Chapter 356: Running Toward the Moon
"Why didn't you turn on the light?"
Sakurai Saki closed the door behind him.
This was the second time he'd seen Kaguya wearing a miko outfit.
The red-and-white combination — an attire meant for pure maidens serving the gods — but tonight, it looked more like cosplay… not exactly orthodox.
"Embarrassed." Kaguya gave him a quick glance; in the moonlight, her expression was clearly visible.
Tonight's moon was perfectly round.
"Now that you've said that, I really don't know how to respond." Sakurai Saki walked closer to her.
On the small table beside them, two cups of tea had already been set out.
It was rare for Kaguya to be this straightforward — getting her to admit she was feeling shy was usually harder than reaching the heavens.
But tonight, it was "Ice Kaguya," so she wasn't nearly as proud as usual.
"Why are you suddenly wearing that outfit?" Sakurai Saki sat down by the table and picked up a cup of tea.
When Kaguya said she wanted to call him over to talk, Sakurai Saki thought she had some strange idea in mind. But seeing the situation now…
No! This was definitely not normal!
"Don't you like it?" Shinomiya Kaguya deliberately spun once in front of him.
The red skirt fluttered like cherry blossom petals in the wind, lifted up and gently falling down.
'Didn't expect it to be this kind of thing…' Sakurai Saki tried to stay calm and took a sip of tea.
Don't play those kinds of teasing tricks, Kaguya-chan.
Even dim lighting couldn't suppress a man's curiosity.
But the outfit Kaguya was wearing tonight was… far too daring.
Even Ai-chan had never worn something like that.
This situation…
There was no doubt about it — this was a [combat lingerie]!
A typical scene in light novels and manga!
To win over the male lead's heart, the heroine would wear an extremely seductive outfit, tempt him to make a move, and completely devour him!
An ordinary person would have their heart pounding uncontrollably by now.
But who was Sakurai Saki?
'I came here to talk.'
A man couldn't afford to look too lustful. Even if a girl showed such intentions, it was best for a guy to pretend not to notice.
Playing dumb while actually knowing everything — that's a kind of wisdom!
Just as Sakurai Saki was playing the role of a pure, innocent man…
Shinomiya Kaguya's thoughts were completely different.
'Why, even after I've been this obvious, hasn't he pounced on me like a beast yet?'
The books were totally wrong!
Or maybe…
'Does my body not have any appeal?' Shinomiya Kaguya started to feel frustrated inside.
She didn't call Sakurai Saki here just to "talk"!
If it were only for a conversation, then why turn off the lights?
Wasn't it because she was shy and a little scared?
'Right, I can start with talking first, then build up the ambiguous atmosphere!' — Kaguya thought, then sat down across from Sakurai Saki.
"Kaguya/Sakurai…"
Both of them spoke at the same time, making the mood awkward.
"You go first." ×2
A few seconds of silence.
Sakurai Saki set the teacup down and sighed softly.
"Didn't you call me over to talk, Kaguya? Why are you quiet now?"
"I… haven't thought of a topic yet…" Shinomiya Kaguya was too lazy to even come up with an excuse anymore, nearly on the verge of saying directly what she really wanted.
Sakurai Saki realized that tonight, Kaguya seemed unable to lie.
Or rather — she just didn't bother to.
Terrifying. This kind of person who attacked so straightforwardly.
"So it's about that? You want to do that?" Sakurai Saki really didn't want to be led by her pace.
Besides, the atmosphere right now wasn't romantic at all.
Emotionally speaking, he felt they hadn't reached the depth of bond necessary to go that far.
If he recklessly took her body now, Kaguya might regret it later.
"...Umu." Shinomiya Kaguya softly affirmed with a small hum.
"Why?"
"Because I like you."
"Really?"
"Umu."
Hearing that, Sakurai Saki rubbed the space between his eyebrows.
"Things like this… need the right atmosphere."
"It's fine. I already put something in the tea that makes people excited." Shinomiya Kaguya's voice carried a hint of shyness, but what she did was completely unlike something a girl in love should do!
...That was a lie!
Shinomiya Kaguya hadn't put anything in the tea at all — she just wanted to use this chance to win him over!
When people had an excuse to shift the blame, they became much bolder.
As long as everything could be blamed on the tea, then no matter what he did, it wouldn't be his fault. That was the message Shinomiya Kaguya wanted to convey.
But Sakurai Saki completely believed her.
"You drank it too?"
"Because I like you."
Sakurai Saki: (─ ‿ ─)
This was the first time he'd ever been "drugged" by a girl, and though it wasn't poison, the supposed dose was small enough that his body didn't resist.
Should he just go along with it for now…?
No! There are some mistakes a man must never commit!
Sakurai Saki stood up, then sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Come here."
Most of the time, girls are just cowardly people disguised as brave ones.
They say they'll pin a guy down on the bed, but when it really comes to it, Kaguya will definitely flinch.
Sakurai Saki remembered the first time he went to a hotel with Hayasaka Ai.
The atmosphere back then was enough, but at the crucial moment Ai-chan also hesitated.
That was perfectly normal.
Shinomiya Kaguya tried to suppress the excitement in her chest and sat down beside him.
"Lie down." Sakurai Saki lifted the blanket and lay down first.
Kaguya lay down too, then rested her head on his arm.
After that, Sakurai Saki said nothing more, he only closed his eyes.
Shinomiya Kaguya turned her face, quietly looking at him.
What about after that? Nothing happens?
Could it be… they'd just sleep through the night like this?
"Good night."
"I don't want to!"
(ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻
Shinomiya Kaguya crawled on top of him.
"Just lie still like that, are you even a man?"
She had uttered a taboo — no boy could stand that kind of humiliation!
Sakurai Saki too.
He immediately turned, pinned Kaguya down on the bed, eyes sharp: "Are you sure?"
"..."
Shinomiya Kaguya couldn't look him in the eye, unconsciously averting that gaze.
This was the first time she had seen Sakurai Saki's eyes like that — the look of a hunter tracking prey…
Clearly he had been gentle all day.
To be honest, she was a little scared.
"You… don't want to?" she asked softly.
Sakurai Saki let her go and sat up on the bed.
Then, slightly annoyed, he said: "Men are embodiments of desire, of course I want to. I'm just afraid you'll regret it later; a moment ago you were really frightened, right?"
"Actually, there's no need to rush this."
"If not this time, there'll be another. Even a few months, a few years later is fine…"
Shinomiya Kaguya: "Umu, then let me adjust my feelings a bit."
Just as she thought — he really was very gentle.
"Let's leave it for tonight, sleep. Tomorrow morning we'll go to school together…"
Sakurai Saki lay down again.
Kaguya rested her head on his arm, turned her face to look at him.
"What's wrong?"
"Sakurai Saki, I like you~"
...
The next morning.
The two walked to school together.
After the rain, the temperature had dropped noticeably, even though it was nearly May and the weather had been getting warmer lately.
But Shuchiin still required wearing the winter uniform.
At the school gate, the person on duty today was still Iino Miko. Besides her was Osaragi Kobachi, wearing glasses, as usual — impossible to tell what she was thinking.
"Miko-chan, good morning." This time Sakurai Saki didn't ruffle her head.
"Good morning, Sakurai-senpai." Iino Miko replied, then glanced at Shinomiya Kaguya standing next to him.
Today Shinomiya-senpai's expression was much better than yesterday.
Could something have happened to make her happy?
...