Alone

"Kanade," Kiyona leaned over, nudging Hoshino Kanade's back with her elbow, and asked in a low voice, "Why would Chabashira-sensei suddenly want to see us?"

Hoshino Kanade turned his head, meeting Kiyona's seemingly clear yet foolish gaze, "Probably... because she's seen through your 'disguise'."

He subconsciously tapped his fingers against the desk, "After all, I get the feeling that Chabashira-sensei herself is extremely eager to reach Class A; she won't tolerate anyone in the class slacking off."

Kiyona's slender fingers unconsciously twirled a strand of hair hanging over her shoulder as she tilted her head, her cold eyes narrowing slightly to reveal just the right amount of confusion and a touch of girlish innocence: "Eh~ is that so?"

Her toe brushed against Hoshino Kanade's heel under the desk, "I'm a good student who is always 'studying hard', Kanade-kun, don't go around accusing people."

"Mm, sure, I'm the one who wronged you." Although Kiyona rarely hid her true thoughts in front of Hoshino Kanade, she had never admitted them aloud.

Hoshino Kanade could only go along with her.

As expected, Chabashira Sae was not in the office; the only person there was the homeroom teacher for Class B, Hoshinomiya Chie.

"Um... excuse me, is Chabashira-sensei here?" Hoshino Kanade asked.

"Eh? Little Sae? Hmm—she was here just a moment ago." Hoshinomiya-sensei turned around at the sound of his voice.

She wore her medium-length hair in soft waves, and her temperament possessed both the efficiency of a teacher and an easygoing, approachable charm.

She turned toward Hoshino Kanade and the others, introducing herself with poise: "I am the homeroom teacher for Class B, Hoshinomiya Chie."

She smiled, adding naturally, "Come to think of it, your Chabashira-sensei and I have been close friends since high school; we've always called each other 'Little Sae' and 'Little Chie'."

No sooner had she finished speaking than she leaned in toward Hoshino Kanade with a familiar, overly friendly smile, raising her hand to playfully point her fingertip at him, as if about to poke his arm.

Almost simultaneously, a figure inserted itself between them—Kiyona raised her arm, blocking her precisely and keeping her at a distance.

Kiyona's gaze was calm yet icy, carrying a scrutiny that bordered on intuition.

The deliberately manufactured intimacy radiating from Hoshinomiya caused an instinctive repulsion to rise in her heart.

This woman is not clean.

"Eh—?" She tilted her head, her intrigued gaze shifting between Kiyona and the way she was shielding Hoshino Kanade, "Do you already have such a protective little girlfriend this quickly?"

Kiyona didn't even flutter her eyelashes, as if she hadn't heard the suggestive teasing.

She simply lowered the arm she had been holding in front of Hoshino Kanade, her fingertips still unconsciously twisting the fabric of his sleeve—a habitual action to confirm his presence, as natural as locating keys on a piano.

Hoshino Kanade's voice remained steady, breaking the subtle atmosphere: "Is there something you need, Hoshinomiya-sensei?"

This direct question caused the smile on Hoshinomiya's face to stutter for half a second.

But she immediately piled on an even brighter smile, as if she hadn't noticed Hoshino Kanade's question at all, and leaned in with a touch of gossipy excitement:

"Eh—what reason did Little Sae call you out for?" The syrupy tone of her voice crashed into the silence. "Eh? Why is that?"

Letting Hoshinomiya-sensei deal with Chabashira Sae seemed like a good choice.

Hoshino Kanade met Hoshinomiya's probing gaze, but his words stalled on the tip of his tongue. As the wind swept through the empty corridor, his voice dropped:

"Chabashira-sensei... seems to hold some special expectations for the future of Class D."

The smile on Hoshinomiya Chie's face froze instantly.

There was no exaggerated loss of composure, but her body stiffened imperceptibly for a moment—this subtle reaction was more in line with her inner sharpness.

She knew Chabashira Sae had never given up on her obsession with Class A, but for this ambition to be pointed out by an ordinary student...

Just then, Chabashira Sae suddenly appeared. Without a word, she raised the clipboard in her hand and brought it down with a crisp "thwack" squarely onto Hoshinomiya Chie's head.

"Ow—that hurts!" Hoshinomiya-sensei cried out, immediately clutching her head and crouching down, wincing in pain, "What are you doing~!"

Chabashira frowned slightly, looking at her coldly:

"It's because you keep pestering my students."

"Because he said he wanted to see you," Hoshinomiya Chie explained with a relaxed tone, "I was just chatting with them while you were away."

"Don't bother him next time." After saying this, Chabashira turned to Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona, her tone softening slightly, "Ayanokoji, Hoshino, sorry to keep you waiting. It's not convenient to talk here; let's go to the Counseling Room."

Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona nodded in agreement.

Hoshinomiya seemed to want to follow, but Chabashira shot her a cold, warning glare.

Just then, Ichinose happened to come by looking for Hoshinomiya-sensei.

Hoshinomiya had no choice but to give up reluctantly and leave with Ichinose.

Chabashira led Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona into the quiet Counseling Room, the door closing softly behind them.

Hoshino Kanade actually had some vague guesses in his heart, but he maintained an inquisitive expression on his face.

He paused for a moment, looking at Chabashira, his tone carrying just the right amount of inquiry:

"Sensei, is there something you need us for?"

Chabashira didn't answer immediately. She quickly glanced up at the round clock hanging on the wall, then turned and walked to a door in the corner of the Counseling Room—behind it was clearly a small pantry, where a stove and a kettle could be seen.

She pulled the door open and gestured briefly with her chin for Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona to go inside.

After the two walked in, Chabashira stood at the doorway, her tone flat but carrying an unquestionable weight:

"Alright, don't do anything else now. Just stay inside quietly. Do not come out until I notify you, and try not to make any noise. Do you understand?"

She paused, her gaze sweeping over their faces as if confirming they understood.

"If you violate this, the consequences will be severe, and I do not exclude the possibility of expulsion."

After saying this, she pulled the door of the Pantry shut, the lock emitting a faint "click."

She didn't even bother with an explanation; that was truly Chabashira Sae's signature style.

The Pantry was small, but there was still enough room for two people.

In the thick darkness, Kiyona's forehead rested lightly against Kong's shoulder blades, her warm breath seeping through the fabric of his shirt and onto his skin, winding around his spine like vines.

"What are you thinking about?" She suddenly stood on her tiptoes, her lips nearly brushing his earlobe, her breathy chuckle scratching against his eardrum.

"Making a sound will get us expelled, you know—" Her curled fingers tugged at his cuff, her voice trailing off in a sticky, playful lilt, "I'm so scared~"

Kong's train of thought shattered instantly. His palm instinctively covered her meddling fingers, feeling the slight chill of her knuckles: "...Behave."

"Is it Chabashira Sae's goal?" The whisper, wrapped in a soft breath, burrowed into his ear canal as her lips inadvertently grazed the skin of his neck.

Their mingling breaths hung a hair's breadth apart, and in the darkness, only the sound of their restrained breathing remained.

Kong realized his heartbeat was spiraling out of control, a thin layer of sweat forming on the palm covering her hand: "You'll know soon enough. If you keep acting up..." He lowered his voice, "Be careful, or you really might get expelled."

In the dark, his sense of smell became sharper; the orchid scent in her hair mixed with the sweet warmth of her breath, weaving a net that pinned him to the spot.

Kiyona suddenly tilted her head back, her nose brushing against his jawline: "Really?" Before the words faded, her cool fingertips pried between his fingers. As their fingers interlaced, their knuckles gave a faint, crisp pop.

Kong tightened his grip: "Don't move." His palm pressed firmly against the nape of her neck, "...There are footsteps."

Kiyona stiffened instantly.

In the distance, the crisp sound of heels striking the floor tiles approached, each step landing precisely on their synchronized heartbeats.

Kiyona instinctively shrank into Kong's embrace, her forehead accidentally hitting the protruding arc of his collarbone, the slight collision causing both their breaths to hitch simultaneously.

As the girl's soft, warm body collided with his chest, the sound of his heart thumping against his ribs grew suddenly heavier, and the heat he had previously suppressed began to spread uncontrollably.

Kong looked down at the person in his arms—all the ways Kiyona had teased him just moments ago suddenly surfaced.

He tightened his arms, a faint, fleeting arc touching the corner of his lips.

The roles of attacker and defender had shifted.

Heh heh heh.

"Kong," Kiyona turned to the side, her elbow gently nudging Kong's back, and asked in a low voice, "Why would Chabashira Sae suddenly call for us?"

Kong turned his head, meeting Kiyona's seemingly clear and naive gaze, "Probably... because your 'disguise' has been seen through by her."

He tapped his fingers on the table subconsciously, "After all, I get the feeling that Chabashira Sae herself is very eager to reach Class A; she won't tolerate anyone in her class slacking off."

Kiyona's slender fingers unconsciously twirled a strand of hair hanging over her shoulder as she tilted her head, her cold, clear eyes narrowing slightly, revealing just the right amount of confusion and a touch of girlish ignorance: "Eh~ is that so?"

Her toes lightly brushed against Kong's heel under the desk, "I'm a good student who has always been 'studying hard,' Kong-kun, don't go around slandering people."

"Mm-hmm, I'm the one slandering you." Although Kiyona rarely hid her true thoughts in front of Kong, she had never admitted them out loud.

Kong could only indulge her.

As expected, Chabashira Sae was not in the office; only the homeroom teacher for Class B, Hoshinomiya Chie, was there.

"Um... excuse me, is Chabashira Sae here?" Kong asked.

"Eh? Little Sae? Hmm—she was here just a moment ago." Hoshinomiya turned around at the sound of his voice.

She had medium-length, slightly wavy hair, and her demeanor carried both the professional competence of a teacher and an easygoing, approachable charm.

She turned toward Kong and the others, introducing herself with poise: "I am the homeroom teacher for Class B, Hoshinomiya Chie."

She smiled, adding naturally, "Come to think of it, your teacher Chabashira and I have been good friends since high school. We've always called each other 'Little Sae' and 'Little Chie'."

As soon as she finished speaking, she leaned in toward Kong with a familiar, friendly smile, raising her hand and playfully pointing her fingertip at him, as if about to poke his arm.

Almost simultaneously, a figure stepped between them—Kiyona raised her arm, blocking her precisely, keeping her at a distance.

Kiyona's gaze was calm yet cold, carrying a scrutiny that bordered on intuition.

The overly deliberate sense of intimacy Hoshinomiya projected made her feel an instinctive repulsion.

This woman was not clean.

"Eh—?" She tilted her head, her intrigued gaze shifting to the way Kiyona was shielding Kong, "Already have such a protective little girlfriend so soon?"

Kiyona didn't even blink, as if she hadn't heard the suggestive teasing.

She simply lowered the arm she had been using to shield Kong, though her fingertips still unconsciously twisted the fabric of his sleeve—a habitual action to confirm his presence, as natural as finding the position of piano keys.

Kong's voice remained steady, breaking the subtle tension: "Is there something you need, Hoshinomiya-sensei?"

This direct question caused the smile on Hoshinomiya's face to falter for half a second.

But she immediately piled on an even brighter smile, as if she hadn't noticed Kong's question at all, leaning in with a touch of gossipy excitement:

"Eh—what reason did Little Sae call you two out for?" The sticky, lingering tone of her question crashed into the silence. "Eh? Why is that?"

It seemed like dealing with Hoshinomiya Chie might be a good choice for handling Chabashira Sae.

Hoshino Kanade met Hoshinomiya's inquisitive gaze, but the words stalled on his tongue. As the wind swept through the empty corridor, his voice dropped lower:

"Chabashira-sensei... seems to hold some special expectations for the future of Class D."

The smile on Hoshinomiya Chie's face froze instantly.

There was no exaggerated loss of composure, but her body stiffened for an imperceptible moment—a subtle reaction that better suited her inherent sharpness.

She knew that Chabashira Sae had never abandoned her obsession with Class A, but for this ambition to be pointed out by an ordinary student...

Just then, Chabashira Sae appeared suddenly. Without a word, she raised the clipboard in her hand and brought it down with a crisp "thwack," landing it squarely on Hoshinomiya Chie's head.

"Ow—that hurts!" Hoshinomiya-sensei cried out, immediately crouching down while clutching her head, her face contorted in pain. "What was that for~!"

Chabashira frowned slightly, looking at her coldly:

"It's because you keep pestering my students."

"Because he said he wanted to see you," Hoshinomiya Chie explained with a relaxed tone, "I was just chatting with them while I waited for you to return."

"Don't bother him next time." After saying this, Chabashira turned to Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona, her tone softening slightly. "Ayanokoji, Hoshino, sorry to keep you waiting. It's not very convenient to talk here; let's go to the Counseling Room."

Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona nodded in agreement.

Hoshinomiya seemed to want to follow them inside, but Chabashira swept a cold glance at her, carrying a clear warning.

Just then, Ichinose happened to come looking for Hoshinomiya-sensei.

Hoshinomiya had no choice but to give up reluctantly and leave with Ichinose.

Chabashira led Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona into the quiet Counseling Room, the door closing softly behind them.

Hoshino Kanade actually had some vague guesses in his heart, but he maintained an inquisitive expression on his face.

He paused for a moment, looked at Chabashira, and asked with just the right amount of curiosity:

"Sensei, is there something you needed us for?"

Chabashira did not answer immediately. She quickly glanced up at the round clock hanging on the wall, then turned and walked to a door in the corner of the Counseling Room—behind the door was clearly a small Pantry, where a stove and a kettle could be seen.

She pulled the door open and gestured briefly with her chin, signaling for Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona to go inside.

After the two walked in, Chabashira stood at the doorway, her tone flat but carrying an unquestionable weight:

"Alright, don't do anything else now. Just stay inside quietly. Do not come out until I notify you, and try not to make any noise. Do you understand?"

She paused, her gaze sweeping over their faces as if confirming their understanding.

"If you violate this, the consequences will be very serious, including the possibility of expulsion."

Having said that, she pulled the Pantry door shut, the lock emitting a faint "click."

Even skipping the explanation—that really is Chabashira-sensei's usual style.

The Pantry was limited in space, but there was still enough room for two people.

In the thick darkness, Kiyona's forehead rested lightly against Hoshino Kanade's shoulder blade, her warm breath seeping through the fabric of his shirt and onto his skin, winding around his spine like vines.

"What are you thinking about?" She suddenly stood on her tiptoes, her lips nearly brushing his earlobe, her breathy chuckle tickling his eardrum.

"Making noise will get us expelled, you know—" Her curled fingertips tugged at his cuff, her voice rising with a sticky, playful lilt, "I'm so scared~"

Hoshino Kanade's train of thought shattered instantly. His palm instinctively covered her mischievous fingers, touching her cool knuckles: "...Behave."

"Chabashira-sensei's goal?" Her whisper, wrapped in breath, burrowed into his ear canal, her lips brushing against the skin of his neck by accident.

Their mingled breaths hung within a hair's breadth, and in the darkness, only their restrained breathing remained.

Hoshino Kanade noticed his heartbeat gradually spiraling out of control, a thin layer of sweat forming on the palm covering the back of her hand: "You'll know soon enough. If you keep acting up..." he lowered his voice, "be careful, you might actually get expelled."

In the darkness, his sense of smell became increasingly acute; the scent of orchids in her hair mixed with the sweet warmth of her breath, weaving a net that pinned him to the spot.

Kiyona suddenly tilted her head back, her nose brushing against his jawline: "Really?" Before the words faded, her cool fingertips pried between his fingers. As their fingers interlaced, his knuckles gave a faint, crisp pop.

Hoshino Kanade tightened his grip: "Don't move." His palm pressed firmly against the roots of her hair at the nape of her neck, "...There are footsteps."

Kiyona stiffened instantly.

In the distance, the crisp sound of heels striking the tile floor approached, each step landing precisely on their synchronized heartbeats.

Kiyona instinctively shrank into Hoshino Kanade's embrace, her forehead accidentally brushing the protruding arc of his collarbone, the slight collision causing both of their breaths to hitch simultaneously.

As the girl's warm, soft body collided with his chest, the sound of his heartbeat intensified suddenly, and the heat he had previously suppressed began to spread uncontrollably.

Hoshino Kanade looked down at the person in his arms—all the ways Kiyona had teased him just moments ago suddenly surfaced.

He tightened his arms, a faint arc brushing his lips.

The roles of attacker and defender have shifted.

Heh heh heh.