This Kind of Thing Is Better Done Somewhere Without People

Akemiya Karen’s words instantly ignited the subtle atmosphere inside the room.

Yanaimi Anna, who had been hitting Imaizumi Keita, suddenly didn’t know whether she should continue.

The wrist held by Imaizumi felt as if electricity surged through it, the tingling sensation rushing straight into her mind.

The anger that had been burning moments ago because of the “4K and 8K” analogy was instantly replaced by shame and panic.

Anna’s face changed from angry red to shy crimson at a visible speed.

Hakamada Kousuke stood to the side with an extremely complicated expression.

He opened his mouth as if wanting to stop them, yet unable to find any appropriate reason, and could only remain there as an outsider.

Imaizumi Keita sensed a wave of top-quality energy made of “extreme shame” and “panicked confusion” pouring into him from the girl beside him who looked on the verge of overheating.

The high quality of this energy made him feel almost pleasantly intoxicated.

So this means… what I’m doing is correct. There isn’t any hint of disgust in this energy…

Looking at Anna, who seemed moments away from steaming, the smile on his lips deepened.

Akemiya Karen truly is the perfect assist…

He decided to use this perfect atmosphere to gather even more energy.

Feeling the pleasure from his succubus aura, Imaizumi not only didn’t let go of her wrist but instead pulled her toward him.

He lowered his head slowly and, in a gesture that looked incredibly gentle and precious to an observer, lightly pressed his forehead against her burning one.

Their breaths intertwined, warm exhalations mingling in the small space.

“Do you want it?”

His voice was extremely low, tinted with playful amusement, a whisper only they could hear.

“A kiss.”

Boom.

Anna felt her brain shut down completely.

The warmth on her forehead belonged to someone else.

The air she breathed carried Imaizumi’s clean, comforting, yet panic-inducing scent.

And those two words acted like a spell, shattering all her ability to think.

Her mind went blank, hazy and white.

Her instincts screamed at her to push him away, to run, yet somewhere inside, a weak voice whispered: maybe… maybe it’s okay…

Amid her inner turmoil, her peripheral vision caught Hakamada Kousuke standing nearby with an uncomfortable expression.

Anna bit her lip instinctively and asked in a small, stubborn voice:

“This kind of thing… is better done… where there aren’t people…”

It was the boldest reply she could give at this moment.

Kissing a boy she had only recently begun fake-dating was still too much for her.

The moment she finished speaking, a huge surge of energy flooded into Imaizumi — his energy pool felt full, and his awakening progress nearly complete.

Excitement and exhilaration filled Imaizumi Keita.

He had only been trying to extract more energy through the atmosphere… he never expected an answer like this.

Isn’t this basically the same as “Do you want to come to my place for a drink of water”?!

Yanaimi Anna!

Like! Must love!

Delight and admiration flashed through his eyes, though he knew when to hold back.

He quickly straightened up, creating distance between them, while deliberately showing a pouty, “rejected” expression.

He turned to Akemiya Karen, who was still watching with bright eyes, and shrugged helplessly yet fondly.

“No choice — Anna gets shy.”

“Ahhh! I understand, I understand!”

Akemiya Karen nodded vigorously.

“Girls get embarrassed in front of friends! It’s totally normal!”

Seeing the “show” calm down, Karen cheerfully shifted the topic:
“You two still look glued together — want to sing a song?”

“Hm…”

Imaizumi nodded awkwardly, looking apologetic.

“Letting Hakamada and Karen sing everything while we sit here… doesn’t feel like a proper group outing.”

He said this naturally, almost like he was the host of the gathering.

As he spoke, he pulled Anna — still holding her hand — up from the sofa.

Anna, still dazed, allowed herself to be led toward the large screen.

Imaizumi tapped the console skillfully, and a familiar melody began to play.

A classic love duet extremely popular among couples — “Because I Like You.”

He placed a microphone into Anna’s hand gently.

“Do you know this one?”

“O-of course I do!”

Anna answered quickly, her face bright red.

She had listened to this song countless times and fantasized about singing it with Kousuke.

Every lyric felt like it had been written for her twelve-year unrequited love.

As the intro played, Imaizumi lifted his microphone first.

He rarely sang in public, but his voice was unexpectedly steady and pleasant.

Without fancy techniques, he used a clean, sincere tone to express the awkward yet firm feelings of a boy with a crush.

Then came Anna’s part.

Holding the cool microphone, she took a deep breath and began singing.

In the first few lines, her mind involuntarily showed her Kousuke’s face.

Her long, hopeless crush, the bitter longing — all flowed into her voice.

“Within this romantically swaying heart, the overflowing feelings… yes, all of them are you…”

“This emotion called liking… if I could express it to you… would tomorrow’s me change even a little…?”

Her voice carried a sadness even she didn’t realize she still had.

If only…

Anna instinctively turned, wanting to see the boy who had filled nearly all of her youth.

And then she saw what she didn’t want to see.

Kousuke sat with Karen, Karen’s head resting tenderly on his shoulder, and Kousuke looking down at her with a gentle, doting expression.

Anna’s heart felt sharply pricked.

Not pain —
But clarity.

Yes — just like her and Imaizumi.

They too were absorbed in their intimate “couple-like” world, unaware of anything else.

Anna turned away quickly.

At that moment, she felt the hand intertwined with hers squeeze gently.

Imaizumi Keita watched her with calm, deep eyes, silently.

And Anna’s heart settled.

She gripped the microphone tighter.
When the next lyric came, her inner images had changed completely.

She remembered Imaizumi defending her earlier with ridiculous yet sincere logic.

She remembered the warmth of his forehead on hers, making her heart skip wildly.

She remembered him declaring, with possessive confidence, “She’s my girlfriend.”

As she kept singing, she realized the song’s “unspoken feelings” and “wanting to be a little closer” no longer belonged to past sadness.

They pointed toward now.
Toward the boy beside her.
Toward a new feeling that frightened and stirred her at the same time.

Her old emotions…
faded gently with her voice.

New feelings quietly filled their place.

The emotional shock —
mixed with saying goodbye to her long youth and facing an unknown future —
rose inside her as an uncontrollable ache.

The screen blurred.

A warm tear slid from her eye, silently falling down.

She didn’t raise her hand to wipe it — she didn’t want to let go of his hand.

But a warm palm touched her cheek first.

Imaizumi Keita had put down his microphone at some point and gently brushed her tear away.

The music continued, and everyone’s gaze settled on them.

Imaizumi looked at her quietly, leaned close, and whispered so only she could hear:

“Don’t worry. I’m here.”