Ms. Shirakawa and her friend, Mrs. Mira, did not stay long. After finishing their meal, they left. Once their figures vanished from sight, Kazuma lifted the invisibility cloak, revealing himself. Kanna Hiiragi lay on the ground, breathing lightly.
It was exhausting and painful—yet pleasant.
The thrill was undeniable, but the mental strain had been overwhelming. Kazuma wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"I can't mess around on the rooftop next time. It's not safe. I'm too easy to discover."
Kanna Hiiragi pulled on her clothes, covering her fair body.
"You're right. I almost thought Shirakawa-sensei would notice. By the way… what exactly is that thing? Invisibility? Kazuma-kun, this…"
She stared at the cloak in Kazuma's hand, completely stunned.
"So the secret's been exposed," Kazuma said, forcing a sinister grin. "Should we silence the witnesses?"
"Y-You're joking… right?" Kanna Hiiragi asked nervously. "We were just together, and now you're saying something that scary?"
Waaah… that's horrible.
"Haha, just kidding." Kazuma straightened his clothes.
"But honestly, even though we did that, it was more of a transaction than intimacy, right? We're not dating."
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Shouldn't we settle the payment?"
"Kazuma-kun—" Kanna Hiiragi puffed out her cheeks. "You seriously have zero sense of atmosphere…"
Even so, she still took out the money.
"You're really giving it to me?"
"It's not what you think. This is for your meals. Nanao will cover lunch, and I'll cover dinner," she said, hugging Kazuma's arm and pressing close.
"How about ramen tonight? Remember the first time the three of us ate together…"
She drifted into her memories—but suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
At the top of the stairs stood a woman, blocking their path with a gentle smile.
More precisely, she was looking at Kazuma.
Kanna Hiiragi froze. Kazuma raised an eyebrow.
Mira Tsubakihara—she hadn't left?
…Had she seen something?
The air grew tense. Kanna Hiiragi broke into a cold sweat, desperately trying to think of an explanation. Beside her, Kazuma calmly patted her and acted as if nothing had happened, preparing to walk past.
"Class is about to start. Let's go back," he said evenly.
He acted calmly, and as he was about to pass by her, Mira Tsubakihara suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand.
"…?"
The woman who made Kanna Hiiragi feel utterly inferior said nothing, staring intently at Kazuma, as if trying to carve his face into her memory.
Her expression carried a dangerous depth.
She had already been unsettled on the rooftop. Though she appeared calm, only she knew how turbulent her emotions truly were. As long as she hadn't seen him directly, she could still restrain herself.
But now—
Seeing that familiar face—
Even someone as composed as Mira Tsubakihara, who could remain unfazed in front of the Prime Minister, completely lost control.
Normally, she could easily find an excuse to start a conversation. She had countless ways to draw his attention.
Slowly getting to know him?
What a joke.
The person she had longed for was standing right in front of her—how could she hold back for even a second?
She couldn't.
"Kazuma."
Her eyes lit up as years of suppressed emotion burst forth.
She grabbed Kazuma's arm and pressed him against the wall, abandoning all composure. Right in front of Kanna Hiiragi, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him forcefully.
"!!!"
"!!!"
It felt like a bolt of lightning.
Kanna Hiiragi's mind went blank, a sharp ringing echoing in her ears as she stared in disbelief.
She actually did that—right in front of me?!
Kazuma was just as stunned.
He hadn't even processed how she knew his name before it happened.
Her familiar scent enveloped him, her body pressed close, leaving him momentarily unable to react.
What is she doing?!
After kissing him deeply, Mira slowly pulled away from the kiss.
Wiping his mouth, he found that the warmth—and even a faint lipstick mark—remained.
"My Kazuma-kun… he's been defiled by this woman!" Kanna Hiiragi cried.
"Hey—you—"
"I'm so glad I finally met you, Kazuma-kun."
"…Huh?"
Mira Tsubakihara lightly licked her lips, wiped the mark from the corner of his mouth, and gazed at him. Eight years had passed, yet he hadn't changed at all.
"Just a small gift to commemorate our reunion. Waiting here wasn't a waste. So? Did you like it?"
Kanna Hiiragi stood beside them, looking back and forth with a deeply wronged expression.
"You know me?"
Kazuma frowned. Something about this woman felt deeply wrong.
"Guess," Mira Tsubakihara said playfully, blinking.
"I knew you were on the rooftop earlier. You hid it well—almost fooled me."
"…?"
How did she know?
A chill ran down Kazuma's spine.
"Auntie… do you know me?"
"You have to call me older sister!!"
She scowled, then elegantly took out several bills and stuffed them into his pocket.
"If this little girl can afford you, I should be able to as well, right?"
"…"
What do you take me for?!
Trying to buy me with money?!
*****
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