Tachibana Yui couldn't help but ask, "Akane, still not done?"
Akane gave a bitter smile, "Uh… still not done, I don't know what's wrong today, my hands are clumsy, I can't even tie the knot properly. Hikari-kun, can you help Yui-chan tie it?"
"Hmm?", Hikari, who was beside them searching online for multiplayer party guides, was slightly stunned.
"Help me out, okay~", Akane said coquettishly.
Hikari didn't know why Akane was acting so spoiled today, but since it wasn't anything serious, he nodded, "Alright."
And Tachibana Yui didn't react much either, after all, it was just tying a knot.
But what neither Hikari nor Tachibana Yui expected was, just as Hikari took over the knot that was now looped around Tachibana Yui's neck, Akane leaned over as well.
She suddenly stretched out her small hand and pulled down a large portion of the back collar of Tachibana Yui's white JK uniform shirt.
Tachibana Yui's snow-white, jade-like nape was immediately exposed to the air, and the lower half of her smooth, tender, jade-like back also appeared in Hikari's line of sight.
"Ahh?", Tachibana Yui, feeling a chill on her back, instinctively let out a cry.
At this moment, Akane quickly explained, "Yui-chan, don't be nervous, it wasn't Hikari-kun who pulled your shirt, I did it!"
"The reason I pulled your back collar is because your shirt collar was blocking the red string a little, making it hard to tie, so I pulled it down a bit to make it easier for Hikari-kun to help you tie it."
"Th-this way?", Tachibana Yui spoke in a bit of a daze.
Just now, the sudden pull on the back collar and the sensation of a large amount of cold air flooding into her shirt made her extremely flustered. She really thought it was Hikari behind her who had pulled it.
Now hearing it was her bestie who did it, she let out a sigh of relief.
After all, what Akane said was logical and well-reasoned.
But while she understood, Tachibana Yui still felt a little helpless feeling the cool air on her back.
After all, behind her wasn't just her good best friend, there was also her boyfriend.
Thinking about how Hikari was currently behind her, helping tie the red string, not only could he clearly see her nape and back, he might even be able to see the color of her underwear, Tachibana Yui couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
She never imagined that tying a protective charm could turn into such a messy situation.
Had she known, she would've tied it herself.
But since things had turned out this way, she naturally couldn't say anything now.
After all, her best friend meant well and had caused this unintentionally, she couldn't blame Akane.
Still, thinking about how even though it was a not-so-sensitive area, it was still part of her body that had never been seen by anyone else, now exposed to her bestie's boyfriend, Tachibana Yui's fair face turned slightly red and hot.
And at that moment, Hikari, who was behind Tachibana Yui, could indeed see beneath her smooth jade back, a black, lace-edged, close-fitting underwear strap, even a row of bra underwires was visible.
However, being well-experienced, Hikari was only slightly surprised and didn't feel much, continuing to tie the red string.
Meanwhile, Akane kept observing the reactions of the two.
Seeing her bestie Tachibana Yui's earlobes turn slightly red, her lips couldn't help but curve up slightly.
"All done."
Once Hikari helped Tachibana Yui tie the red string, Tachibana Yui finally let go of the hand holding her back collar.
When letting go, her fingernail just so happened to lightly scratch Tachibana Yui's smooth and sensitive jade back.
"Nnng…", Tachibana Yui's pretty face blushed, and she nervously peeked to the side, noticing Hikari's hands had already dropped down, probably meaning it was her best friend who accidentally touched her, and she sighed in relief.
"Alright, now that you have your protective charm, Yui-chan, I feel much better too," Akane pinched Tachibana Yui's pure and cute face, giggling.
"Mm, thank you Akane, thank you Hikari-kun," Tachibana Yui once again thanked them both.
"No problem, no problem."
Both of them waved their hands.
Then the three chatted casually for a while.
But perhaps because her underwear color had just been seen by her bestie's boyfriend, Tachibana Yui still felt a little shy and awkward, making the atmosphere a bit strange.
At that moment, Hikari wiped his mouth, realizing there was still some ice cream smeared when Akane fed him by mouth earlier. It had transferred to his hand and was a little sticky.
Hikari stood up naturally and said to the two good besties with a close bond, "I'm going to the restroom. You two talk."
Seeing Hikari leave temporarily, Tachibana Yui, left alone with her best friend, immediately let out a slight sigh of relief and relaxed a little.
Looking at her best friend Akane, who was chatting with her while blushing and smiling happily, her face full of bliss, Tachibana Yui couldn't help but say,
"Akane, your relationship with Hikari-kun is so sweet, really makes people envious…"
Hearing her best friend say that, Akane smiled, "Is it?"
Tachibana Yui nodded, "It is. I… I'm just a bit envious of you two…"
Akane grabbed her hand and gently patted it while saying, "Actually, I can kind of understand how you feel, Yui-chan. After all, I used to be the same."
"Being in the baseball club, sometimes it feels really stifling, right? Those rules are so strict and inhumane…"
Tachibana Yui nodded repeatedly in agreement, "Exactly, exactly! You used to complain a few times when you were the department manager, I remember, but I didn't really feel it back then. Now I completely understand…"
Seeing Tachibana Yui's downcast mood, Akane suddenly said, "Why don't you, Yui-chan, just quit the baseball club like I did!"
"As long as you quit, you can date freely, do whatever you want, so much more comfortable and relaxed."
Tachibana Yui gave a bitter smile, "I know what you mean, Akane, and I really envy how free you are, able to date openly without worrying about others' opinions, and not being threatened because of it."
"But, baseball was the dream for me and Takanashi… that guy, since we were kids. Asking me to suddenly quit now… it's not that easy…"
Seeing Tachibana Yui looking just as conflicted, maybe even more conflicted, than she once was, Akane patted her back and said, "I used to think like you, that achieving the meaning of life, chasing dreams, could only be done in the baseball club."
"But after quitting and getting together with Hikari-kun, I've been way too happy."
"Now, I don't care about those so-called baseball club matters at all, because being with Hikari-kun is just too blissful!"
Hearing Akane repeat how happy she was, Tachibana Yui couldn't help but ask curiously, "Akane, being with Hikari-kun, is it really that great? Are you really that happy?"
Akane glanced at Tachibana Yui, whose curiosity had clearly been piqued, and smiled slightly before speaking.
"Dating Hikari-kun is really amazing."
"First, he gives a strong sense of security, you should've felt that already, right?"
Thinking about how Hikari saved her from Kuwahara earlier, Tachibana Yui nodded in agreement.
Akane continued, "Then, Hikari-kun knows how to talk, he's romantic, physically very fit, makes people feel at ease."
"And even though I'm not materialistic, Hikari-kun's financial situation is actually pretty good too."
"On top of that, Hikari-kun is… really handsome, right? Though as his girlfriend I probably shouldn't boast too much, but Yui-chan, you wouldn't think he's bad-looking, right?"
"Anyway, Hikari-kun is basically the perfect boyfriend in my eyes, so how could I not be happy?"
Tachibana Yui nodded throughout her words, clearly agreeing.
But just when she thought that was the end, Akane added another sentence.
With a shy and embarrassed expression, Akane bashfully said to Tachibana Yui, "Actually, more than all that, the happiest part is, doing that with Hikari-kun… um… you know, that…"
Seeing Akane's bashful appearance, Tachibana Yui was stunned at first, then her face turned slightly red as she leaned closer and whispered, "Akane, you and Hikari-kun… you guys, did that?"
Akane nodded with a red face, "O-of course!"
"Hikari-kun is so handsome, if he were your boyfriend, could you resist not doing it?"
Faced with that soul-question from Akane, Tachibana Yui subconsciously imagined it, her throat slightly gulped, and she nodded honestly.
"Nope."
Akane laughed immediately, "Exactly."
"We're so close, I won't hide it from you, we did it long ago…"
"And let me tell you, doing it with Hikari-kun is super, super comfortable. His…"
"Anyway, Hikari-kun's physical strength is really, really good. He can do this to me… and this… and this too…"
At first, hearing the earlier parts, Tachibana Yui was only slightly envious, her eyes filled with longing.
But hearing those final whispers from her best friend, Tachibana Yui's face flushed bright red, her heart pounding wildly.
She couldn't help but say, "Really? Isn't that kind of stuff just made up in movies? Akane, you're joking, right?"
Akane laughed immediately, "Oh? You don't believe your bestie's words, huh?"
"Let me tell you, Hikari-kun is way more amazing than those guys in the movies we watched together before!"
"I'm not exaggerating at all. In fact, I was afraid you wouldn't believe me, so I said way less than the truth!"
Hearing this, Tachibana Yui didn't know why, but she swallowed a few times, her mouth dry and tongue parched.
Her heart was pounding like a deer, racing fast.
A faint sense of anticipation quietly began to grow in her mind.
Beside her, Akane saw the faint watery shimmer in Tachibana Yui's beautiful eyes, and her lips curled into a knowing smile.
At that moment, Hikari, who had just returned from the restroom, walked back to the bench.
Upon returning, Hikari saw that something seemed off between the two besties.
Akane's cheeks were slightly flushed, looking very excited.
And Tachibana Yui's face was bright red, her pretty face slightly swollen with blush.
Hikari immediately asked Akane curiously, "What's going on?"
"Nothing," Akane shook her head.
Tachibana Yui also looked up at Hikari, then quickly lowered her head and said, "Nothing."
"It's getting late. I'll head home now so I don't bother you guys. Bye!"
Tachibana Yui got up from the bench and left.
But before she walked away, she couldn't help but secretly glance at Hikari's crotch.
Then, like a guilty thief afraid of being caught, she quickly jogged away.
On the train ride home, Tachibana Yui couldn't help but keep recalling Akane's earlier words.
'Is it really possible to lift someone just using that part?'
'Akane actually said Hikari-kun can play "lift-up" games with her using just that part… is that really possible?'
Even though she was still half-skeptical, every time she thought about Akane's mind-blowing, ambiguous words, Tachibana Yui felt her cheeks heat up like she had a fever, burning red-hot.
As soon as she got home, Tachibana Yui locked her bedroom door and dove into her bed.
Usually, Yui was extremely proper and self-disciplined. Not only had she never had any contact with boys, she had rarely even comforted herself alone. Sometimes, not even once a month.
Although, being in adolescence, she naturally still had needs.
But Yui would usually wait until she couldn't hold back anymore, until she was half-asleep in a daze, before she would indulge herself a little, to ease the lonely youth she had spent always in the baseball club, never having truly been in love.
But today, as soon as she got home, the scene of her conversation with Akane kept playing in her mind nonstop.
The vividly described words Akane had spoken played over and over again in her ears, as if they had been recorded.
Unable to help herself, Yui turned those words into images, and her pretty face grew redder and redder, her whole body burning hot, as if she were soaking in boiling water.
Finally, she couldn't resist. She slipped her scallion-like jade fingers under the covers.
.
.
.
[Three Minutes Later]
Yui Tachibana lay face down on her pillow, covering her face.
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