Chapter Twenty-Six: The Infirmary

After much hesitation, Anhe finally agreed to Nagahara Eijuu’s request. He had planned to go out and buy a car over the weekend, but was troubled by not having someone to guide him. Nagahara Eijuu’s appearance solved that problem perfectly.

Through their conversation, Anhe discovered that although this guy, like Rena Serizawa, was something of a homebody, he was unexpectedly familiar with the school and many places around Tokyo. They chatted for a while longer. Estimating that class was nearly over, Anhe exchanged contact information with Nagahara Eijuu and returned to his original spot.

Soon enough, the bell signaling the end of class rang. The classroom door beside Anhe opened, and Nobue Ito, tall and slender, stepped out. She glanced left and right, saw Anhe standing obediently by the wall, and a satisfied smile spread across her face.

“Anhe, standing for the whole period must have been exhausting, right?”

At these words, Anhe rolled his eyes and didn’t respond. Nobue Ito didn’t seem to mind his attitude. Instead, she gave a thumbs-up over her shoulder.

“Come with me for a bit, Anhe.”

Without waiting for his reply, Nobue Ito turned and strode off. Watching her ponytail swaying side to side as she walked, Anhe was suddenly struck by the urge to grab it like reins. He quickly shook his head to dispel this dangerous thought, then followed after her.

Passing through a long corridor, the two soon stopped before a door at the end of the hallway, where Nobue Ito entered first. Anhe glanced up at the sign reading “Infirmary” before following her inside.

The infirmary wasn’t large. Aside from a bed in the center, there were two rows of medicine cabinets, a desk, and some medical equipment. As soon as he entered, Nobue Ito handed him a glass of water. Without much thought, he accepted it.

Seeing this, Nobue Ito’s lips curled up in a faint smile. She walked over to the desk, sat down, crossed her legs, propped her chin on her hand, and watched Anhe with a cheerful glint in her eyes.

Meeting her gaze, Anhe felt a bit perplexed, but still asked, “Is there something you need from me?”

“Sleep. Weren’t you very tired, Anhe?” Nobue Ito replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She gestured to the bed and continued with a smile, “Go ahead and rest. I’ve already arranged for you to be excused from your remaining classes. As for your grades, I’ll find time to help you catch up later.”

A look of surprise flickered across Anhe’s face. He scrutinized Nobue Ito to make sure she wasn’t an imposter before refusing politely.

“Thank you for your kindness, teacher, but I don’t want to trouble you.”

With that, Anhe glanced at the water in his hand, drank it absentmindedly, set the empty glass on the water dispenser, and prepared to leave.

But at that moment, he suddenly froze.

[This woman seems to want something from you. Although it’s unclear exactly what, subtle clues in her behavior suggest it’s very important to her. Since that’s the case, why not use this as leverage to negotiate some benefits? Conveniently, she’s in her safe period these days, so you could make bold demands. The only tricky part is it’s her first time, so you’ll need to control yourself and avoid being discovered…]

Anhe automatically ignored the rest of the narration, but the part about Nobue Ito needing a favor caught his attention. After all, she’d already asked him for help yesterday. Normally, even someone with poor social skills wouldn’t come to him again the very next day.

Maybe, as the narrative suggested, something truly important had come up.

But why me?

Anhe couldn’t figure it out. Just as he was about to probe Nobue Ito for information, a wave of exhaustion crashed over him, his head growing heavy.

What’s happening?

Alarmed, Anhe nearly lost his balance as his body failed him. If not for the three master-level martial skills he’d acquired the night before, he might have collapsed on the spot.

Even so, his head was spinning, and he felt on the verge of passing out.

“What’s wrong, Anhe?” Nobue Ito’s slightly anxious voice reached him, and then he felt himself enveloped in a soft embrace.

The delicate scent brought him back to his senses momentarily. He looked up and met Nobue Ito’s eyes.

She hadn’t expected him to still be conscious. After two seconds of eye contact, her astonishment shifted to concern. She guided him to the bed, gently murmuring, “See? I told you, you need to rest. Why do you never listen?”

You set me up!

Anhe wanted to shout, but the weakness in his limbs left him unable to even lift his hand.

By now, he’d realized the cause.

It was the glass of water!

No wonder he’d felt something off about Nobue Ito’s expression since entering.

Laid flat on the bed by Nobue Ito, Anhe decided to close his eyes and stay still, opting to wait and see.

His mind remained clear, but he was powerless to move. Anhe sensed that this state wouldn’t last long.

Seeing Anhe finally shut his eyes, Nobue Ito reached out and pinched his cheek, as if to confirm he wouldn’t wake, then let out a breath of relief.

“Is this kid’s constitution always this strong?” she muttered, massaging her temples in exasperation. She walked over to the door, locked it from the inside, and returned to the bed.

Gazing at the boy lying quietly before her, a trace of struggle flashed across Nobue Ito’s face. At last, she seemed to reach a decision and reached for Anhe’s clothes.

Feeling the sudden touch, Anhe’s heart raced, yet he remained motionless.

He could feel Nobue Ito’s hands moving across him—not caressing, but methodically removing his clothes.

The blazer came off, then the white shirt, and even his pants weren’t spared.

In the end, Anhe was left wearing nothing but his underwear.

What is she doing?

Is she planning to…?

Is my innocence about to be lost?

As his mind raced, he heard the rustling of clothes beside the bed again.

Peeking through a slitted eyelid, Anhe saw Nobue Ito pulling her T-shirt over her head, exposing flawless, pale skin and two amethyst-hued mounds without reservation.

Damn!

Anhe’s heart leapt in alarm. Seeing Nobue Ito about to remove her top completely, he quickly shut his eyes once more.

There was another flurry of clothing being shed.

After a while, Anhe felt the mattress sink beside him, and then a smooth, soft body pressed up against him.

Is it about to begin?

Anhe’s thoughts swirled with a mix of anticipation and apprehension.