It wasn't serious—at least, Kaoru couldn't detect any bruising or swelling.
If anything, her toes looked adorably pink.
However, due to physiological differences, women generally had a lower pain tolerance than men.
Kaoru carefully lifted her calf, straightening her leg to ease the discomfort.
Though he called it a massage, his goal was simply to stimulate blood flow.
If that didn't help, ice or a trip to the infirmary would be necessary.
Kaoru studied her foot attentively—the plump, neatly aligned toes resembled smooth pearls, while her delicate ankle rested warmly in his palm.
As his kneading grew firmer, she instinctively tensed, curling her toes slightly.
Yet her resistance was futile.
His fingers easily parted her toes, his palms pressing firmly against her soles, sending waves of warmth deep into her skin.
Karuizawa trembled lightly, her lashes fluttering as she bit her lip, her body melting into languid submission.
An unbearable teasing sensation coiled inside her.
She didn't need to be told—she already knew she shouldn't have entrusted her feet to him.
Now, she was trapped between reluctance and surrender.
There was no denying it: Kaoru's massage felt incredible, reminding her of the luxury spa aboard the cruise ship.
However, back then it was just a female masseuse giving the massage, but now it was Kaoru doing it, and Karuizawa began to feel shy.
Perhaps it was the heightened sensations from the massage, or perhaps it was instinctive bashfulness, but a faint blush gradually spread across her delicate face.
Her chest rose and fell with each breath, her slightly flushed lips pressed tightly together, her throat moved slightly, and a slightly hurried pant escaped her nose, sounding like a kitten's purr.
"How does it feel now?" Kaoru asked, slightly bent over, forcing him to look up at Karuizawa.
Though he wasn't deliberately looking at the girl's thighs or the curve of her hips, certain things still entered his line of sight.
Because she had to lift her calves, her legs weren't closed, revealing the soft skin of her inner thighs.
Moreover, Kaoru had already caught a glimpse of the most shy and delicate flower between her legs—it was far too noticeable.
"I-It's almost enough… I didn't expect you to have this kind of skill. Where did you learn it?" Karuizawa blushed, placing her hands on her legs in an attempt to block his view.
Though she didn't mind Kaoru sneaking glances, this kind of thing was ultimately too embarrassing, making her feel like some kind of indecent woman.
"I learned it from online tutorials," Kaoru replied while continuing to gently stroke the soles of her feet.
"It should be fine now, but you should rest for a bit. Just sit here for a while."
"Ah…" A cute sound escaped Karuizawa's lips, her eyes glistening with unshed tears—not from pain, but simply because it was too stimulating, too pleasurable.
"Mitoma-kun, Karuizawa-san, what are you two doing?"
Just then, a cheerful voice rang out as Kushida suddenly appeared before them with a bright smile.
Faced with the ultra-popular little angel on one side and the Brahmin beauty of Class D on the other, Kaoru's knew his limits and didn't push his luck, gently setting down the "ice cream" in his hands.
He could already feel a number of strange gazes directed their way.
"Practicing too much can lead to excessive strain, which might cause soreness the next day, so I was just giving Karuizawa-san a massage."
Hearing Kaoru's explanation, Karuizawa froze for a moment before quickly catching on—her own excuse was too flimsy to dispel the odd looks from others.
"Eh? Mitoma-kun knows how to massage?" Kushida's voice rose slightly, ensuring some people could hear, before she flashed a delighted smile.
"Hey, hey, hey, could you give me a massage too?"
How could he refuse?
No, there was simply no reason to refuse her.
Because Kushida had come to cover for him—otherwise, suspicions would inevitably arise, and those suspicions would bring a lot of trouble.
Faced with Kushida's seemingly radiant smile—which was actually a forced expression—he nodded in agreement.
"Sure, as long as you don't mind my technique."
"It's rare to get to enjoy something like this—why would I mind Mitoma-kun?"
"If you keep praising me, I might have to charge you later."
Their exchange seemed to dispel some people's suspicions, making it seem like it was just an ordinary massage with nothing unusual about it.
However, Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune couldn't help but turn their heads away—they knew another foolish idiot had fallen into the trap.
Karuizawa shrank back slightly, her heart filled with unease.
She was afraid of what Kushida might say to her, but the thought that she shouldn't back down made her straighten her posture again, her eyes fixed on Kushida sitting on the other side.
"Even though I know the sports festival is important, practicing every day really builds up fatigue. On the first day, my calves were already sore by that evening."
Kushida, as if oblivious to Karuizawa's gaze, casually slipped off her sneakers.
Then, tilting her body slightly, she rested the tips of her feet lightly on top of the shoes.
The straight arches of her feet made her calves appear even more slender.
Smiling, she turned to Kaoru.
"You won't complain about the smell, will you?"
It was an incredibly mischievous tease.
She knew Kaoru had licked Horikita Suzune's feet before and bringing it up so casually now was clearly meant to mock him.
However, Kushida had also made a mistake.
Regardless of Karuizawa, she—like Sakayanagi Arisu—had underestimated Kaoru.
There are things one always scoffs at before experiencing them, even mocking others for making a fuss—until it's their turn to face reality, which then delivers a harsh blow.
Kaoru gazed at her feet, the delicate toes wrapped in sheer stockings, fair skin tinged with pink, especially at the ankles where the natural hue of a maiden's flesh peeked through, soft and tender—like a premium little popsicle.
"Do you know what's most important in our line of work?" Kaoru suddenly asked.
"What?" Kushida Kikyo was puzzled.
"Washing your hands," Kaoru said.
Kushida froze for a moment before realizing he was teasing her!
Before she could counter, her calf was already seized by Kaoru and in an instant, her ankle fell into the enemy's grasp.
"I haven't even taken off my stock—ahhn!?"
Within the first second, Kushida sensed something was wrong.
She had never imagined that a massage from a man would feel so different from one given by a female therapist.
The man's touch was scorching, his gentle movements carrying a hint of roughness.
Her face flushed instantly, her teeth biting down hard on her lower lip as a faint mist welled up in her eyes.
For some reason, Karuizawa's heart also trembled.
The lingering sensation from earlier crept back through her body, leaving her slightly weak.
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