Vol. 2 Chapter 101 – To Do It or Not (2)

The ultra-thin condom package gleamed under the moonlight.

Maybe she hasn’t noticed yet… I prayed, but Hikaru was staring intently at the small packet at her feet.

After looking at it for several seconds, she raised her face and looked into my eyes.

I couldn’t read what emotions or thoughts were there.

I just stared back into her serious eyes while crouching down to pick it up.

“Well, shall we head back?” (Reiya)

And I tried to act gentlemanly as if nothing had happened, but…

“That just now… that was it, right?” (Hikaru)

Hikaru muttered quietly while looking at what I’d gripped in my palm.

“T-that just now…? W-what do you mean by ‘it’…?” (Reiya)

“What just fell from Reiya-kun’s pocket…” (Hikaru)

“Eh? A-ah… that! That’s, well… sanitary supplies… convenient wet wipes you carry around—” (Reiya)

Thinking maybe Hikaru didn’t know what it was, I tried to play dumb, but—

“It’s what men wear… right? When they’re, you know… doing it…” (Hikaru)

The perfectly correct words were spoken with slightly embarrassed red cheeks.

I was caught. Completely caught.

What that was and what I’d been expecting carrying it—everything was exposed.

However, I couldn’t simply answer ‘Yes, that’s right.’

Our first overnight trip together.

I didn’t want to be seen as a guy full of ulterior motives for bringing such a thing and lose her respect.

“A-ah… somehow, Shuu forced it on me… I just forgot it was in my pocket… don’t worry about it, it’s really nothing—” (Reiya)

“I see… it’s not Reiya-kun’s…” (Hikaru)

“N-not mine, not mine! We don’t need it! I said I didn’t want it when I refused!” (Reiya)

“Yeah… I don’t need… that…” (Hikaru)

Hikaru pointed at what I was holding without changing expression.

“R-right! We don’t need it! Something like this… i-it’s still too early for us—” (Reiya)

“That’s not what I mean… I’m on the pill… so it’s okay without that…” (Hikaru)

Probably the most shocking words of my life were spoken.

“…Eh? P-pill…?” (Reiya)

My brain went into busy mode at something I’d heard of but didn’t know much about—the number one unknown thing.

“S-Silent Pill…?” (Reiya)

I tried saying it, but it didn’t seem to be about that recently remade classic horror game.

“Um… low-dose birth control pills… they’re hormones that regulate female hormones… quite a few athletes take them to stabilize performance during competitions… I’ve been taking them for a while…” (Hikaru)

“H-heh…” (Reiya)

I gave agreeable responses to Hikaru’s quite embarrassed explanation.

Apparently there existed a realm more unknown to me than mathematics.

I said “heh…” but my head was as chaotic as if a new battle royale had been released.

“D-does that… not affect your body…?” (Reiya)

“Hmm… it’s a medication where compatibility varies, some people get headaches or blood clots, but I’m fine. Almost no side effects…” (Hikaru)

“H-heh… i-is that so… t-that’s good…” (Reiya)

W-why has this developed into such a graphic conversation…

No, but I’ll eventually need to consider Hikaru’s health management to some extent.

Maybe I need to listen seriously to this as important information…

“S-sorry… suddenly talking about weird stuff… maybe I lacked delicacy… I got too excited earlier and my head’s still fuzzy…” (Hikaru)

“N-no… I probably should have known… it’s important regarding Hikaru’s body…” (Reiya)

I answered that way, but it was still a bit too stimulating for me.

“…But what do you mean it’s not needed…?” (Reiya)

But I was still curious and asked.

“Well… the main purpose is what I said, but… um… it also has very high contraceptive effectiveness… more than… that…” (Hikaru)

Hikaru’s face turned bright red as she averted her gaze from me, only her fingertip pointing toward what I held.

“I-I see…” (Reiya)

“Yeah… that’s right…” (Hikaru)

“I-I didn’t know…” (Reiya)

“I… just happened to know… just happened to…” (Hikaru)

Again, we fell silent while holding hands.

Whether it was awkwardness or some other emotion.

Either way, I had no idea what to talk about from here.

I could feel sweat seeping from our joined hands and Hikaru’s warm body temperature.

“So… what will you do?” (Hikaru)

After a while of silence, Hikaru suddenly pulled my hand slightly and asked in a small voice.

“Eh? W-what do you mean…?” (Reiya)

I thought she was asking if we should return to everyone—

“Should we… have sex?” (Hikaru)

Hikaru asked with a red face in a voice barely audible to my ears.

At that ultimate light-attribute destruction magic of maximum power, blood rushed through my entire body at tremendous speed.