After Kaoru left, Horikita began clearing the dishes, the sound of running water filling the sink as she washed the plates.
Suddenly, she caught sight of the ring on her finger and hesitated over whether to take it off.
Originally, she hadn't wanted it—after all, she and Kaoru weren't engaged.
But she hadn't expected it to be so beautiful, and before she knew it, she had accepted it.
Washing dishes might dirty the ring.
"I didn't expect you to treasure his gift so much. I thought you'd throw it in the trash," came a teasing voice from behind her.
Kushida stood there with a mocking smile.
Both of them were now dressed—Horikita in her own clothes, while Kushida wore Kaoru's shirt and pants.
They hadn't showered together.
Even though they had slept in the same bed, there was still some distance between them.
Horikita would bathe after Kushida finished.
Right now, Horikita was in a foul mood.
She had already figured out that Kushida had conspired with Kaoru to trick her—especially since she had foolishly believed their lies.
Looking back, it was obvious that Kushida had been involved with Kaoru long before.
Horikita Suzune recalled the contract—if it hadn't been for Kushida enthusiastically recommending it to her, she wouldn't have fallen into Kaoru's trap.
"Wasn't it you who claimed you didn't want anything to do with him?" Horikita replied coolly. "You talked big, yet here you are, happily wearing his ring."
"It's an equal exchange. I let him do bad things to me, so it's only fair he gives me a pretty ring," Kushida said, having long since justified it to herself.
"Still, I have to admire his taste. I wonder if he gave one to everyone?"
She examined the ring on her finger, which sparkled brilliantly under the light, resembling a delicate snowflake made of crystal.
The more she looked at it, the more she adored it.
More importantly, she noticed that her ring wasn't the same design as Horikita's—meaning Kaoru had put effort into studying their preferences.
But there was one question.
What did Kaoru's ring look like?
If everyone's ring was different, what kind of ring would he wear?
Kushida was somewhat curious, but since there were no answers now, she could only lie back on Kaoru's bed.
He had already changed the sheets, erasing any traces from last night.
Recalling the events of the previous night, a belated shyness finally colored Kushida's face.
Though it had been an impulsive decision at the time, she was the one who had pushed him down.
Not only that, but she had also fiercely ridden on top of Kaoru, making her first time unbearably painful.
That alone would have been fine, but his words had nearly made her lose face in front of Horikita Suzune for a lifetime.
Fortunately, she had held back.
Kushida gently touched her lower abdomen.
Her undergarments were currently in the washing machine, and if she slightly lifted the hem of her shirt, she could see her soft, fair stomach—inside which seemed to linger the memory of scorching heat.
Before long, Horikita Suzune emerged from the kitchen and happened to see Kushida lying on the bed.
The curves of the girl's figure were wrapped beneath a slightly loose shirt, yet her perky, full chest was particularly eye-catching, as if threatening to burst free from the buttons.
Her fair, slender legs stretched out from beneath the hem, her delicate little feet swaying lightly.
Nearby lay last night's stockings, now torn in several places.
"Hey, why did you say those things last night?"
At Kushida's sudden question, Horikita paused slightly, her expression unchanging.
"Even if I told him to be rougher with you, you didn't have to say those things, did you? In the end, it felt like we were just playing some little game." Kushida's tone carried no emotional fluctuation.
"Does it make you feel better to think that way? That you were just forced into it, that you didn't lose yourself in it?"
"You can just consider it a little game between him and me." Horikita Suzune clearly had no intention of delving deeper into the topic.
"Besides, he enjoyed it too. That's enough."
"Hmm, I never thought someone who usually acts so frigid would play that kind of game. You know quite a lot." Kushida clicked her tongue.
"Pinning the usually untouchable you beneath him, watching you struggle helplessly, seeing that stubborn, unwilling expression on your face—it's like defiling something sacred. There's a certain pleasure in that."
Horikita remained unmoved, replying coolly, "And yet, the girl who usually wears such an innocent smile was the one who forcefully pushed a man down. That cute face of yours can also show such lewd expressions. That, too, has its own delightful charm."
The atmosphere between them grew tense, the two locking eyes as if they had returned to their old dynamic.
Then, in the next moment, Kushida suddenly smiled.
"Stop lying to yourself, Horikita. If you didn't like it, why would you have been willing?"
With that, Kushida sat up, her face full of smiles, her eyes gleaming with an all-seeing light.
"You only like him because you're afraid he doesn't like you enough, which is why you made sure to leave a strong first impression, right?" She snorted. "Acting like you were being forced, all reluctant at first, then clinging to him like an octopus in the end."
The tables had turned, and now it was Kushida dissecting Horikita's little schemes—something that inexplicably irritated the latter.
However, Horikita suppressed her emotions and replied coolly.
"I don't think you're any better. Even now, you're still stubbornly telling him, 'I'm not yours,' aren't you? Do you think that makes him feel like you're not fully conquered yet, so he'll pay more attention to you?"
Kushida averted her gaze.
Well, now it was just the two of them tearing into each other, both fully aware of the other's little games.
"I'm leaving."
Kaoru wasn't here, and Horikita didn't feel like staying any longer—especially not in the same room as Kushida.
The fact that she hadn't settled scores with her yet was already being generous.
"Wait, I still have something to say to you." Kushida stopped her.
"If you're planning to interfere with his date, I won't join you. That's just boring."
Horikita didn't see the fun in it.
Besides, Ichinose Honami hadn't even gotten anywhere yet, so there was no need to worry about her.
"That's not what I meant." Kushida paused for a moment. "I know this might sound a bit forced, but… want to team up?"
Team up? That word coming from her mouth left Horikita momentarily stunned.
"Don't look at me like that, like I'm some kind of freak." Kushida pursed her lips. "Did you hear the nonsense he was spouting last night? The number of women around him is more than we can count on both hands. If we keep fighting among ourselves, like with today's date, all we can do is sit here and watch helplessly."
"Didn't you say you wouldn't compete for his favor?" Horikita smirked faintly.
"I'm not competing. This is about our rights. He might brush off an invitation from one person, but he won't ignore one from two." Kushida said. "We can let her have this date, but next time, it's our turn—nothing strange about that."
"I don't think going on a date with you would be any fun." Horikita stated bluntly.
"Heh, same here. But who cares, as long as he likes it? Men are like that—especially a perverted foot fetishist like him."
As she spoke, Kushida couldn't help but laugh.
It was clear she was in a good mood.
If doing something bad felt good, then doing something bad with someone you liked felt even better.
And if it made that person happy? Well, that was probably the best feeling in the world.
"You're hopeless." Horikita sighed.
Kushida glared at her coldly. "Do you really think our infighting doesn't make him uncomfortable? Relying solely on him won't satisfy everyone. If he weren't around, it'd be a miracle if we didn't start throwing punches."
Horikita blinked, her expression turning odd.
"Heh, you were just thinking how annoying and in-the-way I am, weren't you? That's why you wanted to leave."
Naturally, Kushida saw right through her—because they were both in the same boat.
"Do you want to improve your relationship?" Horikita slightly frowned.
Given Kushida's usual behavior, it wasn't surprising she would think of such things.
Still, it felt somewhat strange—Kushida was actually trying to manage his harem.
"At the very least, we shouldn't cause him trouble," Kushida mused.
"Don't forget, there are people from our class involved with him too. We can't just awkwardly avoid them forever."
That didn't sound too bad.
Horikita fell into thought.
"Besides, we're classmates. Compared to others, we have a natural foundation for cooperation."
Kushida smiled faintly.
Her idea was simple—if everyone moved in sync, they could make Kaoru yield.
They couldn't let Kaoru run wild anymore.
At the very least, they couldn't allow any new members to join.
Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo exchanged glances, both silently agreeing on the same unspoken thought.
Though, such a fragile alliance might not last very long.
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