There were only two people in the elevator.
Hiratsuka Shizuka pressed the button for the 28th floor, and the elevator began to rise.
The numbers ticked up one by one, and in the enclosed space there was only the faint hum of the elevator's operation.
"Um, well..."
"Are you really sure I won't be bothering you?"
"After all, you've got school tomorrow."
Hiratsuka Shizuka was still draped in that coat of Tsushima Kagami's, leaning in close against his side, her eyes nearly curving into thin slits.
She asked while looking at the reflection of the two of them in the elevator doors.
"You've got a point. In that case, maybe I should just head back."
Tsushima Kagami thought it over and made as if to reach out and press the button for the 1st floor.
Only for Hiratsuka Shizuka to hastily stop him.
"Wait, wait, wait!"
"You're already here — you really should at least have a cup of hot tea before you go."
Hiratsuka Shizuka tugged at Tsushima Kagami's sleeve.
The corners of Tsushima Kagami's mouth curled up.
A little JK really is still too green, after all.
But teasing a little girl really is such fun, heh~
The elevator stopped.
The doors opened to a quiet hallway.
Hiratsuka Shizuka walked ahead, stopped in front of a door, and pressed in the code lock.
The door opened.
"Come on in."
She looked back at Tsushima Kagami with a smile.
"It's a bit messy inside, so don't mind it."
Tsushima Kagami stepped into the entryway.
"Pardon the intrusion."
Tsushima Kagami changed into the slippers Hiratsuka Shizuka handed him.
Then he followed her figure into the living room.
It was rather different from what he'd imagined a single JK girl's place to look like.
There was none of that refined, rich-young-lady elegance he'd pictured.
The living room was spacious, the sofa soft, and a few copies of Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump were scattered across the coffee table.
An electric guitar stood against the wall, with sound equipment beside it.
Various pieces of exercise gear sat next to the balcony.
As far as the space went, it felt a little empty.
The most eye-catching thing was the night view beyond the floor-to-ceiling window.
From the height of the 28th floor, the lights of all of Meguro Ward spread out beneath their feet.
In the distance Tokyo Tower glowed with an orange light, and the lights shining from the windows of faraway high-rises were like a scattering of stars.
"Wow."
Tsushima Kagami walked over to the window and couldn't help but let out a sigh of admiration.
"It really is nice to be rich."
"What are you saying such silly things for?"
"Kagami, you're pretty rich now too, aren't you?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka set the freshly brewed hot tea down on the coffee table, then came over and stood beside him.
"That bit of assets I've got is just a drop in the bucket compared to your family's fortune."
In his past life, Tsushima Kagami's greatest dream had been to make money and live in a big, single-floor luxury apartment.
But after he started working, he passed the exam for a civil-service post and settled into a comfortable life with little money, little work, and a short commute — and the whole man just went soft.
Now, thanks to plagiarizing... er, copying out novels, he'd actually earned a fair bit of money.
But for some reason, once he had money, he lost that worldly sort of desire instead.
He felt that even if he moved into a cardboard box or a cement pipe on the street, his heart would still be rich.
As for that big mansion in Setagaya.
Tsushima Kagami always felt that a place that big was just too empty for one or two people to live in — actually less comfortable than this little apartment now.
Yep, I have absolutely no interest in money!
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
She pointed in a certain direction in the distance.
"Over there — when the weather's good, you can see Mount Fuji."
Tsushima Kagami looked in the direction she was pointing.
Of course, it was nighttime now, so nothing could be seen.
Only the night view of Tokyo's flickering neon.
But he could imagine the scene.
"How nice."
The two of them stood before the window, quietly gazing at the night view.
For a while, neither spoke.
After a moment, Hiratsuka Shizuka spoke up.
"Oh dear, the tea's going to get cold."
"Have a sip of tea first."
Tsushima Kagami nodded.
The two of them returned to the sofa and sat down.
Hiratsuka Shizuka knelt to one side, pouring tea for Tsushima Kagami.
Meanwhile, Tsushima Kagami plopped himself straight down onto the soft, fluffy sofa.
It was clearly several tiers higher than his own apartment's sofa in texture and comfort — by who knows how much.
So Tsushima Kagami leaned his whole body comfortably back against the sofa's backrest.
Suddenly he felt something slowly sliding down the backrest.
It slid down onto his face, covering both his eyes.
The sky in Hiratsuka Shizuka's home really is pitch-black!
But then again, it smelled a little nice, too.
Tsushima Kagami grabbed the thing covering his face and took a look.
It was a pair of black pantyhose.
Only then did Tsushima Kagami recall that, on his way in, he'd seen a stack of neatly folded clothes piled on the back of the sofa.
He didn't say much about it.
Normally Shizuku, too, liked to place folded clothes she'd be using again soon on the sofa.
Sometimes she'd just toss clothes she didn't plan to change into right onto the back of the sofa or the chairs.
He just hadn't expected that leaning back would land him a black one.
But it was fine, it was fine — at least it wasn't some bra or panties that slid onto his face.
Otherwise it would've been awkward.
While Hiratsuka Shizuka, still pouring the tea, hadn't even reacted yet, Tsushima Kagami calmly lifted the pantyhose off his face.
But in doing so he set off the folded clothes underneath.
Another piece of who-knows-what clothing slid onto Tsushima Kagami's face.
The sky in Hiratsuka Shizuka's home went dark again.
Tsushima Kagami once again casually lifted it off his face and took a look.
It was a pair of orange-pink panties with lace trim.
Tsushima Kagami even gave them a feel with his hand.
They were genuine mulberry silk, no less.
Tsushima Kagami had washed plenty of Yukinoshita Shizuku's and his lady mother's panties.
He was incredibly familiar with all sorts of styles and fabrics.
A genuine mulberry-silk pair like this — he'd only ever seen his lady mother wear.
Shizuku, on the other hand, usually wore cotton ones.
"Ahaha."
"I never imagined you'd like these panties so much, Kagami."
"How about I just give them to you~"
Only then did Tsushima Kagami snap out of it, looking at Hiratsuka Shizuka giggling away across from him.
Come on, dude, you really don't treat your bro as an outsider, huh.
Shouldn't you be like Galagemuri — seeing underwear stuck to your face,
and then frantically, with a red face, rushing over to take it away.
And then accidentally knocking over the tea you'd just brewed and getting drenched all over.
And finally saying you're off to take a bath, only to unlock a special CG!
Aiya, why does it feel like things have been so stifling lately?
There must be a pair of invisible, stifling hands trying to control me!
Well, now look — what kind of reaction is this of yours?
Whose birthday is it, anyway — yours or mine?
There's such a good deal to be had?
"Thanks!"
"Then I won't stand on ceremony!"
With a smile, Tsushima Kagami unceremoniously stuffed the panties into his trouser pocket.
As naturally as if he'd received some perfectly ordinary, run-of-the-mill gift.
Watching Tsushima Kagami actually tuck her panties away, Hiratsuka Shizuka lowered her head and said nothing more.
She picked the teapot back up and poured herself some tea as well.
At this point Tsushima Kagami observed Hiratsuka Shizuka.
Though her head was lowered and her expression couldn't be seen.
But it felt like...
Why have her ears gone red?
Then he noticed her two feet as she knelt — her toes curled, her big toes ceaselessly twisting together.
Hey, hey, hey!
This is clearly her being embarrassed, right!
So giving me something really was just to ease the awkwardness, after all.
I accidentally teased her a bit too far.
"Ahahaha."
"Bro, it's your birthday today and I didn't even prepare a gift — how could I possibly actually take your stuff!"
"What kind of person do you take me for!"
With a smile, Tsushima Kagami took the panties back out of his trouser pocket.
Then, just like folding underwear at home as usual, he smoothed the panties out, folded them neatly, and placed them back on that pile of clothes on the backrest as best he could.
Come to think of it, the feel of them really is quite nice.
Next time I'll have Rei buy a few pairs too — that way washing them will be more satisfying as well!
____
👻🔥Seek: Walnut-chan🔥👻
🔥 New history: A Martial Arts Master Will Never Be Humiliated
Let's hit these goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = 1 extra chapter for the public!