Episode 270: The Usual Thing

「Kazunari-san, what happened!?」

Sara-san comes running, raising her voice in surprise after Hanako-san called out to her.

It really isn’t a major injury, but thinking that my own clumsiness caused this makes me feel bad for her.

「Kazunari, show me your hand!!」

The usually calm Hanako-san rushes to take my hand as if she’s in a panic.

I don’t really mind showing her, but for an injury this small, it’s a bit…

「Kazunari-san, please show me your hand!」

「No, it’s not anything big…」

「Just show us already!!」

「Y-Yes!!」

Yeah, I knew it.

I can’t defy these two!

Being crowded by the people I can’t say no to, rank one and three (Mayumi-san is number two), there’s no way I could resist. So I obediently held out my left hand, and Sara-san touched it gently as if she were touching something fragile. She held it as if wrapping it in warmth and raised it to a position where she could see it clearly.

…What if she says I’m being dramatic for such a tiny scratch?

I checked it myself just in case, but I really didn’t think it was a big deal, just a little blood. But Sara-san stared at the wound, furrowing her brows in concern.

Seeing that expression on her face… I felt so angry at myself for making someone so precious to me worry like this… I’m a real idiot!

「…I think first aid will be enough for something like this.」

Hanako-san, peeking at the wound from the side, seemed to judge that it was light. I agreed with her, and if I’m being honest, I thought it was fine to just leave it. To put it bluntly, it’s the kind of thing that heals if you just lick it.

「The nurse’s office… no, the hospital…」

But Sara-san didn’t see it that way. Her face looked like she was about to cry, and knowing I was the reason for it made me want to knock myself out.

「Wife, first aid for now.」

「Right, um…」

「If you cook regularly, you must do this much yourself, right, Wife?」

「Eh? Yes, well, that’s true, but…」

Normally, that’s common sense, but I can’t imagine Sara-san ever making a mistake like that. At least, I’ve never witnessed a scene like that even once.

But if Sara-san were to ever cut her finger… I don’t even want to think about it, but I’d definitely make a huge scene…

Ah… I see.

This feeling I just felt might be exactly what Sara-san is feeling right now. Ugh… that makes me feel even worse.

「Sara-san, I’m okay. This is nothing.」

In fact, the wound really wasn’t a big deal. So I made sure to emphasize that I was fine as much as possible. I put on a smile so Sara-san would feel at least a little relieved.

I felt like it was starting to sting a bit, but that was about the extent of it.

The bleeding would probably stop soon anyway…

「Kazunari-san, are you truly okay? If you are lying, it is a no-no, alright?」

Sara-san asked, staring straight into my eyes. Since she always sees through my thoughts so easily, she should know I’m not lying. Even so, the fact that she isn’t satisfied just shows how much she’s worrying about me.

「S-So cute!?」

「Wait, that was cheating, wasn’t it!? Using that ‘no-no’ with Satsukawa-senpai’s character?」

「Puff, puff... this rom-com is even better than expected, I can’t take it…」

「No, you guys, Takanashi-kun is injured…」

「…………Sigh」

「…The moe power is so high I could die.」

「Damn it, I wanted Satsukawa-senpai to say that to me too!」

「If I got injured, maybe just a little… nah, nevermind…」

「Is Takanashi okay?」

「It’s better not to do anything unnecessary. If you cut in there, Satsukawa-senpai and Hanasaki-san will kill you.」

「Haha, that’s a rare joke for you, Kawamura.」

「Do you think I’m joking?」

「「…………」」

What should I do… I can’t exactly pull my arm away by force, but if we stay like this, the cooking class will be delayed again.

The whole class is watching us, and the entire process has ground to a halt because of me.

「Sara-san, I’m really fine. Something like this heals if you just lick it.」

「Wife, Kazunari said it himself, and the wound really does look light.」

「Yes… I suppose so.」

Between my persuasion and Hanako-san’s backup, Sara-san finally nodded. She still wouldn’t let go of my hand, but her expression seemed to have calmed down at least a little.

Good. I was at the point where I couldn’t forgive myself if I kept that look on Sara-san’s face any longer… I’ll have to be really careful from now on.

「But you shouldn’t just leave it. Kazunari doesn’t want you making a big deal out of it, so why don’t you just do what you do when you’re by yourself?」

「I… see. If you are alright with that, Kazunari-san, then I…」

「If it makes you feel better, Sara-san, then that’s fine with me.」

If that was enough for Sara-san to be satisfied, I had no objections. Since it was business as usual, I figured the treatment would be something simple.

「Understood. Then, Kazunari-san, please leave it to me.」

Sara-san offered a small smile and moved my left hand toward the sink to wash the wound. After she finished washing it thoroughly with water, she pulled a handkerchief out of her apron pocket and dabbed it gently… a handkerchief!?

「Sara-san! You’ll get blood on your handkerchief…」

「Kazunari-san, didn’t we promise you would leave it to me?」

「Ugh…」

I’m pretty sure I heard somewhere that bloodstains won’t come out even if you wash them. A tissue or something would have been fine…

Sara-san carefully wiped my index finger without a single look of displeasure. However, the bleeding hadn’t completely stopped yet, and red began to seep from the wound as soon as she finished wiping.

Sara-san tucked her handkerchief back into her pocket, then brought my hand, which she was still holding, toward her face. She stared intently at the wound as if confirming the bleeding… and then, she just chomp…

「Mnh…」

Chu…

……………..huh?

「「「 !!!!!!?????? 」」」

Eh…?

What…?

Chomp… did she say chomp?

Did she just chomp it?

Eh… eh… eh?

W-What… what what… what? What was that?

Whaaaaaaaaatttttt!!!!????

「Mnh…」

Chu…

Wha-wha-wha, what what what, no no no, calm down… calm down, calm down, pull yourself together, me!!

In times like this, think logically, logically, logically!!!

I told Sara-san the injury was no big deal. Hanako-san understood it was just a light scratch. So she agreed that medical treatment or anything dramatic wasn’t necessary. She said doing what Sara-san usually does was fine, so I said that was fine if it satisfied her.

Oh, I see!

I thought to myself that it would heal if you just licked it. So it’s not strange at all if Sara-san does that normally.

What was I even thinking? It makes perfect sense.

Hahahaha…

…As if that’s even possibllllleeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

「…Eeeeeeeeh.」

「Wha… wha, wha, what is… that?」

「…Whoa… she’s… actually doing it!?」

「………Gulp」

「…Ah… ah… ah.」

「…It’s a lie… it’s a dream, a dream, a dream…」

「…Ha, haha, no no, my Goddess wouldn’t do something like…」

「…St-Stop… stop it…」

「Sara-san!?」

「Mnh…」

Chu… Chu… Chu…

Sara-san closed her eyes and took my fingertip into her mouth as if she were kissing it. The wet sound coming from those cute lips… the sensation…

This is bad. I don’t want to think about how it’s bad, so I definitely won’t, and I definitely won’t say it out loud, but if I had to say anything, it’s just「It’s bad!!」

That’s all I can say!!

「Wha-wha-wha-wha-wha…」

Hanako-san, standing beside us, was speechless with a look of pure shock. Her gaze was completely fixed on Sara-san’s mouth… well, of course. It would be impossible not to be shocked…

「…Mmph.」

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sh-She licked it!!??

Just now, Sara-san’s tongue definitely…

「Mnh… mnh…」

Chu… Chu… Chu…

Aaaaaaaaah…

Sara-san’s tongue moved as if gently caressing the wound twice, three times… no, stop thinking about it!!!!!

Empty your mind!!

M-My heart is a clear mirror…

Chu…

I’m happy, but please stop!?

I’m happy, but please stop!?

I’m happy, I’m happy, I’m happy!!!

「Mnh…」

After however long she’d been doing that, Sara-san’s tongue stopped moving over my fingertip. It felt like an instant, yet like a long time had passed…

And with a faint wet sound, my index finger slowly emerged from Sara-san’s mouth.

I couldn’t believe the sight, the shock was too much, and my heartbeat was at its absolute peak…

Now that it was over, my understanding of what just happened finally started to catch up. Recalling what she’d done, I felt my face turn beet red in an instant, like a water heater.

Ugh… Sara-san… this is going way too far, no matter how you look at it…

「…Is this enough?」

After doing all that, Sara-san didn’t seem particularly bothered. Even if it’s something she usually does… but she only did it for my sake, and I don’t think she had any other motives… no, she actually didn’t, I bet.

「A… um… Sara-san?」

「Fufu… it’s a bit late for this, but I’m feeling a little embarrassed now.」

Where!?

I almost shouted the retort, but now that she mentioned it, her cheeks did seem a bit flushed… or maybe not.

It would be impossible not to feel anything after going that far.

I was at my limit, and there was no way I was going to be fine with just that.

If I let my guard down, my eyes would drift back to Sara-san’s lips, and then to my finger… my finger!!

「It seems the bleeding has stopped.」

「Eh!? Y-Y-Y-Yes, it has!」

Prompted, I checked my fingertip. The bleeding had indeed stopped.

But more than that… more than that!

I could see that my index finger was still a little wet… my finger, just a moment ago, was in Sara-san’s mouth… her mouth… aaaaaah.

「Kazunari-san, how is the pain? I imagine it will start to hurt after some time has passed…」

I can’t feel any pain because the other sensation is still there!!

No, maybe it’ll start hurting a little later, but compared to this sensation, it’s absolutely nothing!!

「…What… were you… doing…」

Hanako-san, who had been unresponsive until now, managed to squeeze out a voice.

She’d seen it right in front of her, so she knew what Sara-san was doing… wait, she didn’t mean it in that sense.

「Eh? Like I said, it is what I usually do for myself…」

「That’s not it!! Who told you to go that far!?」

Hanako-san pressed in on Sara-san as if a dam had broken. It was rare to see Hanako-san this worked up, but after seeing that, I think that reaction is only natural. I still don’t feel like this is real.

「I will not compromise when it comes to doing things for you, Kazunari-san, you know?」

「I know that! But no matter how you look at it, that was too much!!」

「Is it? I was merely treating Kazunari-san’s injury. Besides, weren’t you the one who told me to do exactly as I usually do, Hanako-san?」

「Ugh… well, I did, but… ughhh…」

Ah, this is the pattern where Hanako-san loses the argument.

Setting the degree aside, what she said was true… and the same goes for me.

Plus, Sara-san has zero ulterior motives and is being purely sincere, so you can’t really win an argument against her. It’s the same pattern as Natsumi-senpai.

So Hanako-san reluctantly shut her mouth… but more than that!

「S-Sara-san, I’m really, really okay now.」

「I am glad to hear it. Then let us wash it once more and apply a band-aid. We shall disinfect it properly later as well.」

Sara-san said that and took my hand back to the sink, starting to wash it carefully again.

…Just between us, part of me thought it was a shame to wash it off, or even a waste… no, no, don’t think such indecent thoughts, me!!

Once she finished drying my finger, she pulled her student handbook out of her pocket… I guess she had band-aids inside… and she applied it perfectly to my fingertip.

「Thank you.」

「Ah, wait. There is still the final touch…」

「Final touch?」

Sara-san said that and brought my hand close to her face again.

What now?

She already finished applying the band-aid, so I didn’t think there was anything left to do.

「Pain, pain, go away… mnh.」

Chu…

Sara-san whispered that cutely and then gave my fingertip a light kiss.

Seeing my face frozen in shock again, she offered a soft, gentle smile.

Unfair, she’s really unfair… why is Sara-san so adorable? Being treated like that, being shown a smile like that… she’s so precious, so beloved, I’m overflowing with affection… I, I…

「「「 Gahk!! 」」」

「Whoa, what did you guys just spit out!?」

「Uuuuu, uuuuu.」

「Uwaaaaaah, enough already, enough…」

「Damn it… damn it, damn it… Takanashiiiiii.」

「H-How long are they going to keep going… give me a break alreadyyyyy.」

「Wait… is that really Satsukawa-senpai!?」

「F-For real, I’m so jealous… what is even that…」

「…Hey, Hanasaki-san, about what you said this morning.」

「In the end, it turned out exactly as I said.」

「It was… beyond my imagination…」

「Sara-san…」

「…Kazunari-san?」

I slowly reached my arms out toward Sara-san, driven by my heart. I want to touch her, I want to hold her, I want to be held by her. Those feelings overflow and race through my mind.

Sara-san, watching me, seemed to understand immediately what I was asking for. She looked into my eyes and gave me a smile before spreading her arms out.

I was drawn in and settled into Sara-san’s arms…

Squeeeeeze.

「Mmph…」

I thought she’d hold me gently like usual, but Sara-san wrapped her arms around my back and head, hugging me with a bit of strength.

My face ended up half-pressed against her usual soft spot.

「…Thara-than?」

「…Kazunari-san, you dummy… do you know how much I worried…」

Ah…

Right. She’s right to be mad…

Sara-san is kind, so she prioritized the treatment, but I haven’t forgotten that I made her look so sad.

Sara-san had been reluctant to let me participate in the first place, so it’s only natural for her to be mad now that I’ve gotten hurt.

「…Thorry.」

「…No, I am the one who is sorry for calling you a dummy.」

She seemed to have forgiven me, as she loosened the hand holding my head. I wanted to apologize properly once more, so I pulled my face away from her chest to face her directly.

「Sara-san, I’m sor—」

Chu…

!?

「「「 !!!!!!!!!!!!! 」」」

I only intended to say I was sorry, but Sara-san’s lips sealed my mouth for just a second. It was a light kiss, just a touch, but it was enough to stop my words.

「I am so glad your injury was only light.」

「………」

「If you were to receive a major injury, Kazunari-san, I would surely cry.」

「…I’m sorry.」

Sara-san stroked my head slowly and carefully.

Even if her tone sounded a bit like she was joking, I could tell from her expression earlier that she was dead serious.

But because I knew that, I felt even more apologetic…

「「「 Kya… 」」」

「「「 KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 」」」

「「「 GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! 」」」

W-What happened!!!???

Surprised by the sudden massive scream, I pulled away from Sara-san. Looking around… the girls were in a total uproar, and the boys were in a state of pure agony.

And there was Hanako-san, looking at us with dead eyes, alongside Yamakawa and the others for some reason…

「………」

「I-I’m sorry.」

Giving in to the silent pressure from Hanako-san, those were the words that slipped out.

In the end, just as Hanako-san predicted, I guess I「caused a scene.」