I, who tortured the readers, was knocked to the ground by them!

Sobbing could be heard continuously from the room, which was decorated mainly in pink.

"Woo."

Sato Wakaba buried her head in his chest, her bright blue eyes turning completely red.

She had just experienced a hysterical bout of crying, something she hadn't done in years.

Sato Wakaba didn't push him away, nor did she hug his back tightly. She simply let Sakurai Itsuki gently hold her with one hand and gently stroke her unique golden hair with the other.

"Okay, okay, I'll never stand you up again. I'll definitely tell you anything, and I'll answer any questions you have. I promise."

Just like when he comforted Sato's sister, Sakurai Itsuki gently patted her back, making promises and assurances.

Upon hearing this, Sato Wakaba pouted, still only sobbing slightly, and did not answer his question.

“I never intended to exclude you. Haven’t you always longed for college life? You’re already busy enough with school and taking care of a beast like me. So, I actually wanted you to experience campus life more.”

You haven't been asking about work-related topics lately, and I thought you weren't interested. I've really neglected your feelings; I'm sorry.

Sakurai Itsuki explained why he did it at first, but later he gradually got used to the tacit understanding that as long as he used work as an excuse, Sato Wakaba would not interfere.

Then, without realizing it, the initial concern evolved into perfunctory behavior in order to avoid trouble.

Looking back, Sakurai Itsuki did realize that he was a bit of a jerk.

"I won't ask questions, I just don't want to cause you any trouble."

Sato Wakaba finally spoke, her voice completely lacking its usual brashness, so soft that even Sakurai Itsuki, who was holding her like this, almost didn't hear her.

Sakurai Itsuki said, "You never cared about whether I would be bothered at first, and you always came over like a nuisance. Now you're afraid of causing me trouble?"

Sato Wakaba leaned back slightly, leaving Sakurai Itsuki's embrace, and Sakurai Itsuki slowly released his hands.

She gently wiped away her tears: "That's different, this is important. No, not at all, not at the beginning."

When she had been pestering him to take her as his assistant and had rudely banged on his door on their first morning living together, she hadn't had many reservations.

"Ah, things have changed. But you know why, right? Are you going to pretend you don't know?"

Sato Wakaba's lips trembled slightly.

She had meticulously planned many different scenarios in her mind for how to break through that barrier.

But she can't care about that now; everything is already messed up.

She had already cried and made a scene in front of him so hysterically, and now everything had been laid bare.

It's no longer possible to pretend that nothing happened tonight.

It would be too pathetic to pretend to be stupid.

Whether the answer is good or bad, she wants to know the answer, she wants to know his true thoughts.

"The reason is..."

Sakurai Itsuki also leaned back.

The two, having released their embrace, gazed at each other from a delicate distance, neither too close nor too far.

Looking at the girl who was staring intently at him with tears glistening in her eyes, Sakurai Itsuki nodded.

"I should know."

It's not good to always put things off until tomorrow, and it's not good to always make people wait, just like Aunt Mizuno said.

What we have now, what's right in front of us, is what we should cherish most.

Sato Wakaba looked at him and nodded gently. Her heart in her chest stopped abruptly, then started beating violently. For a moment, her breath seemed to freeze, and even her mouth, tongue, and fingers felt slightly numb.

It was like a long-term torment finally being sentenced.

She took a deep breath and asked, "So, what are your plans?"

Sakurai Itsuki took a deep breath and slowly said, "If I ask you to leave, let me think about it."

Sato Wakaba's eyes widened: "Huh?"

Ignoring her surprise, Sakurai Itsuki continued, "If you leave, no one will bang on my door in the morning, no one will pester me for cake, and no one will keep nagging me all day long. The whole world should be quiet."

Sato Wakaba bit her lip and lowered her head: "I see."

She certainly found this ending hard to accept, but Sakurai Itsuki continued talking.

"If no one knocks on my door in the morning, I'll definitely be late because of my procrastinating nature, and I definitely won't have time to eat breakfast."

I've registered as a member of many dessert shops, bought high-value prepaid cards, and collected a bunch of coupons, but I don't like sweets. If no one keeps pestering me for cakes, they'll just go to waste.

If no one kept making noise in my ear, I would definitely be terribly lonely in this big house by myself. I've gotten used to people making noise.

Upon hearing this, Sato Wakaba realized something was wrong, and slowly raised her head, staring at him with wide eyes.

I don't know when, but he leaned closer again and continued talking.

"Without you, I would have to eat at convenience stores every day. Without you, I don't know how to take care of those flowers outside. Without you, it would be too hard for me to do all the housework by myself. I told you long ago that I don't know what to do without you. It's too much trouble."

Upon hearing this, Sato Wakaba pouted slightly and complained, "Do you think of me as your mother or your babysitter?!"

Upon hearing this complaint, Sakurai Itsuki understood that everything had an answer.

Sakurai Itsuki: "Ah, I'm just that kind of terrible person. If you end up with me, your life is over. So think it over."

Sato Wakaba snorted coldly and pressed on, "Then what is your answer?"

Sakurai Itsuki retorted, "I said I hoped you would come back to my hometown with me. What do you think that means? What do you think that means I'm planning to buy this house?"

Sato Wakaba tilted her chin slightly and looked up at the familiar ceiling: "Are you confessing to me by saying this? Do you have feelings for me? Sorry, you're not a good person."

"what?"

Now it was Sakurai Itsuki's turn to be stunned.

He had heard Sato Wakaba's "friend card" countless times.

He had never paid much attention to it before, but at this moment, Sakurai Itsuki was slightly stunned.

Could it be that the series of events just now was the same kind of malicious joke she usually played, where she deliberately tricked me into talking and then took the opportunity to give me the "friend zone" treatment?

It shouldn't be
If it's true, her acting is just too convincing!
Sato Wakaba paused for a moment before continuing, "You're annoying and selfish, and you look like the kind of person who would be a womanizer."

Besides, this scene is anything but romantic! There are no fireworks, I'm not in a good mood, and even my makeup is ruined from crying. And to confess my feelings at a time like this, so…!

Sakurai Itsuki took a deep breath, thinking that she was still angry about what happened today.

However, judging from her words, it's not like there's no chance.

Sato Wakaba finally turned her face back: "So, I'll reluctantly agree this time, but this won't happen again!"

Sakurai Itsuki's eyes widened: "Don't let this happen again?!"

Sato Wakaba chuckled, her eyes narrowing as she laughed. "Of course! You know my views on relationships, right? I only date people I want to marry. Do you think someone like you only plans to confess your love to your wife once in your life? Only say 'I love you' to your wife once? Then, I'll refuse."

Sakurai Itsuki quickly grasped her hand: "I understand, I'll do better next time."

Sato Wakaba looked at the hand holding hers and laughed like a silver bell: "Haha, you were scared, weren't you? Did you think I would refuse you? Who told you to scare me first!"

She was clearly blaming Sakurai Itsuki for deliberately pausing before confessing his feelings to scare himself.

Her heart almost stopped from being scared.

As expected, she knew that Sakurai Itsuki would never let her leave.

Sakurai Itsuki said, "That's how you create art—you have to start with a scare and then build up! As for being scared, that's even more impossible. I was just thinking that you might not be satisfied with the scene, so I'll confess again in a few days. Anyway, you'll definitely say yes."

Sato Wakaba: "Huh? Why do you say that? Why are you so self-conscious? I'm suddenly regretting agreeing to your request."

Sakurai Itsuki chuckled. "Didn't I remind you? I'm just that kind of terrible person, so you need to think it through. Now, isn't it a little too late to regret it?"

Sato Wakaba tilted her head, scrutinizing the face: "You really weren't scared?"

Sakurai Itsuki said, "No, there really isn't."

Before Sakurai Itsuki could finish speaking, he felt the figure rushing towards him.

Then a fragrant breeze wafted by. A warm, moist sensation came over my lips.

Before Sakurai Itsuki could react, Sato Wakaba quickly blushed and pulled away, saying, "What? It didn't feel very hard when we kissed!"

Sakurai Itsuki, who had been ambushed, touched her lips blankly, recalling the sensation from just now, and no longer had the will to stubbornly refute her.

Sato Wakaba glanced at Sakurai Itsuki and asked nervously, "What's wrong? Any thoughts?"

"It's soft, slightly tingly, a little sweet, and tastes a bit like peach. Did you eat any peaches tonight?"

Sato Wakaba scolded, "Idiot! The lipstick I'm wearing today is peach flavored!"

Sakurai Itsuki said, "Really? It was too fast just now, I didn't feel it clearly. Let me try it again."

Sato Wakaba glared at her, annoyed. "You pervert! I just agreed to your request, and you're already acting like a pervert. How annoying! Is there such a rush?"

"It's been three years already, and you're already in a hurry? I can hold back for three years, and people praise me for being a gentleman."

Sakurai Itsuki lied without batting an eye.

In reality, Hase Hatsuna was calling him impotent.

However, you definitely can't say these things to other people, especially not to your girlfriend.

As Sakurai Itsuki continued talking, she leaned closer again.

Sato Wakaba blushed and scolded, "Huh? How have you been looking at me for the past three years? How lewd."

However, seeing Sakurai Itsuki approaching, she did not flinch, but slowly closed her eyes.

Her eyes were tightly closed, but her eyelashes were fluttering nervously, and the blush on her face spread all the way to her ears, making them a bright red.

The tension, anxiety, and shyness were visible to the naked eye.

Even though she was the one who kissed me first, there's no doubt that she's adorable in every way.

So the two kissed again.

"It really tastes like peach."

"The peach flavor is gone. You probably wiped all the lipstick off my lips long ago."

"Really? Then I'll try it again."

"How many times have we kissed since this started? Aren't you tired of it?!"

Sato Wakaba had forgotten how many times the two of them had kissed in that short period of time.

When she had kissed him until her chest felt tight and she could hardly breathe, she finally pushed Sakurai Itsuki away and covered her lips with the back of her hands, which were numb from nervousness.

He told him that this round was over.

Sakurai Itsuki laughed smugly: "It's normal to be a little excited about your first attempt, right?"

Sato Wakaba looked up at Sakurai Itsuki, who was smugly pleased with himself, and said with some dissatisfaction that he had been outdone: "Actually, that wasn't my first kiss!"

Sakurai Itsuki's smile vanished abruptly: "Really? You... haven't you ever been in love, not even with a childhood friend?"

Sato Wakaba: "Of course it's true. Just this year, I lost my first kiss, about three months ago."

Sakurai Itsuki: "Huh?"

Sato Wakaba looked at his expression and laughed: "You too!"

Sakurai Itsuki frowned in confusion: "What do you mean?"

Seeing his furrowed brow, Sato Wakaba explained somewhat embarrassedly in a low voice, "That night in London, when you got drunk. As payment for taking care of you, I stole your first kiss, which was also my first kiss."

Sakurai Itsuki breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I knew it! I knew I could confess anytime and succeed. I never thought you would do something like this. You're the real scoundrel!"

Faced with the accusation of being a "female hooligan," Sato Wakaba did not refute it, but instead displayed the smugness of someone who had successfully pulled off a prank: "You were clearly terrified just now, weren't you?"

After causing a ruckus, Sato Wakaba reverted to her usual quirky and mischievous self.

This reassured Sakurai Itsuki quite a bit: "Yeah, I don't deny that."

Sakurai Itsuki then caught a glimpse of Sato Wakaba's feet, which were still red and swollen from wearing wooden clogs.

"You should put two band-aids on your foot, I'll help you."

Sato Wakaba initially wanted to say that she could do it herself, but after thinking about it, she realized that after what had just happened, he was practically her boyfriend.

So all of this is just as it should be, right?

Sato Wakaba nodded happily: "Yes, the band-aid is in the bedside table over there."

Sakurai Itsuki got up, opened the bedside table, and easily found the band-aid.

But then I saw something familiar next to me.

That was a gift from Hatsuna Hase three years ago.

Wanting to scare her a little, Sakurai Itsuki picked up the box of Durex and turned to Sato Wakaba, saying, "This isn't expired yet, is it?"

After Sato Wakaba saw what was in his hand, she immediately lowered her head in embarrassment.

She swallowed hard, paused for a few seconds, and then stammered, "Let me make this clear first, I won't agree to any of those outrageous things you wrote in your erotic novels before. They look so painful."

Sakurai Itsuki was also taken aback by Sato Wakaba's reply.

Isn't her answer...?
As long as it's not too excessive, isn't that fine?

Sakurai Itsuki quickly explained, "Um, I already said that what's in that notebook isn't my fetish."

After saying that, Sakurai Itsuki belatedly realized that the girl in front of him was already his girlfriend.

Both of them are now adults.

For adult couples, it would be perfectly reasonable to do all of this.

Sato Wakaba lowered her head, her ears were bright red, and even her snow-white neck was red, as if steam would spew from her head at any moment.

She said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "Yes, but you still have to be gentle."

Faced with such an unexpected surprise, Sakurai Itsuki certainly couldn't refuse.

For the first time, I felt genuinely grateful to Hase Hatsuna, that former genius teacher; I never expected she would actually come in handy.

"I'll go take a shower first."

"Ah."

So, after living in this house for three years, Sakurai Itsuki spent the night in her bedroom on the third floor for the first time.

Okay, maybe it can't be considered a rest.

"You have too many toys on your bed."

"It's okay, just throw them all down."

"Aren't you going to tidy up first? Don't you usually value these toys a lot?"

"."

"Since my beautiful girlfriend asked me to do this, I guess they'll have to spend the night on the ground."

"By the way, you haven't properly told me that you like me yet."

"I like you."

"One last thing, you have to promise me that you won't do anything as outrageous as those things in that notebook to me."

"I've explained it many times, that's not my quirk at all. I've always been a very gentle person."

"Then I like you too."

"Ah."

And at the same time.

The creator of the sketchbook was in his bedroom, stretching lazily: "Finished! Perfect! By the way, should I show it to him? Ah, it's so late, he should be asleep by now! Never mind, I'll do it tomorrow!" (End of Chapter)