Chapter 23: Respect Is the Foundation of Friendly Communication

"Have you... seen enough yet?" Senkawa asked. Seeing his intense gaze, she lowered her head even further, her cheeks burning as her eyes darted nervously around the room.

"No rush. Let me admire you a little longer."

Things that were pleasing to the eye were naturally meant to be looked at. Besides, he had paid for this; every single second was essentially money ticking away in Japanese Yen—Kitahara certainly wasn't going to miss this opportunity.

After appreciating Yukina, Kitahara’s gaze drifted downward to her waist. His aesthetic preference wasn't for the thinner the better; on the contrary, he liked definition—ideally, a visible core. That was what made a girl healthy and beautiful.

There was no doubt that Senkawa possessed exactly that. Her development was exceptional, and her frequent exercise had resulted in a superb, mature, and curvaceous figure. Even while standing perfectly still, she carried a certain alluring charm.

"Turn around for me," he said naturally.

"Mmh..."

Senkawa Ryoka took a deep breath, fighting to suppress her inner shyness. With one hand covering her chest and the other placed over her mysterious area, she turned around bit by bit.

She could clearly feel his scorching gaze fixed on her glutes. Although she tried to hold herself in, she couldn't hide her shapely figure, and a deep flush began to creep from her neck up to her earlobes. Except for the few scraps of fabric covering her, she was almost completely laid bare before Kitahara.

In this hidden little corner known to no one else, she had surrendered everything she could give. Senkawa Ryoka’s cheeks were aflame, and she closed her eyes, silently enduring Kitahara's scrutiny.

She hoped he would be quick about it...

Kitahara was in no hurry. He was savoring the fruits of his labor, occasionally offering a critique. While ten thousand yen for a single outfit change might sound like a bad deal, in reality, Kitahara was gradually breaking into Senkawa's heart. Every garment she took off was a piece of her inner defense being dismantled.

After scanning her for a moment, Kitahara’s eyes suddenly narrowed as he looked at her back.

He spotted wounds.

A few tiny scars—though they had faded to the point of being almost invisible, they were still there. They were on her back, deliberately covered up; if one didn't look closely, they would likely go unnoticed. Senkawa probably never imagined she would have a boy looking at her so thoroughly, which led to the exposure of this information.

Domestic abuse? Or perhaps, school bullying...

[Ding—]

[You have noticed some clues. You have discovered a secret that Senkawa Ryoka wishes to hide. These tiny scars may signify something... Although there are no leads yet, you have uncovered a trail.]

[You have received two million Japanese Yen.]

The money came so easily.

Kitahara’s gaze became even more intense. The delinquent girl before him now looked like a giant gold brick in his eyes. Every once in a while, a little nudge would shake some money loose.

"Are you done?" Senkawa asked, her body shivering. As a breeze blew through, she couldn't help but wrap her arms around herself.

"Go put your clothes back on. Don't catch a cold." Kitahara noted the marks he had seen and smiled. "I’d be heartbroken if you got sick."

"You were looking so intently just now, I didn't see any heartbreak," Senkawa muttered softly.

"Hmm?"

"N-nothing."

Senkawa jolted and hurried back to the changing room. The heater was running inside, and as she rubbed her shoulders, she let out a slight sigh of relief.

"Whew..."

"I didn't think he was this lecherous..."

"But then again, he is a boy, after all."

Senkawa muttered to herself, feeling a bit distressed. They had kissed on the first day, and by the second, she was letting him look at her in a swimsuit. What would happen on the third day?

After changing, she emerged from the changing room to find Kitahara still standing by the door, lost in thought.

"Where to next?"

"No need to go anywhere. Let's find a place to sit; I want to do some reading," Kitahara said, looking up.

"Oh..."

Senkawa led Kitahara to the swimming club office and turned on the heater. The two sat side by side, the proximity feeling somewhat intimate. Senkawa caught the scent of Kitahara and wanted to scoot away, but seeing his playful, knowing look, she decided to give up.

"How come I didn't see you anywhere after school yesterday?"

"The department didn't have any activities, so I went home," Senkawa said quietly.

"Did you really go home? You didn't sneak off to some bad place behind your boyfriend's back, did you?" Kitahara turned his head, quietly observing her.

The distance between them was extremely close, almost face-to-face. Senkawa Ryoka could clearly feel her heart racing. She braced herself and replied, "What I... what I do is none of your business."

"I may be your boyfriend, but I still need my own personal space."

"Can you understand that?"

After saying this, Senkawa looked at Kitahara nervously, terrified that he wouldn't be satisfied with the answer.

Kitahara considered it for a moment, then nodded. "I understand. Even lovers need their own lives. I won't force you not to do anything."

"That's good then..." Senkawa Ryoka breathed a sigh of relief.

"However."

Kitahara’s expression turned serious. "You must also promise me that you won't go to places I don't like, okay?"

"We are 'a couple,' right?"

These words struck a chord in Senkawa’s heart. She naturally knew what Kitahara was worried about, so she answered earnestly, "I won't go. Even if I do, I'll tell you in advance, because..."

Although it was a fake relationship, the contract was real. Before Senkawa Ryoka paid Kitahara back, she would certainly fulfill her duties as a girlfriend.

"Hearing you say that, I'm relieved."

Kitahara smiled. "Is there tea in the office? Go make me a cup."

"..."

Senkawa pouted. Did this casual attitude mean he really viewed her as a housewife to be ordered around?

Forget it...

At least he was paying.

The water in the kettle began to bubble and hiss. Meanwhile, Kitahara pulled out his notes to study. Lunch breaks were very short, and napping wasn't ideal, so he chose to review his knowledge points. Unlike Senkawa, he didn't have a clear goal for university yet, but he was naturally aiming for the top-tier institutions.

With the aid of his master-level public speaking skill, a thought had begun to form in Kitahara's mind.

Go to Waseda University—it was a breeding ground for civil servants. Once he graduated, he could run for office. With his oratorical skills, it would be easy. If he were lucky enough to meet a mentor, he might even make it into the Cabinet.

Senkawa was a bit bored, sitting beside him and spacing out. She couldn't focus on the book for more than a second—her brain felt like it was swelling, especially with this science-related material. Her grades in junior high had been mediocre; if you didn't count PE, she would have barely made it into an ordinary public high school. The students at Fuhoku Taimei were mostly overachievers, the textbooks were more advanced, and the teachers taught at a much faster pace.

Because of this, Senkawa had started falling behind as soon as she entered high school. Later, when she tried to catch up, she found that the material her classmates were handling was worlds apart from what she knew. Unable to bridge the gap, she simply gave up.

So, her boyfriend was the academic type... Could he become very rich in the future?

No, he definitely would. Everyone who came out of this school was quite capable. Perhaps being a housewife wouldn't be so bad after all?

Senkawa daydreamed about the future, but her expression quickly dimmed. How could she possibly be thinking about such things now...

"What are you thinking about? Your expression turned sour."

"It's nothing..."

Kitahara didn't know what she was thinking. He put down his notes and said casually, "By the way, is the swimming club still recruiting? Do you think I'd be a good fit?"

"They are recruiting, but there's no point in joining this time of year... The pool isn't being maintained, it's a bit dirty, and it’s very cold. Your health is poor, so you'd easily catch a cold if you joined," Senkawa Ryoka said, looking him up and down with a tactful tone.

Kitahara’s physique couldn't be described as good; it was more like he had absolutely no signs of being athletic. Even for a thousand-meter run, Senkawa was confident she could lap him.

"Do I look that physically weak?" Kitahara asked, feeling a bit depressed.

"If you don't exercise, then that's just how it is..." Senkawa Ryoka explained, trying to be considerate of his feelings. "You probably haven't participated in any sports departments before, so you're quite lacking in that area."

She actually knew a thing or two about this; just by looking at his muscle tone, she could conclude that Kitahara didn't exercise much.

Kitahara said, "Oh." Then he added, "Can you teach me how to swim? The kind where you hold my hands and guide me?"

"I... is that really okay?"

Senkawa felt a bit embarrassed. "People will talk, and my friends will make fun of me."

"You actually have friends?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Senkawa grew angry. "Of course I have friends!"

Seeing her puffed-up cheeks, Kitahara quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that..."

"Forget it, everyone thinks that anyway," Senkawa huffed, feeling a bit sad inside.

It was one thing for others to think that, but why you, too...

She pouted.

Kitahara hesitated, then turned to face her and apologized. "I'm sorry."

His solemn attitude made Senkawa Ryoka a bit confused.

"I thought you didn't have friends because you never talk to anyone in the classroom. I didn't mean anything else by it."

"If you think that was too much to say, I apologize."

Senkawa probably hadn't expected him to apologize. She turned her face away, blushing slightly, and whispered, "Don't say things like that again."

"Understood."

"Speaking of the teaching you mentioned, I'm not very good at..." Senkawa remembered the main point. "I'm not great at teaching beginners. My temper isn't... particularly good."

She felt a bit guilty as she said this, as her temper was quite fiery.

"But my friend is alright. Nami-chan is a very gentle person; I can ask her to help you when the time comes."

Normally, coaching for boys and girls was handled by the coach. However, considering Kitahara was her boyfriend, Senkawa decided to be a little selfish... at most, it would just be a favor she owed.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

Kitahara checked the time. The lunch break was over, so he stood up. "Let's go to the classroom. The first period this afternoon is Physics."

"Mmh."

"Make sure to listen to the teacher, don't fall asleep."

"I know!"