[Vol 1] The Secret Life Of An Honor Student Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - It’s a Secret, Okay?

 

Our mutual secrets—the fact that Mamiya has a ura-aka account, and the photo of me accidentally touching her chest. If she were to expose that…

“...There’d be nothing I could do about it. Everyone would just assume I’m the bad guy. I’d end up quitting school after becoming a shut-in, and my future would be completely doomed… Don’t make me imagine something that depressing.”

I immediately shot back at the hypothetical Mamiya brought up.

Sure, she and I were holding each other’s secrets.

But our positions were completely different.

She’s a girl, I’m a guy. She’s an honors student, I’m just a regular one. Depending on how you look at it, all of the secrets could easily make me look like the villain. Basically, there’s no point in even thinking about such a hypothetical—the only choice I have is to stay obedient to Mamiya on the surface.

“...Why?”

But Mamiya didn’t seem satisfied with my answer.

Her eyes were filled to the brim with doubt and suspicion as she clasped her hands before her chest.

“What do you mean, ‘why’ ?”

“I mean, how can you stay so calm?”

“It’s not about being calm. I just don’t think you’d do something like that without a reason. Revealing the secret would cause problems for you, too.”

When she threatened me before, it was partly to make sure I’d keep her secret—but also because she needed someone to help her take photos.

And even now, Mamiya still wanted photos for her ura-aka account—which meant revealing the secret would only work against her.

If she exposed me, she’d lose her helper. If I got exposed, I’d be expelled.

It was a move that would only bring losses to both sides. I couldn’t imagine Mamiya being that reckless.

“...So, Aisaka-kun, do you actually trust me?”

“I’m just weighing the pros and cons.”

“Even if I turned out to be a really bad girl, who didn’t care about promises, who only wanted someone to toy with and was selfish and awful?”

“If that were true, I’d probably already be out of school by now, right? The fact that I’m still here proves you’re not like that.”

“What is that supposed to mean? Are you stupid? Because I—!”

Before she could finish, Mamiya suddenly grabbed me by the shoulders and shoved me down. The chair we were sitting on lost its balance under our combined weight and toppled backward with a loud crash.

In the split second before we hit the floor, I shifted my body and pulled her head close so she wouldn’t hit it. Still, my back absorbed all the impact, sending a dull pain shooting through it.

“Oww…”

When I opened my eyes with a grimace, I saw Mamiya’s face buried in my chest. Her long hair spread around us like a silk curtain, and the faintly sweet scent from her too-close body made my head spin. I couldn’t move, trapped beneath her, and the faint but undeniable softness pressing against me made my whole body heat up.

With a groan, Mamiya slowly lifted her head.

Our eyes met—her clear, captivating gaze locking onto mine—and I saw the color drain from her face, as if realizing what she’d just done.

“...Ah, I—I didn’t mean to—”

“I get it, so don’t move. A lot of things are… touching right now.”

“S-sorry! But are you hurt anywhere?”

“Didn’t hit my head. Just my back hurts a little. More importantly… this position is a thousand times more of a problem.”

Even without saying it outright, my stare clearly meant 『Get off me already,』 but instead, she started patting my chest and face as if checking for injuries.

Her fingers were trembling slightly, brushing over me so delicately it almost tickled—like she was handling something fragile. I tried my hardest not to think about the warmth and softness seeping through the thin fabric between us.

Then, as if realizing I was fine, Mamiya exhaled deeply in relief. There wasn’t a hint of teasing or deceit—just genuine worry.

I’d already figured that out from how she’d grabbed me. She didn’t mean to push me down; she’d just been too worked up and lost control.

“...I didn’t mean to push you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Just don’t act like it’s normal to stay like this.”

“But you looked kinda happy. You were, weren’t you? I know my body’s pretty appealing to guys.”

“Don’t say stuff that’s impossible to respond to! I’m barely keeping it together here.”

That was true—and Mamiya probably knew it.

Which only made her refusal to move even more devilish.

“You seem pretty composed for someone who’s ‘barely keeping it together.’”

“I’m holding it in. Don’t test me, or I’ll actually pounce.”

“Should I scream ‘Kyaa!’ or something then?”

“Then stop looking at me like you pity me.”

Her exaggerated act was so over the top that I couldn’t even bring myself to react. Staying as flat as possible, I muttered, and she sighed as if giving up.

“Fine, fine.”

Finally, she got up, and I followed, rubbing my sore back. She sat back down on her chair, her expression turning serious.

“I kind of forgot where we left off, but… whatever. Aisaka-kun, I don’t trust you.”

“...Huh?”

“To be precise, I can’t believe that you might actually trust me.”

I didn’t get it. Not because of what she said — but because it came completely out of nowhere.

Still, Mamiya continued before I could even ask.

“When we went out that day, you saved me, right?”

“...I guess.”

“That made me really happy, and also scared. But the real reason I tried to hold your hand was… because I got scared wondering whether you saw me as the perfect honor student Mamiya, or just as the normal girl, Mamiya Yuu.”

“...”

“There’s a secret between us that no one else can know. So I know you can’t betray me—and yet, I couldn’t stop worrying that maybe you would. That’s why I tested you. I wanted to see if you’d still treat me the same even if I showed you my weaker side.”

The pain on her face made me pause.

“I wouldn’t change as a person. Besides, that’s not even enough to use against you.”

“Yeah, I know. I knew that… and I still did it. That’s why I’m a bad girl.”

Her smile was faint and fleeting — fragile in a way that didn’t suit her, yet somehow didn’t feel out of place at all.

“...As a little bit of atonement, will you listen to my story?”

“I’d rather not.”

I rejected it on reflex. The second I realized, it was too late—she was already glaring at me with narrowed eyes. After a brief pause, she took a deep breath and repeated herself.

“...As a little bit of atonement, will you listen to my story?”

“If you wanna talk that badly, just say so.”

“That makes it sound like I lost.”

“That’s fine! You don’t have to win everytime.”

“...You sure? I didn’t really want to talk about it.”

“Then don’t.”

“But now I kinda want to tell you. Is that bad?”

“Yes, very. Don’t drag me into something that’ll make me part of your tragic backstory.”

I was only involved with her because she blackmailed me—I had no intention of getting closer. And yet, she kept trying to pull me past that wall.

“...Then I’ll just force you to listen.”

Before I could react, Mamiya stood up, moved beside me, and wrapped her arms around my neck. Then she sat right down on my lap.

“...Not exactly the most comfortable seat.”

“It’s heavy, soft, weird, and heavy — get off already.”

“You said heavy twice… am I really that heavy?”

“Physically, maybe. But the real weight is your emotional baggage.”

“Well, that’s just love flipped inside out. Besides, this is just harassment.”

“That’s even worse.”

Her body pressed against mine, her chest squished against me, and every little movement made her hips shift slightly on my thigh, sending dangerously vivid sensations up my spine.

I tried to cool my brain with the thought, 『This is harassment, this is harassment,』 but Mamiya only tightened her arms more.

...This is bad.

I didn’t want to know her past. Even if I did, nothing would change—I’d just have more useless information to carry.

But when she looked at me with those eyes, that voice, that expression of quiet resignation I’d seen in myself before… I couldn’t bring myself to say no.

Taking my silence as permission, Mamiya took a deep breath and began speaking.

“...Back in middle school, I was bullied pretty badly. Ever since then, I’ve hidden who I am and put on this ‘perfect honor student’ mask that everyone at school sees.”

Her face was a mix of nostalgia and bitterness — a tangled blend of emotions.

“I know it sounds vain, but I was kind of cute and popular. One day, a guy confessed to me, but I didn’t like him, so I turned him down. The next day, one of the girls I thought was my friend cornered me behind the gym and yelled, ‘Don’t steal the guy I like!’ I honestly laughed—like, did I even do anything wrong?”

The way she said it, so casually, made it cut even deeper—like a paper cut to the heart. I stayed quiet and waited for her to continue.

“Maybe people thought I was arrogant, even when I was just being normal. I heard my own friends—people I thought I could trust—talking behind my back, saying things like, 『She’s so full of herself. She doesn’t even know everyone hates her.』 I didn’t know who to trust anymore. I remember burying my face in my pillow and crying until my tears ran dry.”

“...”

“That’s when I realized it—being myself was a mistake. Nobody wanted the real me. So I decided to become the kind of girl everyone found convenient: the honor student. I turned away from all the malice, stopped trusting anyone, and locked myself away inside my own little world.”

As she spoke, her eyes were shut tight, like she was reliving every word. Listening to her, I felt a faint ache in my chest. Her story was different from mine, yet that shared feeling of being 'denied for being yourself' felt uncomfortably familiar.

Maybe that’s why I couldn’t treat it as just someone else’s story.

Her arms tightened around me again. I could feel her body trembling slightly, her presence pressed even closer. My heart was beating faster, her hair brushing against my nose, carrying that faint sweet scent again. A few strands stuck to her neck, damp with sweat.

This was clearly something she wanted to forget.

And yet, she was telling it to me—someone who could never defy her.

Her past as an honor student.

To some people, it might’ve sounded like gossip. But revealing it was still a huge risk.

Even so, I couldn’t tell anyone, and even if I did, she could just expose my secret to erase hers. In the end, everything between us was built on calculation.

“...That’s not all, right?”

“Of course not. You’ve probably figured it out by now. I couldn’t stand not being acknowledged, so I made that ura-aka account. I started posting pictures to satisfy my craving for attention. Then one day, you walked in during one of my shoots and found out my secret. That’s how all this started. Still… I think maybe it was a good thing, in the end.”

“It’s absolutely not a good thing for me.”

“You say that while desperately trying not to grin, pretending you’re not interested, even though you totally are.”

“I’m not pretending. And I am interested—I’m a guy, you know. If you don’t like that, get off. Immediately.”

“After careful consideration, the council has denied your request.”

“Then may your entire council burn to the ground.”

Even though I wasn’t backing down, Mamiya made no move to step away. In fact, she rested her head against my shoulder, as if she’d completely surrendered her weight to me.

She probably knew I wouldn’t do anything stupid in this situation—and was taking full advantage of that.

She really was like a devil sometimes... But even then, I could feel her hand, the one gripping my arm, trembling slightly. That alone made it impossible to just shove her away. Right now, she looked like a lost child—fragile enough that if I pushed her off, she might start crying.

So maybe that’s why I said it.

“What do you want me to do? Should I just pat your back and comfort you or something?”

“You’d do that for me?”

“If you’re saying I should, I don’t mind.”

“You know, it’d make me really happy if you did it out of your own will.”

“We’re not close enough for that kind of gesture.”

“And that’s exactly why you’re still single.”

I glared at her, and she just poked my nose with her finger, smiling faintly.

“...If someone saw us like this, that’d be a real problem, huh?”

“You’re telling me. What are we supposed to do if that happens?”

“Just tell them we’re dating—problem solved.”

“Pass. I’m not living every day wondering when I’ll get stabbed in the back.”

“Yeah, jealousy’s scary no matter the gender.”

There was a kind of heaviness in her tone that told me she meant it.

For a while, we both fell silent.

The classroom was quiet, save for the sound of a crow cawing somewhere outside.

“...Why’d you tell me all that?”

“Because I want to trust you, Aisaka-kun. I know that’s convenient of me, but… that’s how I feel.”

“What if I actually can’t stand you, and I’ve just been waiting for the right chance to stab you in your sleep?”

“Then that just means you love me too much. Well, if that’s true, then I guess I just have bad taste in people. But… you’re still letting me use you as a chair, aren’t you? Isn’t that answer enough?”

“I don’t remember agreeing to be your chair.”

I flicked her forehead, and she yelped, “How could you hit a girl?!”, in this weirdly theatrical, quiet voice. I looked away from her as my thoughts started turning again.

I hadn’t expected her to say something like 『I want to trust you.』 But she clearly meant it. I could feel that in the air between us.

Even so—I still couldn’t bring myself to fully trust Mamiya. Deep down, I wanted to. As a friend, I wanted to respond to that feeling. It made me genuinely happy that she felt that way.

But if she had told me about her past, then keeping mine hidden didn’t seem fair.

It was selfish of me, sure—but this was something I wanted to say for my own sake.

“...Then, let me tell you my story this time.”

There was tension, anxiety, and the will to face her seriously all mixed into my words. Mamiya nodded silently.

Now that I was actually about to say it, my throat tightened. Naturally. The only one who knew about this—aside from my family—was Natsu. I never imagined I’d be telling Mamiya of all people.

But there was no taking it back now. I clenched my fists, then slowly opened them again, steadying myself.

“...You know about fake confessions, right?”

“Yeah. When someone confesses as a punishment or a joke, without actually liking the person. I never understood what’s so fun about that.”

“...Right. That happened to me in middle school. They said awful things at the end, like they were trying to tear down my entire personality. After that, I kind of stopped trusting girls. And honestly, I still haven’t gotten over it.”

I only told her the key points, but Mamiya lowered her head, her expression grave.

“...I’m sorry. I didn’t know, and I’ve been saying and doing all kinds of stuff to you.”

She said it seriously, sincerely—and though it was faint, I could feel her trembling against me.

Given her own past, she probably had a deep fear of being rejected or denied by someone. And now, realizing she might’ve hurt me without knowing it, she probably thought I’d turn her away too.

But I had no intention of reopening that old wound. I knew she hadn’t meant any harm. Maybe she was teasing me, sure—but that’s all it was.

I wasn’t so petty as to get angry over that... I think.

“Raise your head, Mamiya. It’s not your fault. I’m the one still clinging to it.”

“But—”

“You didn’t know. And besides, I’ve said plenty of awful stuff to you too. Plus, you were blackmailing me at first, so it’s not like either of us started with trust. Let’s call it even.”

I said it quickly, almost tripping over my words. Mamiya hesitated, but eventually gave a small nod.

“Anyway, to continue… After that, I started avoiding people. I barely left my room for a while, and even when I did, I couldn’t talk to anyone. I was fine with my family, but outside of that, I just couldn’t connect.”

“...”

“So I studied hard to get into a better school—Kamino. I thought if I changed my environment, I could reset myself. But, well, you can see how that turned out. If Natsu hadn’t been around, I’d probably still be a total loner.”

“...I see.”

“That’s all there is to it. It’s a small thing, really. A wound so thin it barely deserves the name.”

A dry laugh slipped out, but my chest still ached. I called it small, but looking back still stung more than I’d like to admit.

And yet—

“It’s not small at all. Not even close.”

Her voice cut through my words like a knife—sharp and firm. I couldn’t say anything back.

Before I could even collect my thoughts, my head was pulled against something soft. A cushiony feeling spread across my face, followed by the faint scent of her blazer—and beneath that, something that made my brain short-circuit completely.

I tried to breathe, but the air that filled my lungs carried a strangely sweet fragrance. I exhaled slowly, trying to stay calm, though my pulse was going wild.

“...Mamiya, mind moving your hand?”

“Don’t talk. Your breath tickles.”

“I can’t breathe because of your chest.”

“Oh, come on. Most people have to pay for this kind of experience when they’re adults, you know?”

“That’s a terrible generalization. You owe every adult an apology.”

“I’m sooo sorry~ ...There, happy?”

“I’ll be happy when you let go of my face.”

“No can do. Maybe once you look a little more normal, I’ll consider it.”

Her gentle voice fell softly from above, and I had nothing left to say.

I knew exactly what she meant.

Her hand brushed through my hair lightly, and the tension in me began to melt away. And then I thought—would someone who didn’t trust me really do something like this?

That thought made my chest ache again.

“This is just because you looked so miserable, okay? Don’t read into it. There’s no deeper meaning.”

“You say that like you’re trying to convince yourself.”

“Maybe I am. It’s my excuse—to myself. You just don’t look like someone else anymore, Aisaka-kun. When I look at you, it’s like seeing my own reflection.”

Your reflection, huh. That was a fitting way to put it. For all our differences, we shared too many of the same wounds.

If we both knew the same pain, then neither of us would ever want to cause it again. That thought made it a little easier to accept the warmth she was offering.

Our breaths fell into rhythm, and my mind gradually calmed. The stiffness left my face.

“...I’m fine now.”

“Really?”

“Would I lie about that? I mean, yeah—no one likes showing weakness, but still.”

“After everything we’ve done, you’re still worried about that?”

“...Just let me go.”

I muttered, and Mamiya finally released my head. I lifted it from her chest, taking in a deep breath of open air. My heart was still pounding.

I turned my face away, mostly out of embarrassment.

I’d told her my past, and she’d understood.

I’d shown her my weak side—and she’d touched it gently, not with pity, but with warmth.

And now, we both knew things we couldn’t ever forget.

“Hey, Aisaka-kun. I want to believe in you. And I want you to believe in me. But… right now, I can’t.”

“I get it.”

“Still, if I betrayed you—spread those photos, twisted the story—only you’d be ruined.”

“Yeah.”

“...Aren’t you scared? That I might do it?”

“Not at all. Not one bit.”

I said it clearly.

It’s something you hear a lot in stories about bullying—the one who hurts forgets, while the one who’s hurt remembers. Mamiya and I both remembered that pain. That loneliness. That helplessness. And because we both knew it, we could never inflict it on someone else.

When she said I was her reflection, she wasn’t wrong.

That’s why I knew—she would never betray me.

Because she knew exactly how much betrayal hurt.

“...Then, to make me feel secure, can I have more blackmail material?”

“Even if you did, it wouldn’t change how I see you.”

“Still.”

Her voice was firm, but her expression wavered. She gripped her sleeve tightly, nervous.

Normally, I’d reject something like that outright. But if doing this helped her trust me—then maybe it was worth it.

If having proof of control gave her peace of mind, then maybe… that could be a form of trust too.

“...A photo, then?”

“Yeah. But you know, if we’re talking about a truly decisive photo… it’d have to be something way worse than you touching my chest, right?”

“Hey—don’t say it like that! I was doing my best not to think about it!”

“Oh, come on. It’s a win for you, isn’t it? You like that kind of thing, don’t you?”

“If I did, I wouldn’t be stuck in this mess to begin with...!”

“Fair point. Well then… I’m counting on you, okay?”

She handed me her phone, camera already open, and I accepted it stiffly, my pulse racing.

“So… what kind of picture are we taking, exactly?”

“...Why don’t you try slipping your hand under my skirt?”

As she said that, still sitting on my lap, she lifted her skirt just a little—revealing the black tights hugging her thighs.

The imagination of how they’d feel under my fingers flashed through my mind, and my eyes instinctively followed. A soft giggle escaped her lips.

I quickly cleared my throat and turned my gaze toward the wall.

Even if I had agreed to it, being teased like this was still painfully embarrassing.

Even carrying a distrust of the opposite sex, I’m still at that age where I can’t help but be interested in them to some degree. That contradiction made my head spin. Mamiya probably understood that too, but she seemed to be deliberately ignoring it.

So, I shoved those feelings back down.

"The criminal vibe in this setup just spiked all at once."

"That just makes it even better for blackmail, and I can feel safe too. Plus, Aisaka-kun can go home thinking, 'Hehe, so this is what a JK’s thigh feels like through tights…,' right?"

"That's definitely not something a teenage girl should be saying."

"But… high school boys do things like that, right?"

"If I say yes, that I fit into that category? It’s already awkward enough talking about this with guys, let alone with a girl. Generally speaking."

When I emphasized the last part, Mamiya rested her fingertips on her chin, pretending to ponder, "Is that how it is?"

Please, don’t bring up topics like that. I can only speak in general terms. Only someone really confident could talk about their own situation like that. And those people are probably just aiming for something.

“Well, whatever. For now, just try putting your hand between my thighs. We’ll talk after that.”

“Wha—don’t say that so casually! My brain’s gonna crash!”

"If we’re going to do it anyway, isn’t it better to just get it over with?"

“You have a point, but I don’t want to agree.”

“...If you can’t make up your mind, then I’ll just do it myself.”

Mamiya whispered softly by my ear.

Her warm, damp breath brushed against my earlobe, sending a shiver like static down my spine. There was a kind of irresistible charm in that act—something that felt like it could melt away reason itself. Even though we weren’t actually doing anything indecent, I couldn’t stop the tension and anticipation from swelling inside me.

After school, alone in the classroom with Mamiya—an objectively beautiful girl by anyone’s standards.

The air between us felt faintly tinted with a soft, rosy hue.

I could feel the screws of my rational mind slowly coming loose. Just as I was teetering on the edge of giving in, Mamiya’s hand grabbed my right wrist and pulled it toward her.

Its destination was obvious—the space between her thighs, hidden beneath her skirt and wrapped in black tights.

“You don’t have to hold back. And you don’t need to feel guilty either. I’m just using you on my own accord, Aisaka-kun. So, you’re not doing anything wrong.”

She said it in a tone that sounded almost serious, but actually believing that was another story entirely.

“...Doing something like this at school feels pretty wrong to me, though.”

“Then let’s call it a crime we share. Let’s do something bad together.”

“Don’t go pretending you weren’t part of it later.”

“Hmm, who knows~?”

Drawn in by Mamiya’s cheerful, rolling smile, my hand landed on her warm thigh, feeling that smooth, nylon texture unique to tights.

A wave of guilt welled up inside me. Overcome by remorse and instinctive resistance, I tried to pull my hand back—but Mamiya stopped me. Still, the moment my hand touched her thigh, she trembled slightly in response.

“You’re forcing yourself, aren’t you?”

“I’m not. I’m totally fine. It’s just… the way you touched me was kind of, you know, a little erotic.”

“That wasn’t even remotely my intention.”

“Then maybe it means you’re just naturally a bit of a pervert.”

“What frustrates me is that I can’t even deny it if I look at this scene objectively.”

No matter how you look at it, this situation—me touching Mamiya’s, or rather, a girl’s thigh—could only make me seem like the bad guy.

If someone who didn’t know the circumstances saw us right now, it would definitely look like a police matter… and my wrist would soon be adorned with a shiny pair of bracelets.

...No one’s watching us, right?

Feeling a vague sense of danger, I glanced out the window. The classroom across the courtyard was far enough that no one could possibly see what was happening here. I tried listening for any sounds in the hallway, but it was after school—most students were either in their clubs or already on their way home. No footsteps could be heard.

Relieved, I let out a quiet breath and lowered my left hand from my chest, only to meet Mamiya’s gaze. Her lips were slightly pouted, as if teasing me.

“You’ve got some nerve, Aisaka-kun, looking away from me even now.”

“I’m barely holding it together here.”

“I know. You’re not exactly good at pretending, after all. I can tell what you’re thinking about.”

“...Can’t really help it, can I?”

“Yeah, you can’t. You’re a boy, after all. But if that’s the case, I’d be happier if you were just more honest about it. That way, it feels like you’re really seeing me.”

Even though we were doing something that shouldn’t be happening, Mamiya’s voice remained soft and gentle, as if she were trying to make this inappropriate moment sound almost natural.

Mamiya’s hand guided mine.

The hem of her skirt gradually lifted, revealing the black fabric underneath. A passionate red inverted triangle came into view. The intricate embroidery appeared beneath the thin black tights.

The sweet sense of guilt and the rising excitement replaced my reason entirely.

After all, what I was seeing before my eyes was a hidden sanctuary that no one was ever meant to witness—and the unreal sight, combined with the warmth that spread vividly through my fingertips, pulled my drifting consciousness back to reality.

“...Maybe this is a little embarrassing after all,”

Mamiya whispered softly by my ear, her cheeks faintly flushed.

Her eyes were hazy, as if dazed by heat, and her plump, glossy pink lips carried an oddly seductive charm.

As she shifted her hips, the soft curve of her rear pressed directly against my thigh, sending a tantalizing sensation through me—and as my hand shifted slightly with it, the outer edges of my index and middle fingers brushed against something they shouldn’t have…

"...Ah!!"

Mamiya let out a faint, delicate moan, arching her back.

Her slightly parted lips, the trembling of her body as if trying to hold something back, and the tightly shut eyelids—all of it spoke eloquently of what Mamiya had just felt.

I already knew, almost instinctively, what it was that I had touched. And because of that, I couldn’t find the right words to say. Every thought that came to mind, I swallowed one after another.

There was still a faint trace of warmth and moisture lingering on my fingertips—and that alone told me this wasn’t good. The tiny fragment of reason still left in me screamed it instinctively.

And as if to confirm that fear, Mamiya slowly opened her eyes—

"…Aisaka-kun, you’re naughty."

Her gaze blamed me, but her lowered eyes betrayed a hint of pleasure. Her dark, melting eyes reflected only me.

Even the remnants of my reason began to melt in response.

Then, Mamiya’s mouth moved closer to my ear.

"Let's do something even more… amazing. If we take a picture of that, I think I could trust you."

"…Y-Yeah, I guess."

I couldn’t answer in any other way.

My head felt like it was melting, and all sense of restraint had vanished.

My hand moved.

This time, I moved my right hand deliberately to her inner thigh, focusing the smartphone camera there.

The red underwear adorned with an inverted triangle, the black tights hugging her skin, and the shadows cast by the pleated skirt hem. Our breaths mingled in the classroom, sometimes making the chair’s metal creak under our combined weight.

Bodies pressed tightly together over the uniform.

Her chest pressed against me, soft and warm, making my heart race.

Each time the head resting on my shoulder moved, fine strands of hair brushed against my cheek, carrying a sweet scent that slipped into my lungs with every breath. I knew I shouldn’t stare directly—it felt forbidden—but my consciousness was being drawn in by that dangerous, intoxicating charm.

I swallowed hard, hearing the sound of saliva sliding down my throat.

Between Mamiya and me, intentions blurred. It felt like we were suspended from reality.

"This is... kind of naughty, isn’t it?"

"…Who do you think’s making me do this?"

"Maybe I’m starting to get a little of that feeling too."

"I’m sweating buckets though."

"Your eyes are serious, despite that."

"Next time, I’m really going to pounce."

"…As long as you look at me properly, it’s fine."

A sweet temptation.

She gently bit my earlobe, and a warm, slippery sensation traced over it, invading my senses.

I didn’t need to see to know it was Mamiya’s tongue. My throat tightened, and all I could do was let out a muffled sound.

Maybe pleased by the fact that I couldn’t respond at all, Mamiya let out a soft, mischievous chuckle and ran her tongue over her lips, moistening them.

"Give me something in return."

At those provocative words, something inside me finally snapped.

I stroked the top of her thigh, bounced the firm flesh with my fingers, and teased toward the inverted triangle.

Mamiya didn’t resist. Instead, she twisted her body slightly and clung to me as if trying to endure something.

Her nails pressed into my back. It wasn’t painful through the blazer, but I could clearly feel her presence through the touch.

Eventually, my hand reached the red underwear. Slightly warm and wet, it hit me that what I was doing was absolutely forbidden.

I met Mamiya’s eyes. She gave me a small nod.

A look that said, “More… please.”

I slid my fingers along the contours of her most intimate part. The heat burned through, blurring the line between my hand and her body.

The moisture increased as I went deeper.

Watching the camera screen, it almost didn’t feel real.

Yet, my eyes saw it, and my mind teetered on the edge of madness.

"H-Hya… w-wait, stop!"

Mamiya’s voice rang out almost like a scream, snapping my scattered reason back into place.

When I finally looked at the situation again—or rather, the disastrous scene we were in—I asked,

"…Are you sure it’s okay to take a picture of this?"

"Just do it already! This is way more embarrassing than I imagined and… well, you probably already know without me having to say it, but—"

Mamiya mumbled the rest of her words, but I understood exactly what she meant.

We silently agreed, and I pressed the shutter as instructed.

The unreal scene was captured exactly on the screen.

My hand touching her red underwear through the tights.

But from this, you can’t tell who’s the one forcing who.

I thought for a moment, switched to the front camera, adjusted so her intimate part and our faces were both visible, and pressed the shutter again. This time, there was undeniable proof.

As long as this photo existed, I could never go against Mamiya.

"…This is fine, right?"

I pulled my hand back and returned the smartphone. She inspected the screen carefully before giving a small nod.

“What I trust… is this photo. As long as I have it, you won’t be able to go against me, Aisaka-kun.”

“And as long as you trust that photo, I can trust that you won’t betray me, Mamiya.”

“...When you actually say it out loud, we sound pretty twisted, don’t we?”

“Yeah. If anyone found out, our school life would be over.”

Mamiya, who hides her secret as a ura-aka girl and acts like a perfect honor student.

And me, who accidentally found out that secret and ended up holding something that could completely destroy her.

There’s no way trust could ever exist between us under those circumstances.

But still, through this photo—something that will never deteriorate—we can indirectly trust each other.

We’re not trusting the person themselves.

We’re trusting the consequences of our actions and the past that led us here.

“...Anyway, can you get off me now? My legs are seriously going numb.”

“Eeh? Can’t we stay like this a little longer?”

“My legs are falling asleep.”

“...You really shouldn’t have said that, you know?”

“Then I’ll just force you off.”

“Geez, fine.”

With a light sigh, Mamiya finally slid off my lap.

Then she walked over to the window, turned back toward me, and put a finger to her lips.

“—It’s a secret, okay? If you tell anyone, I won’t forgive you.”

She said it with that knowing smile of hers.

There’s no way I could ever tell anyone about this. Mamiya knows that too, and by this point, there’s no real need to drive the point home.

This was just a formality—a confirmation of something we both already understood.

“Of course. You too, Mamiya. I’m serious.”

“Hmm, I dunno. As long as Aisaka-kun doesn’t do anything weird, it’ll be fine, right?”

“You do realize you’re the one making me do weird things, right?”

“You were totally into it though. Pushing your hand like that… It was seriously embarrassing, you know?”

The evening sunlight streaming through the window painted Mamiya’s cheeks a soft red.

Her long lashes lowered slightly as she looked down, and her moist gaze made my breath hitch as the memory vividly came back to me.

I knew it even then—something had definitely gone wrong inside me. If we had kept going like that, the mood might’ve carried us to a place we couldn’t come back from. Even now, I still feel that chill thinking about it.

Not just me—Mamiya wouldn’t have wanted things to go that far either.

“...I’m never doing that again. That went way too far.”

“Yeah. That was a bit too intense. I can’t even post the photo with you in it on my ura-aka account. I guess… I got a little carried away too.”

“As long as you understand that, fine. So, shall we head home?”

“Let’s go. How about stopping somewhere on the way? I want something sweet.”

“You’ll get fat.”

“Girls look cuter with a little softness, don’t you think?”

“...No idea.”

“And just where exactly were you looking, Aisaka-kun? Hm?”

Mamiya slightly lifted the hem of her skirt, and I quickly turned my face away, trying to convince myself that this was for the best.

“...Come on. Let’s go grab our stuff.”

“Yeah.”

With that soft, relaxed smile still on her face, Mamiya walked beside me as we headed back to the classroom, searching for a place to stop by on the way home.