"Sensei, you're being mean! I'm going home!"
Mortified, Himeragi Yukina didn't want to be around Shichen another second. Hugging the dress and the box, she turned, opened her door, and slipped inside.
"Hey, wait—my suit is in there too."
"Pick it up tomorrow! Hmph!" Yukina huffed from inside, shot him one last crimson-faced glare, and shut the door.
Staring at the firmly closed door, Shichen shook his head. Still so young—just learning her measurements and she gets that shy.
…C, really?
You'd never tell under the uniform.
Back home, he found Minamiya Natsuki already there—she'd left campus that afternoon on a job. There had been a bit of turbulence on Itogami Island lately.
"Shichen, why are you so late?!" Avrora demanded at once.
"Why the interrogation?"
"Hmph! Feeling guilty? Afraid to say it?"
"What would I be guilty of?" He walked past and booped her forehead.
"Mm… now you're hitting me because you're mad."
"…That's 'hitting' you?"
"Don't mind her, come here—have an apple. I just carved them—little bunnies," Enatos said, holding a rabbit-shaped slice to his lips.
"Cute. Ah—" Shichen opened his mouth and took it.
"Hehe~ Want more?"
"One more."
"Okay~"
"Enatos, this is my job. Why are you butting in?" Prote complained.
"'Yours'? Since when?"
"Don't go too far! I want to feed Shichen too!"
"Yeah! Enatos's getting bolder by the day!" Avrora chimed in.
"So what? First come, first served," Enatos shrugged.
"Ugh… Natsuki! Look at her!" Avrora appealed to the only true authority in the house.
"What's that got to do with me?" Natsuki sipped her tea, unmoved.
"Eh? What's with you today? You're not usually like this," Avrora said, surprised. Normally, any time they crowded Shichen, Natsuki would scold them and shoo them off—to chores or homework.
"And what am I 'usually' like?" Natsuki's face stayed calm.
"Usually… you'd be mad."
"What's there to be mad about?"
"That's not right…"
"Sounds to me like you're idle. Go do your homework."
"Ehh—how is that fair?"
"Learn from Tritos and the others. They've already done the chores and started homework."
"But… I just got back…"
"It's been a while. Go—homework. Enatos, you too."
"Eh? I haven't finished feeding Shichen."
"Feed what? He's got hands. Back to your rooms—now." Natsuki's blank stare radiated authority.
"…Yes."
Reluctantly, the girls shuffled off.
"What's up?" Shichen came behind Natsuki and kneaded her shoulders. He'd noticed she seemed… off.
"Nothing."
"Yeah? Speaking of which—where's Astarte?"
"I've got her reading in her room. If she's going to be my assistant, she needs a brain that works."
"Uh…"
Fresh out from under one inhuman 'creator,' straight into study hell. Shichen wasn't sure if Astarte was happy about that. Maybe she felt nothing; her emotions weren't exactly developed. Or maybe she was satisfied—studying is fun at the start… and misery later. Avrora was in that stage now.
"By the way, did the snake charmer send you an invitation?" Natsuki asked.
"Hm? How'd you know?" Shichen blinked.
"He's got designs. Of course he's got his eye on you."
"I see…"
"So who are you taking?"
"Huh?"
Shichen paused, then smiled. "Natsuki, are you saying…?"
"What's the problem? It's a party—you're supposed to bring a partner," she said evenly.
"Fair point." He nodded.
"So who is it? That Yukina girl? Or Avrora?"
"Yukina," he answered.
"Why?"
"She insists on sticking to me."
"And you can't say no? You listen to her more than to me."
"Come on. She just happened to be there when the invite arrived… Why ask?"
"No reason. I just don't want you making a scene and causing trouble," Natsuki said casually.
"Is that really it? Not that you wanted to… come as my partner?" He stopped massaging and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Natsuki glanced down at his hands. "No."
"Seriously?" He rested his chin on her right shoulder, studying her profile.
"Don't get so close." She turned her head and nudged him away; his breath was brushing her cheek.
"But I really want you as my partner," he said, easing closer again.
"Save it. You've already promised that girl."
"I could swap you in."
"Forget it. I'm not giving her the idea I'm stealing anything. It'd just make her sad."
"Why would she be sad?"
"Don't play dumb. Even I can see it. You can't?"
"I honestly hadn't noticed."
"Shoo." As he leaned in further, Natsuki ghosted out of his hold. He let his arms drop and just smiled, taking her seat.
He did want Natsuki as his partner. But leaning into that would only cement the "lolicon" label people kept throwing at him. Best to grit his teeth and pass. Yukina might look youthful, but at least she wasn't "loli"; she was older than Natsuki and Avrora, even.
And bringing Yukina had another perk—Kirasaka Sayaka would be at the party. The two "sisters" could meet up.
The next day (Friday), after lunch, Shichen slipped over to Yukina's place without telling Avrora and the rest.
Her room hadn't changed: sparse furniture, simple and neat, almost no trace of a woman's touch.
"Sensei, your suit…" Yukina had already sensed him. She spoke softly and handed him a white tux.
"Ooh~" He didn't take it right away. He was too busy taking her in.
She'd already changed. Not the usual student look—she was stunning.
A blue-toned party dress over a pale base; modest at the chest (no "northern hemisphere" at all), but with a daring open back and shoulders. Her delicate collarbones gleamed snow-white. Light fabric traced every contour, and a frilled mini skirt showed firm, alabaster thighs—skin so fair it seemed to reflect light.
Custom work, clearly—fitted perfectly, showing her freshness, charm, and cuteness to full effect.
Even someone used to beauty like Shichen looked a few beats longer than usual.
"S-Sensei…"
Under his unabashed gaze, Yukina shifted, turning sideways as her cheeks flushed. "P-please don't stare like that… Do I look weird?"
"How could you? You look perfect. You're so beautiful right now it's making my heart race," he said openly.
"Mm…"
She eyed him shyly but warily. "I… I feel an immediate sense of danger…"
"…What?"
"Your face gives you away. You're definitely thinking something dirty," she said with a teasing smile.
"I'm a Teacher. Why would I think dirty thoughts about my student?" he said, solemn as a saint.
"I don't believe you…"
Pouting, she twisted back around. "The back is way too open, the fabric is thin, and the skirt is honestly too short."
"But it's gorgeous—and your skin is so fair."
"Sensei…" She shot him a scarlet, warning glare.
"Just stating facts."
"Mm… stop ogling me like that…"
"I'm admiring you in the open. That's not ogling."
"And you're proud of that?"
Yukina sighed, then warned, "And that's all you can see. I'm wearing safety shorts."
"You're wearing safety shorts?" He sounded truly disappointed.
"See? You are more interested in what's under a girl's skirt."
"No. I'm saying dresses like this don't go with safety shorts. If people notice, the fantasy's ruined. You get that, right?"
"Sorry, not following you at all… but I do understand now that you're very interested in what's under a girl's skirt."
"…"
"Also, for the record, I'm not wearing those 'rustic' panties you complained about," she said, a little smug.
"Yeah? And why tell me that?" he grinned.
"Because you kept saying they were 'rustic' and—eh? Why am I even saying this! Sensei, hurry up and change—I'll help you with the jacket!"
"You're being completely unreasonable."
~~~
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