252: Underground Lover

Hitori once dreamed of having dinner with Chisato, but she never imagined it would come true in the way it did today.

However, the number of people changed from two to four, and the atmosphere shifted from romantic to awkward. This was really different from what she had expected.

The good news was that no matter which dish it was, it looked delicious.

Both Utaha and Eriri did not show the unsettling expressions they had right after she spoke those words.

This made Hitori, who was as timid as a rabbit, feel a little more relaxed.

Her uncharacteristic behavior earlier stemmed from her awareness that her next actions were tied to Chisato's expectations, so she kept recalling the things she perceived from a first-person perspective in that dream.

She didn't know how she was managing it, as she was completely immersed in the moment.

But looking at the harmonious atmosphere at the dinner table and the fact that Chisato never showed dissatisfaction from beginning to end, she must have been doing pretty well, right?

As Hitori ate the food Chisato brought her, her attitude gradually became more optimistic.

However, Chisato sighed silently in his heart; the current situation was not encouraging.

Even though everyone at the table was friendly to each other, it felt like a normal dinner among friends.

But the situation under the table was quite intense.

Sitting opposite him, Utaha held her bowl and chopsticks, seemingly engaged in casual conversation with Eriri. 

In reality, her feet stretched straight between Chisato's thighs, and she kept using her small toes to poke the soft flesh on the side of his leg.

Chisato could tolerate this kind of venting behavior. What he cared about was the other person's reaction.

After sitting at the dining table, although Eriri behaved as usual, her eyes never met his from beginning to end.

Even though he was clearly staring at her, she pretended not to notice, minding her own business, picking up food and chatting with the other two.

Such a reaction sent a signal that she was dissatisfied or angry.

Compared to Utaha's behavior of venting her anger directly, Chisato was more worried about Eriri's silent and expressionless demeanor.

The longer this uncomfortable silence lasted, the more overwhelming the storm would be.

This was the price of greed. No matter what you do, the more you want, the more you have to bear.

After all, it was the path they had chosen. They had already decided to go all the way to the end and would not shrink back at the beginning.

It was impossible for Hitori to stay here all night. After sending her away, he would face Eriri and Utaha alone.

Gee, he got a headache just thinking about it.

But this was a situation that must be faced; there was no way to avoid it.

…

"Then, I will go back today. Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Utaha and Eriri-san."

Standing at the entrance, Hitori, who had already put on her shoes and picked up her schoolbag, bowed slightly toward the two of them in a reserved manner as she said goodbye.

Even though Utaha was very well-mannered, she couldn't feel any affection for the girl in front of her, who was competing with her for a man. 

This was especially true given that she had just suffered a loss and had inexplicably shifted from the role of the main partner to that of a third party at fault.

Therefore, she felt so angry that she forced herself to nod lightly and give the bare minimum of a response.

Eriri was different. She took two steps forward and pulled out her mobile phone.

"Classmate Hitori, if possible, could we exchange LINE accounts? If anything happens in the future, we can contact you at any time."

While she made this request with a smile on her face, her body posture moved closer, resembling the kind of girls in ordinary schools who fall in love at first sight.

But Hitori did not expect something beyond her anticipation to happen before parting.

What should I do?

Chisato had never mentioned before that they needed to exchange LINE accounts!

Therefore, Hitori, unsure how to react to this unexpected turn of events, turned her attention to Chisato with genuine sincerity.

This small habitual action was noticed by Eriri, but she did not display any special expression.

Chisato smiled and nodded, "It's nothing bad."

After saying this, Hitori hurriedly took out her cell phone and exchanged contact information with Eriri.

"I'll take her to the tram stop."

"Well, please be safe on the road."

Eriri stood at the entrance, waving her small hands, while Utaha turned around and walked back into the living room.

After closing the door, Chisato took Hitori into the elevator.

It was only after leaving the apartment that Hitori's constantly tense heart finally relaxed.

"I'm sorry, Hitori, for making it so late. Thank you for your hard work tonight."

Chisato leaned in quietly, approaching Hitori's ear. His low, sultry voice made Hitori's whole body tremble in surprise.

"No... it's not troublesome. As long as it's what Chisato asks, I'm willing to do anything."

Hitori timidly raised her head, and the moment she met the man's gaze, she felt the pressure from him.

The elevator space was not large, so she took two steps back and pressed her back against the wall.

"I said before that after Hitori helps me with this favor, I will be very grateful. During this time, I will think of ways to express my gratitude, but before that, let me give you some interest."

Chisato reached out and touched the girl's cheek.

The warmth of the other person's palm felt almost electric, causing Hitori to stop breathing for a moment and a mix of numbness and pleasure washed over her.

Her mind went blank, and she could only feel the sensation of relief in a daze, while her slightly narrowed eyes stared blankly at Chisato, who lowered his head and moved closer to her lips.

She closed her eyes, relying on a handful of experiences from dreams and reality, and wrapped her arms around the other person's neck in mutual understanding.

"Bit—"

The elevator reached the first floor.

The two held hands and walked down the street.

Hitori secretly glanced at Chisato beside her.

Under the bright streetlights, the other person's lips were illuminated.

Hitori's little face flushed, and she realized that the culprit behind this reaction was her own feelings.

"Eriri just added you on LINE. If she takes the initiative to chat with you in the future, just respond as you see fit, but make sure to tell me afterward."

After the brief sweetness, Chisato returned to the reality of her worries and concerns.

"Yeah, I understand."

Hitori nodded obediently; she always found herself nodding and saying yes in front of Chisato. 

Similarly, she had no defensive instincts regarding him. When facing him, some of her thoughts would be openly revealed on her face.

After tonight's dinner with Eriri and Utaha, she felt less confident about being around Chisato and was now even more uneasy. 

Those two girls surpassed her in every aspect, from their speech and behavior to their appearance.

Not to mention the food served tonight, which was at a level that even her flatterers couldn't match—full of color, flavor, and richness.

And what about herself? 

At home, she could only make simple fried eggs and boil instant noodles, while even her younger sister could stand on a small stool and occasionally prepare breakfast. 

In comparison, her sister seemed far more capable.

The more she thought this way, the more a sense of crisis filled Hitori, who felt she had no confidence to compete with them.

By the time they reached the tram stop, the high emotions caused by the kiss in the elevator had almost dissipated. 

Chisato noticed Hitori's sense of loss and didn't want her to enter the tram station and head home feeling this way.

It was half past eight, so it wasn't too late; they could chat for a while longer.

"Let's go sit over there for a while," Chisato suggested, pointing to a flower bed landscape not far from the tram station, surrounded by flower beds with benches scattered around.

Hitori nodded, eager to spend more time with him. The two sat down on a bench together. 

Chisato took the initiative to let go of their hands, which made Hitori feel a bit disappointed.

He then reached out, holding both sides of her cheeks, gently adjusting them to align her eyes with his. 

Hitori nervously pouted her lips.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he prompted.

"Um..." Hitori gently poked Chisato's palm with her finger, he was using a little too much force and making her struggle to reply smoothly.

Chisato smiled and slowly released his palm. 

"Well... I was thinking that Eriri-san and Miss Utaha are both shining, excellent people..."

Hitori spoke her thoughts aloud, but while doing so, she unconsciously averted her gaze. After finishing, she cautiously returned her eyes to Chisato's face.

Seeing that he didn't show any special expression, she boldly added, "...They... all seem like a perfect match for you, Chisato-kun."

Chisato sighed softly, "That's true. They are indeed a good match for me; there's no doubt about it. However, apart from that, is there nothing else you would like to add, Hitori?"

"What do you mean?"

"What about you? Aren't you a good match for me?"

"I... I'm not as good as they are..." Hitori lowered her head, her eyes cast down, pinching the corner of her clothes with her slender fingers, and answered in a slightly trembling voice. 

She hunched over, as if wanting to shrink into a small ball.

Chisato laughed out loud, causing Ichiri to look at him in surprise. "Maybe it seems that way to you," he said easily.

Chisato? What does that mean? 

Hitori looked at him in confusion, but Chisato merely shrugged, not appearing to want to elaborate.

"Hitori must have something else to say to me. Since we went out, you've been sneaking glances at me, as if you were hesitant to speak."

Huh! It's so obvious! No, no, Chisato is too smart; that's why he can detect it so easily!

Hitori felt flustered, swallowed hard, and carefully voiced her thoughts, 

"Because in the apartment earlier, I felt that both Miss Utaha and Classmate Eriri were a little angry. They seemed dissatisfied with me being around you, Chisato-kun, and they even complained about you…"

"So I was wondering if there's a good way to resolve this, one that wouldn't upset them while allowing you to navigate between us without feeling embarrassed."

Chisato was surprised that the timid Hitori had started to think about such a problem and tried to share his concerns. 

"So, has Hitori come up with any good ideas?"

He didn't have high expectations. He had been pondering the problem for a long time and didn't believe Hitori could provide a perfect solution. 

But out of respect—or perhaps to deepen their relationship—he wanted to give her a chance to voice her thoughts.

"I have an idea..."

Under Chisato's encouraging gaze, Hitori slowly and clearly expressed her views, 

"The reason everyone feels dissatisfied and embarrassed is ultimately because of me. So as long as I disappear and leave their sight..."

At that point, Hitori suddenly stopped speaking. She noticed that Chisato's expression had turned cold without warning.

"Well, there's no need to think about such things anymore. Remember this: I will never leave you, Hitori," Chisato said firmly, making Hitori's heart race.

However, Hitori misunderstood his meaning and had to clarify, 

"No... It's not like that. I don't mean to throw myself away. What I meant was that I would just disappear from Miss Utaha and Eriri-san's view..."

"Hitori wants to be my underground lover?"

The term "lover" wasn't quite right, but Hitori didn't mind; she happily nodded, relieved that Chisato understood her meaning.

"No, that's not the way to go about this. You don't need to think about those things in the future. You just have to trust me."

No one would be happy as a result of that. Similar experiences had been shown in her dreams, and Chisato wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"Send me a message when you get home."

"Okay."

Around nine o'clock in the evening, Chisato watched as Hitori boarded the train on his way back to his apartment. 

There were still two people at home who needed to be dealt with, and they wouldn't be as easy to talk to as Hitori. 

It could be expected that the work would take a long time tonight.

_______

(15/22)

50+ advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta

_______

If any of you noticed an error, please point it out in comments!