"Karin?"
This time it was Aoba who was surprised.
He had long wanted to know who had been spreading the rumor that he liked girls' feet.
He hadn't expected it to be Karin.
"Karin said before that when Aoba-kun isn't at home, you can often hear Yugito making comments."
Hinata helped explain for Karin, then stammered a bit and said, "Yugito said… said Aoba-kun, you're just someone who likes to play with girls' feet."
The last part was obviously a bit garbled; although she didn't actually say the final two words out loud, Aoba's mind had already filled in the complete sentence.
He could even imagine the expression Yugito wore when saying it.
Finally they'd found the chief culprit.
That naughty little cat dared to gossip about her master behind his back and must be punished severely.
Hmm, punish her… punish her tonight by making her feet ache.
"But Yugito wasn't wrong either. Aoba, you really do like them a lot."
Yakumo chimed in from the side, "After all, when I first helped you, it was… ah!"
She hadn't finished the sentence before taking another chop to the hand.
"All right, I'm getting kind of hungry. Let's hurry to the restaurant!"
Aoba simply separated the two of them, grabbed one by the hand and the other by the other hand, and walked toward the restaurant.
Hinata was silent, inwardly marveling again at Yakumo's boldness.
She also regretted once more not wearing sandals.
Maybe then she wouldn't have needed Yakumo's help earlier.
———
[After Lunch]
Hinata didn't end the date just because she was embarrassed.
Because she knew if she really went home, Aoba would spend the whole afternoon alone with Yakumo.
She didn't even want to imagine what might happen then.
So she stayed.
But after what happened that morning, no matter how much Yakumo tempted him, Aoba was able to restrain himself quite well.
And after a few chops, Yakumo didn't misbehave either.
Otherwise, would you really expect her to go on a date alone here?
The three of them strolled around the shopping street and finally had dinner at Ichiraku Ramen.
Then they ended today's date.
"Yakumo, tomorrow Ino and Sakura and the others, they won't be like today, right?", After sending Hinata home, Aoba asked Yakumo who had been with them.
Yakumo blinked innocently, "How would I know?"
Aoba rolled his eyes, clearly not believing her, "Then why did Hinata act so suddenly today?"
"How would I know?", Yakumo repeated her earlier line.
"…", Aoba fell silent.
"If you carry me home on your back, maybe I'll know."
Yakumo, seeing him quiet, suddenly put on a sly expression.
Aoba didn't say much; he quickly stepped in front of her, opened his arms and faced her.
"Get on."
"Hehe!"
Yakumo flashed a triumphant smile and jumped up.
The first thing he felt was a slick touch.
Then she clung tightly; Yakumo was wearing tights, a bit slippery.
"Aoba, you're pinching me too hard."
She teased into his ear.
"Cut the nonsense!"
Because the white stockings were so smooth, to avoid her slipping, Aoba had to change his hold to a grip.
When Yakumo still wanted to complain, he gave her little butt a smack.
"Spit it out."
"Ah!"
Yakumo cried out from the sting, pouted, and stopped fussing.
"Well, this is all your fault, Aoba."
"My fault?"
Aoba looked startled. He seemed to understand something.
"Of course, it's your fault for always hanging out with Yugao-nee and Konan-nee, you rarely come to play with us anymore, so to pull you away we decided to team up."
Yakumo spoke in a muffled voice, then continued.
"But our rivals are mature big sisters like Yugao, so naturally we had to use some special methods."
Aoba also guessed that was the reason and felt a bit guilty for a moment.
Although he had tried to treat everyone fairly, he had indeed neglected Yakumo and the others.
Thinking that, he gently massaged the spot he'd just smacked.
"I'll make more time to be with you from now on," Aoba said earnestly.
But he didn't get any response from Yakumo, which made him feel strange.
"Yakumo?"
Suddenly Yakumo's body trembled slightly; her cheek rubbed against his ear, warm breath brushing his face.
"Aoba, if you keep this up, I won't be able to hold back."
"…"
That Yakumo really had a head full of filthy thoughts.
Aoba was speechless. The scene was supposed to be pretty suggestive, yet somehow the corner of his eye felt a little wet.
"Aoba, Hinata and I have helped you for so long, shouldn't you repay us?", Yakumo said matter-of-factly.
"We're almost home."
"It's fine. While you carry me, help me with… that. I'll be quick."
"…"
———
After dropping off the pervy Yakumo, it was Aoba's turn to wash his hands.
But after coming out of the restroom by the roadside, he didn't head straight home.
He had to go see Kurenai.
Although clearing up the misunderstanding seemed unlikely, he at least needed to mend the relationship a bit.
He couldn't go on meeting and not be able to say two sentences to each other.
———
On the dark stairwell corridor, Aoba reached out and knocked on Kurenai's door, then waited quietly.
"Hm?"
He tilted his head in puzzlement.
'Why is it taking so long to open?'
He checked with his sensing; Kurenai was indeed in her bedroom.
'Maybe she is asleep and didn't hear me knock?'
Kurenai wasn't usually the sort to go to bed so early.
She wouldn't recognize him at the bedroom door and purposely not open it, would she?
Aoba knocked twice more. If she still didn't open, he'd have to check the bedroom.
After this knock, there was clearly movement inside.
From his sensing, Kurenai hurried out of the bedroom in a fluster, then hurried back in, and when she finally came to open the door she apparently bumped into something and fell at the doorway.
Even through the heavy door, Aoba heard Kurenai cry out in pain.
After a little while, the door finally opened.
"Is that Anko… uh!"
Kurenai's voice held a note of complaint, but when she recognized Aoba's face her voice stuck in her throat.
Aoba's expression also changed slightly.
Kurenai didn't look all that good right now.
Her hair was messy and her face had an unnatural flush.
Though she wore a coat, he smelled a very familiar scent.
He seemed to know what she had been doing in her room just now.
So he felt a bit awkward too.
Why did every recent meeting with her end up with some kind of weird situation?
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