Chapter 144: Merry Christmas
Chapter 144: Merry Christmas
“W-wait!”
Himekoji twisted his body, flipping their positions to press Kasumigaoka against the wall instead.
“Whew—”
This position was definitely much more comfortable.
He lowered his gaze, eyes lingering for a moment on the slight abnormality between her legs. Only then did he trail upward, finally settling on Kasumigaoka Utaha’s flushed and elegant face.
“Can’t let Eriri find out? But what exactly can’t be discovered? Could it be…”
Considering how twisted and perverted the System tended to be, his heart already had a pretty solid guess.
However, since the System had affected someone else this time, it all felt too bizarre and unreal—like it might actually be a dream.
“Mhm… hah…”
But the answer he got was unmistakable.
Her words, as usual, mingled with vivid, suggestive moans.♪
At the same time, her hands instinctively crept upward over Himekoji’s chest, tangling tightly around his neck.
Her head jerked violently backward, smacking against the cold wall.
“Hey, a-are you okay?”
Himekoji worried about Kasumigaoka… and also, well, maybe a bit about himself too.
“N… not oka—ah!”
The moment she spoke, Kasumigaoka’s entire body seemed to collapse, hanging limp and powerless against Himekoji.
She did not look okay at all.
One thing he knew for sure, however, was—
At least he was okay now.
“Will you really be able to bear this?”
Himekoji couldn’t help feeling concerned.
Right now, at least, the situation didn’t look hopeful at all.
Before the movie even started, Kasumigaoka Utaha was already in such a bad way! How could she possibly handle two more hours?
“Ah~ For my part, I don’t mind…” she murmured, slowly composing herself again after the spasm. Her lazy, unconcerned tone returned. “…Just give up altogether.”
“N-no! Please hang in there!”
Panicked, Himekoji quickly begged her.
If Kasumigaoka gave up now, wouldn’t he be finished instantly?”
“Must we persist?”
Blinking, the girl stood on tiptoe, leaning her still-weakened body close to whisper into Himekoji’s ear.
“Even if we keep going, we’ll get caught eventually. It’s embarrassing, so no way.”
Good grief, this girl…
“Fine. What’s your condition?”
Himekoji played along. Well, it was more like he knew Kasumigaoka’s personality too well.
…
“You two, why did it take you so long to come back?!”
Eriri, who had been anxiously looking around, suddenly spotted the two returning at a snail’s pace. She sprang from her chair like a firecracker, planting her hands firmly on her hips in a huff.
Actually, it hadn’t been long at all. The dishes weren’t even all served yet.
“We discussed something about the new work. Yeah, work stuff. Just work stuff,” Himekoji mumbled softly as he sat down, brushing Eriri off casually.
“New work? Work? Eh? What work? What kind of work?”
Hearing this, Yuigahama leaned forward curiously to ask.
“Work is work. Don’t worry your little head about it.”
Himekoji was already frazzled by Kasumigaoka’s demands and had no time for Yuigahama Yui’s prying questions.
“L-little head? Who’s little? We’re the same age!”
Being dismissed like that by someone her own age? Unthinkable! Weren’t they both high schoolers?!
Instinctively puffing out her admittedly large, though currently useless, chest in a wave-like swell, Yuigahama argued back defiantly.
Hmm… Well, looking at that, they certainly aren’t little. And if we’re talking about ‘the same size,’ that definitely gives way too much credit to Yukinoshita and Eriri. You’re way bigger than them. Seriously. Even Kasumigaoka has to yield to you just a bit in that regard.
Himekoji silently retracted his earlier careless words. Yuigahama wasn’t a little kid. Not little at all.
…
“We were merely discussing work matters. Though, is a certain drowned golden-haired mutt unexpectedly very interested?”
Keeping her thighs clamped tightly together, supporting herself subtly with immense effort, Kasumigaoka Utaha still found the breath to needle Eriri.
“I-interested? Who’s interested? I’m not interested! Do… do I even look interested?”
Eriri’s fur bristled again. Provoked by Kasumigaoka, her true nature showed instantly.
What a terrible pair of rivals they were.
“Well… no, not really.”
To calm her down, Himekoji lied through his teeth.
He managed to elbow Kasumigaoka, who sat beside him, a quick nudge to try and get this troublesome girl to behave.
Just getting through the next two hours quietly and peacefully would be the best outcome for everyone, right?
After all, hidden under the skirt, inside the underwear, was a startlingly bold and crazy secret!
Even Kasumigaoka wouldn’t want Eriri catching her in the act and then mocking her about it for the rest of her life, would she?
Such a dangerously powerful secret landing in a rival’s hands would absolutely, without a doubt, drive a person insane!
…
“Eh, work! You mentioned work again! Yukino-chan, aren’t you curious?”
Feeling left out of the conversation, Yuigahama tugged on Yukinoshita’s sleeve, whispering to her.
“Oh? Didn’t you know? Kasumigaoka Utaha-senpai is the famous rising light novel author, Kasumi Utako. When she mentions work, it’s naturally about light novels.”
Yukinoshita didn’t look up, calmly flipping through the pages of her Bunko edition to pass the time.
The restaurant was busy, packed with a steady stream of customers. As a result, the kitchen was overwhelmed, making the service annoyingly slow.
“You know about that?”
Hearing Yukinoshita’s words, Kasumigaoka turned her head sharply, casting a curious, appraising glance at her.
“Only a few people at school are aware, right?”
“Oh. Is that so.”
Yukinoshita’s reply was flat as usual, seeming even more detached next to the overly excited Yuigahama.
“K-Kasumi Utako? The one who wrote Love Metronome? R-really? The author is our own school’s senpai? I totally can’t believe it!”
Yuigahama gasped audibly, brimming with excitement. She scooted her chair eagerly closer to Kasumigaoka.
“Love Metronome is totally amazing! Oh! C-could I get your autograph? I bought every volume! I’m a fan!”
“Certainly.”
Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, Kasumigaoka smiled faintly. Taking the pen and paper Yuigahama offered, she bent low and scribbled out a beautifully stylized signature in swift, looping strokes.
“By the way, speaking of autographs, the signature of this esteemed senior author sitting beside me right here is far rarer and more valuable than mine. She debuted almost a year ago with a massively popular, best-selling light novel series, yet she’s never held a single Book Signing Event. She even refuses all interviews and promotions. Ultra-mysterious.”
Kasumigaoka smoothly, perhaps intentionally, dragged Himekoji right into the spotlight.
“Eh? You mean… Akito?”
Yuigahama blinked, stunned.