"You..."
Kisaki Eri was startled, freezing in place.
She suspiciously looked at her fist. She hadn't used much force just now, so how did she hit him like that?
Hayashi Shuichi looked pained, his brows furrowed into a deep "川" shape. He squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth: "I, I also hit my chest."
"You, why didn't you say anything before?" Kisaki Eri's expression instantly turned from anger to worry.
She quickly reached out her hands, carefully supporting Hayashi Shuichi, and walked towards the seat next to them.
After Hayashi Shuichi sat down, Kisaki Eri was about to lift Hayashi Shuichi's shirt to check the injury on his chest.
"Don't worry, it's not a serious injury, just a small bruise," Hayashi Shuichi gasped slightly, trying to force out a smile that was uglier than crying, "It's just that your punch just now landed right on the bruise, so it hurt so much."
"I'm sorry," Kisaki Eri flustered, her eyes full of self-blame, "I'll go get some ice for you to apply?"
"No need, just get me a glass of water. Drinking some water should make me feel better," Hayashi Shuichi waved his hand.
Kisaki Eri hurriedly turned to pour water.
As soon as she left, Hayashi Shuichi let out a sigh of relief, his hand that was covering his chest dropped, and the painful expression on his face disappeared in an instant. He relaxed and leaned back against the chair.
He finally bluffed his way through again...
But just as he had let out a sigh of relief, Hayashi Shuichi felt something was off.
Why did he feel like he was becoming more and more like a scumbag lately? Always deceiving the girls around him.
...No, I'm different from a scumbag!
I deceive them, just because I don't want to make them sad.
Good-willed deception is not deception. Hmm, I must still be a good man, absolutely right!
After convincing himself, seeing that Kisaki Eri was almost done pouring water, Hayashi Shuichi hurriedly put on a pained expression again, slightly hunching his back, his hand pressed against his chest, with a suffering look on his face.
Kisaki Eri returned with the water. Hayashi Shuichi was about to reach for it, but the girl avoided his hand: "Your chest hurts, it's not convenient for you to move, so let me feed you."
"...You're so gentle, I'm suddenly a bit unaccustomed to it," Hayashi Shuichi's expression was a little strange.
"What do you mean by that? When have I ever treated you badly? I've always been very gentle with you!" Kisaki Eri complained coquettishly, then sat down next to Hayashi Shuichi, gently bringing the glass of water to his lips.
Hayashi Shuichi took a small sip of water, but his thoughts uncontrollably drifted back to the scene of "drinking together" with Sharon. In that instant, he seemed to taste the sweetness in her mouth again...
No, can't think about it anymore!
Hayashi Shuichi hurriedly shook his head. That witch loved to smoke so much, there must have been a smoky taste in the water, but he just didn't taste it at the time, it must be like that!
"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Kisaki Eri tilted her head, looking at her childhood friend with confusion, "Why are you nodding and shaking your head?"
"Nothing, I just... got a little distracted." As Hayashi Shuichi spoke, his gaze inadvertently fell on Kisaki Eri's pink lips.
Unlike Sharon's alluring charm, Kisaki Eri's lips exuded a pure and sweet innocence, which made him think of the kiss in the girls' restroom at Teitan High School before.
As he thought, Hayashi Shuichi suddenly felt parched, his throat feeling as if it were burning. Although he had just had a sip of water, he suddenly felt even thirstier.
"You, why are you staring at me?" Kisaki Eri was a little embarrassed by his gaze, and a blush appeared on her fair cheeks.
She subconsciously reached out and touched her cheek: "Is there something stuck on my face?"
The girl's pure reaction made Hayashi Shuichi unable to control himself any longer.
"Eri, are you thirsty?"
As soon as Hayashi Shuichi spoke, without waiting for Kisaki Eri to respond, he quickly gulped down a mouthful of water, then leaned forward and moved closer to her.
"I'm not thirsty, what are you... mmm..."
Kisaki Eri's eyes widened, her face filled with astonishment as she looked at her childhood friend who was so close. Before she could react, she involuntarily swallowed the water he had passed to her.
"Does it taste good?" Hayashi Shuichi asked with a mischievous smile.
"That's disgusting!" Kisaki Eri glared at him angrily, "Where did you learn all these messy things..."
"So it's disgusting," Hayashi Shuichi sighed, "I was actually a bit thirsty..."
Saying that, he made to get up and leave. His butt had just left the seat when his arm was pulled by the girl.
"...I," Kisaki Eri said in a low voice, blushing, "I'm thirsty too."
Seeing this, Hayashi Shuichi couldn't hold back any longer. He embraced the girl tightly with his arm, then lowered his head and kissed her passionately.
...
After finishing the entire glass of water, Kisaki Eri's cheeks had turned completely crimson, like ripe apples.
She gave Hayashi Shuichi an embarrassed glare: "What on earth are you doing? And..."
At this, the girl suddenly remembered something, her expression became a little off, and a hint of suspicion flashed in her eyes.
"What's wrong again?" Hayashi Shuichi asked in surprise.
"Why are you so skilled?" Kisaki Eri looked suspiciously at her childhood friend, "Last time in the girls' restroom, you were as awkward as I was... Tell me! Have you been kissing Yukiko recently too?"
"Eri, you're really wronging me!" Hayashi Shuichi quickly raised his hand to swear, "I promise, so far, the only girl I've actively kissed is you!"
"You actively?" Kisaki Eri, who was determined to be a lawyer, had a high sensitivity to wordplay, "So, that curly-haired fox has actively kissed you?"
"No," Hayashi Shuichi hurriedly shook his head. Seeing that Kisaki Eri didn't believe him, he could only give a dry laugh and explain, "Yukiko only kissed my cheek, and that was just once!"
Kisaki Eri let out a frustrated huff: "Even if it was just my cheek, I still feel like I lost out."
Hayashi Shuichi, fearing she would continue to ask if there were other women who had actively kissed him, quickly put on an eager expression and kissed her again.
Kisaki Eri initially resisted symbolically for a couple of times, gently pushing Hayashi Shuichi's shoulders, but soon became dazed by the kiss, only focused on closing her eyes and indulging in it, her hands unconsciously wrapping around Hayashi Shuichi's neck.
...
Half an hour before the store opened, Hayashi Shuichi had finished making the curry rice.
As usual, Mouri Kogoro arrived back on time, and Reiko from the second floor also came down to eat.
The large and small sat at the table, but neither was in a hurry to pick up their chopsticks. Instead, they looked back and forth at Hayashi Shuichi and Kisaki Eri, their eyes filled with doubt.
"Something's wrong!"
"Something's not right!"
Mouri Kogoro and Reiko exchanged glances, the former asking first: "What day is it today? Why is Eri so happy? Ever since I came into the store, her smile hasn't stopped!"
(End of this chapter)
-------------------------
Thank you for following my story. If you want to read it first, please visit my Patreon — there are about 40 chapters waiting there. Your support really motivates me to continue to release more stories!
👉[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]