Chapter 20: Preparation for Midterm Exams

Contains R-15 content

Preparation for Midterm Exams

We never said a word about being together, but on the day we became an official class couple, that is, on the way home from the first day after Golden Week.

"By the way, the midterm exams start next week, is it okay if I study in Rui's room like usual?"

"---Hmm, okay, but seriously, don't do anything weird, you won't learn anything."

"Oh, that's it. I should have told you that up front. From now on, I'll avoid making excessive demands or escalating things. I've reflected on what happened yesterday, and from now on, I'll take the straightforward approach. We're not dating yet, after all."

Oh, Ryo has finally come to his senses, I can relax for a while now.

Yesterday was pretty rough, and we did a lot of things wrong, but Ryo drew the line and that saved me.

I need to repair the hole in the dam in my heart now, otherwise there'll be no point if I start inviting him out myself.

"I guess anything more than that would be out of the question unless we're dating.

Huh, why I'm saying this as if we're planning on going out together? We're not!"

"Yes, yes, I'll leave it at that for now, but my feelings for you haven't changed, and they won't change in the future. So just be ready."

"..."

Hmm, I feel embarrassed and my face is turning red, so if you think about it logically, it just seems like there's a chance.

No no! That's not true!

"So, getting back to the topic at hand, is it okay to study at Rui's house? I don't get very far when I'm alone."

"I'm helping with dinner now, so it'll be after that, but as for the time, well, let's make it by 10 o'clock for now."

"Rui, you're helping out during exams too? It's fine if you skip for a few days, you know?"

"Well, once you stop doing this kind of thing, it's hard to go back, so you have to keep going."

"I guess that's the difference, I really do like you."

"Hey! What are you talking about out of nowhere?! We'll start studying for a week starting today!"

"Right."

My heart jumped when he suddenly said he liked me, I was so careless. I shouldn't let my guard down at all.

Ah, I was so nervous.

•

•

After dinner, the three of us are gathered at my house.

For some reason Nae-chan is also there, why?

"I was thinking of asking Rui-nee to teach me too!"

It's true that Nae-chan can't study at her friend's house until late, so in that sense I'm the only one she can ask help from. I guess I'll help her out.

"Okay, then I'll teach you what you don't understand."

"I can teach you too if it's just first-year course."

"It would be perfect to have two teachers, so please take care of me, sensei!"

"Okay, let's do it."

Ryo's grades aren't bad, he's somewhere around the top of the class, but he wants to be on the safe side, so we study for the exams together every time. I'm somewhere around the top of the class too.

•

•

Exams study break

"Onii-chan, please spoil me..."

Nae-chan sat facing Ryo on top of his legs as he sat cross-legged, and hugged him.

This is what is known as a face-to-face sitting position.

Ryo remained completely unfazed, and after giving a sigh, he hugged her back and began stroking her head.

"Just a little."

"!"

I was shocked to see that scene. Even if they were both siscon and brocon, it was strange to see them hugging each other so closely in public, and Nae-chan had a happy, melting expression on her face.

Just as I wondered if it really felt that good, the feeling of being hugged came back to me and I realized.

That was a hug. Of course it felt good, it felt good for me too, I see, maybe the reason Ryo has a low psychological barrier to hugging is because he hugs Nae all the time, that makes sense.

Watching that scene, I somehow started to feel like... just when Ryo said, "That's enough," and let go of Nae-chan. Nae-chan said, "A little bit more," but Ryo looked at me and said, "You came here to study, right?" His eyes were the usual Ryo, looking for my approval. I felt pathetic, why did this happen...

Ryo tried to warn Nae-chan, who was whining, by saying, "Rui is watching," but Nae-chan responded, "I don't mind being watched as long as it's Rui-nee!", which put him in a difficult position.

Ryo calmed her down firmly and made a rule that she could only be spoiled once a day during breaks, and he got her studies back on track.

I was impressed that Ryo is a real Onii-chan.

After that, Nae-chan would get hugs once a day during breaks, and I heard from Ryo on the way home from school that this meant she was getting used to me and not being reserved anymore.

And every time I saw Nae-chan being hugged, I would feel sad.

•

•

•

At lunchtime, the usual five of us.

"Now that I think of it, Rui-chan, are you good at studying?"

"Hmm, not bad."

"Rui-chan was definitely at the top of our class."

"Well, I'm at the top of my class, but overall I'm just at that level."

"That's modesty, so Kanade-chan and Rui-chan are the ones who can study. Well, how about we have a study meeting this coming Saturday or Sunday? Let's meet somewhere."

"That sounds good, I'd like to ask you to do so if possible, it's pretty dangerous situation for me."

"It's really tough to balance my studies with club activities, so I wanted to get someone to teach me."

"...Okay."

I glanced at Ryo, and he nodded.

"Well, why don't you guys come over to my place? My parents aren't there, so I'm basically living alone, so you don't have to worry about what others think."

"Oh! Is that okay? That'll be a big help, and I'm so happy I can go to Rui-chan's house."

"It looks like there will be quite a large group, is that okay?"

"Just to let you know, I won't be participating, so feel free to do it with your fellow ladies."

"So that would be four people? Well, we can use the living room, so I think there'll be enough space."

"Ueno-kun, it would have been fine if you had joined us. You don't have to be shy."

"...Don't be shy."

"Well, they said you could come too, what would you do, Ryo?"

"It depends on the situation, so don't get your hopes up."

"So who can't come on Saturday or Sunday?"

"Hmm, either way is fine."

"...Either way."

"What about Rui-chan?"

"I guess it doesn't matter to me either way. I'm not going out alone anyway."

"Oh, I see, something like that exists. In that case, how about we have a sleepover study session at Rui's house?"

"Oh! That sounds great! It would deepen friendships and be a lot of fun!"

"…excited"

"Well, it's a study group, so don't forget the purpose, okay? Anyway, whatever."

"Oh! That's right, since we're in this topic, I want to eat Rui-chan's lunch that you mentioned before!"

"Oh, that's nice, let's have it for dinner, Rui-chan, can I ask you to make it for us?"

"…please"

"Hmm, well, it's fine, but don't complain about the taste."

"I don't think anyone will complain-"

"Wait a minute, if Rui's cooking is on, I'll join in too."

"I thought so."

So we, the five of us, decided to have a study session at my house on the weekend.

I wonder if there were enough blankets...

•

•

•

It's Friday, the last day of weekday test study. The test starts next Monday, so today is the last time the three of us will study together. In the end, Ryo has been studying seriously up until this point, so nothing like what happened the other day has happened, and even if he had been greedy, he wouldn't have go with it.

And as for me, to be honest, I was beginning to lose my patience.

I want to hug Ryo! That feeling grows stronger with each passing day, and yesterday when Nae-chan was being hugged, I even felt jealous, and I was cornered.

As usual, Nae-chan started clinging to Ryo, asking for a hug, and Ryo replied, "Already? I guess there's no other way," and gave her a hug.

I observed Ryo, and as expected, he didn't seem excited at all even though he was hugging Nae-chan. Until now, he had always stood up normally right after the hug ended, so there was nothing particularly unusual about it.

Is it possible not to get excited in a situation like this?

Just like yesterday, I felt intense jealousy towards Nae-chan, and I wanted him to do the same to me.

Seeing Nae-chan's ecstatic face, an expression that would have seemed erotic to me as a man, I feel so cornered that I want to feel good too.

Today is Friday and it's my last chance, if I miss it I might not get another chance for a while.

Okay! Once Nae-chan is done, I'll gather up the courage to ask him to do it for me too.

When Nae-chan's hug time was over, Ryo looked at me as if to say he'd kept me waiting.

I must have looked desperate, because Ryo spoke to me in his usual gentle tone with a worried look on his face.

"Rui, what's wrong? Is something wrong? Don't push yourself too hard."

"R-Ryo, actually, there's something I need to ask you."

"What? Tell me anything, I'm not the type to turn down a request from Rui."

"W-Would you like to give me a...hug?"

"?"

Ryo looked confused for a moment, it must have taken him a while to understand what I was saying, and then after a moment...

"Is it okay? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, just like you would with Nae-chan, use that position."

"---Okay, come on."

I realized the expression on my face now, the way it had fallen into a sloppy mess the moment I was called "Come here."

I laid my skirt out, placed my buttocks in the center of Ryo's crossed-legged position, crossed my legs behind his buttocks, and put my arms under his arms and around his back.

Just like he did with Nae-chan, Ryo placed his left hand on my back and his right hand on the back of my head while holding me close, and began stroking my head and hair from top to bottom.

---It feels so good. I never knew being stroked, not just hugged, could feel so good. I can see why Nae-chan is so addicted to it. It's like I can't think about anything else.

Since I couldn't hear Ryo's heartbeat like last time, I hugged him tighter to feel closer to him, and pressed our upper bodies closer together.

However, now that I was wearing my normal bra and jacket, I couldn't feel the closeness or my heartbeat as well as I did last time when we were only wearing a T-shirt.

Feeling frustrated, I pushed my butt forward to press not only my upper body but also my lower body from the stomach down to feel a sense of closeness all over.

Then I felt something hard touch my stomach.

---Eh?! Why!? He didn't show any signs of that with Nae-chan.

My body felt a bit of fear and I instantly pulled away a little.

"Uh, I'm sorry Rui. I tried my best, but it just ended up like this... but I have no intention of getting it up--- ugh, shall I leave it at that?"

Ryo was incredibly kind, and even though it must have been painful for him, he suggested we end the hug.

Right now, there was a conflict between the part of me that was being greedy and the part of me that was trying to stop it because it was dangerous territory.

As I remained silent, Ryo took his hands off my back and head, grabbed my shoulders and moved away from me.

"That's it, Rui."

And so it was announced that it was over.

"O-Okay, sorry..."

That was the best I could do.

Ryo never lost sight of his main goal, which was to study, until the very end, and just as he had said on the way home, he was true to his word.

I went back to studying, but I couldn't concentrate and only felt more dissatisfied.

We ended up calling it a little early that day because I just couldn't concentrate.