Confinement King

When we came back from the nearest station in the evening, the public announcement urging children to go home was echoing in the distance.

　It was the end of summer, the last rays of the sun.

　The heat of the evening sun is not as intense as that of the daytime, but rather languid and dull, creating a murky, uncertain atmosphere.

　Currently, Saori-chan is holding my index finger.

　I followed her steps as we slowly made our way through the streets to the banks of a river running through the rice fields.

　By this time, she had lost much of her timidness.

　Anyway, she is really like a small animal, getting shy even to me just because we haven't seen each other for a few days after the radio gymnastics.

　As we walked in silence, I could hear her humming faintly.

　It is a children's song about the sunset.

　I felt nostalgic, thinking that it had been a long time since I had heard such a song.

　The grass is still green, and the riverbank is tinged with red.

　I could still smell the green of summer.

　And with the background music of her faint singing voice and the chirping of a Japanese nightingale.. We walked home under thin clouds the color of rotten mandarins.

　We're not middle schoolers, and it's not the time of day when we need to rush home, but I can't drag Saori-chan around until late, not with her parents and my mom.

　I glanced at her.

　The ribbon on her chest flutters slightly against the wind. Her arms, exposed to the red light, are as white as light snow even though it is summer.

「Ahhh, the summer vacation is over today...」

　I said, and Saori-chan smiled slightly and spoke.

「Maybe... I'm happy」

「Really?」

「Yes, because tomorrow I'll be able to go to school with Onii-chan every morning again」

　I'm so happy that she likes me so much that my cheeks naturally relax and I smile.

「I'll pick you up tomorrow, too」

「Yes, I'll be waiting」

　From that point on, we were silent again. We didn't say a word to each other, just kept walking together.

　Finally, we entered a neighborhood and arrived in front of Saori-chan's house. In a planter next to a hedge, a pale purple pentas was swaying faintly.

　As Saori puts her hand on the gate, she slowly turns around.

「Um... Onii-chan」

　Then, she made a gesture as if she was going to ask me something, so I followed her back and moved my face toward hers.

　At that moment...

I felt a soft, wet "kiss" on my cheek.

When I raised my head in surprise, I saw Saori-chan's face turn bright red and she said, "S-See you tomorrow!" .

　I unconsciously put my hand on my cheek and watched her walk away.

　◇　◇　◇

　As soon as I closed the front door, I leaned against the door and slumped down.

（I-I did it. I did it...）

　I feel like I've used up my courage for the rest of my life. My knees are shaking. My heart is beating so hard it hurts.

　It's not a spur-of-the-moment action, it's something I've been thinking about since before I left home today, but I think it's a bold decision.

　That's right. I think I made a bolder decision than the admiral of the MSX version of the Admiral Decision.

（Tora tora tora, we succeeded in a surprise attack! I-I'm sure this will make Onii-chan more aware of me...）

　I clenched my fists tightly in my chest, and at the same time――

「What are you doing, there?」

「Pnya!?」

　When my mother peeked out from the kitchen, I hit the back of my head on the doorknob and crouched down on the spot.

　◇　◇　◇

　When I returned to my room in a daze, Lili, who had been reading a manga while floating in the air, tilted her head. 

「Are you bitten by a mosquito, Devi?」

「What?」

「You keep putting your hand on your cheek, Devi」

「No, it's just... a slightly unexpected encounter...」

　That's right. It's only a kiss. But it's still a kiss.

　I didn't know how to respond to Saori-chan's behavior, and I was surprised at how bewildered I was.

　To put it simply, Fujiwara-san's sudden blowjob and Saori-chan's kissing were enough to startle me.

「Hey, Lili」

「What, Devi?」

「Does Saori-chan like me?」

　As soon as I asked that…

「Buhoh!?* *Cough*, *Cough*, *Cough*」

　Lili started to choke.

「...Are you okay?」

「You suddenly said something creepy, Devi. Are you Maiden, Devi?」

「Well, when we went out together today, I sorta get that feeling...」

「It's an illusion, Devi」

「But...」

「That's a common misconception among ugly people! That's the first step to becoming a stalker, Devi!」

　I don't know what Lili is so upset about, but she does get upset, and if I tell her that Saori is not like on her mind, she might not be able to recover.

「N-Never mind that, Fumi Fumi! Let's get to "the bedroom", Devi!」

「Hmm? Why?」

　School starts tomorrow, and I thought I'd go to bed early at least today. That's why I didn't invite anyone over tonight.

　But Lili gave me a dumbfounded look and spoke.

「Don't be silly, Devi. From a while ago, a couple of girls have been waiting for Fumi Fumi to come home from the date, Devi」