Chapter 072 Horikita: No Fourth Round! / More Than Friends, Less Than Lovers
8:00 PM.
Horikita Suzune, wearing a set of white pajamas and carrying a pillow, arrived at Shimizu Akira's room.
"Let's get this straight first—this time, you are not allowed to force me to speak, and you aren't allowed to say anything embarrassing, like calling me by my name or saying you like me. We stay silent the whole time, and the lights must be off. Is that clear?" Suzune placed her pillow on the other side of Shimizu's and blurted out her pre-set demands all at once.
Shimizu looked speechless. "Turning off the lights is one thing, and you staying silent is another, but I have to be silent too? Is that even going to feel good?"
"I have my reasons. Just cooperate." She met him with her usual matter-of-fact tone.
"Fine, fine, you're the boss. But let me tell you, if you regret this, you'll have to listen to me for the second half of the night."
"I won't regret it," Horikita Suzune snorted, then began to undress.
-
-
-
Half an hour later.
Horikita Suzune lay beside Shimizu under the same blanket, resting on the pillow she brought. Her expression was the definition of dissatisfied.
They didn't speak, shared no emotions, didn't use names, and did everything in total darkness. The intimate experience was, frankly, terrible.
Not only were her senses dulled, but because he didn't say her name and only focused on his movements, it felt as if he was only interested in her body. In the dark, she didn't even know what he was doing half the time. They were like a divorced couple who had been together for years and grown cold—no, even a divorced couple wouldn't be this silent.
Shimizu took her hand. "See? I told you, right? It's weird. For a couple to maintain a good relationship, you have to share your feelings during this. Otherwise, it's easy for one person to feel insecure, wondering why the other suddenly became cold or if they've had a change of heart.
Suzune, I know you have a cold personality and that your feelings for me are sincere; you're just not good at expressing them. I can accept that. But if I also say nothing... if I don't call your name, say I love you, or communicate, you'd start overthinking too, wouldn't you? We should talk more. What do you think?"
Since Suzune's biggest hurdle was sharing her own feelings, hearing him provide a graceful exit like this meant she had no objections. "Fine."
Then, she watched as Shimizu turned the light back on.
"Why are the lights on again?"
"Because I want to see your expression the whole time."
"..."
"Since you don't like talking, I can only tell if you're happy or uncomfortable through your body and your face. This is really important to me! Just pretend I've tricked you and try it with the lights on first."
Suzune pursed her lips and turned her head away, which counted as tacit consent. Since he gave her a way out, she'd give him one too. At worst, she'd just close her eyes and not look at him.
.
.
.
Over an hour later.
The battle concluded.
At some point, the pillow Suzune brought had fallen under the bed, and she was currently lying in Shimizu's arms.
'Well.'
Horikita Suzune let out a small huff.
The feeling just now was infinitely better than the first attempt. Hearing him say he loved her and hearing her name called during the process really did make a difference. Especially with the lights on, seeing her own reflection in his eyes—that feeling, combined with the pleasure itself, was simply too much. They had even gone for two rounds back-to-back without realizing it.
"Tired?"
"I'm not."
"Stubborn. You were the one who called for a stop first."
"Don't say those embarrassing things."
"I'm just stating facts, not trying to embarrass you."
"Don't say them anyway."
Shimizu stopped teasing her. He reached out and pulled the blanket up to cover her exposed shoulder.
"Cold?"
"No."
"Thirsty? I'll get some water."
"...Yes."
Shimizu gently let go of her, got out of bed, and brought back a glass of warm water. Suzune took it, had a few sips, and handed it back.
"More?"
"No."
Shimizu placed the glass on the nightstand and climbed back into bed. Suzune naturally leaned in, resting her head on his arm in the exact same position as before.
"Your pillow is still on the floor," Shimizu noted.
"And?"
"Didn't you bring it specifically? You're not using it?"
"You'd just force me back into your arms anyway. I might as well just lie here from the start."
'Her mouth is truly made of iron' Shimizu thought. He had expected her cold, shy personality to change a bit after they took the final step, but it seemed she was exactly the same.
Sensing her own awkwardness, Suzune whispered after a dozen seconds: "Do you think I'm a very difficult person? If I had just listened to you about this from the start, we wouldn't have..."
"Haha, you are difficult, it's true, but I like you that way."
Shimizu didn't mind it anymore. She was quite obedient now anyway—she came when called for intimacy and slept over when asked. Let her be cold. Watching her slowly become more honest would be a rewarding process in itself. After all, why do trainers seek out disobedient Pokémon? It's all about the joy of the gradual improvement.
"We've only been dating for a little over six months. We need time to explore, make mistakes, and learn. We'll just remember for next time. We're only seventeen; there's plenty of time. What's the rush?"
Suzune's gaze softened significantly. He liked her "difficulty." They were just green high schoolers. Most of their lives were still ahead of them. There was no need to rush.
Speaking of moving slowly...
"Akira-kun, I don't plan on having children after high school graduation. At least not until after university. Can you accept that?"
"Of course. Besides, our safety measures are quite thorough; you don't need to worry. Though, why are you thinking all the way to university graduation already?"
"Why? Have the other girls not mentioned this?"
"No."
"Even Kushida?"
"Well... everyone is thinking about the present."
"So, I am the first?"
"Yeah, you're the first. Suzune, thank you for taking our relationship so seriously."
Suzune showed a faint smile that almost no one had ever seen. Whether it was being the "first" or him acknowledging her seriousness, these sweet words were very pleasant to hear. However, she cleared her throat.
"...You're being very strange today."
"How so?"
"Saying too many nice things."
"It's the first day of the new semester. Since it's a new beginning, of course I have to treat my girlfriend well. Besides, was I wrong? You are serious, meticulous, and you treat our relationship with gravity. You're thinking about the future. That version of Suzune is, honestly, wonderful."
Suzune felt like she was floating. After several compliments from her boyfriend, her mood was excellent, and her gaze toward him was almost overly tender. She felt her body reacting again.
No, no, no! She couldn't start a fourth round; her body wouldn't be able to take it. She quickly bit her lip. She had come to his room for actual business.
"Akira-kun, something big happened in the Student Council today," she said, pinching him to get him to focus.
"What happened?" Seeing her serious expression, Shimizu stopped his playful hand movements.
"Nagumo Miyabi demoted Kiriyama Ikuto."
"What? Kiriyama isn't the Vice President anymore?"
"No."
"The reason?"
"Nagumo said the third-year senpais are leaving in two semesters. According to his rules, he plans to use the second semester to select a new Vice President from the second-years. Once Nagumo retires next year, this newly selected second-year will become the Student Council President."
That made sense. With the third-years leaving, it was time to train the successor.
"Wait, I remember the Vice President position can be held by multiple people. Keeping Kiriyama wouldn't have hurt, right?"
"Technically, yes. Advanced Nurturing High School allows for two Vice Presidents and one President."
'Seriously? Nagumo is a piece of work.'
Kiriyama hadn't done anything against him except failing to stop Koenji on the island. Nagumo just used any excuse to dump him.
"What about Kiriyama? How did he react?"
"He didn't yell. He just left with a cold face and slammed the door."
Understandable. No one could stomach that. Not cursing Nagumo out was Kiriyama showing a lot of restraint.
"So, who does that guy plan to make Vice President?"
"Looking at contributions, it should be Ichinose since she joined first, then either me or Kushida. But Nagumo is fickle; I have no idea who he intends to pick."
"It's already the second semester. Horikita Manabu retired around this time. How much longer does Nagumo plan to stay?"
"At the meeting this afternoon, he said he intends to stay until the end of the second semester."
'The guy really is power-hungry.' He's about to graduate and still won't let go? Amasawa Ichika gave him a brutal beating recently, yet it didn't curb his greed for authority at all.
"So, who do you think is better for the role? Me, Kushida Kikyo, or Ichinose Honami?"
"Uh... I'm tired. Lights out. Suzune, come here, let me hold you while we sleep."
Hearing the question, Shimizu quickly yawned and nimbly turned off the light to lie down.
-
--
-
A few days passed.
On Thursday morning, after arriving at class, Shimizu saw that Chabashira-sensei had posted the latest 2nd-year class point rankings in the group chat. He knew his class had risen to Class A, but he wasn't sure of the exact gap.
He checked his phone:
2nd Year Class A (Shimizu's Class): 1080 + 300 = 1380 points. 2nd Year Class B (Sakayanagi's Class): 1141 + 100 = 1241 points. 2nd Year Class C (Ryuen's Class): 887 points. 2nd Year Class D (Ichinose's Class): 852 points.
Class A went without saying. Sakayanagi's class took third place in the exam and, because they teamed up exclusively with their own classmates, earned an extra 100 points. In contrast, Class C and D were trailing by over 500 points.
Currently, Class A and B were neck-and-neck, while C and D were left behind. But it was only the start of the semester; with the Sports Festival, Cultural Festival, and Special Exams coming up, there were many variables.
Shimizu suddenly recalled the hint Chabashira had dropped: the "Unanimous Special Exam" coming up soon. Choosing to protect someone or expel someone would likely shift the rankings drastically. He checked the OAA rankings; the person at the very bottom was Ike Kanji.
'Uh... if it follows that logic, wouldn't Ike be expelled?'
He looked over and saw Ike and Shinohara Satsuki laughing and chatting. If Ike was voted out, Shinohara would definitely harbor a grudge against the whole class. Plus, he was friends with Ike, and Sudo Ken and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka probably wouldn't sit idly by either.
Second to last on OAA was Sotomura Hideo (The Professor). The problem was, he had contributed to the class in the typing competition during the last exam, and he often discussed new anime with Shimizu. There was no real reason to kick him out.
Third to last was Inogashira Kokoro, one of Kushida Kikyo's best friends—even more untouchable.
At a glance, the class's interpersonal relationships were like a spiderweb. Even a "background" character seemed connected to everyone else. Shimizu decided that while expelling people wasn't his specialty, and he had no intention of following Chabashira's orders blindly, he definitely needed to discuss the Unanimous Exam with his girlfriends.
-
-
-
After school.
Shimizu was packing his books when he saw a message from Nanase Tsubasa.
Nanase Tsubasa: Akira-senpai, are you free after school today?
Shimizu Akira: What's up?
Nanase Tsubasa: To prepare for the Cultural Festival in November, I want to join a club to get more activity funding. Could you please come with me to check out some clubs I'm interested in?
Shimizu was indeed free, so he replied: I'm free. Where should we meet?
The other party didn't reply.
The moment he stepped out of the school building, a blonde figure who looked like she had been waiting for a long time immediately brightened up and trotted toward him.
Nanase Tsubasa waved with a smile. "Senpai, I'm here!"
Shimizu's mouth twitched. She had clearly planned this. "You weren't asking if I was free; you were already camped out here."
Nanase tilted her head. "Because I was afraid you'd leave first. Besides, I did send a message, and you did agree, so it's not like I forced you, right?"
"...Fair enough."
"Then let's go!" Nanase turned toward the stairs. "Where should we start?"
"What kind of club do you want to join?" Shimizu followed. "Sports? Culture? Or something else?"
"Hmm..." Nanase thought for a moment. "I don't mind sports, and culture seems nice too. Either is fine. I still owe you 950,000 personal points, after all. I heard that if you perform well in a club, the president rewards you with points. I want to pay back my debt as soon as possible."
On the first day of school, Nanase had transferred 50,000 points to him. Honestly, Shimizu didn't care about that million points; she didn't have to pay him back at all.
"Senpai, Senpai! I just had an idea! Does your Boxing Club need a manager? Should I join yours?"
"The Boxing Club only needs three managers, one for each year. Amasawa Ichika already took that spot. So... sorry."
"Oh, I see... how disappointing."
As they walked down the main road, many students looked at them curiously. Shimizu shrugged. "My reputation as a harem king precedes me. Walking with me might get you misunderstood."
Nanase was her usual blunt self. "It's fine, Senpai. I don't care about that." She then asked, "Does the type of club affect the amount of personal points you get?"
Shimizu thought it over. "It definitely does. Clubs are divided into 'popular' and 'niche.' Those that travel for competitions, rank well, and bring glory to the school won't be stingy with rewards."
"Which ones are the popular ones?"
"Well... for sports, Football, Basketball, Judo, Baseball, and Archery have had great results lately. For culture, the Art Club, Tea Ceremony, and Classical Literature also have award-winning senpais. If you perform well, points should be easy to get."
"Then I have to choose carefully." Nanase nodded seriously, counting on her fingers. "I don't know how to do those sports... I can't paint... Tea ceremony is interesting, but Classical Literature doesn't sound like me."
"Did you have any specialties before? Like clubs in elementary or middle school?"
Nanase said, "I was in the Student Council in middle school. But the President here is that Nagumo guy. Senpai, I hate him; I don't want to join the Student Council at all."
Shimizu mused, "Since you haven't been in a club before, let's just visit a few popular ones and see. Clubs usually welcome inexperienced members."
"Then Senpai, which one first?"
"How about the Archery Club? I know someone there."
"Okay! I'll follow your lead."
Shimizu nodded and sent a message to Miyake Akito. A moment later, Miyake replied.
Miyake Akito: Archery Club? Come over now, I'm in the clubroom.
Shimizu put his phone away. "Let's go. It's on the third floor."
They headed up. At the end of the hall was the Archery Clubroom. A wooden sign hung on the door, and next to it was a notice celebrating a recent award.
"Their results really are good, Senpai," Nanase noted. "Second place in the National Tournament (Team)."
"Yeah, Miyake's club has been strong these past few years." Shimizu knocked. "Come in."
The room was split into two areas: a practice range with bows and targets, and a lounge with tables and chairs. Miyake Akito was sitting in the lounge reading an archery magazine.
"Shimizu, you're here!" Miyake stood up. "And you must be Nanase-kouhai? The one from Year 1 Class D who cooperated with our class."
"Hello, Miyake-senpai!" Nanase bowed. "Sorry for the intrusion."
Miyake nodded, though for some reason his expression was a bit stiff. He looked at Shimizu and signaled him to step aside. Shimizu, confused, followed him.
"I'm not good at dealing with girls," Miyake said bluntly. "I'll ask a third-year female senpai I know to guide her. Is that okay?"
"Sure. But seriously, what's with you? How are you ever going to find a girlfriend like this?"
"It's always been this way. Anyway, never mind me." Miyake cleared his throat.
They returned to the practice area. Miyake brought over a kind-looking third-year senpai. The senpai walked up to Nanase and asked with a smile, "Kouhai, do you have any experience?"
"No... zero experience," Nanase said sheepishly.
"It's fine; many people start from scratch." She pointed to the range. "Archery isn't hard to start, but it takes time to master. If you're interested, you can try it out."
"Can I?" Nanase's eyes lit up.
"Yes." The senpai took a bow from the rack. "This is a light bow for beginners. The draw weight isn't high, so girls can handle it easily. I used this one when I started." She handed it to Nanase and explained the basic stance. "Archery is about posture and breathing. Feet placement, center of gravity, hand angles... every step matters."
Shimizu found it quite interesting to listen to. Beside him, Miyake had grabbed another bow and handed it to him.
"Shimizu, since you're here, why don't you try? I remember you said you were interested in archery. And on the island last year, your hunting method was throwing stones by hand—I think you have a natural talent for projectiles."
Shimizu took the bow and tested its weight. It was lighter than expected. "I've never tried. What if I miss?"
"Missing the first time is normal. There's the target; give it a shot. I'll guide you."
Shimizu looked at the bow, then the target, and nodded. "Alright, let's try."
Miyake led him to an empty shooting position. "First, stance. Feet shoulder-width apart, toes toward the target. Lean your weight slightly toward the balls of your feet, don't lean back."
Shimizu followed the instructions.
"Good. Now, the grip. Hold the riser with your left hand, not too hard. Just support it gently. Too much force will affect stability."
"And the right hand?"
"The right pulls the string." Miyake handed him an arrow. "Nock it on the arrow rest first... right here."
Shimizu nocked the arrow.
"Now, draw slowly. Pull to the corner of your mouth, with your thumb joint against your jaw. Look over the shaft at the bullseye."
Shimizu slowly drew the string. The draw weight was higher than he thought, but well within his strength.
"Steady," Miyake's voice came from the side. "Breathe, don't hold your breath."
Shimizu adjusted his breathing, and the shaking in his arm lessened.
"Aimed?"
"Mostly..."
"Then release."
Shimizu let go.
Thwack!
The arrow flew and thudded into the edge of the target. It wasn't a bullseye, but it hit.
"Not bad," Miyake nodded. "Hitting the target on your first try means you have talent."
Nanase, watching from the side, clapped. "Senpai is amazing!"
"Luck, probably." Shimizu put the bow down.
"It's not luck," Miyake said seriously. "Your posture was a bit stiff, but the framework was right. And your arm was very steady when drawing—many people can't do that. Someone with high physical specs like you has an advantage in any sport."
Shimizu felt a bit uneasy under Miyake's enthusiastic gaze. The guy claimed he couldn't teach girls, but he was full of energy when teaching guys.
"Want to try again?" Miyake asked.
"Sure."
Shimizu took another arrow, took a deep breath, nocked, drew, aimed, and released. This time, the arrow landed much closer to the center, hitting roughly the third ring from the bullseye.
"Excellent! Great!" Miyake was satisfied. "A seven-ring on your second shot? You're a natural! If you weren't already in the Boxing Club, I'd make you a regular member immediately. With training, you could definitely be the ace."
"Thanks for the compliment," Shimizu returned the bow. "But I'm just here to accompany my kouhai. I can't join a second club."
Miyake took the bow and sighed. "What a shame."
-
-
-
On the other side, Nanase completed her first shot under the senpai's guidance. Her arrow missed, landing in the straw mat next to the target.
"It's okay, everyone misses at first," the senpai comforted her. "Your posture was actually good; your hand just shook during the release. Just focus on staying steady next time."
"Yes!" Nanase nodded firmly. "I'll work hard!"
The senpai took an even lighter bow from the rack. "This one is also for girls, even lighter. Try this."
Nanase took it and felt the difference. She nocked another arrow, drew, aimed, and released...
Thud.
The arrow hit the outermost ring of the target.
"I hit it!" Nanase jumped up excitedly.
"I saw, I saw," the senpai laughed and patted her shoulder. "Well done. With practice, you'll hit the center in no time."
"Yes!" Nanase turned and waved to Shimizu. "Akira-senpai! I hit it!"
Shimizu gave her a thumbs up.
.
.
.
By the time they left the club, the sky was completely dark.
"Senpai, thank you for today!" Nanase walked beside him. "The Archery Club is fun, and the senpai was very nice."
"That's good," Shimizu said. "Are you going to join?"
"Yes!" Nanase nodded. "I've already filled out the application. I'll start next week."
"Then you don't have to worry about the extra funding."
"Right!" Nanase said happily. "And the senpai said that if I compete and rank, there are extra rewards. I'll be able to pay you back sooner."
"I told you, no rush."
"No, I have to. I remember that million you lent me." Nanase then added in a smaller voice, "Um... does Senpai want me to pay interest now?"
"Interest?" Shimizu didn't follow.
"I mean... as a price for letting me pay back slowly, Senpai can choose to pat my head, or touch my breasts. Though for the latter, we'd have to go to my dorm," Nanase murmured.
'Why are there always people offering 'benefits' proactively?'
Shimizu thought about it and made a different request: "Can I just give you a hug?"
"A hug?"
"Yeah, is that okay?"
"Yes! Of course! In fact, I'd like that very much!"
He stepped forward and opened his arms. Nanase pounced like a golden retriever, burying her head in his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist. Shimizu's hands rested gently on her back. They stood there like that.
After about fifteen seconds, Nanase whispered, "Senpai, your heart is beating so fast."
"Is it?"
"Yeah." She rubbed her face against his chest. "Mine is too."
Shimizu patted her back. "Then let's not laugh at each other."
A few seconds later, Nanase let go and stepped back. Her face was red, but her smile was brilliant.
"Alright! Interest paid! Senpai, I'll head up first."
"Okay."
"See you tomorrow!"
"See you tomorrow."
Nanase waved and ran up the stairs. This ambiguous feeling made Shimizu feel that their relationship really was what people call "more than friends, but less than lovers."
"Maybe I should find a time to take her out on a proper date and just confess?" Shimizu rubbed his chin, talking to himself.
Read ahead (120 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting