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"This is the circuit diagram for a closed circuit. According to this..." The slightly chubby old nun in the black habit stood at the lectern, pointing with her teaching stick at the diagram on the blackboard, explaining the lesson.
"So this is what Japanese parent-teacher conferences are like," Haru sat at the same desk as Akiha, holding Asagami Fujino, he mused aloud.
"Ah, ooh~" Fujino giggled, her pale, smooth cheeks being pinched and prodded by Haru's demonic hands, letting out a soft, meaningless hum.
Akiha, who had been listening attentively, heard Fujino's hum and turned her head, looking at the two with disapproval. Seeing Fujino's slightly flushed face, she hissed, "You're going too far. Fujino's face is red and swollen."
"Too far?" Haru looked at Akiha with surprise, stopping his hand and lowering his head to nuzzle Fujino's. "Does Fujino like it when Big Brother pinches her?"
"I love it!!!" A clear, melodious loli voice reached Haru and Akiha's ears.
Fujino giggled, grabbing Haru's hand and pressing it against her own cheek.
Fujino, having just regained her sense of pain, was like a severe masochist, exceptionally happy about anything that could cause her pain. And the one pinching her cheek was Haru, the one who had pulled her out of the lonely world of no pain.
Naturally, she was overjoyed.
"Well then, let's continue." Haru, with a wicked grin, gently pressed his palm against Fujino's face and began to knead it playfully.
To be honest, if it weren't for the parent-teacher conference, Haru would have been tempted to try some S&M play with Fujino.
After all, with her sense of pain restored, Fujino was practically a masochist.
And if he raised her for another ten years or so, until she became a mature onee-san, then the wooden horse, the leather whip, the candles... cough cough cough.
"Ha, I want to pinch her too, Hisui!" Kohaku, sitting behind Haru, looked at the giggling Fujino in his arms with envy, as if seeing a coveted toy.
"...Anyway, Akiha got the guardianship rights earlier. After we take Fujino home, should we give it a try?" Hisui, sitting beside Kohaku, was silent for a moment, then said, her voice filled with anticipation.
At her words, Kohaku nodded eagerly.
"Well then, let's move on to the next part of the parent-teacher conference," the old nun at the lectern said, closing her textbook, a kind smile on her face.
———
"You flatter me. Kohaku is like this all thanks to your teaching!" Haru said, his face a mask of embarrassment as he faced the old nun, who was showering Kohaku with praise.
Things like 'studies diligently,' 'is positive and upbeat,' 'is always willing to help'... she was practically praising her to the max.
Haru didn't need to look to know that Kohaku's expression was one of pure, unadulterated joy.
After a full ten minutes of praise, the old nun finally stopped, took a sip of tea, and, with a kind tone, mentioned that she had discovered a small flaw in Kohaku, and hoped Haru would cooperate in helping her improve.
Hearing this, Kohaku quickly lowered her head, standing shyly beside Haru, fiddling with the hem of her nun's habit.
"Of course, of course. I will cooperate with the school's education," Haru said, nodding impassively. These past few hours, he'd seen through the Japanese education system's tricks.
First, you praise the child to death in front of the parents, blowing them up as much as possible. Then, at the end, you mention a few small flaws, and ask the parents to cooperate in helping the child improve.
At least, the previous two times he'd brought Akiha and Hisui to the classroom, this old nun had used the same technique. Though he was impressed by her ability to praise for thirty minutes without repeating a single word, he was really—tired of listening.
After dealing with the old nun, Haru took Kohaku's hand and walked out of the classroom.
In the hallway outside, Akiha and Hisui were squatting, helplessly trying to comfort the red-eyed Fujino. Seeing Haru, they both sighed in relief.
"Eleven years old and still so mischievous!" Haru said, crouching down and scooping up the flying Fujino. He stood up and, with a teasing expression, tweaked her small, delicate nose.
Fujino's porcelain-doll face flushed slightly. Ignoring his teasing, she buried her face deep in his shoulder.
"Speaking of which, you three girls, you insisted I come so you could hear the teacher praise you to my face, didn't you?" Haru said, holding Fujino, his dead-fish eyes narrowed, his tone strange.
Haru wasn't stupid. When the old nun praised the three girls in front of him, the ecstatic expressions on their beautiful, newly-matured faces were just too obvious.
But Haru didn't mind. Their eagerness to show off in front of him only proved his immense importance in their hearts.
"No, we didn't..." a flustered Akiha, her secret exposed, quickly turned her head away, her voice a petulant whine.
"We've been found out." Kohaku and Hisui exchanged glances, then both stuck out their tongues, giggling and making funny faces at Haru.
"Let's go, let's go. We're going home." Haru shivered slightly, holding Fujino's small body tighter, and started towards the stairs.
Before leaving, he glanced out of the corner of his eye at the ten-meter-tall tree across the way.
On a branch of the tree, a robin, its body an azure blue, a golden five-pointed star inlaid on its forehead and each of its wings, was constantly nudging its wing with its small head, preening its azure feathers.
———
7 PM.
In the living room of the Kuonji residence.
Alice Kuonji leaned back elegantly on the sofa, lifted her pale, slender right arm, and held it level in mid-air. On the back of her hand, the azure robin was continuously reporting the situation.
"Is that so? You've found out their home address and family members?" Alice tapped her chin with her left index finger, listening intently to her familiar.
"I'm home, Alice!!!" Aoko Aozaki burst into the living room, looking around. "Where's dinner? Alice, it's your turn to cook today, right?"
"We'll discuss it later!" Alice lowered her arm, and the robin gently flapped its wings, flying to the tea table.
"Huh? What's more important than dinner?" Aoko froze for a moment, then said, her voice filled with dissatisfaction.
Alice turned her head slightly, her lips parting, her icy voice reaching Aoko's ears.
"Aoko, I've found the witness."
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