Seeing the slightly dazed look on Karuizawa Kei's face, the little fork in her hand had paused in midair.
Shikime Natsu couldn't help but smile. He set down the coffee cup in his hand, and those pale-golden eyes regarded the girl before him, whose every thought was written plainly across her face. In a gentle tone, he spoke up to ask Karuizawa Kei a question.
"What's the matter?"
"Kei, why'd you suddenly space out? Are you thinking about something?"
Hearing this question from Shikime Natsu, Karuizawa Kei finally snapped back to her senses with a jolt, as if waking from a dream.
Her shoulders gave a slight shiver, and then her originally fair, delicate little face visibly flushed in an instant with a rather conspicuous blush.
Karuizawa Kei was frantically berating herself inside her head.
This was just so embarrassing she could die!
Just now Shikime Natsu had been using that earnest tone to discuss with her the matter of that scar — the one that caused her the most pain and made her feel the most inferior.
So how was it that her own useless brain, after hearing his explanation, had suddenly and inexplicably veered straight onto the subject of Shikime Natsu's several girlfriends?!
She'd even been sitting here with her head full of preposterous questions, fantasizing about how Shikime Natsu allocated his time, and what would've happened if she'd made her move sooner.
Could this be the legendary lovesick brain?!
When facing Shikime Natsu, this lovesick-brain trait of hers, with her head full of pink bubbles, really did flare up at the worst possible time!
In order to cover up the shame and panic in her heart, Karuizawa Kei hurriedly shook her head like a rattle-drum.
"N-no, it's nothing!"
She flusteredly opened her mouth to deny it, avoiding Shikime Natsu's gaze a little guiltily, and stammered out:
"I... I wasn't thinking about anything at all! Really, nothing at all!"
Watching this adorable picture of Karuizawa Kei — protesting too much, like a guilty thief, doing her utmost to hide the panic in her heart — the smile on Shikime Natsu's face deepened by a few degrees.
However, he chose not to dig to the bottom of it.
Shikime Natsu didn't dwell too much on this awkward topic, but rather quite naturally steered the conversation back on track.
He looked at Karuizawa Kei, his tone turning somewhat serious, and said to her:
"Since you happen to be on your own today, Kei, and I just so happen to have nothing else to deal with—"
"Then, there's no time like the present."
"Since we've run into each other here, then I'll go ahead and help you right now, Kei — to remove that scar on your belly."
After hearing Shikime Natsu say these words so casually,
Karuizawa Kei couldn't help but freeze up entirely, her mind going briefly, momentarily blank.
She slowly raised her head, those moist blue eyes looking at Shikime Natsu with great earnestness and filled with disbelief.
"Natsu..."
Karuizawa Kei swallowed a mouthful of saliva, her voice carrying a tremor she couldn't hide, and asked cautiously:
"Are... are you really serious? Right now? Right here on this cruise ship?"
It was no wonder Karuizawa Kei felt shocked and skeptical.
Although this luxury cruise ship chartered by the school was indeed equipped with rather lavish, plentiful high-end entertainment facilities — things like a movie theater, swimming pool, upscale restaurants, everything you could want —
but a proper hospital, or some large medical room equipped with cutting-edge medical apparatus, was something Karuizawa Kei hadn't seen at all over these past few days.
At most there was just a simple infirmary that could only handle ordinary colds and fevers, or sprains and bruises.
If there wasn't even a professional hospital or professional medical instruments,
then for Shikime Natsu to want to help her remove that scar here was, by Karuizawa Kei's understanding, something that could be called quite a difficult matter.
Even though Karuizawa Kei knew perfectly well that Shikime Natsu had, in the earlier Deserted Island special exam, accomplished that astonishing feat.
Relying on his own strength alone, he had in a short time built several sturdy, comfortable wooden cabins, resolving all of Class A's survival problems.
But still!
No matter how you looked at it, building cabins — that kind of work belonging to construction and physical labor — and performing a precise, complex scar-removal treatment on a human body...
however you looked at these two things, they seemed utterly unrelated, miles apart!
Facing Karuizawa Kei's worry-filled gaze,
Shikime Natsu's expression remained that same composed, unhurried look.
"But of course."
He answered with extreme certainty, confidence carried in his tone.
Then Shikime Natsu leaned forward slightly, those pale-golden eyes looking straight into Karuizawa Kei's eyes, and spoke in a low voice.
"Kei."
"Do you trust me?"
Hearing these words from Shikime Natsu, looking at those eyes of his that seemed capable of making one sink deep into them,
Karuizawa Kei's brain didn't even have time to go through any logical reasoning.
"I trust you."
She simply followed the instinct of her own heart, and the word blurted out subconsciously.
As for Shikime Natsu, she had long ago, back in that dim equipment storage room, let down all of her guard before him.
Still, trust was trust — that was a matter of emotional dependence.
But rationally, just how Shikime Natsu was going to accomplish such a miraculous thing without medical equipment was still something Karuizawa Kei utterly couldn't imagine.
Hearing Karuizawa Kei's unhesitating answer,
Shikime Natsu smiled in satisfaction.
"Very good."
He nodded, and said to Karuizawa Kei:
"Since you trust me this much, Kei, then in a little while just stay together with me with an easy mind, and leave everything to me. Let's wander around together a bit first, and then once the time is about right, I'll treat you."
Faced with Shikime Natsu's arrangement, Karuizawa Kei very obediently nodded her head.
Mm!
Inside her heart, Karuizawa Kei couldn't help but begin to cheer and rejoice.
If that was really the case, then this should count as another rare bit of added time for the two of them, her and Shikime Natsu, to be alone together!
Thinking of this, Karuizawa Kei's mood instantly turned as bright and radiant as sunshine.
She picked up her little fork again, cut off a small piece of the strawberry mille-feuille cake in front of her, and put it into her mouth.
The sweet, rich cream and the fresh strawberry blossomed across her taste buds.
Whether it was because of her cheerful mood or not, Karuizawa Kei felt that the taste of today's cake was a good deal better than usual — it was sweet enough to melt right into her heart.
The her of right now had already silently made a decision in her heart.
No matter what kind of miraculous method Shikime Natsu intended to use to treat her later,
at the very least, during this stretch of time to come, this process of the two of them being alone together,
for Karuizawa Kei, this should already count completely as a secret date between the two of them!
Even though up until now, she still hadn't truly established that proper, official boyfriend-girlfriend relationship with Shikime Natsu,
but precisely because they hadn't yet defined the relationship, for the two of them to sneak out like this behind everyone's backs to be alone together — you could even say to begin dating —
this feeling, as though they were doing something naughty behind everyone's backs, could still make one feel a little excited and thrilled deep down.
It was simply a sense of doing something sneaky and secretive!
While enjoying the delicious dessert, Karuizawa Kei raised her head and, in a natural tone, tried to find some common topic to share with Shikime Natsu.
"Um, Natsu."
Karuizawa Kei opened her mouth to ask.
"Have you been around to explore this luxurious cruise ship before?"
However.
The very instant these words left her mouth,
Karuizawa Kei's brain felt like it had suddenly been jolted by electricity, and she immediately realized what a stupid question she had just asked.
Shikime Natsu was a normie with several genuine girlfriends!
With so many cute girlfriends accompanying him by his side, then on this cruise ship he had surely long since taken them around to plenty of scenic spots well suited for dates!
For her to ask such a thing was simply courting humiliation — not only did it come across as somewhat superfluous, but it also made her feel quite heartbroken.
Sure enough, Shikime Natsu's next answer confirmed the thought in her heart.
"Mm, I have indeed been around to quite a few places before."
Shikime Natsu answered truthfully.
Hearing this answer, those eyes of Karuizawa Kei's, which had been sparkling with the light of anticipation, couldn't help but dim by a few degrees.
Shikime Natsu set down the coffee cup in his hand and naturally added to Karuizawa Kei:
"That said, this cruise ship really is far too big."
"Even though I've already wandered around a fair number of areas, there may well still be some places with particularly special scenery that I haven't been to yet."
Shikime Natsu looked at her, a gentle smile at the corner of his mouth.
"If you know of any fun places, Kei, then I'd love for you to recommend some to me — after all, this is the first time I've ever wandered around this ship together with you."
After hearing these words from Shikime Natsu, that trace of gloom in Karuizawa Kei's heart was instantly swept clean away.
"Mm-hm!"
She nodded her head quite happily, and that golden side-ponytail of hers bounced cheerfully behind her head along with the motion.
Wonderful!
Shikime Natsu was looking forward to her taking him around!
At this very moment, Karuizawa Kei's head was already completely stuffed full of the sweet feeling of this "secret date."
She had even forgotten that, not long ago, Shikime Natsu had just spoken to her extremely seriously about the extremely important matter of going to deal with that scar on her belly today.
Of course, seeing Karuizawa Kei in such high spirits, Shikime Natsu didn't go and spoil the mood by reminding her over and over.
He was quite glad, on this bright and sunny morning, to accompany this girl disguised as a gyaru and let her relax a little.
After the dessert time at the coffee shop came to an end,
Shikime Natsu followed in Karuizawa Kei's footsteps and wandered around to a few places on this enormous cruise ship.
Such as some snack stalls, and some shops.
Throughout this process, Karuizawa Kei's mood could be called very good indeed — you could even say it was the most happily and relaxedly she had smiled in any single day since she enrolled.
They wandered around for nearly two hours and more.
By the time Karuizawa Kei finally felt her legs growing a bit sore and her body feeling tired,
the two of them stopped at a rest area along the corridor.
And it was only at this point
that Karuizawa Kei's lovesick-brain-occupied mind suddenly, as if waking from a great dream, abruptly remembered the matter of that scar on her belly!
Oh, right!
When Shikime Natsu came to find her today, he had plainly said he was going to help treat her!
Should she bring it up...?
In Karuizawa Kei's heart, actually, it would be best not to bring it up, since she had no confidence that Shikime Natsu could really cure her. But... at the thought of Shikime Natsu choosing to help her, and of having said she trusted him, only to now show an attitude of distrust — that would be a bit bad.
"Um... Natsu."
Karuizawa Kei steadied her breathing a little, then raised her head, those eyes carrying a few traces of curiosity and nervousness, and asked Shikime Natsu:
"How... how exactly do you plan to treat me?"
Faced with this question from Karuizawa Kei,
Shikime Natsu merely smiled, and then had Karuizawa Kei follow him, passing through several corridors, before arriving at a place that looked somewhat like a hotel.
Standing before this front desk, several big question marks couldn't help but pop up on Karuizawa Kei's forehead.
There was always a bit of confusion in her heart.
After all, when they had boarded, this luxury cruise ship had already very generously provided all of them first-years with their own quite comfortable guest cabins.
Although those rooms were standard rooms grouped by class, shared among several people.
But Karuizawa Kei had never imagined that there would actually be this kind of place on the cruise ship. What was the cruise ship setting up something like this for?
Surely it couldn't be for giving students extra tutoring lessons?
However, very soon, Karuizawa Kei's little head began to turn — could it be...
The moment she thought of this, those moist blue eyes of Karuizawa Kei's instantly filled with disbelief, and then, somewhat panic-stricken, she looked at Shikime Natsu standing before her so naturally.
Could it be that, because she often played the part of a gyaru, and was blonde on top of that, Shikime Natsu thought she was a rather frivolous, easily-handled girl?
Karuizawa Kei couldn't help but touch her golden side-ponytail. If that really were the case, then for a girl it would be quite a sad thing — after all, to be thought of that way by the boy she liked was not a happy matter.
Karuizawa Kei's gaze sized Shikime Natsu up once or twice, and somehow she felt it wasn't so. She only saw Shikime Natsu quickly spend some personal points, and then purchase one hour of use of a room.
In a place like this, Karuizawa Kei still couldn't help overthinking — the two of them had just been wandering around plenty of places like they were on a date, and now they'd come straight to a room, and... it was just her and Shikime Natsu, the two of them alone.
This progress really did seem a bit fast.
No, no — Karuizawa Kei quickly cast out all of the somewhat unwholesome thoughts in her mind. What she had just said to Shikime Natsu was about how Shikime Natsu planned to treat her, and his choosing this room must be because he didn't want anyone to see.
Karuizawa Kei had no intention of letting anyone else see this scar either. Thinking of it that way, Karuizawa Kei very quickly came around.
"Let's go, Kei."
Shikime Natsu glanced at Karuizawa Kei standing behind him and slowly spoke up with a smile.
Hearing Shikime Natsu's voice, Karuizawa Kei quickly gave an "Mm," and then stepped her little legs to follow along. Karuizawa Kei cautiously took in the rooms around her.
If Karuizawa Kei had come here together with her few good girlfriends, then it would be fine, but now it was just her and Shikime Natsu, the two of them — a lone man and a lone woman — which always gave her a very strange feeling.
Very soon, Shikime Natsu stood at the doorway of a room, opened it, and then gestured for Karuizawa Kei to go in. Karuizawa Kei nodded, stepped in first, and then heard the sound of the door closing behind her as he followed.
The girl's heart, at this moment, also unhelpfully went "thump."
Switching on the lights inside the room, looking at that soft, wide double bed that took up the overwhelming majority of the space,
Karuizawa Kei's heart leapt up into her throat.
Shikime Natsu had already walked over to the bedside. He turned his head and looked at Karuizawa Kei, who was still standing there dazed.
"Don't just stand there foolishly, Kei."
Shikime Natsu spoke in a casual tone.
"Come over, sit on this bed."
After hearing Shikime Natsu's voice, Karuizawa Kei felt that she had somewhat lost the ability to think. Since Shikime Natsu had said so, Karuizawa Kei also quickly sat down on the bed according to his instructions.
However, those little hands of hers gripped tightly at the hem of her skirt. Clearly, the girl's mood at this moment could be called quite uneasy.
Even though what was about to happen next wasn't that kind of thing, still... it would surely be something that made the girl feel quite awful.
Shikime Natsu slowly walked up in front of Karuizawa Kei, and then spoke to her softly.
"All right, Kei, lift your clothes up a little, and let me take a look at your scar."
Shikime Natsu's gaze fell on the left side of Karuizawa Kei's belly.
After hearing these words from Shikime Natsu, Karuizawa Kei's body couldn't help but tremble slightly. As for that scar of hers, Karuizawa Kei still hadn't shaken free of its influence to this day. Even though she had said so much to Shikime Natsu inside the equipment storage room, letting Shikime Natsu know about her past, but... every time she bathed, Karuizawa Kei would notice this scar that she could never forget, and her mood would always grow heavy again.
This scar — to be honest, Karuizawa Kei had not intended to show it to Shikime Natsu, since... this scar was so ugly that she utterly loathed it herself.
However, at this moment, matters had already reached this point, and there was no reason to retreat. She took a deep breath, and with trembling hands she reached out and grabbed the hem of the casual T-shirt she was wearing.
Then she slowly lifted the garment upward from her lower belly.
As a corner of the fabric was lifted, the girl's lower belly — which should have been smooth and flat — was exposed to the air.
And that scar, which looked quite hideous, also appeared at this moment before Shikime Natsu.
____
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