Chapter 258 – Girly colors

"Alright!" Hoshinomiya beamed, as if his agreement had made her day. Without hesitation, she stood up and gently pushed Yukio, who, not resisting her actions, ended up face-down on the futon.

"?" Yukio tilted his head slightly in confusion. From the corner of his eye, he keenly noticed Hoshinomiya's posture. She was kneeling right beside him, leaning forward slightly.

Due to their close proximity, he could clearly see her elegant, well-toned legs. Unlike the other homeroom teacher, Chabashira, who often wore black stockings, Hoshinomiya's legs were bare.

Her thighs were pressed together, her legs tucked beneath her in a graceful kneeling position. The curve of her calves was smooth and sleek, exuding a soft, pearly sheen. A faint fragrance lingered in the air around her, reminiscent of water lilies and jasmine—a subtle and elegant aroma, clean and alluring without being overpowering.

Then, without warning, Hoshinomiya bent her arm and used her elbow to press along Yukio's lower back, applying a firm but not overly harsh pressure.

"Hiss…" Yukio couldn't help but inhale sharply in pleasure. The massage sent a wave of soothing relief through his body, leaving him feeling both relaxed and invigorated.

So this is the honey trap of her request? He finally understood. Since his stated reason for calling in sick was physical exhaustion, the school nurse had come prepared to "treat" him with a massage. It truly was a delightful sugar coating.

A satisfied grin tugged at Yukio's lips. This was a rare treat. Since AN High didn't have any massage facilities, the last time he'd experienced such relaxation was during the luxury cruise. He hadn't expected to enjoy it again, courtesy of Hoshinomiya.

Just from her skilled use of her elbow to massage his lower back, he was confident in letting her continue. "It feels good, Hoshinomiya-sensei."

"Hehe, not bad, right?" Hoshinomiya replied smugly, humming in delight as she increased the pressure slightly. "So you see, you shouldn't underestimate your teacher."

Pleased with herself, she leaned in closer, bringing her body lower. What began as focused pressure on his lower back evolved into a thorough massage along his spine. She worked her way upward, carefully kneading each section of his back as if she intended to align and revitalize his entire backbone.

After finishing with Yukio's spine, Hoshinomiya shifted her position. Her previously tucked knees parted slightly as she moved from kneeling to straddling him.

Using her knees for balance, her slender, alabaster fingers found the muscle knot in his left shoulder. With just the right amount of pressure, she alternated between squeezing and releasing, delivering a sensation that was both achingly sore and deeply relaxing.

"Hoshinomiya-sensei, if you had started with this, I would have made you tea the moment you walked in."

"Pfft." Hoshinomiya couldn't hold back her laughter, her grip momentarily losing its strength. With an amused chuckle, she gently patted Yukio's broad back. "So, unless I pamper you like this, I can't even get a cup of tea from my student, huh?"

She shifted to knead his right shoulder, applying the same technique. The movement caused her knees to rock slightly, and the combined weight of both of them made the small futon in Yukio's dorm creak under the pressure.

The sound brought a faint blush to Hoshinomiya's ears. "Tsk, this thing is really low-quality. You should report it to the dorm supervisor and have someone fix it. Stuff in AN High usually doesn't break down like this."

Yukio felt a twinge of awkwardness at her comment. The quality wasn't the issue—it was the wear and tear caused by frequent overnight stays with Hiyori. The futon had been silent at first, but after a few months of cumulative use, its condition had understandably deteriorated.

Hoshinomiya, for her part, was also struggling to keep her composure. The creaking sound was unmistakably suggestive, but fortunately, she had nearly finished working on Yukio's shoulders and lower back. She decided to skip the neck for now and quickly returned to a kneeling position, redirecting her focus to massaging his legs.

The room, which had been filled with the incessant creaking of the futon, finally returned to silence.

"You're really tough to massage," Hoshinomiya remarked with a touch of exasperation. "Whether it's your back or your legs, it's hard to get deep into the muscles."

Her small hands couldn't make much impact on Yukio's well-toned physique, and she had to rely on her elbows to apply enough pressure.

Though he didn't have the exaggerated build of a bodybuilder, Hoshinomiya couldn't help but feel flustered as she worked. Yukio's body was far from that of an ordinary teenager. The level of training and care he had put into maintaining it was evident, making it clear he had invested considerable effort into his fitness.

"That's exactly why I needed to take a sick day," Yukio murmured, his eyes half-closed as he chatted idly. "Balancing training with all these special exams—it's exhausting enough to make anyone want to skip class."

"Alright, flip over and lie on your back," Hoshinomiya instructed, exhaling deeply as if she were completely drained. Massaging Yukio was no small task.

As Yukio turned over, he noticed the faint warmth rising from Hoshinomiya's forehead, along with tiny beads of sweat that seemed to carry a strange floral scent.

The subtle, water-like fragrance she had when she arrived had somehow transformed into a captivating blend of light floral notes and the faintest trace of perspiration. It was intoxicating in a way that seemed almost biological, stirring something instinctive.

"Sensei," Yukio muttered, half-opening his eyes to make a new request. "Massage helps with circulation, and it's late autumn now."

"Huh? So?" Hoshinomiya asked, fanning herself lightly with one hand in an attempt to cool down.

"So, it's easy to catch a cold in this season. Could I cover myself with a blanket?" Yukio explained, attempting to rationalize his sudden desire for a cover-up.

"...Do what you want," Hoshinomiya sighed, not bothering to argue. After all, there wasn't much she could do while massaging his front side aside from working on his arms and head. She casually grabbed a blanket and spread it over Yukio, covering him from the waist up.

Finally, Yukio turned over. His gaze naturally fell on Hoshinomiya, who remained in her kneeling position, slightly leaning forward. From this angle, her posture and proximity made his blood pressure spike.

The only coherent thought that crossed his mind was a string of poetic metaphors: "Mount Tai pressing down, black clouds threatening to crush the city..."

To avoid embarrassing himself, Yukio shifted his gaze upward. Perhaps from the strain of massaging, Hoshinomiya's elegant oval face was flushed a deep red, while the fine sheen of sweat on her forehead gave her a distinct and alluring charm.

At some point, she had tied her hair back into a loose bun, revealing the graceful curve of her neck. Her fair skin was smooth and luminous, her eyes soft and crescent-shaped, radiating a gentle beauty.

And due to her light perspiration, Yukio could faintly glimpse a soft pink trace beneath her clothes. Seriously? A teacher still wearing such youthful, girly colors for lingerie? It seemed Hoshinomiya's inner child was alive and well.

Hoshinomiya, unaware of Yukio's wandering gaze, focused on his arm. Having finished massaging it thoroughly, she was now pulling on each of his fingers one by one, as if resetting them.

Once she completed the work on his arm, she leaned slightly to grab a pillow, placing it on her lap. She patted the pillow lightly and said, "Alright, this is the last step."

Familiar with the routine, Yukio lay back into the lap pillow. The faint floral fragrance around Hoshinomiya seemed to grow richer, with the original water jasmine scent now almost imperceptible.

Feeling the gentle, soft pressure of her fingers on his scalp, Yukio relaxed but also figured it was time to uncover the "catch" behind this honey trap. He spoke up casually, "Hoshinomiya-sensei, is this really part of a school nurse's duties in taking care of students?"

The implication was clear: if it was a teacher's responsibility to care for students, there shouldn't be any hidden strings attached.

"Alright, alright, you've seen through me. Don't push your luck," Hoshinomiya huffed, puffing her cheeks slightly in mock annoyance while continuing to massage his head. "If I admitted that, all my efforts would have been for nothing, wouldn't they?"

"Hmph, Class D really gained a lot from this special exam, huh?"