AN: Hey guys! Hope you're all doing well! Been a hot minute since I've posted so I'm sorry about that! I don't want to clog up the top of this chapter with my reasons, but for those who'd like to know I'll write a spill about what's been going on and what not. Besides that I hope you guys like this chapter!
Naoto and Hayase still sat happily in the art room together, both euphoric from the earlier interaction. They'd held their embrace for several minutes before they'd separated. They'd kept up an idle conversation, Hayase of course being sure to tease her Senpai. They likely could have kept up all day if Naoto hadn't noticed the time.
"We… we should probably get to our classes, Hayase, I don't want to make you late again." said Naoto.
Hayase checked the time and scrunched her mouth disappointedly. "Yeah you're probably right Senpai." Hayase held her disappointed expression and continued with, "But I have so much more teasing I need to catch up on!"
Naoto replied, "How do you figure?"
Hayase while gathering up her things said, "Well since Gamo and the rest were here, I couldn't tease you!"
Naoto shrugged and knew better than to protest. "Guess you're outta luck then." Naoto said, teasing back a little.
Hayase squinted her eyes at Naoto, trying to figure out a way to get what she wanted. A light bulb went off above her head and she said, "What if I come by the art club today!"
Naoto furrowed his brow, confused. After a second he said, "What about the Judo club?"
Hayase shrugged and said, "Today is a beginners session anyways. I'll just tell them I'm helping my boyfriend with homework." Hayase put extra emphasis on boyfriend, and Naoto couldn't help but flush and feel a return of butterflies in his stomach. "O-Okay. If you're sure it's alright." Naoto said.
Hayase giggled, happy to see the effect she'd had on the boy. Admittedly though, the word had brought as much joy to Hayase as it had to Naoto.
Naoto and Hayase walked out into the hallway both having to go in opposite directions. "I'll see you later, Senpai~." said Hayase, adding some suggestiveness to her tone.
Naoto flushed and simply said, "Y-Yeah, see you later."
Hayase giggled and leaned in to kiss the boy, Naoto, to his credit, quickly reciprocated. The couple lightly pecked each other's lips, with Naoto being the first to pull away. Before he could pull back too far, he felt Hayase's hand tug on his collar, holding him still. The girl then said, "You call that a kiss, Senpai~?"
Naoto reddened a little and said, "T-That's what we usually do at school?"
Hayase grinned devilishly at Naoto and said, "Maybe before sure, but now I'm your girlfriend, and I want a little bit more than a peck." Hayase then pulled Naoto towards her and deeply kissed the boy. Naoto, while hesitant at first, quickly stopped caring. The softness of Hayase's lips, causing an almost intoxicating effect on the boy.
After about three seconds of the couple making out, Hayase quickly cut the kiss off and said, "See ya, Senpai~.".
Hayase quickly turned and sped off down the hallway towards her class. Leaving Naoto standing alone in the hallway, his brain fogged over from the interaction. "S-See you." Naoto said softly, watching his girlfriend go.
Hayase sat happily in her last class of the day. Hayase couldn't wait to rush her way to the art club room to tease her… boyfriend. Hayase couldn't suppress the slight giggle that came from the thought. Hayase thought back over the last year and realized that she wanted to be with Naoto for quite some time. From his fun and awkward personality to his tall and lanky appearance, she'd been entirely enamoured with the boy the moment she'd read his manga so long ago, even if she hadn't known it at the time.
Admittedly, It'd taken her awhile to acknowledge her emotions for Naoto. She'd known from the beginning that she didn't like him receiving 'attention' from other girls, such as during the culture festival last year when two girls approached Senpai. That being said though, she couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when she knew she loved him. Over the course of their relationship she'd simply found herself less able to be in a world without him. When Naoto had caught her flu, she'd been physically unable to stay away. She HAD to make sure he was okay, and nothing, including getting his address from the art club president, would stop her.
The bell releasing the final period rang, snapping Hayase out of her lovesick daydreaming. Quickly, Hayase gathered up her things and ran out the classroom door, excitedly rushing towards the art club room. As she ran she found her train of thought derailing, Naoto again taking the forefront of her mind. Hayase didn't have to daydream long though. As she hurriedly approached the art club room, she saw Naoto talking with Sunomiya, they were approaching the art room from the opposite direction.
Hayase admittedly liked Sunomiya, however knowing who she was related to, Hayase couldn't help but feel herself growing a little territorial. As Hayase approached the art club members, Naoto turned his back to Hayase, having not noticed her. Naoto while facing Sunomiya said, "Thank you for understanding Sunomiya."
Sunomiya nodded dismissively and said, "I was taught to never get in the way of true art, Hachiouji Senpai."
Sunomiya noticed Nagatoro approaching Naoto from behind and said, "Ah, we have good timing."
Naoto turned around following Sunomiya's gaze. As he turned, Hayase latched onto his arm, hugging it affectionately, and said, "Sup you two?" Hayase's hug had two meanings, one to show affection towards Naoto, and the other was to properly display that he belonged to Hayase.
Naoto, while initially caught off guard by the hug, quickly realized who it was from and smiled happily. "H-Hi, Hayase."
Sunomiya also said, "Hello, Nagatoro Senpai." Sunomiya seemed unaffected by Hayase's territorial display. If anything Hayase noticed a gleam in the girl's eyes, as if she was excited to see the display. Hayase, dismissing the look, looked at Naoto and couldn't help but smirk at the grin he had. "What'cha two talking about?" Hayase asked.
Naoto gathered himself a little, realizing he must've looked like a doofus with how much he was grinning, and said, "O-Oh, I was just asking if Sunomiya would mind leaving the art club to just you and I today."
Hayase blushed a little at the thought and quickly got a tease in, "Eww Senpai~, what are we doing that involves us being alone together~?"
Naoto's face reddened a little and began to stammer out, "N-Nothing! I just thought-" but Hayase quickly interrupted the boy and said to Sunomiya, "Thank you for being willing Sunomiya, I appreciate it."
Sunomiya again nodded dismissively and said, "It's my pleasure to facilitate the creation of true art."
Naoto and Hayase walked into the art club, sliding the door closed behind them. They'd said a quick goodbye to Sunomiya after their brief conversation. Despite the assured awkwardness involved with asking to have a room alone together, Hayase and Naoto were both happy for the privacy.
After the couple had settled, Naoto asked, "How was your day? Everything go okay?"
Hayase shrugged and said, "Yeah it was fine. Other than you, my days are pretty boring." Naoto smiled at Hayase's compliment and said, "Yeah… I feel the same about you."
Hayase giggled at Naoto's comment, and said "You better, Senpai~."
After a few quiet moments Naoto said, "So… uh… I need your help again."
Hayase grinned and said, "Well duh, silly Senpai, that's why I'm here."
Naoto, sheepishly clarified. "N-No, beyond that I mean. I uh, need your advice, I don't know what to do for the final art piece."
Hayase, enjoying her boyfriend's flustered expressions, feigned realization in her tone, "Ohhh, that's what you meant." Hayase intentionally poured some extra cuteness into her expression and voice, and with a hint of seductiveness asked, "Well how can your cute girlfriend help Senpai~?"
Naoto couldn't hide his blush from Hayase's statement, she still knew how to play him like a fiddle. Doing his best to speak, he stammered out, "I-I-I was hoping you'd have an idea."
Hayase grinned evilly at her boyfriend, pleased with his reaction and then teasingly said, "Shunting your homework onto your poor girlfriend already Senpai?" Hayase tsked to herself, and then continued, "This doesn't bode well for the start of our relationship now does it?"
Naoto flushed a little and did his best to retaliate. "I-I don't know about that… If anything… I think it shows how much I value your opinion."
Hayase's face reddened and she did her best to suppress the obvious happiness that came from Naoto's words. He really was getting better at this romance thing. "W-Well… when you put it like that, how can I not agree?" Hayase said, her happiness leaking into her voice.
Naoto smiled, happy to have Hayase's input. After a moment, he then said, "Th-Thank you, Hayase."
Hayase brought her hand to her chin in thought, both to consider ideas, and because she knew Naoto considered the pose attractive. After a moment, Hayase grinned and said, "I have a condition though Senpai~."
"O-Okay…" Naoto said reluctantly, already cautious of where Hayase was going with this.
"You have to do exactly what I say~." Hayase again let her tone drift sultrily, which again caused Naoto to blush. After a moment, Naoto slowly said, "F-Fine…"
Hayase giggled, unable to fight the smile that came to her face from her newfound power. "Good!" Hayase said.
Naoto sat silently for a few moments. Waiting for Hayase to continue, after a few more seconds, he asked, "So… what's your idea?"
Hayase had an expression of contemplation, clearly trying to figure out something. "Don't rush me Senpai! I'm still thinking." Naoto shrugged and let his Kohai think.
After a few more seconds, Hayase started slowly, "Well you see Senpai. I have a few ideas."
Naoto nodded and replied, "O-Okay. What are they?"
Hayase grinned and said, "Well. Knowing how gross you are, Senpai, I initially thought we could try something a little… lewd." Hayase fought to suppress the deep blush that was coming to her face from the words. Naoto turned a bright red and said, "H-Hold on! I don't want to draw something like that!"
Hayase giggled at Naoto's reaction and said, "Let me finish! So rude Senpai!"
Naoto quieted a little and said, "S-Sorry." His face still a rosey red. Hayase grinned and continued, "However, I know that you're too much of a virgin to handle something like that. So I thought we could go the other direction."
Naoto grumbled to himself a little, but let Hayase continue, "So I thought maybe I could borrow a wedding dress from the drama club and we could use that." Naoto's eyes bulged at Hayase's words and couldn't stop himself from exasperatedly yelling, "WHAT?!"
Hayase laughed, unable to control herself from Naoto's reaction. Naoto quickly followed up with, "D-D-Don't you think that's moving a little bit fast!?"
Hayase managed to gain some semblance of control, and wiped a tear from her eye. "Relax Senpai~." Hayase said, still giggling a little. "I was just teasing."
Naoto, still blushingly wildly, remained silent trying to gather himself. Seeing an opportunity for more teasing, Hayase decided to press the notion a little more. Feigning sadness, Hayase asked, "Do you hate the thought of me being your bride that much?"
Naoto, falling hook line and sinker for Hayase trap, said, "I didn't say that… " implying that the idea was actually a happy one for him.
Hayase grinned impishly at Naoto's implication and blunder, and said, "Eww Senpai~! I was just teasing you! Don't tell me you want to marry me already! How creepy!"
Naoto, realizing he'd fallen for Hayase's trap, felt his face redden and warm, quickly he stammered out, "H-H-Hey! It was your idea!"
Hayase continued her impish grin but decided to relent, giving her poor boyfriend a break. "Suuure! Whatever you say creepy Senpai~!"
Naoto sighed, slightly frustrated, but after a few moments of silence between them he said, "W-Well what's your real idea then?"
Hayase giggled again and decided to continue. "Well, since both of the other ideas were a little too extreme, even for a creepy virgin like you Senpai, let's go for something that's a little bit of both~."
Naoto's expression became embarrassed and he said, "Wh-What do you mean?"
Hayase opened her mouth to explain, when a new idea came to mind. Quickly she said, "This is the part where you have to do exactly what I say Senpai~. No questions."
After Hayase's previous carpet bombing of teasing, Naoto was now firmly regretting making that promise. He opened his mouth to protest, but Hayase quickly interjected. "Don't worry Senpai~. I won't tease you too badly."
Naoto still supported a look that showed he had a lack of faith in the sincerity of Hayase's words, taking note of this, Hayase decided to use her ace card.
Putting a little bit more seductiveness into her tone than before, Hayase sweetly said, "Just do what I say, and I'll make it worth you while Senpai~."
Naoto's flush came back with a vengeance as his imagination began to run wild with what her tone and words could be hinting at. Slowly, he finally said, "O-Okay… fine."
Hayase's impish grin returned with Naoto's words and she said "Good! Now we need to find a mirror!"
Naoto sat on the couch in the art room, the softness of the green cushions against his back. He stared forward looking into the mirror at his reflection. Hayase had made him dig through the back room of the art club to find it.
Everything about Naoto's current position felt weird to him. For starters he never really liked looking at himself, his artistic eyes always managed to pinpoint everything he didn't like about himself. Secondly he rarely found himself on the art club room's couch. He admittedly just preferred most of the other chairs in the room, leaving the couch to Hayase and her friends. Those things considered, Naoto hadn't the foggiest idea what Hayase was planning and why she'd set him in this particular position.
"I… I don't get it…" Naoto said reluctantly. "I'm supposed to be drawing you, not me."
Hayase giggled at Naoto's comment and stepped out from behind the mirror, "I know Senpai~. I was just making sure this thing wasn't going to tip over."
Naoto scratched his head and did his best to understand. "O-Okay. Then, where do you come in then?"
Naoto noticed Hayase sporting a hot blush, as if she was working up the courage to say. After half a second, she said, "Let me show you, silly Senpai~."
Hayase approached Naoto's seat on the couch. Naoto, picking up on the fact she was preparing to sit down, schooched over a little to make space. Hayase stopped, giggled a little, then said, "Nope, go back."
Naoto, a little confused, moved back to his spot and then asked. "H-How are we going to fit you in front of the mirror then?"
Hayase's face reddened a shade more as she finally revealed her plan, "Because Senpai, I'm going to sit right… there." Hayase pointed with her index finger and Naoto followed it's trajectory. She was pointing directly to his pelvis. Naoto's flush instantly went to a shade of red that matched Hayase's, shocked by what he thought she was saying. "W-What?! Hayase, w-we're at school! We can't do something like that! N-N-Not to mention we've only been dating a few hours!"
Hayase couldn't suppress the giggles that came from Naoto's shocked expression, quickly she clarified what she'd meant, "You would think that's what I meant Senpai~! You're such a virgin!"
Naoto's face, while still a bright red, shifted as he became confused. Seeing this, Hayase continued, "I meant I'm going to sit between your legs, gross Senpai~."
Naoto relaxed only slightly and said, "B-But-" however he was quickly interrupted by Hayase who said, "No buts Senpai! Or else I'll reconsider letting you spoon with this one!" Hayase gestured to her derriere, and giggled at her pun.
Naoto, who was effectively speechless, didn't have the mental fortitude, and admittedly, the desire to stop his Kohai. Hayase then quickly said, "That's what I thought you perv! Now spread 'em!"
Naoto, while reluctant at first, slowly widened the gap between his legs, making a V shape. Hayase, despite her confident tone, couldn't help but find herself growing anxious as the ball came to her court. She wasn't going too far with this was she? Dismissing her doubt, she finished her approach to the couch and turned around, facing her back to Naoto.
Naoto couldn't help the blush that came to his face as she turned, his eyes exploring his girlfriend's body. Naoto watched as Hayase gently flattened her skirt against her butt as she sat down, to avoid it riding up. The action caused the skirt to more accurately follow Hayase's curve for only the briefest of moments, Naoto's face reddened to a deeper shade from the action.
Before Naoto could process the action any more, Hayase finished taking her seat and turned to look at Naoto with a side glance. While she'd expected Naoto to have a funny look on his face she'd hadn't expected it to be as funny to her as it was. "Sheesh Senpai! Can't I even take a seat without you ogling me?"
Naoto quickly tried to gather himself, but found his brain short circuiting, which caused him to honestly say, "S-Sorry! Y-Your skirt fit your form really closely and I-" Naoto stopped himself as he realized what he'd admitted to.
Hayase turned and faced forward again, lowering her gaze to her lap as an attempt to hide the deep blush that came to her face. While she'd expected Naoto to say something, she didn't think he'd straight up admit to what he was doing. Hayase grinned and suppressed a giggle, a familiar sense of flattery returned from hearing Naoto admit to enjoying her looks. Hayase admittedly couldn't help the suggestiveness that leaked into her tone as she said, "Oh really Senpai~?"
Naoto, trying to dig himself out of his self induced verbal trench, did his best to apologize, "I'm S-Sorry! I meant-" However, Hayase interrupted, her tone still sultry, "Well… if you like my ass so much Senpai…"
Hayase braced herself and schooched backwards into Naoto's chest, firmly placing her rear into the nook of Naoto's pelvis. If Naoto thought his brain was short circuiting before, then now it had effectively exploded. Hayase, while unable to see Naoto's expression, could tell from how much his body had tensed when she'd backed into him, that she'd effectively done her boyfriend another mental death blow.
Hayase herself was admittedly also beginning to short circuit. While she liked to pretend that this was all some elaborate way to tease her boyfriend, she was easily just as worked up as Naoto was over the situation, if not a bit more. Speaking of 'worked up' Hayase couldn't help but begin to notice a familiar firmness growing against her back. Hayase giggled with flattery, knowing exactly what the source of it was.
Naoto, despite his mental obliteration, was afraid of making Hayase uncomfortable and found the mental fortitude to say, "H-Hayase, Y-You shouldn't sit that close."
Hayase had to fight every primal instinct she had to do the exact opposite of what Naoto had said. She knew she was already playing with fire and the possible consequences of her antics could result in something neither her or Naoto were ready for.
Hayase then, electing to pretend nothing had happened said, "There! That's perfect!" And pointed towards the mirror. Naoto, who had entirely forgotten about the mirror, looked up at and saw something he'd never thought he would.
Staring back at Naoto was his and Hayase's reflection, and for once in his life he was happy with his appearance. The two of them looked like a genuine couple, both sporting a warm blush, but also a look of pure joy. Naoto and Hayase looked… cute. Naoto admittedly couldn't believe his eyes.
Hayase grinned at Naoto through the mirror and then sweetly said, "That's what I want you to sketch Naoto. Us. Together."
Naoto was speechless. He was still trying to recover from the fact that the girl he loved was as physically close as she was. Now on top of that, he was staring at his goal in the mirror. There it was, everything he wanted, the girl he loved, with him.
Naoto remained speechless for long enough that Hayase spoke up and said, "Well? What do you think?"
Naoto opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Words simply couldn't describe what he felt, not to a degree he felt accurately represented his opinion. After a few more moments he finally, with a bit of effort managed to say, "I… I really like it."
Hayase watched Naoto work on the sketch in front of her. To properly be able to keep their… pose, Naoto had to wrap his arms around Hayase and place the sketchbook on her lap. If Hayase thought watching him draw the last sketch was special, having it directly in front of her was in a completely different ballpark.
Naoto had been working on the sketch for only a few minutes now and she was already impressed. While the two had shifted a little from the original pose Hayase had pointed out in the mirror, such as the sudo embrace Naoto now had around the girl, She still found herself elated that the position had accomplished what she wanted it to. She'd simultaneously managed to find a pose that displayed both the physical and emotional closeness of a relationship.
On the notion of physical closeness, Hayase had noticed the firmness against her had finally subsided, Naoto's attention seemingly being fully pulled to the sketch he now worked on. Hayase admittedly still found it difficult to not intentionally rile him up again, her primal desires urging her to get the firmness to return. However, Hayase stonewalled herself from doing so, not wanting to distract her boyfriend from his work.
Hayase managed to keep her primal desires intact by keeping herself distracted by other means. For one, the butterflies that had been in her stomach since she'd taken her seat had only grown in strength since then. When Naoto had initially wrapped his arms around Hayase's waist to work on the sketchbook, the elation she'd felt was almost overwhelming. Still riding the adrenaline rush of all that had transpired was the only thing keeping her focused.
Hayase looked back down at the sketchbook in front of her, Naoto had made good progress since she'd lost herself in thought. However, she noticed he was seemingly hesitant to actually draw himself. He'd done a rough outline of himself, but he'd definitely put most of his focus on Hayase herself. Hayase couldn't help the scrunch that came to her lips as she looked.
Naoto, who of course was looking directly at Hayase's expression via the reflection, stopped sketching, which took Hayase a little off guard. "What's wrong?" Naoto asked.
"Senpai, you're not drawing yourself." Hayase responded. Her tone slightly concerned.
"O-Oh… I was going to get to that… eventually." Naoto said reluctantly.
"Senpai, I thought you liked this pose?" Hayase said, the concern in her voice having grown.
Naoto quickly answered and said, "I do! I love it!" trying to reassure her. However, Hayase's expression didn't change.
"Then why won't you draw yourself?" Hayase asked, she wasn't going to let him back out of this.
Naoto remained quiet for a few seconds, but finally said, "Because… I don't like drawing myself."
Hayase's expression changed, saddening slightly, and with a hint of protective anger she said, "Why not?!"
Naoto sighed, and started slowly, "It's… complicated." Naoto gathered his thoughts for a moment and then continued, "Whenever I try to draw myself the only things I can see is what I don't like about myself. The fact I've even done this much is because of how much I like this pose."
Hayase scrunched her lips, unhappy with his words. She sat in contemplation for a few seconds, trying to find a way to solve the problem. An idea came to mind and she said, "Okay Senpai~. Let's try this."
Hayase placed her hands on Naoto's, causing the couple to blush lightly, and said, "Draw yourself, and when you start to think about the things you don't like…" Hayase took a breath, she really wasn't good at the more sappier aspects of love, but she'd be damned if her Senpai was mean to himself. That was her job after all. "Remember that I love you." Hayase finished.
Naoto's face quickly regained it's bright red blush that it sported earlier. He then sheepishly said, "O-Okay…"
Hayase smiled sweetly at Naoto through the mirror and said, "Good! Let's keep going then!", with all the energy and enthusiasm that she was known for.
Naoto resumed working on the sketch. While initially he still struggled to draw himself, he slowly found himself warming up to it. The softness of Hayase's hands on his own brought joy to his heart, not to mention the rest of her. Knowing that she loved him, was all he needed.
So what'd you guys think? As always I'd love to hear about your thoughts opinions, and critiques! Now like I said above, I'll go a little bit more into why this chapter took longer than the rest. So easily the biggest component of why it took so long has been my mental health. Over the last 2-3 weeks I've really struggled. I spent most of my time in bed or drinking, or just sitting on my computer hiding from the world. Finding the motivation to do anything was really difficult, including writing this fic. I've thankfully started feeling better though and hopefully that will remain the case. I'm lucky to have as much support in my life that I do and its admittedly the only thing that got me through the last weeks with some semblance of structure. Hopefully, I'll continue to feel good and I'll be able to keep releasing chapters for you guys! Reading through everyone's comments truly was a great emotional boost while I was down. I hope you guys have a great weekend and I'll hopefully see you guys for Chapter 16!