Dinner took half an hour, the bath took another hour; luckily Miko came to stay the night, or Amamiya Natsuki figured he wouldn't get any rest at all.
And then… the night passed without incident.
The next day.
Amamiya Natsuki and Sayu left together and headed to Kitagawa Marin's place to meet up; Miko's current obsession was brewing potions—she couldn't care less about cosplay.
"Morning, Sayu-chan."
Kitagawa Marin beamed and called out cheerfully.
"Morning, Marin-chan~"
Sayu smiled back.
Amamiya Natsuki stepped into the entrance, changed into slippers, swept his gaze across the living room and saw that both the senpai and Shoko had arrived—even Juju, who'd pretended to be sick yesterday, hadn't skipped.
"Morning, Shoko, Juju."
Amamiya Natsuki greeted them casually.
"G-good morning…"
The moment their eyes met, Komi-san instantly dropped her gaze to her toes, the tips of her ears turning scarlet, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
Juju folded her arms, gave a delicate snort, and reluctantly said:
"Morning."
Amamiya Natsui didn't mind, he sat beside the senpai and asked:
"Coming two days in a row, won't it interrupt your classes?"
"It's fine," Koyasu Tsubame said, pressing her lips together. "I'll just read a bit more tonight. There's so much to learn; if only I could add intelligence points and make myself smarter."
"Don't worry, Senpai." Kitagawa Marin walked over and sat next to Amamiya Natsuki. "When we all went to the beach the day before yesterday, Natsuki learned a new possession skill—super handy, more than enough to handle exams."
At the mention of the possession skill, both Juju and Shoko's expressions shifted subtly.
"…Beast! Stupid Natsuki's a beast!"
Juju bit her silver teeth and cursed inwardly, her small face flushing in spite of herself.
Shoko fared even worse, as white steam was already rising from the top of her head.
The senpai hesitated:
"Um… using possession counts as cheating, doesn't it?"
Amamiya Natsuki said from the side:
"If no one finds out, it's not cheating."
"Natsuki's right." Kitagawa Marin planted her right hand on her hip. "I heard that in Country A entire families help students cheat during exams."
Amamiya Natsuki continued:
"You're an honor student, Senpai, so cheating might be hard to accept, but no worries, you can still enter the Theater and set a rule for perfect recall, same as the final exam… no time like the present, just come study at my place tonight."
"Sorry, I already have plans this evening."
The senpai's bright eyes flicked toward him in exasperation.
If she went to her junior's house alone at night, the thing she'd end up studying might not be knowledge but positions!
Sayu raised a slender doll-like finger, her tone light and cheerful:
"I spotted something in the shop called 'Memory Bread', just sandwich a sheet of paper inside, eat the bread, and the knowledge is locked in. Want to try it, Senpai?"
"I'll pass." Tsubame shook her head gently. "Something that rare can't be common, and you can't bake bread like you can rice balls. I'd rather use perfect recall at your place."
Amamiya Natsuki looked at her expectantly:
"Whenever you're free, I'll roll out the red carpet."
Koyasu Tsubame's pretty face flushed faintly; she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said casually:
"I'm busy lately, maybe when I have time."
A moment later Amamiya Natsuki felt a sharp pain in his side.
"Stupid Natsuki!" Juju, at some unknown point, reached out her small hand and distorted Amamiya Natsuki's soft flesh at his waist, her small tiger teeth faintly visible as she fumed, "You keep trying to trick Tsubame into going home, what exactly do you want to do?!"
Amamiya Natsuki looked innocent: "Of course, it's for studying."
"Pfft!" Juju looked at him with disdain, "I don't believe a word you say!"
"Oh, right, no one has opened their daily Blind Box yet, have they?" Kitagawa Marin put her hands on her hips and said in a clear voice, "Let's open blind boxes together."
Amamiya Natsuki took out a coin and said:
"It's perfect for flipping a coin and accumulating some luck."
"I'll do it." Tsubame took the coin and casually flipped it, "I haven't helped charge up any energy lately."
"..."
A moment later.
Sayu: "A roll of toilet paper..."
Juju: "A bottle of mineral water..."
"As expected, there's nothing good." Kitagawa Marin stood up, "Everyone, let's go change in the room."
"You all go ahead." Koyasu Tsubame sat upright on the sofa and said softly, "I'll wait until my bad luck status ends before I go change."
The Lucky Coin would absorb the luck of the person who tossed it. With the luck absorbed, bad luck would naturally follow for a period of time. Fortunately, it was all minor bad luck, barely within an acceptable range.
After so long, everyone had already figured out how to deal with bad luck. The best way was not to move around, and quietly wait for the bad luck to end.
"Then Tsubame-senpai, sit for a bit, we'll go to the room first."
Kitagawa Marin waved her hand and, along with Juju and the others, entered the room first. The living room quickly quieted down.
"Wait..."
Koyasu Tsubame suddenly remembered something; it seemed she had forgotten someone.
Amamiya Natsuki walked out of the restroom, came over, and sat down beside Tsubame, whispering:
"Now that it's just Senpai and me, shouldn't Senpai fulfill yesterday's promise?"
Koyasu Tsubame blinked, her pink eyes bright and clear, trying to play cute and get away with it: "What promise is Natsuki-kun talking about? I was busy reading after I got back yesterday, so I don't remember clearly."
"Then I'll help Tsubame-senpai remember."
Amamiya Natsuki raised an eyebrow slightly, reached out, grabbed Tsubame's wrist, and without giving her a chance to react, directly pressed Tsubame onto his lap.
"Eh? Eh? Eh?"
By the time Koyasu Tsubame reacted, it was too late. She was already lying face down on Amamiya Natsuki's lap, her pretty face rapidly reddening. This position was simply too embarrassing!
Amamiya Natsuki raised his right hand and said:
"Does Tsubame-senpai remember now?"
"Wait, wait a minute!" Tsubame quickly called out, her pretty face flushed crimson like fire, "I remember! Natsuki-kun, don't hit me!"
Amamiya Natsuki said:
"What does Tsubame-senpai remember?"
Tsubame's pretty face was flushed, and she turned her head to look over, whispering:
"Yesterday, I promised Natsuki-kun that when no one was around, I'd let Natsuki-kun kiss me..."
Amamiya Natsuki nodded and said:
"It seems Tsubame-senpai really does remember."
"Hoo..."
Koyasu Tsubame secretly let out a sigh of relief, feeling relieved.
The next second.
Amamiya Natsuki's right hand suddenly fell.
Slap!
A crisp slapping sound suddenly echoed in the living room. The rapid collision of palm and skin compressed the air, producing a clear sound. At the same time, an excellent, elastic tactile sensation was feedbacked from Amamiya Natsuki's palm.
"Ah... Mmm--!"
Tsubame involuntarily let out a low moan, her voice cut off halfway, and she quickly raised the back of her hand to cover her lips.
"N-Natsuki-kun!" Koyasu Tsubame quickly turned her head, looking over with both shame and anger, "I already remembered, why did you still hit me?"
Amamiya Natsuki said righteously:
"Children who go back on their word need to be punished. Tsubame-senpai just tried to go back on her word again, so I need to teach Tsubame-senpai a lesson."
"Ugh..." Koyasu Tsubame puffed out her pink cheeks, seeing through Amamiya Natsuki's true intentions at a glance, "Natsuki-kun just wants to take advantage of me!"
Amamiya Natsuki raised his right hand again, then brought it down.
Slap.
The crisp slapping sound rang out again.
"I-I was wrong..." Koyasu Tsubame's body trembled, the temperature on her pretty face rapidly rising, turning her into a ripe tomato in an instant, "Natsuki-kun, stop hitting me. What if everyone hears?"
All this time, she had always been the mature and steady Tsubame in front of everyone. If everyone saw her getting spanked, she wouldn't be able to face anyone ever again!
Amamiya Natsuki: "Tsubame-senpai, you have to trust the soundproofing of the door."
Tsubame: "I can't trust it at all!"
"Alright, no more hitting." Amamiya Natsuki lowered his right hand and said gently, "I used a bit too much force just now. Does Tsubame-senpai hurt a lot?"
Tsubame hadn't felt anything before, but hearing Amamiya Natsuki ask now, she suddenly felt wronged, and a misty haze welled up in her eyes:
"It really hurts..."
To be fair, it didn't actually hurt much. The gluteus maximus has very few blood vessels and not many nerves, so it stays cool all year round and doesn't hurt when hit, but it's incredibly embarrassing. Tsubame had never been pressed onto someone's lap and spanked in her entire life.
And then... Koyasu Tsubame regretted it.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have used so much force." Amamiya Natsuki quickly apologized, then said seriously, "I'll help Tsubame with some treatment."
"Eh?"
Koyasu Tsubame was stunned, still wondering what kind of treatment it would be. But the next second, Amamiya Natsuki showed her the treatment method with his actions.
Unlike Shoko, who had a hosiery fetish, Marin, Juju, Sayu, and the other girls all wore over-the-knee socks. Tsubame was naturally no exception, her attire today being a pink dress combined with black over-the-knee socks.
The dress was a bit long; it was fine when standing straight, but now, kneeling on Amamiya Natsuki's lap, a patch of snow-white, delicate absolute territory was clearly exposed to the air.
The bright sunlight streamed in from the window, landing precisely on Tsubame's absolute territory. It was truly dazzlingly white.
Amamiya Natsuki extended his right hand, his fingertips quickly landing on Tsubame's absolute territory.
"Mmm...!"
Koyasu Tsubame's body trembled slightly. She instantly understood what Amamiya Natsuki's method of treatment was. Steam quickly rose from the top of her head, and she said in a trembling voice:
"N-No... Everyone will find out..."
"Tsubame-senpai, don't speak." Amamiya Natsuki lowered his voice, "You don't want everyone to hear, do you?"
Koyasu Tsubame: "..."
As Amamiya Natsuki's treatment deepened, Tsubame's resistance quickly weakened. In the end, she could only bury her face in Amamiya Natsuki's embrace, playing the ostrich.
Unfortunately, being an ostrich wasn't easy either.
On one hand, she was on pins and needles, worried about everyone coming out after changing and catching them. On the other hand, she was being treated and teased by Amamiya Natsuki. Tension and embarrassment intertwined, and Koyasu Tsubame felt as if every single second was exceptionally long.
However... she didn't dislike it at all.
If it were any other boy, Tsubame would have turned hostile the moment he touched her, let alone obediently lying on a boy's lap, letting him spank her.
Tsubame actually knew very well that Amamiya Natsuki wasn't using much force. If she didn't want to, she could break free at any time.
But... in her seventeen years of living by the rules, this was the first time she had been pressed onto a boy's lap and spanked, and it was in a friend's house, with only a door separating them from her friends. Besides the tension and embarrassment, there was also a sense of excitement and immorality that she was unwilling to admit... In short, she just couldn't dislike it.
A moment later.
The treatment was successfully completed.
Amamiya Natsuki picked up Tsubame, who had obediently cooperated with the treatment, and said softly:
"Tsubame-senpai, please fulfill your promise."
"...Natsuki-kun is too much!"
Koyasu Tsubame's eyes were misty, like a lake shrouded in winter fog, filled with the beautiful scenery of spring. While saying he was too much, her body honestly extended her arms, wrapped them around Amamiya Natsuki's neck, then leaned in and offered a kiss.
After an unknown amount of time.
The door opened.
Marin and the others, having finished changing, walked out.
"We've changed!" Kitagawa Marin put her hands on her hips, officially transforming into a female hero. "Tsubame, how are you feeling now?"
Tsubame's pretty face still had lingering blushes, but after all, she was a bit older and more experienced. Unlike Juju and Shoko, who were full of flaws and had a guilty conscience, she casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as if nothing had happened:
"The state of bad luck has ended. I'm going to change in the room."
A moment later.
Tsubame pushed the door open and walked out.
Juju's cosplay character was Setsuna, the Ice Wolf Tribe girl. Tsubame was now Princess Freya. Shoko had transformed into the Demon King Girl, and Marin was the Female Hero. Sayu also cosplayed a well-known character, with the entire Redo of Healer team assembled.
Kitagawa Marin put her right hand on her hip and furrowed her delicate brows: "I feel like something's missing..."
Juju followed, saying, "Something is definitely missing."
Sayu nodded, "I feel that way too."
The girls whispered for a while, then all looked at Amamiya Natsuki.
"Why are you all looking at me?"
Amamiya Natsuki said, speechless.
"Natsuki, you're the only one left." Kitagawa Marin put her hands on her hips and said in a clear voice, "Hurry up and cosplay your Redo of Healer."
Amamiya Natsuki: "..."
Under the collective pressure of the girls, Amamiya Natsuki had no choice but to cosplay the Redo of Healer.
Kitagawa Marin was enthusiastically suggesting they all go to the anime convention together, believing that with their exquisite cosplays, they would surely receive countless exclamations and praises.
Unfortunately, upon hearing this suggestion, the socially anxious Shoko trembled with fear, and Juju was also unwilling to show her face and be photographed with long and short lenses pointed at her. In the end, they had to abandon the idea.
"Then let's take pictures ourselves," Kitagawa Marin said quickly, not forcing the issue, "As long as we have fun playing by ourselves, that's enough."
Amamiya Natsuki took out his phone and said:
"I'll take your pictures."
Sayu raised her hand and said:
"I want to take a group photo with Natsuki-sama."
"Even if you say that..." Amamiya Natsuki said, "Someone has to take the picture, right?"
Tsubame blinked and suggested:
"How about we ask Shimizu-nee for help?"
Mrs. Shimizu, the ghost, silently appeared from the shadows, looking at Amamiya Natsuki with an incredibly resentful gaze, as if looking at a heartless man: "Indeed, once a boy obtains a girl's body, he will no longer cherish it."
Amamiya Natsuki: "..."
Don't joke around, you're a ghost, you don't even have a body for people to mess with!
The task of taking photos was handed over to Mrs. Shimizu. Despite being an elderly aunt from more than ten years ago, her photography skills were quite good. From Tsubame to Sayu, every girl expressed great satisfaction.
After taking photos, everyone went to the anime convention together. Just like yesterday, the convention was still bustling with crowds. No matter how hot the weather was, it couldn't stop the fervent enthusiasm.
"Today, I'm taking care of Shoko. You can leave."
Juju followed, decisively taking over the task of looking after Shoko.
Amamiya Natsuki complained:
"You look like the one who needs the most care. If you get lost, find a staff member at the exhibition center, and have them announce my name over the loudspeaker so I can pick you up."
"Damn it!" Juju was instantly enraged, clenching her small fist and punching Amamiya Natsuki's knee. "How dare you call me an elementary school student!"
Amamiya Natsuki caught Juju's small fist: "I didn't, I didn't."
Juju was too angry to bear it and turned her head, saying:
"Shoko, you hit him too and vent your anger."
The the timid girl quickly shook her head. From her perspective, Juju wasn't so much hitting him as flirting… In short, it was quite embarrassing. She couldn't do it, absolutely couldn't.
"Hmph, let's go." Juju pulled her hand back and left with Shoko.
Amamiya Natsuki, on the other hand, wandered around the comic convention with Marin.
Compared to yesterday's the the timid girl, browsing the comic convention with Marin was much more enjoyable.
This Marin was originally a two-dimensional enthusiast, who loved cosplay, manga, and games, and was not picky. Pure love stories were fine, and adult games could also be played, and she was super curious.
"Ah ha, Natsuki, have you read this work?"
Kitagawa Marin held up a book and turned to ask.
Amamiya Natsuki looked at the cover of the work. On it were two short-haired purple-haired girls dressed as maids, looking identical, appearing to be twins. The title of the work was "Maple and Bell," and the art style alone was quite delicate.
"I haven't read it." Amamiya Natsuki shook his head, "I've only heard the name."
"I've read it, you know." Kitagawa Marin proudly raised her chin, putting her right hand on her hip, "The art style is great, the plot is also excellent, highly recommended, a must-read masterpiece this summer."
It was only Marin who could say that. If it were anyone else, even an senpai, they wouldn't dare to say they had read an adult book, let alone strongly recommend it to others!
Amamiya Natsuki said: "I'll buy a copy to read when I get back."
"I just bought three copies." Kitagawa Marin held up three fingers and said crisply, "One for reading, one for collecting, and the remaining one, we'll read together when we get back tonight."
Two passing otaku nearby heard this and looked at Amamiya Natsuki with extremely complex gazes.
Not only did he have a cute girlfriend, but she was also willing to read adult books with him at night. What an infuriating normie! May this world full of normies explode quickly!
Marin was responsible for buying, buying, buying, and Amamiya Natsuki was responsible for carrying things. Manga, books, games, doujinshi… all went into their bags.
"Ah, this is that transformation manga, the content is super interesting!" Kitagawa Marin's eyes lit up, she slightly stood on her tiptoes, leaned close to Amamiya Natsuki's ear, and whispered, "It's a pity Hanamori-chan isn't here, otherwise if Natsuki pasted the transformation skill to me, I could transform into other girls."
Amamiya Natsuki: "…"
If it were another girl, like Hayasaka, this sentence would most likely be a fishing expedition, but with Marin… she would really do what she said. Marin never hesitated.