Spurred by the anxious urging in her heart, the girl with long black hair instinctively tried to sit up and leave, but the soreness spreading through her body made her hiss and suck in a cold breath.
"Ugh, this hurts so much,"
Lin Ye had worn her out the night before, leaving her aching all over, especially her stomach — she'd laughed so much last night that her belly had started cramping, and now it was even more sore.
Her feet hadn't even touched the floor yet, and already she was aching all over.
But she couldn't afford to worry about her discomfort anymore. She hurried toward the bedroom door and yanked it open with a sharp click.
Finally,
the instant the door opened,
Mai Sakurajima caught the smell of food.
It was... the smell of fried eggs and pancakes.
The famous girl with long black hair gazed at the silhouette bustling in the kitchen, and a sweet, warm feeling spread through her chest.
This was the feeling of having a boyfriend, the feeling of having family, the warmth of home.
Mai Sakurajima let a faint smile cross her face. Wasn't this exactly the feeling she'd always been chasing?
Living alone, even with a mother and a sister out there, they were separated by distance. Living here by herself, deep down she was still lonely, still isolated.
The busy work of each day could dull that feeling for a while, but in her moments of rest, it was hard to fill that lonely space in her heart.
But after meeting Lin Ye, after getting to know him, after crossing paths with him, she finally understood what a wonderful thing it was to have someone occupying her heart.
At the very least, in her free time now, she had someone to think of, someone to long for.
There was irritation, there was emotional exhaustion, but there was also joy and anticipation.
Lin Ye's presence had filled her life with a color and a fullness that had been missing.
"Why'd you come straight out here?"
Lin Ye had just arrived at the restaurant carrying a tray of food, and he looked at the girl in her disheveled sleepwear.
"Uh, it's nothing,"
Mai Sakurajima slipped back into her usual composed manner, though a flush rose to her cheeks.
Was this really appropriate, showing up like this?
She glanced down at herself — her rumpled sleepwear left large stretches of skin exposed to the air, pale and smooth, giving off a faint, enticing air.
Any man who saw this would surely feel his heart race.
Let alone the fact that she was Mai Sakurajima.
Her name alone was enough to stir the hearts of countless men across Japan.
The famous girl with long black hair straightened her clothes, trying to look more composed.
But her expression already betrayed the turmoil in her heart.
"Dressing like that to tempt me first thing in the morning — that's not very appropriate, is it, Miss Sakurajima."
"Ngh..."
Mai Sakurajima let out a small whimper.
"That's not it, I wasn't trying to,"
She shook her head firmly in denial.
She truly hadn't meant anything by it, and she knew that Lin Ye knew she hadn't meant anything by it either — but under his deliberate teasing, her body and mind still reacted.
Lin Ye took two steps forward and set the tray down on the table with a crisp clack.
"Mai, you're making me wonder whether I should be having breakfast right now, or... having you instead."
At that moment, Lin Ye's gaze settled on Mai Sakurajima, and her face immediately flushed red.
Having her? What did that even mean!
What was there to have about her!
He hadn't even thought about it last night, hadn't touched her at all — and now, first thing in the morning, he was suddenly willing?
That was absolutely impossible. Completely impossible.
Mai Sakurajima's mind flooded with objections and denials — she was certain Lin Ye wouldn't actually do it.
"Don't say it if you can't back it up."
Yes, don't say it if you can't back it up.
She figured Lin Ye was all talk, that he wouldn't dare actually do anything.
"True enough, Mai right now doesn't interest me in the slightest,"
Mai Sakurajima: "..."
She couldn't shake the feeling of being looked down on, the feeling that she truly had no appeal.
In the end, she decided it was Lin Ye's fault — that he was using this excuse deliberately because he didn't dare do anything, using it to put her down, to tease her, to drag her into self-doubt.
As for anything else, there was nothing else to it.
"Even if Mai put on a bunny girl outfit right now, I still wouldn't have any interest. None whatsoever."
The way he kept insisting on it, over and over, made Mai Sakurajima realize exactly what was on his mind.
This guy,
he wanted to see her in a bunny girl outfit.
That was too much.
Way too much.
Mai Sakurajima was annoyed, thoroughly annoyed.
She didn't want to wear it, but deep down some small voice was stirring, quietly spreading, making her realize that maybe, just maybe, she actually did want to.
If she wore the bunny girl outfit tonight,
surely Lin Ye wouldn't head back to Chiba tonight, would he!
That was the thought that crossed Mai Sakurajima's mind.
For her, wanting Lin Ye to spend more time here in Tokyo with her was exactly what she wanted — she wanted more time with him, time she'd been missing for so long. She wanted more.
"Someone here is quite the lecher,"
Mai Sakurajima sighed lightly and said.
And it was a peculiar kind of lechery, too.
That very last step, they hadn't taken — but everything else, one thing after another, kept happening.
How could she not be annoyed, not be stifled with frustration!
"A man who isn't a little lecherous isn't really a man. And if I weren't lecherous, what would I even need a girlfriend for?"
Mai Sakurajima was caught off guard by the question.
It was true — if men weren't lecherous at all, if they had no interest in women whatsoever, then what would Lin Ye need a girlfriend like her for?
There'd be no need at all.
If sex didn't exist, men would probably rather just hang out with other men — no need for women at all!
Mai Sakurajima couldn't help but think that.
As far as Mai Sakurajima was concerned,
she'd rather have Lin Ye be a little lecherous.
"Even a man who isn't lecherous still needs a girlfriend — still needs someone to talk to, someone to keep him company."
But Mai Sakurajima didn't want to admit it, didn't want to admit that his logic was right.
"Isn't it better to talk to another guy?"
"It's not the same."
"How's it not the same?"
"It's just not the same, in every way."
Neither of them was willing to back down.
"Hahaha,"
Lin Ye finally laughed and pushed the girl back toward the bedroom.
Mai Sakurajima instinctively worried, wondering if Lin Ye actually planned on devouring this delectable feast in front of him.
"Alright, go get changed, breakfast will be ready soon,"
With that,
Lin Ye pushed the girl into the room and turned back to the kitchen himself, to finish preparing the last of the food.
Mai Sakurajima shot him a sidelong glance, then finally pulled off her sleepwear and changed into her clothes.
She didn't even bother closing the door.
She knew Lin Ye wouldn't peek — after all, was there anywhere on her body he hadn't already seen?
There was nowhere left that he hadn't seen.
And even if there had been somewhere he hadn't seen, he still wouldn't peek. That guy simply had no such intention.
She'd even been ready to give herself to him entirely, and yet he hadn't reacted, hadn't shown the slightest interest in that department — so really, what was the point of hiding anything now.
That was what Mai Sakurajima thought.
A few minutes later,
Mai Sakurajima, dressed and freshly washed up, came to the table.
Lin Ye had already prepared a generous breakfast spread.
"This is... a lot,"
"Not that much."
Lin Ye looked the girl up and down. "Mai, you should eat more. You've gotten a bit thin lately."
"No way, I'm at the perfect weight right now,"
Mai Sakurajima said.
She was quite satisfied with how she looked now.
"No, eat more. A little more weight would look even better on you."
Still,
Mai Sakurajima held firm to her own opinion.
She actually knew perfectly well that Lin Ye was just trying to trick her into eating more, that there was no other reason behind it.
"Lin-kun trying to trick me into eating more — that's not happening. Absolutely not happening. There's no way I'm agreeing to that,"
Mai Sakurajima said firmly, leaving no room for argument.
Lin Ye shrugged, then moved part of the noodles from the girl's plate over to his own side, and in exchange, put the fried egg from his bowl onto hers.
Mai Sakurajima accepted this without further protest.
Lin Ye had already shown he respected her wishes, so naturally she could do nothing but respect that in return.
The two of them started eating.
Breakfast went quickly.
Mai Sakurajima finished her warm milk.
It was a warm, cozy breakfast, the kind she hadn't had in a long while.
Mai Sakurajima felt nostalgic, thinking that this was exactly the kind of warm, homely life she'd been longing for, yearning for.
If days like this could just go on forever, that really would be wonderful.
After Lin Ye finished eating, Mai Sakurajima got up to clear the dishes.
Today was her day off.
She'd originally had plans, but knowing Lin Ye was coming, she'd cleared her whole weekend well in advance.
"What do you want to do today?"
"The amusement park,"
Mai Sakurajima said.
She wanted to go to the amusement park today, wanted to go with the boy she liked, with her boyfriend.
This was something Mai Sakurajima had long hoped for, and now that hope could finally become reality.
She was looking forward to holding Lin Ye's hand and enjoying that happy time together at the amusement park.
"Sure,"
Lin Ye agreed without a moment's hesitation.
The amusement park —
going to the amusement park with a huge celebrity. No telling how many men out there would envy him.
Lin Ye began getting ready to head out.
But just as he stepped out the door, he received two messages.
One was from Ai Hoshino, asking what his schedule looked like today.
Lin Ye replied, telling her he was going to the amusement park with Mai Sakurajima today.
The other was from Yukino Yukinoshita.
Making breakfast for Mai Sakurajima with your own hands — how nice for her.
Even through the screen, Lin Ye could feel the thick discontent radiating from Yukino Yukinoshita.
Yukino wasn't happy, all because he'd made Mai such an elaborate breakfast.
— Next time I'll make you breakfast too. Twice.
Once for Mai, twice for Yukino.
That should be enough to make the girl happy.
So Lin Ye thought.
But the reply he received let him know he'd underestimated her.
The girl wasn't satisfied. Two times wasn't enough for her — she wanted twenty.
She'd simply added a zero to whatever number he'd offered.
In the end Lin Ye gave her a firm, precise answer — he agreed.
That finally satisfied the girl.
"That's more like it,"
On her end, Yukino Yukinoshita looked at his reply and nodded, satisfied.
But not long after, another message arrived, this time from Mai Sakurajima, and Yukino Yukinoshita's expression instantly changed again.
Lin Ye had gone to the amusement park with Mai Sakurajima.
She and Lin Ye had never been to the amusement park together.
How could she be happy about that?
She couldn't be happy about it at all.
Next time, next time, she'd make Lin Ye take her to the amusement park too.
Whatever number of times Mai Sakurajima had gone with Lin Ye, she'd go more.
Yukino Yukinoshita had, at this point, become quite the competitive one.
When it came to matters of love, being swept into the whirlpool of romance, she knew she'd changed — become someone entirely different from who she used to be.
Part of her wanted to go back to being her old self, but in the end, after some thought, she decided to follow her own heart, to stick with her own feelings, and stop overthinking and agonizing over it.
"Next weekend,"
Yukino Yukinoshita would be waiting for next weekend.
Meanwhile, elsewhere,
Ai Hoshino, having received Lin Ye's message, looked at its contents, and an idea came to her.
She nudged Sayaka Maizono beside her. "Sayaka, Sayaka, let's go to the amusement park today!"
Yes,
Ai Hoshino wanted to go to the amusement park.
She hoped to bump into Lin Ye there by chance.
Sayaka Maizono, still fast asleep and groggy, murmured, "The amusement park?"
Her mind hadn't quite caught up yet.
"Yeah, the amusement park. Let's go today! I haven't been to the amusement park in so, so long."
She really wanted to go.
"Sure, we can, but why... so suddenly?"
If she'd genuinely wanted to go, they'd usually plan it out ahead of time.
Not just spring it on her like this, with zero warning.
"Lin-kun went to the amusement park with Mai Sakurajima, so of course we have to go too!"
After Ai Hoshino said it, there was a slight trace of embarrassment in her tone.
But in the end, nothing shook her resolve.
She was going to the amusement park today, no matter what — even if Sayaka Maizono didn't come, she'd go alone.
"This..."
"If Sayaka's not going, then I'll go by myself."
She made her stance clear.
"Fine, I'll go."
Sayaka Maizono pushed herself up and spoke.
With things at that point, what else could she possibly object to?
Sayaka Maizono decided she'd spend today keeping Senpai Ai Hoshino company at the amusement park. As for whether they'd actually bump into Lin Ye and Mai Sakurajima by chance, that would come down to luck.
The amusement park was so huge — without arranging it beforehand, running into them was unlikely.
Sayaka Maizono figured the odds of her senpai actually running into Lin Ye and Mai Sakurajima by chance were slim to none.
But since her senpai wanted to go, she had no choice but to tag along.
She couldn't just let her senpai go alone, after all.
That was something Sayaka Maizono really couldn't bring herself to do.
"Aww, thank you so much, Sayaka, you really are my best friend,"
Ai Hoshino threw her arms around Sayaka Maizono and rubbed her head firmly against the girl's chest, expressing her excitement.
This left Sayaka Maizono rather uncomfortable.
Yes, the friction against her body sent a wave of discomfort through her.
The same kind of touch felt completely different depending on who was doing it.
Senpai, please stop.
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