"Right, since we're going to compete, there should be a wager, right? Otherwise it's not interesting," Before they began, Munakata Rurie took the initiative to suggest this to Hikari.
"Alright, let's do as Madam says. Whoever loses has to unconditionally agree to one request from the other, how about it?", Seeing Munakata Rurie already stretching and full of confidence on her mature face, Hikari said with a smile.
"Okay," Munakata Rurie nodded.
"What do you want to compete in?", Hikari asked.
"Let's compare the speed of arranging flowers, the beauty of the bouquet, and how well it fits together. Freshness and how long it can last after being placed… we can add those as bonus points depending on the situation," Munakata Rurie thought for a mont before saying.
"Alright," Hikari nodded.
"Then… three, two, one, start!"
As soon as the countdown ended, the prepared Munakata Rurie quickly began trimming branches and leaves, making preparations for the upcoming flower arrangent.
Hikari glanced at her side, then withdrew his gaze.
He focused his attention on the noble and gorgeous bauhinia flower in front of him.
After all, it was a variety carefully cultivated in a noble residence. The bauhinia in Hikari's hand was full and straight.
That thick, long stem was like the plump figure of a woman, graceful and well-proportioned.
The tender leaves were like a girl's bright lips, soft and glistening.
A few fresh dewdrops still clung to them.
Hikari extended his index finger and gently brushed over the petals of the bauhinia. The texture, however, was not as soft and springy as he had imagined.
Perhaps because daily affairs in the Munakata residence were too busy, even though Munakata Rurie liked flower arranging, she had neglected watering in her daily routine.
As a result, this bauhinia, which should have been lush with its rich branches and beautiful leaves, now looked sowhat dry.
It was clearly lacking sufficient watering and nourishnt.
Even around the stem, many sparse weeds had grown.
Seeing the branches and weeds that needed trimming, Hikari didn't rush to start arranging.
Unlike Munakata Rurie beside him, who was eager and quick to begin.
He first took out scissors and carefully trimd away the weeds around the bauhinia.
Then he used tools to smooth down the thorns and knots on the stem, grinding them flat until even when his fingers brushed over it, it felt extrely smooth and even, like a freshly stead white bun.
Only then did he formally begin, preparing to carry out the flower arrangent.
———
anwhile, on the other side.
Eager to win, Munakata Rurie had already started arranging in a hurry, and she curiously turned her head to observe Hikari's side.
Seeing that his movents were still slow and unhurried, she couldn't help but feel a bit restless.
Because she had just proposed the competition, her movents were fast.
Although she usually spent quite a bit of ti arranging flowers alone in the Munakata residence, and had done it many tis, she had stayed cooped up there for so long that she hadn't competed with anyone in ages.
So when it ca to actual competition experience, she might really not be as good as Hikari.
Comparing their movents now, her hurried and impatient actions really made her look more like a greenhorn.
While Hikari's calm and asured movents truly resembled those of a master of flower arranging.
His posture was elegant, his movents pleasing. Every action seed capable of enchanting the viewer, making one feel a soft, tingling comfort just by watching.
'No…'
'I can't lose!'
'I'm already this old, losing to such a young boy would be too embarrassing!'
'So I absolutely can't lose!'
Seeing Hikari's progress getting faster and faster, Munakata Rurie grew anxious.
As her hands sped up, her legs unconsciously pressed together, her toes gripping the ground, as if she wanted to strangle Hikari to death.
But perhaps because she was too impatient.
After finishing the preparations and placing the final sunflower bouquet into the vase, she accidentally splashed quite a bit of water, soaking a large patch of her bathrobe.
It really was a case of haste makes waste.
In contrast, Hikari, his movents remained steady and unhurried, always elegant, carrying a rhythm that was almost intoxicating.
Even at the final step, when he placed the thick-stemd bauhinia branch into the bottom of the vase, not a single drop of water splashed.
Not even the slightest bit overflowed.
This scene ford a sharp contrast with Munakata Rurie's earlier "wet beauty" mont during her arrangent.
Witnessing this with her own eyes, Munakata Rurie's beautiful eyes widened round, her small mouth slightly open as she looked at Hikari. Her lips moved a few tis, but no words ca out.
"I… I lost!", In the end, Munakata Rurie admitted sincerely in a small voice.
"Hehe," Hikari smiled faintly, and like an adult, sowhat overturning the situation, he reached out and rubbed Munakata Rurie's head.
"Go ahead, as the winner, what do you want to do?", Munakata Rurie was very straightforward and took the initiative to bring up the wager.
As if he hadn't expected her to lose, Hikari looked at Munakata Rurie, whose eyes were now misty with tears and whose ears were flushed red, and smiled slightly, "What should Madam Rurie do… let think…"
"Give a kiss, Madam Munakata Rurie. Just one kiss is enough."
"A… a kiss?", Hearing his words, Munakata Rurie hesitated.
"What I an isn't a kiss on the cheek," Seeing her hesitant expression, Hikari added.
"Th-this…", Munakata Rurie still looked conflicted.
"Is that not okay, Madam Rurie?", Hikari urged.
Hearing his urging, and thinking about how Hikari had already handled Munakata Nakoto as she had asked and the plan was completed, Munakata Rurie imdiately clenched her teeth and said, "I-it's not like it's impossible! If it's a kiss, then it's a kiss!"
"I-it's not like it's impossible! If it's a kiss, then it's a kiss!"
As she spoke, Munakata Rurie actually took the initiative to wrap her arms around Hikari's neck, leaning her head closer.
Moist softness carried a faint fragrance.
Citrus-flavored lip balm.
Hikari could feel it, a kind of wonderful sensation similar to when he had just won the flower arrangent competition spreading out.
Perhaps out of guilt toward Munakata Nakoto's father, or perhaps due to so inherent weakness in her constitution, in any case, as their lips moved, Munakata Rurie clearly beca much more nervous.
Her body trembled nonstop, her arms tightening around his neck.
A strangling, constricting feeling ca over him, like being tightly coiled by a python, so tight that even Hikari's blood flow felt sowhat restricted.
'As long as you kiss her, my mother won't refuse anything~'
Munakata Nakoto's words surfaced in Hikari's mind.
Looking at the stunningly beautiful face before him, full of charm and allure, Hikari imdiately activated the skill "Silver Tongue."
Munakata Rurie trembled violently, her whole body as if struck by lightning.
Sure enough.
Munakata Nakoto's intelligence wasn't wrong at all.
After activating Silver Tongue, Hikari easily talked Munakata Rurie into a dazed, confused state.
Originally, Munakata Rurie had strong principles about many things, including hobbies like flower arranging.
But once her weak point was struck and she fell into a muddled, entranced state, she stopped caring about anything.
Looking at Munakata Rurie now, dizzy and lightheaded, with heart shapes practically in her eyes, Hikari could go wherever he wanted.
Do whatever he wanted.
At this mont, even if he moved the entire Munakata residence away, she probably wouldn't raise any objections.
Of course, Hikari wasn't that mischievous.
He simply turned his gaze toward the flowers they had just arranged during the competition.
Seeing the exquisite bauhinia and sunflower bouquets on the windowsill being suddenly ssed up into a chaotic tangle by Hikari, Munakata Rurie didn't voice any objections.
She only shot him a glance.
Until Hikari removed the protective casing on the surface of the exquisite ceramic vase, poured out the water inside, and continuously poured it into Munakata Rurie's small mouth.
Even when it spilled out and soaked her body, only then did she realize sothing was wrong.
"N-no!"
Munakata Rurie's face flushed red with urgency as she tried to resist this sowhat over-the-line behavior from Hikari.
After all, in this Munakata residence, many things had to be done carefully.
Certain actions could attract the attention of an evil god, inadvertently becoming part of a ritual for its descent, bringing disaster.
So seeing Hikari now, carried away and "not knowing better," she instinctively wanted to stop him.
But what made Munakata Rurie despair was that Hikari clearly "didn't know" how dangerous this action was, just like those hotheaded young people, insisting on doing that act necessary for the evil god's descent ritual.
Even though Munakata Rurie tried again and again to dissuade him, Hikari now seed completely carried away, not tolerating even the slightest disobedience.
And because her weakness was firmly grasped by him, Munakata Rurie could only scream in her heart.
With her weakness controlled and under the effect of his Silver Tongue, out of one hundred percent of her consciousness, ninety-nine percent had fallen into chaos.
Only a tiny sliver remained clear.
Realizing instinctively that this was wrong and she was already at her limit, as for making any actual move to resist, Munakata Rurie simply couldn't do it.
Sure enough, under the watch of that last trace of clarity, Munakata Rurie saw Hikari turning the flower arrangent into a complete ss.
Just monts ago, he had displayed such elegant and superb flower-arranging skills.
It had enchanted her and made her trust him.
But now, Hikari paid no attention to etiquette or technique.
Like a water buffalo plowing a field, he used brute force to act recklessly, ssing everything up.
Logically, Munakata Rurie should have been furious, jumping up in anger.
But at this mont, she found herself unable to object.
Watching all this unfold.
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