It was school time, and Makoto wasn't driving fast, so Yukino could steadily hold onto the hem of his jacket from the back seat.
The whole time, Yukino carefully maintained a physical distance between them to avoid contact.
It wasn't out of dislike, but rather due to her modesty and instincts as a girl.
Along the way, she spotted several classmates she recognized from school, which made her a little nervous.
But then she remembered she had changed clothes and was wearing a helmet—there was no way anyone would recognize her.
Just as she was starting to relax, Makoto's voice came from the front.
"I see a bunch of familiar faces. Should we go say hi?"
"No," Yukino rejected flatly.
"Then should we get out of here quickly?" Makoto asked again.
"Sure," Yukino answered just as decisively.
That aligned perfectly with what she was thinking.
However, she had overlooked one important fact—Makoto was a scheming guy.
After getting her consent, Makoto said, "I'm going to speed up a little. Hold on tight."
Yukino was just about to say that gripping his jacket was enough when suddenly, Makoto slowed down, reached back, and grabbed her slender arm.
"What are you doing?"
Yukino instinctively let go of his jacket and tried to shake his hand off.
That reaction was exactly what Makoto had planned for.
He slightly accelerated and let go of her arm, which caused the unbalanced Yukino to lean forward uncontrollably, her soft and fragrant body pressing against his back.
To maintain balance due to the forward momentum, her arms naturally wrapped around his waist.
The physical distance Yukino had tried so hard to maintain was now completely meaningless.
Their bodies were pressed together, and her pleasant scent enveloped Makoto.
To the students on their way to school nearby, this intimate posture looked exactly like a couple out on a ride.
"You jerk!"
Of course Yukino realized he had done it on purpose—her face under the helmet was fuming.
"Hold on tight, bro."
Makoto tried not to laugh as he sped out of the area.
One student watched their retreating figures enviously and sighed,
"As expected, every guy should have a motorcycle so he can take the girl he likes out for a ride."
Naturally, Yukino couldn't hear the students' remarks.
She was completely flustered at that moment.
She had never done anything like this before—her whole body pressed up against a boy's back, and her arms wrapped around his waist.
It was only after this sudden moment that she realized how secure that teasing boy's back actually felt.
His waist was firm—Yukino could feel it clearly even through his clothes as her arms circled him.
It made her cheeks flush under the helmet.
She managed to keep her emotions in check and waited until they left the area. Just as she was about to let go and harshly scold Makoto, he suddenly said:
"Huh? Isn't that Kasumigaoka-senpai?"
Yukino was taken aback, her attention diverted as she quickly looked ahead.
That tall, curvy figure in black stockings—who else could it be but Utaha?
"I'm going over to say hi," Makoto said.
Yukino's expression was frosty. "What are you plotting now?"
"Nothing at all. I just saw someone I know and wanted to say hello."
"You sure you're not trying to expose me?"
"Even if I do, it doesn't matter. Everything resets tomorrow anyway."
"…"
Yukino was speechless.
Right, everything would reset. So everything that happened today was ultimately meaningless.
She blanked out for a moment.
Forgot to let go of Makoto's waist. Forgot that her chest was still pressed tightly against his back.
And so, in that close posture, the two of them rode the motorcycle right up to Utaha.
Utaha looked at them curiously. Seeing it was a guy and a girl on a Harley, she immediately lost interest.
She always kept her distance from guys who gave girls rides on motorcycles early in the morning.
But Makoto slowly approached on the bike and pushed up his visor with one hand. "Good morning, senpai."
"Hm?"
Utaha turned her head again, surprised to hear the familiar voice.
When she got a clear look at those eyes, her expression became even more shocked. "Fushimi?"
Her gaze then fell on the girl sitting behind him.
Could it be… Ichika?
In her impression, only Ichika would be this close with Makoto.
But she quickly dismissed that idea.
The girl behind him had a chest that was way too small.
No way that was Ichika's size.
Meanwhile, Yukino felt a bit helpless. Not greeting a senior from school wasn't in line with her upbringing.
She released her hold on Makoto's waist and mimicked his motion by lifting her own visor—then froze for a second.
Wait a minute!
Did this guy say all that earlier just to make me hold him longer?
Yukino thought the possibility was very high.
After all, this kind of close contact felt unnatural the first time—but once there was a first time, wouldn't the second and third times come easily too?
Because he was Makoto. Because today was part of a time loop. Yukino became more and more convinced of this suspicion.
But at the moment, all she could do was greet the stunned Utaha with a calm voice. "Good morning, Kasumigaoka-senpai."
"You're… Yukinoshita?" Utaha froze completely.
"That's me," Yukino admitted calmly.
Since she had already been exposed, there was no point in panicking. It was better to stay composed.
That was her style.
Utaha's expression became unusually vivid.
Since there were no other students nearby, she even pulled out her phone to double-check the date, wondering if she had come to school on the wrong day.
But once she confirmed the date was correct, she looked at them with a suspicious expression.
"So you two… skipped class on purpose?"
A first-year taking a second-year to skip class?
These two really were terrifyingly bold.
"We took the day off," this time Yukino answered.
Even though she knew it was a time loop, she still wanted to make things clear.
Makoto chimed in, "That's right."
Utaha's ample chest rose and fell rapidly, and her tone became uncertain. "What was the reason for your leave?"
"As you can see, a little joyride," Makoto said, gesturing to Yukino behind him.
Yukino shot him a deadly glare.
Utaha nodded expressionlessly.
Alright, I get it.
A little couple impulsively skipping class for a ride—that's something teenage boys and girls might do.
But still…
If he and Yukino were dating, what about Ichika?
Utaha deliberately thought back.
She remembered clearly how caring Makoto had been toward Ichika that day—it definitely wasn't fake.
A small sense of disappointment rose in her chest.
She had finally found a guy she could really connect with. But if he had a girlfriend, then she wouldn't be able to consult him freely anymore.
"Senpai, we're heading off,"
Makoto waved and suddenly accelerated.
At the same time, he quickly reached back to grab Yukino's arm so she wouldn't lose balance and fall.
Because of that, Yukino instinctively leaned forward again—bringing their bodies back into close contact.
"I want to hit you, Fushimi Makoto."
Yukino's voice came through right by his ear.
Makoto replied, "Why so distant between brothers? You call me your big bro, so it's only natural for there to be some physical contact."
Yukino snapped, "Can you say something useful instead of just spouting nonsense?"
Makoto chuckled. "Alright, let's change the subject.
You've been working really hard lately, and since I'm a professional and also your big bro, next time I'll put together a complete photography guide for you—including my personal experience."
He brought up something they had discussed in a previous loop.
Yukino paused and went quiet.
She really did need Makoto's help.
She was quick to learn, but that didn't mean she knew everything from the start.
If a professional could give her direction and technical details, she was confident she could master all the knowledge in a month.
So this time, she said nothing more.
Her fair, slender arms quietly wrapped around Makoto's waist again—and didn't let go.
I must be going crazy.
That thought flashed through her mind.
What Yukino didn't realize…
She hadn't put her visor back down, and her body was once again pressed against his.
Her brain was still lagging, and during that time, Makoto would occasionally sneak a sideways glance while driving.
He took in every change in her expression.
"Bro, you're adorable," he murmured.
Yukino pretended not to hear him.
Makoto had been quietly observing her, but the longer he looked, the more he found his gaze drifting down to her thighs.
Those shapely thighs tightly wrapped in denim jeans.
Everyone knows that girls with great waist-to-hip ratios, when sitting on the back of a motorcycle like this, give off a stunning allure from their waist and thighs.
Makoto couldn't help but admire them in his heart.
A girl with great legs really is something else. You were already killing it in thigh-high socks, and now in tight jeans, you're even more powerful.
"Bro, can I ask you a favor?" Makoto said aloud.
Yukino raised her eyes coolly. "Say it."
"I'll treat you to the aquarium later. Can you let me take a photo of you?"
"What's the reason for the photo?"
Makoto replied bluntly, "Your legs look amazing."
Yukino didn't say anything—she just raised her arm and elbowed him.
Makoto took the blow like a champ, without a word.
Yukino finally spoke: "Don't even think about it."
Their little bout of friendly roughhousing felt oddly natural now.
"Alright, then let's just stick to the original plan and help you relax," Makoto said, feigning disappointment.
Yukino picked up on the change in his tone and couldn't help but smile.
But what she didn't realize… was how naturally she was now wrapping her arms around his waist.
First time's a stranger, second time's familiar—and the truth of that phrase was becoming more and more evident.
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