You call this a love game?

Chapter Fifty-Two: The Kiss

This side of the school.

"How is Xiaoyan?"

Kaname Madoka, standing to the side, looked at Shiraha nervously, her pink eyes also revealing a worried expression.

She seemed perfectly fine yesterday. She and Mami even helped arrange paper flowers by the roadside. She even secretly handed over that bouquet of violets. But today she suddenly disappeared. If she hadn't been eavesdropping in the bushes nearby, she would have thought she had been rejected.

"It's nothing, probably just a cold. My voice doesn't sound too bad," Bai Yu replied after hanging up the phone.

"It's good that she's alright..." Kaname Madoka was relieved and then suggested, "Let's ask Mami-senpai to go see Homura after school. She must need a lot of care if she's alone."

"Well, but I plan to ask the teacher for leave now to go see Xiaoyan."

"Eh? Now?!"

"That's right, I'm not comfortable leaving Xiaoyan home alone, given the environment around her area..."

The place where Homura Akemi lived was truly appalling. The low, dilapidated building looked like a garbage dump, and several buildings around it even had signs of being dangerous buildings posted on them. Even so, there were still signs of people living there. Not to mention the smell of a real garbage dump not far away. He found it hard to imagine that such a girl would live in such a place.

It was a place even poorer than a slum, far away and in a bad environment. As for the people living around it... he could only say that they looked barely human.

In such a terrible environment, it's impossible to find any proper pharmacies or similar establishments, since there are hardly any households there.

"Anyway, you should focus on your studies first. I'll go check on her." Bai Yu gently patted Kaname Madoka's shoulder to reassure her.

Seemingly still somewhat unwilling, she also wanted to go to Homura Akemi's house, but since Shiraha casually refused, she had no choice but to agree.

"Okay, Bai Yu, please say hello to Xiao Yan for me. I'll come see her after school this afternoon."

"Well, I will."

After saying that, Bai Yu left the classroom and went to Saotome Kazuko's office.

"Take leave? Now?"

The homeroom teacher, Saotome Kazuko, adjusted her glasses, her gaze sweeping over Shiraha from head to toe behind the lenses.

"Is Nakazawa going to Akemi's house?"

"That's right, Xiaoyan lives alone, and I'm a little worried about her being home sick."

"Tsk~" Saotome Kazuko clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction, but couldn't help but smile slightly. "Youth is truly wonderful~"

"That sick leave slip..."

"I've approved the leave request. Remember to send my regards to Xiaomei and tell her to focus on her recovery. There's no rush for her to go back to school."

She pulled out a stack of blank leave slips from the drawer and signed her name on them in a flamboyant manner.

"Thank you, teacher. I will help deliver your message."

……

After hanging up the phone with Shiraha, Homura Akemi lay obediently in bed.

No need to rush to make lunchboxes, no need to hurry to take a shower and then catch the bus to school, the heavy pressure in my heart instantly disappeared.

Although she was still a little uneasy, she immediately felt relieved when she thought of Bai Yu's gentle words of comfort.

However, her poor physical condition still made her want to get up and take a shower, especially since she thought she had wet the bed last night, and she absolutely couldn't let Bai Yujun find out!

Thinking this, she simply supported her limp body and went to the bathroom to rinse off briefly. After drying herself, she casually grabbed a loose-fitting nightgown and slipped it on, too lazy to wear underwear.

"Phew~ That's much better now."

Feeling refreshed, Homura Akemi lay on the bed, tightly covered by the blanket, exhaling a breath of warm air as her mind wandered through a jumble of thoughts.

But her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and before she knew it, she had to close her eyes.

With a blink of an eye, when she awoke from her pure white dream again, a gloomy figure had appeared beside her.

Homura Akemi's heart skipped a beat; it felt like it was about to jump into her throat.

Just when she thought her house had been burgled, a gentle, warm voice rang out from above her head.

"woke up?"

Seeing Homura Akemi's eyelashes trembling wildly, Shiraha chuckled, "Since you're awake, get up and drink your medicine first, then rest properly."

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Homura Akemi finally stopped pretending to be asleep and quickly opened her eyes to look in the direction of the sound.

"Mr. Bai Yu..."

Homura Akemi tried to get up by supporting herself on the mattress, but found that her body, which was originally quite light, now felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and she couldn't sit up no matter what she did. Just then, the shoulder strap of her nightgown suddenly slipped down, and she frantically tried to pull it up, but almost knocked over the medicine bowl in Shiraha's hand.

A few drops of dark brown liquid spilled onto the sheets, instantly spreading into a glaring stain.

Akemi Homura stared at the stain and suddenly remembered the embarrassing 'accident' from last night. Her face immediately burned, and she gripped the corner of the blanket tightly, wishing she could bury herself in the mattress.

"Don't move." Bai Yu pressed down on the girl's trembling wrist, placed the medicine bowl on the bedside table, and rested one hand on her forehead, feeling her temperature with the back of his hand. "She does have a fever."

However, when Shiraha's cool hand touched Homura Akemi's forehead, the comfortable touch made her unconsciously rub against it, like a teased kitten yearning for a caress from its owner.

This intimate gesture stunned both of them. Homura Akemi's ear tips turned red at a visible speed. She hurriedly moved her head away and lowered her head, trying to pretend that nothing had happened, but Shiraha pressed her head down and slowly rubbed her head with his warm palm.

"What are you afraid of?" Bai Yu chuckled. "We're lovers now. If you want me to touch you, just say so. Besides, I've touched you plenty of times before. Why are you so shy?"

The girl's disheveled appearance at this moment had a unique charm, and her image was even more similar to Homura Akemi, who had long black hair, whom he had seen in the last simulation.

The blushing, shy expression on her face was completely unlike that of someone as aloof as her, but it made Homura Akemi even more beautiful and charming.

"I...I wasn't shy at all..."

Homura Akemi finally learned to be stubborn, but the fragile defense she had barely built crumbled instantly under Shiraha's offensive.

"I can smell a lie~ I heard that the noses of bad kids who lie grow longer, let me taste whether you're lying or not."

Bai Yu grinned mischievously as he leaned closer, kneading the girl's cheeks and gently scratching her neck with his fingers.

"Waaaaah...no..."

She regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth. They were already lovers, and she didn't know why she was being so stubborn. Maybe she was a little confused, but she actually had the courage to refuse Bai Yu's request.

"Alright then, drink your medicine first, and I'll feed you, mouth to mouth, okay?" Bai Yu persisted, his breath brushing against the girl's burning red ears.

"I'm sorry...I was wrong..."

Homura Akemi promptly backed down, burying her head in Shiroha's chest and sobbing softly.

Looking at Homura Akemi curled up in his arms, Shiraha couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore."

His long, slender fingers gently combed through her disheveled hair, the movement as tender as if he were caressing precious silk, causing Homura Akemi to instinctively rub against his palm.

The medicine bowl was picked up again, and Bai Yu gently stirred the dark brown liquid with a spoon.

"But you still have to take your medicine." He scooped up a spoonful, carefully blew on it to cool it, and held it to Homura Akemi's lips.

Now Homura Akemi finally behaved herself and stopped resisting. She obediently opened her mouth and let Shiraha put her inside.

A bitter taste instantly spread in her mouth. She squinted and her brows furrowed unconsciously.

"Is it bitter?"

Seeing that the girl's reaction was not right, Bai Yu picked up a spoon, scooped a spoonful into the bowl, and tasted it himself.

"Ugh~"

The bitter taste melts in your mouth like cream, filling your entire oral cavity.

He never expected there to be such a bitter cold medicine, even though it smelled so good, and most of the powdered medicines he had drunk before were sweet.

"Okay, if you really don't want to drink it, I'll go buy another one. It's not impossible to get a less bitter one."

"No need, I can drink."

This is certainly not just stubbornness.

Having been frail and sickly since childhood, she had taken even more bitter medicines, so this little bit of suffering was nothing to her.

"Then you drink first, and there'll be a reward when you finish."

Bai Yu simply brought the whole bowl to Akemi Homura's lips. After all, a short pain is worse than a long one, and it's better to drink it all in one go than to slowly savor the taste.

Akemi Homura looked at the bowl in front of her, then at the spoon that she had used and that Shiraha had used, silently held her breath, and drank it all down in one gulp like a warrior cutting off his own arm. The bitter medicine slid down her throat, making her face scrunch up like a steamed bun.

“Great job, here’s a reward for good kids.”

Bai Yu, already prepared, pulled a White Rabbit milk candy from his pocket.

He deliberately peeled the candy wrapper with a rustling sound, watching Homura Akemi's expectant look. Just when the girl thought he would feed her the candy, he suddenly put the candy in his mouth, revealing half of the white candy body.

"Want it?"

Homura Akemi's eyes widened, her pink lips parted slightly, revealing an expression of disbelief.

Like a child whose beloved bowl has been snatched away, her eyes immediately welled up with tears. She pouted and glared at him silently, as if she would pounce on him and snatch the candy from his mouth at any moment.

"Just kidding, this one is for you."

As if by magic, Bai Yu produced another candy, unwrapped it, and stuffed it into the girl's mouth, his fingers inadvertently brushing against her lips.

The sweet taste melted in her mouth, and Homura Akemi squinted her eyes, unconsciously licking the corner of her mouth.

"Do you want to sleep a little longer?" Bai Yu asked with concern.

Homura Akemi shook her head and snuggled closer to him. "Could...could you stay with me for a while, like yesterday..., Shiraha-kun?"

Bai Yu was stunned for a moment, then realized that she was referring to the hug during the confession.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, chuckled, and opened his arms. "Anytime is fine."

With permission granted, Akemi Homura, like a little bird returning to its nest, eagerly rushed into his arms, pressing her burning cheeks against his chest.

The boy's strong, powerful heartbeat came through his shirt, steady and rhythmic, which gave her a strange sense of peace.

"Shiraha-kun's heartbeat... is so fast," Homura Akemi muttered softly.

"Because I'm holding the cutest girl in the world in my arms." Bai Yu gently rubbed his chin against her head, savoring the precious moment they shared.

"But it seems like something's still missing."

"What's missing?" Homura Akemi looked up blankly, meeting his smiling eyes.

Bai Yu pointed to his cheek. "Where's the good morning kiss, my new girlfriend?"

"Woo..."

Homura Akemi's face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple, but she still mustered up her courage and quickly pecked him on the cheek, as light as a feather, without any weight.

Before she could escape, Bai Yu grabbed her waist again and said, taking advantage of the situation, "You want this side too."

He pointed to his other cheek and turned his face to make it easier for her to kiss him.

Homura Akemi's eyelashes fluttered rapidly like the wings of a startled butterfly. She took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and leaned closer again, her pink lips lightly touching Shiraha's cheek before pulling away.

"Little Flame is such a good girl." Like rewarding an obedient puppy, Bai Yu gently patted the girl's head. "Now that Little Flame has finished, it's my turn~"

He stared at Homura Akemi's fair face, seemingly hesitating about which side to start with, before his gaze shifted to the center, landing on her pink and glossy lips. Some of the unmelted candy residue clung to her lips, glistening and incredibly tempting.

Noticing where Shiraha was looking, Homura Akemi's face flushed even more, and she unconsciously pursed her lips, revealing a small part of her pink tongue, as if she were flicking out a snake's tongue.

The girl's eyelashes trembled slightly, like butterfly wings brushed by the wind, casting delicate shadows on her eyelids. Bai Yu's gaze fell on her slightly parted lips, the pale pink like newly blossoming cherry petals, carrying a faint, sweet fragrance. He slowly approached, his breath carrying the soft, alluring scent of milk candy emanating from her.

The distance between them shrank inch by inch, the air seemed to thicken, and even time slowed down. When their breaths finally mingled, he tasted a flavor more intoxicating than honey—soft, sweet, with the shyness and warmth unique to a young girl, like candy melting on the tip of his tongue, the sweetness seeping into his heart in wisps, making him want to linger longer.

"Um......"

The warmth of their shared breath made the air thick and sticky, as if honey were slowly melting between their lips and teeth. A faint, sweet fragrance lingered with their breaths, sometimes chasing, sometimes entwining, like silhouettes dancing together under the moonlight. As the last trace of sweetness seeped into their hearts, they both forgot the passage of time.

Homura Akemi's chest heaved violently, her fingertips unconsciously clutching Shiraha's collar. Her flushed cheeks pressed against his chest, her hazy eyes brimming with tears, even her breath trembled slightly.

Do you like this flavor?

Bai Yu gently stroked the girl's burning earlobe, his voice tinged with lingering laughter. Akemi Homura buried her face even deeper, only her bright red earlobes visible. The way she pursed her lips suggested she was trying to bury a secret deep within her heart forever.

"Want to do it again?"

The figure in his arms stirred slightly, finally lifting its face, flushed with the rosy glow of the sunset.

The air became sweet and sticky again, as if even time stood still for them.

Chapter Fifty-Three: You've Arrived Just in Time