believe it. Wear them now and show me! If that looks better on you, from now on, I'll follow Miku's example in wearing black stockings... No, I'll never wear stockings again!"
"..."
Shinichi covered his face with his hand and sighed heavily.
Enough, is this the influence of cancer on the earth...
△
After explaining that the pair of stockings was exchanged for a can of drink from the TG club members, Nino reluctantly accepted his explanation and put on the new stockings.
Fortunately, Nino didn't know that Chika was from the TG club. Otherwise, if she thought about Chika, who also often wore white stockings, she might not wear them so easily. At least she would mock Shinichi.
"I always feel like going back in time..."
Looking at the scene where her firm calves were covered with a layer of fabric pulled by her hands, Shinichi sat in a chair nearby and sighed with relief.
Nino looked at him strangely, "Why, have I ever worn stockings in front of you?"
"It's not about that." Shinichi smiled and waved his hand, with a hint of nostalgia on his face, "It means your attitude gradually returns to the feelings before the forest school..."
"How should I say it? You always oppose me and always want to make me look good?"
"Do you prefer to be treated like this?" With a slight frown, Nino loosened her hairband, and her calves were tightened.
She touched the plaster below her knee, lifting the inconspicuous indentation on her lips.
Supported by both hands, she left the bed in the infirmary. Nino walked towards him, her thick, long hair swinging behind her, and her slightly red eyes narrowed. She stared at him in the chair.
"I didn't expect you to be such a scoundrel. Or are you just tired of being liked by me?"
"How can it be?" Shinichi replied to her gaze with an unwavering smile. "My only shortcoming is that I don't like the old and don't like the new."
"Do you want me the way I was and the way I am now?"
"That's right."
"...Greedy man," Nino snorted coldly, but frankly, the corner of her mouth lifted.
She wriggled, turned around, and walked towards the door.
"Um, I just don't know how to face you."
"If I keep bothering you with my preferences, I always feel like my feelings are wasted, and that's not pleasant!"
With her back to Shinichi, Nino said this unexpectedly calmly.
Shinichi was stunned.
"...From my position, I don't know whether to say something or not."
"Then don't say it!"
Nino replied firmly.
"If you say it, it will be easier for me to make a choice I don't want."
Nino tilted her head and turned her face away, with a clear and bright gleam in her eyes, reflecting Shinichi's eyes.
Suddenly, she asked, "When you and Miku kissed, who took the initiative first?"
"..."
This question was difficult to answer because honestly, it felt like Shinichi blamed everything on the girls.
But under Nino's calm and straightforward gaze, Shinichi couldn't lie, so he had to tell the truth.
"I know that."
Nino nodded clearly and said with a mocking tone, "You're a man who only has ideas but doesn't dare to act. You don't even know how to eat meat in front of you. How can you take the initiative to kiss someone?"
Shinichi pursed his lips, looking indifferent and unresponsive.
Unless he dared to give her a series of deep French kisses at this moment, showing off would only show that he was irresponsible.
Despite sounding ridiculous, Shinichi had his own advantages no matter how many people he liked, and he couldn't have casual sex or be addicted to sex with many girls.
Different from lovers with friends, if he did want to become a carnivore, it meant both he and his conversational partner were ready to take responsibility and could engage in intimacy without any hesitation.
Of course, if it was just a kiss, the threshold might be lower... Like just now, eating a piece of chocolate with Miku, it was the first time he took the initiative to kiss, although not formally.
But this was the only thing Shinichi didn't tell Nino.
No matter how big his heart was, he would still feel guilty.
"If you don't take our relationship seriously and don't think about your lower body, I will distance myself from a scoundrel like you... As a result, I can't leave now, and I can't accept Fumino and the others calmly."
Truly a dilemma.
Nino smiled somewhat self-deprecatingly and turned to look at Shinichi.
"Oh God... No, Shi-kun, I won't attack you now. When I am mentally prepared to disturb you and like you as I did in the past, I hope you can promise me one thing."
Although the word "strategy" sounded somewhat strange, Shinichi followed her topic and asked, "What is it?"
Nino said gently, "If the time comes when I can loudly say 'I like you' again... then take my first kiss and let you take the initiative."
Shinichi could see her hands clenched nervously.
Shinichi didn't hesitate and answered immediately.
"Yes."
After a pause, Nino took something out of her pocket and threw her hand back to Shinichi.
"This is a thank-you gift for bandaging my wound. I don't owe you anymore."
Shinichi caught it and saw that it was a piece of chocolate.
"Finally, don't make my sister sad! Playboy!"
After leaving these words, Nino took a step, leaving the infirmary without any nostalgia.
From looking back to looking at the closed door of the infirmary, Shinichi stood still and did not move.
Only after the class bell rang did he sigh, put the chocolate in his pocket, and stepped forward in prayer.
"...I don't want to make you sad either."
A low voice echoed in the empty room.
Only this sentence was destined not to be heard by anyone.