After feeling upset for a while, Tachibana Akane noticed the aroma of noodles.
Perhaps because she was already starving, she ate three bowls while Kaoru only had one.
After finishing the noodles, she looked at Kaoru's face and seemed to feel embarrassed, whispering.
"Giving me the ring... is it really okay?"
"It was originally prepared for you."
Kaoru thought for a moment, then added, "Honami and the others have them too, just different styles."
"I, I know that. They showed me theirs, and I also heard that the girls in your class have rings too."
Tachibana Akane fidgeted awkwardly, "Such a beautiful thing, are you really giving it to me?"
"Really." Kaoru replied.
"You're not lying? You're really giving it to me?" Tachibana Akane continued asking.
"It's yours now." Kaoru said patiently.
"Can I wear it all the time?" Tachibana Akane asked foolishly.
"Yes, I hope you can wear it always." Kaoru said softly.
Tachibana Akane kept looking at the ring on her finger, occasionally giggling "ehehe" with sparkling eyes.
It seemed the effect of the [Wedding Ring] satisfied her greatly, though it was somewhat troublesome.
Originally there were only nine, and now seven had been given away, with the remaining two [Wedding Rings] reserved for Kamuro and Asahina Nazuna.
So now he truly had none left.
Fortunately, it exactly covered all of them, neither more nor less.
Of course, this was only based on the current situation - the number of rings happened to be just right.
If including Sakura Airi and others, Kaoru could only hope to draw more [Wedding Rings] in the future.
"Um, I have a question." Tachibana Akane asked somewhat shyly, "Rings should come in pairs, right? Can I see your ring?"
As expected, after receiving the ring, this question was bound to appear.
Kaoru calmly said: "Because there are too many styles, my ring isn't the matching one. Otherwise it would be too troublesome."
Tachibana Akane felt slightly disappointed, but she could accept this reason, after all, there were too many girls around him.
"Why didn't you buy matching rings?"
Immediately afterwards, the second question naturally appeared.
"I've thought about it too, but everyone's preferences are different. The styles you like might not appeal to others, while designs you dislike could be someone else's favorite."
Kaoru patiently explained, "So considering this, I gave each of you rings that are completely unique."
Just as she had described herself, Tachibana Akane was indeed easy to comfort.
Hearing these words, she immediately brightened up, gazing delightedly at what Kaoru called the one-of-a-kind ring.
Of course it was unique - this was the effect of the [Wedding Ring], capable of adapting to the wearer's aesthetic preferences, appearing as the most beautiful ring in their eyes.
Kaoru checked his phone - nearly 10 PM.
Though somewhat reluctant, it was about time to head back.
However, Akane had been observing his movements all along.
"Hey, Mitoma-kun... how do you... feel about me now?"
The young girl tried her best to appear nonchalant as she met Kaoru's gaze, though her slightly flushed earlobes betrayed her hidden thoughts.
Kaoru glanced at her.
She subtly straightened her posture.
Since they were in the room, she naturally wasn't wearing her jacket anymore, so now her shirt tightly hugged her small, rounded chest, looking full and firm.
Her smooth neck was casually exposed before him, her pale collarbones seemingly inviting his gaze to wander lower, tempting him to unbutton her collar and reveal more alluring sights.
Though he couldn't see her legs now, the earlier impression remained vivid in his mind - defenseless shorts hugging her particularly perky and ample bottom, those fair, straight, slender legs wearing only short socks, the dazzling skin making it impossible to look away.
Actually, the senior wasn't small at all - it was only in comparison to Ichinose Honami that she appeared petite and delicate.
"Very cute." Kaoru spoke his honest thoughts.
Akane blushed - that wasn't what she wanted to hear!
"Besides... c-cute, don't you have any other feelings toward me?"
"Other feelings?"
"L-like... feelings toward the opposite sex... something like that..."
"I definitely see you as a cute girl. Should I be treating you like a boy instead?"
"N-no, that's not what I mean!"
Akane's face flushed completely red. As a girl, how could she possibly say it out loud?
"I-I mean... don't you feel like... violating me?"
She hung her head, completely unable to look at Kaoru, her exposed ears turning bright red.
"Is it the kind of violation I'm imagining?"
"I-I know... you do bad things with them."
Akane whispered, "But you never do bad things with me normally, and you don't look at me with lewd eyes either."
After a moment of silence, Kaoru said quietly: "Senpai, do you realize this sounds like you're inviting me to violate you?"
"Th-that's exactly what I'm doing..."
Akane knew what she was doing, so her shame was nearly overwhelming, "When even a pervert has no desire for me, are you trying to make me cry?"
Recalling their interactions, she realized she and Mitoma hadn't shared much intimacy.
Though Ichinose Honami said he had a foot fetish, she never noticed him staring at her feet.
Plus, with so many girls around him, Akane couldn't help but wonder - did she really have no charm at all?
He couldn't even manage to be lecherous toward her?
How disheartening. She was his senior, after all—shouldn't she have an easy advantage over a junior?
However, Tachibana Akane felt a flicker of delight recalling how Kaoru had sneakily glanced at her earlier in the convenience store.
It was proof he definitely had thoughts about her.
Now, she gazed at him uneasily, a mix of shyness and—more strongly—anticipation swirling within her.
"Let me touch your breasts?"
Kaoru did not disappoint her.
Tachibana Akane blinked in slight surprise, then happily hummed in agreement.
She rose from her seat and, smiling, settled beside him.
"W-well, I guess there's no helping it. You are a lecherous junior, after all. It's only natural you'd be curious about your senior's breasts. Fine, you can touch them for one minute."
As she spoke, she spread her arms open toward him like a mother, her joy evident.
Instead of leaning into her embrace, Kaoru pulled her into his own.
Before she could react, his other hand was already groping her.
"Mmgh…"
Tachibana Akane's face flushed crimson.
As his palm covered her chest and began to toy with her freely, the senior realized this was her first time being touched by a man.
"About what we discussed earlier, there's one point I need to correct, Senpai," Kaoru murmured softly. "I am very interested in you. Sometimes, I can't help but want to pin you down and take my revenge."
Perhaps imagining the scene he described, Tachibana Akane's pretty face reddened even more.
She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes, burying her face against his chest like a resigned ostrich.
"R-right now… wouldn't be too late for revenge," she whispered into his embrace, causing Kaoru to pause before gritting his teeth.
This girl really had no fear now.