In this deserted corner, the atmosphere gradually grew strange.
"Wha—what?! Who—who would like you?! I..." The beautiful girl with blue, moist eyes stopped sobbing. Whether because her hidden feelings were exposed or not, the girl who'd just calmed down began struggling again.
"Stop joking. I just—"
"I didn't tell you? One of the Incubus Pattern's abilities lets me feel your true emotions." Mu Xiaoxiao grinned with a devilish smile. "Makoto, you can't fool me."
"..."
'Why does it have that ability?! True emotions? That's cheating! So unfair!'
Himemiya Makoto suddenly stopped struggling.
"So I can feel the sadness, sorrow, and grievance in your heart. And... you say you hate me, but you don't really, do you? Besides, you don't seem to want the Incubus Pattern removed?"
Seeing her stop struggling, Mu Xiaoxiao lifted her smooth chin with his fingers. He raised her pitiful, pretty face and looked into her moist, beautiful eyes.
He reached out and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.
'No! I do hate you! And that nasty silver mark—I don't want it at all!'
But Mu Xiaoxiao's gentle gesture of wiping her tears made her heart flutter. The softness in her heart was struck. The touch on her cheeks made her body go limp, hot, her heartbeat racing.
Those retorts could no longer be spoken.
In truth, Himemiya Makoto hadn't expected such a strong reaction. This terrible weekend had left her feeling awful. The things she'd encountered had crushed her emotionally.
Coming to school early in the morning, seeing Mu Xiaoxiao walking with another woman—she'd just wanted to vent her dissatisfaction. Being treated indifferently made Makoto feel wronged and broke through her defenses.
Why else would she cry uncontrollably?
But that breakdown made Mu Xiaoxiao realize her true feelings. Neither spoke. The atmosphere grew strange and ambiguous.
Himemiya Makoto felt the young man's finger rubbing against her face. It slid down little by little, landing on her slightly pale lips.
"Open your mouth. Stick out your tongue."
Mu Xiaoxiao spoke in a commanding tone, as if they'd returned to the days when she was threatened and bullied by him. But when the words reached her ears, she detected a touch of tenderness.
'Why should I open my mouth? What does sticking out my tongue mean? What does this big villain want to do to me? We're not in that kind of relationship anymore. The deal is over. Why should I listen to him?!'
'Push him away. Reject him firmly. Turn and leave!'
That's what she should do. But Himemiya Makoto couldn't utter any of the words swirling in her stomach. Instead, she obediently parted her pink lips and extended her bright red tongue...
Like a docile kitten obeying its beloved master.
Thump, thump—
She could hear her own heartbeat.
Watching Mu Xiaoxiao's face slowly approach, breathing in his familiar scent as it enveloped her little by little—like a bully, one hand against the wall, he drew closer to her little tongue.
Nervous, Himemiya Makoto could only close her eyes. But her trembling lashes betrayed her inner turmoil.
"Woo—"
'He kissed me! He's kissing me!'
Her tongue was licked and sucked by him. Lingering. Rubbing. Tangling with his tongue.
"Woo... hu... um... slurp... uh huh..."
'Is this a kiss?'
Makoto tilted her head up slightly. Her white, tender cheeks and neck were held by him. She began to respond to the lingering kiss. Exchanging saliva. Licking his tongue. Immersed in her first kiss.
'This is my first time experiencing a kiss...'
'Oh no! Oh no, oh no, oh no! How can it be so comfortable? How can it be so sweet... My mind is spinning. I can barely remember who I am or what I'm doing.'
'I just want to stay in this sweet bliss forever.'
'My heart is melting.'
'Wait, what am I doing? I already ended things with this scoundrel. How did it come to this? Is it okay to kiss like this? This is my first kiss.'
'What does this mean? He told me to stick out my tongue, and I did. I let him kiss and lick me obediently. Why am I doing something so intimate with him?'
She should have pushed him away. She should have stopped him. Makoto opened her eyes slightly, staring at the young man's face so close. Feeling the suction on his lips, her tongue lingering in his mouth.
She closed her eyes again. Wrapped her arms around his waist. Hugged him tightly.
Her unfamiliar movements gradually grew proficient. Kissing his tongue back. Sucking his saliva. Swallowing it down...
"Makoto...?"
A dull voice came from not far away.
Whether Himemiya Makoto was too absorbed to notice her surroundings, or she simply didn't care, the girl kept actively, passionately kissing the boy before her. The sound of wet, ambiguous kisses filled the air.
Mu Xiaoxiao heard it. He opened his eyes, tilted his gaze. To the right, not far away, stood a boy with a schoolbag, staring at them in stunned silence.
His trembling pupils and unbelieving expression were unmistakable.
'His name was... Yoshida Kaoru?'
Mu Xiaoxiao tried to release the girl in his arms. But Himemiya Makoto, sensing he might pull away, wouldn't let his tongue go. She not only held him tighter but sucked his tongue even more fiercely.
"Uh~ Slurp... don't... um, um... don't stop~"
When their lips finally separated, the girl kept her tongue extended, still sweetly sucking on his in her mouth. She mumbled around it.
Yoshida Kaoru's pupils shook violently.
His body trembled more and more.
"Makoto?" He couldn't believe this girl was his childhood sweetheart. That active, gorgeous, charming girl passionately kissing another boy—that couldn't be the Himemiya Makoto he liked.
"Makoto? Makoto?"
'Huh?'
She finally heard someone calling her. The girl opened her mouth. Their lingering tongues slowly parted. A thin thread stretched between them. Her red, slightly swollen lips released a seductive breath.
"Hah... hah... Kaoru?"
Seeing him there, her obsessed eyes gradually cleared. Himemiya Makoto's eyes widened, meeting her childhood sweetheart's gaze. Surprise crossed her face.
'Kaoru?'
'He—why is he here? No... Did he see everything?'
"Makoto, you... what were you just doing?"
Yoshida Kaoru's expression was fractured. He tried his best to force a smile, but it was uglier than crying. He looked at Mu Xiaoxiao, then at Makoto. "What were you two doing?"
"I..."
Himemiya Makoto didn't know what to say. Instinctively, she looked at Mu Xiaoxiao. His expression was indifferent. He glanced at her and chuckled lightly.
Mu Xiaoxiao smiled, completely ignoring Himemiya Makoto's childhood sweetheart. As if he didn't matter at all. Instead, he glanced casually toward the stairs.
"Makoto. When you activated the Incubus Pattern last night, it was your brother, right?"
"Huh? Yes..."
'Why bring that up now?'
"In that case, you won't mind if I do something to him, will you?" Mu Xiaoxiao touched his face. Though he smiled, it was a dangerous smile.
"...No."
Makoto seemed to understand. She stared blankly at the boy's face. Reached out and placed her hand over his, still touching her cheek. She felt warmth inside and smiled sweetly.
Even with her childhood sweetheart beside her—even if he was the one she'd liked—that was the past.
At this moment, Himemiya Makoto could no longer care about anyone else. She knew she'd completely fallen into Mu Xiaoxiao's hands.
"I don't consider that disgusting man my brother anymore... You—no matter what you do, I'll never hate you." She held his hand, pressing her face against his palm to feel its warmth.
'You just said you hated me most. Tsk, tsk.'
Mu Xiaoxiao pinched her cheek. "Then I'll leave him to you."
'Like this...'
Watching him walk past Yoshida Kaoru, Himemiya Makoto touched her chest. After a long moment, she looked at her childhood sweetheart with complicated eyes. "Kaoru... I'm sorry..."
At that moment, she finally understood how Chisato felt when she rejected Senior Yuuto that day.
History repeating itself.