Tokyo Soft Rice King.

Actually, touching a girl's head is not a way to increase her affection; on the contrary, it's quite offensive. It carries an element of adult concern for a child, which, in other words, means 'I treat you like a child.'

If someone is like a slave girl, a child who truly lacked love from a young age, then it's possible that simply patting their head could raise their affection level to an infinitely high level.

But the class monitor is a girl of the same age. Being touched on the head by a classmate would only make her feel ashamed, even though in terms of mental age, Kuroba Akira is indeed an adult twice her age.

So unless the other person takes the initiative, even if you pat their head until it's bald, it won't increase their favorability by a single bit.

At that moment, Anri Hitomi gave him an encouraging look.

"It's alright, Kuroba-kun. Friendships are based on equality, so this is just reciprocity."

"Well..."

Since the class monitor had said so, Kuroba Akira no longer hesitated, raised his hand and placed it on the class monitor's head, but did not dare to move it randomly.

For Kuroba Akira, touching a girl's head was a first. He thought that just rubbing it would mess up her hairstyle, and the class monitor's hair looked like it had been carefully styled.

This really is like that joke our class monitor always makes: My first time is yours.

But it doesn't feel like he's patting someone's head, it feels more like he's giving them a blessing... But the class monitor's hair is very smooth, it seems he takes good care of it.

At that moment, Kuroba Akira thought of Murasaki's beautiful hair, long, straight black hair that covered her shoulder blades and reached her waist. He wondered if it would feel even better to touch.

And so, Kuroba Akira half-heartedly stroked the class monitor's head, muttering to himself.

"Good boy, good boy..."

He wouldn't dare say "good dog," how could a human being treat such an excellent class monitor like a dog?

Anri Hitomi closed her eyes, focusing on feeling the warmth of his palm.

It's so warm...

I won't let you let go again.

Chapter Fifty-Three: The Promise of a Virgin's Graduation

After touching him for a while, Kuroba Akira withdrew his hand. Facing the class monitor, he dared not push his luck.

Anri Hitomi showed an expression of lingering satisfaction mixed with a hint of regret. At the same time, she turned her head and used her right hand to tuck a strand of hair that was hanging down on the left side behind her ear, naturally using her right forearm to cover her expression.

"Speaking of which, class monitor, I heard that when you were little you said you would only make lunchboxes for your future husband..."

"Yes, I have said something like that before."

The class monitor didn't show any surprise, like "So I actually said something like that?", which meant she remembered it.

"Actually, it was around that time that after they heard I was learning to cook, they kept clamoring to eat my cooking. Because I thought it was too much trouble, I simply told them that I would only cook for my future husband."

"Well, I more or less guessed that this would happen... but because of this, Sumitomo Ryota mistook me for your fiancé."

“I see… But it can’t be said that Sumitomo-kun misunderstood, because what I said back then wasn’t entirely an excuse. I really did make up my mind before that I would only cook for my future husband.”

"Squad leader, if you say something like that now, I might misunderstand, but we're just in a transactional relationship, right?"

"Isn't marriage essentially a transactional relationship?"

Kuroba Akira rolled her eyes. Although she said the same thing as her, Kuroba Akira could tell that the class monitor wasn't serious. She was just in her usual teasing mode with the virgin, just like when she asked, "Want to see my underwear?"

But we can't let the class monitor keep making fun of us! We have to fight back!

"So, class monitor, will you marry me?"

Anri Hitomi seemed to be seriously considering this matter before answering.

"Hmm... If Kuroba-kun is willing to marry into the family, I wouldn't mind."

"I mind it very much."

"That's a real shame. My family probably won't allow me to change my surname to my husband's. But if I'm still not married by the time I'm thirty, they probably won't have any expectations of me anymore. If you're still not married by then, Kuroba-kun, I'll marry you."

"Oh, I know, this is that kind of thing, right? It's an ambiguous agreement between opposite-sex friends who have known each other for many years, that if neither of them has a partner by the time they turn thirty, they'll get married or something... But usually, after making such an agreement, one of them ends up getting married very quickly."

"Kuroba-kun, will you get married soon?"

"Hehe, I'm going to be a great magician."

After all, he almost became a great magician in his previous life.

Kuroba Akira's self-deprecating and teasing remark was understood by Anri Hitomi, who responded with a saintly smile.

"Well then, marriage is still too far away, and there are still many uncertainties. So let's make a different agreement: if you don't have any experience in that area by the time you turn thirty, I'll help you graduate."

"Wow, I'm so touched! Suddenly I have the motivation to live to thirty!"

"So I will keep myself pure until then, and I don't want to defile your body, Kuroba-kun."

Does this mean he's convinced he'll remain a virgin until he's thirty?

Self-deprecation is fine, but being judged like that by others makes me want to vomit blood. It's practically a curse, isn't it?

"The weight of this agreement has suddenly become heavy. Class monitor, don't always say such heavy things. Even if you're joking, it's still scary."

Although three-quarters of it wasn't a joke... Anri Hitomi muttered to herself, but on the surface she said it tactfully.

"Kuroba-kun's outlook on life is really quite frivolous."

“I won’t get angry if you just call me frivolous, that’s just who I am anyway.”

Kuroba Akira stood up and stretched. He was feeling a bit sleepy after the meal, but the day wasn't over yet.

After Anri Hitomi finished packing the bento box, she said to Kuroba Akira.

"Well then, Kuroba-kun, it's about time we headed to the Literature Club's activity room. The other two should already be there."

"Oh, speaking of which, are the other two members of the Literature and Art Department also your friends, class monitor?"

"Yes, I went to an all-girls school in middle school. That's when I met those two girls and we became good friends. Later, we made a promise to apply to this high school together, and all three of us actually got in. It's just a pity that we weren't in the same class; they were both in Class 3."

"I see."

If someone is considered a friend by the class monitor, they must be someone trustworthy.

"Go to the Literature and Art Club and meet them now. I think you'll get along well with them, Kuroba-kun."

Is that so?

"Well, because from a certain perspective, they might have more in common with you, Kuroba-kun."

"Oh?"

Hearing the class monitor say that, Kuroba Akira became curious instead.

Do you have more in common with each other? In what areas? In the erotic sense?

With this curiosity, Kuroba Akira followed behind the class president, and the two walked out of the school building together, heading towards the club building.

The club building is actually the old school building. Although it has been renovated, it still looks old and only has four floors. Fortunately, at least it is a reinforced concrete building, not a wooden school building like those in horror movies.

Because Akira Kuroba had always been a member of the Homecoming Club, he had never been inside this building before.

As soon as I entered the building, I smelled a strong stench of sweat... because the changing rooms for the sports clubs are all located on the first floor of this building, which is probably why the smell is so strong.

I heard that the girls' club has already protested, saying that the smell of sweat on the first floor is too strong and there is a risk of being spied on, so they are demanding that the girls' club's changing room be moved to the second floor. The application is currently being reviewed by the student union.

Once you get to the second floor, the smell dissipates considerably, and from there, you'll find activity rooms for various small clubs.

Actually, the clubs in this club building are mostly third-rate clubs that aren't very popular, as well as newly established clubs.

Clubs like the soccer club, kendo club, flower arrangement club, and brass band club all have their own venues and activity rooms, which shows that the school values ​​these top-notch clubs that can achieve good results in national competitions.

The Literature and Art Department was located at the far end of the second floor, in an inconspicuous corner.

Anri Hitomi led Kuroba Akira into the activity room, where they were immediately met with stares from the two people present.

"Come, let me introduce you. This is our newest member of the Literature and Art Department, named Kuroba Akira."

"Oh, hello."

Kuroba Akira raised his hand and casually greeted him.

"And then, Kuroba-kun, these will be your companions from now on. The cute girl on the left with bigger breasts than me is called Aizono Moe."

"Ugh...! Hitomi-chan... my... my breasts aren't that big..."

The busty girl covered her chest and protested softly in a delicate voice.

So, the member the class monitor mentioned earlier, whose breasts were bigger than hers, actually existed.

This size is about the same as the athletic girl I saw while jogging this morning, Haruka Tomita. It should be able to be rocked to the point of being misaligned left, right, up, and down.

However, in stark contrast to the sunny girl Haruka Tomita, this girl named Moe Aizono had skin even whiter than Murasaki no Miyako's, appearing sickly white and not very healthy.

"The other one is named Shirai Shiori. I think this isn't the first time you've met her, Kuroba-kun."

"Oh...we've certainly met before."

"..."

The aloof girl nodded slightly, which was her way of greeting her.

This wasn't the first time Kuroba Akira had seen her; in fact, he saw her almost every day during the last semester's regular school days.

Because she was the librarian.

Chapter 54 The Number of Beautiful Girls in the Literature and Art Department

Yesterday, when the class monitor told him that the reason he came to school during the summer vacation was to lock the library door, Kuroba Akira guessed that the class monitor and the library administrator were probably friends, and most likely one of the members of the literature and art department.

But Akira Kuroba only learned today that the librarian's name was Shirai Shiori.

Although he always went to the library to read books last semester, he never borrowed any, so he didn't have a chance to talk to her. However, because Shirai Shiori had a very outstanding temperament, she still left a little impression on Kuroba Akira.

Like Murasaki no Miyako, she has long, straight black hair, but it's not as long as Murasaki no Miyako's, only reaching around her shoulder blades on her back, specifically around her bra strap. She also wears a white headband, the same one as Kasumigaoka Utaha and Furuhashi Fumino.

However, unlike the two with expressive faces, Shirai Shiori has no expression at all and always looks indifferent.

Kuroba Akira had seen her attitude towards others before. When students came to borrow books, she would hand them the library card without saying a word, without even a professional smile, and her whole body exuded an atmosphere of 'keep away'.

It can be said that Shirai Shiori, like Kuroba Akira who previously had the title of "silent man," is a "silent woman." As for why she is not a "three-no girl" (meaningless, emotionless, and unemotional), it is because it is obvious that she is not incapable of expressing her feelings; she is just too lazy to pay attention to others.

Kuroba Akira guessed that her purpose in becoming a librarian was simply to read books, because every time he went to the library, he would see her reading, and she wasn't just pretending; she genuinely read different books every day, and would read her favorite books repeatedly.

She turned the pages very carefully, even wearing white gloves to avoid getting the books dirty, and made many different styles of bookmarks, showing that she truly cherished these books.

Shiori Shirai is probably the most suitable literary girl for the Literature Club.

If you were to ask why Kuroba Akira was so interested in her... well, it's a very common reason: because she's very beautiful.