This was the second time someone had touched her there.

Karuizawa Kei's face had already flushed red down to her neck, yet she didn't push him away immediately.

Nor did she let go of his arm, merely lowering her head slightly in awkwardness.

Even though her face was burning, she had to act as if it didn't matter.

"W-well, I'm your 'girlfriend' anyway… You can do whatever you want to me. I don't mind at all," Karuizawa Kei whispered.

"In fact, it'd be better if Mitoma-kun could remember how I feel."

Kushida Kikyo was a size larger than her—she really had no confidence in that regard.

Yet, right now, Kaoru Mitoma was seeking pleasure from her, which meant there must be something Kushida Kikyo couldn't satisfy him with.

As long as she had the chance, Karuizawa Kei had no intention of letting go.

That was why she had resorted to tricks like cheating and secret affairs.

"Weren't you disgusted with me before?" Kaoru said. "Honestly, I preferred the look in your eyes back then."

Back then, Karuizawa had glared at him with a murderous expression, teeth clenched in humiliation and resentment, stirring an irresistible urge in him to torment her.

But now, she pressed her lips together and silently endured his teasing.

Not only that, Karuizawa subtly adjusted her posture to make it easier for him.

"D-don't bring that up… I didn't know back then… I'm sorry, I thought you were a pervert…"

As she spoke, Karuizawa suddenly froze—because right now, Kaoru wasn't holding back at all, very much like a pervert.

Noticing her reaction, Kaoru whispered to her ears.

"Does it make you happy when I do things like this?"

Karuizawa hesitated, then nodded slightly—only to see him smile.

"No, you're just trying to satisfy my desires, suppressing your disgust for me," Kaoru murmured.

"Sometimes, physical pleasure can trick you into thinking you're happy, when it's really just a temporary surge of dopamine."

"Are you saying I don't actually like you?" Karuizawa didn't understand what dopamine was—all she cared about was the man before her.

"In Kei's eyes, this is just a transaction, isn't it?" Kaoru paused. "Trading your body for a protector. Though I initially had similar thoughts, which is why I made the deal with you… the experiment failed."

Hearing the word "experiment" from him again, Karuizawa felt puzzled.

"Mitoma-kun, do you think I'm easy? That I'd offer my body to any man…?"

"No, that's not what I meant." Kaoru interrupted her slightly agitated words, speaking with patience.

"Your first impression of me wasn't wrong. I really am a pervert—I like young girls and enjoy doing all sorts of bad things to pretty ones."

"...How could anyone admit to being a pervert like that?" Karuizawa muttered under her breath.

Kaoru pressed his hand against her breast, his fingers roughly knead her breast as if delivering a harsh lesson to her, suddenly making her body tremble.

"Ngh?!" Karuizawa couldn't suppress her moan, then quickly covered her mouth upon realizing how loud it was.

"You can handle this much, right?" Kaoru watched as her face flushed crimson.

Fear.

Even without using 'Emotion Perception', Kaoru could clearly read those two words in her timid gaze.

"I-It's fine," Karuizawa said, as if trying to convince herself. "I'm Mitoma-kun's girlfriend. Something like this isn't worth worrying about."

"What if this hand doesn't stop here?" Kaoru's gaze traveled lower, so blatant it made the girl tense up instantly.

"I don't know..." Karuizawa closed her eyes, seemingly surrendering to him—or perhaps resigning herself to passive acceptance.

"Honestly, seeing such a cute girl, it's impossible not to have thoughts," Kaoru sighed.

"But this is completely irresponsible."

His movements stopped, and Karuizawa cautiously peeked open her eyes.

"But I'm already your girlfriend?"

"No, that's not what I meant." Kaoru shook his head. "Possessiveness isn't necessarily love, but this ugly desire is just too troublesome."

Karuizawa stared at him blankly, vaguely sensing his mood taking a turn for the worse.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Kaoru studied the cautious girl before suddenly smiling.

"Think carefully. There's one thing you're getting very wrong right now."

Karuizawa's eyes widened.

She'd actually messed up somehow?

"Is it... because my breasts are too small?"

Having always compared herself to Kushida proportions, this was her first thought.

"Not that. Besides, I love Kei's breasts," Kaoru replied.

Karuizawa wanted to cover her face as she was completely flustered.

This was outright harassment—this guy was terrible!

"Is it because I haven't broken up with Hirata-kun yet?"

"No."

"Because I care too much about Mitoma-kun's true feelings?"

"Before that."

Karuizawa couldn't figure it out.

Was there someone else besides his main interest?

"You've been treating me as a backup boyfriend, haven't you?" Kaoru hinted. "In that case, what should you be calling me?"

Finally understand, Karuizawa's face burned crimson—most girls would be embarrassed at this point, and she was no exception.

"I-I'm not ready yet!"

"How long do you need to prepare?"

"If quick... one day. If slow... several days." Clearly, Karuizawa was trying to escape reality.

"Kei."

At the soft call from Kaoru, she suddenly grew tense.

"No matter what becomes of this secret deal or our relationship in the future, I'll take responsibility."

Karuizawa stood dumbfounded, her lips slightly parted in bewilderment.

Her thoughts blanked out completely until, after a moment, she finally regained her composure.

"Why?"

"Literally, a transaction should be equal. It can't just be one party fulfilling the other's demands. So I must also take responsibility for you—until the end of my life, or until you decide the transaction is over."

Kaoru paused for a moment.

The relationships surrounding him now were far too tangled and fragile.

The slightest misstep could cause everything to collapse instantly.

Yet, just as Ichinose Honami had said, as long as even the slightest possessiveness remained toward them, letting go was impossible.

He could only cling desperately to these fragile threads.

This could no longer be dismissed with a simple label like "womanizer."

He had realized he couldn't stop—it would only escalate further.

If he wanted rewards, he had to interact with them.

And interaction inevitably led to all kinds of relationships and entanglements.

He couldn't just use them and discard them, could he?

Moreover, even if he wanted to discard them, given the current situation, the moment Kaoru dared to do so, everything around him would crumble.

In the end, he had only two choices: continue hanging himself in despair, or find a way to resolve the problem.

-----------------------------

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