Chapter: 45. Just Like Back Then
“Is it a therapeutic ability…?”
In order to avoid worrying Nagi, Kanade forced himself to be calm, retracting the serious expression on his face.
Then, as if trying to change the subject, he reminisced about the moment when Nagi’s fingertips glowed, the warm sensation that spread from his nose, and sighed.
“It really suits Nagi’s personality.”
“R-Really?”
“Yeah, someone as gentle and kind as Nagi would surely awaken a similarly gentle ability…”
“G-Gentle? I’m not like that…” Nagi, hearing this, shyly lowered her head.
“Yes, you are. Whether it’s me, or Mana, Yukino… everyone… has received your gentle help, Nagi.”
“Kanade-kun…”
“So there must be many people saved because of your existence…” Kanade silently added in his heart.
—Speaking of which, when did I start to become so close to Nagi?
Was it when I first met Nagi in kindergarten?
Or was it when we played together in elementary school?
No, back then we were just very ordinary childhood friends.
The event that truly created an extraordinary bond between Nagi and me was—
That dim and messy room flashed through Kanade’s mind.
But in the next moment, his hand was firmly gripped by Nagi in front of him.
His thoughts were interrupted.
“If that’s the case… it’s actually me who’s been saved by everyone’s kindness~” Nagi revealed the same gentle and sweet smile, speaking softly.
“Whether it’s you, Kanade-kun, or Mana-chan, and everyone… it’s thanks to everyone being willing to stay by my side that I can be saved.”
“…..As expected of Nagi.” Kanade displayed a “What can I say?” helpless expression upon seeing her.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing, it’s nothing.”
“Ugh~ Kanade-kun is so mean! Tell me what you meant by that just now—”
“W-Wait—Nagi, that spot, ahahaha, it tickles—”
“Take this! It’s a tickle punishment for Kanade-kun—!”
Was it because their earlier conversation triggered childhood memories?
At this moment, the two were tangled on the bed as they used to when they played together as kids.
Until a knock on the door interrupted them.
“Um, Tsukimi-senpai, although I know it’s not the right time to remind you, could you please keep it down while doing that—? Huh? I remember you’re Otoiri Gaku’s classmate… you look really pale. Are you feeling unwell?”
“No—! It’s not what you think—!”
“Ah? Otoiri-san, were you also woken up? It really seems like that noise is a bit disturbing~ Alright, let’s report this to the Discipline Committee tomorrow and request the Ark Academy to handle this inappropriate and unhealthy relationship properly!”
“Don’t! Just listen to my explanation first!”
Kanade struggled to get away from under Nagi.
Although having his beautiful childhood friend straddling him was something that boys in puberty would dream of, he really didn’t have time to enjoy this long-desired sensation.
Right now, he was full of thoughts about stopping any further meetings with the Discipline Committee.
He had only seen the committee member that morning and sworn he wouldn’t misbehave again, and then to have something happen again that same evening? He couldn’t let that happen! If word got out, rumors like “The lecherous monkey and perverted Tsukimi Kanade” might spread, and he would completely socially die at Ark Academy.
Eventually, after a joint explanation from Kanade and Nagi, Ayako and Otoiri seemed to accept their claims.
At least, they accepted it on the surface.
After all, Ayako left with an expression that clearly said, “I’ll just pretend I didn’t see anything.”
Meanwhile, Otoiri looked like he had lost his soul, dragging himself back to his room with a blank face.
“Ugh… my reputation…” Kanade silently cried out in distress.
It was only the second day since Nagi had arrived at Ark Academy.
Why had the reputation he built over two and a half years been completely ruined in just two days?
After watching them leave, Kanade cast a bewildered glance at Nagi beside him.
The latter was still in her cute posture holding a pillow.
From the waist up, she indeed resembled a lively and cheerful girl just wanting to join in on a pajama party.
But adding her bare, curvy thighs to the picture completely flipped the impression to that of someone who had been interrupted in the middle of a certain act and hastily put on a piece of sleepwear.
As for that pillow? It was probably something she had been firmly clutching to suppress a certain sound from earlier.
“Uh, um, Nagi… aren’t you going back?”
In response to Kanade’s question, Nagi once again looked up at him with an adorably wide-eyed expression.
“I want to sleep with you tonight, Kanade-kun… is that not okay?”
He couldn’t refuse.
But Kanade decided he had to hold his ground here.
“…Why does Nagi want to sleep with me…?”
Kanade initially intended to use a tone of an elder lecturing a younger one, but the more he spoke, the more he dwelled in self-doubt, his voice became smaller.
“…W-Well, I just simply want to be with you, Kanade-kun… what’s wrong with that?” Nagi hugged the pillow in front of her with one hand and gently tugged at Kanade’s shirt with the other, her soft voice delicately pulling him in.
“Okay, I understand.”
—No way!
Before Kanade realized it, he had blurted out his thoughts.
This round of willpower between the two ended with Kanade’s defeat.
“Great~ Thank you, Kanade-kun, as expected you’re very gentle~” Nagi immediately broke into a radiant smile upon hearing Kanade’s agreement.
Her demeanor made Kanade think of a large dog that happily sticks out its tongue and pants after seeing its owner.
If Nagi had a tail, it would surely be wagging like crazy right now.
“…Just like back then~” Nagi said, reaching for Kanade’s left hand with the hand that had just been tugging at his shirt, grasping it tightly before dragging him toward the single bed behind her.
If this scene had taken place normally, Kanade would definitely be overthinking what might happen next, feeling his heart race.
But at that moment, Nagi’s earlier words sparked a memory.
—So that’s it…
Kanade finally figured it out.
—Why Nagi had been clinging to him tonight, even daring to enter the boys’ bath while he was bathing, and now repeatedly asking to sleep with him…
On the night Nagi first encountered extraordinary power, the night she realized she was possessed by the malevolent spirit DD, the two had held hands and stayed in the same room.
(“Because Kanade-kun is here, I’m not scared.”)
Nagi’s words floated in Kanade’s ears like a gentle breeze.
—Actually, Nagi has always been scared…
No matter how optimistic and cheerful she appeared, even after experiencing something like today and realizing the existence of extraordinary forces in this world, she still maintained her usual demeanor.
But this façade of strength would crumble in front of him.
—But this time, I won’t let history repeat itself.
With that in mind, Kanade took the initiative to gently embrace Nagi’s soft, slender figure from behind.
“It’s okay, I’m here.”
“…Kanade-kun.” Nagi didn’t turn around, instead letting go of his hand, gently resting her hand on Kanade’s arm.
“Don’t worry, I promise I will protect you no matter what happens.”
“…Mm, it’s a promise.”
But the next moment, Kanade noticed that from this angle, he could glimpse the shadow of darkness—
On Nagi’s perky chest, an unknown pitch-black shadow swirled.
—Yeah, just as I thought, it’s all complete now.
