I'm sure I'll have plenty of chances to be alone with Misaki-senpai later...! Kotaro thought, but his expectations proved overly optimistic.
On the first day, after enjoying a leisurely barbecue and participating in a full day of team-building activities, we had dinner at the inn and immediately plunged into a drinking party. The circle members, unusually relaxed and sociable, approached me indiscriminately, leaving no opportunity to speak with Misaki. I thought there might be a chance later in the evening, but as the night wore on, the women formed cliques and started gossiping about romance, leaving no opportunity to talk to Misaki throughout the night.
*****
The next morning marked the second day of the training camp.
Before the other members of the Social Welfare Research Society had woken up, I decided to take a leisurely stroll around the inn. It was still early morning. Passing by the kitchen, I heard the busy chatter of chefs preparing breakfast. Though they couldn't see me, I bowed silently in gratitude. Thank you so much.
I should head back soon... hmm?
As I reached the back entrance of the inn, I ran into a junior senior I knew all too well. She was dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, the epitome of casual loungewear. She looked adorable first thing in the morning.
"Huh? Misaki-senpai, good morning. What are you doing out here?"
"Morning. What about you, Kotaro?"
"I woke up early and thought I'd go for a walk... Wait, Misaki-senpai?"
For some reason, Misaki approached me expressionlessly and nuzzled her face against my chest.
"Mmm... Kotaro's scent..."
I was lost in the soft, squishy feeling of her chest against mine when she whispered in a voice brimming with joy:
"...mm"
My idol, my lover, was suddenly acting so affectionate.
Even though it was early morning, being in a space where anyone could walk in at any moment made me feel like I was about to get a nosebleed.
"It's the same for me," Hamster-senpai said. "During training camps, I always get so restless. It feels like a waste to sleep... heh heh heh."
Even as we continued talking, Hamster-senpai kept nuzzling Kotaro's chest. A mental image popped up of myself getting smacked by a giant lump of sugar.
"Yesterday, at the drinking party, I wanted to talk to Misaki-senpai."
"Mm-hmm, me too... It's tough when we're not public about it, huh?"
As I hugged her small back, Misaki whispered in a voice so soft she seemed about to vanish:
"It doesn't look like we'll have much time alone today, either, does it?"
I curled up, resting my chin on the back of Misaki's head. A weary, deflated voice escaped me: "Ugh..."
"It really is, huh... Ugh, I wish I could stay with you longer, Kotaro..."
"...Misaki-senpai is so adorable I feel like I'm going to be reborn."
"I've gone beyond dying..."
Misaki smiled wryly, stroking Kotaro's back affectionately.
"There's about fifteen minutes until the others wake up, right?"
"Mm, yeah. Some might wake up earlier... Ah, if only we'd met sooner, we might have been able to do something..."
If you take just a part of that sentence, it sounds like something from an old drama, he thought.
"Misaki-senpai... Just a little..."
"Hmm? Mmm... Ah..."
He lifted his head from her nape, quickly checked the hallway to make sure no one was passing by, then grabbed the back of Misaki's neck and pressed his lips to hers.
"Mmm... Huh?"
Misaki's slender fingers gently stroked the half-erect shaft, which had grown stiff from their embrace alone. The pleasant yet vexing sensation made his hips sway, and his cat-like eyes narrowed seductively.
"Mmm, chupi, rere, hapuu... Pah! ...Mmm, I want to keep going, but this is getting really dangerous... Ah!"
When he cupped her generously full breasts from below, Misaki's voice rose sweetly.
"I love the way you sound when you pant, Misaki-senpai. It's so cute and sexy."
"Ah! Stop it! Don't say things like that now...!"
"Then is it okay if I whisper it in your ear when you're really letting go?"
"...You'll probably make me faint from too much pleasure or pee my pants."
"Huh?"
Still startled by her unexpected response, Misaki ran her slender fingers along my shaft and looked up coyly.
"Every time we do it, my body gets more and more sensitive... Soon, I'll probably end up showing you some embarrassingly slutty things. Are you okay with that?"
"Absolutely."
"...You're such a pervert, Kotaro."
Her chuckle at my unhesitating reply was accompanied by a tender, pecking kiss as she gently stroked my shaft before abruptly pulling away.
"Alright, that's enough for the morning. Ah! Hey! Stop groping my chest! No, really, stop! If you keep this up, you'll flip a switch! Stop, I'm serious—!"
"Ouch!"
She playfully smacked my head, then gently stroked it afterward.
"Seriously... I understand the atmosphere of the training camp better than you do. I'll look for an opportunity to get us alone together. Just enjoy the camp for now."
Kotaro was mesmerized by Senpai, who stroked his cheeks with a maternal smile.
"Thank you."
"Mm. You're getting along with the other members, right?"
"Yeah, especially after yesterday's drinking party."
"Even if you can't drink, it's still a good time, right?"
"Right."
As they chuckled together, they heard the laughter of several people in the distant hallway.
"Okay, go ahead without me. I'll join you later."
"Got it. I really hope we can walk hand in hand openly and proudly soon."
"That's... that's quite a high bar..."
Kotaro's earnest gaze made Misaki blush faintly and smile wryly.
*****
The second day began with a brief, serious discussion in the morning, followed by recreational activities. During the free time, as expected, Misaki was in high demand, constantly being invited to join various groups and left no opportunity to speak privately. When our eyes met while she was chatting with another female student from our year, she smiled apologetically and waved, making me feel like a puppy waiting for its owner to come home.
The second evening arrived, just like the first, with another drinking party.
Can't I find a good moment anywhere...?
Sipping orange juice from a paper cup, I watched the younger senior. After taking a bath, Misaki had come to the tatami banquet hall wearing a T-shirt and long skirt, her slender legs flowing gracefully as she sat. Chatting amiably with the first- and second-year girls, she embodied the epitome of a popular person.
Misaki-senpai is so cute.
Misaki, regardless of whether she was with her peers or juniors, would always grumble "Mugaa!" whenever someone patted her head. Everyone around her seemed to think she was cute, like a mascot, but to Kotaro, she always appeared as a beautiful woman.
"Kotaro, what's wrong?"
"Mm, no, it's nothing."
When asked by a male peer, he shook his head lazily. A group of first- and second-year boys had formed a circle, and they were discussing their favorite anime from the current season.
I wonder if there'll ever be a good opportunity...
He glanced at Misaki again, and their eyes met. The other girls didn't notice the shift in her gaze.
Misaki winked.
A wink.
A wink!
Huh?
Kotaro froze.
He froze from the shock of her wink and her overwhelming cuteness.
Misaki also froze.
She froze from the shock of her own wink and overwhelming embarrassment.
"Miss Misaki, what's wrong? Your face is bright red!"
"Uwah?! Ah—no, nothing! It's nothing!"
Hamster-senpai's ears turned bright red as he panicked violently.
I'm going to explode from cuteness...
He seemed to be lost in thought.
"Kotaro, which anime do you like... Wait, what's wrong?! What could make you look so vacant?!"
A male colleague genuinely worried about him.
*****
As time passed, the number of people at the drinking party gradually decreased. The banquet hall that had initially held 40 people now only had about 15 remaining.
The restroom...
When a male colleague who had been chatting with me one-on-one left, saying he was going to bed, I went to the restroom. I still haven't had a chance to talk to Misaki-senpai... I lamented while taking care of business.
"Hey."
"Ah."
The moment I exited the restroom, I ran into my crush.
"Sup, Kotaro?"
"Good evening...?"
Slightly tipsy, Misaki grinned mischievously, playfully tapped my forearm, gave it a soft pinch, glanced around furtively, and then, just like this morning, nuzzled her face against my chest.
"Mmph."
She nuzzled her forehead against his cheek, her long bangs naturally parting to reveal her lovely forehead.
"You're so cute, I feel like I've been reborn."
"Kotaro, you reincarnate all the time..."
She chuckled softly, rubbing her cheek against his waist.
"Hmm?"
Misaki groped around Kotaro's body as she shuffled to the end of the hallway. He felt her fingers gently stroke the back of his head, followed by a kiss. Perhaps because they were both a little sleepy, the kiss was languid. Their tongues flicked against each other, they gazed into each other's eyes, closed them, and then gazed again.
"...Kotaro, do you have anyone you need to talk to when you get home?"
"...No, they just fell asleep."
"Oh, really? What a coincidence. Me too."
"I see."
He stroked her voluptuous back, eliciting a soft, suggestive moan of "Nn..."
"I want to talk to Misaki-senpai."
"Me too... So, shall we slip out for a bit?"
Her charming smile, with its mischievous glint, made her look like a boy relishing a prank.
*****
We quietly exited through the back entrance of the inn, designated as the "night entrance." Surrounded by mountains on all sides, the silence was absolute, as if every sound had been swallowed by the night. In the distance, a faint convenience store light glimmered, but apart from that, only scattered streetlights illuminated the darkness.
"Heh heh..."
As we strolled along, Misaki playfully tapped my hand with hers. I mirrored the gesture, and our fingers intertwined.
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Sneaking out at night and holding hands... This feels just like...
I was internally swooning as we walked when Misaki suddenly let go and dashed off.
"Hahaha! This is what they call youth!"
"Hey, Misaki-senpai?!"
Misaki voiced exactly what Kotaro was thinking. Slightly tipsy, she spread her arms wide like airplane wings and started running. Her gait was endearingly wobbly, like a sped-up penguin waddle. And above all, her legs were ridiculously slow.
"Missaki-senpai, you're going to fall! You'll get hurt!"
Kotaro easily caught up to the adorable penguin-senpai. Still with her arms outstretched, Misaki puffed out her cheeks in indignation.
"Don't treat me like a kid, you jerk! Ugh!"
"Careful!"
Just as Misaki was about to fall forward, Kotaro hastily scooped her up from behind. Her body was so small, so soft, and smelled so good.
"Good, I made it in time..."
"Ugh... I'm so sorry. This is really embarrassing..."
Misaki covered her face with both hands and let out a cute groan. With a wry smile, she tousled her bright brown hair.
"Ah... Misaki-senpai. Look up, up above."
"Hmm? What's up there... Oh my...!"
Both of us gasped in awe.
Above us stretched a sea of stars. The forest path behind the inn had been so densely wooded that the sky wasn't visible, but in our pursuit of Misaki, we must have reached a clearing. The moon was obscured by clouds, but the stars shone brilliantly in its absence.
"Beautiful..."
"...Yes, it is."
I wrapped my arms around my girlfriend from behind, gazing up at the same starry sky. I was captivated by both the celestial beauty and the profile of Misaki, who stood beside me, lost in wonder.
"The training camp is fun too, but spending time with Misaki-senpai is just so much more enjoyable... For a moment, I even wondered, 'Why am I even here?'"
"What a coincidence! Me too."
We chuckled softly, and Misaki turned her head slightly.
"Mmm...nnn..."
The softness of her lips felt wonderful. After pulling away once, Misaki pressed her lips to mine again, playfully nibbling and sucking. She's so cute, I might faint.
After the kiss, Misaki grinned mischievously.
"...Guess this is part of youth, huh..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"C'mon, say something already...!"
Blushing crimson, Hamster-senpai started tapping her waist impatiently. She's so adorable, I might ascend to heaven. Kotaro's face was burning up too.
"Ah, Misaki-senpai! There's a bench over there. Why don't we rest there?"
Kotaro pointed to a small plaza. Several benches were scattered around, and a lamppost, placed almost apologetically, cast a faint glow over the circular space.
"Hmm, I guess we could... Ah..."
As Kotaro gently took hold of her slender shoulders, Misaki let out a playful, sultry moan.
"Kotaro, you're bursting with naughty intentions, aren't you?"
"Maybe... Ugh..."
Misaki grinned mischievously and began playfully pinching the crotch of his pants.
"Heh heh..."
As they walked, the growing bulge in his pants drew her curious touches, sending shivers down his spine.
Aah, this is definitely going to be fun...!
A lascivious anticipation sent goosebumps racing down his back.