Chapter 26

“Senpai is cute.”

I actually said it out loud.

During the twilight hours, just about time for good evening.

The punishment was being carried out.

Right now, I found myself in the middle of a truly terrifying punishment.

“Senpai is cute.”

“Ugh…”

“Senpai is super cute.”

“H-Hey now…”

“Senpai is the cutest girl in school.”

“I-I didn’t say… you had to go this far, though!?”

Yuzu senpai’s voice echoed through the narrow, familiar literature club room.

Since regular students without club activities had to head home by dismissal time, the library was already closed.

That’s right, the punishment room chosen for me was none other than our literature club room.

Today was originally a day off for club activities. You normally needed a key to get into a literature club room tucked away at the corner of the school building like this, but we cleared that without a problem thanks to the face-pass privilege of Yuzu senpai, an honor student boasting top grades in her year.

And so, for the sake of the punishment, the literature club room had been opened.

It felt like a ridiculous abuse of authority.

“You’re the one who asked for a sequel, senpai, right?”

“B-But not up to this point…!”

She was all mushy.

Our usual seats. I sat down, and Yuzu senpai sat on my lap.

And just like before, leaning against me until the time club activities ended, I continued to pet her head.

What an utterly terrifying punishment.

It could go on forever.

And as for why I was petting her while praising her, well, that’s a long story too…

“Y-You’re going to give me a repeat of what happened earlier right here until it’s time to go home! H-How’s that, embarrassing isn’t it!?”

“…Cute.”

“C-Cute!?”

“Ah.”

I ended up saying “cute” right to her face while in my right mind, so I just gave up and embraced it.

Actually, it was weirder that I’d been hiding it this whole time anyway.

In fact, Yuzu senpai was cute, so why hadn’t I been saying it?

Thinking back, I think part of it was because I felt so happy when Yuzu senpai gave me head pats and told me I was a “good boy.”

People feel happy when they get praised, yup yup.

So, that’s how it is.

“You’re cute, senpai.”

“Ugh…”

“I respect you.”

“H-Hey…”

“I’m really, really glad I joined the literature club.”

“P-Please stop already…!”

This is the best.

This is the best punishment ever.

Being able to pet her head while telling Yuzu senpai all the things I’d always wanted to say alongside a proper “thank you”—it felt like a dream!

Still, overdoing it wasn’t a good idea either.

Yuzu senpai’s face was already bright red all the way to the tips of her ears.

That’s why I shifted back to just head pats.

Pat-pat.

Pat-pat, pat-pat.

Pat-pat-pat-pat-pat-pat-pat-pat-pat-pat-pat-pat-pat.

“…Senpai, this is an emergency.”

“…W, What?”

“…Right now, I’m insanely happy.”

“No saying embarrassing things!!”

The prohibition order was issued once again.

Even if you say that, this is the one thing I want to say.

“But it’s the truth. The reason I was able to bounce back like this is thanks to you, senpai.”

Pat-pat.

“I never expected you to turn into this kind of kouhai, though…”

Grip.

Yuzu senpai grabbed onto my school uniform.

“Even I, thanks to you…”

Pat-pat.

Pat-pat, pat-pat.

Pat-pat-pat-pat-pat-pat-pat.

Answering Yuzu senpai’s tiny murmur that sounded like it might fade into nothingness, I silently kept petting her head.

It was the best punishment ever.