Chapter Sixty-Two: Rena Serizawa Goes to School???

The next morning.

The shrill ring of the alarm clock sliced through the early silence. A hand emerged from beneath the covers, groped around for a few moments, and finally pressed the button to silence it.

"Ah~"

Poking her head out from the warmth of the blankets, Anhe let out a long, lazy yawn.

"Mmm~"

A soft murmur came from beside her, and soon another head popped out, eyes half-closed, gazing at Anhe and asking instinctively, "Is it very late already?"

"It's only six o'clock, Sagu, go back to sleep for a bit."

Anhe reached out and gently caressed Sagiri Amamiya's smooth, delicate cheek. Sagiri snuggled comfortably against Anhe's palm, then curled back up under the covers.

Seeing this, Anhe quietly slipped out of bed, padding softly toward the bathroom.

The sound of running water echoed through the room. Staring at her own reflection—pale, with faint dark circles beneath her eyes—Anhe couldn't help but reflect on herself.

Last night, after a brief moment of intimacy with Sagiri Amamiya, she had returned to her desk, writing furiously until one in the morning before finally stopping.

She had planned to sleep, but then that damned narrator's voice had chimed in, claiming Sagiri's desire level was high enough to unlock a new position, or something like that.

And so, Anhe found herself unable to sleep.

Perhaps sensing Anhe's restlessness, Sagiri had moved closer on her own.

Thinking of what the narrator had suggested, Anhe, almost without realizing, shared it with Sagiri. Though shy, Sagiri did not refuse her.

And so...

The entire night was spent teaching Sagiri the hundred ways to make a ham and egg sandwich.

Alas, the desire level was still insufficient; otherwise, they could have explored a hundred ways to eat it.

...

Anhe stared at her own weary face in the mirror for a long while before finally sighing and turning off the water.

"It seems I need to exercise some restraint before I earn that title," she thought to herself, then turned and headed for the kitchen.

After half an hour of bustling about, two bowls of udon noodles topped with fried eggs were ready.

She carried them to the table, then returned to the bedroom.

There was a distinct mound under the covers—Sagiri Amamiya was clearly still asleep.

Anhe walked quietly to her side.

She pulled back the blanket, and Sagiri's peaceful sleeping face was revealed to the morning air.

She looked just like Snow White from a fairy tale, her long, black hair spread across the pillow, eyes closed, long, curled lashes fluttering gently with each slow, even breath.

Yet Anhe's gaze was drawn to those slightly parted, rosy lips, catching a glimpse of white teeth within.

Gulp...

Anhe swallowed hard, but quickly shook her head, forcing away the images that had flashed through her mind.

"Self-control, I need to have self-control!"

She admonished herself sternly, tearing her eyes away from Sagiri's lips. Instead, she lightly pinched Sagiri's delicate nose.

Before long, Sagiri wrinkled her brows, her lashes trembling as she opened sleepy eyes to look up at Anhe.

"Time for breakfast," Anhe said with a smile. Sagiri, hearing this, shook her head, freeing herself from Anhe's hand, and gradually grew more awake.

"What time is it?" she asked softly, slowly sitting up. The oversized t-shirt slipped down with her movement, revealing her pale shoulder and exposing most of her graceful curves to the air—and to Anhe's eyes.

Anhe drew a sharp breath and quickly averted his gaze, afraid that if he looked any longer, his self-control might fail.

The memory of last night's encounter was still vivid, every sensation easily recalled.

Losing control was one thing; losing his life would be far more regrettable.

...

Sagiri, too, seemed to sense the change in his demeanor. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink, and she turned her head away, silently pulling her fallen shirt back over her shoulder.

"Come on, let's get up and have breakfast," Anhe said, breaking the awkward silence.

They left the bedroom together. Sagiri went to wash up, then joined Anhe in the living room.

"Come here!" Anhe patted the seat beside him, and Sagiri walked over and sat down.

They began their breakfast together. Anhe finished his bowl of noodles first and, eyeing Sagiri's last strand, expressed his wish to share it with her.

After a brief struggle, he managed to snatch the final bite from Sagiri's mouth, chewing triumphantly. Sagiri blushed, but could do nothing about it.

After eating, they changed into their school uniforms and stepped out the door.

Downstairs in the parking lot, Anhe planned to ride his bike to school, but upon starting it, he discovered the tank was nearly empty.

With no other choice, he took Sagiri and opted for an alternative.

The morning train sped along the tracks. It was rush hour, and the carriage was packed with commuters. Every salaryman, standing or sitting, braced themselves for the coming day's work in the cramped car.

Anhe and Sagiri were lucky enough to find two seats in the farthest corner.

After several dozen minutes, the train arrived at their stop.

Anhe shielded Sagiri as they got off, holding hands as they walked side by side toward school.

He saw Sagiri safely into the North Institute, then turned back toward Mokunan Middle School.

No sooner had he stepped into the classroom than a crisp, excited female voice rang in his ear.

"Good morning, Yusheng!"

Turning, he saw Keiko Kitajima, broom in hand.

"Good morning, Kitajima," Anhe replied with a smile, glancing around the classroom. His attention was quickly drawn to a figure in the corner.

"Eh?"

Noticing his distraction, Keiko Kitajima followed his gaze and spotted the girl in the corner. She quickly explained.

"That's Rena Serizawa, a weirdo who can't hear or speak."

She moved closer, leaning in to whisper in Anhe's ear, "You didn't know, did you? That girl's actually a lunatic. She always chases people around with bizarre drawings. So annoying."

Feeling her warm breath on his ear, Anhe frowned slightly, glancing at Kitajima's face. The gentle smile faded from his own as he nodded and replied indifferently, "I've heard about her."

"Right? They say she often tries to seduce the boys in class. Once—"

Kitajima, oblivious to Anhe's change in demeanor, kept talking. But soon she realized he had vanished.

Turning, she saw Anhe standing by the desk of that so-called crazy girl.

Yusheng...

Seeing the gentle smile on Anhe's face, Rena Serizawa, who had seemed uneasy before, finally relaxed and broke into a brilliant smile.

Anhe glanced around. Noticing that many eyes were on them, he refrained from speaking directly. Instead, he pulled a notebook from his desk, scribbled something quickly, and handed it to Rena Serizawa.

"Why did you come over so suddenly?"

After reading the message, Rena looked up at Anhe, blinking, then picked up a pen to reply.

"The school trip starts this week. Didn't you know, Yusheng?"