The Underworld, Starting with Debt

'Huh? Huh!'

Kasumi Haruno's shy eyes widened in surprise, her small hands covering her cherry-like mouth, afraid to utter a sound.

'Yes, it's Zhi-jun!'

The scene inside the stairwell was now clearly displayed in Haruno Kasumi's eyes.

The faint glow of the setting sun slanted in and shone on the stair railing and the man and woman standing beside it.

The boy was tall and strong, with a muscular and powerful body, and his broad shoulders gave people a great sense of security.

The girl, with her long, flowing purple hair and voluptuous body, nestled intimately in the boy's arms.

'The girl is...is it Xia Ye?!'

Her rosy lips were unconsciously pouting high, and Haruno Kasumi felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. She wanted to leave immediately, out of sight, out of mind, but...

Her feet seemed to be glued to the ground, and she couldn't move them at all.

"Um……"

The sound of two people kissing came from the stairwell.

Kasumi Haruno stared wide-eyed at the thought-provoking scene before her, gradually losing track of time.

'If, the person Zhijun is holding is me...'

Unconsciously, Haruno Kasumi gradually immersed herself in her fantasy, leaning weakly against the wall, her eyes glazed over, and sweet saliva flowing from her soft lips under the allure of the pink dress.

......

'It's Kasumi! '

Ito Kozue was startled when he glanced through the crack in the door and saw someone peeping. He then realized it was Haruno Kasumi, and his anxiety subsided.

"what happened?"

Murasaki Natsume turned her head and gazed at Ito Koji, her captivating crimson eyes carrying a hint of doubt.

"nothing."

Gently shaking his head, Ito Kozue reached out and stroked Murasomiya Natsume's smooth hair, then suddenly pulled it slightly.

"Hmm~"

Without making a sound, she glanced at the door again, and Haruno Kasumi was still there, not having left.

With his lips pursed, Ito Koshito's face held a strange, emm, somewhat stimulating expression, which made him feel even more motivated.

......

Time flies, and when you focus on doing one thing, your perception of time becomes very blurry.

After an unknown amount of time, Ito Koshino said in the stairwell, "Let's pack up and go back."

Haruno Kasumi, as if waking from a dream, quickly closed the door.

After glancing at the ground, Haruno Kasumi didn't care about anything else and hurriedly left.

"Click"

When Ito Koshitoshi carried Murasaki Natsuha out of the stairwell, it was already completely dark.

"Splash!"

As soon as Ito Koshito took his first step out the door, he felt that the ground was a little sticky and damp. He could smell a fragrant orange scent amidst the hydrangea fragrance.

And by the door, there was a handbag that had been left behind.

"Zhi-kun~ What are you still standing there for? Let's go home, I'm so hungry."

"It's just another greedy little cat we've discovered."

"kitten?"

"Yes, a chubby little kitten."

......

The sky was no longer ablaze with heat, but a tranquil twilight. The deep, leaden clouds, like a guardian, tightly enveloped the sky, as if telling people that night had fallen.

"Huff—huff—"

The howling evening wind whipped up Haruno Kasumi's shoulder-length light black hair. As if her bottom was on fire, Haruno Kasumi ran at top speed, the trees rushing past behind her, rustling softly, blurring her vision.

When Haruno Kasumi stopped to rest after exhausting her remaining strength, she had already arrived at the water tank outside the teaching building.

"Huchi - Huchi -"

Kasumi Haruno was panting heavily, her face flushed red, and beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks, down her neck, and finally gathered on her chest, soaking her shirt.

I turned on the tap, scooped up a stream of cool water, and kept rinsing the burning redness off my face.

After resting for a while, Kasumi Haruno finally calmed her wildly beating heart.

This time I've completely lost face...

Feeling the breeze blowing between my legs, the skin on my thighs felt damp and cool.

Kasumi Haruno leaned weakly against the sink, shyly clutching the hem of her skirt.

"Zhi-kun, he shouldn't have noticed me, right?"

Recalling the glance that Ito Koshito had given her while she was spying, Haruno Kasumi still felt uncertain, even though Ito Koshito quickly looked away.

"..."

"Kasumi-senpai, you haven't gone back yet?"

Just then, a sudden voice from the side startled Haruno Kasumi, who was lost in thought.

Turning around, she saw a patch of smooth purple hair and was slightly stunned. It wasn't until Shiina Chizuru called her softly again that Haruno Kasumi came back to her senses.

"It's Chizuru..."

With a soft breath, Haruno Kasumi relaxed and stretched her full chest.

"Hmm? Kasumi-senpai, did something happen? You seem very nervous."

"Haha, it's nothing. I'm fine."

"Is it......"

Chizuru Shiina gazed intently at Kasumi Haruno, her guilty conscience prompting her to hastily avert her eyes.

"So suspicious—"

No, no.

"never mind."

Turning her head to the side, Shiina Chizuru rummaged through her bag, not liking to pry into other people's secrets.

"Here you are, Kasumi-senpai, this is your wallet."

"Ah, you've been a great help, Chizuru."

"It's okay, I'll head back now, bye-bye."

Goodbye, Chizuru.

Once Shiina Chizuru's figure disappeared from her sight, Haruno Kasumi patted her soft, round, pretty face with both hands.

"Kasumi Haruno! Stop overthinking things! Chizuru almost saw through your thoughts just now!"

Kasumi Haruno silently berated herself, then reached out to steady her shoulder bag as she prepared to go home.

"Hey, hey? Where's the bag?!"

"Dingling bell~~"

My phone, which I always carry with me, emitted a peculiar notification sound.

'This notification sound...'

She pursed her lips and hesitantly opened Line.

It was Ito Koshito who sent her the message.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Ito Koshitomo (Tomo-kun): [Kasumi, I've put your handbag in the security room for you.] (Read)

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

'Swish'

Like a goldfish spitting out bubbles, the bubbles burst as they floated to Haruno Kasumi's face, instantly steaming her cheeks red.

"Well......"

Covering her burning face, Haruno Kasumi let out a mournful cry and squatted down abruptly.

"rustle--"

The fallen leaves fluttering through the woods gently landed on the girl's shoulders, as if comforting her troubled heart.

"How am I supposed to face Zhi-jun after this...?"

After a long while, a murmur came from a quiet corner of the campus, which drifted away on the wind and returned to silence.

......

......

The next day.

As the sun sets in the west, its golden rays unfold slowly across the sky like a magnificent scroll.

Sunlight pierced through the clouds like countless golden arrows, shooting straight to the earth and turning everything golden.

The sunlight shone on the rows of sycamore trees in Cheng Shen Academy, making each leaf seem to be coated with a layer of gold dust, shimmering with dazzling light.

"Ring ring ring..."

The ringing school bell startled a flock of birds hiding in the shade of the trees.

Goodbye, Ayato-kun.