"Iroha, it's nice and cool today. Want to go out for a walk?"
Iroha was already sitting upright in a proper seiza position, her beautiful eyes fixed on the message on her phone.
Unable to suppress the smile curling at the corners of her lips, she no longer appeared as quiet and gloomy as before.
Instead, she had returned to her usual, radiant self.
When she saw him, she became so small, so insignificant, sinking into the dust. But in her heart, she was happy, blooming like a flower from the soil.
A certain writer had once used such words to describe the humble stance of one side in love with remarkable accuracy.
The phrasing was beautiful, yet the meaning conveyed was so pitiful that it made one's heart ache.
Iroha did not consider herself pitiful. Or rather, she wasn't even aware of it.
As someone caught in the middle of everything, she didn't realize that her current state had already deviated from the norm.
But she enjoyed it. When it came to the person she cared about, even the slightest initiative from him was enough to make her leap with joy.
Iroha tried to calm her excited heart.
She pulled open the curtains and looked out at the sky. Clouds obscured the summer sun, and a gentle breeze swayed the treetops in the courtyard.
Compared to the sweltering heat of the past few days, today was indeed perfect for going out.
However…
Staring at the message on her screen, Iroha suddenly began to worry about something else.
On her phone's chat interface, the last time she had spoken with Chisato was a week ago.
She suddenly felt anxious, afraid that her coldness over the past few days might have made him hold a grudge.
Could it be that Chisato-senpai suddenly reached out this time because he wanted to confront me about it?
In any relationship, the weaker side always tends to overthink things due to excessive concern or a lack of security.
What outsiders would find ridiculous and laughable was something the person involved took very seriously.
As this thought occurred to Iroha, the image of Chisato's angry expression magnified in her mind, becoming more and more vivid.
No, she had to find a way to make Chisato-senpai understand that she hadn't intentionally avoided him these past few days—there had been a reason.
Think carefully… There had to be a way to avoid this situation…
She got off the bed and paced back and forth anxiously, her bare feet making soft thudding sounds against the floor.
Moments later, she came up with an idea.
Iroha walked straight out of her room and called out, "Mom!" several times, but received no response.
Looks like she went out shopping again with the neighborhood ladies.
Dad was at work at this hour, and there was no one else at home except herself… Perfect!
Having made up her mind, Iroha hesitated no longer. She pressed her fingers against her throat and coughed a few times, making her voice sound hoarse before dialing Chisato's number.
…
"…Chisato… cough, cough… senpai."
Shortly after sending his message, Chisato received a call from Iroha.
However, when he naturally answered the phone, the voice that came through was not her usual sweet and clingy tone.
Instead, it was weak, lacking energy, and accompanied by soft coughs.
Just hearing her like that was enough to make anyone worry.
Chisato's faint smile faded slightly, his brows furrowing a little.
"Iroha, are you feeling unwell?"
Iroha softly murmured, "Mmm… cough, cough… I caught a cold from the chill, and I have a mild fever. I've been lying at home for days."
"Why didn't you go to the hospital?"
"I already got an IV drip there. The symptoms have improved over the past few days, so now I'm just taking medicine at home."
"If that's the case, then you should get some rest. We can meet another day—"
"Um, actually, I'm home alone right now. If you're free, Chisato-senpai… could you come keep me company?"
That soft, weak plea, "Could you come keep me company?"—even through the phone, Chisato could practically picture her looking all pitiful as she made this request.
Glancing at the milk tea he had just bought, Chisato didn't hesitate for long before agreeing.
The call ended.
Tossing her phone onto the bed, Iroha broke into a broad smile, clenching her fists in triumph.
Moments ago, she had a sudden inspiration to claim that she was sick.
When someone has a fever and lacks energy, naturally, they wouldn't have the motivation to check their phone.
That way, she could perfectly justify why she hadn't contacted Chisato over the past few days.
And specifically stating that it was a "cold caused by catching a chill" was intentional as well.
As everyone knows, colds caused by a chill are due to individual constitution rather than being contagious. This subtly eliminated any concerns he might have.
Moreover, by expressing her need for care and appearing weak, she successfully changed their meeting place from an outdoor venue to her own home.
With her parents not around, leaving only the two of them alone, many things would become much more convenient.
Iroha didn't want her relationship with Chisato to be filled with calculations and strategies.
But knowing that he was surrounded by other girls, and after witnessing Yukino smiling at him in the library, she had no choice but to act.
She had a strong feeling that if she didn't put in more effort, as time passed, she would have fewer and fewer chances.
"Alright!"
Iroha clapped her cheeks and clenched her fists with determination.
She surveyed her room.
Before Chisato-senpai arrived, she had to set up her room properly.
Everything needed to appear natural while subtly showcasing her feminine charm.
Making him fall for her immediately might be too ambitious, but if she could at least stir up some desire, that would be a win in itself.
She walked to her wardrobe and began rummaging through her clothes after removing her loungewear.
This one… No, too plain.
This one… It has animal prints, which makes me look like an elementary schooler. Absolutely not.
This one… Wait, isn't this from middle school? The design is actually pretty nice. Mom kept it for me? But there's no way it still fits…
Wait a second…
Staring at the obviously one-size-too-small middle school lingerie in her hands, Iroha's eyes gleamed as she flashed an innocent, mischievous smile.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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