Chapter 377: Would Definitely Like More and More

“Himekoji?”

“Huh? Ah, ah?”

“Where are you looking?”

Nanami’s voice held a little confusion.

The girl’s slightly lowered cheeks were dyed cherry-blossom pink.

Seeing her so shy and hesitant, maybe she actually knew the answer to the question?

“No, uh, nowhere.”

For a moment, as if caught in the act, Himekoji guiltily whipped his gaze away in a flash, tense and stiff.

“Nowhere doesn’t tell me where.”

Nanami stubbornly tilted her face up, pressing the question.

“I-I wasn’t looking! You’re overthinking.”

Himekoji could only stubbornly insist.

“Overthinking what?”

Honestly, how was he supposed to answer that?

“I, you…”

So, Himekoji stumbled awkwardly into embarrassment.

“Hehe.”

Seeing Himekoji like this, Nanami seemed to be in a really good mood.

She narrowed her crescent-shaped smiling eyes. The next moment—

“Want to do it?”

She suddenly puckered her lips.

“Huh? Huh?! Wh-what did you say?”

His heart pounded wildly and uncontrollably. His eyes were drawn like magnets, locking onto them.

Did…

Did she mean it was okay to kiss?

But hadn’t not crossing the line been Nanami’s own rule?

These thoughts rushed in all at once, stuffing Himekoji’s head, causing chaos.

All he could hear besides his frantic heartbeat was his own “gulp” as he swallowed.

“It’s okay.”

Nanami’s next words still shook Himekoji’s stubborn resistance.

“O-… okay?”

Stunned, he even felt a sliver of anticipation he hadn’t realized himself.

“If you choose me, it’s okay as many times as you like.”

“…”

Faced with this un-Nanami-like teasing, Himekoji gaped, dumbstruck.

Of course, Nanami also knew this was out of character. After saying it, her cheeks slowly flushed scarlet, all the way to her ears.

“Jeez, say something, won’t you? I’m the only one trying, feeling like a fool…”

Nanami fanned herself with her hand, cooling her burning face.

Himekoji opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words. Finally, reddening too, he managed only—

“S-sorry…”

But apologizing did nothing. Facing Nanami like this, staying unaffected was impossible.

Playing the little devil like this prankster, Nanami was way too cute. Reason was practically gone with her like this.

His gaze flickered erratically. Despite several quick detours, it always ended fixed back on her lips.

“Himekoji… y-you… you care way too much!”

“Ah, ah, sorry…”

“But I am glad you care.”

“Huh? Oh, oh…”

Suddenly awkward in this scene and mood, he instinctively scratched the back of his head. Words failed him.

The mighty Master Pervert felt like a clumsy fool, totally at a loss.

He thought he was messing up horribly.

All because of Nanami.

Because she stole his calm. Because of her, his heart raced and his nerves jangled.

“Really, really happy though.”

Nanami’s bashful profile held an unmatched destructive power, shattering all else. To Himekoji, nothing existed in his brain but the girl before him.

The surroundings vanished. Where this was, or where he was going, none of it mattered.

Only Nanami filled his vision, refusing to leave her.

“Himekoji, wh-why are you staring at me like that?”

“I… I don’t know…”

He regretted the words the instant they slipped out.

He wanted to smack himself. What was he saying?!

Ahhhh!

But—

Nanami just felt so utterly like a girl!

She gave everything her all, including love.

Trying hard to show her affection before him, every part of her screamed, “I like you.”

She was surely dying to know his answer, yet she hid it completely, never letting it show.

Afraid he’d feel troubled. Afraid he’d feel pressure.

Nanami cared for him with her whole being.

Having a girlfriend like this? Every day would be joyful, right?

Definitely joyful.

“Geez, what’s wrong exactly?”

Blushing, Nanami murmured almost petulantly, brushing aside her bangs and swiftly turning her face away.

She looked the other way, but the sights probably didn’t register. Her attention stayed entirely on Himekoji.

“You… you really don’t have anything you want to say?”

All Himekoji felt was pounding silence to Nanami’s shy look, shy voice, burning red face.

True to her words, he had nothing to say.

Because his mind was blank.

Not just any person triggered this.

Only Nanami. That’s why Himekoji’s heart thundered endlessly. Why he saw nothing else, thought of nothing else.

Why this feeling?

By now, understanding dawned without needing to think.

Long before Nanami confessed, this feeling had taken root in his heart earlier.

Unnoticed, bit by bit, slowly growing.

He’d missed it all along.

Or maybe he hadn’t.

But just unconsciously resisted.

Refused to put that feeling into words.

Because once spoken, the longing would burst forth, unstoppable.

Now, it was far too late.

The feeling could no longer be suppressed—

He had, unwittingly, gone and fallen for Nanami.

This emotion, still swelling unchecked.

Would keep swelling.

This way, he would definitely like her more and more.

Like Nanami more and more.

……