The night was deep, and the shopping street had grown much quieter than during the day.
Shuichi Chiba stepped out of the beauty salon, holding a small box in his hand, his entire body feeling light—almost as if he could float away with a single jump, carried off by the breeze.
Supporting his waist, he tilted his head back, gazing up at the starry sky above the rain canopy stretching across the street. He let out a long, satisfied breath, still savoring the lingering sensations from earlier.
"This feeling…"
And to think, Sayuki had actually been worried that he’d get bored of Fumika.
What a joke—this was eight tis the massage effect!
Who could possibly resist getting addicted to this?
If he weren’t afraid of sudden death, Shuichi would have gladly moved in and never left.
Even if the massage itself had fatigue-relieving effects, it still wouldn’t be enough.
His body just wouldn’t keep up nutritionally.
The ran shop had a seven tis effect with its bonus. The beauty salon? Eight tis.
A natural hierarchy.
Even if he spent half his day at the ran shop eating and the other half soaking in the beauty salon, it still wouldn’t be enough to keep up.
And no matter how amazing a massage felt, too much of it could damage the body—there were plenty of cases of people getting massaged into injuries.
The fact that he even managed to walk out of that door was already proof of his incredible willpower. When he left, Madam had clung to him tightly, unwilling to let go. Even though he had sex with her until she lost consciousness, she still kept clinging to him.
That once shy and easily flustered Fumika—now that they were getting more familiar—was finally starting to show her aggressive side.
Shuichi sighed to himself, feeling a mix of exhaustion and amusent.
He originally planned to head straight back to the dorm and pass out—his body felt incredibly light and refreshed after the massage, making it perfect for sleep.
But then, he suddenly noticed that the lights were still on in the flower shop on the first floor.
That’s when he rembered—maybe he should drop by and check in on the new tenant.
Think it, do it.
Shuichi walked up to the flower shop’s entrance and peered through the transparent glass door.
Inside, Ichika Kitagawa was crouched on the floor, busy arranging flower pots.
The shop was bathed in a warm, golden light, with colorful flowers decorating every corner. And in the midst of it all was the most beautiful forr teacher Shuichi had ever seen in his life, carefully tending to her little store.
There was no pretense in her actions—she was genuinely working hard. Her hands were covered in soil, yet it didn’t diminish her beauty in the slightest. If anything, it only made her look even more breathtaking.
Maybe it was because he had just been pushed to his physical limits, teetering on the edge of exhaustion, but in this mont—
Watching this scene, so delicate and serene—
He felt no worldly desires whatsoever.
Only a profound sense of peace in his heart, as if even the night breeze had turned softer, more gentle.
Crap…
Why did this feel a little too much like falling in love?
Way too dangerous.
Shuichi quickly snapped himself out of it, shaking off the risky thoughts. He raised a hand and knocked lightly on the door.
Ichika Kitagawa, still busy with her work, turned toward the entrance. She casually flipped her hair to the side, keeping it from blocking her vision—a simple motion, yet one that made her look even more captivating.
Too dangerous.
Way too dangerous.
"Stay focused, stay focused."
"Ah, Chiba-kun," She greeted with a soft smile, gracefully rising to her feet. She gave him a small nod, gesturing for him to enter. "Co on in."
As Shuichi pushed open the door, he spoke while walking in, “I only found out from Nagase-sensei this morning that you were moving in today. Stopping by this late feels a bit rude.”
“Not at all, Chiba-kun,” Ichika Kitagawa responded politely. “If anything, I should be the one visiting you first to thank you for helping find such a great space.”
“Well then, that makes us even.” Shuichi Chiba chuckled.
Ichika Kitagawa wiped her hands clean and smiled. “But a gift is still necessary. I don’t have much else here, but the flowers are in good shape. Is there any kind you like?”
Shuichi Chiba stroked his chin, pausing for a mont before making up his mind. “I actually want to give them to soone else. Do you have any recomndations, Kitagawa-san?”
In Japan, regifting was perfectly normal.
"Is it for a girl?"
Upon hearing that, Ichika Kitagawa's smile grew a little warr. She found herself gaining more appreciation for the straightforward and honest boy in front of her.
Most n she had encountered in the past would never bring up other won in front of her.
"Yeah." Shuichi didn’t deny it and simply nodded.
"Then, is she soone you're already dating, or soone you're planning to confess to?" Ichika Kitagawa asked, clearly intrigued.
Shuichi thought for a mont about his relationship with Madam and, in the end, gave a vague response.
"I’d say… we’re already together, more or less."
“In that case, freesia, carnations, cosmos, and roses are all good choices—these are quite popular among girls.”
“Of course, if you want to emphasize love, then roses are the way to go.”
“If she knows the language of flowers, you could also pick sothing with a more specific aning.”
“For example, azaleas symbolize first love, while tulips represent thoughtful love.”
“Or you could go with a flower that represents her birth month—like peonies for October.”
Ichika Kitagawa explained patiently, her voice gentle and flowing like a quiet stream.
In the stillness of midnight, listening to such a beautiful woman speak in a soft, ethereal voice about the language of flowers, Shuichi suddenly felt a mont of pure tranquility—as if ti itself had paused, allowing him to savor the peace.
"Chiba-kun?"
Ichika Kitagawa noticed his dazed expression and gently reminded him, "Having trouble deciding?"
"Ah, sorry, I spaced out for a bit… In that case, I’ll take azaleas."
Shuichi Chiba silently reasoned with himself— Fumika used to be a literature-loving girl, and now she frequently worked with essential oils and fragrances. She clearly had a deep understanding of flowers and would imdiately grasp the aning behind azaleas.
Given what he knew about her, she would probably appreciate this choice more than the cliché of roses.
After all…
His "first ti" had been with Madam, hadn’t it?
"Azaleas, huh? Got it. Please wait a mont, Chiba-kun."
Ichika Kitagawa showed no particular reaction to his choice—her expression remained as gentle and elegant as ever.
She stood up gracefully, moving with practiced ease as she found the azaleas and began arranging them into a bouquet.
While she worked, Shuichi took the opportunity to scan the flower shop’s interior.
Since the place hadn’t undergone any renovations, the shop itself looked quite simple. However, under Kitagawa’s touch, every corner was filled with different kinds of blooming flowers. The walls were adorned with climbing vines, adding a natural charm to the space.
But due to the rush of moving in, only one corner had been properly arranged—the rest of the shop still looked a bit cluttered.
But that one well-arranged corner brought a sense of warmth and beauty to the entire shop.
Using plants as decoration gave the space a living, breathing quality—perhaps even more than a full renovation could.
"If you ever need help with anything, Kitagawa-san, just let know. No need to hold back."
Shuichi figured she’d probably decline, but it wasn’t any trouble to offer. Might as well try.
As expected, Kitagawa responded with a polite nod but gently refused.
"Thank you for your kindness, Chiba-kun, but everything here is just fine."
"Then that's good." Shuichi nodded, not pushing the matter further. He joked, "If things don’t go well for you here, Nagase-sensei will definitely co after ."
Kitagawa chuckled softly, then handed him the finished bouquet.
"The shop still needs so ti to be fully set up, so tutoring might have to be postponed for a bit."
"That’s totally fine. To be honest, I don’t really want tutoring anyway—Nagase-sensei is the one forcing it on ." Shuichi admitted with a smirk. "I’d much rather trade it for these flowers instead."
He lifted the bouquet to his nose and took a deep sniff.
"Azaleas have a very faint scent," Kitagawa gently reminded him. "And they contain mild toxins. They’re best for admiring, not for inhaling too much."
Shuichi Chiba: "…!"
"Do you want to switch to roses instead?" Ichika Kitagawa asked considerately, as if she had seen right through him.
"Nah," Shuichi shook his head. "What matters is the thought behind it, right?"
"That’s true." Ichika Kitagawa nodded in agreent.
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