Welcome to the Paradise of Freedom

This matter concluded, nearly two hours had passed. Airi had already cleaned up the evidence of her sneaky snacking.

She glared at Kiyotaka with a pitiful look and said.

"I was worried you might be unhappy, but you were trying to kill me!"

Kiyotaka laughed at that, gently pulling Airi into his arms as he felt her racing heartbeat and said.

"Airi, having you here is wonderful. I love you more and more."

Airi's gaze gradually grew hazy as she replied.

"I feel the same way..."

Chapter 45: Ibuki's Interrogation

That evening, Kiyotaka didn't tease Airi any further, and Airi didn't leave either. Instead, she curled up in Kiyotaka's arms and slept soundly through the night.

It wasn't until the next day that Airi, still groggy with sleep, felt herself being fondled and slowly woke up. Opening her eyes, she saw that it was indeed Kiyotaka's mischievous hands freely toying with her.

"Kiyotaka, you're so annoying, messing with me first thing in the morning."

"Good morning. 'First thing'? It's already past nine, and if you don't get up soon, the sun will be tanning your backside."

Kiyotaka chuckled and pinched Airi's nose, his wandering hands finally stopping.

Airi stretched lazily before slowly getting up to wash up.

While the two were tidying themselves, Horikita and Kikyo arrived at Kiyotaka's room. When they saw Airi there, they weren't particularly surprised, as they had already checked Airi's room earlier and found it empty, so they had expected this.

"Good morning, Kiyotaka, Airi~ Was Airi tired last night~"

Kikyo greeted them with a cheeky grin.

Airi was thin-skinned, and Kikyo's teasing immediately made her face flush red, like a ripe apple.

"I... slept very well."

Horikita rolled her eyes at Kikyo and said.

"Kikyo, stop teasing Airi. She's shy enough as it is. Anyway, Kiyotaka, Airi, today is the last day before the cruise returns. Hirata suggested that everyone in Class D gather at the KTV for a get-together. I really couldn't find any more excuses to refuse. What do you two say?"

"I'll go along with Kiyotaka."

Airi answered without hesitation.

Kiyotaka thought it over, then sighed and said.

"Ah, what a hassle. Fine, let's go. As the big hero, you ought to show your face."

Horikita gave Kiyotaka a pinch in annoyance at that. Big hero? More like a scapegoat, really.

But on second thought, everything Kiyotaka had done was to help her. Otherwise, with his aversion to trouble, he'd probably prefer to stay holed up in his room all day, lost in darkness.

Since it was still early and none of them had eaten yet, Kikyo and Horikita waited for Kiyotaka and Airi to finish getting ready before heading to the restaurant for some breakfast.

But as they walked, they unexpectedly ran into Ryuen and his group. Ibuki, among them, gave Kiyotaka a strange look when she spotted him.

"Oh, Suzune, what a coincidence."

Ryuen let out a sinister grin when he saw Horikita, but just stood there without saying anything.

Seeing Horikita's cold expression and her lack of intention to speak, Ryuen didn't mind. He chuckled lightly, leaned in close to Horikita, and said.

"You Class D lot got one over on me this time, I'll admit defeat. But next time, you won't be so lucky. I'm getting more and more interested in you, hahahaha."

With that, Ryuen swaggered off with his people.

"You've been fully marked now."

Kiyotaka remarked flatly.

"It's nothing. They're already among our targets anyway."

Horikita shook her head coldly.

Kikyo and Airi exchanged glances but said nothing. Smart as they were, they knew it was best to stay silent for now. If Kiyotaka needed their help, he would ask.

When they arrived at the restaurant, quite a few Class D students were still there. They greeted Kiyotaka and the others proactively when they saw them.

Especially Horikita—thanks to her outstanding performance this time, she was gradually being accepted by the rest of Class D, and was even quietly gaining some influence within the class.

"So popular, huh."

Kiyotaka teased Horikita with a smirk.

"Here, want it?"

Horikita replied irritably. She never liked smiling, and now, having to respond to everyone's greetings, she felt her face was about to freeze stiff.

"I'll pass on that. I'd rather stay a harmless little wallflower—much more comfortable."

"I couldn't agree more." Horikita let out a long sigh in acknowledgment.

The group had a fairly peaceful breakfast. Afterward, Kikyo suggested they take a stroll around the ship, since the cruise had plenty of entertainment options. Kiyotaka declined, saying he wanted to rest, so the three girls ended up going off together, agreeing to meet back at two in the afternoon.

Just as Kiyotaka was about to enter his room, someone called out to him.

"Ayanokoji."

Kiyotaka stopped the sound of opening the door at her words, calmly turning his gaze back to find that the one who had called out to him was Ibuki.

"Something you need?"

"Mind if I come in? I have questions for you."

Ibuki showed no fear under Kiyotaka's stare and asked directly.

At that, Kiyotaka smiled and opened the door.

"If you come in, I can't guarantee what happens. Your call."

With that, he walked inside, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Ibuki hesitated for a moment on the spot, then lifted her foot and stepped in.

When Ibuki entered the room and closed the door, she saw Kiyotaka sitting on the sofa, looking at her with a mocking smile.

"What, is there something you want from me?"

"Did you break my camera? Did you set that fire?"

Ibuki stared hard at Kiyotaka as she asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about. What camera? Wasn't that fire your doing? That's what everyone in class says."

"Don't play dumb with me. You might be the most inconspicuous person in class, but I feel like you're behind every step I take. You're too suspicious. Give me the answer."

Kiyotaka shook his head and let out a light laugh.

"Ibuki, are you misunderstanding something? You don't actually think letting you in means I'm allowing you to interrogate me, do you? Setting aside the fact that I don't know, even if I did, why would I tell you?"

Kiyotaka's words made Ibuki freeze. She clenched her fists, endless conflict churning inside her.

"Since you won't talk, I'll beat it out of you!"

Ibuki charged straight at him. In the cramped room, she closed the distance in two or three steps and swung a roundhouse kick at Kiyotaka's body.

Kiyotaka watched her rush in and shook his head. Too lazy to even stand, he simply blocked and pulled, and Ibuki was thrown down, sprawled across his body in an extremely embarrassing position, her hands pinned behind her back, completely immobilized.

"Let me go, you bastard!"

"You're way too naive, aren't you? You attacked me first; I'm just defending myself. What makes you think I should let you go so you can keep hitting me?"

With that, Kiyotaka swung his hand and smacked it down hard on Ibuki's rear.

"Ah!"

Intense shame and pain made Ibuki cry out. Her body struggled and twisted even more violently.

"You son of a bitch! If you've got the guts, let me go! I'll beat you to death!"

Kiyotaka looked at her stubborn mouth and a playful smile curled at the corner of his lips. As a target for conquest, Ibuki was someone he couldn't afford to let go of anyway. Now that this wild mare had fallen into his hands, there was no way he'd let her off easily.

With that thought, Kiyotaka directly pulled down Ibuki's skirt, revealing her smooth, pert rear. Clicking his tongue twice, he mercilessly slapped down again and again, the sound of smack smack smack echoing from the astonishing elasticity of her flesh.

"Ah, you bastard! Ugh..."

Kiyotaka's strength was immense. With each strike, Ibuki's rear visibly reddened, palm prints surfacing on her smooth skin.

Ibuki's curses slowly turned into sobs.

"Oww, it hurts... Stop hitting me, you bastard..."

Only when Ibuki begged for mercy did Kiyotaka stop. By then, her rear was even more swollen and prominent.

"Can we talk properly now?" Kiyotaka asked in a displeased tone.

"Hmph!"

Ibuki let out a light snort, still being stubborn.

Seeing this, Kiyotaka smacked her rear once more.

"Ah! Yes, yes, yes! Don't hit me anymore! It hurts so much!"

Ibuki no longer dared to be stubborn and immediately gave in.

"If you'd done that from the start, it would've been fine. I don't know why you had to be so hardheaded."

"Are you even a man? Being so rough with a girl. I think my rear is all swollen!"

After Kiyotaka let her go, Ibuki couldn't steady herself and sat down on the floor. The moment she touched the ground, she cried out in pain.

Kiyotaka was amused by her and said bluntly, "What kind of girl starts off with punches and kicks? And you have the nerve to ask me?"

Knowing she had struck first, Ibuki stopped arguing about it and looked at him with a face full of grievance.

"So can you tell me whether you did those two things or not?"

Kiyotaka's golden eyes stared straight at Ibuki. Instead of answering her question, he asked calmly, "Do you remember what I said? That if you chose to come in, I couldn't guarantee what would happen?"

Ibuki looked at him warily at those words.

"What exactly are you trying to do?"

Kiyotaka lay back directly on the sofa and spoke slowly.

"I'll say it again: I don't know anything about whatever camera you're talking about. As for that fire, everyone in our class thinks you started it. Was I not clear enough?"

"That's absolutely not the truth!"

Ibuki said firmly.

Hearing this, Kiyotaka sat up and looked at Ibuki thoughtfully as he asked.

"Then what do you think the truth is? And why should I tell you the truth? What standing do you have in my eyes that I need to answer your questions?"

Kiyotaka's counter-question directly plunged Ibuki into silence. Frustration and confusion clearly surfaced on her pretty face.

Indeed, why should he? She and Kiyotaka weren't even classmates, and now they could even be considered hostile—she had just finished her undercover mission, and now she was demanding he tell her the truth?

Though Ibuki thought this in her heart, for some reason, deep down she felt deeply aggrieved.

Because she felt something was off; the relationship between her and Kiyotaka shouldn't be this distant, but she didn't know why she felt that way, nor what to do about it.

Kiyotaka looked at Ibuki's conflicted, lost expression and, for once, relented.

"This time I won't make things hard for you. If you haven't figured it out, leave. I'll pretend I never saw you. How about that?"

But Ibuki shook her head.

"What do I have to do for you to tell me?"

Chapter 46: The Light That Falls Into Darkness

Watching Ibuki's inquiry, Kiyotaka looked at her with a mocking expression.

"Are you sure you really want to know?"

"Yeah, tell me. Because besides wanting to know the truth, I have something more important to do. But right now, I don't know if you can do it."