They didn't end up getting a room—Kushida had just been teasing him.
Walking into a capsule hotel in broad daylight, looking all fresh and dewy? Absolutely not!
Since they were already out, Kaoru decided to ignore the stares around them and took Kushida to Keyaki Mall for some shopping.
Not to the food stalls, but to the arcade.
The two put on VR headsets and experienced the world of Jurassic dinosaurs, then tried their hand at racing—only to flip their car and drive backward, failing to even complete the first lap.
Perhaps because it consolidated most entertainment facilities, the arcade also had shooting ranges, archery, table tennis, billiards, and even an escape room.
Aside from these, Kaoru took her to try archery. With a five-meter target, she managed to hit the ceiling, the floor, and the walls—everything except the actual target.
Kushida didn't seem interested in arcade games.
After watching others play for a while, she grew bored and dragged Kaoru to the escape room instead.
By the end, even Kaoru felt slightly exhausted, but the girl was still full of energy, making him grateful for his choice.
"Haha, I've been to arcades before with Mi-chan and the others, but today feels different. It's kind of fun."
Kushida laughed for a bit before putting on a stern face, as if complaining.
"You usually seem so smart, but you couldn't even solve a few clues without me. Stupid perverted foot-lover."
"Yeah, yeah. Without the great Kushida-sama, I'd still be trapped in there, never to escape."
Kaoru couldn't be bothered to argue with her, a "second playthrough" player, and instead pointed at the nearby game consoles and claw machines.
"Want to give those a try?"
"I'm not a kid. Those things don't work on me."
Kushida reluctantly tore her gaze away from the claw machine. What would she even do with a plushie?
"You're making it hard for me to figure out what to give you."
Kaoru decided to be straightforward. "How about you close your eyes? I'll perform a magic trick for you."
Kushida's cheeks flushed slightly as she glared at him. "Who'd listen to you? You're just a perverted foot-fetishist with nothing but dirty thoughts."
Kaoru's face darkened.
He had been planning to pull out a reward—what was this girl imagining now?
"By the way, is your birthday in July?"
Kushida raised an eyebrow slightly, a strange glint flashing in her eyes that made Kaoru feel uneasy.
"Yeah, July." Kaoru replied.
At that, Kushida's expression shifted from suppressed excitement to visible exhilaration, her voice trembling slightly.
"So that means... you're a few months younger than me, right?" Kaoru fell silent.
When he was in high school, Kushida might still have been in her mother's womb.
Even now, he couldn't possibly say that out loud—it was too terrifying.
Kushida took his silence as agreement, a smug smile appearing on her face as she deliberately cleared her throat.
"Ahem, well, you are younger than me after all. It's normal not to understand girls very well. I won't hold the gift against you."
Kaoru understood her implication, his face darkening. "You want to be my older sister?"
The moment he said that, Kushida burst into laughter, shaking with mirth as she repeatedly patted his shoulder, nearly out of breath.
"Ahahaha! I—how was I supposed to know you're a few months younger than me? You always bullied me, but it turns out you're the younger one! You should be calling me 'big sis'!"
"This is the first time I've heard of an older sister being her little brother's slave."
Kaoru shot her a sidelong glance.
At that, Kushida's laughter abruptly stopped, her pretty face flushing red.
"N-none of your business! Can't you just call me 'big sis'?"
"I can. But you'll have to keep calling me 'master.' We'll each have our own titles."
"W-wait, who plays like that?!"
"Want to hear it, Kikyo?"
As his words hung in the air, Kushida stared fixedly at Kaoru, her throat bobbing as if she were enduring some immense trial.
"T-today's my birthday! I have special immunity!"
"So, does that mean when it's my birthday, Kikyo will obey my every whim?"
"Ugh…"
Kushida was tempted to agree outright—after all, his birthday wasn't today, and at worst, he'd just tease her a little.
But something about it still irked her!
She had wanted him to call her 'big sis' so she could bully him—how had it turned into her being the one getting bullied?
Seeing Kushida frozen in place, her face still flushed, Kaoru chuckled.
His gaze drifted over her skirt, which barely concealed her thighs, the black knee-high stockings hugging her slender calves, exuding the youthful energy unique to a girl her age. Especially the way her chest rose proudly, the dissatisfaction in her eyes, and the slight pout on her lips—it all conjured up certain images in his mind.
"Big sis."
Suppressing the odd feeling in his chest, Kaoru called out to the girl.
Kushida froze in place, her earlier displeasure slowly fading, replaced by excitement. Her cheeks flushed even deeper, her eyes sparkling.
"Say it again. I didn't hear you."
"Big sis, wipe that grin off your face."
"Ehehe, who could resist?! I think I'm feeling something extra—say it again~"
"That's enough."
No matter how much Kushida wheedled, Kaoru remained unmoved. He couldn't indulge his little puppy too much.
"Ugh, I should've recorded it!"
Kushida was annoyed, but remembering the sound of his voice made her inexplicably happy.
She couldn't quite describe the feeling—she just was.
Hearing him suppress his emotions and call her 'big sis' gave her an addictive thrill.
No wonder he liked making her call him 'master'—it really did feel good.
The two soon left the arcade. While eating at a restaurant, Kushida occasionally brushed her leg lightly against his.
"If you have something to say, just say it."
Kaoru couldn't take it anymore.
Unfazed by his tone, Kushida asked, "Do we look like a couple right now?"The girl sat beside him, their shoulders nearly touching—a subtle distance that suggested either close friendship or romance.
Moreover, the two made no effort to hide their closeness today.
As Kaoru spent time with her, he didn't avoid anyone's gaze, making it clear just how heated the rumors about them had become.
[First-Year's Cheating King],
[Two-Timing Scoundrel],
[Fake Angel],
[Kill Him],
[A New Girlfriend Every Semester]—and so on.
Rumors like these, Kaoru felt, were something he'd never be able to shake off.
So, he decided not to bother addressing them.
Meeting Kushida's gaze, Kaoru calmly rested his palm on her thigh and said, "This makes us look even more like a couple."
Kushida froze for a moment, only snapping back to reality after he gave her thigh a couple of light strokes.
Though her eyes flickered with shyness, she didn't push his mischievous hand away, feigning composure as she remarked, "No wonder you asked me out alone today. So you've decided to drop the act."
"I never said I was acting. If you don't mind, I'm the one benefiting here."
Kaoru's fingers traced the soft, plush curve of her thigh, the sensation warm and yielding beneath his touch.
Kushida, already reacting to his teasing, quickly pressed her hand over his to stop him from venturing further under her skirt.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she whispered, "It's not just me, you know. If you want someone else, you'd better hurry."
Kaoru raised a brow.
What did she mean by that?
"Honestly, I wasn't planning on getting this close to you either. Having people think I have a boyfriend is a hassle. But… I realized this might not be so bad."
Her voice carried a complicated weight as she added, "About Yamauchi—I've already looked into him."
"Anything unusual?"
Kaoru withdrew his hand, his thoughts shifting to Nagumo Miyabi and Asahina Nazuna.
"Promise you won't get mad."
Kushida lowered her voice. "He likes Airi. Lately, he's been trying to get close to her—says he wants to confess."
Kaoru blinked, momentarily stunned.
He recalled the way Yamauchi had looked at Airi Sakura during the sports festival. He'd shut it down back then, but it seemed the guy still hadn't given up.
Kushida's tone turned distant, as if recalling something. "Even with a crush, girls tend to send out signals—[This one's mine, hands off]. Not that I'm interested in romance, but with you marking me, I won't have to worry about turning down confessions anymore."
Her words reflected reality.
A beauty like her never lacked suitors.
The reason Kaoru hadn't witnessed it firsthand was because she'd always handled it skillfully beforehand, leaving no room for false hope.
"So, you want me to openly build a harem?"
"That's what you said, I didn't say that."
"It just feels a bit unrealistic."
Whenever he thought of them, Kaoru inexplicably felt a sense of guilt. His intuition told him that something truly terrifying was waiting for him in the future.
"That's just how reality is."
Kushida said, "You've already done so much—there's no turning back now. Toughen up a little."
Kaoru's lips twitched.
Since when was it her turn to lecture him?
Seeing his expression, Kushida couldn't help but smile.
Though she had once wanted to deny it, Ichinose Honami's words did hold some truth.
She had to admit that sometimes, she felt possessive—wanting to be alone with him.
Or rather, to maintain a relationship, necessary alone time was a must. In other words, a so-called date.
"I don't care how many women you end up with in the future. Treating everyone equally is your responsibility."
Kaoru's mind was a mess. Even a time management master couldn't pull that off.
Kushida poked his cheek with her finger and smiled. "So, should we go watch a movie next?"
The standard dating procedure—of course she knew it. Young couples in love doing naughty things in the cinema.
"Are you actually planning to watch the movie properly?"
Kaoru eyed her mischievous grin.
Kushida blinked and whispered, "Don't you want to do something bad, Master?"
Kaoru stayed silent, his fingers subtly pressing deeper. Her breathing quickened, and she tightly clenched her thighs.
---------
Read 50 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator