Her lips parted, but no words came out at first. The girl stared into my eyes as if she were searching for something. Maybe it was seriousness or flippancy but I held her gaze, letting her see the truth in my words.
Finally, she let out a shaky laugh, releasing my hand to cover her face with both of hers.
"God, you're dangerous, Onoda-kun. How do you just… say stuff like that and make it sound so real? What if I fall for you too? Will you catch me?"
"Because it is real," I said, reaching out to gently tug one of her hands away from her face. "I don't play games with people's feelings, Sachi. Not with you, not with anyone. If I say you're special, I mean it. And if you want to keep showing me your cool side, I'm all for it. Just don't think you have to prove anything to me. You're already enough. Ah… if you did fall for me, you can rest assured you're going to land on me even if I cannot catch you."
She stared at our joined hands, her thumb brushing lightly against my knuckles as if testing the reality of the moment. Then, with a small, determined nod, she looked up. Her eyes looked a little bit brighter now and less clouded by doubt.
"Okay," She said softly. "Okay, I'll take that. For now. But don't think I'm gonna let you off easy, Onoda-kun. If I'm gonna be special, I'm gonna make sure you don't forget it."
I chuckled, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. "Deal. I'm looking forward to it, Sachi. So, what's the plan? You said you wanted to spend time together. Got any ideas, or are we just gonna sit here and trade compliments until we get caught by our classes for slacking off?"
Her confident grin returned and she stood up, grabbing her notebook and tucking it under her arm. "Well, since you're offering… how about we grab something from the vending machine and take a walk around the school? I know a spot near the track field that's quiet this time of day. We can just… talk. No pressure, no big confessions. Just you and me, chilling."
"Sounds perfect. We can then go back together afterwards." I said, standing up and stretching my arms above my head.
The intimate memories I made with Ryouko-san and Orimura-sensei were still fresh in my mind but I can keep it down a little, just to not startle this girl.
I know, she may have already noticed my dirty little secrets but she had no intention to bring it up and I appreciate that.
Sachi's presence was grounding, a reminder that not every connection needed to be intense or physical to matter. I mean, that's also how it goes whenever I'm with my girls. Although recently, as long as there's privacy, we tend to get more intimate.
"Lead the way, Sachi. I'm all yours for the next… what, twenty minutes?"
She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Onoda-kun. I know your girls are probably waiting for you in your class."
"I'll send them a message. They'll understand and punish me for it later," I said, falling into step beside her as we headed toward the gymnasium's exit. "Right now, I'm with you. Let's make it count."
Sachi couldn't hide her grin or the visible redness of her face as she quickened her footsteps as though she were skipping with delight.
As we stepped out of the Gymnasium, the late afternoon sun hit us right away, casting long golden streaks across our figures.
Sachi's shoulder brushed against mine as we walked, a small, accidental touch that somehow felt more intimate than when I held her hand earlier.
And for once, I didn't overthink it. I just let the moment be, content to see what would unravel before us.
Shortly after, it didn't take long for us to reach the vending machine. It was whirring softly as we approached and Sachi fished a few coins from her pocket, glancing at me with a playful smirk.
"Your treat, Onoda-kun? Or am I gonna have to act cutesy around you so you can treat me for a drink?"
I laughed, pulling out a small bill and stepping up to the machine. "My treat, Sachi. Pick your poison. And maybe act cutesy as well. You know… it'll be eye candy for me."
Sachi pouted and put her hands on her hips before sidling up to me and hugging my arm, not bothering the fact that she lodged me in between her mound, "Is this enough?"
This girl… she's naturally seductive as well, isn't she?
"I told you to pick, not to make me flustered. You know I'm a pervert, right?"
"I know? Is this enough to turn you on though?"
"More than enough. So you better stand back or you get flustered."
The girl put a hand on her cheeks as though contemplating whether to take a step back or push on. But then she grinned mischievously.
"I think I'll take my chance to see you a little bit flustered, Onoda-kun."
"Sachi, you're playing with fire now," I said as I gave her forehead a flick while I leaned in a fraction closer, letting her feel the heat of my breath.
Her arm was still hooked around mine, her soft curves pressed against me in a way that was both innocent and maddeningly provocative. The vending machine hummed in the background, but the world had narrowed to just the two of us, standing in the golden glow of the late afternoon sun.
Sachi's grin didn't falter but her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink, betraying the confidence she was trying to project.
She tilted her head, her ponytail swaying as she met my gaze head-on, her eyes sparkling with a mix of defiance and curiosity. "Flustered, huh? I don't know, Onoda-kun. You don't look all that rattled to me. Maybe I need to try harder."
Her words were bold, but the way her fingers tightened slightly on my arm and the subtle shift of her body closer to mine told me she was testing her own limits as much as she was testing mine.
She was daring me to react, to see how far this playful flirtation could go before one of us backed down or lost control.
I shook my head and stepped closer to the vending machine, slipping the bill into it without breaking eye contact. "Careful, Sachi. You keep pushing like that and you might get more than you bargained for. I'm not exactly known for backing down from a challenge."
Her lips parted, a soft gasp escaping before she caught herself, her grin widening as she leaned in closer, her breath warm against my cheek. "Oh, I'm counting on it, Onoda-kun. But don't think I'm some shy little flower who'll wilt under pressure. I can keep up with you. Try me"
The machine clunked as it dispensed her chosen drink. A can of iced peach tea.
I bent down to retrieve it, using the moment to gather my thoughts.
Sachi was different from my girls in a way that was hard to pin down. She wasn't chasing the same kind of connection, not yet, but there was an undeniable spark here, a chemistry that crackled in the air between us.
She was bold, observant, and just a little reckless, and I couldn't help but be drawn to that.
I straightened up, holding the can out to her with a smirk. "Here's your prize, Ms. Confident. Now, what's next? Are you gonna keep flirting with danger, or are we sticking to that 'just chilling' plan you mentioned?" This update is available on N0v3l.Fiɾe.net
Sachi took the can while intentionally letting her fingers brush mine as she did, sending a small jolt through me.
She popped the tab with a satisfying hiss, taking a slow sip before lifting the can to my lips, offering me to do the same.
"Flirting with danger sounds kinda fun, don't you think? But I'll be nice and stick to the plan… for now. Let's head to that spot I mentioned. You'll like it. It's quiet, and we can just… be…"
Trailing her voice at the end, the girl added suspense. But then, it was easy to figure out what she's trying to do.
I took a sip from her can, then I bought myself something else, a lemonade, Satsuki's favorite and offered it to her as well after I took a sip.
If that girl found out about this, I might face an extremely grumpy and jealous Satsuki. But that's where the fun starts, right?