Studying not only brings joy but also makes one drowsy.
Before her homework was even finished, Miko's eyelids began to droop. Her head nodded again and again, and soon she was sprawled on the table in deep sleep.
"Miko fell asleep."
Hana looked up and said quietly, "Don't wake her. Let her sleep for a bit?"
"Mm."
Natsuki nodded gently.
It wasn't like she'd fallen asleep during an exam. He hadn't planned to wake Miko anyway.
"Miko seems to be having a really hard time." Hana lowered her voice. "She spaces out during class from time to time, gets drowsy often, and won't sleep even when you tell her to. It's like she's been forcing herself this whole time. Now that she's finally asleep, let's just let Miko rest properly."
Natsuki looked over in surprise.
She could actually notice all that. What happened to being an airhead?
"Natsuki's look is so rude." Hana puffed out her bun-like cheeks. "You're definitely thinking something impolite."
You guessed right, but there's no prize.
Natsuki stood up, walked to the wardrobe, took out a blanket, and gently draped it over Miko.
It was still spring, and as the sun moved westward, the temperature was gradually dropping.
"Natsuki is so gentle."
Hana gave a thumbs up and quietly praised him.
If just putting a blanket on someone counts as being gentle, no wonder "nice guy" protagonists are getting more and more disliked these days.
Natsuki sat back down. "Let's continue studying."
"Roger."
"..."
To avoid disturbing Miko, Hana shifted position, quietly moving to Natsuki's side. She said pitifully:
"Natsuki, look at this problem. There are nine lit candles in a room. Five are blown out. How many are left in the end... It's obviously four, so why does the answer key say five?"
"I don't understand. I completely don't understand."
A mysterious gravitational force appeared in the air once again, causing Natsuki's gaze to involuntarily drift from the workbook to the blonde girl's chest.
This airhead had probably gotten used to it at home. To reduce the burden on her shoulders, she had unconsciously rested her chest on the table... When studying, you should sit up straight. Don't lean on the table.
The table can't handle this anymore!
As the sun gradually moved westward, the room quietly grew dim.
"Mm, what time is it?"
Hana suddenly noticed the sky outside the window.
Natsuki glanced at his phone. "It's five-ten."
"Oh my, time to go home."
Hana sat up. She straightened her arms and raised them above her head, stretching hard. A lazy sound escaped her nose. "We had P.E. today, and my shoulders are so sore. I'll take a nice long bath when I get home tonight."
Your sore shoulders have nothing to do with P.E. The culprit is the fat on your chest!
Natsuki lowered his head to organize the workbooks.
The next moment, the girl's startled cry suddenly rang out.
Natsuki had just raised his head when a shadow flashed before his eyes, flying toward him at high speed.
A hidden weapon!
Natsuki instinctively tilted his head to dodge, but he couldn't avoid it. He felt a slight pain on his face as the hidden weapon struck him, then bounced away.
"What was that?"
Natsuki covered his cheek and looked toward Hana.
The words had barely left his mouth before he knew what the hidden weapon was.
Hana's pretty face was flushed red. She was frantically covering her collar. Natsuki could clearly see the girl's snow-white neck, her delicate collarbone, and the faint outline below... The button that protected the girl's purity had vanished without a trace.
"I'm sorry!"
Hana covered her chest with both hands. Face red, she hurriedly apologized, her voice full of shame. "I stretched too hard just now, and my button accidentally popped off again."
Wait, why did you say "again"?
Has this happened before?
"I'm so sorry, please forgive me!"
Natsuki rubbed his cheek and said reflexively: "When apologizing, you should show..."
"Show what?"
Hana blinked. She was clearly an innocent girl who had never raced on Mount Akina.
"Nothing." Natsuki changed the subject. "Your button hit my face just now, then bounced under the bed."
"I'll get it myself. Natsuki doesn't need to help."
Hana covered her chest, knelt on the floor, and bent down to look under the bed.
Watching this, Natsuki suddenly thought of a saying: Covering your head but not your rear.
You can't just watch the front. You need to be vigilant about the back too.
As everyone knows, the girls' uniforms at private academies in Japan are usually quite short. Shuchi'in Private Academy was no exception. Normally it wasn't an issue, but at this moment, sprawled on the floor searching for something, it was easy to expose oneself.
For instance, Natsuki caught a glimpse of a faintly visible pink Peppa Pig.
A high schooler wearing Peppa Pig? Isn't that an elementary school design?
Hana quickly sat up. She glanced at Miko, who was still sleeping, her face flushed red. She stammered quietly for help:
"Um... it's kind of dark under the bed. I can't see clearly. Could Natsuki use his phone to shine a light for me?"
Natsuki nodded slightly and agreed. He took his phone to the bedside, turned on the flashlight function, and shone it under the bed.
"I see it. It went in so deep..."
Hana's voice soon came.
Natsuki tilted his head to look under the bed. He saw the button lying quietly in the corner by the wall. It really was quite deep.
"Natsuki, don't move." Hana quickly said. "I'll crawl in and get the button."
"Actually..."
Natsuki had just opened his mouth when Hana had already crawled under the bed like a caterpillar.
"What did Natsuki say just now?" The blonde girl's curious voice came from under the bed.
"It's nothing now."
Natsuki shook his head.
Actually, he could have used a tool to get the button out. She really didn't need to crawl under there herself.
"I got the button!"
Hana soon called out softly and prepared to back out from under the bed. But halfway out, the blonde girl suddenly stopped moving.
"Natsuki, my clothes got caught on something. I can't move now."
Natsuki pondered. "Should I take a look?"
"Please, Natsuki."
Natsuki crouched down and shone his phone under. He could only see that the uniform was caught, but he couldn't tell on what exactly.
"I can't see clearly." Natsuki said. "Let me check."
"Okay."
Natsuki reached out his right hand, placing it on Hana's waist.
"Ah..."
A shy, soft cry escaped her lips—like a panicked little animal that had accidentally stepped into a trap.
"Don't move." Natsuki's voice was steady. "Be careful not to tear your clothes."
"I-I know..." Hana stammered. "That tickled just now... Um, Natsuki, please be gentler."
It was just touching your waist. Isn't your reaction a bit too much?!
That said, this airheaded girl's waist was unexpectedly slender—it made one feel the urge to wrap both hands around it.
"Hold still. Don't move."
Natsuki gave the instruction and quickly found the culprit that had snagged her clothes.
"It's a nail sticking out."
While speaking, Natsuki lifted the caught fabric free. "Move slowly now. You should be fine."
A moment later.
The blonde girl, her hair disheveled, finally escaped from under the bed. She lay on the bed gasping for breath, mist in her eyes, on the verge of tears:
"I'm finally out."
"Good work."
Natsuki had just let out a breath of relief when an incredulous voice reached his ears.
"...What are you two doing?!"