After school, Shido and Mikoto were walking around the departnt store, picking up a few things they might need for the school trip.
"Today was an absolute nightmare."
Shido let out a heavy sigh. Because of Tohka being her usual airheaded self, his relationship with Mikoto was almost completely exposed. No, actually, it was exposed. Even though Mikoto used the excuse, "Shido helps clean the shrine, so I make food for him as thanks" it barely did anything to put out the fire.
"Oh my, isn't that just karma? Hmm, Itsuka Harem-kun?" Mikoto smiled and teased him playfully.
"Please spare that nickna. And... I don't have a harem" Shido scratched his cheek, looking away in embarrassnt.
"Yeah, right. A guy who has seen Tohka, Yoshino, Kotori, and my naked bodies, gone on dates with all of us, kissed all of us, and yet claims he doesn't have a harem." Mikoto closed her eyes and smiled mischievously.
[!!!]
Hearing that, Shido almost tripped on a completely flat floor.
"Co to think of it, why are you joining the school trip, Senpai?"
Raizen High School held its school trips right before sumr vacation, and the participants were the entire second-year class. In other words, Mikoto, a third-year, had no reason to go.
"As for the reason, didn't Tama-chan-sensei already explain? I've never been on a school trip before, Shido."
"Eh? Not even once?"
"Not once. Not before crossing over, and not after."
Mikoto smiled wryly. High schools in China didn't have school trips at all. That was why she had always really wanted to experience this unique event. With Kotori's help, she successfully infiltrated Shido's class trip.
"Ah... and wanting to go on a trip with you is another reason" she added.
"Ugh..."
Faced with the young girl's sweet smile, Shido's cheeks quickly turned bright red.
_____________
July 17th. The long-awaited school trip finally began.
"Shido, Shido! Is that the airplane!? Umu, it's huge!"
In the waiting lounge, Tohka grabbed Shido and Mikoto, pressing her face against the windows to stare at the planes on the tarmac.
"Yo. What a sha you didn't get hit by a car today, Itsuka Harem."
"Tch. Hanging out with a Senpai and a classmate. Add a Kouhai and your collection is perfect, right, Itsuka?"
"Explode... explode... all riajuu just explode..."
Classmates would randomly walk past the three of them, slap Shido heavily on the shoulder, and whisper those friendly greetings.
"Ugh..."
Feeling the heavy, murderous intent from all sides, Shido let out a helpless sigh.
"There, there. You've got so many cute girls around you. If you still complain, you'll actually face divine punishnt, Shido" Mikoto blinked and smiled.
Soon enough, it was ti to board. Shido and Mikoto guided Tohka—who was flying for the very first ti—to their assigned seats. A short while later, the plane took off.
"Look, Shido! The buildings on the ground are getting so small!"
"Ooh! Could we... see your house from here!?"
"Umu, the clouds are blocking it."
Experiencing her first flight, Tohka happily pressed against the window, chattering excitedly about the view outside.
"..."
On the other side, Mikoto sat quietly in the aisle seat, reading an flight magazine.
One moving, one still. The two beautiful girls with completely different personalities created a striking contrast. And Shido, stuck right in the middle, had to endure the jealous and hateful glares from everyone around them.
[Please, let's just land already.]
The flight from Tengu City to Arubi Island took about three hours. For that entire ti, Shido was forced to bathe in those piercing stares.
"Yo, Itsuka. Wanna hear so good news?"
"What is it?"
Shido turned around and saw his bad friend, Tonomachi, leaning forward from the row behind him.
"The third-year senpais asked to pass a ssage to you: 'Make sure you wash your neck properly before school starts again.'"
"..."
For a mont, Shido felt truly grateful that sumr vacation would act as a buffer. If he listened closely, he could even hear Tonomachi discussing with the guys behind him whether they should use firewood or gasoline.
[What exactly are you guys planning to burn!?] Shido scread internally.
"Umm... I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble, Shido," Mikoto apologized, turning her head.
"No, this isn't your fault at all, Yakumo-senpai. It really isn't." Shido shook his head. He would never bla Mikoto for this.
After reaching cruising altitude, the plane flew smoothly toward Arubi Island.
Gradually, so of the students started dozing off.
Shido and Tohka watched an in-flight movie, while Mikoto continued to read.
"Huh!"
Suddenly, Shido let out a small yelp.
"Is sothing wrong, Shido?" Tohka tilted her head.
"N-No... it's nothing."
In reality, his hand resting on the armrest was suddenly grabbed and turned palm up.
Looking over, he saw Mikoto—who was still staring at her book—secretly tracing words onto the palm of his hand with her finger.
[T·O B·E H·O·N·E·S·T... I·F I W·E·R·E S·T·I·L·L A B·O·Y...]
The young girl's slender finger sliding across his palm sent a ticklish feeling through his hand.
[I W·O·U·L·D P·R·O·B·A·B·L·Y W·A·N·T T·O B·U·R·N Y·O·U T·O·O.]
"Guh..."
Even though he missed a few letters, Shido roughly understood what Mikoto ant.
So, he grabbed the girl's hand and traced his own ssage into her palm.
[P·L·E·A·S·E... H·A·V·E M·E·R·C·Y...]
The feeling of the boy's fingertips tracing her palm made Mikoto's face turn bright red. But once she understood his ssage, she couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
The flight continued like that for a while. As the journey grew dull, more and more students drifted off to sleep.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Shido felt a small weight drop onto his shoulder. Looking over, he saw that Mikoto had unknowingly leaned her head against him and fallen asleep.
"Ugh..."
The girl's defenseless sleeping face and the faint scent of her hair made Shido's heart skip a beat.
"Ah! That's not fair, Mikoto! I want to sleep on Shido too!"
But it wasn't over. Noticing Mikoto's position, Tohka complained. Even though she was still full of energy, the competitive girl rested her head on Shido's other shoulder and happily closed her eyes.
"Hey! Wait!"
Shido wanted to stop Tohka, but he didn't dare move a muscle for fear of waking Mikoto up. He had no choice but to let Tohka lean on him.
What was even worse was that Tohka's energetic voice had drawn the attention of the students sitting nearby.
[Please, let's just land already!]
Feeling the small, warm weights on both of his shoulders, and bathing in the absolute murderous glares from everyone around him, Shido sat completely frozen, desperately praying for the plane to land imdiately.
User Comments
0 comments from readers