"B-Bad woman?"
Gokou Ruri widened her eyes, her expression bewildered.
Could she be talking about me?
Although I sneaked back, it was for a reason. I'm not a thieving cat bad woman!
Izumi Sora squeezed Kuroneko's small hand, signaling her not to be nervous. He turned to look at the door, his voice steady:
"I was just voice chatting with Ruri on my phone."
"Idiot Onii-chan, you said you were going to take a shower, but you're just chatting with girls in the bathroom." Sagiri gave two light snorts from outside. "If you're not focused while showering and slip, you'll end up paralyzed in bed, you know?"
"Then besides me, definitely no one else will take care of you."
Izumi Sora was quite speechless: "What you're talking about is an extremely low-probability event."
"Better safe than sorry. Idiot Onii-chan, hurry up and take a shower."
"Yes, yes."
"..."
Hearing Sagiri's footsteps leave, Kuroneko quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Blushing, she looked up:
"Sora can turn on the shower first. If there's no sound, Sagiri will definitely get suspicious."
Izumi Sora nodded, stepping towards the wall:
"That's what I was thinking."
The two were still holding hands. Kuroneko hurriedly stepped forward to keep up, but her foot slipped, and she involuntarily fell into Izumi Sora's embrace.
In her panic, something she was originally deliberately controlling suddenly stood up.
"What is that?"
Izumi Sora only felt something furry suddenly fall into his palm, and he subconsciously gave it a squeeze.
"Seems like... a tail?"
Ehhhhh!
Gokou Ruri's eyes widened abruptly. She only felt an indescribable thrill instantly sweep through her entire body. She violently threw her head back, a soft cry involuntarily escaping her lips:
"Meow...!"
Izumi Sora turned his head and saw Kuroneko's small face flushed to the point of explosion, almost ready to drip blood. Her pink lips were slightly parted, her breathing rapid, her whole body tense.
Very clearly.
The tail, this marvelous appendage, must have a fairly high sensitivity.
Thump thump thump.
Footsteps approached the bathroom door again.
"Onii-chan, I think I heard a meow just now?"
Sagiri's tone was suspicious:
"There isn't a girl in the bathroom, is there?"
"O-Oh no..."
Gokou Ruri's small face instantly filled with tension. Her heart jumped right into her throat. She hurriedly raised a hand to cover her pink lips, holding her breath.
Izumi Sora remained expressionless. The door was properly locked, Sagiri couldn't come in:
"There's no one else, that was me practicing cat meows."
"Liar, it was clearly a girl's voice." Sagiri completely didn't believe him. "Onii-chan, hurry up and open the door, let me take a look."
Izumi Sora: "I've already stripped completely."
Sagiri: "So what if you're naked, it's not like I haven't seen Onii-chan's body before."
Stare—
Hearing this, Gokou Ruri lifted her small face, looking over with a look of disgust reserved for sewer kitchen waste.
Idiot Sora, what exactly have you done to Sagiri?
Death penalty!
Commit seppuku!
"Things in dreams don't count." The corner of Izumi Sora's mouth twitched slightly. "I just mastered a voice-changing technique."
Sagiri stood outside the door refusing to leave: "I don't believe you, unless Onii-chan meows again for me."
Hearing this, Izumi Sora looked down at Kuroneko, signaling with his eyes:
"Please, one more time."
"No."
Gokou Ruri indignantly turned her small face away.
Such a shameful sound, I definitely won't do it again!
"Onii-chan, why aren't you meowing?"
Sagiri's tone was suspicious:
"You don't really know any voice-changing technique, do you?"
"Hurry up and open the door, let me in."
"..."
"Who says I don't know it?"
Izumi Sora pondered for two seconds, quickly devising a solution:
"Listen closely."
Gokou Ruri looked over curiously, thinking Izumi Sora was really going to meow.
Who knew that in the next second, Izumi Sora would suddenly lean close to her ear and whisper:
"Ruri, I'm sorry."
The warm breath falling in her ear made Gokou Ruri's heartbeat accelerate. She subconsciously shrank her neck, her gaze somewhat bewildered.
Why suddenly apologize?
The next second.
Gokou Ruri instantly understood the reason for Sora's apology.
She saw Izumi Sora's hand shoot out, once again grabbing Kuroneko's tail.
"...!!!"
Gokou Ruri's eyes widened abruptly. She only felt a thrilling electric current rapidly surge up from her tailbone, sweeping through her entire body in the blink of an eye. The indescribably intense stimulation made her violently throw her head back, a shameful soft cry escaping once more:
"Meow~!"
Izumi Sora, holding Kuroneko's tail, looked toward the bathroom door:
"Did you hear that clearly now?"
It had to be said, the furry texture was exceptionally comfortable.
(I-Idiot Sora!)
Gokou Ruri's small face was burning hot, her body trembling. She could only tightly cover her pink lips with the back of her hand, her eyes glaring over in a mix of shame and anger.
Sagiri's voice was suspicious: "It sounds even more like a girl's voice now... Onii-chan, hurry up and open the door, let me check."
"Wait until I finish my shower." Izumi Sora wasn't panicked at all. "Then I'll let you properly check."
"Alright then... I'll go eat my cup noodles."
Sagiri agreed, turned, and left with a thump thump thump.
Izumi Sora pretended to snap back to reality, looking at Kuroneko:
"Strange, how did your tail end up in my hand?"
Kuroneko: "..."
Shameless!
You clearly grabbed it just now, alright!
Grabbing it is one thing, but to actually play with it...
The more Gokou Ruri thought about it, the angrier she got. Feeling her teeth itch, she suddenly opened her small mouth and bit down on Izumi Sora's wrist.
"Ouch ouch ouch." Izumi Sora decisively begged for mercy. "Lord Ruri, let go quickly."
"..."
Gokou Ruri bit him silently, not speaking.
After a good while, Gokou Ruri finally released her bite with a red face. Pressing her right hand against her cheek, she cast a curse in her identity as the Witch of the Night:
"A mere mortal Sora, actually daring to commit an act of overstepping... I curse you to never have seasoning packets when you eat cup noodles in the future!"
"I'm sorry, I was wrong."
Izumi Sora's attitude in admitting his mistake was quite sincere.
"Hmph~"
Gokou Ruri gave a light snort, indicating she hadn't forgiven him yet.
And then she heard Izumi Sora continue:
"I'll dare to do it again next time."
Gokou Ruri: "..."
Dare to do it again, huh?
Itchy, it's itchy!
My teeth are itchy again!
Kuroneko ground her little silver teeth, huffing angrily as she prepared to continue biting his wrist. But Izumi Sora had quick reflexes and pulled the girl with long straight black hair into his embrace, not giving Kuroneko a chance to bite.
Their skin pressed together.
Feeling the burning heat from Izumi Sora's body, the temperature of Gokou Ruri's face rose rapidly, her heartbeat accelerating along with it:
"I-Idiot Sora... too close!"
"W-Who allowed you to hug me!"
"Hurry up and let me go, I can't breathe!"
"..."
Izumi Sora looked down: "If Lord Ruri promises not to bite me, I'll let go."
Gokou Ruri's heart thumped wildly. She turned her head to look elsewhere:
"You're covered in the unpleasant smell of sweat. Even if you wanted me to bite you in the future, I wouldn't."
Izumi Sora lifted his left arm and smelled it: "There's clearly only the smell of Ruri's saliva..."
Thump!
Gokou Ruri instantly flew into a rage from shame. She delivered a headbutt to Izumi Sora's chest:
"You really want to die a hundred times, don't you!"
Actually daring to say my saliva has a smell, death penalty!
"..."
A moment later.
Izumi Sora ended the horseplay, releasing his right hand, and said softly:
"The magic power purification is complete."
"Eh?"
Gokou Ruri turned to look behind her, only then realizing her tail had disappeared at some point.
"...Thank you."
After whispering her thanks, Gokou Ruri turned to look outside. Hearing the sound of the TV outside, her expression was worried:
"How am I going to get out later?"
The bathroom was only so big, there was nowhere to hide, and sneaking out would definitely result in being caught red-handed.
"Don't worry." Izumi Sora's tone was steady. "I can stop time for one minute now. Carrying you out is completely no problem."
"I forgot you can stop time now..."
Hearing this, Gokou Ruri instantly breathed a sigh of relief, setting her mind at ease.
Izumi Sora said in a low voice:
"Get ready. Later I'll carry you directly to the balcony. When Sagiri comes into the bathroom, you can secretly slip out."
Gokou Ruri nodded gently. Her gaze suddenly fell on Izumi Sora:
"Wait a minute."
"Hmm?"
"You just said you were taking a shower, but you're not wet at all right now. If you go out like this, Sagiri will definitely get suspicious, right?" Gokou Ruri pursed her pink, moist lips, quietly retreating to the corner, and turned around. "So Sora, hurry up and take a shower. I'll go out after you finish."
Seeing Kuroneko thinking of him, Izumi Sora naturally wouldn't refuse:
"Then I'll take a shower?"
"Hurry up, hurry up."
"..."
Gokou Ruri covered her chest with her right hand, listening to the splashing sounds of washing behind her, her feelings exceptionally subtle and complex.
A lone man and woman sharing a bathroom, a boy stripping naked and showering behind her—shouldn't she feel so ashamed she wants to explode?
But... she didn't seem to feel that ashamed.
And she was the one who proactively suggested Sora take a shower.
Why?
Why did she say those words just now?
As for the answer, Gokou Ruri actually knew very well in her heart.
As they spent time together, the boy showering behind her had already occupied an unusually important place in her heart...
"Eh, that mirror?"
Gokou Ruri's breathing paused slightly, her gaze suddenly drawn to a mirror embedded in the wall not far away.
It was an ordinary, inconspicuous square mirror, but because of the angle of light refraction, she could happen to see Izumi Sora showering.
(You-You're kidding, right?)
Through the reflection in the mirror, Gokou Ruri clearly saw a terrifying existence. She was instantly startled, feeling as if her eyes had been scalded, and hurriedly turned her small face away in a panic.
(That's a monster that would only appear in a manga!)
Gokou Ruri's heart thumped wildly. The terrible images playing on the TV at the love hotel last weekend suddenly surfaced in her mind again, and she subconsciously substituted herself and Sora into them.
(No, no, no!)
(It would definitely break, right?)
(Hurry up and stop, idiot! Don't let your imagination run wild, ahhhhh!)
"I'm done washing."
Izumi Sora finished his shower swiftly in three minutes. Given the special circumstances, naturally, soaking in the tub was out of the question.
But upon turning around, he saw Gokou Ruri squatting in the corner. Her small face was burning hot, and white steam was clearly whistling out from the top of her head.
"Ah..."
Gokou Ruri snapped back to reality. Her gaze darted evasively, completely not daring to look at him:
"D-Done washing?"
Izumi Sora raised an eyebrow slightly, lowering his voice:
"Your face is so red... Ruri didn't happen to peek, did you?"
"I am not! I did not! Don't spout nonsense!"
Gokou Ruri, like a catgirl whose tail had been stepped on, hurriedly denied it three times:
"I am the Witch of the Night, I wouldn't be interested in a human's body!"
The so-called peeking emphasizes the act of sneaking, highlighting subjective initiative. I accidentally saw it through the mirror, of course that doesn't count as peeking!
"It's getting late, I'm going home."
Gokou Ruri urged in a small voice. She only had one thought right now: quickly escape the bathroom, go home, and hide under her covers.
"Leave it to me." Izumi Sora gave a slight nod, lowering his voice. "In the next second, you will appear on the balcony. Remember not to panic."
Gokou Ruri took a deep breath: "I understand."
Snap.
Izumi Sora raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. The entire world's pause button was abruptly pressed.
"Let's go."
Easily picking up Kuroneko, Izumi Sora pushed open the door and walked out.
The variety show playing on the TV was frozen.
Sagiri sat on the sofa, holding her cup noodles. A single drop of soup hung suspended in mid-air.
The curtain on the balcony, blown up by the wind, was slightly parted, capturing the shape of the wind.
The time-stopped world was incredibly quiet.
Izumi Sora carried Kuroneko onto the balcony, set the girl down, positioned her properly, and then quickly turned and returned to the bathroom. One minute was completely enough.
Snap.
Another snap of his fingers, and time quietly resumed its flow.
Gokou Ruri only felt her vision blur. The next second, she appeared in a dark, unfamiliar environment. Her body tensed instinctively, but after confirming it was the balcony, she quickly relaxed.
At the same time.
Izumi Sora's voice rang out:
"I'm done showering."
Immediately following was Sagiri's voice, then the sound of thump thump thump footsteps:
"Onii-chan, get out of the way, I want to go to the bathroom to check."
Hearing the sounds outside, Kuroneko's feelings were subtle.
(The ability to stop time is truly too exaggerated...)
Amidst her wild thoughts, Gokou Ruri suddenly remembered a short manga she had read before.
A red button that grants one million yen when pressed, but the cost is that consciousness is plunged into a void for a full five hundred million years. When the five-hundred-million-year punishment ends, the instant consciousness returns to the body, all memories and pain are forgotten.
(Thank goodness Time Stop doesn't reset memories. If Sora really did something... my body would definitely feel it, right?)
Gokou Ruri pursed her pink lips, suddenly widening her eyes.
(Wait, my lips feel a bit wet... Could I have been secretly kissed?)
(What did my lips feel like before the Time Stop?)
(Damn it, I can't remember...)
"You can come out now."
Izumi Sora stood in the living room, secretly waving towards the balcony.
Kuroneko hurriedly took a deep breath, pushing all the messy thoughts out of her head. She quietly slipped off the balcony, quickly crossed the living room, and fled swiftly.
"Phew..."
Arriving outside the house, Gokou Ruri finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Going home, going home."
"..."
Meanwhile.
"Strange... there really is no one inside?"
Sagiri walked out of the bathroom with a confused expression.
"I told you there wasn't." Izumi Sora wasn't panicked at all. "Hurry up and go brush your teeth, then go to sleep."
"I want to sleep with Onii-chan tonight."
"I refuse."
"..."
Having sorted out Sagiri, Izumi Sora returned to his room to continue working. It wasn't until 11:00 PM that he finally shut down his computer and went to sleep.
It's just that before falling asleep, he didn't receive a message from Kuroneko saying she had arrived home safely.
The night passed without words.
The next day.
Lunch break.
Kuroneko, who had arranged to eat with Elf, didn't show up. Upon inquiring at Kuroneko's class, they discovered that Kuroneko actually hadn't come to the academy...