Chapter Text
The eraser end of my pencil tapped impatiently against the surface of my clipboard. The unresolved problem on the nearly complete sheet of paper continued to stare back at me, as if taunting me for my lack of understanding. I glanced over at my notes beside me and studied them for a little longer. It would have been much easier to focus and solve if there weren't a bothersome hindrance right beside me, tugging at my sleeves and rolling into me at every opportunity he was given.
"Su~chan..." The voice pleaded, trying to get my attention after having ignored him for so long. He was delightfully silent up until recently, where he must have woken up from his peaceful slumber.
"Ritsu-senpai, I have already informed you that I will be very busy this weekend. It was due to your own insistence that I allowed you to stay," I reminded him, honestly surprised that he had stayed this long. He asked to spend some time with me two days ago, but for some reason he had refused to return home. He kept insisting to me that he would much rather be around me than that 'annoying bug' as he put it, but I had warned him beforehand that I would not have the time to take care of him. However, since he was silent most of the time and blended in with the shadows, it wasn't too different than watching over a tame house cat.
"Nn..." I could feel him stir from behind me, but I remained riveted on my homework at hand. I let out a startled noise when I felt his arms wrap around me from behind, but I tried to pay it no mind. I wouldn't admit it aloud, but the warmth of his body resting against me was oddly comforting. However, I could not let such distractions derail me from the work I had to get done.
"...Ritsu-senpai, I can feel you breathing down my neck," I pointed out, a little embarrassed by his closeness. "It is a little distracting, so please refrain from-Ahhh?!"
I bit down on my lips as I felt his teeth suddenly sink into my neck, enough to draw blood. The pain was immediate and abrupt, leaving me no time to prepare. My body soon became numb to the feeling, but even as this has become something routine, I still cannot completely become accustomed to it. Kuaaa, make an effort to at least warn me!!!
"Su~chan is delicious as always~..." he chimed, licking his lips as he drew away from me. "Mm, a little sweeter than usual, too...Were you snacking on something while I was asleep?"
"I-I most certainly was not!!!" I hastily declared, the heat rushing to my face as I swiftly turned my head to shoot him an annoyed look.
"The crumbs on your face say otherwise," he retorted, smiling as he watched my flustered reaction as I quickly reached for a tissue to wipe them off. However, when I could not find what was he was talking about, I realized that I had been fooled. His smirk appeared to grow even wider.
"Nacchan's going to scold~"
"Nngh..." I sighed and dejectedly shook my head. "Well, if it so happens to be that I am gaining weight, then I shall accept the humiliation...After all, it is much easier to endure than what Sena-senpai used to put me through. He truly was ruthless at times, but I suppose it was my own fault for allowing myself to be in such a situation."
His face seemed to darken when I mentioned Sena-senpai, and I quickly regretted saying something foolish. It is always difficult parting with a comrade, but as he and Ousama were third-years, it was only a matter of time before we had to bid our farewells. Ritsu-senpai seems to have a difficult time with the topic, so I should have known better than to bring it up. I steadily moved closer to him until our elbows were touching. I gently placed the clipboard on the bed and turned my attention to him. My smile seemed to ease his discomfort, and he smiled back in return.
"Is there something that you need from me?" I asked, wondering if there was a reason behind his restless behavior.
"Mhm," he responded. His eyes lowered to his hand as he played around with my own, gradually interlocking his fingers with mine. "Did you have something in mind for our date~? Since it's going to be a special event and all..."
"D-Date?" I stuttered, feeling my cheeks flush. Did we not just spend the night together a couple days ago? I thought I had mentioned that I do not have many other free days to be going on dates this month, but the skeptical expression I was receiving from Ritsu-senpai suggested otherwise.
"You didn't forget, did you...? The promise we made, for Christmas?" I quickly affirmed his question with an 'Ah!' after realizing what he was referring to.
"Of course not! Ah, for that, there are a number of places I have in mind. For instance, there is a rather elegant, albeit extravagant parlor I have been meaning to drop by. However, I am fine with any place where there is something delicious to eat...♪"
"Fufu, so sweets then~?"
"Please do not have me mistaken," I grumbled, shaking my head. "It is not that I have a sweet tooth...Such a childish trait is something I have long grown out of-Hm? Ritsu-senpai, please pay attention when I am speaking..." My voice trailed off when the idol leaned over the bed, appearing to reach for something on my desk. I felt my cheeks flush when he grabbed a handful of candies I thought I had hidden away in an inconspicuous area. I opened my mouth to say something in an attempt to retort whatever he was about to say next, but I was at a loss for words and simply snatched them out of his hand instead.
"P-Please do not touch belongings that are not your own!" In my moment of weakness, completely unaware of what I was doing until it was too late, I popped a candy into my mouth as I attempted to throw Ritsu-senpai a defiant look. I could tell he was trying hard to stifle a laugh. He extended his arm to prod me in the cheek with his index finger, which I returned with an annoyed cry.
He lowered his arm but continued to lean forward. He opened his mouth with an 'Ah~,' and I carefully placed a candy inside, trusting that he won't bite down onto my fingers. I felt his body gradually lean against me soon after, his head resting against my shoulder as he gently pushed the clipboard out of the way with his foot.
"So a parlor, huh~ Mhm, okay...How about presents, then...? If they're as expensive in taste as your choice in food, don't get your hopes up, okay?"
"Ah, please do not worry about such meager details. Anything I receive from Ritsu-senpai is something I will treat with the utmost honor♪"
My eyes rested on the small, decorated box atop my table, neatly aligned with the handmade plush and lyrics I received from my seniors. The diet goods were there as well, although I have yet to actually put them to use. The green, striped box sat in the center, alongside the emptied box of chocolates I received from him on Valentine's Day. Sometimes when he stays the night, I would catch him staring in that direction, and once he even left a cupcake he made in front of the other gifts. I had to apologize to him the next day when I smashed it with a textbook thinking it was a bug. After realizing that it was actually another one of Ritsu-senpai's grotesque pastries, I reassembled as much of it as I could manage and savored the sweet taste.
"This year, I asked my parents for something a little extravagant," I said, trailing off on a bit of a tangent. "I have always wondered what these famous amusement parks have to offer, and I hear many students of my class speaking of their experiences."
"Eh~...?" Ritsu-senpai spoke, leaning away and tilting his head as he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Su~chan, you've never been...?"
"I am afraid not," I said with a shake of my head. "And it seems I am not going to. My parents scolded me for wanting to squander my time on something so childish. Now that I reflect upon it, I suppose it is rather undignified to go to such a place at my age..."
"Not really..." Ritsu-senpai retorted. He rested an arm over his half-bent leg as he continued to face me. "They're fun for anyone, not just children. Well, for most people, anyway...You still want to go, right...? You don't always have to worry about behaving like a proper adult. Use your youth to your advantage and relax every once in a while...♪"
He chuckled in a way that was similar to how I've heard Sakuma-senpai laugh, but I did not dare to point that out.
"I'm suddenly talking like an old man, huh...But if that's the case, take my wise words of wisdom to heart~ It's important to act your age every now and then. All this studying and formalities will make you grow into an old man faster than Anija, and that's a fate I'd hate for you to suffer."
"Even if you say that..." I spoke with a sigh, hanging my head and staring dejectedly at the open notes and papers I still had to sort through. Sometimes I wish I could afford to be as carefree and relaxed as Ritsu-senpai, but I know very well that that is not an option for me. Especially since I am the family's only heir, I have to perform my best at all times or risk putting my family's name in danger. Even managing to hide a relationship like this is enough of a challenge...
I inadvertently reached into my pocket for more of the candies from earlier that I had stashed in there. I placed some more into my mouth as I reached for my clipboard again, but Ritsu-senpai snatched a hold of my wrist before I could take it back. He looked over the papers that were attached and quickly flipped through, keeping his body turned so that I could not confiscate it from him.
"Ritsu-senpai, please return those to me-"
"You're almost done, aren't you?" he interjected, glancing over the papers once more to make sure he wasn't mistaken. I told him that even if I was almost finished with my homework, that wasn't all that I was required to adhere to. Since I still have a lot to prepare for in terms of unit activities, it was imperative that I begin practice right away.
"Then why don't we do that together?" he asked, surprising me with his proposal. A lesson from Ritsu-senpai was rather rare since he is usually too tired or too lazy to do anything at all, much less teach.
"I would be honored!" I quickly exclaimed, my eyes lighting up at the opportunity. "Ritsu-senpai's teachings are a great privilege☆"
"Fufu, don't get too carried away yet~ My lessons are really tough, so don't expect me to hold back. Besides, I'm still a little sleepy, so I need to take a bit of a nap first, okay...?" He brought his palm up to cover his mouth as he yawned, his eyes already starting to close. Even though he had the entire bed to fall back into, he slowly crawled over to my lap and nestled his head atop of it. My face grew flushed at such a bold action, and my abrupt squirming received a few grumbles from the other.
"Ritsu-senpai! Please do not use me as your pillow! There is plenty of space on the bed itself, so I would rather you...Ah, it's pointless, isn't it?" I could tell by his shallow breathing and his motionless state that he had already fallen back to sleep. Only a cat should be able to posses such an ability, but Ritsu-senpai seems to have inherited its powers.
I let out a sigh and carefully leaned over to where my papers were, watching over the sleeping idol to make sure I did not knock him over. As I mindlessly observed the unanswered questions, my own thoughts distracted me from completing the assignment. I am aware I can be rather work-oriented most times and am always busy these days, but...is that really so terrible? I do not understand when people advise that I should 'act my age' because I had always assumed that I should behave in a more mature manner, but perhaps it is really the opposite...
Even before, my classmates and I seemed so far apart, like complete strangers despite having been with them for so long. After spending more time together and experiencing what people my age generally do, it still feels like a distinctively different world to live in. Having the free time to get together and go to malls, cafes, and playing video games...Although this aspect of 'having fun' is enjoyable in the moment, is it not more important to focus on what lies ahead and prepare for the adult world, where there is no time to rest?
I reached into my pockets in search of candy to calm my nerves, but all I found were the wrappers. Ahh, this terrible habit of mine is quite dangerous. Candy offers such a primitive form of pleasure that works as the perfect stress reliever, but I cannot afford to rely on it so irresponsibly.
My hand instead moved to Ritsu-senpai's head, where I gingerly moved my fingers through his soft hair. Although he had become accustomed to me touching him by now and generally did not complain, I was still wary of doing something that would cause him to feel uncomfortable.
I hummed a gentle melody that I thought I had long forgotten, luring him into a deeper sleep with a song Leader had written for Knights. Although he remained motionless like he was sound asleep, a more peaceful expression washed over his face. My hand continued to comb through his hair as I softly hummed, both to him and myself. The song and Ritsu-senpai's presence made me soon forget my worries as I gradually started to lean backwards.
I felt Ritsu-senpai stir as my back hit the bed and as my body turned to the side, inadvertently brushing the vampire off my lap. He rubbed his eyelids and peered at me through one half-closed eye. I was too tired to provide much of an explanation, so I gently smiled as I patted the space next to me. Ritsu-senpai showed me a sweet smile in return and slowly made his way over, languidly stumbling across the bed until he could lie down right beside me. Both of us were too sleepy to move under the covers, but the warmth of Ritsu-senpai resting alongside me as he pulled me into his chest was enough to keep me warm.
It may be foolish to take such a break, but I felt so much more relaxed being able to rest like this. I did not realize how tired I was and eagerly brushed up against my partner, letting my stress disappear as I delved into a dreamless sleep.
The next few days were rather routine; show up to class, study the material between breaks, and of course attend my unit and club meetings. My club meetings have seemed oddly too quiet since Leader left, but the peaceful and regulated atmosphere made it much easier to relax and take my mind off things for a little while. On the contrary, unit activities were just as busy as ever. There was rarely a time of rest as Narukami-senpai and I managed everything. Ritsu-senpai tried to stay awake a little longer when I asked him enough times, but it was still difficult for him. He did what he could to help out when there was simply too much for the two of us to manage, but as his strengths shone through the most during the nighttime, I figured it would be most beneficial to let him rest. Since the two of us are usually the last to leave as it is, I catch him up with our plans during that time.
I did not realize that something had started to change until only recently. The hectic onslaught of activities and lives have occupied most of my focus, but I had detected a change in atmosphere during the few weeks before the holidays.
In the midst of preparing for events and practicing for lives, I had selfishly become too invested in my own worries that I paid little attention to Ritsu-senpai. Even though he would normally attach himself to me during unit meetings or fall asleep beside me as we discussed our agenda, it seemed like that started happening less and less. I first began to notice when my eyes would wander off next to me, expecting Ritsu-senpai to be there but realizing that either he was absent or farther away than usual. I rarely heard a word out of him anymore, and he seemed to disappear as soon as the meetings were over.
I blamed myself for my own carelessness and asserted that I will find out if something is amiss. Although I had warned him ahead of time that I will be too busy to provide him with much attention, to completely ignore him altogether is unacceptable.
No more than two weeks before the S1 live we had been preparing for, I figured I needed to confront him now or never. I prepared the excuse that I needed to check in with his progress concerning our strategy, so I carefully eyed his movements during the meeting to make sure I did not lose sight of him. I managed to catch him right as he was heading out the door, nearly knocking into one of the newcomers as my hand reached for his sleeve.
"Ritsu-senpai! If I may, I would like to discuss some matters regarding our plans for Knights..."
His eyes widened at my sudden gesture; I could tell by his expression that he was clearly surprised that I had decided to call out to him after this long. What little emotion that appeared on his face for that split moment disappeared as he shrugged off my hand and turned his head back towards the door.
"Sorry, can't today," was all he said before vanishing from the studio. With his bag slung over his shoulder in a way that mirrored Sena-senpai, his silhouette was nowhere to be seen in the blink of an eye. I did not expect such an abrupt response and remained stationed in the same spot, staring blankly at the shut door.
"Since when is he in such a rush to return home...? Surely, he could have spared a couple minutes..." I wondered aloud. My dejected self continued to project a bewildered expression to no one in particular. My mouth had started to move on its own as I restlessly paced about with my arms crossed.
"Nnngh, just what must I have done to receive such a reaction?" I wondered aloud, knitting my eyebrows and focusing my gaze onto the ground. "Ritsu-senpai can be so difficult to read at times, it certainly is vexing...Perhaps it really isn't a convenient time for him? After all, with all the events coming up, surely it must be a busy time for him as well..."
Having forgotten that there was still someone here other than myself, I let out a surprised yelp when I exchanged glances with Narukami-senpai, who was still sitting down beside the kotatsu and adjusting his makeup. He looked up from his mirror with a smile, but I was too embarrassed to have been caught talking to myself to return the friendly response.
"A-Ah, Narukami-senpai?! Ehem, please excuse my ramblings..."
"Ufufu, I was wondering if I should interrupt." His smile wavered for a moment as he placed his mirror atop the kotatsu. "Tsukasa-chan, have you been fighting with Ritsu-chan? I won't pry if it's something too personal, but if it's advice you need, I would be happy to listen♪"
I let out a quiet sigh, my eyes staring aimlessly at the kotatsu. My feet remained partway towards the door and partway towards where Narukami-senpai was stationed, mostly because I was uncertain of what to do. I did not wish to involve him in my personal affairs, so I shook my head and politely declined his offer. Knights used to be a unit where everyone kept to themselves, so I am still struggling to become accustomed to the closeness. Although I wish for everyone to become closer and support each other, I cannot help but be hesitant in burdening others with my own troubles.
"Tsukasa-chan♪" I let out an annoyed cry when I felt my cheek being pinched. I had been distracted for so long that I neglected to notice the young model approach me after packing up his belongings and appearing ready to leave.
"I'll be entrusting you with the rest of the preparations, okay?" he chimed, winking at me as he waved goodbye. "Ritsu-chan still hasn't given us his strategy yet, so I'll be leaving him in your hands, alright? Good luck!"
I affirmed his decision with a nod, declaring that I won't disappoint him. However, as soon as Narukami-senpai was gone from the studio, an exasperated sigh left me. The weight of my burdens affected my posture and caused me to slump as I despondently searched the room to see if I had missed anything. Reminding myself that I did not have the luxury of time on hand, I dismissed my nagging thoughts and starting heading in the direction where my driver was waiting. I somehow managed to convince myself that it was because he was simply too busy that Ritsu-senpai had to run off in such a manner.
Even as I heard the door shut behind me as I marched onward, I greedily yearned for a chance to spend even a few minutes with my partner, or even for something as small as a kiss goodbye.
I stared intently at the papers before me, somehow hoping that squinting will strengthen my focus. Due to the sheer amount of work and distractions that muddled my brain, I regrettably was only able to manage a few hours worth of sleep. Something like this is surely dangerous for an idol, but as the unit's King, I cannot afford to squander my time napping when I have more important matters to attend to.
A low grumble hummed from within my throat as I continued to look through the outline I had sketched for the upcoming event. Since I arrived early at the studio, I had the place to myself to focus. I had collected detailed data concerning past events similar to this one as well as that of my opponents, analyzing the information at hand and writing out some viable frameworks for a strategy to secure a victory for Knights. Without Leader's songs at our disposal, our performance must be strengthened to the best of our abilities if we wish to exceed. As the unit's current leader, it is my responsibility to ensure that we achieve that level.
I like to analyze the framework as if it were a game of chess; with that in mind, I need to ensure that our opponents would be unable to predict our moves so easily. I must be able to read the opponent's options as well as our own to develop a successful plan. However, with every new strategy I wrote down, I quickly erased it when I later foresaw its flaws. Being in such a haggard state must be meddling with my brain because I seem to be unable to focus.
The scattered papers stared back at me: notes about previous lives of both Knights and other units, markings across the calendar for our upcoming schedule, and even more memos on what each member needs to improve on before the event...Every word was starting to coalesce into an indecipherable mess.
"Nngh..." I grumbled, letting my head further sink into my palm as I struggled to keep my arm propped up. The warmth from the kotatsu was reminiscent to that of my bed, and I could feel it steadily luring me to sleep. I shook my head a couple times to snap myself out of this daze, but my eyes still struggled to focus. I wasn't entirely aware what happened or when it happened, but I ended up resting my head against the surface of the kotatsu. My arms were crossed out in front of me as I tilted my head to the side, allowing my eyes to close for just a few moments. Perhaps a few minutes of sleep wouldn't be too terrible...?
I soon began to drift off to sleep, allowing my worries to dissipate for a little while longer than I had anticipated.
As my body slowly began to regain consciousness, I thought I could make out faint whispering from all around me. It was a rather unsettling experience to wake back into. I wanted to head back to sleep for just a bit longer, but some part of my brain was nagging at me to wake back up. Feeling a terrible aching in my arms and back, I readjusted my position a slight bit. I felt warmer than I remember feeling when first falling asleep, and I assumed it was simply from the kotatsu until I felt something loosely moving from across my back, threatening to fall if I moved too suddenly. Groggily opening my eyes and rubbing them with the back of my hand, I felt something slip to the ground as I straightened my back. My eyes followed the movement, and I was surprised to find that it was the jacket of someone's school uniform. I had to double-check to ensure that I was still wearing my own.
After arriving at the conclusion that it was indeed not mine, my eyes widened at the realization that there was someone right beside me, who happened to be missing the jacket to his uniform. I nearly bumped into him with my elbow when I turned around to reach for the overcoat. My heart skipped a beat, and I abruptly froze from the surprise. W-When did he...?
"Ritsu-senpai..." I quietly called out, his name escaping my lips as I stared at the sleeping figure next to me. He had assumed the same role as I had earlier and with the same posture, too. He looked so peaceful as he slept, so I tried to be careful not to disturb him. I slowly turned around and outstretched my hand towards the jacket that had fallen behind me. Similar to how I had found it upon waking up, I carefully laid it over Ritsu-senpai's shoulders. Entranced by his serene and carefree position, a smile crossed my lips as I leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Good night, Ritsu-senpai♪" As I backed away and slowly realized that it was not just the two of us, I abruptly distanced myself from him and attempted to scramble together a coherent excuse, my face completely burning up in humiliation. A garbled mess of sounds left my mouth as the widened eyes of my underclassmen and Narukami-senpai caught my gaze.
"Ah, um, t-that's not-! Ah, I mean...! Uh, p-please excuse my improper behavior," I messily uttered, embarrassing myself further. Mrrrgh, how could I have done something so foolish...?! First of all, sleeping through what appeared to be a unit meeting, and now I so carelessly unveiled my relationship with Ritsu-senpai to everyone in my unit! Ahh, please forgive this foolish Tsukasa Suou...!
I deeply bowed my head and shut my eyes, wishing I could erase these last few minutes. I have been nothing but negligent lately, and it seems that every time I strive to redeem myself, I create another unwanted mess for everyone to see.
My clutched hands trembled from atop my knees, but my posture did not waver. I heard Narukami-senpai excuse the newcomers for an early leave. He left for a moment to let them out the door, whispering something to them that I could not make out. I kept my head down even as I heard his footsteps approach.
"Tsukasa-chan, you can look up now. That's no position our leader should be in♪" I hesitantly met his gaze, lifting my head just slightly. I must have appeared in a bit of distress because that pitiful, pained expression was sprawled across his face like when he would see Sena-senpai lecturing me harshly. I let out a surprised sound when I felt a hand playfully patting my head. Since Narukami-senpai hadn't moved, my attention turned to that of the person next to me, who appeared to be just waking up.
"Su~chan, everything alright...?" Ritsu-senpai's crimson eyes were looking up at me, his eyebrows raised in concern. I assume that my sudden outbursts must have woken him because he was still slouched against the top of the kotatsu, appearing like he was going to fall back asleep any moment. Even as tired as he was, his hand still found itself atop my head, waiting for me to smile until he lowered his hand.
"Y-Yes, my apologies for disturbing you," I spoke, straining myself to smile.
"Liiiiar."
"Eh? I assure you, I am alright..." I retorted, although failing to sound convincing with my broken tone. "Please do excuse me for my carelessness as of late. I have not been myself, and I shall do everything in my power to amend my mistakes..."
"But Tsukasa-chan, don't you think that's part of the problem?" Narukami-senpai spoke up. He had rested his chin against the palm of his hand as he leaned forward with his arm propped up atop the kotatsu. I was caught off guard by his odd question and asked him to elaborate.
"Well, you're tiring yourself out, you know? Worrying about every little thing like that is no good for your skin~ If you work yourself too hard, you'll burn out far too young. Ritsu-chan and I would hate for something like that to happen, so take care of yourself a little more, okay? Everyone in Knights is worried about you..." The more his concerned gaze met mine, the guiltier I started to feel. My clammy hands clutched the fabric of my pants as my eyes stared downward. Have I really been inconveniencing my fellow comrades over my own insecurities?
My hand started to inadvertently search for something beside me. I would normally reach for candy to relieve my distress, but I found something else instead and greedily took a hold of it, squeezing it tightly. I felt a wave of reassurance when Ritsu-senpai returned the favor, locking our fingers together.
"...It's true, Su~chan. It's not bad to rest sometimes." My attention turned to the direction of his quiet voice. I had never realized until now, but Ritsu-senpai looked even more tired than usual. His complexion was looking frail, and there were dark circles under his eyes like he hasn't been sleeping. I wanted to ask him about it, but Narukami-senpai had more to say.
"Don't be afraid to rely on us some more, okay? When there's too much work for you to do, just ask us and we'll be happy to help you♪ Your health is more important to us than winning a couple of lives. Ritsu-chan already finished the strategy you were working on, so all we have left is to practice our routine." As soon as he finished talking, I searched through the papers and found that everything I had been working on was already filled out. My head turned towards Ritsu-senpai again when I felt my hand being squeezed even tighter. Although he had closed his eyes again like he was already fast asleep, his gentle smile helped put me at ease.
"And about what happened earlier..." Narukami-senpai continued, smiling and playfully poking at my cheek. "There's no need to apologize for giving your boyfriend a little kiss. Ufufu, you got so red in the face and everything, how cute!"
"E-Eh...?" I managed. My face was heating up by the second, and I could feel Ritsu-senpai's gaze on me as well.
"Well, this isn't the first time we're finding out, after all..." he explained, confusing me even further. I do not recall ever telling the others of our relationship, outside of my seniors. After Narukami-senpai was able to find out, it was only a matter of time before Sena-senpai and Leader were to discover our secret. However, I had been so careful to keep this from the newcomers...The last thing I would want is for rumors to spread about Knights or to scare away anyone wishing to join.
"Please pardon me for asking, but you did not inform them of our relationship, did you?" I sternly asked. He immediately shook his head, a pouty look sprawled across his face like the question offended him. I felt stirring from beside me and glanced over to see Ritsu-senpai stretching his arms above his head and yawning.
"They figured it out~" he added, rubbing his eyes in drowsiness. "It was kind of obvious anyway, right...? I could tell by their faces that they already knew. Anyways, Su~chan..."
I asked if there was a problem and immediately froze when Ritsu-senpai leaned his body against me and reached for my wrist, lifting my hand up to his mouth and piercing the tip of my index finger with his teeth.
"What is this about you kissing me when I was asleep...?" My reply was a series of embarrassed noises as he continued to lick the blood off my finger with Narukami-senpai watching. I snapped at him to refrain from performing such actions around others, but a part of me was admittedly a little relieved that he was spoiling me with his attention.
He seemed to pause when he heard a ringing sound coming from underneath the kotatsu. Carefully letting go of my hand, he silently moved in the direction of the sound and reached his hand under the kotatsu. He moved his hand around a bit, clearly searching for something. I assumed he was searching for his phone, and that same ringing from earlier confirmed my suspicions as he pulled it out from where it had fallen. His face seemed to light up for a moment.
"Ah, Ma~kun," he said aloud, his eyes suddenly riveted on the screen. It was odd how quickly his demeanor had changed, and he was up and moving before I could even ask what that was about.
"Ritsu-senpai, are you leaving already?" I asked, even though his actions already provided me with enough of an answer. A bit of annoyance seeped into my voice, unable to conceal that I did not appreciate his sudden decision to simply leave without a second thought.
With his feet already moving in the direction of the door, he gave me a quick nod and waved goodbye, not even taking the time to turn around all the way or to slow down. I do not know why he seemed to be in such a rush, but he was wearing the same, indifferent expression as when he told me he was too busy to discuss Knights' strategy.
"Ritsu-senpai, please wait-" I called out, just barely bumping my knees against the kotatsu as I abruptly stood up. However, I had reacted too late and ended up calling to someone who had already left. An exhausted sigh carelessly escaped my lips as I dejectedly slumped back down to my original position.
"...Since our work is done, I shall be excusing myself as well," I said as I gathered all our paperwork and neatly stacked them together before placing them away into my bag.
"Tsukasa-chan, don't take too badly to what Ritsu-chan did just now, okay?" Narukami-senpai spoke up, trying to reassure me with his kind words and smile. However, I was too tired and preoccupied with other matters to think too far into Ritsu-senpai's earlier actions. I'm sure he had something urgent to attend to and had to leave right away. Perhaps I shall message him later and ask, but as for now, I must finish the work I have at hand. But even as I try to convince myself of this, I cannot help but shake my head in wonderment of Ritsu-senpai's odd actions as of recently.
"How long has Ritsu-senpai been taking off so suddenly? It seems that he does not have any time after unit activities anymore..."
"Hm, I wonder...? I haven't been paying that much attention, to tell you the truth..." Narukami-senpai admitted, straightening his back as he crossed his arms. He was staring off into the distance, and his eyebrows were knitted like he was pondering something.
"Although now that you mention it," Narukami-senpai continued, waving and pointing his index finger like he remembered something just now. "Don't take this the wrong way, but Ritsu-chan has been walking back with Mao-chan a lot lately. They're in my class, so I overhear them talking sometimes, you know? It's not that I mean to eavesdrop, of course! But they've been reconnecting a lot more lately, isn't that sweet?"
"Re...Reconnecting?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "I am well aware that Ritsu-senpai has always been close to his childhood friend, so how has it changed recently?"
"Well, of course they've always been close! But, just recently, they've been doing a lot more together, don't you think?" Narukami-senpai's cheerful tone dropped when he saw that I was not taking too well to his words. I must have had on a rather pained expression, because he quickly tried to reassure me with a kind smile.
"Now now, you're not getting jealous, are you, Tsukasa-chan? Ritsu-chan really cares about you, of course, so don't think he'll forget you so easily, okay? It's obvious from the way the two of you are that he loves you! I know because my woman's instinct tells me so♪"
"Once again, you are saying odd things..." I grumbled but quickly corrected my tone. I shifted about from the discomfort of having my legs folded for so long, my hands still stationed stiffly atop my knees. "Also, please refrain from using such frivolous words as 'love.'"
"Ufufu, but what you two have is clearly love, isn't it?"
"Well, even if you say that..." Narukami-senpai gave me a curious expression in response to my reply.
"Hm, could it be you haven't said the words to each other yet...?" Narukami-senpai asked, his eyes widening in surprise. He could tell by my hesitation to answer that he was correct. Although we have been dating for over a year, it is true that we have yet to confess that sort of intimate feeling to each other through words.
"Well, why don't you tell him?" he continued, a cheerful tone latching onto his voice. He started giggling in delight, similar to that of a girl. "Ufufu, it would be so cute! You would make Ritsu-chan so happy just to let him know! That boy is a bit troublesome when expressing these kinds of things to people, so it must be hard for him to say it. That's why you should tell him first, and he'll be eager to prove it to you as well♪"
"Although I appreciate your advice," I interrupted, stopping him before he could become too invested in whatever fantasy scenario he was conjuring up in his head. "Please allow me to figure this out at my own pace. Something like that can wait until later, once both of us are a little more free with our time...As for now, I really must be taking my leave."
I politely bowed to excuse myself and took my leave, making sure to thank Narukami-senpai before I left. Partway through the door, I heard Narukami-senpai speak once more in a softened tone.
"He'll come around, alright? I know it must be tough for you right now, but we're all counting on you to do your best. If anything comes up, I will do my best to bear part of your burden as well. So make sure to take care, alright...'King'?"
Unable to come up with anything further to add, I simply nodded, keeping my head turned to hide my grim expression.