Great, we're doomed now!

He wandered around the gymnasium, because going to the playground would easily attract the attention of his admirers, so he strolled around and ended up at the warehouse, where he unexpectedly ran into an acquaintance.

It was a girl wearing the junior high school uniform of Shuchiin, carrying a stack of cardboard boxes that had just reached above her head, and she was carefully moving forward. Although only her slender back was visible, her distinctive hair color was enough for Ye Shou to recognize her.

"...Kei-chan? What's this?"

"Ugh?"

The silver-haired girl in the white sailor uniform turned around in surprise at the sound. But this movement somehow caused her to lose her balance, and the already unstable cardboard box began to wobble, causing her to fall backward as well.

"Wow, wait!"

"careful!"

Gui leaned back against the soft yet firm chest. One large hand reached over the girl's head and pressed down on the top box, while the other hand went around her waist and supported the back of Gui's hand. With this three-point support, both Gui and the box were stabilized.

Gui looked up, still shaken. He couldn't see the other person's face clearly because they were too close, but he could feel the warmth from their hands and back, which gave him a sense of security for some reason, especially after hearing that familiar voice.

"Are you okay?"

“…Um,” the girl quickly lowered her head, her fair skin slightly flushed, “I’m fine, Kuze-senpai.”

Chapter 53's catalyst was last year's archery tournament...

Because of a small accident, the two ended up in a rather intimate position, but surprisingly, Gui didn't feel disgusted. Instead, he couldn't help but panic and didn't know what to do.

Should we move away immediately? Or should we stay like this? After all, there's a risk that this stack of cardboard boxes could tip over. But staying in this position isn't a solution either; it's a little embarrassing.

Besides, the weather was very hot, and my face felt swollen, so it was very uncomfortable to lean too close.

...Hot? Summer?

sweat!

The girl straightened her back instantly, steadily lifted the cardboard box, and took a small step forward. Ye Shou then let go of her, and the two of them separated.

"Hmm? Is everything alright?" Ye Shou asked, somewhat puzzled. "Let me help you move two."

"No, it's okay, it's not heavy at all, it's just too high... and sweat..."

"what?"

"No, thank you, senior!" Bai Yingui poked half his face out from behind the box, his face flushed and sweaty, looking very hot.

What if someone smells sweat on them?

The girl secretly pouted.

Shuchiin Academy's uniforms, whether for junior high or high school, are very appropriate and elegant, meaning that the exposed area is relatively small. Even in summer, the skirt hem will fall below the knee.

As a member of the junior high school student council, Kei naturally had to set an example by not altering her sailor uniform in any way. Underneath the elegant and dignified skirt, only her slender calves encased in breathable stockings could be seen.

Forget about absolute territory!

But it was precisely this slightly stuffy outfit that caused a thin layer of sweat to accumulate on her inner thighs, armpits, back of her neck, forehead, and even the sides of her nose. She hadn't noticed it while working, but now she suddenly realized it, and a feeling of discomfort made her start to wriggle.

In short, girls always face one awkward situation or dilemma in the summer.

Everyone sweats, but it's only natural to not want to be noticed when someone you care about is watching you, right?

Ye Shou wasn't quite attentive enough to notice a girl's subtle thoughts, but his good upbringing made him proactively extend his hand at this moment: "Let's join in, I have nothing else to do anyway."

Ignoring what Gui said, he stepped forward and took all the boxes, leaving only one in Gui's arms, which immediately made the girl feel much more relaxed, revealing her slender neck and sculpted shoulders.

"I'm so sorry to trouble you." Gui pulled out a hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead, looked at Ye Shoushi, and when their eyes met, she immediately looked away.

"Um... just put it in the sports storage room."

"This amount isn't light for a girl. What are all these things?"

"Props borrowed from the junior high school's ball skills competition last time."

"only you?"

"Anyway, it wasn't a lot, so I didn't call anyone else."

"Thanks for your hard work."

The two chatted casually and naturally, putting all the boxes into the warehouse, then opening them and taking out the contents to sort and organize them. Ten minutes passed just like that.

"Phew!" Gui breathed a sigh of relief, rubbed his shoulders and stretched his neck, his face showing little emotion.

She was a girl who seemed somewhat aloof and had a faint sense of distance.

Kei Shirogane, a second-year junior high student, is a student council member like her brother. She inherited his enthusiastic personality and slightly fierce eyes, but this does not detract from the beauty of her delicate features.

If Chika's appearance and figure give the impression of "vitality," and Ruri represents "forbidden love," then Shirogane Kei embodies "mystery."

With her fair skin, long silver hair, ever-focused eyes, ethereal voice and tone, and fairy-like beauty, her existence was as dreamlike as a translucent crystal flower.

—That's why she's very popular in the junior high school, and both boys and girls like her a lot, which is very different from her older brother, Shirogane Miyuki.

Although she is not from a prestigious family, she has an outstanding temperament. Many people think she is the type of unattainable beauty, and her personality may be rather aloof.

However, Ye Shou knew that was just a stereotype. Gui could become best friends with the Fujiwara sisters. She was not an ice queen at all. She was simply reserved and didn't show her emotions in front of strangers.

She's essentially a warm-hearted and kind girl, occasionally a bit naive and a bit of a money-grubber~

"Come on, you're not on a diet, are you?"

Beside the ornamental trees behind the teaching building, Bai Yin Gui sat on a bench enjoying the shade when Ye Shou came over and handed her a can of iced cola.

"Hmm, you helped me out, but I feel bad that you have to treat me."

"Don't worry about it so much. Your brother and I are good friends, and he's helped me a lot. Just consider it as me returning a favor." Ye Shou sat down casually, about forty centimeters away from Gui.

"Human relationships?" Gui looked over curiously. She really couldn't imagine how her older brother would solve the problem that Ye Shou was facing.

"For example, letting me off the hook if I get caught skipping class... or something like that."

"...Ah, speaking of which, it's also class time for the higher education section now."

Gui blinked: "Did you skip the 3rd class again, Senior?"

Ye Shou shrugged: "I wasn't feeling well, and the PE teacher agreed."

"That reason is too..." Gui found it inexplicably funny, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Ye Shou was facing away from her, his gaze slowly drawn to her.

The girl's lips seemed to be enveloped in a gentle warmth as she breathed. Although she was only fifteen, her slender figure already exuded the beauty of youth...

Wait a minute! She's my friend's sister!

As a psychologically mature adult, Ye Shou has a mature view on love and will not make a move on girls casually, especially relatives of acquaintances—it's troublesome whether or not he takes responsibility.

“I’ve seen you compete before.” Kei held a can of cola in his hand, the condensed water droplets slowly sliding down his hand, his fingertips rubbing back and forth on the metal casing.

"It's the national archery tournament...it's really cool."

"Thank you for the compliment," Ye Shou waved his hand. "Don't keep calling me senior. You and Moe Ye (Chika) are classmates, so just call me 'Kuse-nii' like she does."

"That's too presumptuous!"

His fingertips turned slightly white, and Gui pursed his lips: "Isn't that a bit too smug?"

"Ha... In some situations, being called 'brother' by a beautiful girl can cost you money."

Jiulinglu (Four sighs?)

"You don't need to know about that kind of knowledge," Ye Shou said with a sneer.

"Anyway, you treat Chika like an older sister, right? It's all the same."

"Yes...then...Kuse-nii?"

"Mmm, this sound is really soothing to the ears!"

Ye Shou deliberately feigned enjoyment, making Gui unable to suppress a smile.

Actually, Kei didn't go to watch the competition for Ye Shou, but for the women's group in the same venue. The person she admired—Shinomiya Kaguya—was a member of the archery club and was on the list of seeded players.

But when she happened to watch the men's competition, her gaze was involuntarily drawn to a certain person...

Wearing a white top and a black petticoat, with armbands tied around her arms, she sat there as still as a stone statue in the forest, but when she got up to shoot an arrow, her movements were as natural and free as a breeze blowing through bamboo tips.

Perhaps the movements weren't the most standard, but archery is a skill that places more emphasis on visual appeal, and Ye Shou's posture captivated all the judges, leaving a certain girl watching behind him mesmerized.

"The way Kuze-san shoots arrows is really focused. Every shot is full of confidence, as if he already knows he will hit the target before he even aims."

Kei Shirogane scratched his cheek: "I even considered joining the archery club back then~"

"Wanted? Does that mean you didn't participate?"

"Yes, I also have student council work, so I don't have much time... and Chika-nee has already arranged for me to join the board game club in high school."

"what?"

"They said they would make me a minister."

"That guy isn't even a minister himself!"

Ye Shou's lips twitched: "If you believe her, you'll just drift through your three years of high school in a daze."

"I know, but anyway, Chika-nee will have already graduated by then~"

Shirogane Kei smiled mischievously: "It's okay to tell a little white lie, isn't it?"

"...That's good." Ye Shou's heart skipped a beat, and he realized that charm really doesn't discriminate based on age.

Qianhua is great in both looks and figure, and by all accounts, she should be a heartthrob. However, Ye Shou doesn't actually feel much feminine charm from her.

Kei, on the contrary, is young and slender (only slightly better than Kaguya), but he exudes a very penetrating attraction.

Some people really should allocate some of the nutrients from their breasts to their brains!

"..."

Kei quietly took a breath and stood up: "There's a demonstration class on new multimedia education this afternoon, and the student council has to go help out, so I'll head back now. Thanks for the Coke... Kuze-nii."

"Good~"

Ye Shou nodded, then suddenly called out to her, "Does the new multimedia refer to [NERvGear]?"

"Hmm, everyone in the junior high school is talking about it now... Oh right, [NERvGear] was made by Kuze-nii's family, right?" Kei remembered.

Ye Shou shook his head: "It's our partner company, strictly speaking."

"I don't pay much attention to this kind of thing, but it's really amazing. I tried it once, and even though it was just online teaching in a virtual space, the experience was truly magical!"