"Ugh, can't sleep! I can't sleep at all!"
In Kasumigaoka Utaha's apartment...
Fresh out of the shower, her graceful figure was tossing and turning on the bed. Rather unfortunately, she was wide awake. And it wasn't due to writer's block or an upcoming manuscript deadline—her usual insomnia triggers.
The room was pitch dark. Every time she closed and opened her eyes, the scene she'd witnessed earlier—dragon, thunder, storm, and the stunning display of power—kept flashing through her mind, making her entire body restless. The worst part was the itchiness. Utaha knew very well what kind of "itch" it was, and she was too embarrassed even to do anything about it.
So all she could do was roll around in bed, fretting alone.
She just couldn't understand how Eriri, who was normally so timid, could be that bold.
"Is Rei Ao's charm so great that they can break their moral boundaries for him...?"
That question arose, and she answered it herself almost immediately. Of course the answer was "yes."
Honestly, was there anyone else in the world who offered more security, more overwhelming power, than Rei Ao? Plus, she doubted there was anyone with such a perfect face and skin, paired with a flawlessly toned physique and...
Utaha spat quietly, face going red at the memory of something rather conspicuous. Meanwhile, Athena's words at the very end continued echoing in her mind:
Suddenly, her phone beeped. She pulled up her chat app and found her trusted editor. Pressing her lips together, she still ended up sending a private message:
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "You there?"
Machida Sonoko: "Here!"
Almost an instant reply.
Machida Sonoko: "Aiya, I was starting to think you'd never contact me, Utaha."
Utaha was momentarily taken aback.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "What do you mean?"
Machida Sonoko: "Hehe, you can't hide anything from me, can you? Utaha, you must be going through some kind of love trouble, right? When I saw that livestream of you and Rei Ao going to Erica's world, I thought you might seize the opportunity to snag him, but I guess you couldn't pull it off."
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "??? I—why would I try to snag him?"
Machida Sonoko: "Pffft, in your new novel, you basically poured your real emotions right in. You probably haven't noticed it yourself, Utaha."
Utaha froze in shock. She had indeed poured a lot of passion into her new novel, and Machida Sonoko did praise it. But to say her personal feelings had slipped in? She wasn't so sure she'd realized that.
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "Could it be..."
Machida Sonoko: "Yes indeed, Utaha. Speaking as someone who's been there, I can tell you confidently: you've definitely fallen for Rei Ao!"
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "!!!"
Early the next morning...
Yukinoshita Yukino had just arrived at school and was about to straighten the Service Club's desks and chairs, when she got cornered by Isshiki Iroha.
"Senpai, why is Rei Ao-senpai always taking days off?"
Isshiki looked miserable. She'd been formulating all sorts of "plans to woo Rei Ao-senpai," but apparently, the day before, Rei Ao suddenly went on leave.
All the meticulously prepared plans were ruined. In desperation, she came to Yukino—the person she thought might be "closer friends" with Rei Ao—for answers.
Yukino was at a loss. She hadn't expected this underclassman to be so persistent. She thought Isshiki's enthusiasm would fizzle out after three minutes. Everyone in the chat group knew perfectly well why Rei Ao was absent, but there was no way she could reveal it to Isshiki Iroha.
Ever since Yukino had formed that unimaginable bond with Rei Ao, she herself had changed a bit. She was no longer so rigid about her principle of "absolute honesty." If it was something involving Rei Ao, she would prioritize his best interests first. Like a dutiful wife looking out for her husband, in a sense.
Hence, she could only reply:
"Sorry, but maybe Rei Ao-kun had something come up. I'm not entirely sure what it was, either."
Isshiki didn't dwell on it too much. She'd never seen Yukino or Yui that close with Rei Ao, so she assumed they were merely acquaintances.
Naturally, acquaintances don't always know each other's private circumstances—that made sense to her.
"I just hope Rei Ao-senpai doesn't take the day off again."
She clapped her hands together, as though praying. Yukino's expression turned a bit odd.
"You...are planning something today, aren't you?"
She really couldn't guess what was going on in Isshiki's head. Her "plans" seemed endless.
With a playful smile, Iroha's bright eyes gleamed. She said mysteriously, "Yukinoshita-senpai, do you know the best time for me to bump into Rei Ao-senpai today?"
Yukino shook her head honestly.
"It's during our P.E. class!"
Iroha nodded, as if revealing a crucial strategy. "I already checked Rei Ao-senpai's entire schedule for his class. Today, third period in the morning, both our classes have outdoor P.E.!"
Yukino silently tugged at the corners of her mouth. To investigate to such lengths—Isshiki was really something else.
Completely unaware of Yukino's internal reaction, Iroha happily continued, "I have three plans:
[Plan #1: Bringing him water!]
"By the way, Yukinoshita-senpai, do you know what kind of drink Rei Ao-senpai likes?"
All of a sudden, she remembered she still didn't know his preferences, so she whipped out her little notebook.
However, Yukino said nothing. And...
"Hmm? Yukinoshita-senpai, your ears look kinda red. Are you running a fever?"
Isshiki noticed Yukino's face was off-color.
"N-no, I'm just feeling a bit hot."
Yukino's response was evasive, her eyes shifting. As someone able to use ice-based powers, there was no way she was literally too hot. In reality, she was just embarrassed. Isshiki's question recalled a certain moment where Rei Ao was...buried between her thighs, whispering:
"Yukino, you taste really good."
The memory made her entire body feel hot and weak.
Sensing this conversation was hitting dangerous territory, Yukino cleared her throat. "Class is about to start. I'll be going now!"
She fled in haste, leaving Isshiki with nothing but the sight of her retreating figure.
Isshiki arched her eyebrows, watching Yukino vanish into the distance, deep in thought.
"I get this feeling Yukinoshita-senpai is hiding something from me. Same with Yui-senpai and Yumiko-senpai. So strange..."
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