Chapter 126: Blushing Rena-chan

Rena-chan’s fair face had gradually turned a delicate shade of pink, her cheeks carrying a blush as vivid as the evening clouds.

Being held in Kitahara Chiki’s arms was an entirely unfamiliar experience for her.

She had never been particularly close to men, much less found herself in such an intimate situation. Yet now, with Kitahara’s arms supporting her back and legs, she was being carried effortlessly toward the second floor.

His embrace was surprisingly warm and reassuring.

Rena could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest, along with the rhythmic beating of his heart. Each beat was clear enough for her to notice, creating an inexplicable sense of reassurance.

She instinctively shifted her head slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position.

Kitahara noticed the movement and adjusted his hold.

"Are you comfortable? Let me know if you’re feeling uncomfortable anywhere."

"I’m fine, Kitahara-kun..."

Rena answered quietly, her voice considerably softer than usual.

She couldn’t help feeling embarrassed. After all, she was already an adult, yet here she was, being carried upstairs like a child who couldn’t walk properly.

Still, there was something else that surprised her even more.

Kitahara Chiki was considerably stronger than she had expected.

He had lifted her so naturally that she barely felt any sudden movement. Even while climbing the stairs, his steps remained steady and unhurried. His breathing showed no noticeable signs of strain, as though carrying another person was hardly a difficult task for him.

Rena had never paid much attention to his physical strength before.

She had always regarded him as a capable and reliable man, but seeing him demonstrate such effortless strength firsthand gave her a slightly different impression.

He really was quite dependable.

For some reason, that thought made her cheeks grow even warmer.

Being carried by someone was supposed to feel embarrassing, especially when that person wasn’t a family member. However, the longer she remained in Kitahara’s arms, the more she became accustomed to his warmth.

A strange sense of security gradually settled over her.

It was almost as though she could temporarily put aside all her worries and simply allow someone else to take care of things.

She had never experienced anything quite like this before.

This was the first time Rena had been carried in a man’s arms, and the unfamiliar sensation left her feeling somewhat dazed.

Her thoughts became scattered, and she found herself paying attention to little things she would ordinarily have overlooked.

The warmth of his clothes, the steady rhythm of his footsteps, and the reassuring strength of his arms all contributed to an experience that felt strangely dreamlike.

Meanwhile, Kitahara was completely unaware of the complicated thoughts passing through Rena’s mind.

He simply concentrated on carrying her safely upstairs.

However, when he glanced down and noticed her increasingly rosy cheeks, a faint smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

She seemed considerably quieter than before.

Perhaps she was still embarrassed about needing assistance.

Kitahara decided not to tease her about it.

After all, she had just finished an unfamiliar exercise session and was clearly exhausted. There was no reason to make her even more uncomfortable.

By the time they reached the second floor, several notifications had already appeared in his mind.

"Hayami Rena’s favorability +1."

"Hayami Rena’s favorability +1."

"Hayami Rena’s favorability +1."

...

The repeated notifications caught Kitahara’s attention.

He glanced at the system interface and couldn’t help raising his eyebrows slightly.

He hadn’t expected such an ordinary act of assistance to produce so many favorability increases.

It seemed that Rena’s impression of him was improving considerably.

Thinking about this, Kitahara became rather pleased.

He had originally intended to help her because she was genuinely struggling to walk. However, the system’s response was certainly a welcome bonus.

Still, he didn’t intend to become complacent.

Building a relationship required more than a few considerate gestures. What mattered was earning someone’s trust through consistent actions over time.

With that thought in mind, he continued toward the bedroom.

...

Just as Kitahara was approaching the bedroom, footsteps sounded from the opposite end of the hallway.

Hayami Rina had finished preparing herself to go out. Having changed into fresh clothes and tidied her appearance, she was now making her way downstairs to pick up Aya.

She had been in something of a hurry, but when she turned the corner and saw the two people approaching, she momentarily slowed down.

"Oh?"

Her gaze landed on Kitahara, who was carrying her younger sister in his arms.

Rina immediately understood what had happened.

Rena must have been too exhausted to walk properly after the dance lesson, so Kitahara had decided to carry her upstairs.

Rather than appearing surprised, Rina’s expression became noticeably warmer.

She looked at the two of them for a moment before giving Kitahara an approving smile.

"Thank you for looking after Rena, Kitahara-kun."

"It’s nothing. She’s still quite tired, so I’m just helping her get some rest."

"That’s good. I’ll leave her in your care for a little while, then."

Rina glanced at her younger sister and smiled.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have much time to spare. Aya would soon be waiting for her at kindergarten, and she still needed to make the trip there.

After giving Kitahara another grateful look, she continued toward the staircase.

However, Rena’s reaction was considerably different.

The moment she noticed her older sister approaching, her eyes widened slightly.

Her face, which had already been tinged with a faint blush, immediately became even redder.

Oh no!

Big Sister had seen them!

Rena suddenly felt as though she had been caught doing something embarrassing.

Although there was nothing particularly unusual about Kitahara helping her after the dance lesson, being carried in his arms while her older sister happened to witness the scene made her feel inexplicably awkward.

She instinctively lowered her head.

Then, almost without thinking, she buried her flushed face against Kitahara’s chest, hoping that doing so would somehow make the situation less embarrassing.

Kitahara noticed her sudden movement.

He looked down at the young woman in his arms, then glanced toward Rina, who was already walking away.

A faint, amused smile appeared on his face.

What was this reaction?

Had Rena really become so embarrassed just because her sister had seen her being carried?

Rina, meanwhile, didn’t seem to attach any particular significance to the scene. She merely assumed that her younger sister was exhausted and feeling a little shy about needing help.

She didn’t stop to question them.

After all, she trusted Kitahara completely.

"All right, I’m heading out now! I’ll see you both later!"

"Take care. Be careful on the way."

Kitahara responded with a smile.

Rina waved briefly before disappearing down the stairs.

Once the sound of her footsteps faded, Kitahara lowered his gaze toward Rena again.

"Rena-chan, you can lift your head now. Your sister has already left."

Rena remained silent for another moment.

Only after confirming that Rina was no longer nearby did she slowly raise her head.

Her cheeks were still red.

Kitahara couldn’t help finding her reaction amusing.

"What’s wrong? Were you embarrassed because your sister saw me carrying you?"

"N-No! It’s not like that..."

Rena immediately denied it, although her hesitant response hardly sounded convincing.

Kitahara chuckled softly.

"All right, I won’t tease you anymore. Let’s get you somewhere comfortable first."

With that, he continued toward the bedroom.

Rena lowered her gaze again, quietly hoping that her face would return to normal before she had to look at him again.

Meanwhile, Kitahara maintained his steady pace, carrying her the remaining distance.

It seemed that helping Rena recover from her first dance lesson had turned into a rather interesting experience for both of them.