Chapter 346: Senpais are only good at talking

"Senpai, here I come!"

The door swung open to reveal a lively schoolgirl in a sailor uniform standing in the corridor. Her bright smile and energetic demeanor were both charming and infectious.

"Hey~"

Hayasaka hopped into the room with her legs pressed together, leaning forward slightly. Her blue eyes sparkled mischievously as she called out in a clear, ringing voice:

"Senpai, did you miss me?"

"No."

Amamiya closed the door behind her, responding honestly.

It's only been an hour since we last saw each other. Who would miss you in such a short time?

With two girls already hiding in the bathroom, Amamiya's only thought was to get Hayasaka to leave as soon as possible.

"Senpai, you're the worst! An ungrateful idiot! A big liar!"

The spirited schoolgirl puffed out her cheeks in mock indignation. "I drove all this way to see you, and you didn't even miss me? I'm mad! I won't forgive you unless you give me a hug and a kiss."

"…"

To Hayasaka, such brazen words were just part of the act. As a spy, she was used to saying even the most embarrassing things with a straight face—though she'd probably stomp her feet in frustration later.

But for Sajuna and Komi, who were eavesdropping in the bathroom, it was a different story altogether.

"Unbelievable…"

Sajuna's eyes widened in astonishment.

"The girl outside is Hanamori-san, right?" she whispered.

"I had no idea she and that idiot Amamiya were… that close."

"And asking for kisses and hugs so openly…!"

Sajuna's imagination started to run wild. Her face turned crimson, and she nearly overheated from embarrassment.

Shameful! So shameful!

How could anyone say such things out loud?

If it were me… asking a boy for a hug or a kiss… I'd rather die than say such words!

"Don't tarnish my reputation," Amamiya said sternly, his face serious. "I've never kissed you."

Hayasaka pouted, stepping closer and poking his chest with her finger. "But you have hugged me. You can't deny that, can you?"

"That was for a reason," Amamiya replied, exasperated.

"I don't care," Hayasaka said, her voice ringing confidently. She placed one hand on her hip and smirked. "The fact is, you hugged me. And since you hugged me, you have to take responsibility."

Amamiya frowned. "That's absurd."

"It's not!" she insisted. "This is a matter of innocence. My first hug was stolen by you, Senpai. That's a big deal! You need to take responsibility! Take responsibility!"

"…"

In the bathroom, Sajuna was practically steaming. Her face was flushed, and she clutched her chest nervously, her thoughts spinning out of control.

"A first hug? Really? Wait… a hug doesn't even count as something so serious…"

But still!

"A girl's innocence isn't that simple! At the very least… at the very least…"

She couldn't complete her thought.

"Enough," Amamiya finally said, cutting Hayasaka off with a raised hand. "Let's go. The ferry operates 24 hours, so we'll head out now and get your dungeon qualification sorted."

Hayasaka blinked, surprised by the sudden change of topic, but quickly nodded. "Fine, but we'll hurry back! It's scorching outside!"

When the sound of the door closing echoed through the room, Sajuna finally exhaled, glancing at Komi, whose flushed face and guilty eyes were almost impossible to ignore.

That Idiot! No wonder he wasn't worried at all. It turns out Komi-san was hiding in his room the whole time!

And you bullied her so mercilessly…

Noticing Sajuna's glare, Komi bit her lip, her head lowering as she tried to explain. But for someone so shy and reserved, finding the words was an impossible task.

"Komi-san," Sajuna whispered, breaking the silence. "Let's go back to the room. If someone else shows up, it'll be a real problem."

"…"

Komi nodded eagerly in agreement.

The bracelet had been found, and at this point, she just wanted to leave.

"Let's go," Sajuna said firmly, opening the bathroom door.

But as she turned to look at Komi, she froze.

Komi was still crouched in the corner, her face pale and her movements stiff. She clung to the wall for support, her lips trembling slightly as if holding back something unspeakable.

"Komi-san… are you okay?" Sajuna asked softly, her voice laced with concern.

Upon witnessing her appearance, Sajuna froze in shock for two seconds before erupting in fury.

"Damn it!"

"Did that idiot Amamiya really do this to you?!"

Sajuna clenched her fists tightly, looking as though she might bite someone. "Did he force you?"

"…"

Komi instinctively shook her head.

"So you didn't refuse him, huh? Is that why he asked you to do it?" Sajuna grew even angrier. "When it's something you don't want to do, you must say no! Don't just agree to whatever he asks!"

"Don't worry—I'll make him take responsibility for this!"

"…"

Komi blinked, utterly confused and unsure of what she was talking about.

"Um…" Sajuna took a deep breath. Her face turned bright red as she awkwardly looked away and muttered, "Just… be careful."

"Huh?"

Komi tilted his head in confusion.

Sajuna hesitated for a moment before stammering, "Don't… don't get pregnant…"

"…"

Komi's eyes widened. It took her two full seconds to process her words before her face turned crimson, steam practically bursting from her head.

Her mind must have leaped to the events from that day—the one where they had read that book together in her bedroom. Suddenly, she had escalated the situation to the possibility of pregnancy. Her whole body seemed to vibrate like a motor as she shook her head furiously.

"That's… that's good, then." Sajuna let out a sigh of relief. "Anyway, just be careful."

"No, no…"

A soft but clear voice suddenly echoed from the bathroom.

Seeing Sajuna's misunderstanding deepening and without any means to explain further, Komi felt the growing shame in her heart overwhelm her. Her cheeks flushed a vivid red, but at last, she mustered the courage to speak:

"It's not what you think! I just squatted too long, and now my legs are numb!"

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Komi continued urgently: "My bracelet fell into the hot spring. I came here to look for it, but before I could leave, you knocked on the door!"

Sajuna blinked in surprise, then remarked, "Wow, you just said that many words in one go. That's amazing."

Komi: "…"

Meanwhile, on the other side—

Amamiya and Hayasaka left the hotel and headed to the port to catch a ferry to Sakurajima.

When they arrived, they saw a brightly lit ferry docked by the shore.

The ferry ran 24/7, making it convenient for tourists to board anytime. However, compared to the bustling crowd during the day, the atmosphere at night was quieter, and the massive ferry now felt oddly empty.

"The ferry leaves in ten minutes," Amamiya said, glancing at Hayasaka. "Want a cold drink?"

"Ice cream," Hayasaka replied, raising her right hand. "And I want you to feed me."

Amamiya looked at her and asked, "Aren't you embarrassed? There are so many people here."

Of course, I'm embarrassed! I'm so embarrassed I could just stomp my feet!

But Hayasaka tilted her pretty face up and declared boldly, "If it's you, Senpai, I'll eat it no matter how embarrassing it is."

"I see."

"Huh?"

Amamiya nodded seriously. "If you've already decided that, it'd be unreasonable for me to refuse."

Hayasaka: "…"

Why didn't you refuse?! Don't just agree so casually!

The two strolled to a vending machine, where they bought orange-flavored ice cream—a specialty of Sakurajima. Then, they headed to the top deck of the ferry.

The night sky stretched above them, with the moon shining bright and the stars scattered sparsely.

A gentle sea breeze drifted by.

During the day, the deck had been too hot, leaving it nearly empty. But at night, it was a different story, with more tourists coming out to enjoy the cooler air.

"Come on, open your mouth."

Amamiya scooped a spoonful of ice cream and held it out to Hayasaka.

Hayasaka: "…"

You actually fed me without hesitation when I asked. Why can't you be this obedient all the time?

By now, a few tourists nearby were casting curious glances their way. Despite her training as a professional maid, Hayasaka's cheeks flushed slightly, and an unshakable sense of embarrassment crept in.

Calm down.

Don't panic.

No one knows you here. You're just eating ice cream in public—it's not a big deal! They're not paying that much attention to you. This is all in your head!

Taking a deep breath, Hayasaka parted her pink lips, took the ice cream, and said casually, "As expected, ice cream tastes better when Senpai feeds it to me."

Even as the words left her mouth, the tips of her ears turned a visible shade of scarlet.

"If it's delicious, have some more," Amamiya replied, scooping up another spoonful and extending it toward her. "Open your mouth."

"…"

Hayasaka endured the growing shame and took another bite. But when she saw that Amamiya was preparing another spoonful, she couldn't take it anymore. Grabbing the ice cream from him, she flashed a sweet smile and said:

"Isn't it hot, Senpai?"

"I'm fine," Amamiya replied.

"Then… open your mouth, ah~."

"I need to use the bathroom. See you."

"…"

Without hesitation, Amamiya turned and walked off.

In today's battle of wills, Hayasaka stood victorious—but it was an empty victory.

Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye. Sakurajima came into view, its coastline dotted with faint lights while the rest of the island was cloaked in darkness.

"Senpai, I got a notification for the game quest," Hayasaka said softly.

It was a lie.

She had actually received the notification earlier in the afternoon, the first time they boarded the ferry.

"I got it," Amamiya said with a nod. "It's almost eleven. Let's not get off the ferry. We'll head back to the hotel to rest."

"…"

The ferry reached Sakurajima, docked briefly, and then began its return journey.

Amamiya and Hayasaka left the deck and headed to the cabin instead of continuing to enjoy the night breeze.

Though the deck was pleasant, the lack of seating made it tiring to stand for long periods.

The two randomly chose seats in the cabin. As they chatted, Amamiya suddenly grabbed Hayasaka's hand and whispered, "Squat down."

"Senpai?"

"Just squat," he said, pointing discreetly. "See that middle-aged man over there?"

"Yes."

"That's Umi's dad."

"…"

No wonder you're hiding.

You said earlier that you were traveling alone. If Umi's father finds out, of course it'll be a mess.

"I see," Hayasaka said, her gaze shifting slyly. A mischievous smile spread across her face as she teased, "Senpai, coax me."

"What?"

"I have a rare terminal condition. When I get nervous, I lose control of my speech so you need to coax me. You don't want Umi-chan's dad to notice, right?"

"…"

Watching the smug and confident look on her face, Amamiya sighed. "You have a point."

"Hehe, Senpai, go ahead and coax me."

"But I don't need to," Amamiya replied in a low voice. "I have another way."

"Hmm? What else can you do?"

Without warning, Amamiya wrapped his arm around Hayasaka's slender waist, pulling her close with a firm tug.

Their breathing mingled.

The soft, sweet scent of citrus wafted faintly from her.

Lowering his gaze to her pink, slightly moist lips, Amamiya said meaningfully, "If I can make you speechless, that works just as well, doesn't it?"

Hayasaka blinked, instantly grasping his intent. Raising her chin slightly, she met his eyes with unwavering confidence and murmured:

"Senpai, your only talent is your smooth talk."

"I feel attacked."

"Hmph. The only thing tough about you, Senpai, is your words."

"…"

Amamiya's expression darkened slightly, and without a word, he leaned closer, intent on proving her wrong through actions rather than words.

The distance between them rapidly closed.

The sweet citrus scent intensified.

As the gap between them shrank to the width of a fist and Amamiya showed no intention of stopping, a flicker of panic appeared in Hayasaka's mind.

Wait, wait—this was supposed to be just a bluff! Why is he actually going through with it?

Her thoughts flashed back to their accidental kiss at the dessert shop the other day. It wasn't a big deal back then, so… maybe it wouldn't be a big deal now?

No!

This is definitely a big deal!

At the very last second, Hayasaka raised her hand, pressing the back of it firmly against her lips.

"Senpai, don't get ahead of yourself!"

The spy maid frantically shook her head, her earlier confidence evaporating like mist.

Amamiya quipped, "If I weren't a bit cheeky, wouldn't that be even more embarrassing?"

Hayasaka muttered in quiet protest, "Bullying girls just to save face… That's so low, Senpai."

"You've got it all wrong." Amamiya raised his eyebrows slightly, leaned in, and kissed the spy maid's palm with a faint smile. His tone was casual, almost teasing, as he added, "When I pick on elementary schoolers, that's when I'm at my worst."

Hayasaka: "…"

They continued their playful banter in hushed voices under the table, barely noticing that the ferry had docked once more.

After discreetly observing Umi's father leave, Amamiya and Hayasaka rose from their seats and stepped off the ferry together.

The pair boarded a train and safely returned to the hot spring hotel in Kagoshima.

"How are you planning to sleep tonight?" Amamiya asked, glancing at Hayasaka.

"Of course, not with you, Senpai," she replied, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. "You're keeping me here because you're up to something, aren't you? Planning to pull something sneaky while I'm asleep?"

Her sharp gaze narrowed. "Too shameless. Sorry, Senpai, I don't accept such frivolous behavior. Goodbye. I'm off to find Sajuna."

The group had booked three rooms for their stay. Amamiya had one to himself, Sajuna and Komi shared another, while Kaguya and Chika were rooming together. Now that Hayasaka had switched to her Hanamori persona, she naturally planned to team up with Sajuna and Komi to create a plausible alibi.

Her plan was simple: stay with Sajuna and Komi for the night, wake up early the next morning, and excuse herself by claiming she had urgent business. Then she would return to the hotel under her maid identity to assist her young lady as usual.

Being a professional, Hayasaka had already thought through every detail, even preparing contingency plans to ensure nothing went wrong.

After leaving Amamiya's room, she walked a few steps down the hallway to Sajuna's door and knocked gently.

The door opened almost immediately.

The spy maid, maintaining her composed demeanor, let out a subtle sigh of relief. A bright smile quickly replaced her earlier calmness as she greeted them cheerfully. "Sajuna, I'm here!"

"Ah…" Sajuna's expression was a mix of subtlety and awkwardness. "Well… come in."

"Good evening, Komi-san," Hayasaka added politely as she entered the room.

Komi nodded quickly in response but immediately looked away, her face turning an unmistakable shade of red.

"Strange." Hayasaka's sharp instincts kicked in as she noted the odd, almost flustered looks exchanged between the two girls. "Could they have… seen through my disguise?"

She quickly dismissed the thought.

"Impossible. Even the young lady herself didn't recognize me. It's just my imagination," she reassured herself with certainty.

–