Kiyotaka Of Class B ( Year 2 )

Vol 3 Chap 2

Honami, who was urging me to go, didn't seem that dissatisfied that we'd be far from one another.

"Aren't you gonna miss me?" I decided to probe it.

"Of course I will. You expected me to start bawling my eyes out and cursing fate for this predicament? Sorry, but I won't do that..." Honami spoke with strong conviction. "There is no use in that."

As she turned her head to check for her group members, I continued staring at her, and then a slight smirk formed on my lips.

She has grown... a lot.

"Alright, I'll be off then," I said before I began to head north.

Outrunning the first years and claiming the early bird bonus doesn't seem like a good idea long-term.

Especially with the agreement in place.

Doing anything rash and thoughtless at this stage will thwart my future visions.

So I'm going to have to adapt to anything coming my way.

"Wait a minute." When I took the first step forward, Honami called out to me.

Without a second warning, she grabbed me from my elbows and dragged me in a circular motion, placing my back in the direction of the ship and herself in front of me.

Then she got on her toes, closed the distance between our faces, and placed her lips on mine.

Her crystal blue eyes were clear, and she had a faint blush, so this wasn't a kiss she was so intimately into nor was she planning for it to be long.

"This is just a 'gambare' so you do your best and keep yourself fueled for the next two weeks." She patted my shoulder and smiled at me like a commander psyching his soldier up.

"You know, the world is hit with global inflation; the prices are rising and basic needs are getting harder to meet. So one kiss is not enough."

"...That's the lamest excuse for being a pervert I've ever heard." She smirked and then gave me another kiss. This time, it was more intimate, with her rubbing my ab.

"That's excluding taxes, by the way."

"Oh, come on!"

~♡♡♡~

After Honami got together with her group members and bid farewell, I set my way toward D4.

The terrain wasn't as arduous as I imagined it to be, but not wholly different either. It looks like it was slightly altered to facilitate the touch.

There weren't any wild animals around, which is a relief.

I couldn't imagine my tent being torn down by a bear while I was enjoying a good night's sleep.

Well, that was a stretch. But it is indeed a very scary experience.

I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Well, maybe, except for one person.

The route I have taken was a shortcut, so I haven't spotted many figures up until this point.

A hoard of people gathered in the center of D6, ranging from students across all grade levels to a group of adults.

There seemed to be a fishing task underway at the lake as the adults monitored the participants—who were all first-years—in their endeavors to fill their buckets with fish. Lots of students—mostly second and third-year students—were curiously spectating the event.