"Where are your black stockings?"
"They got… devoured by Air-kun."
"…??"
Watching Kasumigaoka step out of the restroom, her bare legs pale and clean, Kawasaki stood stunned, almost shocked speechless by her comment.
"Wait, what?! Devoured? Are you insane?!"
Panicking, Kawasaki rushed into the restroom and confronted the boy inside.
"Hikigaya, did you seriously eat them?"
"...How is that even possible?"
Struggling to sit up from the toilet lid, Hikigaya took a deep breath and sighed.
"They were already torn. Kasumigaoka-senpai just put them away."
"Eh? Oh… I see."
Relieved, the somewhat gullible Kawasaki let out a breath and exited, only to shoot a glare at Kasumigaoka, who was lazily stretching by the doorway.
"Heh. You're too pure, Kawasaki."
"Kasumigaoka, please stop making such ridiculous and unfunny jokes!"
Kawasaki scowled, clearly annoyed.
Kasumigaoka simply smiled, then looked toward the boy slowly emerging from the restroom.
"Air-kun, you really outdid yourself. Taking care of both me and Kawasaki so early in the morning... Do you need to request time off and rest?"
"No… I'm fine."
Hikigaya's cheeks reddened slightly as he shook his head.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
Kawasaki rushed to support him, clearly worried.
"It's nothing serious, just…"
Hikigaya gently moved her hand aside, sighing, and looked toward Kasumigaoka.
"Senpai, what you did just now was really reckless. What if something actually happened?"
"Hehe, wouldn't that be great? I mean, I've already decided—if I'm going to have a child in this life, it'll only be with you. No one else."
"You—"
Before Hikigaya could say more, Kawasaki had already lost her temper. She grabbed Kasumigaoka's arm and gritted her teeth.
"Are you out of your mind?! Hikigaya isn't even your boyfriend—he's Yukinoshita's! Don't tell me you…"
Her eyes instinctively shifted to Kasumigaoka's legs, her mind briefly conjuring some alarming mental images—cough.
"It's just a baby. It's not like I'm actually trying to take Air-kun away from her. But if he won't have kids with me, then who else can I ask?"
Kasumigaoka answered cheerfully.
"You're… completely irrational!"
"Kawasaki, let's be honest. In the future… hehe, I'm guessing you'll probably want to have Air-kun's child too, won't you?"
"What? That's ridiculous! I would never—Hikigaya belongs to Yukinoshita! He's her future husband."
Still flustered, Kawasaki glanced at Hikigaya and spoke in a low voice.
"Exactly. So you wouldn't want kids with other guys either, right? But you also said you wouldn't with Hikigaya. So what's the plan then?"
Kasumigaoka pressed.
"I… I'll just not have kids!"
"Not have kids? Please. You're a woman—don't you want to be a mom someday? Don't you dream of having a family?"
"I… I…"
Kawasaki was left speechless, her thoughts muddled.
She couldn't deny it. If not with Hikigaya… who else? No other guy could even enter her thoughts anymore.
"Hey, are you two done? If you don't move, we'll miss the end of morning homeroom."
Leaning against the doorframe of the girls' bathroom, Hikigaya called out, sounding thoroughly done.
"Coming~"
Kasumigaoka smiled and tugged Kawasaki's arm to lead her out.
As they walked together, she leaned in close and whispered to Kawasaki with a teasing grin:
"Since we've both had our turn, how about next time… we go together?"
"Ugh! N-no way…"
Kawasaki's face turned beet red, her body tensing in embarrassment.
"Aww, don't be shy. We're practically family now. Just picture it—one bed, three people. Sounds kind of… fun, right?"
Kasumigaoka continued to whisper temptations, inching closer to a giggling tone.
"We could even compete—see who gets pregnant first, who becomes a mom first. What do you think?"
"Who wants to compete with you?!"
"Oh? So you're giving up then? Guess I'll be the first mom."
"No—no way!"
Kawasaki turned pale and pleaded, "I'm begging you… just leave me and Hikigaya out of your crazy schemes…"
"You're too cute, really."
Kasumigaoka showed no remorse. If anything, her eyes sparkled with amusement.
Up ahead, Hikigaya could vaguely hear their hushed plotting behind him.
All he could do was let out a weary sigh, his scalp tingling.
Yukinoshita… I'm so sorry.
---
Later, in the classroom…
As expected, the three of them were scolded thoroughly by Kirisu-sensei for being late. Despite their desperate excuses, punishment was inevitable.
They were assigned after-school cleaning duty.
---
Midday.
Since Yukinoshita and Kawasaki had made prior arrangements, Kawasaki didn't bring Hikigaya lunch today. So he spent lunch break with his girlfriend, Yukinoshita.
Their chosen spot?
The same quiet grove where they'd secretly met the day before.
"Did you eat enough?"
Sitting under a tree, Yukinoshita looked at Hikigaya with warm eyes.
"Yeah."
He nodded. Today's bento was homemade by Yukinoshita herself—and unsurprisingly, it was absolutely delicious.
"As long as you're full, that's good. Here, have some water."
Yukinoshita passed him a bottle.
Hikigaya took it and drank a few sips.
"Huh?"
He blinked in surprise. "It tastes a bit sweet."
Definitely not plain water.
"Like it? It's… my water."
Yukinoshita said shyly.
"Yukinoshita's drinks are always amazing."
"W-what are you even saying?"
Flustered, her cheeks reddened as she swatted him gently.
"A-anyway, once you rinse your mouth, we need to… um, get started."
Saying that, she awkwardly pulled out a blindfold from her bag.
"Huh? Again with the blindfold?"
"Isn't it more exciting this way? Don't you like a little thrill? Here, put it on—and I'll give you a reward later~"
Yukinoshita smiled gently, though her heart was full of quiet resolve.
Time to complete the mission—hopefully in one go.