Shirakawa Sawahei: "..."

"Don't make that face." The Little Arrogant said slowly, "If Shirakawa cooperates enough, it won't be hard for me to continue playing the role of an oblivious sister."

A feeling akin to making a deal with the devil slowly emerged, and Shirakawa Sawahei couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Answer a question." Hayakawa Kashi turned to stare into Shirakawa Sawahei's eyes and said softly, "Have you confessed to her?"

Shirakawa Sawahei was slightly taken aback, and after a moment of silence, he smiled self-deprecatingly, "If I really had confessed to her, things would be a lot simpler."

Confession, two words, one horizontal and one vertical, the winner can lie down, the loser continues to stand strong alone. This is a classic line from Liang Chaowei in "The Grandmaster." Shirakawa Sawahei thought these words were quite fitting.

Why fitting? Because these words point out the essence of the matter.

If the little lolita really confessed to him, things might indeed become simpler. He would just have to consider his feelings for her and make a decision: either reject her or gladly become a gentleman with a legitimate lolita girlfriend.

Although the proud form of the tsundere little loli isn't very likable, I imagine she'd be incredibly clingy when she's coquettish—Miss Kaori has skills in coquettishness and cuteness, so Black Hearted Lolita probably has them too, and at an even higher level. It's just a pity she hasn't appeared on the list yet.

"Speaking of which, the first impression your sister gave me wasn't good." Shirakawa Sawahei chuckled, "A scheming, ulterior motive beauty. While this might be popular in anime and manga, in the real world, such a person should be associated with trouble."

"Later, I realized that your sister is actually quite silly."

Miss Kaori raised an eyebrow slightly, dissatisfied.

"Silly and cute might be overused to describe her, but I have to admit, sometimes she's quite adorable."

"But at least until today, I haven't really considered her a romantic interest."

"So, does that mean you'll start considering it after today?"

Shirakawa Sawahei: "..."

"Why is your perspective on things always so unique?"

"It's quite normal, right?" Hayakawa Kashi added, "Is there anything wrong with being concerned about a potential love interest of my sister?"

"Does that even count? I haven't confessed."

Miss Kaori gave him a meaningful look, "So, could it be understood that Shirakawa doesn't currently have anyone he wants to confess to?"

"I don't know." Shirakawa Sawahei sighed and gave a standard reply, "Don't look at how calm I seem now, this is the first time I've dealt with something like this."

"I can tell. Shirakawa seems pretty self-conscious now, even easier to manipulate than before."

"???"

Hayakawa Kashi, holds grudges +10086...

"By the way... Has Kaori ever called you?"

"No."

Shirakawa Sawahei breathed a sigh of relief.

"You seem really worried about this?"

"Absolutely not." Shirakawa Sawahei said righteously, "I'm just concerned about the mental state of the club members."

...

Approaching midnight, Shirakawa Sawahei quietly opened his room door, glanced inside, and noticed that it seemed the little girls had all turned off the lights and gone to sleep. He felt slightly relieved and closed the door gently.

Chatting with Hayakawa Kashi outside, feeling the cold wind and watching the snowflakes, after finishing a bottle of fruit juice, they unintentionally talked until midnight. Shirakawa Sawahei originally planned to ask the teacher for a room but had to give up due to the time.

Oh well, oh well, I'll spend the night with the girls from the Calligraphy Club. After all, it's not like it's the first time. As the saying goes, familiarity breeds ease, so being shy at this point isn't Shirakawa Sawahei's style.

At that moment, only a few rooms in the forest inn still had lights on, seemingly engaged in intense games of cards like hanafuda. Shirakawa Sawahei expected to see a scene of the girls playing cards or messing around when he opened the door. To his surprise, the room was completely dark.

Such a rare opportunity, how could he miss it!

Shirakawa Sawahei decisively chose not to turn on the light, quietly feeling his way to the bathroom, planning to wash up quickly and pretend nothing happened before sneaking to sleep.

"Shirakawa..."

The soft voice of Tsukimi sakurazawa came from the side, followed by the sound of the light being clicked on, as the Slacker Girl and Wail Cute Girl rushed over, pinning Shirakawa Sawahei with two pillows.

"Quick, quick, pin him down on the sofa!"

The two girls worked in unison, collectively overpowering the Great Demon King Shirakawa, with the long-legged moe girl flipping onto the sofa, pinning down the elder scoundrel's hands, straddling Shirakawa Sawahei's waist...

On a pillow.

"Shirakawa, confess! Where did you just go!"

Shirakawa Sawahei: "..."

Slacker Girl: "!!!"

This is possible! Damn, I moved too slowly... Sakurazawa, how are you so skilled at this!

"I can tell you, but could you please get off first."

"Don't try that trick, don't think I don't know, you're pretending to surrender!"

Shirakawa Sawahei sighed, his back to her, "I just... went to see Hayakawa Kashi."

"Damn! Betraying the organization! Did you go out for a romantic rendezvous so late? Shirakawa, spill it!"

"I didn't, just bought her a drink."

"So, did you two watch the stars and moon together, and chat from poetry and songs to life's dreams?"

"..."

The Slacker Girl, confused, said, "Ah le? Isn't it snowing outside? How could anyone discuss poetry and songs, or life's dreams in such freezing cold? Are Shirakawa and Hayakawa both made of iron?"

"That's just a metaphor, I'm asking if Shirakawa is dating Hayakawa Kashi."

"Ohhh~ I see... So, Shirakawa, did you discuss life's dreams with her?"

This time Shirakawa Sawahei didn't immediately retort with a cold face, he thought for a moment, then replied, "Didn't chat about poetry and songs, but did discuss life's dreams."

The Little Arrogant asked if I'd want to be a lolicon, and I said no, does that count as discussing life's dreams?

"What's life's dreams, why have you never talked to us about this?" Tsukimi sakurazawa puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction, "As your only knee pillow brother, I hope Shirakawa can be more honest with me."

Slacker Girl: ?

"Wait... I think I've caught a keyword... knee pillow, when was this?"

"Ah~ that was something from first year." Tsukimi sakurazawa blinked her enchanting eyes proudly, "During that time, Shirakawa seemed very, very weak and listless. As the president of the Calligraphy Club, I just had to become Shirakawa's power source~"

The Slacker Girl was shocked: "Power source? Shirakawa, weak and listless?!"

Why, why would these words be associated with Shirakawa!

For a former manga artist like me, powering up boys usually involves only those few ways... But now that I'm a serious comic creator, my thoughts have moved beyond the elementary stages.

At the seaside, Tachibana had given a knee pillow, and back in first year, Sakurazawa had also done it, so among those present here, I'm the only one Shirakawa hasn't slept on!

Knee pillow privilege... Are my thighs not soft enough? Why doesn't Shirakawa ever come to rest on them?!