At the dining table, Kiana and Bronya were, unsurprisingly, battling over the last piece of fried chicken. The clatter of forks, knives, and chopsticks against the plates filled the air like a miniature clash of swords. Mei could only watch helplessly as the two fought, occasionally stealing glances at Snow and Kyuusyou, whom she had "caught in the act" upstairs earlier.
The golden-haired girl calmly dipped a slice of bread into her bowl of creamy mushroom soup and popped it into her mouth, savoring her meal in quiet enjoyment. Occasionally, she would glance sideways, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she observed the interactions between the white-haired dumpling and Bronya.
Their eyes met. Raiden Mei locked eyes with the golden-haired girl's serene gaze, tinged with a hint of confusion. The memory of the scene she had witnessed upstairs flashed through her mind, and her ears burned crimson as she hastily averted her gaze to the other culprit.
Meanwhile, Kyuusyou sat with a pouty, cat-like expression, picking listlessly at her food. She kept glancing at Snow, her eyes growing increasingly strange with each furtive look.
"Maybe it wasn't a bad deal after all?" Kyuusyou muttered under her breath, reminiscing about her earlier close encounter with the golden-haired girl.
The golden-haired girl's skin was noticeably colder than average, a sensation even more pronounced in the heated room. Her silk-like, pale gold hair had been spread across the bed like liquid sunshine.
Her azure eyes radiated composure and confidence, a stark contrast to Kiana's vibrant and passionate gaze, yet possessed their own unique charm.
Hiss... What am I even thinking about? Kyuusyou shook her head vigorously, refocusing her attention on the food before her.
Then, she felt a gaze from across the table—the golden-haired girl was observing her with curiosity, causing Kyuusyou to involuntarily freeze mid-motion and blurt out, "Uh... What's wrong?"
"You've been staring blankly at your toast since you sat down... What are you thinking about?" Snow's eyes held a probing curiosity.
"I was thinking about you..." Without a moment's hesitation, the purple-haired girl blurted out the truth, her eyes fixed on Snow's inquisitive face.
Silence descended upon the dining hall...
Why does this scene feel so familiar...? I'm done eating! I'm going upstairs to rest first. Sensing the awkwardness, the golden-haired girl once again activated her signature skill:
Bail out and run!—only this time, she seemed to have forgotten her teammates...
Before anyone could react, the golden figure darted up the stairs. All eyes shifted back to Kyuusyou, the pressure once again bearing down on her.
"Kyuusyou, are you and Snow really... Just now, on the bed..." Mei hesitated, glancing at Houraiji Kyuusyou, who stood frozen at the dining table.
Mei's question jolted the "power-out" girl back to life. Her thoughts, which had ground to a halt, began to whir again, and her memory rewound to the moments before.
I was thinking about you...
Thump, thump, thud! Houraiji Kyuusyou experienced the sensation of her heart and lungs shutting down for the first time.
"I..." The purple-haired girl opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words to answer Mei's question.
The others had finally caught on, and the room erupted into chaos. A barrage of strange and varied questions rained down:
"Hey, Kyuusyou, is it really... pleasurable to do that with a girl? The senior girls mention it all the time!" This was Kiana, brimming with curiosity and a thirst for practical experience. Her expression suggested she was already planning to test the waters later that night.
"Bronya believes that attraction exists between members of the same sex as well. Lord Kyuusyou doesn't need to be embarrassed. Just like the relationship between the fool Kiana and Raiden Mei, Lord Kyuusyou has simply taken things a step further."
"Himeko, say something! Don't just drink!"
"Waaah... Why is it that all these younger girls have found partners? Even if it's a same-sex relationship, it's still a relationship! I'm so furious!" The red-haired Valkyrie pulled a beer bottle from who knows where and chugged it down in one gulp.
"Himeko, where did you get that beer?! The doctor specifically told you not to drink lately!" Theresa jumped onto Himeko's back, trying to climb up her arm to snatch the beer bottle, but the size difference always left her just short of reaching.
"Ahem, ahem..." A stern cough interrupted the clamorous conversation at the table. It was Fu Hua's voice. As Himeko's usual assistant, Fu Hua also resided in the villa.
"Kyuusyou-san, listen to me. These kinds of relationships are actually quite common at the academy. There's no need to feel embarrassed, nor should you let it put pressure on you or affect your daily life..."
"At the academy, this is simply a very common phenomenon. Don't let it interfere with your studies. To my shame, I also receive many love letters from classmates, though I always politely decline them."
"However, Kyuusyou, if you truly care for someone, you should boldly accept your feelings. There's no need to hide or be secretive," Fu Hua said earnestly, her expression serious as she looked directly at Kyuusyou.
"...I... her..." Faced with the cacophony of voices, Houraiji Kyuusyou's mind raced, ultimately settling on the ultimate life hack: Whatever you say, I'm just gonna zone out!
"Ah, right, right, right...!"
"Class Monitor is absolutely right..." The purple-haired girl, surrounded by the crowd at the dining table, gave up trying to think.
"It's good that you've come to this understanding, Kyuusyou. If you ever encounter any difficulties, please don't hesitate to consult me," Fu Hua said with a solemn nod, then adopted an interested expression.
"So, Kyuusyou and Miss Snow really are... that kind of relationship?"
"Ah, right, right, right...!"
"Then, Kyuusyou and Miss Snow should be extra careful with their health. Don't get hurt! If you have any problems, you can go to the Medical Department. Head of the Medical Department Ms. Leona is very approachable. I have urgent matters to attend to now, so please excuse me for taking my leave."
Fu Hua clasped her hands in a traditional salute, extricated herself from the group, and hurried toward the door, clearly pressed for time.
"Ah, right, right... wait, no!" Kyuusyou, who had been slacking off, suddenly realized she had accidentally revealed something significant. She was about to protest when she saw the knowing looks on the faces of the others nearby. Swallowing the explanation that was about to burst out of her mouth, she forced herself to remain silent.
My heart aches, but I'll keep it to myself.
"Alright, everyone, if you're done eating, let's all head back to our rooms for a rest. We have afternoon classes, remember?" Mei finally stepped in to defuse the situation, giving Kyuusyou an escape.
The group dispersed with a collective groan, leaving Houraiji Kyuusyou alone at the table. Her right hand trembled slightly as she clutched the untouched slice of bread, staring at the table in deep thought. Suddenly, a realization struck her, and she stormed upstairs in a fit of anger.
"Snow—! You ran away without me?!" Her furious roar echoed through the corridor before fading into the wind. As Kyuusyou left, the others who had scattered earlier began to emerge from their hiding places—behind walls, pillars, and even screens.
"Their bond is so strong... considering they haven't known each other that long."
"Yeah, yeah... wait, no! Kiana, aren't you and Mei pretty much the same?"
"I... I haven't even managed to sneak into Mei's bed yet!"
"Kiana!—"
-
Rushing upstairs and bursting through the door, the crazed purple-haired girl pinned her companion, who had been studying the plan board, back onto the bed.
"...Are you finally developing some strange kinks?" The blonde girl, pinned beneath her, didn't resist, but instead stared impassively at her frantic companion.
The girl's skin remained icy cold. Kyuusyou gripped her arm, the slight chill helping her regain some composure.
"Wanna guess what I said when you bailed out and ran, and I just gave up down there?" Kyuusyou asked, her face twisting into a grotesque grimace as she recalled the earlier incident.
"...?" A flicker of confusion crossed Snow's usually indifferent features.
"When Class Monitor Fu Hua asked us if we were... you know, in that kind of relationship," Kyuusyou continued, "I blanked and blurted out, 'Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah...'".
"..." The golden-haired girl scrutinized Houraiji Kyuusyou, who was pinning her down, with an assessing gaze.
"What are you doing...?" Kyuusyou's scalp tingled under that appraising, commodity-like scrutiny.
"...I agree," Snow said, her gaze refocusing on Kyuusyou's face.
"??? Agree to what?"
"I don't care about my partner's gender... and you definitely meet my requirements for a significant other. Is there a problem?" The golden-haired girl tilted her head, studying her companion, who was pinning her down and whose body had stiffened.
"Or do you prefer someone more... proactive?" Snow's hands slid to Kyuusyou's waist, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"Wait! Stop! It's daytime! Hey! Don't take my clothes off! Waaah!"
Chaos erupted in the room.