Hayashi Maki was jolted awake by Ako smearing facial cleanser all over his face.
When it came to being clingy and cutesy, Ako was even more skilled than Mashiro.
He'd been peacefully enjoying Ako's lap pillow when the adorable girl leaned in close, pressing her cheek to his and cuddling up to show affection.
Yui Yuigahama's face went bright red.
Hina Ebina looked calm on the surface, but the blush on her ears betrayed her inner turmoil.
"How shameless," Yui muttered under her breath.
Ako lifted her chin. "I'm just interacting with my husband like normal. Even if you're jealous, I'm not giving him to you!"
"Who's jealous?!" Yui shot back, cheeks still burning.
Smug, Ako kept slathering cleanser over Hayashi Maki's face.
Hayashi Maki couldn't take it anymore. He sprang up and, still bent over, bolted away in a fluster.
"I'm heading to the restroom. You guys go on."
"Eh—hubby, wait for me!"
Ako tried to chase, but Mahiru Shiina caught her by the hand.
"Okay, Ako. If you cling too much, boys will end up disliking it."
"Um… I—I know."
Faced with someone as gentle as Mahiru—who was also the official girlfriend—Ako just couldn't bring herself to be jealous. Sure, she could claim "we're already married" as an excuse to cling to Hayashi Maki, but the reality was that Mahiru was the real girlfriend, and she was just a girl who'd only recently met him.
She could also hide behind that "reality–online confusion syndrome" as an excuse to keep sticking to him, but her intuition told her that doing as Mahiru suggested was the right move right now.
Yui, still blushing, quietly clicked her tongue and cursed, "Pervert."
She'd seen the way Hayashi Maki had been hunched over—and certain… obvious details—making her feel mortified.
What did she just see Hayashi Maki do, argh?!
Hina Ebina, meanwhile, had stars in her eyes—and a nosebleed to go with the blush.
Yumiko Miura rushed back and quickly pressed tissues to Ebina's nose.
"Hina, what are you thinking about now? You're bleeding so much!"
"Hehe, it's nothing… It's just… Hayashi Maki is amazing… He's so manly—the perfect top. If he and Hayama—mmph!"
"Zip it, Hina! When you don't talk, you're a cute girl. Hayashi Maki is not going to do that with Hayama and—aaah, now you've got me saying weird stuff!"
Flustered, Yumiko stomped her foot and kept a hand clamped over the fujoshi's mouth.
Meanwhile, on Ako's side: with Mahiru holding her hand, she ducked her head, looking timid.
Without Hayashi Maki around, she immediately reverted to that introverted girl again.
No online friends, no guild president, no Shu-chan, and no hubby—put her in that state every time.
Mahiru sighed. "Yumiko, Nibutani, and Kato—how about we find a time to play together online?"
Ako's condition really was worrying.
Gentle as ever, Mahiru wanted to ease her in gradually.
The best way was to game with Ako, add each other as friends, and help her interact with them more normally.
…
Cut to Hayashi Maki.
He was still hustling toward the restroom.
That girl Ako really had no sense of occasion—she'd gotten him way too worked up.
Thinking about how Yui and Hina had seen him doubled over like that made his face darken.
Still, his skin was thick; he'd live.
As he rounded a corner, he collided with something soft.
The person he ran into toppled over, and he landed on top.
"Ah—sorry, sorry. I was in a rush. Are you—huh? President Kyoh Goshoin?"
Staring at the purple-haired beauty before him, Hayashi Maki couldn't help widening his eyes.
Kyoh Goshoin's cheeks flushed; she instinctively glanced at a certain spot.
"Junior, could you get off me before we talk?"
"Ah… sorry." He could only apologize.
In a case like this, if Kyoh accused him of being a creep and harassing her, he'd have no comeback.
He awkwardly straightened up and bent to help her to her feet.
Kyoh stood, patted off her skirt, then noticed the way he stayed hunched and couldn't help laughing.
"Hayashi Maki, what are you even doing? Playing the pervert at school in broad daylight?"
His face burned, but he recovered fast. With a wicked grin, he stepped forward and kabe-don'ed her against the wall.
"Yup, Kyoh-senpai—today I'm Pervert-kun. So what are you going to do about it?"
Kyoh rolled her eyes, then suddenly looped her arms around his neck…
"Since you're so handsome, I'll give you a chance. Carry me somewhere quiet and we'll talk."
His heart skipped; he didn't hesitate. He scooped her up around the waist and dashed for a secluded spot.
Along the way, her falling skirt happened to conceal his… awkward posture.
When they reached a grassy patch in the grove behind the school, Hayashi Maki stopped and gently set her down.
By then, he'd used a bit of magic to tamp down his wicked impulses and calm himself.
"Thanks, Kyoh-senpai."
He thanked her sincerely.
Kyoh waved it off with a smile and sat herself down on the grass.
"Don't mention it. We're friends, aren't we? But, junior—what was with that pervy look? What happened?"
Hayashi Maki sat beside her and sighed.
"Ako, that's what. She transferred to Hakuo Academy—and into my class."
"At lunch, I had my girlfriend eat with her. Ako gave me a lap pillow, and fine, whatever—but then she leaned in and smeared facial cleanser on me on purpose."
"Senpai, I'm a normal guy, you know. That—well, you get it."
"Pfft… I think I do."
Kyoh couldn't help laughing. Her eyes flicked down for a second; her cheeks pinked, too.
Taking in her delicate features, Hayashi Maki couldn't help asking, curious, "Senpai, why are you here?"
The corners of Kyoh's mouth lifted. "Because I transferred too, of course. Didn't I say yesterday I'd find a way to treat Ako's reality–online confusion syndrome?"
"I can't do it without you—Ako only recognizes you as her husband."
"So I transferred here. My father holds shares on the school board at Hakuo Academy, so it was pretty easy."
"I'm just not the student council president anymore, that's all."
Hayashi Maki blinked in surprise. "Your dad agreed to you stepping down?"
Kyoh flicked her hair, a faint, mesmerizing scent drifting over.
She shrugged, casual. "At first he didn't, but I told him there's someone important to me studying here—and that he has a special connection with the Sanzen'in family heir. Then my father agreed."
~~~
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