“WOULD you like to return to the mansion?” The sound of Shindo’s worried voice snapped Satsuki back to reality. “You’ve been lost in thought for a while now. If you aren’t feeling well...”
Shindo was kneeling before her.
“Shindo...” Satsuki whispered, her voice coming out weaker than intended.
“Please...sit here...” She patted the spot next to her on the sofa.
Accepting her invitation, Shindo slightly bobbed his head before sitting. In the same manner he always used when something troubled her, he gently draped one arm over her shoulders to pull her close in hopes of offering her comfort. However...
Jolt! Satsuki’s body gave a jerk and began trembling. Placing her hand on Shindo’s chest, she hastily pushed him away.
“...Miss?” Shindo asked, probably the more surprised of the two. This was a first for her.
“Ah... I’m sorry... It’s nothing...” It was also unlike her to look so frail as she apologized.
Satsuki was currently with Shindo in the Tsujikawa private suite on the fifth floor of the main building. Shindo informed administration she was retiring to her private suite for a while due to the mental and physical fatigue incurred from a run in with a “suspicious character” that morning. Seeing as the Tsujikawa heiress just underwent a traumatic experience at school, missing class wouldn’t be held against her.
Nearly an hour passed since they first entered the room, but Satsuki still seemed troubled as she wracked her brain over something. If she left for class in her current state, Shindo would worry sick.
“It’s not like I’m sick. I’m fine...” Satsuki reassured him. Grabbing the lapel of Shindo’s suit with the hand that spurned him, she slowly leaned onto his chest. Once more, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
In truth, Satsuki was desperately struggling to feign composure. It was normal for Shindo to hold her against his chest. Satsuki had grown accustomed to the feeling of his arms around her.
But when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her toward him, the beating of her heart escalated more than ever before. Her temperature instantly skyrocketed; one particular emotion appeared and disappeared inside of Satsuki with unbelievable frequency. Embarrassment...
It was that way earlier this morning as well. Shindo always displayed his loyalty with a kiss on her right hand, but that time it set her heart racing like never before.
...What am I going to do...? Satsuki fretted. She knew the root of this behavior. Satsuki had allowed herself to view Shindo as a man.
As I am now...I can’t interact with Shindo like I did before.
Simply leaning against his chest with his arms around her while he stroked her hair was enough to make Satsuki want to cry from the heat rising to her cheeks. If Shindo noticed her flushed cheeks, he’d undoubtedly worry that she had a fever. Satsuki was certain of it.
“You seem a bit hot. Do you have a fever?” True to her fears, it didn’t slip past him!
His question only made her pulse beat all the faster. She couldn’t believe she was unnerved by something so trivial.
“Miss!” Shindo snapped harshly when she not only refused to answer him, but also hung her head with eyes downcast. He put his hand under her chin and forced her to look up at him.
“Ah...!” Satsuki bleated in confusion. It garnered an unusually surprised stare from Shindo.
Cheeks burning red, Satsuki looked up at Shindo apprehensively despite knowing it would probably make him worry. Yet instead of expressing concern, he knitted his brows in a clear display of displeasure.
“Did that kid say something to you?” he demanded.
“Huh?”
“Did he say something to trouble you? Or did he do something?” he pressed in a stern voice. He almost sounded angry. “What did he do to make you look like that?”
“Um...Shindo?”
“It was a mistake to simply let him ride off unscathed. Who in the world was he, anyway? It seemed like Miss Misakimori knew him...” Shindo vented before cutting himself short upon noticing how Satsuki was staring at him in stunned silence. “...I’m sorry... That slipped out.”
“Shindo...?”
It wasn’t like Shindo to speak in the heat of the moment.
“That...look on your face...brought it out of me...” he confessed. He pulled his hand away from her chin. Satsuki didn’t drop her head back down. With cheeks flaring, she stared intently at him.
In a somewhat awkward expression uncharacteristic of him, he fumbled for words as he explained, “He...brought out such a beautiful expression on you...”
Her lips were dyed pink. Her eyes looked melancholic. She gave an air of fragility that demanded he extend a protective hand. The one bringing such beauty out of Satsuki was none other than Shindo...yet he was oblivious of that fact. Why, he was convinced it was that boy. As a result, he was fraught with jealousy...
“Shindo...listen,” Satsuki began. She didn’t know that the emotion he was feeling was jealousy. With the door to her heart closed, it was impossible for her to feel his emotions. But as she peered at him, she felt her entire body tingle with excitement... She could feel her soul begin to soar.
“Miss...” He slightly tightened his hand over her shoulder. They were on the verge of recreating the same sweet atmosphere as before... It was going to be like that special moment.
Knock, knock... There was a rapping at the door. “Satsuki, are you in there?” Alice asked.