Making Mistakes? It's Only Human

Yukino's body was tense. She wondered whether, if Fushimi Makoto tried to take advantage of her, she should elbow him or kick him.

To her surprise, Fushimi Makoto tied her apron neatly and properly. He behaved impeccably the entire time, even taking great care to avoid unnecessary physical contact.

That made the conflict and tension in Yukino's heart freeze in place.

Then she heard Fushimi Makoto say, "All done."

Her tense body relaxed at once, leaving her feeling bewildered.

Wait!

Why had she been looking forward to something?

This guy was definitely up to something!

Even though Yukino had never been in a relationship, she still realized what was happening.

Fushimi Makoto was playing with her feelings!

And yet, she really couldn't control her emotions the way she used to.

That was what happened when he played the trump card that pierced a girl's defenses.

After they enjoyed a delicious lunch, they sat in separate armchairs in the living room.

Fushimi Makoto watched a TV program and asked, as if it were just a passing thought, "Want to go out again today?"

Yukino thought it over, then said, "No need. I feel great right now."

It wasn't just that her tense emotions had eased.

With him here, the restless unease in her heart had gradually settled, too.

Yukino knew she could focus on studying now, or maybe practice the piano.

She had only managed it because he had come over.

Yukino felt her cheeks quietly growing warm again.

This was a very bad sign!

Sitting to her right, Fushimi Makoto kept the same casual tone. "Since you don't want to go out, how about studying?"

"Studying?" Yukino was taken aback.

Fushimi Makoto spoke quite formally. "I thought you'd enjoy that sort of thing. And since we have the chance, you can ask me about those specialized topics."

"Then I'll leave it to you."

Yukino agreed at once, without the slightest hesitation.

The suggestion was right up her alley.

But she didn't notice that Fushimi Makoto was baiting her again.

They studied together until four thirty in the afternoon. Yukino finally stopped taking notes, thoroughly satisfied. She had learned so much today.

Her tone softened as she said, "Thanks for all your effort."

Fushimi Makoto began reeling in the bait. "Would a verbal thank-you really be enough?"

Yukino looked at him suspiciously. "What are you planning?"

Fushimi Makoto pulled out his phone. "Could you pose for a few photos with me? You've seen my photography skills. I can definitely take pictures you'll like."

Yukino let out a cold laugh. "You mainly want to photograph my legs, don't you?"

"That's right."

She mocked him. "You're still as honest as ever."

"Thanks for the compliment."

This time, Yukino didn't tell him, "Don't even think about it."

He had helped her so much that afternoon, and all he was asking for was a few casual photos. Besides, his photography really was good enough that she couldn't find fault with it.

So she agreed.

Back at Yukino's house, she followed Fushimi Makoto's directions, and the girl posed for one lovely candid photo after another.

"Let me see."

Once Yukino sat down on the living room sofa, she spoke up immediately.

She was a little eager to see them.

Fushimi Makoto sat down beside her and handed over his phone.

Yukino didn't mind that he had suddenly sat so close. She reached out and took it.

After all, "yesterday" she had even hugged him.

Once something happened for the first time, a second time would follow.

Yukino admired her photos with satisfaction, secretly praising him for knowing how to photograph her.

But as she looked through them, she keenly noticed that Fushimi Makoto was staring at her legs.

"Your eyes?"

Yukino gave him a warning.

"Oh, sorry." Fushimi Makoto seemed to realize his mistake.

Yukino was about to go back to admiring the photos when, despite his apology, the guy reached out and touched her!

Her body trembled, and her cheeks turned crimson in an instant.

Fushimi Makoto had taken hold of her smooth, bare calf.

He even murmured, "Did you see this move coming?"

No man had ever touched her leg before, let alone held it so steadily, feeling the skin against his hand.

All sorts of strange emotions stirred in Yukino's heart.

Blushing, she glared at him. She hadn't even managed to say "Let go" when Fushimi Makoto shattered her defenses with a single sentence: "Is it so hard to admit you care?"

Yukino froze on the spot.

Of course she understood what he meant.

The last time he had said that, he was teasing her for obviously caring about him while refusing to be honest about it.

But this time...

He had clearly seen through her feelings long ago.

He'd been waiting here to ambush her!

He'd said he liked her legs, and he really did like her legs.

Fushimi Makoto meant what he said.

So he grabbed hold, and in an instant, refined her...

The living room fell silent for a while. Then Yukino turned her lovely face away, almost as if she'd accepted her fate, and said, "If you try anything funny, you're dead, Fushimi Makoto."

Fushimi Makoto laughed. "Bro, you smell so good."

Of course, he didn't try anything funny. He simply enjoyed playing with her beautiful legs.

Pale and smooth, they felt just as wonderful as he'd expected.

They were the real deal—legs worth playing with for a lifetime.

He was only casually playing with them, yet Yukino had gone limp against the sofa, blushing as she fell completely silent.

This is bad.

For the second time, she thought that to herself.

The feelings she'd tried to blur had finally come into focus.

Meanwhile, Fushimi Makoto thought, I have to keep today's memories. She studied seriously all afternoon. I can't let all her effort go to waste.

The cream puffs on the table might not have been set down securely, because they swayed gently on the plate, as if foreshadowing what was to come.

Making a mistake? That's only human nature.

In the days that followed, Fushimi Makoto maintained a very healthy routine in his Time Loop.

Studying musical composition.

Working out.

Tutoring Yukino in specialized subjects.

Playing with her legs.

Studying.

He wanted to play, but Yukino wouldn't let him.

Studying.

Yukino let him again.

As this continued, both Fushimi Makoto and Yukino could clearly feel themselves improving.

Fushimi Makoto especially.

For the first time, he experienced just how monstrous a genius girl could be.

He'd originally thought he'd need to spend half a year in the Time Loop, but in less than two months, his physical strength had already far surpassed what it had been before.

At first, he ran five kilometers with extra weight. Then he worked his way up to twenty.

After that, he went all out: early one morning, he carried Yukino on his back and took her for a run.

Yukino was furious and flustered, and finally brought out her Aikido.

Then she lost at lightning speed.

He got Yukino's defeat CG.

She got Fushimi Makoto's MVP results screen.

A win-win.

And every afternoon, Yukino would act as if everything were normal while Fushimi Makoto played with her legs.

Maybe because she'd never experienced that kind of stimulation before, she would usually go limp and collapse not long after he started.

That was what they called it: youth has no price tag, and Yukino melted the moment he got his hands on her.

Several times, Yukino had been so embarrassed that she nearly snapped at Fushimi Makoto in anger. But then she remembered that when she went to shower at night, all she had to do was look down, and there was something even more impressive to make her squirt.

She immediately lost her nerve.

So during this stretch of the Time Loop, she felt both irritated with Fushimi Makoto and grateful to him.

Grateful that he had helped her improve so much.

Angry that he seemed addicted to touching her.

"He's a pervert."

Yukino reached that conclusion.

"The Time Loop should end."

Fushimi Makoto made his decision.

On the first day after the Time Loop ended, Fushimi Makoto went back to his regular school routine.

In the morning, he still spent some time chatting with Nakano Itsuki. Yumiko occasionally squeezed her way into the conversation to ask about his club.

Yumiko had been curious about it from the start, but Fushimi Makoto kept interrupting her, so she was only getting around to asking now.

"The Occult Research Club? Isn't that just the Film Club?"

After hearing Fushimi Makoto's explanation, Yumiko reacted just like Utaha had.

Fushimi Makoto smiled and asked in return, "Is the school's Film Club that impressive?"