Chapter 296: Outdoor Exposure?
After coming back in from the balcony, Kouya turned toward Raphiel, Tohru, and the others, stretching his arms before saying lazily, "Alright, time to head back."
Tohru poked her head out from the bedroom doorway, her long blonde hair swaying slightly as her eyes gleamed with teasing curiosity. "Eh? Kouya, you're leaving already?"
"Yeah." He nodded, grabbing his bag. "I've got some things to take care of this afternoon."
"Busy going on a date, right?"
The maid dragon's smirk widened. She blinked mischievously, hands on her hips, wearing an expression that practically screamed, 'You don't have to say it, I already know.'
She even cleared her throat dramatically, then lowered her voice in a pitch-perfect imitation of Kobayashi's tone:
"Kouya, be safe, okay~."
Kouya: "…"
'Be safe your ass! So you were eavesdropping with those dragon ears of yours, huh? Great, another corrupted dragon learning bad habits from the internet!'
Tohru chuckled innocently, but the mischievous sparkle in her eyes said she wasn't sorry at all.
"Kouya, sit for a bit before you go, okay? It's still early, what's the rush?" Kobayashi's slightly tipsy voice echoed from the bedroom. "Your cousin hasn't finished talking yet…"
Kouya sighed. "Nope. Not listening. Goodbye." He waved dismissively and escaped before she could drag him into another awkward 'lecture.'
The door closed behind him, and a wave of warm air greeted him outside. The weather was perfect—clear blue sky, sunlight spilling over the city. The faint hum of cicadas filled the distance.
He squinted up. 'Man, the weather's too nice… kind of makes you lazy.'
As the saying goes, spring makes you sleepy, summer makes you sluggish, autumn saps your energy. And after a full meal, the blood all rushed to his stomach, leaving him light-headed and drowsy.
Rikka's little ahoge drooped as she yawned into her hand. "Sleepy... I wanna nap. Let's go by the little river and rest for a bit?"
'Hold up—weren't you the one who said we should go look for the Invisible Boundary Line!? You're ditching the mission this fast!?'
But before he could object, Raphiel and Satania exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. That sealed it.
They passed through an old park full of rusted swings and overgrown hedges. The summer sun painted long shadows across the ground. After a short walk, they reached the riverside.
The sky stretched endlessly above—a flawless, vibrant blue, broken only by a single drifting cloud. The hills rolled gently toward a narrow stream that glimmered like glass, the reflection of sky and white cloud rippling over the surface.
The embankment was a lush carpet of green grass, trimmed neatly enough to look like a soft bed. The air was warm, carrying not only the humid scent of summer but also the fresh fragrance of grass and wildflowers. A dragonfly zipped past, wings glinting in the light.
It was the weekend, early afternoon—one of those hours when time seemed to stand still. There wasn't another person in sight.
A lazy wind brushed over them, gentle and cool against their skin. The buzzing of cicadas filled the background like a lullaby. Even the birds seemed to be napping.
"So sleepy~~ I'm gonna nap right here," Rikka mumbled. She found a soft patch of grass, took out a few tissues to use as a makeshift mat, and sat down, stretching her arms over her head.
The warmth of the sun pressed down like a blanket. Even Kouya's eyelids grew heavy. Rikka and Satania started chatting about some random anime theory—but their words trailed off, replaced by slow, even breathing as they dozed off.
Just as Kouya started to relax, he felt something warm and soft cling to his arm.
He turned his head—and froze. Raphiel had nestled up against him, hugging his arm tightly.
"What are you doing?" he muttered, his tone dark.
Raphiel blinked up at him innocently. "I'm sleepy too. If I don't hold onto something, I might roll down and fall into the river~ So I'll hold onto Kouya-kun while I sleep."
"Let go."
"Nope." She shook her head, the motion making her long silver hair sway and shimmer in the sunlight. A stray lock brushed his arm, soft as silk.
"Why not hold onto Satania instead?" he asked.
"Because Satania's asleep. I don't want to wake her~" Raphiel's voice turned almost sing-song. She hugged his arm tighter and even nuzzled her cheek against his sleeve, inhaling softly. "Kouya-kun smells so nice..."
'Smells nice!? It's literally just detergent! What kind of weird fetish is this!?'
"Your arm is really firm… all muscle, huh?"
'I swear, it's not just my arm that's firm. You wanna test the rest?'
"Hehe~ I bet I'm the first one to hug this arm, right?" she whispered playfully, smiling up at him.
"..."
Her words faded slowly into silence as her breathing evened out. The teasing smile softened, and her eyelashes fluttered once before settling. She'd fallen asleep, still holding him.
Kouya sighed and looked down toward the stream. The sun glinted off the ripples, making the water look like flowing glass.
'Vigne's probably home taking a nap right now—or maybe sitting on the balcony reading a book.'
'And Gabriel... that hopeless angel's probably up playing games already. Lunch? Probably instant noodles or a conbini bento again. Since I wasn't around, she's probably sulking over the lack of snacks.'
The thought made him smirk faintly.
Time slipped by quietly.
The little river curved and sparkled. A few dragonflies hovered lazily over the water.
He glanced back at Raphiel resting on his shoulder. Her breathing was light and rhythmic, her expression peaceful. The corners of her mouth curved up slightly, like she was dreaming something pleasant. Her silver hair framed her face beautifully, and under the sunlight, she looked softer than ever.
For a rare moment, Kouya thought she actually looked... cute.
Time passed.
When Raphiel finally stirred awake, the sound of rustling grass filled the air. She blinked sleepily—only to find Satania and Rikka sitting up and staring directly at her. A flush crept up her cheeks. She smoothly released Kouya's arm, brushing her hair aside with practiced ease, and giggled.
"Thanks for the treat!"
Satania frowned, puffing her cheeks. "What were you two doing?"
Raphiel raised a finger, smiling. "We were playing a game—whoever moves first loses~"
'You make up lies faster than you breathe!'
"Ohhh, I get it," Satania said with a serious nod.
'You don't get it at all!'
Raphiel clapped her hands together. "Alright, let's head back. The bakery's pineapple buns are gonna sell out fast!"
Satania immediately forgot her suspicion, eyes lighting up. "Let's go! Let's go!"
Kouya just sighed, dragging himself up to follow.
...
On the way back, Satania and Raphiel split off toward the bakery, while Kouya and Rikka continued walking. The street was quiet, sunlight filtering through the leaves. As they passed near an izakaya called Kiku-no-Ma, Kouya suddenly felt a familiar, piercing gaze on him.
He turned—and his expression stiffened.
A tall woman strode toward them, long legs confident, her steps measured. "Good afternoon, Kouya-kun."
It was Hiratsuka Shizuka.
Today, she wasn't dressed in her usual formal teacher attire. Instead, she wore a fitted white sports shirt that traced the shape of her body, outlining both her impressive bust and slender waist. A white visor shaded her face, and her hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail that swung lightly with every step. She looked effortlessly elegant and intimidating at once.
"Back from a date with Takanashi?" she asked, eyebrow raised.
'For crying out loud, can't boys and girls just hang out normally!? Why does everyone default to 'date'!?'
"Hello, Hiratsuka-sensei," Rikka greeted politely, bowing quickly.
"Good afternoon, Rikka." The teacher nodded slightly before glancing between them. "So, what were you two up to?"
"Eh?" Rikka tilted her head. "We were sleeping just now."
Crack!
The can in Hiratsuka's hand shrieked as it deformed. Her eyes narrowed dangerously, a faint glint of cold steel flashing within them.
'It was just a nap! On the grass! Stop imagining whatever it is you're imagining!'
Hiratsuka inhaled deeply, trying to stay composed. She hadn't meant anything by her question—but that answer lit a dozen red flags. As a teacher, she wasn't supposed to meddle too much in her students' private lives... but this involved Rikka—her friend Touka's little sister.
"Were there others with you?" she asked coolly.
Rikka nodded cheerfully. "Satania and Raphiel were there too."
She paused, then added innocently, "We slept together with Kouya-kun."
Craaaack!
The can in Hiratsuka's hand was now completely crushed into a flat piece of metal. The glint in her eyes turned into full-blown killing intent.
Kouya's mouth twitched painfully.
'"Slept together"!? Could you not phrase it like that!? Add the location! The context! Anything!'
"Where exactly?" Hiratsuka pressed, her tone sharp.
Rikka blinked, thinking hard before answering timidly, "Behind the park, by the little river. It's quiet there... no one bothers you..."
Hiratsuka's eyelid twitched. "By the river...? Outdoors too!?"
'Outdoor what, woman!? Why does this sound like something way worse than it was!?'
In seconds, Hiratsuka's expression went from sunny to stormy, then downright apocalyptic. Kouya decided he'd better explain before she exploded.
He opened his mouth—but before he could speak, Rikka rubbed her lower back and muttered softly, "My butt hurts..."
"Pffft!"
Kouya almost spat blood on the spot.
'WHY would you say that NOW!? It's from sitting too long, not from—argh!'
Hiratsuka lowered her head slowly, and her voice came out icy cold. "Heh... Kouya, you've got guts, huh... Doing that kind of thing outdoors... and with three girls, no less." Her grip tightened until the can shrieked one last time, crushed into a perfect disc of metal.
A terrifying red gleam flickered in her eyes. "Looks like I'll have to personally give you a little buff called Half-Body Paralysis. That way, you'll remember this lesson for life."
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