Chapter 041 Accidental Physiological Response During Massage? / Talk-no-Jutsu Nanase Tsubasa
"What kind of strange way of 'adapting' is this?"
"I think it's quite effective. Earlier when we were playing ball, Senpai kept staring at my legs, and eventually, I got used to it. So, it should be the same this time."
Shimizu Akira was actually speechless. He redirected his gaze back to her back. Since she insisted on being watched, then so be it.
His line of sight slid slowly down her spinal groove, swept past her slender waist, and returned to the position of her shoulder blades. Beads of sweat seemed to still be seeping out, glistening under the sunlight. Nanase Tsubasa lay motionless, her breathing gradually leveling out.
After about a minute, she whispered, "Senpai, are you still looking?"
"Mhm."
"Then... how does it feel?"
Shimizu Akira thought for a moment and answered honestly, "Like looking at a work of art."
Nanase Tsubasa froze. "A work of art?"
"Yeah. The lines are beautiful, the skin is very white, and there are no blemishes."
Nanase buried her face even deeper. "Senpai is very good at complimenting people!"
"Just telling the truth!"
"Senpai, can I ask a question?"
"Go ahead."
"How many girls have you applied sunscreen for before me?"
"You're the third."
"I'm actually the third? I thought Senpai would have been used to doing this with his girlfriends..."
"What are you thinking?"
"Then who were the first two?"
"Hasabe Haruka and Sakura Airi."
Nanase Tsubasa blinked, then nodded thoughtfully. "Oh, those two senpais with the very good figures... I think I understand why Senpai did it."
"Don't talk nonsense!" Shimizu Akira quickly explained. "Haruka and Airi were the ones who proactively asked me to rub it on! And back then, we weren't in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship yet!"
"Is that so..."
As the two chatted casually, Nanase Tsubasa's original tension gradually relaxed.
"Senpai, you can apply it now."
"Adapted?"
"Mhm, adapted."
Only then did Shimizu Akira squeeze some sunscreen into his palm and lightly cover her back. The moment his palm touched her skin, he could feel Nanase Tsubasa tense up slightly again.
"Senpai, how does it feel to touch a work of art?" she asked in a small voice.
"Are you teasing me?"
"No, I just want to know."
Shimizu Akira thought for a bit and continued applying, his movements gentle. "It feels... quite wonderful."
"Wonderful?"
Shimizu's palm slid slowly down her spinal groove. "Yeah. On one hand, it feels like touching a piece of fragile porcelain; I can't help but lighten my movements, fearing I'll break it."
"On the other hand, it's purely a man's nature acting up. Simply put, it feels very comfortable to touch, and there's an urge to touch firmly."
Nanase Tsubasa's body trembled slightly. "Then... is Senpai holding back right now?"
"Hmm?"
"Holding back that... urge to use force."
Shimizu Akira thought about it and answered truthfully. "I'm holding back."
Nanase Tsubasa was silent for a few seconds. "Then, can Senpai hold it in?"
"I can. Because I promised you I'd apply it properly."
After a few more seconds, Nanase Tsubasa whispered again, "Then... to reward Senpai for his patience, you don't have to hold back now."
"Nanase, you're spoiling your senpai a bit too much."
"Because my body isn't as fragile as a work of art. I also don't want Senpai to misunderstand that I'm that kind of 'fragile' girl. Applying sunscreen normally requires a bit of pressure anyway, so Senpai, just go at your own pace."
Shimizu Akira was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "You're quite good at giving me excuses, aren't you?"
"No." Nanase Tsubasa shook her head. "I'm just telling the truth. Senpai, continue. You don't need to be so careful."
Looking at her frank manner, Shimizu Akira felt a strange warmth. He squeezed more sunscreen into his palm. This time, the strength was indeed heavier than before.
His palm covered her back—it was no longer a cautious, light stroke, but carried a moderate pressure, spreading the sunscreen evenly.
"How does this... feel?" Shimizu Akira asked.
"Mhm," she said softly, "it's more comfortable than before."
Shimizu Akira smiled and continued applying. From the shoulder blades to the waist, he attended to every spot. This time, he could clearly feel her body accepting his touch instead of being stiff and tense like before.
When he reached the side of her waist, he used a bit of force, gently massaging her muscles. Nanase Tsubasa couldn't help but let out an embarrassing whimper.
"Ngh..."
"Does it hurt?"
"...Ugh, it's not pain..." Nanase Tsubasa couldn't describe the feeling. The area touched by Shimizu Akira was slowly getting warm, and her heart began to itch inexplicably.
"Then should we swap—"
"No, please continue!" Although she couldn't explain the sensation, she would hate it more if Shimizu Akira took his hand away.
"Alright, I'll continue."
His palm pressed against her waist again with moderate strength, slowly spreading the sunscreen from the lower back to the sides. This time, he deliberately slowed down, letting his palm linger longer on this delicate skin.
Nanase Tsubasa bit her lower lip, trying hard not to make that embarrassing sound again. But her body reacted uncontrollably; she could feel the muscles in her waist trembling slightly under his palm, and her skin flushed a faint pink.
The worst part was that itchy feeling. It wasn't an itch on the surface of the skin, but an indescribable itchiness coming from deep within her body. It was as if little insects were crawling on her heart, or as if something was slowly melting inside her.
She couldn't help but wiggle slightly.
"Don't move," Shimizu Akira's voice came from above. "It's hard to apply if you move."
"..."
She lay down obediently, burying her face in her arms. Shimizu Akira continued, his palm sliding from her waist to her spine, then back again. Every inch of skin was cared for, every spot massaged with the right pressure.
Nanase Tsubasa's breathing gradually became hurried. She could feel her face burning, her ears burning, and even her entire back burning. But this heat wasn't uncomfortable. On the contrary... it was very comfortable.
Shimizu Akira's hands were large and very warm; when they covered her waist, it felt like a small flame was burning there. That flame seeped through the skin, spread along the blood vessels, and burned all the way to her heart.
Nanase Tsubasa suddenly understood what that itchy feeling was. It was desire. A desire for his touch, a desire for his warmth. This realization made her face turn even redder.
"..."
"Hmm?"
"It feels like..."
"Like what?"
She opened her mouth but couldn't say it. She couldn't exactly say "Senpai, your touching feels so good," could she? That would be too embarrassing.
Seeing her hesitating, Shimizu Akira didn't press her and simply continued his movements. After finishing the waist, he moved up to massage her shoulder blades and upper back. Nanase Tsubasa closed her eyes, relaxing completely. At this moment, she seemed to forget all the troublesome things. She only wanted to enjoy this warmth and peace of mind.
After an unknown amount of time, Shimizu Akira lightly tapped her shoulder. "Alright, the back is done."
Nanase Tsubasa opened her eyes slowly, looking a bit dazed. "...So fast?"
Shimizu Akira chuckled. "I've been rubbing for almost ten minutes, and it's 'fast'? Alright, flip over."
Nanase Tsubasa hesitated for a moment, then slowly rolled over. Lying face-up on the beach, being looked down upon by Shimizu Akira like this, she suddenly felt this position was a hundred times more shameful than lying face-down.
She instinctively wanted to cover herself with her hands, but halfway through raising them, she put them back down. She had agreed to adapt. She couldn't chicken out.
Shimizu Akira shook his head at her "wanting to hide but forcing herself to endure" expression. "Don't be nervous. Just treat it as normal sun protection on the beach."
"Mhm."
Shimizu Akira squeezed some sunscreen and started with her arms. Nanase Tsubasa's arms were slender, but not the soft kind of thin; they had just the right muscle lines, showing she exercised regularly. His palm went all the way from the wrist to the forearm, elbow, and shoulder. With each area he coated, that patch of skin turned a faint pink.
"Se... Senpai..."
"Hmm?"
"You're applying it so carefully..."
"Of course, it has to be even, or you'll get sunburned."
Nanase Tsubasa bit her lip, not knowing what to say. After the arms came the shoulders and collarbone. When Shimizu Akira's palm covered her collarbone, Nanase's breath hitched for a second. That was a very sensitive spot. She could feel the heat of his palm and his fingers lightly tracing the contour of the bone. That sensation made her whole body go soft.
"Nervous? Do you need me to stare at you for a while longer?"
"No! No need!"
"Alright."
Shimizu Akira continued to apply gently. From the collarbone down to the sides of the waist. Nanase Tsubasa's body began to tremble again. When he was doing her back, the waist area almost made her let out an embarrassing cry. Now that they were face-to-face, that feeling was even more intense.
Shimizu Akira's palm moved back to her waist, using a bit of force to massage the muscles there.
"Ah..."
Nanase Tsubasa couldn't hold it in after all and let out a soft moan.
"Nanase?"
"I... I'm fine... just... a bit..."
She couldn't say it. That feeling surging from deep within her body made her want to pull away, yet want him to continue.
Looking at her flushed cheeks and moist eyes, Shimizu Akira suddenly understood something. 'Uh... did I accidentally give her a physiological reaction?'
Just like Haruka and Airi last year; those two couldn't even stand up after he finished applying the sunscreen. Strange, he didn't feel his massage skills were that advanced. This was only the third time.
Then again, looking at her flushed face, Shimizu Akira himself felt a bit of dry mouth and parched throat. After all, Nanase Tsubasa was fair and tender all over. Especially her waist—the feeling of that slender waist in his hand, which he had been rubbing firmly for over ten minutes...
As a healthy high school boy, he actually had a slight reaction himself.
"Anyway, the parts that need coating are mostly done. Let's get out of here quickly." Shimizu Akira looked up at the sky; at some point, dark clouds had gathered on the horizon. "It's going to rain!"
Nanase Tsubasa was still immersed in that indescribable sensation. Hearing "rain," she looked up dazed. "Eh?"
She followed Shimizu Akira's gaze. Sure enough, large patches of dark clouds were moving slowly toward them. "It's really... going to rain?"
"Yeah." Shimizu Akira stood up and reached out to pull her up. "Pack up quickly, let's find a place to take shelter."
Nanase Tsubasa finally snapped out of it, frantically packing the towel and sunscreen. But as soon as she stood up, her legs went weak, and she almost sat back down. Shimizu Akira supported her with quick reflexes.
"Are you alright?"
"I-I'm fine!" Nanase Tsubasa's face turned even redder. "It's just that my legs are a bit soft..."
The next second, pea-sized raindrops started falling. Shimizu Akira quickly took the items from her hands and stuffed them into the bag. "Let's go."
Shimizu Akira looked around and saw a cluster of reefs not far away. He grabbed Nanase Tsubasa and ran over. By the time they reached the shelter of the reefs, both were soaked.
The natural shelter formed by the rocks wasn't large, barely enough for two people. Shimizu Akira set the bag down and looked back at Nanase Tsubasa. She was drenched, hair sticking to her cheeks, the swimsuit clinging tightly to her body. Combined with what had just happened, she looked inexplicably more "suggestive."
Shimizu Akira quickly looked away. "Are you cold?"
"I'm... okay..." Nanase Tsubasa hugged her arms, her voice trembling slightly.
"There are clothes in the bag, put them on quickly!"
Nanase Tsubasa nodded and rummaged through her bag for her track jacket and pants, but upon pulling them out, she realized the bag had been half-open when the rain started. These clothes were completely soaked.
"They're wet?" Shimizu Akira frowned. "You only brought two pieces?"
"Mhm..."
Shimizu Akira thought for a moment, pulled out a clean track jacket and pants from his own bag, and hesitated. "If you don't mind... do you want to wear mine for now?"
Nanase Tsubasa blinked. "Is that okay?"
"Of course. You're a girl, after all; if you catch a cold, it'll affect the rest of the exam."
Nanase Tsubasa looked at him and whispered, "I can accept it, but I'm worried about Senpai only wearing a pair of shorts. What if you catch a cold?"
Shimizu Akira smiled, handing the clothes over. "I have a good constitution; I've never had a cold in my life."
Nanase Tsubasa took the clothes, her fingertips accidentally brushing his hand, and her body shrunk back slightly. "Thank you, Senpai..."
"Change into them quickly, don't get a chill." Shimizu Akira turned around, his back to her. "Call me when you're done."
The sound of rustling came from behind him. Shimizu Akira stared at the reef in front of him, trying hard not to imagine the scene behind him. But that glimpse just now—the soaked swimsuit, the half-concealed chest, the white skin—those images flashed uncontrollably in his mind.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to think of something else. What was today's task again? What were Suzune and Kei doing? They wouldn't be bickering again, would they? How long would this rain last?
It didn't help. The sound of changing clothes behind him scratched at his heart like little claws.
"Senpai..."
"Hmm? Done?"
"Not... not yet..." Nanase Tsubasa's voice was embarrassed. "Um... my underwear is wet too... can I..."
Shimizu Akira was stunned. "You mean you want me to back off further?"
"No!" Nanase Tsubasa said quickly. "I wanted to ask... if Senpai has... any spare..."
She didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.
Shimizu Akira went silent. Underwear... how could he possibly have that? Even if he did, he couldn't give it to her!
"I don't," he answered truthfully.
"..."
"Senpai, I'm done."
Shimizu Akira turned around. Nanase Tsubasa was wearing his track jacket, her whole body looking like it was swallowed by a large sack. The sleeves were long, the pant legs dragged on the ground, and the collar was loose, revealing a bit of her white collarbone. But she had tidied the clothes neatly, even rolling up the sleeves.
"How is it?" she asked nervously. "Does it look strange?"
Shimizu Akira looked at her and nodded. "Not strange. It's quite cute."
Nanase Tsubasa blushed and looked down at herself. "Senpai's clothes... are so big."
"Of course, I'm much taller than you."
Nanase Tsubasa looked up at him. Shimizu Akira was only wearing shorts, his upper body bare, revealing a lean, muscular build. The rain had wet his skin; the usually steady boy looked a bit drenched. She suddenly felt her heart skip a beat.
"Senpai..." She looked away. "Like this... won't you be cold?"
"I'm fine."
Saying this, Shimizu Akira took a towel from the bag and handed it to her. "Dry your hair."
Nanase Tsubasa took the towel and began to dry her hair. Shimizu Akira also took another towel and dried himself. The two squeezed together under the narrow reef, quietly doing their own thing. The rain was still falling, even getting heavier.
Just as Nanase Tsubasa was about to say something, Shimizu Akira's transceiver suddenly rang.
"Shimizu, are you there?"
It was Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's voice; Nanase Tsubasa recognized it instantly. She instinctively glanced at Shimizu Akira, then silently moved about ten centimeters away.
"Why so far away?" Shimizu Akira found it funny.
"Because... because Senpai needs to say secret things to Ayanokouji-kun, right?" her tone was a bit stiff.
"What secret things?" Shimizu Akira laughed. "I just agreed to exchange intel with him at 10:00 AM. Besides, this spot sheltered by the reef is only as big as a palm; if you're out there where the rain is heavy, what if you get soaked?"
He beckoned to her. "Come here, just sit on my side."
Nanase Tsubasa hesitated, but obediently moved back, sitting down beside him. This time she hugged her knees with both hands and said nothing more.
Shimizu Akira pressed the transceiver. "I'm here, what's up?"
"Which area are you in now?" Ayanokouji's voice came through.
"B3, the reef area near the coast. You?"
"The slope in D2." Ayanokouji paused. "The rain is too heavy; I'm still on my way to the designated spot."
Shimizu Akira looked at the worsening rain outside. "You don't have to force a check-in, do you? The rain is so heavy."
"Unlike you, I'm alone."
"Mhm. Right, I have two things to tell you."
"What is it?"
Ayanokouji was silent for two seconds. "The first thing: I didn't find Yagami Takuya."
Shimizu Akira raised an eyebrow. Yagami Takuya had always been a hidden danger in this exam. The opponent had White Room anti-reconnaissance methods and wasn't easy to track. He had specifically asked Ayanokouji for help with the investigation a few days ago, and now it seemed there were no results.
"It's fine. You have to check in four times a day; I know it's not easy for you. Just do your best."
Nanase Tsubasa looked at Shimizu Akira with surprise. She hadn't expected these two were planning behind the scenes to root out Yagami Takuya.
"And the second thing?"
"The second thing..." Ayanokouji paused. "Someone is currently following me."
Shimizu Akira's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Nanase Tsubasa trembled slightly beside him but didn't make a sound.
"Since about 8:00 AM, after I finished checking in at the first point," Ayanokouji said. "This person has followed me all the way. Despite the rain, I noticed it."
"Do you know who it is?"
"I don't. It's raining after all."
"Could it be Yagami Takuya?"
"Unlikely. Since I was able to easily detect the stalking, it shouldn't be someone from the White Room."
"Alright, the signal is bad on my end. I'll stop here."
A burst of static came from the transceiver, followed by silence. Nanase Tsubasa couldn't help but look at the silent Shimizu Akira again. After hesitating for a few seconds, she asked in a small voice, "Senpai, are you going to support Ayanokouji-senpai?"
Shimizu Akira tucked the transceiver back into his belt and smiled. "Do you want me to go?"
Nanase Tsubasa opened her mouth. "The rain is so heavy... I don't think it's necessary to go."
Shimizu Akira threw up his hands. "Fine, then I won't go."
"Senpai is so decisive?"
"Well." Shimizu Akira pointed to himself. "After all, the only clothes I have are on you right now. Do you expect me to go support Ayanokouji bare-chested? Even if I don't catch a cold, if other students see me, I'll be treated as a pervert."
He looked at her again. "Besides, wasn't your purpose today to stall me so I wouldn't support Ayanokouji?"
Nanase Tsubasa's body stiffened slightly. "Senpai... I don't understand what you're saying."
"Nanase," Shimizu Akira said, "can you tell me the truth?"
Nanase Tsubasa wanted to explain further, but meeting Shimizu Akira's worried gaze, the words at the tip of her tongue were swallowed back. A few seconds later, she lowered her head in shame.
"Senpai is right... I calculated against you. My goal was to stall you and then move against Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. I'm not the pure girl you spoke of at all, but a despicable woman who deceives others for her own selfish desires."
Shimizu Akira rubbed his forehead. "There's no need to blame yourself like that. Just as you said, the one you wanted to screw over was Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, not me."
"But I still lied to you..." Nanase Tsubasa looked at him shamefully. "Senpai, scold me a bit; that way, I might feel better."
"Are you joking?" Shimizu Akira began counting on his fingers. "You let me see you in a swimsuit alone, played volleyball with me, and let me help you apply sunscreen—I haven't even thanked you enough; how could I blame you?"
Nanase Tsubasa was stunned. Feeling the "Senpai scent" on her clothes seemed to get stronger, and her face instantly turned red.
"Pervert Senpai..."
'Wait, it seems so.'
Since she had provided so many "benefits," Senpai really didn't have much reason to be angry.
Seeing her expression soften, Shimizu Akira asked again, "Who gave you the idea? With your pure personality, I don't think you'd proactively tempt someone."
Nanase Tsubasa was silent for a few seconds. "It was Housen Kazuomi."
Shimizu Akira's mouth twitched. "Uh... that guy?"
That guy had proactively bowed and apologized recently, and then sent Nanase Tsubasa to the door to give out benefits—could it be that he's actually a great guy?
Seeing Shimizu Akira's complex expression, Nanase Tsubasa quickly explained. "He just wanted me to stall you so others could deal with Ayanokouji-senpai." Nanase Tsubasa whispered, "He said... Senpai cares about me quite a bit, so you'd take the bait."
Shimizu Akira held his forehead, speechless for a long time. "How the hell did Housen come to that conclusion?"
Nanase Tsubasa shook her head. "He said he's a master of romance and very experienced in this area."
"And you believed him?"
"I... I didn't believe him at first. But then Senpai really agreed to my invitation every time and was so good to me..." Her voice got smaller and smaller. "So I thought, what Housen said might... might have some merit."
Shimizu Akira's mouth twitched. "I didn't realize Nanase-kohai was so confident."
Nanase Tsubasa looked up and asked directly, "Was I wrong?"
Shimizu Akira was caught off guard by the question. He looked at the girl in front of him wearing his clothes, her hair still a bit wet, her clear eyes looking at him earnestly.
"You weren't wrong," he answered truthfully.
Nanase Tsubasa was stunned, then lowered her head in embarrassment. "Senpai..."
Shimizu Akira held his forehead.
'Well, with my personality, I was actually countered by an airhead. Truly, there's always someone to keep you in check.'
"Alright, back to business." He coughed twice. "So now, shouldn't you explain why you're targeting Ayanokouji Kiyotaka so much?"
"Including the real reason your childhood friend passed away a few days ago—you said you'd explain it to me. Now, is it time to speak?"
The smile slowly faded from Nanase Tsubasa's face. She lowered her head, silent for a few seconds, then began.
"My childhood friend was named Eiichiro.
He grew up with me; he was like an older brother. He was very gentle, took care of me, and always protected me."
"And then?"
"And then..." She pursed her lips, "He died."
"How did he die?"
"Because of the persecution from Ayanokouji's father, he committed suicide."
"Tell me the details."
Nanase Tsubasa took a deep breath. "Eiichiro's father, Matsuo, was the butler for the Ayanokouji family. To help Ayanokouji Kiyotaka escape to this school, their whole family was forced into a corner by Ayanokouji's father... in the end, they all committed suicide."
"I see." Shimizu Akira rubbed his temples and sighed. He wouldn't say things like "If you have the courage to suicide, why not resist?" If you haven't tasted someone else's bitterness, how can you understand their despair at the time?
"So, that's the reason you hate Ayanokouji Kiyotaka?"
"Yes." Nanase Tsubasa nodded. "It was Ayanokouji Kiyotaka who used the Matsuo family. Yet he enjoys school life without any psychological burden and even successfully became friends with Senpai. I cannot forgive that person."
Shimizu Akira felt his head getting big. "Wait, Nanase. I understand your hatred for Ayanokouji; he was indeed the fuse. But the real culprit who killed the Matsuo family should be Ayanokouji Atsuomi, right?"
"This..." Nanase Tsubasa was a bit speechless but still said stubbornly, "I won't forgive either of them. Like father, like son!"
"You might be looking at him through tinted glasses." Shimizu Akira rubbed his temples. "Besides, you're now cooperating with Tsukishiro, who was hired by Ayanokouji Atsuomi, and the people from the White Room, to deal with Ayanokouji Kiyotaka together. Do you think this is really the right choice? Wasn't it the White Room that moved against the Matsuo family?"
Nanase Tsubasa opened her mouth to argue but couldn't speak.
"Have you ever thought," Shimizu Akira continued, "why is Tsukishiro helping you? Is he really doing it out of kindness? Or is he just trying to use your hatred to make you a pawn in his plan against Ayanokouji?"
"..."
Nanase Tsubasa lowered her head. She had thought about it. She definitely had. Because if even this reason didn't hold up, then what would her years of hatred amount to? But every time she thought of this, she would force herself not to look deeper.
Nanase Tsubasa was silent for a long time. After about a few minutes, she looked up at Shimizu Akira, her eyes red.
"Senpai... but even knowing this, I still hate Ayanokouji Kiyotaka so much. What should I do? Just looking at him, I can't help but hate him and want to punch him."
Shimizu Akira looked at her and said word by word: "It's natural for you to have a grudge against him, and it's reasonable for you to dislike him. No matter how you put it, he was indeed the fuse.
But, Nanase, you have to understand one thing. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka escaped to this school to flee his father's control. They have an adversarial relationship.
By helping Tsukishiro expel him now, you're actually doing Ayanokouji Atsuomi a huge favor, letting him regain control over his son. At that time, Ayanokouji Atsuomi might give you a flimsy apology.
But helping the real murderer and letting him get what he wants—is that really the result you want?"
Nanase Tsubasa's body trembled violently. This sentence was like a knife, accurately stabbing into the deepest corner of her heart that she had never dared to touch.
Helping the real murderer...
Yes, she had been hating Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, hating him for killing Eiichiro. But the one who truly acted, the one who truly forced the Matsuo family into a dead end, was Ayanokouji Atsuomi from the White Room.
And what was she doing now? Cooperating with that murderer to help them deal with another victim.
"I... I never thought of it that way..." Nanase Tsubasa murmured, "Senpai is right. If I continue helping Tsukishiro, wouldn't I become a person just like Ayanokouji Atsuomi?"
"What do you think?"
Nanase Tsubasa didn't answer. But her tears fell again. This time, it wasn't out of grievance or sadness, but shame.
"Senpai... I'm so stupid." She looked up at him, eyes misty with tears. "I actually hadn't realized all this time..."
Shimizu Akira reached out and wiped her tears. "You're not stupid; you're just too pure, and your eyes were blinded by hatred."
Nanase Tsubasa shook her head. "No, I am stupid. If Eiichiro knew what I was doing, he would definitely be disappointed."
She remembered when she was little, Eiichiro always protected her and taught her to be a kind person. He said that no matter what happened, she couldn't become the kind of person she hated.
But now, she had almost become exactly the kind of person she hated most.
"I'm sorry," she lowered her head, not sure who she was saying it to, "I'm sorry..."
It wasn't a delusion; Shimizu Akira felt as if a layer of white mist around her had completely vanished.
'Could this person have been possessed by a soul or something?'
He shook his head and continued, "So, what do you plan to do after this?"
"I... I don't want to help Tsukishiro anymore. And I don't want to hate Ayanokouji-senpai anymore. At least, not in this way." Nanase Tsubasa looked up, her gaze firmer than before. "But I still want to know the truth. I want to know if Ayanokouji Kiyotaka did it intentionally or unintentionally. I want to know his view on this matter... and I also want the real culprit to pay the price."
Shimizu Akira nodded and reached out to pat her head. "Mhm, that's right. That's doing the right thing."
Nanase Tsubasa sniffed and suddenly remembered something. "Then... Senpai, Ayanokouji-senpai might be attacked by others right now. Should we go save him?" Her voice got smaller as she added, "Although I'm very reluctant... Senpai said to do the right thing; I'll listen to you."
"So, who are the people tracking him?"
"Housen Kazuomi and Amasawa Ichika."
Shimizu Akira froze for a moment, then leaned back against the reef with a relaxed look. "Ah, the Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Fledgling. In that case, there's no need to go. Let's rest here for a bit and wait out the rain."
"Eh?"
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