Chapter 317 Karuizawa Kei: I Can Date You Too / No, You Can't
6:30 AM. Shimizu Akira woke up first.
The moment he opened his eyes, he realized there was an unfamiliar, soft, and warm weight in his arms.
Kikyo was curled up on her side next to him, one hand resting lightly on his chest, her forehead pressed against the crook of his neck. Her breathing was shallow and even, clearly still lost in a sweet dream.
Akira's gaze fell upon her brown hair scattered across the pillow, then slowly shifted downward to look at her soft features in sleep.
If he remembered correctly, before Kikyo was too tired to speak last night, she seemed to have whispered several times that she liked "Akira-kun" the most.
As expected, Kikyo probably liked him a bit more than he realized.
Akira gently tightened his arms, planning to get up, take a shower, and then go buy breakfast.
This subtle movement, however, disturbed the person in his arms.
Kikyo's eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.
"...?"
"Mmm."
"Is it morning?"
"Yeah."
She blinked, suddenly realizing something, and shrunk into the blanket until only her eyes were visible: ".........Turn around!"
"What's wrong?"
"I want to get dressed!"
"Okay, I get it." He turned his back.
Although they had already been completely honest with each other last night, that was during the height of the atmosphere in the middle of the night. Now, it was broad daylight.
It seemed his girlfriend was feeling shy. This is how most couples are when they've just reached this step.
After experiencing it a few more times, she would likely get used to it.
A few minutes later.
"Akira-kun, I'm dressed." Kikyo's voice came from behind him.
Akira turned around.
She had already put on that cream-white cardigan. Her hair was draped loosely, and her cheeks still held a bit of a rosy glow from just waking up.
"Walking... is it okay?" he asked.
"Mmm, it's fine~ I feel okay." Kikyo smiled.
The first time is always a bit uncomfortable, but it varies from person to person. Kushida Kikyo's physical fitness was quite good; after a night's rest, she didn't feel any particular discomfort.
"That's good." Akira then remembered.
Kikyo was an all-rounder; her stats in every category were quite high. Like Hirata Yousuke, she was practically a "50/50" existence in this school.
Kikyo stared at him seriously: "Akira-kun, did you not feel fully satisfied last night? Tell me the truth."
"Well... a little bit, honestly," Akira told the truth.
"After all, it was your first time."
'He really wasn't satisfied!'
Even though it lasted for nearly an hour and she was exhausted, it turned out her boyfriend wasn't fully satiated?
But thinking carefully... she vaguely remembered that while she was drifting off to sleep, Shimizu Akira seemed... quite energetic in every aspect.
Even though they only did it once, Kikyo already had a preliminary understanding of the power gap between them. If using Dragon Ball power levels as a metaphor, her combat power was probably around 10, while Akira's combat power... would probably cause the scouter to explode. It couldn't be measured at all.
It seemed she couldn't handle him alone.
'What should I do!'
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When Akira returned with breakfast, he saw Kikyo opening the candies and snacks the girls in class had given him last night, eating them with great relish. It seemed she was truly starving. He quickly handed the breakfast over.
"Thank you, Akira-kun~" Kikyo took it, bit into a sandwich, and asked vaguely, "By the way, who gave you that flashlight?"
"Hashimoto Masayoshi."
"Huh? What does he mean by giving you a flashlight? To illuminate your path? Does he want to be your henchman?"
".........Wait, you think so too? There really is that meaning to it."
"Otherwise! Why give a flashlight and write that specific note? Your relationship isn't at that level yet!" Kikyo curled her lips.
"Truly disgusting... that guy just refused to help me leak answers a few days ago, and now he turns around to hook up with my man. It seems he really wants to die!"
The "little notebook" of the black-bellied girlfriend was about to record a new grudge. However, calling it "hooking up with a man" was a bit of an exaggeration!
Seeing that Kikyo had mostly finished eating, Akira took out a soft plaid scarf and handed it over.
"Kikyo, this is my Christmas gift."
"Thank you, Akira-kun!" Kushida Kikyo's eyes lit up, and she immediately wrapped the scarf around her neck.
Akira thought of the heavy notebook she had given him.
"I feel like my gift isn't as good as the one you prepared..."
"It's fine~ I really like this scarf! I can wear it all the time!" The corners of Kikyo's mouth lifted happily.
As long as it was a gift from Akira, she liked it. Girls in love are all like this.
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After breakfast, Kikyo left. She said she had to prepare for a party at noon and needed to go back and tidy up.
Akira's schedule was also very full today. He was having lunch with Kamuro Masumi and meeting Horikita Suzune in the afternoon. Although they were a couple in a passionate relationship, they didn't need to be glued together all day.
Kikyo had her interpersonal relationships to maintain, and Akira had his own agenda. Being busy with their own things and meeting once or twice a week was actually quite nice.
It was now just past 8:30 AM.
Akira went to the supermarket to buy a bunch of snacks he liked and stopped by the party Hirata Yousuke organized today on the way. The location was set at a karaoke box. Speaking of which, aside from the first month of school when he went on a date with Kikyo, he hadn't been back.
After arriving at the private room, he sang a few anime songs for the first time in a while. He felt his singing was average, but the applause from his classmates was non-stop.
'Is it an illusion?'
He felt that even if he sang out of tune, these people would probably still clap just as hard.
After singing, he followed the list he made last night and gave the prepared gifts to the corresponding classmates. When he walked out of the room, he checked the time; it was almost 10:30 AM.
"Mmm, has Kei not arrived yet? Sato and Matsushita clearly said she would come."
He actually had a gift for Karuizawa Kei in his pocket.
"Could she still be sleeping... did she stay up all night?"
Akira shook his head. Just as he was about to leave, he met two acquaintances in the hallway: Ishizaki Daichi and Kondo Reo.
Ishizaki had a rare, miserable expression as he stood outside a private room, while Kondo seemed to be trying to persuade him of something. It seemed Class D was also holding a party at karaoke today.
"Ishizaki! Why the long face? Wasn't the air conditioning installed for you?"
"Idiot! The AC is fine, but what about Big Brother Ryuen! We agreed everyone would gather for Christmas today, but he still hasn't told me if he's coming!"
"Speaking of which... ever since we saw him at the mall, Big Brother Ryuen has been staying in the dorm and hasn't shown his face, right?"
As the two were talking, they noticed Akira behind them and hurried over.
"Shimizu-kun, Merry Christmas!"
"Shimizu! Merry Christmas! Uh... about that incident on the rooftop, I hope you don't take it to heart."
"Mmm," Akira responded. Just as he was about to walk past, Ishizaki Daichi's eyes suddenly lit up. Like a drowning man grabbing a straw, he lunged in front of him and bowed deeply.
"Shimizu! I beg of you! The person who can make Big Brother Ryuen come back out... is probably only you!"
He had really thought about it for a long time.
Seeing Ryuen Kakeru alone and depressed—unlike the domineering and arrogant big brother he knew—felt like a stone was weighing on his heart. After thinking it over, the only person Ryuen might actually listen to seemed to be Shimizu Akira.
To untie the bell, you need the person who tied it!
However, Akira stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowing immediately.
"Come back out? What are you talking about? Wait, what's going on in your head? I did that back then specifically to give him a lesson. Why should I help him now? Do you think I'm some kind of mental athlete playing both sides?"
Ishizaki stood up, his face awkward.
"This... but, Ryuen, he..."
"Don't tell me how miserable he is. He's the perpetrator, understand?" Akira's tone was uncharacteristically reprimanding.
"If I hadn't appeared in time, the one who would be miserable is our club manager. A girl being bullied like that by several grown men... I haven't even settled that debt with you properly yet, and you dare come and ask me to comfort Ryuen Kakeru? Ishizaki, is there something wrong with your brain, or mine? You don't think that just by bowing and apologizing, I'll agree to anything, do you?"
Ishizaki Daichi's face flushed red instantly. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Everything Akira said was perfectly logical.
"He lost once in front of everyone, and Ryuen Kakeru can't handle it? He needs someone to comfort him just to crawl back up? How many people has he stepped on over the years? How many has he bullied? Many in your own class have been beaten by him! Isn't the pain of those people a hundred times more real than his current discomfort? What is he acting so dramatic for? If he wants to drop out, he should just go ahead and do it. It would be clearing a nuisance out of this school."
After speaking, Akira didn't give him another glance and walked straight away.
'Hilarious.'
Ryuen Kakeru was the one who started the trouble; he was the perpetrator.
Since the start of school, how many times had he targeted Akira? Why should Akira comfort him and tell him to cheer up? That would be pure insanity! Being able to refrain from going over and mocking him was already a sign of Akira's good nature!
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Last night, Karuizawa Kei, Sato Maya, and Matsushita Chiaki sang until one or two in the morning before returning to the dorms. When she woke up, it was already 10:00 AM.
Karuizawa Kei stood at the sink, her toothbrush moving mechanically, but her brain uncontrollably drifted back to a few days ago. The moment Shimizu Akira admitted that Kikyo was his girlfriend.
'Those two are dating!'
Well, it made sense. They knew each other earlier, spent more time together...
Last night was Christmas Eve... they must have been together.
This thought made her chest feel tight again. She shook her head, deciding not to think about it anymore.
Just then, her phone screen lit up with messages from the school karaoke party. Sato and Matsushita said they had arrived. Karuizawa Kei quickly pulled herself together.
'Forget it, don't think about it! Go sing and scream all the stress out!'
However, just as she reached the hallway near the party location, she unexpectedly heard Akira's merciless scolding of Ishizaki Daichi.
"If I hadn't appeared! The one who would be miserable is our manager!"
"Dramatic... truly annoying!"
Every word felt like it was striking her heart. Karuizawa Kei subconsciously stopped, hiding behind a corner, and couldn't help but nod heavily.
Everything he said was exactly what she wanted to say! Why should Ryuen Kakeru act like a victim? She, the one who was truly bullied and trapped on the rooftop, still got up the next day and tried her best to live as if nothing happened.
The perpetrator acting dramatic first was a complete joke!
After her anger subsided, Karuizawa Kei couldn't help but cover her slightly burning cheeks.
'Akira... really is so cool.'
Handsome, steady, can fight, and most importantly, that clear set of values and morality was incredibly rare among the boys around her—a crane among chickens. He had saved her more than once and let her join the boxing club, invisibly becoming the pillar for her to become stronger.
These past few days, he was the only thing on her mind.
'It's over... my heart is beating like crazy. So this is what it feels like to like someone; you can't hide it at all...'
But, this feeling was already too late.
"Kei? Why are you here? I was just looking for you."
Akira's voice suddenly came from ahead. Karuizawa Kei looked up and saw him walking toward her.
"Mmm? Your expression is a bit strange... did you hear what I just said to Ishizaki?"
"Mmm... I accidentally heard it," she admitted softly.
"Accidentally eavesdropping again?" Akira stepped closer.
"The last time I was talking to Matsushita, you seemed to be 'accidentally' following behind as well."
"This time was really an accident!" Karuizawa Kei explained hurriedly. She was in the wrong for following him last time, but this time was just a coincidence.
"Right," Akira seemed to remember something. He reached into his pocket, took out a small square box, and placed it in her palm.
"For you, a Christmas gift."
"Can I open it now?" Her eyes widened slightly.
"Mmm."
Kei carefully unwrapped it. Inside lay a pair of pure red boxing hand wraps.
"Haven't you started training? You should be able to use these."
Karuizawa Kei looked down at the gift that so perfectly matched her interests.
'I might be... thinking too much.'
From what Akira said, he and Kushida Kikyo had been dating for quite a while. Yet during the rooftop incident, he had appeared without hesitation.
Perhaps... even if he had others around him, he would still protect her.
Thinking of this, she looked up, finally revealing a bright smile tinged with a bit of embarrassment.
"...Mmm! Thank you, I really like them!"
Seeing her mood brighten, Akira seemed relieved and asked casually, "Feeling better?"
"Mmm!"
Kei hesitated for a moment, but couldn't resist asking as if she didn't care: "So... you and your girlfriend, how long have you been dating?"
"With Kikyo, it was since the VIP special exam." Akira answered naturally, then added, "Masumi was from the sports festival, Honami was from the Paper Shuffle—"
"Wait—!" Karuizawa Kei was stunned, her brain failing to process it for a moment.
"I was asking about Kushida Kikyo! So... you are dating several people at the same time?!"
"Mmm." Akira nodded.
'.........He actually admitted it just like that?!'
So, "Honami" was Ichinose Honami? The Class B leader who always had a gentle smile? "Masumi" was Kamuro Masumi? That cool-looking Class A girl?
She thought she had only lost to Kushida Kikyo, but she didn't expect that there was more than one person ahead of her.
"Wait—then I can date you too!" Almost without thinking, the words burst out of Kei's mouth.
"What?" Akira arched an eyebrow.
"Want to use dating as an excuse for me to protect you again? Haven't I already let you into the boxing club? I'll protect you in the future, don't worry. Even after the senpais graduate, if you call me, I'll definitely come running as soon as possible."
'...Not like that!'
Karuizawa Kei wanted to travel back a few seconds and cover her own mouth. He didn't... he didn't take her confession seriously at all!
True, given the current atmosphere and situation, it wasn't the right time to say such things. She was such an idiot! That confession with impure motives from the first month of school was like a boomerang that had been hanging in the air, only to strike her perfectly in the head at this moment.
'It hurts! Uwaaa!'
Karuizawa Kei had mixed feelings.
The good news was that Akira didn't have just one girlfriend; he intended to have a harem. In other words, theoretically, she still had a chance.
The bad news was that there were already several people in line ahead of her.
Kushida Kikyo, Ichinose Honami, Kamuro Masumi... plus she was just the manager he was protecting. No matter how she looked at it, she was on the outer circle of the relationship, in a somewhat passive position.
The probability... really wasn't high.
However, speaking of which, Karuizawa Kei unexpectedly discovered a pattern. It seemed that ever since the VIP special exam, after every special exam, he would establish a relationship with a girl...
Kushida Kikyo was the VIP exam, Kamuro Masumi was the sports festival, and Ichinose Honami was the Paper Shuffle. Then, in the upcoming third semester, there would surely be a new special exam...
She blinked and subconsciously balled her fist.
'Heh... so that means she... still has a chance? It should be her turn next.'
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Ishizaki Daichi and Kondo Reo remained where they were, the atmosphere between them heavy.
"What Shimizu said... actually makes sense," Kondo Reo whispered.
"Yeah," Ishizaki Daichi scratched his hair, his expression complex.
"I was overstepping. Thinking about it, Big Brother Ryuen's current state... really is a bit like..." He was too embarrassed to say the word "dramatic."
Following the logic of Akira's words, their boss falling into self-isolation because of one setback really didn't... sit right.
Just then, Ishizaki suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He turned his head and froze.
Ryuen Kakeru was standing not far behind them, his face terrifyingly dark, fists clenched, staring straight at him as if he wanted to kill someone.
"Ry-Ryuen-san?! You came! Uh, well..." Ishizaki stammered.
The person he invited actually showed up, but from the looks of it, he had probably heard the entire conversation—especially Akira's sharp accusations.
"That bastard Shimizu Akira..." Ryuen Kakeru's voice sounded like it was squeezed through his teeth.
"Dares to call me dramatic? Bullshit! Wants me to drop out? Hah, why should I listen to him! When was I ever dramatic! That rooftop business was just a momentary annoyance! He says I'm crushed? I've bullied more people than I can count; can't I rest for a few days?... Who is he calling annoying!"
He threw down these harsh words and, without looking at Ishizaki or Kondo again, turned and walked away in a rage.
"Ryuen-san... seems very angry," Kondo Reo said softly, watching his back disappear.
"Yeah," Ishizaki Daichi rubbed his chin, subconsciously marveling.
"But this scene... why does it feel familiar? After getting face-slapped by Shimizu the last few times, wasn't this his reaction too?"
"Eh?! Then, does that mean... Big Brother Ryuen has recovered? And he said he wouldn't drop out!" Kondo Reo realized belatedly.
"Holy crap! That's too coincidental!" Ishizaki slapped his thigh, then let out an enlightened "Oh!"
"Coincidental my ass! Moron!" He slapped the back of Kondo's head.
"That's Shimizu we're talking about! Everything must be within his calculations! I was wondering why a nice guy like Shimizu would scold me for no reason. He must have noticed Ryuen-san was nearby and said those things on purpose to provoke him! As expected of Shimizu, he thinks of everything! I actually thought he just wanted to curse Ryuen out! He really is..."
"Ah? Is that how it is?!" Kondo Reo looked impressed.
In a hidden corner nearby, Yamamura Miki, who was silently observing everything, couldn't help but shake her head.
She could tell that Shimizu Akira had no idea Ryuen Kakeru was nearby. Those words were just his honest thoughts.
Ishizaki and Kondo, those two dimwits, had reached a ridiculous conclusion on their own. If Ryuen were still here, he'd probably kick them both and tell them they were overthinking.
'Truly... astonishing 'wisdom'.'
However, then again, Ryuen Kakeru really did seem provoked into coming back to life. That familiar ruthlessness was back. It seemed she... would have to find a chance to report this to Sakayanagi-san in the next few days.
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When Akira returned to the dorm, it was close to 11:30 AM.
To be honest, he didn't take Karuizawa Kei's words just now too seriously.
In his eyes, it was more like an impulsive outburst caused by her hearing his conversation with Ishizaki, combined with her anxiety over the club seniors graduating. After all, during the first month of school, she had tried to use dating as a bargaining chip for protection!
Besides, that setting just now was really not a good time for a confession. Who follows up an admission of having multiple girlfriends with "I can do it too"?
That would be disrespectful to him, and even more disrespectful to Karuizawa Kei herself.
As Akira took the elevator back to his room, he found two people standing outside his door: Hasebe Haruka and Sakura Airi.
"Kiyo-kun! Merry Christmas!" Haruka waved energetically.
"Sh-Shimizu-kun... Merry Christmas." Airi lowered her head slightly, her hands carefully holding a beautifully wrapped gift bag.
"Thank you for coming." Akira swiped his key card and pushed the door open.
"Want to come in and sit? Have something to drink?"
"No need, no need!" Haruka waved her hand, pulling Airi to stay at the door.
"We just came to drop off gifts, we have to go soon~ Kikyo said there's a party at noon, and we promised to help."
Kikyo's party... it seemed the interpersonal maintenance she mentioned was already underway.
Sakura Airi gently handed over the gift: "It's... it's a scarf. I hope you like it."
"And the wristbands I sent!" Haruka added with a grin.
"Sports type! Kiyo-kun exercises a lot, right? These are sweat-absorbent and breathable!"
Akira took the two gifts.
"Thank you."
He turned back into the room, took two pre-prepared gift boxes from the table, and returned to the door to hand them over.
"These are return gifts for you."
"Wow! Can I open it now?" Haruka's eyes sparkled.
"I-I want to open it too..." Airi echoed softly.
"Of course, I intended for you to see them." Akira nodded.
Haruka was the first to unwrap hers; inside was a thick, comprehensive exercise book. Airi's side was a seven-day pass for the school swimming pool.
"Eh—?! An exercise book?!" Haruka's shoulders slumped instantly.
Sakura Airi, however, looked at the pass, her eyes lighting up slightly.
'The swimming pool... does that mean I can go with Shimizu-kun again?'
Akira lightly flicked Haruka's forehead.
"Don't make that face. Honestly, I'm a bit worried about you two."
"Worried?" Haruka covered her forehead, looking puzzled.
"You saw the notification on the school forum, right? Nagumo Miyabi will be making new moves next year. He believes in meritocracy. Right now, both of you are on the dangerous edge in terms of both academics and sports. If you don't strengthen up, you might face a disadvantage or even the risk of expulsion later, understand?"
Airi hugged the pass tightly to her chest.
"I-I will do my best... at the next physical test, I definitely won't hold everyone back."
"Since Kiyo-kun said so, we'll definitely work hard!" Haruka nodded vigorously, her spirits restored.
"Mmm," Akira responded. "If you run into any problems with your winter break homework, feel free to message and ask me."
"Great! Thanks, Kiyo-kun!" Haruka then pulled Airi.
"We're off! We have to catch Kikyo's party!"
"Go ahead." Akira waved them off.
After the two left, the room returned to silence. He could finally be alone for a bit.
Not long after he sat down, his phone vibrated. It was a friend request from Class D's Ishizaki Daichi. Akira hesitated for a moment but accepted it. Immediately, a transfer notification popped up.
Ishizaki Daichi had transferred 1,000,000 private points to him.
Ishizaki Daichi: Actually, Big Brother Ryuen transferred all his private points to me before! Thanks to your help this time, Big Brother Ryuen has recovered his spirits. Kondo and I discussed it, and this 1 million points is our thank-you gift!
'Absurd!'
Who the hell comforted him?!
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