The favor Shun wanted my help with was closely tied to the thing she had used to threaten Kokona with.
Processing the fruit delivered by the Black Tortoise Promenade.
"The Promenade heard we were handing out snacks to the children, so they sent over this much fruit."
Inside the Plum Blossom Garden kitchen, Shun gestured at the pile of more than ten boxes and said troubledly, "But they sent way too much. I can't prepare all of it alone, so I wanted to ask sensei to help me."
I nodded.
"I see. So what exactly do you need me to do?"
"Hmm..." Shun thought for a moment. "I'll handle the persimmons and pears over here. Sensei, could you help peel the apples?"
Naturally, I agreed.
And so, Shun and I got busy together.
First, we washed the glossy, plump apples in a basin, then peeled and cut them one by one before placing them onto nearby plates for later use.
As I carried out the repetitive mechanical labor, I found myself wondering whether I could ask the Engineering Department to design a machine that could fully automate fruit processing.
But on second thought, considering what Utaha and the others were like, whether the final product would still have anything to do with "processing fruit" was another matter entirely...
Well, as long as I didn't expect it to achieve the original goal, I could at least feel a bit curious about the finished product.
How many times would it explode before becoming completely unusable?
"Let me see..."
At that moment, Shun, who had just finished part of her own work, leaned closer.
"Oh my, sensei, the apples you peeled look so nice! With hands this skillful, you'll definitely become an amazing cook when you grow up!"
Only after saying it out of habit did she realize what she had said, then smiled awkwardly.
"Oh dear, what am I saying? Sensei is already a wonderful adult."
I laughed.
"Not really. As far as cooking goes, I'm only at the level of heating convenience store bentos in the microwave."
"Eh? Really?"
Shun looked genuinely surprised. My image in her mind must have been too perfect, which was why hearing about one of my flaws made her react like that.
"Yeah, though people do say I'm good with my hands sometimes."
For example, those girls last night.
Even when they could barely speak properly anymore, they still stubbornly said things like that, which moved me enough to show them even more.
"So sometimes I think about learning to cook too, maybe save some money while I'm at it. When I get the chance, I'll have to ask you to teach me, Shun."
"Hehe∼ sensei really loves learning∼ Then it's a promise∼"
In high spirits, Shun continued:
"Oh right, sensei should look at the fruit I peeled too. What do you think?"
I examined it carefully.
"As expected of Shun, yours look great too."
"Getting praised by sensei makes me so happy, hehe..."
As she spoke, she picked up a slice of pear from the plate.
"Let's taste a little first. Here, sensei, ah∼"
A beautiful girl was willingly feeding me, so of course I wasn't going to act coy. I immediately opened my mouth and bit into the fruit Shun offered before savoring it carefully.
"Hehe, good boy." Shun smiled. "How does it taste?"
"Lightly sweet and refreshing. Very delicious."
Besides the quality of the fruit itself, it was surely because her fingers had touched it directly, adding psychological value to the experience.
"Really? Then this time, you feed me."
"...Huh?"
Still savoring the taste, I froze for a moment.
"Oh dear, are you embarrassed?" Shun laughed softly. "If I'm the only one feeding someone, that's a little unfair, isn't it? Hehe."
Wait, don't tell me this was her goal from the very beginning? She said she wanted my help, but Kokona could've helped too, right? So this was finally where she revealed her true intentions?
"Come on now."
Before I could even answer clearly, Shun acted as if I had already agreed and impatiently urged me on. She even closed her eyes and parted her lips.
"Ah∼"
Looking at her delicate red lips, I hesitated for a moment and resisted the urge to just kiss her directly.
After all, I was a noble gentleman of impeccable character. I never forced girls to do things they didn't want to do.
At least at the beginning, I was usually the one being forced.
So, I merely placed a slice of apple into Shun's mouth.
But unlike my previous politeness, before I could pull my hand away, the girl closed her lips around it. A warm, moist softness brushed against my fingertip.
...She actually licked it!?
I jerked my hand back as if shocked by electricity and stared at Shun in disbelief.
After savoring the apple, she slowly opened her eyes, then licked the corner of her lips with lingering satisfaction before smiling casually.
"Mmm∼ I wonder if it's because sensei fed me personally, but the fruit feels especially sweet∼"
Seriously, why was this girl so shameless!?
Thinking it was one thing, but actually saying it out loud too? Who did she learn that from? Don't tell me it was Kokona.
Honestly, the words and actions of Kivotos students could surprise even someone as experienced as me sometimes.
As I pondered whether Shun had already hopelessly fallen in love with me because of the attentive care I gave her when she had shrunk before, to the point where she couldn't even restrain herself while working with me and was deliberately seducing me, she spoke again.
"Then let's have another bite..."
She was definitely trying to tempt me!
Now that I had seen through her true intentions, I calmed myself and prepared to kiss her the moment she closed her eyes again like before.
However, Shun subconsciously glanced at the clock on the wall and suddenly realized something.
"Oh my? It's already this late? If we keep dawdling, snack time will be over. Sensei, let's hurry up first."
Although the plan I had just made was disrupted, we were still in the middle of work, so with my immense patience, I simply sped up my movements while subtly probing my theory further.
"Speaking of which," I said while cutting fruit this time, "when you turned small before, did you ever figure out the real identity of that Genryumon student you met?"
Very good. That transitioned into the topic naturally.
Next, I'd test whether Shun had fallen deeply in love with me since then!
Shun's movements paused briefly.
"Why bring that up all of a sudden?"
"Just casually asking."
As an entry point for the conversation.
"It's not that... how should I put it... Well, she never came looking for me, and I didn't dare ask on my own, so..."
Shun hesitated for a moment.
"If sensei is really curious, I can tell you my guess, but please absolutely keep it secret."
My curiosity was piqued as well.
"Of course."
"Mhm." Shun nodded mysteriously. "If I'm not mistaken, it should be Kisaki."
The Genryumon leader, the Master, Ryuuge Kisaki.
But compared to those titles, the thing that left a deeper impression on me was something else entirely.
I couldn't help blurting out:
"You mean the one who does the Banzai exercise da... gah."
Before I could finish speaking, pain interrupted me.
Raising my hand, I discovered that my fingertip had been sliced open by the sharp blade, crimson blood slowly seeping from the wound.
This was the consequence of getting too distracted while using a knife.
"Sensei, are you okay!?"
Crying out in alarm, Shun grabbed my hand.
Then placed my injured finger into her mouth.