PROLOGUE
Whoa. Hey now…
“Enjoy,” said Professor Side Slit, smirking mysteriously as she exited the handicraft club’s clubroom.
The sun had completely set, and only the soft glow of the schoolyard lights illuminated the space. The only sounds were the faint, muffled voices of the students outside.
“Uh… Are you sure you don’t want to go?”
“…What? There is no way I am going outside after what she told us. There’s been a huge misunderstanding, and that would only make things worse.”
“Yeah, I guess…”
She didn’t even have to specify what the misunderstanding was. Professor Side Slit had just revealed that there were rumors going around about Masachika and Alisa, and if they walked out dressed to impress as they were, then numerous students would surely start to think that they were a couple. Even telling people they weren’t dating wouldn’t work, since most would probably say something like, “What? You’re joking, right?” with a straight face.
“Besides, this dress… While it’s beautiful, it’s a little too…you know…to wear in public,” Alisa muttered bashfully. Masachika’s gaze followed hers until he landed on two massive mounds, prompting him to swiftly redirect his eyes toward the ceiling.
Yep. Those would definitely get everyone’s attention.
He wavered—at the brink of voicing his thoughts—before just agreeing with her inwardly. Her band outfit had been pretty revealing, with its daring neckline, but this dress took it to a whole new level. To be completely honest, he could see most of her upper chest…and the cleavage was incredible.
I bet she could hide her phone in cleavage like that, then randomly pull it out like sexy women do in comic books sometimes.
Masachika instinctively tried to escape into the depths of his nerdy, otaku mind, imagining an older, sexy woman in place of Alisa. But then he shook his head.
Hold up! Shouldn’t I be able to see her bra with this much cleavage exposed?! The fact that I can’t see anything makes me wonder if she’s wearing something unusually shaped… O-or is she not wearing a bra at all?!
He nearly ogled her chest once more, so he smacked himself to refocus, forcing his gaze upward. He ground his teeth, picturing Professor Side Slit’s smug grin as if boasting, “I made that entire outfit.”
Professor Side Slit, you punk!! There’s no way she can wear an outfit like this in front of the other students!! Who told you to do this?! Because it wasn’t me!! Anyway, the outfit is incredible, so thank you so much!!
But his internal rant was interrupted when he noticed Alisa’s icy glare.
“So this is what you’re into?”
“No, that’s probably more Professor Side Slit’s thing. Long story.”
“…Uh-huh.”
Although Masachika answered promptly to avoid any misunderstandings, he could still feel her skeptical gaze piercing him. Suddenly, music began playing in the schoolyard, drawing their attention briefly.
“…!”
When their eyes met once more, Masachika became entranced by her otherworldly beauty, sending his heart racing. Her skin was as pale as fresh snow, luminous in the dim light. Her blue eyes sparkled like gemstones. She wore a dress so ethereal, it was like something out of a fairy tale, perfectly complementing her unrealistically gorgeous features. Alisa’s slender waist only accentuated her delicate appearance…and yet her ample, earth-shattering—
“A-ahem…!”
Masachika cleared his throat and tried to rid his mind of the impure thoughts. Then he offered his left hand to Alisa. He was desperately struggling to maintain his composure.
“So, uh… Would you like to dance?”
“…Sure.”
They faced each other, with Alisa’s hand in his, and tranquility washed over him as he pulled her closer. He gazed into her eyes and began to move to the rhythm of her breathing. They were so close that he could feel her exhaling onto his skin.
“…Your dancing’s a lot tamer this year, huh?” remarked Masachika with a mischievous grin, recalling her wild antics at the previous year’s festival. His comment made Alisa frown.
“I don’t want to take any risks in this dress, since I’m borrowing it. That is, unless this isn’t enough for you?”
“Ha-ha-ha! It was kind of challenging to keep up with you last year, so let’s stick to this.”
“…Okay.”
Their bodies moved as one, their gazes intertwined, feeling a sense of harmony until all of a sudden, Masachika was swallowed by a wave of nostalgia. Memories of his childhood flooded his mind.
This makes me feel like I’m in ballroom dance class again. But I think my dancing partner was Ayano—?!
Alisa took a sudden step forward, and her body pressed against his, causing Masachika to step back in a fluster. Yet they somehow remained close—close enough for their legs to almost touch.
“Alya? Don’t you think we’re a little close?”
“I don’t know. Are you sure you’re not just overthinking it?”
“No, we really are!”
Before he could finish his sentence, Alisa stepped forward once more, forcing him to scramble backward again. It was no longer a dance, because all of his attention was focused on avoiding stepping on her feet and not losing his balance.
I thought she had matured and wasn’t going to dance like a maniac anymore?!
He desperately tried to coordinate his feet, but her soft, yielding body pressing against him was doing its best to break his concentration.
Ahhh!! These have definitely matured, though!
Despite being distracted by something pressing against his chest—somethings that were even more pronounced than a year ago—Masachika refused to look down, knowing that if he did, he would be sucked into the mysterious, deep valley between the mountains.
Heh! I’m not going to fall for Professor Side Slit’s trap! I—ack?!
He stumbled, emboldening Alisa’s relentless pursuit, as her lips twisted sadistically.
Tee-hee! Oh my. Where did all that confidence go? You were so calm and composed a moment ago, she thought.
Alisa had somehow sensed that he was thinking about another woman during their dance. So she playfully pushed herself up against him to punish him, but his reaction was even better than she could have imagined. His eyes widened as he instinctively glanced down before looking away in a fluster, which only further amused Alisa.
Heh… I’m wearing such a revealing outfit and giving you the honor of dancing with me…so I don’t want you thinking about anyone else!
She pulled him closer, preventing his escape while she stepped forward, and yet he still managed to respond with astonishing speed.
“Heh-heh.”
His thoughtfulness was evident by his deft avoidance of her forceful steps while gently guiding her with his right hand on her back. She smiled softly. Alisa knew that he would always be there to catch her, no matter how recklessly she danced, and that thought alone filled her with an overwhelming joy, making her only want to tease him more.
Ah, this is so much fun… Look at me more. Look at me and nobody else. I want you to be my partner and nobody else’s. I would do anything for that, even—
Their intertwined fingers were warm with body heat, and her heart hammered in her chest. As if drawn into a vortex by his gaze, Alisa unconsciously leaned forward, bringing her face closer to his—
“Wh-whoa?!”
“Huh?! Ah!”
That was when it finally happened: Masachika lost his balance, collapsing onto the floor with a gentle thud, his back hitting the wall. Alisa stumbled forward as well…and fell straight into his arms as he reached out to catch her.
“Ow… Alya, you okay?”
The fall was undeniably her fault, yet he only expressed worry for her, and it was that kindness and concerned gaze that made her heart flutter and dance with joy. Although Alisa knew she needed to apologize, she couldn’t hold back her smile. She was overwhelmed with happiness and excitement and didn’t want to see Masachika upset, so she turned her grin into something more mischievous.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. While gazing up through her eyelashes into his eyes, Alisa slipped her right index finger in between her bosom, then gave the neckline of her dress a sharp tug, deliberately showing off her cleavage as she whispered in a sultry voice:
“Is this distracting you?”
“What the…?!”
All signs of composure and gentlemanly behavior vanished as Masachika became visibly flustered. But in return, Alisa suddenly felt his gaze fix on her chest, causing heat to surge through her entire body, leaving her flushed and burning from within.
“H-ha-ha… You’re such a perv. ♪”
Although consumed by embarrassment so overwhelming that she wanted to cry out, Alisa teased him some more, then placed her head against him to escape his gaze. But when she pressed her ear against his firm, reassuring chest, she realized that his heart was racing wildly, just like hers.
Wow… His heart is beating so fast… Tee-hee! He really is such a perv.
But that didn’t bother her. She didn’t mind if he looked at her or touched her. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling. Alisa’s heart was singing with glee, despite her being so embarrassed that she wanted to scream. She had felt like this once before—
“H-hey? Earth to Alya.”
Masachika’s troubled tone was so amusing that she couldn’t help but laugh, her shoulders shaking.
“Uh… What’s so funny? If you’re not hurt, then do you think you could get off me?”
“Oh? Does being hugged by me disgust you?”
“Wh-what?! ‘Hugged’?! I…!”
Masachika was at a loss for words, unable to hide his nervousness. Alisa’s smile was filled with warmth as she closed her eyes.
I’m only teasing Masachika. That’s all this is… Alisa thought as she snuggled into him.
Her utterly trusting smile disarmed Masachika, allowing him to finally relax.
…And just like that, they quietly held each other while listening to the music from the schoolyard.
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