Fei-yu ran to the art classroom. He peeked through the back door and saw his classmates painting. He found Yui-shin sitting by herself with an empty seat next to her. She had saved him a spot.
He decided against sneaking in and went to the front door. He knocked and entered. The art teacher, sitting on the podium, turned to look at him.
Fei-yu's pupils dilated.
It was a "Poro-Face."
Fei-yu had grown accustomed to Mitsuko's family, the enthusiastic Akari, and the gentle Minato. He tried to treat them as real people with their own souls, not just characters from the adult animations of his past life. He wanted to forget the "plots" and know the real them.
But there was one character design he could never forget: the "Poro-Face." It was too iconic.
He stared at the teacher. She had a youthful, almost doll-like face paired with a mature, womanly body. Her cheeks flushed under his intense gaze.
"U-um... student? Are you coming in?" she asked in a sweet, high-pitched voice.
The sound snapped him back to reality. He realized he was being rude. But he couldn't help it. She looked exactly like Shiori or Yui, or even Auntie Mao. If you changed her hair color and shrunk her chest slightly, she'd be a carbon copy. Her art style was completely different from the rest of the world.
"Sorry, teacher," Fei-yu apologized. He was just shocked to see another Poro-Face in this school. He hadn't seen one since Shiori and Mao during the summer.
But the real issue wasn't the face—it was the "NTR." If a Poro-Face was here, was a tragic plot far behind? He activated his "Divination Eyes." He didn't see any immediate black clouds of misfortune over her head, but there was a hint of tragedy in the distant future. He'd have to send out a "Reconnaissance Fly" to keep an eye on her.
"Hehe, it's fine. Go find a seat and ask your neighbors what the assignment is," the teacher said with a sweet smile. She was used to people staring. She was nearly thirty but looked like a middle-schooler. She assumed Fei-yu was just surprised by her "loli" features.
"Thank you, teacher." Fei-yu walked over to Yui-shin.
"Fei-yu! You finally made it!" Yui-shin whispered as he sat down, her cute face beaming. "Was Ms. Himuro really angry? It's all my fault..."
"I told you, it has nothing to do with you," Fei-yu said, pinching her soft cheek.
"But..." she pouted.
"Don't worry. It's over. Let's not talk about it."
Yui-shin let it go. "Okay. But from now on, when you copy my homework, I'll be right there to remind you of the details!"
She leaned in close—so close her lips were almost touching his ear. Her hot breath tickled his ear canal, sending a jolt of electricity through his body that nearly made him "leak" on the spot.
He spent several moments trying to regain his composure while Yui-shin stuck her tongue out at him playfully. He suspected she was getting back at him for pinching her cheek.
"Yui-shin... what's the assignment?" he asked, his voice still a bit shaky.
"The teacher wants us to try painting animals. She said to just paint whatever we feel like."
Fei-yu nodded.
"Fei-yu, look at my bird! Isn't it pretty?" Yui-shin grabbed his hand and pulled him toward her canvas.
He looked at the painting. It was a bloated, blurry shape pecking at the ground.
"A bird? Are you sure that's not a chicken?" he laughed.
"Hey! Are you just being mean because I teased you?" Yui-shin's face fell, her lip jutting out.
Fei-yu shook his head. "If you don't believe me, ask someone else."
"Fine! If someone else says it's a bird, you have to do one thing for me—anything I want!"
"Deal," Fei-yu said confidently. It was an easy win.
"Hehe!" Yui-shin was thrilled. Fei-yu must really want to kiss me if he's giving me an excuse like this!
"Saki Yoshida," Yui-shin called out to the girl sitting behind her. "What do you think I painted?"
Saki stopped her work and looked at them. Her eyes lingered on Fei-yu, a faint blush appearing on her stylishly made-up face. She had overheard their bet. She looked at the canvas—at the fat, unrecognizable blob.
She was torn. It didn't look like a bird at all. But Yui-shin was her friend, and Fei-yu was her savior... and her crush. If she helped Yui-shin, would Fei-yu think she was a liar? But if she helped Fei-yu, would Yui-shin be mad?
Fei-yu gave her a subtle wink. Saki felt a wave of relief.
"I think... Yui-shin painted a bird," Saki said softly.