Chapter 253

"I'd like to too, but I don't want to force them. My Ikuyo is much more generous."

His movements made Ikuyo's tense breathing quicken.

Seeing that he didn't take any further action, Ikuyo looked at him and sighed softly with a faint smile.

At that moment, Ishikawa Hayato took out his phone and smiled as he pulled up the photo.

"However... I've added another layer to my list of Ikuyo's dark past."

Delete it!

Ikuyo called out, her voice tinged with a hint of anger.

"I'm going to use this dark history to make you eat my food for the rest of your life."

Ishikawa Hayato spoke in a low voice, and leaned closer to Ikuyo again, the two of them getting so close that they could feel each other's breath.

Ikuyo's breathing became noticeably heavier.

Seeing the girl's nervous and hesitant expression, Ishikawa Hayato said

"I promise I won't do more than usual."

Ikuyo smiled knowingly, guessing what he wanted to do, and then playfully reached out her hand to Ishikawa Hayato.

Ishikawa Hayato hugged her, gently kissed her, and then turned off the light.

Mmm... Chu~

The sounds of kissing continued in the darkness.

While lost in his reverie, Ikuyo secretly chuckled to himself.

You idiot, didn't you realize I actually wore it mainly to show you off...?

Her hidden thoughts were captured in their passionate kiss.

Tonight, I felt Ikuyo Ikuyo simply from kissing.

An hour earlier, when Ikuyo was still hiding in the rehearsal room.

Hitori and Ryo were playing a game, while Ishikawa Hayato was texting Nijika on his phone. Since there were other people around, the two of them communicated via text as usual.

Ishikawa Hayato: "That's how it is, so Ikuyo will be staying at my house tonight."

Nijika: "Running away from home... Kita- chan sometimes does such amazing things..."

Ishikawa Hayato chuckled as he recalled how Ikuyo had suddenly joined the band and then just as suddenly left.

Ishikawa Hayato: "But that's what makes Ikuyo so interesting and adorable."

Also, Nijika, I'm really looking forward to everyone having lunch together at my house tomorrow morning.

Nijika: "Hmph... I don't want to receive a photo of the drummer running away."

Ishikawa Hayato: "Nijika actually thought I was that bad... ugh."

Nijika: "Alright, Hayato-kun, congratulations on achieving your goal of bringing everyone together."

Ishikawa Hayato: "No, not yet. What I hope for is that everyone can be happy together. There's still a long way to go before I reach my goal."

After a while, Nijika sent a cute encouraging picture.

188. To Yao

In the early morning, light streamed in through the slightly drawn curtains, illuminating the girl on a large bed.

The light, which was neither too warm nor too cold, made the girl's healthy, radiant skin appear snow-white.

After an unknown amount of time, Ikuyo turned over and reached out to the side, but only felt the slightly wrinkled sheets, not the reliable boy who had fallen asleep with her.

She opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw through her sleepy glaze was the light coming from outside the window.

It was already daylight.

She gazed absently at the light streaming through the window.

The curtains... why are they open? I must have closed them when I slept last night.

Just as Ikuyo was about to get up and sit up, she noticed that she was the only one on the big bed.

Where is Hayato-kun?

She regained some consciousness and sat up, looking around the room, but couldn't find Ishikawa Hayato anywhere, not even under the bed.

I hope they didn't go to those two's place.

Ikuyo felt a little uneasy when she woke up in the morning, but she was very clear about her own existence; she was just the last person to join this family.

She is... a legitimate lover.

She gave a weak smile. After calming down, she looked at the messy sheets and couldn't help but recall the complicated feelings she had when she fell asleep last night.

Anxiety, nervousness, shyness, hesitation...

Last night, Hayato-kun was very well-behaved and didn't do anything inappropriate, but she was so comfortable from the kiss that she lost herself in the sensation.

When she remembered this, and hesitantly reached into her clothes to check if they were wet.

Click.

The bedroom door was suddenly opened.

Ikuyo was startled and quickly pulled her hand away, looking towards the door.

Ishikawa Hayato walked in through the door with a smile on his face.

"Ikuyo's awake too."

"Don't open the door suddenly!"

Ikuyo was nervous and worried when she called out to Ishikawa Hayato. After spending a night together as a couple, she sensed some changes.

It could be a spiritual connection, an emotional attachment, or a more casual attitude.

"What do you mean suddenly? I just went out for a little while and came back to my room."

As Ishikawa Hayato spoke, a strange smile on his face, he continued to approach her. Ikuyo felt that he must have discovered her behavior just now.

"Won't my lovely girlfriend turn her back on me in just this short time?"

He jokingly climbed onto the bed, forcefully getting close to her, his hands braced beside her.

Ikuyo wasn't too bothered by his words, but she tensed up and leaned back a little because of his assertiveness.

"What are you doing..."

She asked, a little shyly but also with anticipation.

Ishikawa Hayato didn't respond, but suddenly moved closer and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. He then reached out and ruffled her hair, whispering in her ear.

"Nijika is here today too."

These words tugged at her heartstrings, but she was melted by his subsequent words.

"But I've already told her why Ikuyo ran away from home, including our relationship. Nijika seems only surprised by the part about running away from home; she's not surprised at all about our relationship."

"Am I being too presumptuous by doing this?"

He slowed his speech and stepped back to look directly at her.

What appeared in Ikuyo's eyes was Ishikawa Hayato's confident yet gentle smile.

"Thanks."

She responded with a smile, but then gave Ishikawa Hayato a hard push. "But I won't be able to get out of bed like this."

She easily pushed Ishikawa Hayato away and he sat down to one side, sighing as he spoke.

"There wasn't even a single act of gratitude."

Ikuyo got out of bed and went to get something from her bag. She glanced back at Ishikawa Hayato and easily saw his expectation.

"I haven't brushed my teeth yet."

She pouted playfully.

Ishikawa Hayato stopped pretending and seemed to have given up on his plan to kiss her passionately so early in the morning, and walked over.

He naturally walked behind her, slipped his hand inside her clothes, touched her waist, and looked into her bag.

"Let me see what Ikuyo has in her bag."

"Hayato-kun, this is a perverted act."

"I know."

Ikuyo turned around and saw Ishikawa Hayato's indifferent expression, which made her feel a little powerless. Her boyfriend had never denied that she was a pervert.

As for the hand on her waist, it tickled her a little, but also felt strangely comfortable, so she let it be.

Ishikawa Hayato leaned on her shoulder, looking at the suitcase she had closed, and said with a smile.

"I just wanted to see if Ikuyo still had any clothes like the ones from last night."

"Get... get out!"

After shooing Ishikawa Hayato away and tidying up her toiletries, Ikuyo headed towards the washroom.

She was brushing her teeth and washing her face, applying skincare products in front of the mirror, when Liang walked in.

"Good morning, Ryo-senpai!"

She greeted them with a happy smile.

Liang looked like she had just woken up; as soon as she came in, she reached for her toothbrush and cup.

"Good morning."

Her response remained lukewarm.

Ikuyo made room for her, and fortunately the room was quite large, and the mirror was big enough, so it didn't affect her applying skincare products or tying her hair.

After she finished doing all this, Liang also brushed her teeth and spat the mouthwash into the sink.

As Ikuyo began packing her things to head back, Liang glanced at her and said something.

"It's not like we're only staying for a day or two, no need to go to all this trouble. The second cabinet next to the table can hold these small jars. Toothbrushes, cups, and towels can be kept in the same place as we do."

Ikuyo hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said, "Thank you~ Then I won't be polite."

"Falcon is always a slowpoke; he'll probably wait until you start to feel it's getting a bit troublesome before he speaks up."

After saying that, Liang ignored her and started washing her face in the basin.

Ikuyo felt that the filter in her heart, which had been shattered like glass, was actually starting to recover.

Indeed, Hayato-kun is very patient; he managed to endure what happened last night.

"Then I'll head out now."

"Um."

In a great mood, Ikuyo walked out of the corridor and into the lobby early in the morning.

Good morning, everyone!

"Good morning, Kita- chan."

She was met with greetings from Nijika and Hitori in the same words, one fast and one slow, but the lightness in their voices was the same.

Early in the morning, the cheerful and sweet voices of the girls mingled together.

The two women greeted each other as they helped Ishikawa Hayato carry the prepared breakfast to the table, Ikuyo went over to help as well.

"It's all done... Hayato-kun, wake me up soon!"

She helped while complaining to Ishikawa Hayato.

Seeing the group of people busy with housework like a family, she wanted to join in.

Unlike her previous experience of helping out at home during the group training camp, this time she felt she had to do something for the family they all shared.