Natsuki's still clinging to me, her sobs muffled against my chest.
"…Uhh… higghhh…"
What the hell just happened? One minute we're tangled up in the bathroom, and now she's bawling? My mind's a mess of question marks, but I slide my arms around her, holding steady while I puzzle it out.
Was it the weird position we were in? All that twisting and straining?
No, hold on—maybe…
"To be honest, did you actually not want to do this with someone like me?" I venture, my voice dipping low.
"N-no, that's not it! It's not like that!" Her words tumble out in a rush, desperate. "…Sorry, I didn't mean to cry… sniff…"
A wave of relief crashes over me. Good, it's not that. She's not pushing me away.
But her tears keep flowing, her shoulders quaking harder.
"Hey, calm down, okay?" I coax, rubbing her back. "Take slow, deep breaths… and, uh, maybe we should move somewhere else?"
Deep breathing in a bathroom stall feels absurd.
"Let's go," I urge, nodding toward the door.
"O-okay," she sniffles, her voice thick.
I grab her uniform from the floor and hand it over, waiting as she pulls herself together and slips it on. Then we shuffle out of the bathroom.
Not that there's some perfect hideout nearby—the school gates are about to lock up anyway.
We reach the front gate, and I'm mulling over our next move, when—
"Miyagi," Natsuki murmurs, her voice cutting through my thoughts.
"Hm?"
She's been trailing behind, letting me tug her by the hand, but now she peers up at me, eyes still rimmed red.
"You got time today?" she presses, fidgeting with her sleeve.
"I don't have anything waiting at home, so yeah, I'm good," I toss back, casual.
In my past life, I'd probably be hunched over my screen all night, hunting for something to get off to. But that ravenous, pathetic version of me? Long gone.
I'm drifting in that bittersweet memory when Natsuki's fingers graze mine.
"Then… wanna come to my place?" she proposes, her tone tentative but bold.
"Huh?"
"My house is nearby. Mom's out tonight." Her gaze flickers, daring me to catch the hint.
An invitation to her place.
No parents around.
So…?
"If you meant what you said earlier…" She pauses, then barrels forward, "hold me tonight."
"…"
Men are rare in this world.
That means women call the shots—politics, society, everything. I've only been here a bit, but the news screams it loud and clear. Sex? Same deal—women run the show, and Natsuki's attitude has been proof enough of that.
For a tough delinquent like her, that dominance should be dialed up even higher.
And yet—
"You want me to hold you?" I probe, eyebrow quirking. "Not you holding me?"
This is a world where women take the reins, after all.
"You being on top is fine—no, I want you on top." Her fists tighten around her skirt as she forces it out. "I don't know what's wrong with me, but… I want to be yours." Then she drops her head, silent.
"Natsuki…"
A week hasn't even passed, and she's this different.
Is it my charm? That "climax release" trick hitting harder than I thought?
"I'll do anything you say from now on." Her voice wavers, earnest. "Tell me to chill out? I will. Want my hair black? I'll dye it."
I've somehow talked her out of the delinquent gig entirely.
It's almost scary—her whole vibe's shifted in a blink. What sparked this?
"Natsuki, what's going on?" I prod, leaning closer. "Why the sudden change?"
"You… you said you'd do it with me earlier, right?" she counters, locking eyes with me.
"Yeah."
She shivers at how fast I answer.
"I figured it might happen someday, but…" She hesitates, chewing her lip. "You always stop at talking."
"Oh, my bad," I mutter, scratching my neck.
"N-no, it's fine!" She waves her hands, flustered. "I'm not mad or anything. I mean, I said I'd follow your lead. And, uh…"
She squirms, words stalling.
"I… kinda got addicted to using my mouth," she confesses, barely audible.
"Yeah, I noticed." I grin, leaning in. "Your face gets so damn hot when you do."
"Wha—!? A-anyway!"
She slams her foot down with a sharp thud, cheeks flaring.
"Look, I thought you weren't serious about me!" she blurts, voice cracking. "Like maybe I wasn't enough. But you keep dragging me out every day, and it's messing with my head!"
Huh.
This is getting intense, isn't it?
Is this headed somewhere safe?
I'm chasing a breezy, no-strings harem life here. Tangled-up love drama ending in a knife to the back? Nope, not my scene.
I brace myself, waiting for her to keep going.
"So when you said you'd really do it with me…" She softens, almost whispering, "I felt safe, and I just… lost it."
So she thought I wasn't serious about going all in—got disappointed, anxious, the works.
"Lost it?" I tease, smirking. "You mean when you latched onto me and cried?"
"Don't bring it up!" she barks, glaring through watery eyes.
Guess I've been short on tact lately.
"If you're really into it…" She steadies herself, meeting my gaze. "Make me yours tonight, okay?"
"Into it, huh?" I muse, nodding. "Yeah, I did say that."
I definitely tossed out some friends-with-benefits vibe back there.
Now what?
Do I want to hold her? Hell yeah, no doubt.
But there's a twisted charm in a virgin delinquent mastering oral while staying pure.
Hard to ditch that fantasy.
A Natsuki who stays untouched, her mouth getting filthier every day.
Or a Natsuki who's mine to bend whenever, wherever.
Both are too damn tempting.
I'm lost in that tug-of-war for maybe a heartbeat, but Natsuki's trembling again, head bowed.
"See… sniff… I knew it. I'm not…"
Her sob cuts deep. No guy from my old world could hear that and not pick a side.
"Natsuki," I call, firm.
"…What?" She lifts her head, only to gasp. "Mmph!?"
Her eyes go wide as I steal her lips.
First kiss ever—past life included.
A messy, bitter mix of our fluids, raw and real.
"…M-Miyagi…?" she stammers, breathless.
"Let's go," I decide, grabbing her hand.
She's still dazed, but I don't care—we're still on school grounds, and I'm past giving a damn.
"…Where?" she mumbles, blinking up at me.
"Your place. Lucky us, tomorrow's Saturday. No school."
She freezes, processing.
"…O-oh," she breathes.
Then it hits her, and her face blazes crimson.
"So, lead the way?" I nudge, squeezing her hand.
"Y-yeah, got it," she stutters.
I've got no clue where she lives, though.
"You said your house is close, right?" I prompt.
"Yeah, about a twenty-minute walk. Local as it gets," she manages, voice steadier.
"Huh, cool."
She pauses, then tosses out, "Oh, and Kasugai's from around here too. Her place isn't far."
"Kasugai? The class rep? You're friends?" I ask, tilting my head.
"More like a nagging childhood shadow," she grumbles, rolling her eyes. "Still gets in my face. Annoying as hell."
"Huh, that tracks."
Explains why the class rep doesn't flinch at Natsuki's tough-girl act—old history.
"What?" She bristles, jabbing a finger at me. "We're not pals or anything!"
"Didn't say you were…" I chuckle. "But you don't hate her, do you?"
"Hmph, shut up," she huffs, dodging.
She yanks my hand harder, brushing it off, and we stride out through the school gate together.