"Kita, long time no see."
Kitahara Makoto's eyes lit up, and he walked over.
"I missed you."
There was still some time until evening, and at this moment, Kita was the only one under the tree, so he could say whatever he wanted without any reservations.
Since that afternoon when summer vacation officially began, he hadn't seen Kita again. Four or five days had passed in the blink of an eye, and he really missed Kita.
"What do you mean? It's only been a few days, alright."
Kita's small face flushed slightly, and she couldn't help but glare at him playfully.
"One day apart feels like three autumns." Kitahara Makoto said seriously, "I haven't seen Kita for five days. Do you know how I've spent these five days?"
Kita Ikuyo hummed softly:
"I don't want to know how you spent it… By the way, Kitahara-kun, why are you carrying so many things?"
"To build Eden, supplies are naturally essential." Kitahara Makoto looked at the backpack in Kita's hand, which was clearly a large schoolbag commonly used by elementary school students. "Kita, are you only bringing one schoolbag?"
"Aren't we just going to the Otherworld for one day?"
Kita Ikuyo blinked:
"It feels like a picnic, no need to bring so many things, right?"
Good heavens, you really think it's a picnic!
Kitahara Makoto's mouth twitched slightly:
"Let's go inside and wait first; it's too hot outside."
You can't get fat in one bite, so there's no need to force it.
"Mm-hmm." Kita Ikuyo nodded quickly, "I left home at 4:30, thinking I couldn't miss the time, but when I got here, there was no one at all. Kitahara-kun, do you have the key?"
"Don't worry."
"…"
Kitahara Makoto took out the key from his pocket and opened the door.
After deciding on the Eden plan, Kitahara Makoto had already obtained the house key from Togawa before summer vacation even began.
Opening the door.
Kitahara Makoto led Kita into the house, picked up the remote control to turn on the air conditioner, and then walked to the refrigerator:
"Kita, what do you want to drink?"
"Eh?" Looking at the various drinks and supplies in the refrigerator, Kita Ikuyo's eyes widened. "No one lives here, but the refrigerator has been on all this time?"
Kitahara Makoto said matter-of-factly:
"Three hundred and sixty-five days a year, whose refrigerator is ever turned off?"
Kita Ikuyo: "…"
Thinking about it carefully, it seemed like it really had never been turned off.
Occasionally, when the power went out, one would worry if the things inside the refrigerator would spoil.
"Don't worry about the refrigerator's power consumption." Kitahara Makoto took a bottle of juice and handed it to Kita. "By the way, has Ms. Shiraishi contacted Kita?"
Kita Ikuyo took the drink, twisting the cap while responding:
"Ms. Shiraishi contacted me yesterday, asking when we would be available to discuss the filming plan in person."
"Then let's make it the day after tomorrow." Kitahara Makoto pondered, "Tomorrow we return from the Otherworld, and the day after we'll put the movie filming plan on the agenda."
"Won't that be too rushed?"
"We don't know how long the movie will take to film, so it's safer to prepare early."
"That makes sense."
Kita Ikuyo nodded lightly, her small face flushed as she handed over the drink in her hand:
"I'll contact Ms. Shiraishi right away."
"Why are you giving me the drink?"
Kitahara Makoto asked, puzzled.
Kita Ikuyo's face flushed slightly as she turned her head away.
"My hands are all sweaty… I can't twist the bottle cap open."
Girls are a strange creature; some genuinely can't open bottle caps, not because they're being deliberately coy.
Kitahara Makoto took the drink and handed his own drink over to her.
"Then let's swap and drink."
Looking at the half-empty juice, Kita Ikuyo puffed out her cheeks, naturally knowing what Kitahara Makoto was up to.
"I don't want to drink something you've already drunk!"
"It's not like you haven't drunk it before…"
"Urusai!"
"…"
Kitahara Makoto distorted open the bottle cap, handed the drink over, and asked softly, "Kita, have you missed me these past few days?"
"I haven't!" Kita Ikuyo tilted her head up, took a big gulp of the drink, "I've been out with friends every day these past few days, I haven't had time to miss you!"
"I'm jealous."
Kitahara Makoto's expression suddenly turned serious.
"Eh?"
"Kita goes out with friends every day, but she hasn't asked me out once." Kitahara Makoto clutched his chest, a forlorn expression on his face, "I'm very jealous right now."
Kita Ikuyo: "…"
Shouldn't the boy be the one to initiate the invitation?
You haven't sent any messages asking me out for so many days, not even a few messages, how can you possibly be jealous now!
"Unless Kita takes the initiative to kiss me." Kitahara Makoto said with a straight face, "Otherwise…"
"Otherwise, what?"
"Otherwise, once I get jealous, it won't be as simple as just a kiss."
"…"
Kita Ikuyo shyly clutched her skirt, taking a wary half-step back.
"Hana is still here!"
Kitahara Makoto turned to look at Hana.
"Hana, here's another small cake for you, go eat it upstairs."
Taking the small cake, Hana didn't say a word, and with her short legs, she thumped upstairs.
Kitahara Makoto turned to Kita, and said unhurriedly, "Now that Hana isn't here, will Kita take the initiative to kiss me, or should I take the initiative?"
"I don't want either!"
Kita Ikuyo covered her chest with both hands, her cheeks puffed out high, like a little hamster with its mouth full of sunflower seeds.
"Don't think that just because everyone else isn't here, I'll easily give in, I won't surrender easily!"
"Is that so?"
Kitahara Makoto sat down on the sofa unhurriedly and took another sip of his drink.
"If I remember correctly, the time we agreed to meet was six o'clock, right?"
Kita Ikuyo blinked, confused.
"What's wrong?"
Kitahara Makoto said nonchalantly, "The weather is scorching hot right now, Kita actually arrived at the agreed place an hour early, isn't that a bit too eager?"
"Arriving early is a good habit, but an hour early, it's hard not to be suspicious."
"So… did Kita miss me, which is why she came early?"
"You, you, you, you…" Kita Ikuyo's face instantly flushed crimson, embarrassed, angry, and anxious, "You're talking nonsense! It's not true!"
"We'll know if we ask the answer book, since today's question count hasn't been used yet…"
Kitahara Makoto said as he reached for the answer book.
The next second.
An angry hamster Kita directly pounced over.
"Stupid Kitahara, don't waste precious question attempts!"
The agreed time was six o'clock, but Kita arrived an hour early. Whether there were any ulterior motives involved, only Kita Ikuyo herself knew…
Well, yes, of course there were.
Otherwise, she would have at least told Bocchi-chan, instead of secretly coming alone.
But some things can be done, but not spoken about.
Kitahara Makoto opened his arms and embraced Kita as she pounced.
Seeing mist welling up in Kita's eyes, Kitahara Makoto quickly apologized in a gentle voice.
"I won't ask, I won't ask, Kita, don't be angry."
Kita Ikuyo sniffled and turned her head away.
"Let go of me."
Kitahara Makoto certainly wouldn't let go of her hands. Girls are such creatures; their words are always a mix of truth and reverse psychology. Judging which is which is a skill.
Undoubtedly, Kita's words just now were standard reverse psychology.
If he really let go, it would only make Kita even angrier.
"I like Kita." Kitahara Makoto leaned close to the girl's fair, doll-like earlobe and whispered, "Because I like you so much, I can't help but want to tease Kita."
Kita Ikuyo turned her small face away.
"Say that to Bocchi-chan."
"Then I'll say something else…" Kitahara Makoto took Kita's small hand, "I want to be with Kita forever."
"I don't believe you."
"If you don't believe me, you can ask the answer book."
"Not interested."
"This won't do, that won't do, it seems I'll have to use my ultimate move."
"Eh?"
Kita Ikuyo looked over in surprise.
Ultimate move?
What ultimate move?
The next second, Kitahara Makoto lowered his head directly, showing Kita what his ultimate move was.
"…What kind of ultimate move is this?!"
Kita Ikuyo opened her eyes wide, huffing, wanting to fight to the end.
Unfortunately, Kitahara Makoto had already grasped Kita's weakness. He merely poked Kita gently on the waist, and the girl's defense instantly crumbled. She could only close her eyes resignedly, her face flushed as she allowed herself to be taken advantage of.
Several minutes later.
Kitahara Makoto exhaled lightly and released the panting girl.
"Is Kita-sama still angry?"
"Hoo… hoo…"
Kita Ikuyo's face was flushed, and she was panting.
"O-of course I'm angry…"
"Then let's kiss again."
Kitahara Makoto simply lowered his head, blocking Kita's rosy lips again. The sweet taste of the mixed juice was exceptionally good, and he couldn't stop at all.
In a flash, several more minutes passed.
Pop~
With a soft, wet sound, Kitahara Makoto separated from Kita again.
"Are you still angry now?"
Kita Ikuyo's eyes were hazy, like a winter lake shrouded in mist, and her entire body had gone soft.
"A-angry…"
"Then let's do it again."
"…"
The third kiss ended.
Kitahara Makoto asked the same question again.
"Are you still angry?"
"Not angry, not angry anymore."
Kita Ikuyo shook her head in a panic, begging for mercy.
No more kissing, her lips would swell up if they kissed any more, everyone would definitely notice!
"Quickly, take your hand out!"
Kita Ikuyo came to her senses, only then realizing that Kitahara Makoto's right hand had somehow slipped inside her clothes. Both embarrassed and angry, she gave Kitahara Makoto a headbutt, then took the opportunity to escape, grabbing her backpack and fleeing into the bathroom.
"My underwear… I need secretly change it…"
A moment later.
Kita was still hiding in the bathroom when the doorbell rang first.
Kitahara Makoto got up to open the door, and four girls came into view: Nijika, Ryo, Bocchi-chan, and Nijika's cousin Rinko.
"Kitahara-kun, good afternoon."
Yamada Ryo raised her right hand, greeting him nonchalantly.
"Yamada Ryo, good afternoon."
Kitahara Makoto responded calmly as well.
Bocchi-chan said softly, "Good afternoon, Kitahara-kun… Is Kita here?"
"Yes, she's in the bathroom."
Kitahara Makoto responded while looking at Ijichi Nijika.
"Nijika, good afternoon."
Kita Ikuyo bit her lower lip lightly, snorted, and turned her head away. She didn't want to talk to Kitahara Makoto at all right now.
Glasses-wearing Rinko looked over curiously and asked in a low voice, "Did Nijika and Makoto-kun have a fight?"
"We didn't fight."
Ijichi Nijika bit her teeth lightly, denying it resentfully.
(Indeed, there was no argument, but it was more infuriating than an argument.)
(I just asked you to go take care of the sick Ryo, but you two actually did that... Too much! It's too much!)