And then lunchtime.

As usual I was behind the school building together with Takatsuka-san.

"You come and hold me tonight."

The sudden sexual harassment made me almost spit out the food I was eating.

"W-why?"

"Well. Thanks to me Iwabuchi avoided failing and you improved your grades too right. Well you still don’t compare to me though. So as a sign of gratitude don’t you think you should offer your body to me?"

"...I am grateful but I’d like to repay you in another way."

"That’s strange. I’ve done so much for you. Other girls would be over the moon from this kind of service you know? Isn’t it about time you became mine?"

"That’s a bit... I mean I like Iwabuchi-san."

"Good grief. You’re tougher than I thought."

Takatsuka-san continues eating her lunch on her lap.

"Then at least praise me properly."

"I already said thank you for letting us use your place and helping Iwabuchi-san study."

"That’s not it. Just now you were praising Iwabuchi non-stop weren’t you? Calling her a genius of effort or a diamond in the rough. Even if you like her I’m still an important collaborator. Shouldn’t you praise me properly too?"

"M-maybe you’re right..."

It’s not like I’m neglecting Takatsuka-san.

I am properly grateful.

But she teases me a lot so it’s hard to praise her honestly...

Saying more than just thank you feels kind of embarrassing.

"O-okay then I’ll praise you but don’t laugh."

"Why would I laugh? You’re just going to praise me right?"

"Well..."

"Enough. Until you finish praising me I’ll do this."

Takatsuka-san moves the lunchbox off my lap and then straddles me facing me.

"T-Takatsuka-san!?"

"It’s your fault for hesitating. If you’d just praised me quickly this wouldn’t have happened."

I can feel Takatsuka-san’s weight through my knees.

Maybe because she’s tall she looks slender but there’s a definite weight pressing into me like it’s taking over my legs.

When she puts her weight on me even though she’s a girl it feels this heavy...

And the sensation of her inner thighs through my knees is soft like I might melt just from the contact.

"Go on praise me. If you make me happy something seamless and pleasant might happen afterward."

"N-no you don’t have to do that..."

I end up speaking politely without meaning to.

To escape this situation I desperately try to come up with words of praise.

Of course I really am grateful to Takatsuka-san so I make sure not to lie.

The words don’t come easily but everything I say is genuine.

"...And it’s not just studying. You actually take good care of people and you properly think about others."

She may be excessive with physical contact but when I think back on Takatsuka-san more good moments come to mind.

"I might be glad I got involved with you Takatsuka-san."

That’s why those words came out so naturally.

"I want to say thank you for being there—"

Suddenly Takatsuka-san pulls me into a tight embrace while still straddling me.

"T-Takatsuka-san!?"

It was too intense for something happening at school so I was about to stop her but—

"Don’t look."

"Huh?"

"I said don’t try to look at my face."

"Oh sorry..."

Wait no. I didn’t do anything wrong right?

If anything, isn't Takatsuka-san the one at fault for doing something obscene in broad daylight?

Even while feeling unconvinced I could sense something urgent from her so I couldn’t do anything but leave it as it was.

If we stay silent like this it’ll get really awkward so I should change the topic.

"Um well... you helped us a lot during the study sessions but we didn’t clean up much before leaving... did we cause trouble?"

"It’s fine."

"We even used your kitchen freely..."

"It’s only ever used properly when you come anyway."

When we had the study session on the weekend we used Takatsuka-san’s luxurious kitchen to make lunch.

It was a high-quality kitchen on a completely different scale from mine and it boosted my motivation so much that I got carried away cooking.

"Oh I see..."

"You worry about trivial things too much."

Takatsuka-san who had been close enough to rest her chin on my shoulder moves away and sits beside me.

"I’ll remember this instead. That you’re very very grateful to me and feel indebted to me."

"I didn’t go that far..."

"Anyway I listened to your request regarding Iwabuchi. Now it’s your turn to listen to whatever I say right?"

"I can’t do anything but if it’s something I can do and within reason then okay."

"That’s more like it."

In an unusually good mood Takatsuka-san starts rummaging through her hoodie pocket.

I can’t shake the bad feeling about this but all I can do is watch what she’s about to do next.