"Mei... mmm..."
Kevyn was about to say something when Mei leaned in and kissed her again, effectively sealing any words back into her mouth.
This time, the kiss didn't last long.
Mei released her quickly. Since she wasn't wearing her glasses, she squinted slightly at Kevyn.
Her right thumb pressed against the corner of Kevyn's lips—now flushed and slightly swollen from the kiss. Her tone carried its usual hint of rational indifference, yet the words she spoke made Kevyn's cheeks burn a deeper crimson.
"If you want to kiss me, just do it. Like I just did. You don't need to ask for my permission, unless I'm actually busy with something else."
Mei hadn't originally intended to add that last bit, but after a second thought, she figured it was for the best.
To her, Kevyn was like an obedient, well-behaved white Pomeranian.
However, she couldn't help but worry that once a certain seal was broken, the girl might turn into a hyperactive terrier, thinking about nothing but those things every waking second.
Thus, it was better to establish a few boundaries.
"Huh? Oh. Right. Yeah."
Kevyn's brain was still a bit fuzzy from the lack of oxygen, so she didn't immediately process the weight of what Mei had said.
Mei seemed to realize this. She simply ignored Kevyn's subconscious, dazed response. Instead, she fixed her gaze on Kevyn, waiting for the girl to truly grasp her meaning.
Fortunately, Kevyn didn't make her wait long.
After a few breaths, Kevyn's head snapped up. Her eyes went wide with shock—honestly, she looked more like a Pomeranian than ever.
"Mei, you... I..."
Kevyn stammered, unable to string a coherent sentence together. But just as she noticed Mei's expression beginning to cool into a stern look, she steeled her nerves.
Mei had already said it, so why was she hesitating? Why was she being such a coward?
Mustering her courage, Kevyn rose slightly onto her toes, using action to prove she had captured the essence of Mei's words.
The moment Kevyn's lips met hers, the tension in Mei's brow finally dissolved. The corners of her mouth even curved into a faint, satisfied smile.
The two lingered there, lost in each other's company in a quiet corner of the semi-abandoned old school building—a place that only ever saw life after school hours due to various club activities.
It wasn't until the electronic map Kevyn carried began to chime an alarm that the lovers finally shared a reluctant goodbye.
Even as Kevyn reached the gates of Chiba Academy, Mei was still there, waving her off.
"Boss Kevyn, who was that?"
At Kevyn's side, a squad member recruited from another school into the Schicksal organization leaned over curiously, having just arrived for the assembly.
Before Kevyn could speak, another teammate from Chiba Academy beat her to the punch.
"I know this one! Back at school, everyone was talking about how Grade 1 Class A had two high-profile same-sex couples. We all know the first pair—the leader and sub-leader of our Schicksal organization. As for the second pair, it's obviously Boss Kevyn and the Goddess of Academics, Mei!"
"A Goddess of Academics!"
The first squad member's expression instantly turned solemn.
He had been recruited into Schicksal entirely because of his exceptional physical prowess. At his core, he was a sports student whose academic grades were, frankly, abysmal.
Consequently, he held a profound respect for top-tier students. Hearing that his boss's partner was a legendary "Academic Goddess," he felt a sudden surge of reverence.
"Alright, enough gossip!"
Kevyn gave both team members a light flick to the forehead.
However, she nodded, confirming the Chiba student's claim.
"That's right. Mei is my girlfriend. Once she finishes her studies, she'll be joining Schicksal too, though she'll likely be over in the Research and Development department."
With that, Kevyn didn't linger. She gave one last wave in Mei's direction and led her squad out to clear the newly surfaced Zombies.
--+--
Early the next morning, Durandal and Elysia left the house even earlier than usual.
Today was the day Dystopia, Kevyn, and Sakura were scheduled to lead their teams to Sapphire City for a rotation. However, the pair hadn't woken up early to see the three of them or the new recruits off.
Yesterday, they had promised Sakura that they would take over the responsibility of picking up and dropping off Rin at school. Now, they were heading to Sakura's home to collect the girl.
When they arrived, Sakura hadn't left yet. She was busy helping Rin pack the luggage needed for her stay at Durandal's place.
Hearing the doorbell, Sakura immediately rose to open it. Seeing her two superiors at the door, she quickly stepped aside and invited them in.
"I'm just finishing up the packing, the house is a bit of a mess," Sakura said, looking slightly embarrassed.
"It's fine," Durandal replied with a wave of her hand, signaling she didn't mind at all.
With the arrival of Durandal and Elysia, Rin—who hadn't quite felt the reality of being away from Sakura for a while—seemed to finally realize what was happening.
Her eyes reddened, and it looked like tears were about to fall.
"Rin~"
Seeing this, Sakura knelt down and stroked the top of Rin's head.
"You were the one who said you wanted to live with the big brothers and sisters from Schicksal," she said softly. "You made this decision, so you can't regret it now!"
Hearing this, Rin sniffled, successfully holding back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.
"Mhm, don't worry, I know. Besides, it's not like I won't see you for months, Big Sister. We can still video call every day, right?"
As she spoke, Rin pulled out the new phone Sakura had recently bought her using her salary from Schicksal.
"Rin, I bought that phone so it would be easier to stay in touch. It's okay to play games occasionally, but if you ruin your eyesight by staring at it too much, I'll be very angry when I get back!" Sakura said, her expression turning slightly serious.
Rin gave a small shiver at the warning, shaking her head vigorously in promise.
"Don't worry, Sis! I won't play games! I'll be good. I'll do my homework as soon as I get home, eat dinner after, take a walk, then shower and be in bed with the lights out by nine o'clock sharp."
This was Rin's daily routine after school. Clearly, she had no intention of letting her schedule slip just because Sakura wasn't there to supervise or because she was in a new environment.
Hearing Rin say this, Sakura finally nodded in satisfaction.
"Alright then. Your luggage is all packed, and I've tucked the house keys into the side pocket of the suitcase. If you need to come back for anything, just tell Durandal or Elysia, take your keys, and come grab it."
With that, Sakura stood the suitcase up, clearly intending to help carry it to Durandal's car.
"I've got it, Sakura," Durandal said, taking the suitcase from her and heading out to put it in the trunk.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.