An hour later.
The study group quietly ended.
"I'm going to the bathroom." Kitahara Makoto stood up. Going to the bathroom was fake; buying Pocky was real. Several boxes of cookie sticks had already been eaten. "Kita, Hitori, you two go wait for me in the utility room first."
"..."
Kita Ikuyo and Bocchi-chan exchanged glances, and both girls' faces quickly flushed.
"Um... I suddenly remembered I have something to do." Kita Ikuyo suddenly felt flustered and wanted to slip away. "Bocchi-chan, you go alone."
Bocchi-chan quickly reached out her small hand, pitifully holding Kita's sleeve, her face red as she softly pleaded:
"Kita, don't leave me alone..."
Facing her best friend's plea, Kita Ikuyo hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't bear to just leave.
"Let's go to the utility room. We must complete the punishment challenge today!"
"..."
Having bought several new boxes of Pocky, Kitahara Makoto pushed open the door and entered the utility room. Bocchi-chan and Kita were already sitting neatly in the corner.
Bang.
Kitahara Makoto gently closed the door and walked over to the two girls:
"The rules are the same as yesterday. As long as someone can complete the Pocky Challenge, the punishment is over... Who wants to go first?"
Seeing Bocchi-chan shrinking her head and pretending to be an ostrich, Kita Ikuyo's face was slightly red, and she clenched her small fists, saying:
"I'll go!"
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow: "Such strong momentum, it seems Kita is determined to win today?"
"Hmph~"
Kita Ikuyo gave a soft hmph: "Yesterday was too sudden, I wasn't prepared, otherwise I wouldn't have lost... Hurry up and start, after we're done, Bocchi-chan and I still have to go work at Nijika's shop."
Kitahara Makoto took out the newly bought Pocky: "Kita, what flavor do you want today?"
"Matcha, I guess."
"Received."
Kitahara Makoto unwrapped the box, pulled out a matcha-flavored Pocky stick, and held it to Kita Ikuyo's lips:
"Open your mouth and take it."
"Ah…"
Kita Ikuyo's pink lips parted slightly, and with a flushed face, she gently bit onto the Pocky stick.
"Then, let's begin."
Kitahara Makoto opened his mouth and bit the other end of the Pocky stick.
Crunch, crunch.
Rustling sounds echoed in the storage room.
Gotō Hitori quietly tilted her small face up, her peach blossom eyes peeking through her thick bangs, watching the duel with a flushed face, while cheering for Kita Ikuyo in her heart.
(Kita, you can do it!)
(You must win!)
(Otherwise, it will be my turn…)
As soon as Gotō Hitori thought about the bullying she had endured these past few days, her heart rate accelerated, and her face grew hot.
(Win, win! Yesterday, when I was spacing out during dinner, even my parents suspected I was being taken advantage of at school!)
Crunch, crunch.
Under Kitahara Makoto and Kita Ikuyo's two-pronged attack, the already short Pocky stick rapidly shortened.
Their eyes met.
Kita Ikuyo's heart pounded, and she instinctively became flustered.
(This is bad… this is bad, this is bad, this is bad!)
(Kitahara-kun's gaze… it's terrible, it's like he wants to devour someone whole!)
(It's only been one day since we last met, but his gaze is too intense!)
To Kita Ikuyo, they had only met yesterday.
But to Kitahara Makoto, it had been a long time since he had seen Kita Ikuyo, and now that he finally saw her, Kitahara Makoto's urge to thoroughly take advantage of Kita Ikuyo was naturally exceptionally strong.
(Hold on! Don't close your eyes!)
(It's almost over!)
Kita Ikuyo cheered herself on in her heart.
However, under Kitahara Makoto's intense gaze, Kita Ikuyo ultimately panicked. Even though only a tiny bit was left to complete the challenge, at the last moment, she couldn't help but shyly avert her gaze.
Snap.
The crisp Pocky stick instantly broke.
"Kita, you lost."
Kitahara Makoto swallowed the Pocky stick in his mouth.
"Darn it… it was just a little bit more!"
Kita Ikuyo frustratingly clenched her small fists, about to say "one more time," but the next second, Kitahara Makoto suddenly reached out and directly wrapped his arm around her soft, slender waist.
"N-no…"
Kita Ikuyo immediately panicked, placing her hands on Kitahara Makoto's chest:
"Y-y-y-y-you, don't mess around!"
Bocchi-chan is right there watching!
How could I let you kiss me!
Unfortunately, it was no use.
Kitahara Makoto had dared to take advantage of Kita Ikuyo in front of Hitori yesterday, so naturally, he wouldn't be an exception today. He simply lowered his head and directly sealed Kita Ikuyo's soft, rosy cherry lips.
During his time in the Otherworld, Kitahara Makoto had always been well-behaved and hadn't taken advantage of anyone.
Firstly, the cave was small, so there was no chance for alone time.
Secondly, he was thirsty and hungry, so he didn't have the inclination.
Thirdly… unexpectedly stranded in the Otherworld, many things weren't prepared, so there was no chance to brush his teeth. Even a beautiful girl couldn't kiss without brushing her teeth.
"N-No…"
Kita Ikuyo's small face rapidly flushed red, and she struggled weakly, only able to close her eyes in a flustered and embarrassed manner.
Several minutes later.
"Hoo… hoo…"
Kita Ikuyo's eyes were moist, and she was panting, her small face almost dripping blood. Being taken advantage of in front of Bocchi-chan caused her sense of shame to explode.
"The punishment continues. Who's up for the challenge next?"
Kitahara Makoto raised his hand to wipe a strand of saliva from the corner of his lips.
"I-I need to rest for a bit…"
Glancing at Bocchi-chan, who was hiding nearby, playing ostrich, Kita Ikuyo's small face was scalding hot, and she darted aside:
"It's Bocchi-chan's turn to challenge."
"Eh?"
Gotō Hitori nervously looked up.
"I-I can't…"
"How do you know you can't if you don't try?" Kita Ikuyo hid to the side, "Bocchi-chan, go for it!"
When she was being taken advantage of, Bocchi-chan actually chose to stand by and do nothing… no way!
She couldn't be the only one making a fool of herself!
As long as everyone makes a fool of themselves together, they won't be laughed at!
Kitahara Makoto's gaze shifted, looking at Bocchi-chan:
"Hitori-chan, come here."
Gotō Hitori had no choice but to walk cautiously to Kitahara Makoto's side and sit down, her small face flushed, her head lowered.
"Hitori, go for it." Kitahara Makoto said gently, "As long as you can complete the punishment challenge, you won't have to come to the storage room tomorrow."
Gotō Hitori gathered her courage and said softly:
"Tomorrow is Saturday, no school."
"I've been in the Otherworld for too long, I forgot the time." Kitahara Makoto slapped his forehead, "Then come to my house tomorrow to study together."
"N-no…"
Gotō Hitori was about to refuse in a flustered manner.
"Final exams start next Wednesday, so there's not much time left." Kitahara Makoto said softly, "Hitori also wants to be proud throughout the summer break, right?"
Gotō Hitori: "…"
"Take it."
Kitahara Makoto pulled out a Pocky stick and held it to Bocchi-chan's lips.
Gotō Hitori instinctively parted her pink lips and took the Pocky stick.
And before Kitahara Makoto even touched her, Bocchi-chan's small face had already rapidly flushed red.
As Kitahara Makoto bit the other end of the Pocky stick, Gotō Hitori's gaze had already begun to drift and evade.
Crunch, crunch.
Kitahara Makoto unhurriedly ate the Pocky stick.
Bocchi-chan nervously held her breath, gripping her skirt, and before long, under the double pressure of shyness and nervousness, she flusteredly closed her eyes.
Seeing this scene, Kita Ikuyo sighed in her heart:
"If my combat power is one hundred, Bocchi-chan's combat power is at most five… Should I ask Yamada Ryo for help?"
"If it's Yamada Ryo, her combat power would be at least ten thousand, right?"