To say the least, Kanade Natsukawa had never imagined he'd be pursued so fervently by a girl. Her relentless passion and bold confession were what ultimately brought them together—it felt almost absurd, like he'd stumbled into a relationship by accident.
Kanade was used to being the one making the effort, chasing after others, only to be met with rejection time and again. Eventually, he gave up, deciding to let life take its course. If he found someone suitable, that'd be great; if not, staying single wasn't a big deal.
But then came Miko Iino, a kouhai who completely turned his world upside down.
Initially, it was all very innocent. He'd helped her out a bit as a senior—mentoring her as any good senpai would. He had even stepped down as student council president to focus on exams, thinking his role in her life had come to a natural end.
Yet, Miko kept finding reasons to approach him. Whether under the guise of asking about council matters or seeking advice, she boldly carved her presence into his life, leaving an indelible mark.
Miko's assertiveness was unlike anything Kanade had encountered before. Where other girls might have hesitated or acted coy, Miko was direct and determined. Before he knew it, she had brought her luggage over and practically moved into his apartment under the pretense:
"My family's hardly ever home, and it's scary being alone… Plus, there's been someone suspicious following me lately, so I need my senpai to protect me!"
Kanade couldn't refuse. Protecting her was one thing, but the problem arose when "protecting" turned into her dragging him into bed with her.
Wasn't he supposed to be an exam candidate?!
Though his academic abilities meant he wasn't in danger of failing, her "antics" still disrupted his study routine. Worse, Miko found creative ways to intertwine his exam preparation with her interests—like using difficult practice questions to create scenarios for their increasingly ridiculous activities.
Each correct answer became an excuse to "unlock" a new… position.
Kanade had tried to protest, but by the time he walked into his exams, he couldn't look at certain questions without involuntary physical reactions.
"I swear, you have no idea how much I suffered during the exam! I couldn't even sit up straight. I had to hunch over the whole time to avoid drawing attention!" Kanade vented to Miko after his exams.
Had it not been for his sheer determination, he might have botched the entire test.
But despite his complaints, he'd actually performed remarkably well. His results were good enough to secure a place in Tokyo University's medical program, though he was aiming for its management school instead—so there was no risk of rejection.
Still, Kanade felt the need to reprimand Miko. If he didn't set boundaries, who knew what kind of chaos she'd unleash next?
"Then doesn't that mean we should've done it a few more times before the exam?" Miko teased, blinking her big eyes at him innocently. After downing a gulp of beer, she let out a contented sigh that sounded more like a grizzled old man's than a teenage girl's. "Ahhh, beer just hits differently this way!"
"That's not the point! If we'd done that before the exam, I might've completely lost focus!" Kanade scolded, flicking her forehead. "And stop drinking so much! I only bought that beer to celebrate finishing my exams, not for you to guzzle it all!"
At first, Miko had seemed like an innocent, harmless kouhai. Even when she first moved into his apartment, Kanade hadn't found her too outrageous. But that changed one fateful day when he'd tried to teach her a lesson about being too trusting.
He'd hoped to show her the dangers of drinking carelessly at parties by encouraging her to have a drink under his supervision.
It backfired spectacularly.
To his shock, Miko turned out to have a terrifyingly high alcohol tolerance. Where Kanade—a decent drinker himself—was knocked flat, Miko remained unfazed, barely even tipsy. She seemed capable of out-drinking several grown men.
"Senpai, don't worry about it. I'm almost old enough to drink anyway!" Miko said, rubbing her forehead dramatically as if Kanade's flick had hurt her.
"That's not the point! Drinking too much at your age can stunt your growth!" Kanade warned earnestly.
He knew she was self-conscious about her height. Early in their relationship, she'd often complained about how short she was. Even with high heels, the height difference between them made her look more like his younger sister than his girlfriend.
"Growth doesn't matter anymore," Miko said with a shrug, giving her chest an exaggerated squeeze. "This part's already big enough, don't you think? Besides… Senpai likes petite girls anyway, right? Especially since most of the time, we use… um… 'carrying' positions."
"Stop right there!" Kanade barked, flicking her forehead again.
He couldn't believe how shameless Miko had become. Where was the proper, serious girl he'd first met? The one who would blush furiously at even a hint of teasing?
Despite her small frame, Miko's appetite—both for food and… other activities—was insatiable. She could devour enough to satisfy three people in one sitting, and as for the latter…
Well, it usually took two or three rounds for her to be content.
Two or three rounds for him, that is.
Even if Kanade tried to resist, she'd persistently demand his attention until he had no choice but to relent. Thankfully, his regular exercise routine kept him in shape; otherwise, he might've collapsed from exhaustion long ago.
Still, he couldn't understand how such a small body could house so much energy. It was like she had an extra-dimensional stomach and could summon boundless reserves whenever needed.
"Oh, by the way," Kanade said, breaking her out of her playful mood. "I got a call from your parents when I went to the convenience store earlier. They want us to visit them for a few days. Apparently, they've taken some time off and hope you'll spend some time at home with them."
"No way! They'll just lecture me the whole time. I'm not going!" Miko pouted, puffing out her cheeks. "I want to stay with Senpai. Wherever you are, I'll be there too!"
"Don't be like that," Kanade said gently, stroking her hair. "I'll be going with you. Your parents even mentioned wanting to talk to me, so we'll stay together while we're there."
"Wait, really? You already said yes?!" Miko exclaimed, suddenly suspicious.
Kanade didn't confirm directly. Instead, he simply said, "They're your parents, Miko."
"So what? It's not like they've ever paid much attention to me before!" she muttered, clearly reluctant.
"You've told me yourself—it's because they were busy with work. Their way of showing love is just… different."
"Well, I don't need their love now. I already get enough… 'love' from you." Miko licked her lips suggestively, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
"That's not the same thing," Kanade replied, scratching his head awkwardly. Something about her tone made him uneasy. "Tell you what—if you agree to visit, I'll grant you one request. Anything you want."
"Anything?" Miko's eyes lit up.
"Anything," Kanade promised.
Miko wasted no time. She pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and whispering in his ear.
At first, Kanade didn't react. But as her words sank in, his face turned pale.
"Wait… from now until sunrise? That's impossible!"
"You said anything! And this is what I want!"
"Still, that's—"
"Come on, Senpai! It's not like you've been sneaking off to… relieve yourself without me, right? You'll be fine!"
Before Kanade could protest further, Miko was already pulling at his clothes, her determination unwavering.
Kanade could only sigh in defeat. As much as he wanted to stay firm… his body refused to cooperate.
After all, no matter how strong his resolve… some things just wouldn't listen.