"Who are you?"
Shichen frowned at the young woman standing beside Kurumi Tokisaki as though they were longti friends. He was completely puzzled.
The woman had long chestnut‑brown hair and mature features, yet she still looked very young and beautiful—no less attractive than Kurumi herself.
Her two braided pigtails draped over her shoulders, a style that did not quite match her otherwise grown‑up appearance.
Kurumi made no move to distance herself; in fact, she leaned even closer. The two clearly knew—and liked—one another.
But Shichen had never seen this woman before.
He searched every mory he had and ca up empty.
Why would Kurumi know her? Who was she? What was their relationship?
Shichen distinctly recalled that Kurumi had only one close friend… Wait—he thought he had just guessed who the woman might be.
"Ah‑ya ~ So Shichen really doesn't recognize ," the woman said to Kurumi with a smile.
"I told you—the Shichen of this mont is the very earliest version of him," Kurumi replied, smiling back.
"What a sha. I wanted to thank him properly."
"It's not too late. Maybe it's your thanks that will inspire him to go back and save you."
"Won't that cause so sort of ti‑paradox?"
"Didn't he say that ti and space don't affect him?"
"Oh—right!"
The woman stuck out her pink tongue playfully, then bowed deeply to Shichen.
"Shichen, thank you for rescuing back then!"
"Shichen-sensei, I should thank you as well," Kurumi added, bowing too.
"You wouldn't happen to be… Yamauchi Sawa?" Shichen finally asked.
"Ah! Shichen, you still rember ?" Sawa sprang upright, seized Shichen's hands and stared at him in delight.
Her lively, girlish manner was completely at odds with her refined appearance—though, like Kurumi, she radiated an aristocratic air.
"So it really is you," Shichen said, surprised yet sohow unsurprised.
"See? See? He rembers !" Sawa crowed to Kurumi.
Kurumi shook her head, amused. "Obviously he doesn't rember you; he only knows who you are."
"R‑really?" Sawa looked at Shichen, suddenly anxious.
"Sorry—we're actually eting for the first ti," Shichen admitted.
"Mmm… all right," Sawa pouted but accepted it. "As long as you know , that's fine."
"Yamauchi Sawa, you—"
"Don't be so formal, Shichen~ Just call Sawa," she said, puffing her cheeks in mock petulance.
"Sawa… very well. So what exactly is going on between you and Kurumi now?" Shichen asked, unsure what else to say—he really didn't know Sawa.
"I'm living with San‑san these days~" ("San‑san" was Kurumi's nickna.)
"Living together… That's not what I ant."
"Then what do you an?" Sawa blinked innocently.
"Uh… I'm not sure myself…"
"Eeh—Shichen, you're too funny! You're still unreliable at this point in ti."
"But you're still as handso as ever—number one in my heart!" She flashed him a thumbs‑up.
"Thanks…"
"Tell you what—since you don't know what to ask, why not co over to our place for a look?"
"Your place… Isn't that a bit sudden?"
"It's fine! We hardly ever see you. Co on—tomorrow's Saturday, no classes. You're a P.E. teacher, so you barely teach anyway."
"You even know that?"
"I found out before Kurumi did~"
"Aren't you brilliant," Kurumi muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Hehe~ So? Want to co over?"
"I suppose it's not impossible…"
"Wait a minute!"
Suddenly Tohka Yatogami stepped in front of Shichen, arms spread to shield him.
"Who are you, and why should Shichen go to your house?"
"Shichen…?" Sawa blinked at her. "And you are?"
"I'm Tohka Yatogami!"
"Tohka Yatogami… You look familiar. I feel as though I've seen you sowhere."
"She's the one they call Princess," Kurumi reminded her.
"Ah! So it's you!" Sawa exclaid.
"You know ?" Tohka frowned.
"A little, yes." Sawa nodded with a smile. "So your na is Tohka Yatogami—nice na."
"Right? Shichen picked it for !" Tohka said proudly.
"Shichen nad you? I'm so jealous~" Sawa's envy looked entirely genuine.
"Isn't it great?" Tohka stood akimbo, basking in the praise.
"So, what's your relationship with Shichen?" Sawa asked.
"What relationship?" Tohka folded her arms, thought for a mont and declared, "We're each after the other's body!"
"Why are you still using that line?" Shichen rapped Tohka lightly on the head.
"Uu—Shichen, why?"
"Did you forget what I told you?"
"But she seems really close to Kurumi…"
"And what's that got to do with you?"
"What if she's the sa as Kurumi?"
"Oh my, Kurumi, looks like you've got so competition," Sawa teased.
"Hmph—doesn't matter; she'll be our sister soon enough," Kurumi sniffed.
"Sister? What sister?" Tohka asked, puzzled.
"You'll find out later."
"I want to know now!"
"No can do—I've got things to do. Shichen, let's go check out our place," Kurumi said.
"No way! Shichen isn't going to your house!"
"Having a look is fine," Shichen said at once, undercutting Tohka.
"Eh? Shichen, you—"
"Be good. I'm just going to see what's going on; I'll be right back." He patted her head reassuringly.
"But—"
"I'll bring you lots of kinako pan."
"…All right. I'll wait at ho."
"Good. I'll walk you back first."
Shichen took Tohka's hand; the two of them vanished. Three seconds later he reappeared alone.
"Okay, let's go!"
Sawa showed no surprise. She promptly hugged Shichen's left arm and pulled him along.
"Then I will too~" Kurumi latched onto his right arm.
"…It's so hot today—do you have to do this?" Shichen was startled to find that both sides were identical in volu—and equally soft.
"It's a rare occasion. What's the harm?" Sawa laughed.
Thus, half‑kidnapped, Shichen was dragged back to their ho.
"You two live in an apartnt?"
"Mm‑hmm—much more convenient~"
"Convenient how?"
"Co inside and you'll see."
Sawa opened the door and tugged Shichen into the flat.
It was spacious. Beyond the entryway lay a large living room, fully furnished—and lined with monitors.
Every screen was on. To Shichen's surprise they were surveillance feeds, and the central one showed Raizen High School.
"What's all this?"
"Surveillance," Sawa said breezily.
"…Why do you need this?"
"Heh‑heh~ To punish evil and reward good, of course!" She struck a hero‑style pose.
"Don't tell you've been helping Kurumi this whole ti?" Shichen asked.
"As expected of you!" Sawa gave him a thumbs‑up.
"So that's it."
"Ha‑ha—surprised? We didn't let you down, did we?"
"Hmm? My expectations?"
"You told us to punish evil and reward good—and to act however we pleased."
"So I'm actually the ringleader!"
"How could you call yourself a ringleader? You're our guide~"
"…I'm thirsty. Got anything to drink?"
"I'll get it!" Sawa dashed into the kitchen.
"Then I'll go change," Kurumi said. "Shichen, want to watch change?"
"Are you sure?"
"Afraid, Shichen?"
"Let's go, then."
"Eh…?" Kurumi froze.
"What? Scared?" Shichen teased.
"I‑I'm not scared! Let's go!" Flushing, she turned sharply and marched toward her room. Shichen followed without hesitation.
At her bedroom door Kurumi gripped the knob but didn't move.
"Scared? Just say so. I don't mind—but don't pretend‑tempt anymore."
"I'm not scared!"
With a coquettish huff she pushed the door open.
"Co in… I guess…"
She never finished the sentence. The mont she saw her room she froze.
It wasn't that the place was ssy; it was the sight of a set of black lingerie with lace trim laid out neatly on her bed—
Downright risqué.
"What's this?" Shichen had seen it too.
"It's not what you think!" Kurumi blurted.
~~~
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