Asaka Mayama's mind went completely blank.
The sensation of his lips against hers, the heat of his breath fanning across her cheeks—it all combined into a dizzying whirlwind that short-circuited her thoughts. When Hozuki Nozomi finally pulled back, she could only stare up at him with wide, teary eyes, her lips slightly parted.
"You… how could you just— Mmmph!"
Hozuki Nozomi didn't allow her to formulate a proper protest. He simply dipped his head again, reclaiming her lips in another, more deliberate kiss.
For a girl like Asaka Mayama—pure, fiercely tsundere, and emotionally guarded—he needed to leave an indelible impression. Besides, she was the one who had actively sought him out, officially appointing him as her 'Big Pervert Boyfriend.' Letting such an adorable catch slip through his fingers was out of the question.
From their hiding place within a nearby cluster of hydrangea bushes, three pairs of wide eyes watched the scene unfold. Marin Sonoda, Ishihara Keiko, and Nakamura Yuri each had a hand clamped over their mouths, their own faces flushed a mirroring scarlet.
"So bold!" Marin whispered, her voice a hushed squeak.
"He just… went for it! He saw right through Sasanqua's tsundere act!" Ishihara Keiko added, her eyes shining with a mix of shock and fascination.
Nakamura Yuri bit her lip, a flicker of concern in her gaze. "What have we done? He's so… experienced. Sasanqua doesn't stand a chance. Did our good intentions just backfire spectacularly?"
Ishihara Keiko, however, seemed to be reconsidering. "Maybe… maybe it's not so bad? At the very least, he can genuinely protect her. Isn't that better than her being harassed by someone like Ono Yu? And… you have to admit, Hozuki Nozomi is really handsome."
Marin and Nakamura shot their friend a look of utter speechlessness. They had followed out of genuine worry for their friend, but the scene before them was… educational.
When they dared another glance, they saw Asaka Mayama now sitting obediently on Hozuki Nozomi's lap, her head slightly bowed as he gently stroked her long, black hair. Her face was a persistent shade of rose, but if one looked closely, the corners of her lips were curled in a subtle, undeniable upward tilt. She was, unmistakably, happy.
Hozuki Nozomi, observing her contentment, wore a matching smile of quiet satisfaction.
"Sasanqua, it's getting late. We should probably head back," he murmured, his voice soft.
"Mmm… so soon?" The girl's fingers tightened slightly on the fabric of his shirt, a look of pure, pleading reluctance in her eyes. "Can't we… stay just a little longer?"
"Well… if you let me kiss you again, I suppose we could extend our time a bit…"
Asaka Mayama: "W-w-w-wha~?!"
Marin Sonoda: "…"
Ishihara Keiko: "…"
Nakamura Yuri: "…"
The three eavesdroppers felt their own cheeks burn anew, rendered utterly speechless by the blatant, smooth negotiation.
Ishihara Keiko finally managed a whisper. "They're… kissing again."
Marin Sonoda shook her head slowly. "How long is this going to go on?"
Nakamura Yuri sighed, a mix of exasperation and resignation. "Sasanqua looks like she's enjoying it a little too much. Has she completely forgotten he's… otherwise engaged?"
…
After a considerable while longer, Hozuki Nozomi finally sent a thoroughly flustered and reluctantly departing Asaka Mayama on her way, before turning his steps toward Sakura Dormitory.
By the time he arrived, he found Yukino Yukinoshita already settled in her room, engaged in the serene task of petting her cat. He felt no rush. The evening stretched before them, promising ample time to spend with his lovely fiancée.
Upon entering the common area, he was met with another sight: Eriri Spencer Sawamura had, as 'requested,' made her appearance. She was in the midst of a conversation with Yukino, her expression a complex tapestry of wariness and something else he couldn't quite place. The moment she spotted him, her guard visibly went up, her posture stiffening.
"Yukino, I'm home," Hozuki Nozomi greeted with a warm smile, his eyes first finding his fiancée. "Where are Mahiru and the others?"
"They are occupied in the kitchen," Yukino replied, glancing briefly between him and Eriri before returning her attention to the cat, offering it a piece of food with elegant fingers.
Nodding, Hozuki Nozomi then turned his full attention to the blonde artist. "Sawamura. Come with me to the third floor. Misaki-senpai and Nanami are expecting you."
"Oh… alright." Eriri Spencer Sawamura visibly relaxed, a small sigh of relief escaping her. She had half-convinced herself his earlier threats were just empty bluster, mere teasing. Reassured, she followed him upstairs without further protest.
However.
The moment they stepped into a vacant room on the third floor, the atmosphere shifted. Hozuki Nozomi's hand shot out, catching her wrist. In one fluid motion, he spun her and pressed her back firmly against the wall—a classic kabe-don.
"Ah!"
"P-Pervert! Wha… what are you doing?!" Eriri's entire body trembled, a flush of panic and something else coloring her cheeks. She glared up at him, her cerulean eyes wide, her cheeks puffing out in indignant protest.
"What does it look like?" he asked, adopting a deliberately villainous smirk, his gaze burning as it traveled over her delicate features. "You ruined a perfectly wonderful opportunity with Kasumigaoka-senpai yesterday. Don't you think you owe me some compensation?"
"Ugh! You… you're utterly shameless!" she sputtered, squirming in his grip. "I was acting for the good of the club's harmony! You have a fiancée, and you're still playing around! Don't you feel any guilt toward Yukinoshita, or Misaki-senpai?!" Her struggles were more symbolic than effective.
"You… stop this! I'll scream!"
"Hmph. Scream all you like. No one will hear you. I've already deployed a sound-dampening barrier in this room. Accept your fate, Eriri Spencer Sawamura!" he declared with theatrical gravity. "You will compensate for my losses… with yourself!"
He leaned in slowly, his face drawing inexorably closer to hers.
Eriri's breath hitched. Her eyes screwed shut tightly, though she continued her muttered defiance. "A sound barrier? Are you a chuunibyou now?! If you dare do anything, I'll never… eep!"
Hozuki Nozomi didn't kiss her lips. Instead, he planted a firm, brief kiss on her flaming cheek before immediately releasing her and taking a step back.
"Alright. Punishment administered," he announced cheerfully. "Shall we go discuss the manga now?"
The sudden release and the anticlimactic 'punishment' left Eriri Spencer Sawamura momentarily stunned. Then, a wave of furious indignation crashed over her. With an incoherent cry of rage, she clenched her small fists and began pummeling his chest. She even shook her head violently, attempting to whip him with her golden twin-tails.
"You absolute pervert! What gives you the right to punish me?! And… and why did you kiss my cheek again?! What is that supposed to mean?! Just go die!"
Hozuki Nozomi amusedly fended off the ponytail assault before capturing both of her flailing hands in one of his. "It was just a bit of playful revenge. Don't take it so seriously."
"As for why I kissed you…" He paused, his expression softening into something more genuine. "It's because I like you. While part of me would love to take things further, I have no desire to be utterly despised by Eriri. So, I intend to conquer you… slowly and thoroughly."
"Bah! 'Conquer'?!" she spat, finally wrenching her hands free and turning her back to him, her shoulders tense. "Do I look like some game heroine to you? I already hate you!"
Yet, the persistent blush on her neck and the frantic rhythm of her heartbeat betrayed her true state of agitation. Her thoughts flew back to the private, surprisingly candid conversation she'd just shared with Yukino Yukinoshita downstairs, and her emotions twisted into an even more complicated knot.
…
Hozuki Nozomi watched her turned back, not offended in the slightest. A half-smile played on his lips. "Well, if you're truly so opposed to working with me… I suppose I'll just have to ask Shiina Mashiro to take over the Magical Girl Misaki manga adaptation."
The words had an instant, electric effect. Eriri Spencer Sawamura whirled around, her eyes blazing. "You wouldn't dare! You promised it to me! How can you be so… so…!"
Hozuki Nozomi offered an indifferent shrug. "You're the one refusing to cooperate. I extended an invitation to discuss it. If you decline, am I not free to seek another, more willing artist?"
"I didn't refuse!" The words burst from her before she could stop them. Immediately, a wave of hot shame washed over her. She felt utterly, completely manipulated by this scoundrel.
"If you didn't refuse," he said, his voice dropping to a coaxing tone as he extended his hand toward her once more, "then… shall we go?"
Eriri Spencer Sawamura eyed his outstretched hand with deep suspicion. "How do I know you won't just bully me again…?"
"Have a little faith. Besides," he added with a laugh that was somehow both warm and threatening, "if I truly intended to bully you, do you honestly believe you could escape?"
"Rogue! You're utterly shameless! A scumbag! A philanderer! A degenerate!" she fired back, a familiar litany of insults.
Hozuki Nozomi merely bowed his head slightly, his smile unwavering. "Thank you for the compliments."
Eriri Spencer Sawamura was rendered utterly speechless. His skin was thicker than the castle walls in her fantasy illustrations. He might even have some latent masochistic tendencies—she insulted him, and he seemed to enjoy it!
Her shoulders slumped in defeat. With a weary wave of her hand, she capitulated. "Fine. Let's just go. You win."
She could not—would not—give up Magical Girl Misaki. She'd already poured hours into character sheets and sample pages. Abandoning it now would be an artistic travesty.
Satisfied, Hozuki Nozomi took her small hand in his. Together, they made their way to Kamiigusa Misaki's studio.
Inside, they found Aoyama Nanami already hard at work, her voice filling the room with practiced, emotive lines as she ran through a voice-acting script.