"Was that really worth being so shocked over? A PE teacher isn't exactly some outrageously bizarre person, is he?"
Hanadasaki Ame could more or less guess what Nibutani Shinka had been expecting, but outwardly he pretended not to notice and said that instead.
Nibutani Shinka suppressed the turmoil in her heart, sat back down properly, and asked in a serious tone,
"So then, how exactly did that Imai-sensei influence you?"
"Didn't I just mention that I was bullied when I was younger?"
"So he helped you settle the bullying?"
Nibutani Shinka guessed.
"Not really. I usually handled my own problems myself. It was just that, when the bullying first started, I was curious—what exactly were those kids thinking, and what was driving them to act that way? So I picked my moments and went around asking the teachers one by one. I even cornered the principal."
Hanadasaki Ame spread his hands slightly as he said it, in an oddly casual tone.
Some children were too scared to even speak to adults, let alone approach teachers—the very embodiment of authority in their eyes. But he had always been an exception. He had never really been afraid of anything.
That said, he had not simply marched up and asked bluntly. Even at that young age, he had already understood one thing: adults had two states—working and off work.
When they were working, the name of the game was brushing things off, muddling through, finishing the job, and serving as just another cog in the system. As long as nothing went wrong, that was good enough.
But after work, the part of them that truly belonged to themselves emerged. Conversations at that time came more from the heart, with more spirit to them, and revealed their unique views on life and the world.
And during those off-hours, he knew he should not ask them with the attitude of a child begging them to solve his problem. Instead, he approached them as though seeking wisdom from their life experience—listening to what they considered the proudest or most distinctive parts of their journey so far.
Though he had still been young and inexperienced back then, the method had been sound. Coupled with his cute, likable appearance, it had worked every time.
"And then you got to the PE teacher?"
Nibutani Shinka asked curiously.
"Yes. The other teachers analyzed the psychology of bullies, bystanders, and so on for me. They explained many practical ways to deal with it. Some even hinted that I could stand to be a little ruthless. But Imai-sensei was different. He explained the underlying logic beneath all of it."
Hanadasaki Ame recalled the scene from back then, stripped away all the meaningless details, and summarized what he believed had been Imai-sensei's main point:
"He said that struggle is an inescapable part of human nature. As long as people exist within a group, they will inevitably begin openly or covertly contending over things like power and wealth. From physical violence to battles of intellect, from personal charm to financial strength, struggle is everywhere. So bullying itself should not simply be seen as humiliation—it is a battle.
"You must not be weak. You must not run away. The correct response is to crush the other side with your own strengths."
"So that's why you tried physical training…"
Nibutani Shinka said thoughtfully.
"Then how did the bullying end in the end?"
She pressed further.
Hanadasaki Ame smiled brightly, but offered no explanation.
After all, once he had his childhood moment of enlightenment, he had suddenly realized something very important…
Everyone was such adorable little toys.
"Are you going to use your third secret on that?"
he asked softly.
"No. I'm not that interested!"
Nibutani Shinka shook her head at once. This was already the third secret, and she still had not managed to get any real leverage on Hanadasaki Ame. How could she waste it on something like that?
Twisting a strand of her smooth hair around her finger, she thought long and hard. In the end, a faint blush spread across her soft cheeks, and with her eyes wandering elsewhere, she lowered her voice and said,
"For the third secret, I want to know… your exact type."
Not some vague question like what kind of girl he liked, but something more specific—his actual tastes. Did he like pretty feet? A beauty mark near the chest? Or maybe the sight of a girl wearing her hair in a ponytail, with a few fine stray strands falling against the pale line of her neck?
She knew perfectly well that things like long hair or short hair, gentle or cheerful personalities, were not the true reasons the heart was moved. What truly caught his eye had to be something more specific, and more intimate than that.
Hanadasaki Ame fell into thought.
His tastes… yes, that was certainly not the sort of secret one casually shared. Nibutani Shinka had finally had a rare flash of insight.
Still, it would not really do her any good to know. He did not feel even the slightest bit ashamed of it.
He shifted a little closer to her and gestured for her to bring her ear nearer.
Nibutani Shinka thought nothing of it and moved closer too, tilting her head and turning one ear toward him to listen.
At such close range, the warm breath that left Hanadasaki Ame's lips brushed softly over her ear, almost like a gentle lick, and her cheeks immediately flushed red.
"I like the way girls look after exercise, with beads of sweat on them. Their flushed cheeks have this lively charm full of vitality. When sweat dampens their clothes, it outlines the shape of their body. And if their stamina's bad—if they're worn out and panting for breath—then it's even more worth watching…"
Nibutani Shinka had not expected that even though Hanadasaki Ame was the one revealing his preferences, the one who would become too embarrassed to bear it first would actually be her.
Still, his tastes really were pretty strange. If she had to sum it up, it was basically…
a quiet girl being forced to exercise?
He might enjoy looking at it, but the girl herself would definitely be the one suffering.
Nibutani Shinka thought about herself for a moment. Among girls, her stamina was actually on the high end. And normally she went around clutching the Dark Scripture while spreading her… never mind.
She did not qualify as a quiet girl at all.
"Are you satisfied with that secret?"
Hanadasaki Ame looked at her with a smile as he asked.
He truly did not think there was anything shameful about that preference. It was a perfectly normal person's taste. He just happened to favor it a little more than most!
"…"
Nibutani Shinka opened her mouth, then closed it again.
She was satisfied, because she understood him better now.
She was dissatisfied, because his type was not her.
But no matter what, the three secrets were done. Now it was Hanadasaki Ame's turn to ask.
"Your turn to ask me for three secrets. Go on—I'm ready."
She sat up straight, hands clutching tightly at her blue-and-white plaid pleated skirt, telling herself that no matter what secret he wanted to know, she would describe it as calmly as possible.
"There aren't any secrets about you right now that I need to know, Shinka. I already know everything about you."
"Eh!?"
His words caught her completely off guard, and she stared at him in shock.
"So what I want to know are your future secrets. I hope that when you one day come to have secrets you don't want to tell anyone else, you'll still be willing to share them with me. All three secrets I want are like that.
"Shinka… if the passing years ever make us grow unfamiliar with each other, then we'll just continue today's game and get to know each other all over again…"
Hanadasaki Ame's voice—soft and sweet like spun sugar—seemed to carry some strange magic with it. Nibutani Shinka felt her heart pounding wildly, her cheeks burning, and her thoughts slipping out of control.
What was he even saying…?
Was this a confession!?
How was she supposed to respond!?
Just say yes!?
"I-I understand! I agree to everything you said! It's my turn to make dinner at home tonight, so I'm leaving now!"
In a fluster, she grabbed her phone and fled in utter disarray.
Hanadasaki Ame's expression gradually calmed, and he slowly reviewed his own performance just now.
Three secrets in exchange for one secret she might keep hidden from him for a long time in the future…
That should be enough, right?
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 172)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 115)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 116)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter105)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter100)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter69)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter119)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 70
From Junkman to Wasteland 60
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 40
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 66
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 50
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 52
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 55
The Way the Umamusume Look at 42
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 40
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 36
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 30
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 26
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