Chapter 476: Looking for Its Owner (2)

"Megumi, don't do this..." 

Hearing the strange noises coming from the wooden house, Sui and Erina paused, both looking puzzled.

"When did those two get together?" Erina murmured in surprise.

Sui frowned as well, an unsettling feeling rising within him. Although nothing had developed between him and Megumi yet after that one night stand, the idea of her growing close to Sōma made him uncomfortable.

Erina, not noticing Sui's expression, gently tugged his hand, her face slightly flushed. "Let's come back later so we don't disturb them," she suggested.

After a brief hesitation, Sui nodded. He wasn't happy about the situation, but with Erina by his side, he agreed. Still, he resolved to talk to Megumi and clear things up tomorrow.

"Sui, Miss Erina, are you here to see the rabbits?"

A soft voice called from behind.

Both Sui and Erina turned around to see Megumi, wearing long boots and a straw hat, holding a watermelon with a smile on her face.

"Eh? Megumi? You're here?" Sui asked, a bit startled.

"Huh? Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Megumi replied, tilting her head in confusion.

"Well, we heard some... strange sounds coming from inside," Erina said hesitantly.

Megumi's face turned a deep shade of red as she realized what they must have thought. Embarrassed, she quietly walked to the door, opened it, and stepped inside.

Inside the wooden house, Sōma was holding a rabbit, laughing as the little creature repeatedly nuzzled against his face. "Megumi, that's enough, stop kissing me!" he chuckled.

"So... that's what it was," Megumi mumbled, blushing even more as she explained.

"So, the rabbit's name is Megumi?" Sui couldn't help but laugh, feeling an unexpected wave of relief.

"Yes," Megumi admitted shyly, fidgeting with the corner of her shirt. "Yoshino named it that. I tried to protest, but everyone just went along with it."

"I see. Well, I think it's a cute name," Erina said with a smile, kneeling down to pet the rabbit.

"Agreed," Sui added with a grin.

"Ah, Sui, Miss Erina! When did you guys get here?" Sōma asked in surprise as he noticed them.

Yoshino was also in the room, holding another rabbit by its ears. She glared at the creature playfully, saying, "Sui, you've been running around again, haven't you? No dinner for you tonight!"

Sui's smile froze. "Yoshino, could you 'please' stop naming your rabbits after me?" he said with exasperation.

Yoshino stuck out her tongue mischievously.

Erina, on the other hand, burst into laughter, so hard that her whole body shook. She playfully poked Sui and said, "I think it's a great name. Don't you?"

Sui rolled his eyes in response.

Still amused, Erina squatted down and pinched the rabbit's cheeks. Her violet eyes gleamed with mischief as she teased, "Sui, you're so adorable. I've wanted to pinch your face like this for a long time."

The rabbit's eyes rolled back, nearly fainting from her playful assault.

Sui, feeling a sudden twinge in his own cheeks, glanced at Erina. 'Does she secretly hold a grudge against me or something?' he thought.

"Haha, looks like Miss Erina often gets her way," Sōma laughed.

Erina finally released the rabbit, her mood lifted. The poor creature, however, lay limp in her hands, eyes glazed over.

Just then, another rabbit hopped out, and Yoshino quickly scooped it up. "Erina-chi, trying to sneak off again? Hmm? Tell me, do you have a man waiting for you outside?"

"Wh-what?!" Erina's smile froze in place.

Sui struggled to hold back his laughter. 'Instant karma!'

He picked up the rabbit and cradled it in his arms. "Erina's so adorable," he teased. "Here, let me feed you some grass."

The rabbit rolled its eyes at him, looking every bit as haughty as a young lady of high status.

Erina clenched her teeth, and a vein on her fair forehead throbbed faintly.

"Yoshino, seriously, stop giving your rabbits our names," Sui said, trying to regain his composure.

——

After visiting the rabbit hutch, the girls headed off to pick vegetables for dinner.

Sui and Sōma bumped into Marui Zenji and some of the other dorm members on their way back and chatted for a while before heading into the common room together.

As they entered, Sōma's eyes widened. "Huh? What's this?" he exclaimed, spotting something unusual on the floor.

There, lying in the middle of the room, was a pair of black lace thong panties—delicate, with just enough fabric to cover the essentials, and a thin string at the back.

The atmosphere among the boys grew tense in an instant.

"Whose panties are these?" Marui asked, his face flushed as he adjusted his glasses awkwardly.

The group exchanged glances, none of them expecting to find something like this in the Polar Star Dormitory.

"We should probably pick them up and find out whose they are," Daigo Aoki suggested, swallowing hard.

Ibuzaki Shun picked up the garment delicately, holding it between two fingers. After a moment of silence, he said, "It would be pretty embarrassing to ask everyone outright. Maybe it's best to quietly figure out who it belongs to and return it privately. That way, we avoid any awkwardness."

"As expected from Ibuzaki. Very considerate," Marui nodded, impressed.

"Quite the gentlemanly approach," Sōma agreed.

"So... the next step is figuring out which girl these belong to," Daigo added, his excitement barely contained.

"Well, neither Yoshino nor Megumi seems like the type to wear something like this," Marui reasoned after a moment's thought.

"Could it be Ryoko?" Daigo suddenly suggested, since Ryoko was the most mature and well-developed of the girls.

"From what we know, Ryoko does seem like the most likely suspect," Soma mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Wait, wait," Sui interrupted, a sudden thought coming to mind. "Is it possible that these belong to Isshiki-senpai?"

The room fell into a heavy silence.