"Yeah, what Origami said is true," Shichen didn't even bother to deny it—he admitted it outright.
Something like this wasn't worth hiding, especially from Izayoi Miku.
He obviously had feelings for her too, and honesty would always work better with her. Lying was pointless. She'd find out sooner or later anyway—better to just say it now and let her accept it from the start.
"Darling, you…!" Miku lifted a finger and pointed at him, cheeks puffed up in anger.
"By the way, I slept with Shichen even before summer break," Origami added calmly.
"What?!" Miku's voice shot up an octave.
"Darling, how could you!?" Her hand shook as she pointed at him.
"It's simple, really. I'm very charming. Of course Shichen couldn't resist my temptations," Origami said proudly.
"I won't deny that part… but darling, how can you be this hasty!"
"Hasty?" Shichen blinked, confused.
"You hadn't even reunited with me yet and you're already doing that with someone else! Did you just not have me in your heart at all?" Miku demanded, hurt.
"Huh?" Shichen stared at her, stunned. He hadn't expected that to be what she was upset about.
"Huh what! Did I hit the mark? You're awful, darling!"
"Heh…" Seeing her like that, Shichen couldn't help but laugh.
"Darling, you're laughing? I'm actually mad, you know!"
"Okay, okay, I'll stop. Let me explain, alright?"
"Explain what? That she seduced you and you're innocent?"
"How would that even work? Calm down first," Shichen moved closer to her and put his hand on her head.
Miku didn't shake him off, just glared at him, cheeks puffed, waiting for his explanation.
Smiling, Shichen said, "The thing is, I only met you after all that."
"What… do you mean?" Miku didn't follow.
"I met you after Origami. I went back to the past to see you."
"Back to the past?"
"Yeah. I have the power to travel through time."
"Time travel… Darling, you're from the future?!" Miku's expression cleared in an instant.
"Yep. That's why back then I couldn't stay with you all the time."
"So that's how it is… Then what about now?" she asked again, suddenly worried.
"Relax. I belong to this time now. I'm not going anywhere," Shichen said, ruffling her soft hair.
Her bluish-purple hair really was gorgeous.
"That's good then…" Miku dropped her anger and let out a small smile.
"So yeah, you're technically the last one, you know?" Origami cut in.
…
"Origami, do you have to say everything?" Shichen sighed.
"It's fine. She's one of us, isn't she? I'm just being honest."
"…Fine. As long as you're happy."
With no more burdens on her heart, Origami wanting to "fully let go" was understandable.
"I-I have a question," Miku said, staring at Origami, voice a little shaky.
"What is it?"
"What you just said… You don't mean that kind of thing, right? What if you get pregnant?"
"Then of course I'd give birth," Origami answered immediately.
"Give birth!? You're still in high school!" Miku yelped.
"This would be Shichen's child. Of course I'd have it… If it's a boy, I'll name him Takateru. If it's a girl, Chiyori," Origami said very seriously.
"You've already picked names… You're actually kind of terrifying, aren't you?" Miku asked weakly.
"No. This is love," Origami said, hugging Shichen tightly, face completely serious.
"Love… Darling, what is wrong with you?" Miku turned and glared at him.
"Eh? Me?"
"She's clueless, but are you clueless too? Just to get off, you're fine with getting her pregnant? How could you?"
"Uh… big misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding? Didn't she just admit it?"
"Well, it's not that. I do have ways to make sure she doesn't get pregnant. She knows that."
"What? So I got tricked?" Miku realized.
"I didn't trick you. Getting pregnant with Shichen's child is just a matter of time," Origami replied calmly.
"You… I think I get what kind of person you are now," Miku muttered, massaging her temples.
"So don't fight with her over that," Shichen said with a chuckle.
"I understand now…"
"Anyway, it's about time. They really don't know the meaning of 'tired', huh? At this rate we won't be able to walk out of here normally." Shichen glanced out the window at the chaos on campus and laughed helplessly.
"Walk out? Darling, you're leaving already?" Miku's heart clenched.
"It's getting late… But hey, don't worry. Now that we've reunited, I'll be coming to see you often," Shichen said, noticing her reluctance.
"But… I don't want to be apart from darling so soon."
"I can't just camp out here forever."
"Mm…"
"How about this—I'll come back again tomorrow, okay?"
"Really?" Miku brightened immediately.
"I promise."
"That's great!"
Once he'd soothed Miku's worries, Shichen took Origami and teleported back home.
He'd only come today to say hi and see Miku again.
When he got back, Shichen remembered a small problem: all the noise he'd caused at Rindouji Girls' Academy had already reached Tokha and the others.
Murasame Reine was the first to hear, and of course she passed that information on to Kotori and the rest.
The moment Shichen walked through the door, he was bombarded with questions.
Thankfully Miku was a spirit too, so their hostility wasn't too strong—and after Shichen promised each of them a dish of whatever they wanted to eat, everything smoothed right over.
A little jealous they might be, but they were all spirits who valued comradeship more than petty drama. They weren't that complicated. Comforting them was easy.
Good thing they'd met him.
…
The next day was Sunday. Everyone else was lazing around, but Shichen's companion of the day was Nia Honjou, a proper working adult with no such thing as "vacation."
Conveniently, today was also deadline day, which meant Shichen spent the entire morning helping her draw.
Fortunately there wasn't much left, and they finished before noon.
"Whew—finally done."
Nia tossed her pen aside and flopped straight back onto the floor.
She was dressed pretty lightly: just a tank top and white underwear.
"That's what you get for not drawing earlier," Shichen scolded. He was wiped too.
"Eeeh~ But I wanted you to help me, Shichen~"
"I'm really moved, you know."
"It's just to deepen our 'bond'~" she joked, rolling onto her side to face him, taking off her square glasses, smiling up at him.
"Our bond isn't 'deep' enough already?"
"What do you think?" Nia puffed up her cheeks and shot back.
"Hm?"
"Shichen, are you just not into older women or something?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"Then why do you never make a move on me?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"It's just the two of us here, you know. Closed room, just a man and a woman. And I'm dressed like this. You seriously don't feel anything?"
"…I'm really tired right now."
"Mm! Then how about this?" Nia sat up, clearly dissatisfied.
Shichen looked at her. Even with the AC on, the summer heat made the room feel stifling.
"Heh~ Looks like I'll have to be the aggressive one," she smirked triumphantly when she saw him staring.
She slowly crawled over and straddled his lap, wrapping her arms around his head.
"That'll teach you for pretending you don't care!"
"…" Shichen was left speechless and could only hold her by the waist.
It didn't take long before Nia was the one who couldn't take it. She pulled back, face bright red, heart pounding so hard it almost echoed in the room.
"Shichen…"
Still clinging around his neck, she lowered her gaze, eyes simmering.
"Thought it through?" Shichen asked.
"I've been waiting ages for you. What, you planning to let me age out first?"
~~~
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