Chapter 124: Two People Not Yet Proficient
When they left the movie theater, it was already past six in the evening.
Today's journey of Sakurai Saki and Hayasaka Ai began in the afternoon, having afternoon tea together, then watching a movie. If their relationship had already crossed that line, then the final destination should have been one of their homes, or a Love Hotel.
But their relationship hadn't reached that level yet.
At least from Sakurai Saki's perspective, he still couldn't do those kinds of things with Ai-chan. From the start of their relationship until now, it had only been about half a month. Compared to slow-moving couples, they hadn't even held hands yet.
Placing too much emphasis on physical relations would make the other person feel like he only loved her for her body, and that wouldn't be good.
Love should focus on emotional development, otherwise it can't last.
Things like "love will grow over time"... this isn't a doujinshi, girls don't just get poked once and then Mindbreak.
Those NTR Doujinshi, just because the male lead isn't long enough, he gets dumped! The female lead is just a bitch! The more pure the couple is, the more heartbreaking it is when crushed by reality—that's the true essence of NTR!
Ishigami was criticizing shallow "NTR" doujinshi, lacking depth, where only "the third party with a bigger gun" wins, with no emotional climax at all.
Sakurai: (ㆆ_ㆆ) What the hell is that?
He absolutely couldn't understand what people who read NTR were thinking. Was it because their life was too smooth that they had to seek out stimulation?
After strolling one more round through the shopping mall with Ai-chan, grabbing a bite to eat, and buying a few small items, Sakurai Saki glanced at his phone.
It was already past eight.
"Ai-chan, let me take you home."
The place they chose today wasn't far from Shuchiin, which is why they happened to bump into the Nakano quintuplets here.
However, Sakurai Saki didn't know about this. Among the five sisters, only Nino knew.
'...' Hayasaka Ai stayed silent.
She couldn't just say she lived at the Shinomiya residence, right?
Looks like she'd have to find time to rent an apartment.
She had already investigated Sakurai Saki's house. It was in Setagaya Ward, also near Shirogane Miyuki's home.
At that time, she could just rent a place next door, but if she was going to rent a house just because of love, wasn't that a bit too much?
But if she told him the truth about her identity, it wouldn't be good either.
The Shinomiya family routinely investigated her and Shinomiya Kaguya, mostly due to Kaguya's older brothers secretly taking action.
The current head of the Shinomiya family was no longer in robust health. Although the one least likely to inherit the position of family head was Shinomiya Kaguya, she still couldn't avoid getting caught in the vortex. Her background had already determined she could never live in peace.
She didn't have her own power, so she could only rely on one of Kaguya's brothers.
To put it bluntly, the only person Shinomiya Kaguya could fully trust was Hayasaka Ai. But even Hayasaka Ai still had to hide from Kaguya and report her daily whereabouts to the Shinomiya main house. Although the information might not always be accurate, she had indeed been betraying the other side for a long time.
The Shinomiya family was known as the heart of Japan, with influence infiltrating every industry. Escaping their control was nearly impossible.
Therefore, Hayasaka Ai didn't want Sakurai Saki to get involved right now. He was just an ordinary person, with no family business, and the wagashi shop in his hometown? A small store like that, the Shinomiya family could erase with just a glance. His mother was also just a regular person. The Shinomiya's intelligence network in Kyoto extended everywhere.
She pulled back her thoughts——
"...You want to take me home? That makes me so happy~!" Hayasaka Ai gave a cute smile.
Sakurai Saki could tell she was scheming something, but he had no intention of exposing her.
What could Hayasaka Ai even do to him now?
If you can't even trust your own girlfriend, then being a man is just too pitiful.
After that, Sakurai Saki followed her out of the shopping mall.
On the way, Hayasaka Ai searched for nearby Love Hotels with good reviews. After browsing for a bit, she had already memorized everything.
As a super maid, Hayasaka Ai's memory was outstanding. Her ability to learn far surpassed even Shinomiya Kaguya's, and she even had strong hacking skills.
"Ai-chan, is this where you live?" Sakurai Saki was a little scared.
(｡Ó﹏Ò｡)
Why did the air feel off somehow? Pink neon lights, a shady atmosphere.
In a setting like this, there were also many sweet couples walking hand in hand.
"Why are we here? Sakurai-chan, haven't you already figured it out~"
( ͡° ꒳ ͡°)
Seeing more and more Love Hotels in the area, Sakurai Saki had more or less realized the purpose of this trip.
First date and already going for brutal seggs?
Ai-chan turned out to be that bold?
In Sakurai Saki's perception, her gyaru persona at school was actually just a disguise. Sometimes, in private, that quiet and slightly sharp-tongued demeanor was just another layer. Deep down, she was really just a shy girl who cried easily and loved to act spoiled.
Ten minutes later.
The two of them entered a Love Hotel.
"Welcome, here's your room key. The room is on the second floor…" The girl at the front desk looked closely at the two of them, her expression a little surprised.
Where did this celebrity couple come from?
After completing the check-in, it wasn't until they stepped into the room that both of them began to feel nervous.
"We're in." Ai-chan mumbled.
First time going to a Love Hotel with her boyfriend…
"Yeah." Sakurai Saki took a deep breath.
He glanced at the interior. The room they had picked was pretty normal, no strange toys or anything…
'Isn't this kind of weird~'
Inside, Hayasaka Ai started to worry.
The cowardly little kitten Ai-chan was beginning to get scared.
/ᐠ˵˶˃ᆺ˂˶˵ᐟ\
Even though she had said she would take the lead and "pin" her boyfriend down…
But this was way too fast!!
In her original plan, Sakurai Saki was supposed to be a gentleman and refuse twice before agreeing!
A tug of war, yes, that's the word—men and women nowadays love that kind of tug-of-war!
But she didn't expect that her boyfriend didn't play along with the idea of "tug-of-war" at all!
'...No guy would actually resist in this kind of situation, right?' Hayasaka Ai thought to herself.
'Should I try tug-of-warring a little?' Sakurai Saki was thinking exactly the same thing.
Taking this step with her so easily—would she think of him as scum?
But if the meat's already at your mouth and you don't eat it, that's weird too…
...
The two of them sat on the edge of the extremely wide bed, holding hands.
(ó﹏ò｡)◞◟(｡ó﹏ò)
Then, the room fell silent—to the point that the drop of a pin could be heard clearly.
For a moment, Sakurai Saki didn't know what he was supposed to do.
The atmosphere was somewhat heavy, and both of them could hear each other's breathing.
At this moment, both of them realized the nervousness in the other's heart.
From the room next door, the "Ora Muda" sounds of another couple had already begun, making both of their faces turn beet red.
Mouth dry, throat burning, Sakurai Saki gulped.
Hayasaka Ai lowered her head, using her left hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, hiding her embarrassed expression beneath the bangs on her forehead.
"...I want to shower first," Ai-chan said softly.
She had heard the first time would be really painful…
Now she was a little scared, and wanted to go into the bathroom to mentally prepare herself.
Sakurai Saki dumbly nodded.
After a while, the sound of clothes rustling reached his ears, followed by the sound of running water. Time passed unknowingly—Sakurai Saki had completely lost track of how long it had been. All he knew was that the water sound gradually faded.
Then——
"Clack~"
The sound of footsteps reached his ears. Sakurai Saki looked up and saw the blonde girl with slightly damp hair stepping out. This time, she hadn't tied her hair up, her posture a bit awkward. The towel wrapped around her body was wound tightly, and Sakurai Saki noticed her calves were trembling slightly by instinct.
She was afraid.
That was understandable—this was probably her first time coming to a place like this too.
"...We don't have to rush things," Sakurai Saki said.
Ai-chan slowly sat down next to him and nodded gently, "Mm."
A few more minutes passed.
Sakurai Saki turned his head and reached out his hand.
The moment his hand touched her shoulder, Hayasaka Ai flinched slightly in resistance.
But she didn't open her mouth to reject him.
Sakurai Saki continued with his movement. He awkwardly touched her body, his fingertips brushing across her skin, tracing along the curve of her back. Her skin was smooth and delicate, freshly bathed, her fair skin glowing faintly pink—it was incredibly alluring…
Hayasaka Ai tightly shut her eyes.
She clung desperately to the towel wrapped around her body, treating that fragile cloth as her final line of defense.
'...'
Sakurai Saki's hand paused.
A few seconds later, he tried to undo the towel around her.
Ai-chan's voice trembled, unable to muster the courage to go on:
"...Don't~"
That act of resistance, and her trembling, fearful voice, made it impossible for Sakurai Saki to force her. He wasn't the kind of man who would rush things out of lust—if the other party wasn't ready, he wouldn't do anything inappropriate.
Sakurai Saki pulled his hand back and casually grabbed a blanket to cover her, shielding her exposed skin.
"I'll go get some clothes for you."
Then he stood up and walked into the bathroom.
After he left—
Ai-chan sat at the edge of the bed, her head lowered in silence.
She truly wanted to take a step further with him, but when actually facing it, she was still scared. Not afraid of the pain—but afraid that once she gave up something important, he wouldn't cherish her anymore.
Hayasaka Ai hated herself for being like this.
They had confessed, were already dating—she should've trusted him completely. And yet, at the final moment, she turned and ran away.
Thinking about that made Ai-chan's eyes sting.
Tears welled up and began falling uncontrollably.
She wanted to return to that strong and carefree maid image, but right now, she couldn't do it.
A few seconds later, Hayasaka Ai rubbed her eyes and wiped away the tears.
She didn't want Sakurai Saki to see this weak side of her.
Sakurai Saki returned with a set of clothes in hand, seeing her still with her head bowed.
"Sorry…" Hayasaka Ai's voice carried a trace of choking.
Sakurai Saki didn't take it to heart.
"Why would you say that?"
"I like you—not just because of your looks—though that's part of it—but I'm not that shallow. You don't need to apologize for this." Sakurai Saki sat beside her, then naturally let her lean her head against his shoulder.
"If you're not ready, I can wait for a long time." Sakurai Saki joked: "Even if it's ten years later, I'll still wait."
"...That'd be too late." Ai-chan whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.
The atmosphere became a bit warmer.
"I just wanted to tell you, my feelings for you aren't superficial like that. For me to truly like someone isn't easy. So, have a little confidence in yourself—and also, trust me a little too, okay?" Sakurai Saki gently pulled her into his embrace.
"Mm."
Hayasaka Ai leaned into his chest, saying nothing, simply quietly enjoying the warmth from him.
No one knew how long it was before the two of them let go of each other.
"I'm going to take a shower," Sakurai Saki said gently.
Even though he looked calm on the outside…
But as a guy, when the blood starts rushing, it's hard to cool down without a cold shower.
Entering the bathroom.
Taking off his clothes and turning on the water, Sakurai Saki felt the cold stream pour down from above.
'I almost did something I'd regret.'
Today's superpower had its side effects—once triggered, it was hard to suppress. Fortunately, Sakurai Saki's control over "Saki jr." was still manageable.
Ten minutes later, Sakurai Saki had mostly calmed down. He dried himself off, got dressed, and stepped out of the bathroom.
Returning to the room.
He saw Hayasaka Ai sitting at the edge of the bed, already changed into her clothes, speaking softly:
"Let's go home for today."
Hayasaka Ai shook her head.
"There are no more trains left."
Sakurai Saki caught the underlying meaning in her words.
He sat down beside her. This time, the distance between them was noticeably wider.
Ai-chan glanced at him, then at the light switch.
Afterward, she slowly stood up and turned off the light.
Moonlight filtered through the window into the room. In that dim glow, Sakurai Saki could vaguely make out her face. Amid the gentleness was a hint of stubbornness. The corners of her eyes were still slightly red—she had definitely cried earlier. She was indeed that kind of headstrong person, just like him.
It was precisely because of that kindred nature that Sakurai Saki was drawn to her, and eventually became her friend, her lover.
"Sorry~ I still don't have the courage..."
Hayasaka Ai whispered, afraid of being pinned down again.
Sakurai Saki chuckled softly: "Then let's just hold each other and sleep."
Ai-chan nodded.
Then she climbed under the blanket and lifted the covers.
Sakurai Saki lay down beside her.
He gently embraced her petite frame. The two were now very close, the scent unique to girls subtly drifting to his nose. Sakurai Saki lowered his gaze and saw her breathtakingly beautiful face. At the same time, she was quietly gazing back at him with affection in her eyes.
"...Kiss me~" she said in a slightly spoiled tone.
That request—how could Sakurai Saki refuse?
Time seemed to stop as their lips touched.
"Mm—~"
Ai-chan's breathing gradually grew heavier.
Sakurai Saki recalled her state earlier, and decided not to push any further.
"Let's sleep." Sakurai Saki softly pulled her into his arms again.
Hayasaka Ai hesitated for a moment, her cheeks flushed. Then she leaned closer to his ear and whispered:
"...If it's just using hands and mouth… would that be okay?"
Sakurai Saki looked at her lips—tinged with red, soft like sakura petals—and his heart trembled.
But he didn't want to force her.
"Maybe we should just leave it."
"...But you know, bottling things up isn't good for your health," Hayasaka Ai said, doing her best to suppress her embarrassment. She gently reached for his waist, then slowly moved her hand.
Her movements were clumsy, but very gentle.
Bit by bit—like she was handling something fragile and precious that couldn't be broken.
…
A while later, Ai-chan shifted her posture and slipped under the blanket.
Then—
There were vague sucking sounds, like the whispering wind and the gentle waves lapping the shore...
…
Half an hour passed. Ai-chan walked into the bathroom, turned on the light, and picked up the disposable toiletry kit.
She washed her face, rinsed her mouth several times, making sure no traces were left, then even carefully brushed her teeth once more.
'The smell's… weird…' Ai-chan gently rubbed her belly.
Also, the "output" from her boyfriend was… a bit much. Not the easiest thing to deal with. Fortunately, none had gotten in her hair.
After cleaning up thoroughly, Hayasaka Ai returned to the bed.
Then quietly snuggled up to Sakurai Saki, closed her eyes, and silently drifted into sleep.
...
...
...
Note: ( ˶˘ ³˘)♥︎Ɑ͞ ̶͞ ̶͞ ̶͞ لں͞