By the time Kuroha Akira and Aizono Moe finally made it back to the Literature Club, school was just about to close for the day.
Asato Hitomi and Shirai Shiori hadn't expected the two to be gone for that long. But because they were genuinely worried, neither of them had left early. They'd waited patiently—or not so patiently—for their return.
And then they saw the state those two were in.
First, Kuroha Akira wasn't wearing any shoes. Then, Aizono Moe wasn't wearing any socks. Then there was that suspicious bundle she was clutching in her hand—which appeared to be pantyhose wrapped around indoor shoes, and underneath that, a rolled-up pair of underwear…
On top of all that, Aizono Moe was looking down with a deeply shy expression, her blush not yet fully faded, like she'd just done something unspeakable. She was following Kuroha Akira like a little submissive wife trailing after her husband.
Wait a minute?!
What on earth did these two actually do?!
Why is Moe missing all her lower-body fabric except for her skirt?
Would just a "heart-to-heart talk" turn out like this?
Maybe they used a physical method to open her heart!
But both girls quickly dismissed that ridiculous theory. Leave Kuroha Akira aside for a moment—they both knew Aizono Moe extremely well. With her painfully shy personality, there was no way she'd suddenly transform into some impure student having fun at school.
So it was almost certainly an accident.
And Kuroha Akira's expression confirmed that suspicion. He didn't look like someone who'd just scored home run and was basking in post-victory glory. He looked like someone who'd run into a whole series of unfortunate events and had no idea where to even begin explaining.
That look made them even more certain that some kind of disaster had occurred.
Kuroha Akira scratched his head and told the two girls—who were clearly waiting for an explanation—the excuse he'd cooked up on the way back.
"Sorry we're late. So… Moe-chan accidentally fell in the restroom. She not only hit her nose and got a nosebleed, but also… um… got her clothes wet…"
This statement was half-true, half-false—mixing facts with fiction, rearranging the sequence of events into a completely different process and outcome.
Classic misleading but technically not lying technique.
"Moe-chan, are you hurt?"
Asato Hitomi immediately stepped forward to check on Aizono Moe, but the other girl took a step back to avoid her.
"Uh… Hitomi-chan, I'm really dirty right now… Please don't touch me…"
"Dirty?"
Aizono Moe lowered her head and confessed with a look of utter shame.
"Um… actually, I was rushing to the restroom and I fell… and I accidentally couldn't hold it in anymore… and it ended up like this…"
Even though it was the most embarrassing dark history of her entire life, Aizono Moe still decided to tell her two best friends about her incontinence incident.
Kuroha Akira was dumbfounded.
He'd been fully prepared to make excuses and cover for Aizono Moe, but he hadn't expected her to just confess without any prompting. Just moments ago, she'd been saying she didn't want to go back to the Literature Club, didn't want her best friends to see her in such a disgraceful state… Why the sudden change of heart?
She did this, of course, for Kuroha Akira.
Aizono Moe sacrificed herself to help clear Kuroha Akira of any suspicion. She also knew that her current appearance—disheveled, missing socks, carrying a suspicious bundle—looked very much like she'd been taken to the restroom by Kuroha Akira and… well. Even though Asato Hitomi and Shirai Shiori would probably believe Kuroha Akira wasn't that kind of person if she explained clearly, it would inevitably still involve him entering the girls' restroom, hugging her, and all that.
She still wanted to avoid Kuroha Akira being "stigmatized" as much as possible.
Kuroha-kun is a great person!
There's absolutely no way I'm letting his reputation get damaged!
Aizono Moe forced a small, grateful smile and gave Kuroha Akira a look that conveyed: "I won't cause you any trouble."
Seeing her say that, Kuroha Akira obediently shut his mouth and distanced himself completely from the matter.
If she wants to handle it this way, I'll let her.
Asato Hitomi looked at the pitiful Aizono Moe with heartache, and finally took her hand and pulled her into a warm embrace.
"It's okay, Moe-chan. I would never look down on you."
"Hitomi-chan…"
"Silly Moe, how could I possibly think less of you because of something like this?! We grew up together, didn't we?!"
Shirai Shiori also came closer, hugging her from behind, then gently patted her head to comfort her.
"Shiori… Waaah… Thank you, both of you… Thank you…"
Aizono Moe's well-developed tear ducts kicked in again, and she started crying—but this time, they were tears of gratitude.
Ah, that's nice… but it seems like I'm not needed anymore?
Kuroha Akira admired the beautiful scene of the three lilies clustered together, sat down to rest his bare feet, and thought to himself…
Shirai Shiori… your skirt also got some of that best-friend holy water on it now.
And Class Rep… your chest also touched Aizono Moe's wet… uh… four-piece set.
You all just got stained by Aizono Moe's "fluids." And most likely, that distinctive smell is now on you too.
Pure… yet a little bit dirty?
It felt like their friendship was so strong that it might accidentally enter a yuri route. And given the current posture, it could very well be a high-spice, three-person kind of situation. After all, in that hugging configuration, they could just use two double-ended tools and… ahem. And Aizono Moe's personality was very suitable for being the uke in that dynamic.
Tsk tsk tsk… a hint of decadent yuri…
Kuroha Akira indifferently fantasized about the intimate friendship of the three Literature Club girls.
But this was only a surface-level observation. In reality, the rift between the three had widened once again.
Before, it was due to Asato Hitomi and Shirai Shiori's sense of defeat when facing Aizono Moe's artistic talent. But this time, Aizono Moe herself had begun to feel a new kind of guilt and culpability toward them.
I'm sorry, Shiori… Hitomi-chan… I lied to you.
Actually, the nosebleed was from being too excited… because I was sitting on Kuroha-kun's lap…
And when Kuroha-kun picked me up, I was really surprised… but I also felt especially happy…
I even secretly called him "Master" in my heart…
I'm sorry… I'm a bad girl…
"Alright, I'll go grab my gym clothes. Moe-chan, you can change into my things first."
Asato Hitomi then headed off to get her gym uniform, while Shirai Shiori continued to comfort Aizono Moe.
But truth be told, seeing Aizono Moe in such a miserable state, Shirai Shiori actually felt a small sense of relief. A kind of comparative misfortune psychology kicked in.
Because Shirai Shiori—who had only recently experienced her own wet-the-bed incident—felt a strange sense of camaraderie at hearing that Aizono Moe had gone through something similar. "I'm not alone in this suffering."
Best friends leak together, after all.
Although leaking at school seemed way more embarrassing than wetting the bed in your own room—plus it was witnessed by Kuroha Akira. If it were her, Shirai Shiori thought, she'd probably be so embarrassed she'd want to die. Just thinking about it for a moment already made her feel the urge to run to the restroom again.
Even though she could now be completely naked in front of Kuroha Akira without issue, being seen performing bodily functions was still beyond her limit of shame. Her maiden heart hadn't opened that wide yet.
Poor Moe… she's the shyest one of all. This experience will probably become a lifelong trauma for her…
But in reality, Aizono Moe was already one step ahead of her—one foot already through the door into the realm of adult pleasures.
At first, it had been incredibly embarrassing. But after mentally placing Kuroha Akira in a higher position than herself—above her best friends, above herself, above everything—she felt more peace of mind and even a twisted kind of pleasure.
If Aizono Moe ever encountered a situation where Kuroha Akira ordered her to take off her clothes, she probably wouldn't refuse or question it. Instead, she'd find "reasonable reasons" for his command and then immediately execute it.
The same Aizono Moe who could barely talk to boys without turning red could now completely shed her shame in front of him.
Because after all…
The Master's command is the top priority.
Shirai Shiori and Aizono Moe, who had grown up together as inseparable best friends, had gradually stopped putting each other first.
That position had been stolen.
Occupied by Kuroha Akira—the heart thief.