“Ugh…!”
When those soft, sweet words “Stupid Dog” and “Small Fry” echoed in the empty Old Classroom, Saginomiya Shiori’s entire body jerked violently.
Her usually refined face now wore an expression of melting happiness, looking as if she were about to cry.
She closed her narrow, almond-shaped eyes. Instead of letting go, she rubbed her cheek even deeper into that cool, soft spot — like a big dog finally getting a pat from its master — and let out a satisfied, tearful grunt.
“This is it… This is what I wanted… Ruanruan… Give me a little more…”
Shiori’s voice trembled, and her breathing grew rapid as she held the feet, sending waves of tingling shivers through her.
Su Ruanruan’s small face was so red it looked like it was about to catch fire.
‘This… this is too embarrassing!’
Moreover, this body of hers was incredibly sensitive. That warm sensation rushed through her nerve endings and into her brain, making Su Ruanruan’s back go soft. Even her toes curled up in shame like five little shrimps.
“Ugh… E-Enough already! Stop rubbing!”
Su Ruanruan’s voice was soft and sweet, thick with a sob. Her eyes were red, and tears clung to her lashes, ready to fall at any moment.
Not knowing where she found the strength, she bit her lower lip and used all her might to pull her small foot away from Shiori’s hands.
Then, she extended her two pale, delicate hands and pushed against Shiori’s shoulders like a kitten, forcing her back a little.
“You’ve already been punished! Perverted Shiori! Get off me already!”
The soft, sweet sensation vanished.
Saginomiya Shiori froze for a moment. The eyes that had been filled with happiness darkened visibly the second she lost her “comfort.”
Like a large, aggrieved dog whose favorite snack was suddenly snatched away by its master, her eyes instantly filled with anxiety and longing.
“It’s not enough… Not nearly enough… Ruanruan hasn’t treated me like this in so long…”
Shiori’s voice was full of grievance and a hint of crying. Instead of backing away, she pounced forward like a large golden retriever that had lost all reason and only wanted to act spoiled in its master’s arms!
“Wait, wait, wait?!”
Su Ruanruan let out a panicked, babyish cry as her petite body was knocked backward by Shiori’s momentum. Her small back hit the wall of the Old Classroom with a soft *thud*.
In the next second, Shiori’s tall frame pressed against her without a gap.
She tightly gripped Su Ruanruan’s slender waist — which looked like it might snap — and buried her head frantically in the crook of Ruanruan’s neck. Like a heartbroken dog, she inhaled greedily, nuzzled about, and even let out low whimpers.
“Ruanruan… Step on me again, okay? Just once! Anywhere is fine…”
The cold scent of cedar mixed with the girl’s rapid, tearful breathing, wrapping tightly around Su Ruanruan’s small body.
The crook of her neck felt itchy from Shiori’s hair. That clingy, puppy-like dependency made Su Ruanruan both embarrassed and anxious.
“SA-GI-NO-MI-YA SHI-O-RI!”
Su Ruanruan took a deep breath, puffed out her cheeks, and shouted her full name.
However, she had no idea how adorable her forced “anger” appeared to others.
Because of the scuffle, her long silver hair was a bit messy, with a few strands sticking to her red cheeks. With teary eyes and a red-rimmed gaze, where was the intimidation?
To make matters worse, to show she was “really angry,” her soft cheeks puffed out like a pufferfish. She didn’t look angry; she looked like she was acting spoiled for someone she loved.
“L-Listen to me!”
An angry Su Ruanruan reached out and cupped Shiori’s face, which was still nuzzling her neck, with her two pale hands. She used all the strength in her small body to lift Shiori’s head.
Then, she irritably squished Shiori’s refined face like a piece of dough, even squeezing her high nose bridge out of shape.
“I said no, and I mean no! If you keep touching me like this… I-I’ll really be mad!”
Su Ruanruan knit her delicate brows and used her softest, most childish voice to deliver her “harshest” threat: “If you pounce on me again, I’ll really ignore you! Do you hear me?!”
With that, she gave a firm push, finally making the “large dog” sit back on the floor.
Shiori sat there blankly.
Faint red marks from Su Ruanruan’s hands remained on her face, looking a bit ridiculous, but her eyes were pitiful, like a dog scolded by its owner.
At the mention of being “ignored,” Shiori truly stopped.
But in her heart, though she feared Ruanruan’s anger, she couldn’t help but scream internally:
‘Ruanruan’s angry face… so cute…’
‘Those puffed-out cheeks… like a little bun…’
‘And those small hands squeezing my face… so soft, so warm… I want her to keep squishing me forever…’
‘She’s clearly angry, but there’s no threat at all. She’s just like a bristling hamster…’
Shiori’s gaze was glued to Su Ruanruan’s pouting face.
The pink lips slightly pursed in anger, the kitten-like glare, and the way she was hurriedly shoving her bare foot back into a white sock…
Every detail made her heart pound.
She wanted to hold her. She wanted to make her cry with anger. She wanted to see her blush and call her a stupid dog while weeping.
But Shiori knew she had to apologize properly now. If she truly enraged Ruanruan, that would be bad.
“I-I’m sorry… Ruanruan…”
Shiori, who had just been pouncing like a mad dog, instantly switched back to her humble, pathetic persona.
She knelt obediently on the floor, hands placed properly on her knees, and lowered her head as her long lashes cast shadows over her eyes.
The way she looked so aggrieved and didn’t dare look up was exactly like a large dog waiting for punishment after doing something wrong.
“I got carried away… Please don’t be mad, Ruanruan…”
Her voice grew smaller, heavy with tears and a nasal tone. “I… I just… I haven’t cuddled with Ruanruan in so long… When I saw Youyu getting so close to you, I… I…”
At this, her shoulders trembled slightly, and her eyes reddened instantly.
“I promise, I won’t touch Ruanruan without permission again… So… So please don’t ignore me…”
Watching Shiori’s excellent attitude and her pitiful state, the anger swirling in Su Ruanruan’s chest deflated like a popped balloon.
“Hmph… As long as you know you’re wrong.”
Su Ruanruan turned her face away arrogantly, her earlobes red like pink flower petals.
She clumsily pulled on her cotton socks and stepped back into her small leather shoes. After stomping a bit to make sure they were on right, her small body stood up unsteadily.
She brushed the dust off her skirt and looked down at Shiori.
Though she still felt incredibly embarrassed by what happened, she cleared her throat and extended a small, pale hand to maintain her newly established “authority.”
“Get up, Stupid Dog. Class is about to start. If we don’t go back now, the teacher will scold us.”
Hearing the familiar “Stupid Dog,” Shiori snapped her head up.
Her eyes, previously filled with tears, instantly shone like stars. An invisible tail seemed to be wagging frantically in the air behind her.
“Mm! Ruanruan is the best!”
Shiori carefully took the small hand. It was soft, small, and warm — like a little animal that needed protection in her palm.
She stood up and, from an angle where Su Ruanruan couldn’t see, lowered her head slightly as if leaving some kind of exclusive mark.
“Shiori? What are you doing?”
Su Ruanruan tilted her head in confusion, her long silver hair sliding to one side to reveal her delicate neck.
“N-Nothing!”
Shiori’s face flushed deep red as she hurriedly looked away. “Let’s go back!”
They straightened their clothes and walked out of the Old Classroom hand-in-hand, heading toward Class 2-3.