There is a word: rival.
That word, often used to mean someone of the same sex who likes the same person, was something Mika understood better than anyone. How could she not? When two women immediately come to mind without even having to think hard, how could she not understand?
Kirifuji Nagisa. Mika's history with her was very long. Since they first met in kindergarten in their early childhood, which they could barely remember, the two had been friends, and that relationship continued to this day. But ever since a man named 'Kenji' came between them, they could no longer remain just friends like before.
It was only natural. The two were women before they were friends, and as women, they loved the same man. If they had liked different men, they would have helped each other somehow, but unfortunately, even if the timing of falling in love differed, the person they loved was the same.
Moreover, both had strong jealousy and possessiveness. No matter how close friends they were, they had not a shred of desire to share the same man. Kenji's love had to be directed entirely to one person, and the two were prepared to do all sorts of desperate things to become that one person.
But the two couldn't just blindly check and hate each other. The years they had spent together were too long for that. A friend closer than family. Mika thought of Nagisa that way, and Nagisa felt the same.
So, the two tacitly engaged in a friendly competition. No matter what secret struggles occurred in the process, they inwardly vowed to never hate each other, even if they felt jealous.
On the other hand, Yurizono Seia, she was different. From Mika and Nagisa's perspective, Seia was a stumbling block, a sly fox trying to steal their man. That's why Mika didn't really like Seia. Nagisa acknowledged her to some extent, but she didn't intend to engage in a friendly competition like Mika did.
Seia understood these two's way of thinking.
So what?
Seia's personality was peculiar. She wished for Trinity students' happiness more than anyone. She had cultivated consideration since childhood and liked others' genuine smiles. She loved peace over conflict and brawls.
But contrary to that disposition, her way of speaking wasn't that kind. She didn't hesitate to mock others and expressed things she didn't like directly. Despite that, when explaining something, she unnecessarily used roundabout expressions.
If asked whether such a personality of hers was good, one could only tilt their head. But if you thought it was bad, that wasn't it either. A personality where what each person feels differs as much as heaven and earth. So it's peculiar. Seia was well aware of her own personality but had no particular intention of fixing it.
Mika didn't like that about her. A girl with a bad personality. A sly woman who acted kind and cute in front of Kenji. It wasn't for nothing she had fox ears. She was a fox. A fox that bewitches and devours people. The meaning had just been twisted from a physical one to a sexual one.
However, Mika couldn't just be outright hostile to Seia. Because Seia was one of Kenji's precious friends, and she didn't want to fight, grabbing each other's hair in front of him. Of course, if they fought, she would win. Absolutely win. She could crush her until she begged for her life.
But after doing that, Kenji would probably abandon her. Because Kenji cherished his people to a terrifying degree. So, she had no choice but to continue a subtle battle of nerves with Seia. Similar to Nagisa, but a slightly different kind of secret struggle.
Still, it was bearable until now. The gentle competition with Nagisa and the fierce secret struggle with Seia happened daily, but since she only had to deal with those two.
But then.
Today, one more person appeared.
"...Hmm."
Mika looked Tsurugi over with narrowed eyes. An overall dark-toned girl. Her already long black hair and the dark shadows around her eyes made her look gloomy, and wearing a black dress made her seem even darker.
But her skin was bright, almost pale. Her blood-red eyes looking at Kenji wavered here and there, but she could be felt trying hard to face him directly. And her chest. Unlike Nagisa or Seia, her chest, filled with confidence, didn't fall short even compared to Mika's.
Mika, who had unconsciously felt superior to the other two, felt a great sense of crisis today. The feeling of sharing her only advantage with someone completely unexpected. It wasn't a particularly wrong analogy. Mika glared at Tsurugi's protruding chest while gently scratching the back of Kenji's right hand with her finger.
"...I'm bigger."
"...? What did you say?"
"I didn't say anything."
Mika smiled slyly and brushed it off. Slightly awkward, but Kenji let it pass. Because Tsurugi, who had only been answering questions until now, was the first to speak up.
"...A-are, are you okay?"
"Yeah. It doesn't even hurt unless I force myself to walk."
"I, I see. That's good. Wh-when will you be discharged...?"
"In a month or two. If nothing happens, I should be out before your graduation ceremony. More importantly, what's that box? A get-well gift?"
"Ah, yeah. Some apples and tangerines... P-perhaps you can't eat them...?"
"No. They're all things I like. Thanks. More importantly, did you draw this picture?"
Kenji pointed to the drawing on the box and asked. Tsurugi's mouth trembled as she nodded.
"Y, yeah...."
"Wow, you drew it well."
Kenji grinned. Tsurugi also laughed awkwardly, 'Heh, hehe....' At that smile, much improved from the one he saw at their first meeting, Kenji's eyes widened. Then, with a playful expression, he let out a giggle.
"What, did you practice smiling? It's much better than last time?"
"R, really?"
"Yeah. Smile like that normally too. It's pretty."
"Pr, pretty...."
Tsurugi's cheeks flushed bright red. At the same time, Mika pinched Kenji's forearm. With considerable force, Kenji let out a scream.
"Ow!"
"Pretty?"
Mika asked with a brilliant smile. Kenji was about to ask what she was doing, but after seeing Mika's expression, he changed his mind. Being quick to grasp a situation was truly a good talent. He smiled warmly and stroked Mika's hair.
"O-our princess is prettier, of course."
"Hmm... Are you saying that sincerely?"
"Of course! Why would I lie?"
At his words said with a smile, Mika's eyes sparkled brightly. Then, she let out a deep sigh and grabbed Kenji's right hand.
Yes, Kenji was originally like that. He said whatever came to mind without hesitation and wasn't shy about complimenting others. Because of that, he often said harsh things too, but that had its own charm. If someone else told her to shut up or called her crazy, she would twist their mouth shut, but Kenji was different. He was special, and that treatment wouldn't change going forward.
But, it was still aggravating.
Daring to compliment another girl when the princess is right here? Even though he's the prince?
If such content appeared in a bright, cheerful fairy tale, the genre would instantly change to a cruel fairy tale. It was something that shouldn't be done to that extent, but Mika decided to generously forgive him. Still, punishment was necessary. Because it's the princess's duty to correct a promiscuous prince.
Thinking that, Mika mustered her courage. Slowly lifting Kenji's right hand she was holding, she brought it to her mouth. Kenji and Tsurugi's puzzled gazes turned toward her. Mika glanced at Tsurugi as if to show off, then slightly opened her mouth.
White teeth peeked from within the red oral cavity. A silvery thread connected between teeth. Pink lips glistened with moist saliva, and over that slippery sensation, Kenji's ring finger slid in.
The hard sensation of teeth, the slippery tongue, hot breath, and sticky saliva stimulated his brain through his finger. At the thrill transmitted by nerve cells, Kenji let out a gasp.
"Hey, hey! What are you doing?!"
"Shtay shtill."
Mika mumbled with Kenji's ring finger in her mouth. It was a heavily muffled pronunciation, but there was no problem understanding its meaning. Stay still. Having said that, Mika wrapped her tongue around Kenji's finger. The slippery sensation of the tongue flesh was fully felt.
"No, stop."
Kenji jerked back his wrist in surprise. But it didn't come out. Because Mika had a tight grip on Kenji's wrist. Mika's grip strength was among the most impressive Kenji had ever encountered. Escaping from her grasp was nearly impossible.
Let go.
Kenji opened his mouth to say that, but at the sensation of a tongue sliding between his fingernails, he let out a 'Nggh,' a suppressed moan. Mika's eyes curved sharply. It was a seductive glance like that of a temptress.
Even amidst this, her cheeks were red. Proof of embarrassment. But she suppressed her shame to the fullest and gently sucked Kenji's ring finger. A vulgar, slurping sound echoed through the hospital room. Tsurugi trembled all over while scattering disjointed words, and the other patients stared at Kenji and Mika with expressions of keen interest.
But Mika had no room to care about them. From the moment Kenji's finger entered her mouth, she felt an ecstasy as if her head would explode. The taste and scent of Kenji filling her mouth dug into her brain folds, paralyzing her thoughts. The emotions she felt now were love beyond the limit, a bit of shame, and soaring sexual desire—that was all.
Squelch.
A wet sound came from her crotch area. It was a small sound, but not so quiet that the person next to her couldn't hear it. Kenji, startled, pulled his arm back with all his might.
"Uuugh...."
But the finger in her mouth didn't budge. As if displeased with its squirming, she even bit it lightly with her front teeth to secure it in place. Only then did Kenji's resistance stop. More accurately, there was nothing he could do.
Regardless. As if to confirm Kenji's fingerprint, Mika gently rolled the fingertip with her tongue. Then she swept over the first and second knuckles together. The sensation of the wrinkles was transmitted to her brain via the tip of her tongue.
"Mmm... Slurp."
Mika pursed her mouth once more. In that state, when she gave a strong suck, a large amount of saliva and Kenji's taste went down her esophagus toward her stomach. The saliva she couldn't swallow pushed through her closed lips and dripped down her jawline.
Around the time those droplets gathered to form a puddle on the floor, Mika gave Kenji's finger a firm bite. With that as the finale, she opened her mouth. Bubbles made of saliva clung to her lips and Kenji's ring finger. The sticky silvery thread connected to her oral cavity stretched out before snapping off at some point.
"Haa... haa... huu...."
Mika breathed heavily. Clear tooth marks were engraved on his ring finger that had left her mouth. Since it looked like a ring, Mika rubbed her thighs together and twitched the corner of her mouth. Kenji spoke to her.
"...Give me a tissue."
"...Huuut."
"...Mika, give me a tissue, please."
"Ah, ah! Uhm, yeah yeah! Here!"
With hurried movements, Mika pulled out a few tissues and handed them to Kenji. Kenji let out a deep sigh and wiped his finger, thoroughly soaked with Mika's saliva. After his excitement subsided somewhat, Mika glanced at Kenji and mumbled.
"...Are you mad?"
Instead of answering immediately, Kenji gave Mika a sidelong glance. A pitiful gaze. Looking at her trembling eyes like an abandoned puppy, Kenji let out a long sigh. If you're anxious about making someone angry, shouldn't you just not do it in the first place? Why act impulsively and then tremble in anxiety?
Kenji seriously considered getting angry but ended it by just flicking Mika's forehead once. Because he vaguely understood the feelings behind her actions.
"Don't do that again."
He didn't say he wasn't angry or that he forgave her. He had to leave at least some leeway so she would recognize her mistake.
Fortunately, Mika offered a sincere apology. Only then did Kenji's stiff expression soften slightly. He let out a deep sigh, closed his eyes, and finished wiping his saliva-soaked finger.
Because of that, he didn't see Mika looking at Tsurugi with a gaze full of possessiveness and superiority.
The meaning contained in her gaze was truly simple and clear. It meant, 'This man is mine, so don't even dare think about overstepping.' But Tsurugi, whose only friend was Kenji and who had barely had a proper conversation with him until now, misunderstood and interpreted that meaning differently.
'A-are all friends like that?'
It was a thought for which Mika would have beaten her with a chair if she knew.