Chapter Three

Treat Her Right, Naoto! (Sakura I)

"Sakura… Please go out with me!"

"No, I was here first! She loves me!"

"Nobody loves you four-eyes, it's all me!"

Sakura looked boredly upon the three guys that were pushing and shoving each other before herself. They weren't much to look at, nor were they particularly interesting in the way that they tried to sway her opinion of them.

This was the third time this week that a few guys she'd just been nice to did something like this. The girl was starting to regret messing with the loser types, realizing long ago that she was just trying to copy what Nagatoro was capable of with their Senpai. Now this was practically her entire school life, as most of the popular guys had learned to steer clear of her.

With a sigh, Sakura walked right past the quarreling nerds, who didn't even seem to notice as their beloved 'Queen' eluded them.

The evening sunlight was peeking in through the windows of the hall as she walked through the school, just enjoying the peace and quiet for once. She'd taken care of her after school duties a while ago after pawning them off to some guys vying for her affection, so there wasn't really much to do now except–

Sakura stopped, looking outside, her heart fluttering when she saw… her.

Naoto looked at least a little bit awkward as he gave a small wave towards Gamo and Yoshi, the girls grinning as they approached him.

"They got you watching over us, Paisen?" Gamo laughed. "Making sure we aren't slacking off?"

"Slacking off!" Yoshi nodded as she echoed the statement.

"I-I already checked in on everyone, but I was told someone had to stay behind and make sure everyone left," he said with a sigh, remembering the talk that the upperclassmen had a few days prior about keeping up a good image for the school, and how it was their responsibility to step up for the first and second years.

"Paisen… Come on, you know that's just hazing right?"

"I-It is?!"

Gamo grinned and threw an arm around his neck, the boy looking to the side sourly as she tugged at him and egged him on, Yoshi joining in on the banter. Before, this might've made him want to flee, but… They were his friends now. Gamo especially, being so close to Nagatoro, knew when to take it easy on him since it might upset her best friend.

"Either way, I'm surprised Hayacchi didn't stay behind," the redhead said, looking around.

"She had some things to do with her parents," Naoto said, smiling a bit at just the thought of his beloved girlfriend. "I'm sure we'll call each other later anyways."

Gamo made an audible gag and Yoshi followed suit, the two girls snickering afterwards.

"So lovey-dovey," Yoshi whispered loudly.

"You're both just jealous," Naoto said, pushing up his glasses and smirking, a quip that might've gotten his ass kicked when he first met these girls, but instead they could all share a laugh about it.

"Wow, everyone's here~!"

The soft and elegant voice carried over to the three, and they turned to see none-other than Sakura jogging up to them, a smile on her face.

"Oh, hey Sakura, you got duties too?" Gamo turned to face the tanned girl, who stopped suddenly, as if surprised to be face-to-face with the redhead.

"Y-Yep, but I'm sooo glad to see we had a dependable upperclassman here for us," Sakura said, putting her hands together and tilting her head in a cutesy way as she looked towards Naoto, who sighed.

"I-I didn't know," he muttered, bitter that he had been tricked to wasting time here at the school gate.

After a little longer of waiting and chatting, the four decided to head out together as the fading, golden sunlight cascaded over them. Naoto felt a bit awkward as he was surrounded by the three girls as they walked, wondering just how much of a harem protagonist he could look like right now!

Soon enough, they reached a point where they would split. Gamo and Yoshi needed to go one way, while Naoto and Sakura happened to be going the same way as well.

"Make sure your dear kouhai gets home safe, Paisen," Gamo said, sticking out a tongue teasingly.

"Yeah yeah…"

They shared a wave before the two girls turned away, and Naoto did the same. He took a few steps before he realized Sakura wasn't with him, looking back to see that she was still looking after the two.

"Sakura?"

The girl took another moment before turning to catch up with him, a smile on her face as she usually had, except…

Maybe I'm getting too good at reading expressions, Naoto wondered as they walked again. Because something about her smile is… Sad?

After walking for a bit in silence, Sakura stopped when they passed by a vending machine, holding up a coin purse and jingling its meager contents towards him.

"Senpaiii… Do you think you could buy me a drink? This walk is brutal."

Naoto narrowed his eyes a bit, very familiar with Sakura's ways, but… What harm did it do? He fished around a bit in his pockets, but only managed to pull out enough for a single drink.

"Darn… I was thinking I wanted one too," he said with a sigh, handing her the money.

"We can share! We're friends aren't we?~" Her eyes glittering at how easily he had folded, Sakura bought a canned drink and knelt down to take it, while Naoto watched and smiled a bit that her mood seemed to lift a bit. "Also… Can we sit down for a second?"

"Huh? I mean… Sure."

Wondering if Sakura really was feeling overworked or something, they went to sit on a nearby bench at a bus stop. Naoto made sure there was a decent amount of space between them, but he didn't want to seem too awkward and ended up adjusting the distance a bit.

Cracking the can of juice open, Sakura took a drink, Naoto glancing at her as she took a few gulps and then sighed happily.

"Here you go Senpai!"

She held the can to him and he took it, before staring down at it and realizing what he was haphazardly about to do.

I-Isn't this…?

"Jeez Senpai… You don't have to worry about sharing an indirect kiss with me," Sakura said lightly with a giggle.

"I-I'm not… Thanks," he said, putting it to his lips to take a quick drink before handing it back, forgetting it was his money that bought it in the first place. "So… A-Are you feeling okay?"

Sakura's smile dropped as she took another drink, her brown eyes looking away as she seemed to let the can hide her expression a bit. Naoto blinked at her, unsure what she might be thinking, til she finally moved the can away and looked down towards her lap.

"Senpai, do you think it's wrong to love a friend?"

Unsure how to take that, Naoto opened his mouth to speak, but Sakura continued before he could.

"Someone whose strong and dependable, in ways that you never could be," she said, the softest of blushes on her cheeks, the wind lightly rustling her blonde hair. "A friend who can protect you and treat you like the princess you've always wanted to be…"

Naoto felt his breath catch for a moment as he wondered if it was truly happening again. He wasn't sure if he could handle another sudden confession, the art club being much more awkward ever since that day with Sunomiya–

Sakura turned to look at him suddenly, with pleading eyes. "But she hardly pays attention to you!"

This confused him, and it took Naoto a few moments before his brain suddenly exploded with realization. That sad expression Sakura had held, and the longing look she'd given the two girls that had parted from them before…

Strong and dependable… Can protect you…

"G-Gamo…?"

Sakura nodded slowly. Naoto couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, wondering how Nagatoro might react if she knew he was conceited enough to think every girl wanted to ask him out!

This is so out of my expertise… I don't even have expertise! He thought.

"B-But why ask me? Hayase, maybe Yoshi too… They should know better," he insisted.

"Because you're from the outside," Sakura said intensely, leaning towards him and almost glaring up at him, a surprising look from the usually gentle girl. "We can't see Gamo outside of our closeness, but you… Do you… Think there's a chance..?"

Tears were forming in the girl's eyes. Naoto felt terrible as he had no idea what to say, so instead he placed a hand gently on her shoulder comfortingly.

"I… don't know…" He gulped, knowing he had to say more. "Wait wait wait… I've seen you lead lots of guys around. Are you sure about this?"

Sakura shrugged.

"I mess around buuut, I've never actually done anything," Sakura said with an exasperated sigh. "All I know is that I feel… Warm, when she's around, Senpai. Is that weird?"

"N-No, not at all!" He shook his head. "I-I'm just wondering then, if you need more.. Experience? Before pursuing Gamo at least."

Sakura seemed to think on that, the girl remembering all the countless different kinds of guys that she'd lead around. There were shy ones, dorky ones, confident ones, creepy ones… None of them had done it for her, instead leading her to become used to crushing their hearts very quickly.

"Senpai… Can you confirm it for me?"

"Eh? Confirm wha– aah!"

Sakura grabbed his hand that was on her shoulder and gently moved it towards her chest. He froze up, keeping his hand completely open and unmoving as she did so. He could feel hear heart beating, the intimacy surprising him.

"I need to know… If guys are really not for me," Sakura said with a smile and a shrug. "Then I can move on to Gamo easier, riiight?~"

"T-That's not…" Naoto gulped. "I can't… Hayase–"

Sakura stood up and led him up to his feet, giggling at his embarrassment.

"Senpai, I'm not asking you to cheat on your girlfriend," she insisted. "I just… I want to know… How it feels."

"H-How what feels?!"

Sakura took a few steps back towards the nearby stone wall that was behind the bench, pulling Naoto closer til he had to stop himself just a foot in front of her. He looked down at her with like a scared prey that was looking for any chance to escape certain death. She held up a finger to her lips, her hand letting go of his.

"Senpai, it's okay, look around."

Naoto did just that, happy to look away from the girl before him. He took note that, with the vending machines nearby, the bus stop, and a tree planted on the other side of those things, they were in quite the shady and concealed spot.

"Nobody will see us unless they walk by, I've tested it," Sakura said with a grin.

"B-But didn't you say that you–"

She put her finger to his lips to silence him. "Senpai… Shush."

Deciding that being quiet for now would be the best course of action, Naoto tried to formulate a proper escape plan if things went awry.

Why does this keep happening to me…? Hayase, where are you in these situations!

His prayers for his girlfriend to show up and stop the shenanigans were fruitless. Sakura smiled up at him and got up on her tip-toes, leaning in til their cheeks brushed and she could whisper in his ear.

"Senpaiii…~ Can you try to make my heart skip a beat? Like when I'm around Gamo-chan…"

"T-That's all..?"

"That's all.~"

Trying to take a deep breath, Naoto figured if he helped his friend out quickly, that all of this could end fast. Thus, he tried to remember what made Hayase, Sunomiya, and even Misaki blush from his actions before.

If I mess up and she tells Hayase, I'm screwed, he thought as he finally took action.

Naoto hesitantly reached up with a hand to caress Sakura's cheek, pushing some of her golden locks over her ear, while he gave her a warm smile, his other hand pressing up on the wall beside her, practically, but not really, pinning her there.

Gamo would be forceful like that, right?

Sakura's words about being treated like a princess, someone to be protected… It meant that he would have to be a man, not the scared boy he usually was.

"Sakura," he said with confidence, his hand on her cheek trailing down slowly along her neck, down along her collar, til he managed to work up the courage to move it around her waist and pull her towards himself. "Is this… what you want?"

The girl's eyes widened as she stared at him, her cheeks blushing more and more pink, the girl seeing Naoto in a different light for the first time ever.

Naoto on the other hand, felt awkward, and wondered if this was even working at all!

I-I think I'm just gonna run away–

As he thought about taking the cowards' way out, Sakura surprised him by lifting one of her legs to his side and wrapping her slender arms around him in an embrace, pulling herself in and… Kissing him.

At first, Naoto pulled back, wanting to avoid it, but when Sakura didn't push any further, he stopped himself and gazed at her. Her eyes were closed, her soft lips pursed together… It wasn't a fiery, hungry beast of a woman like Nagatoro or her sister…

She just wants to know…

After just a moment more of hesitation, Naoto leaned in to accept the kiss. It was like no other kiss he'd ever had and, frankly, it disappointed him that his first with Nagatoro wasn't as good. Their lips practically melted together in their shared tenderness, the two not moving, simply enjoying the affection.

Sakura's such a liar, Naoto thought, feeling the girl's lifted leg hook around his waist to pull him even closer into her. He remembered now how he'd quite literally seen her making out with boys before, so her experience wasn't exactly as nothing as she led on. The way she was clinging to him right now too… It showed a lot.

However, Sakura never intensified it. After a little while of the kiss, it was Naoto who moved back, a blush on his face, looking at her in surprise at how tender of a moment it truly was.

Sakura opened her eyes finally, the two staring at each other, locked together against the wall.

"S-Sorry," he said softly, offering an awkward smile. "I'm not exactly the best measure."

Giggling, the girl before him crushed his spirits as she said, "Senpai… I didn't like that at all.~"

Feeling defeated, Naoto let his arms fall to his side and his head hang a bit, feeling dejected… But why? He shook his head at his surprising thoughts, ones that he wouldn't have ever had before when he thought no girl would ever be interested in him.

I've gotta get real, he thought, smacking his cheeks a bit, I'm just… Me, in the end.

Sakura moved a finger along her lips, blushing a bit more as she seemed to be remembering the moment. She still hadn't let go of him, her leg hooked around his waist, keeping him pressed against her firmly.

"That's not what I meant, Senpai," she coo'd, giggling at the sight of his turmoil. "That was just too soft, and cute. I want… I want… her."

Unbuttoning her uniform, Sakura let it open to reveal her pink bra underneath. Naoto's face reddened at the sight, but his attempt to move away was met with resistance from her leg around him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, gazing at him.

"Show me your best Gamo, Senpaiii~"

It was a challenge. Usually, Naoto wasn't exactly the type to take someone up on such a thing, but he remembered how throwing out a challenge had led to him being able to tell Nagatoro how he felt, and knew that sometimes they could be a good way to spur things along.

Plus… He really wasn't the same scared boy he used to be. By now, he knew what it was like to love, and to be loved. He even experienced a moment of terrifying but extreme passion in the case of Misaki's relentless passion the other day.

This is one of Hayse's closest friends.. Alright! I'll do my best, for Sakura!

Determined, Naoto moved in against Sakura as he kissed her with passion this time, his hands moving up along her slender form til he grasped at her breasts— something the Naoto of several weeks ago wouldn't have ever dared to do!

As his tongue slipped between her lips, it wriggled with his still lacking experience, but was taken into a warm, wet embrace by her own, which seemed to gently guide him in the right direction as they made out in a slow, breathless waltz.

His crotch pushing against hers, Naoto felt his face burning up when his out of control bulge pushed up under her skirt, finding purchase against something soft. As he pushed against her, Sakura was eliciting small, cute noises into their kiss…

Moans…?

Spurred on by Sakura's own movements and her tongue's coaxing, Naoto fondled the girl's chest, his overheated mind thinking about how annoying it was to have the soft fabric in the way as he did. Such an overtly lewd and primal thought was overpowering for Naoto, who was mostly used to being teased, nothing like this!

"I'm shorry," he mumbled into their slow, delicate, but deep kiss, as his hands moved up and under her bra, grasping at her bare perky breasts underneath.

It was a huge wake-up-call for Naoto for how pent up he truly was. After so much teasing and playing around, he had thought that falling for and going out with Nagatoro would be enough… But it simply wasn't.

I want to kiss Misaki like this again, he thought, drowning in the pleasure as he kissed and grinded against Sakura. Sunomiya too.. I want to kiss her too!

His hands squeezing and roughly handling Sakura's breasts, Naoto pulled away from the kiss, both of them breathing hotly, but he didn't let up as he kissed her cheek, her chin, down along her neck, and then to her chest. The girl blushed as she wrapped her arms around his head, letting out a cute giggle of a moan as he buried his face in her exposed breasts, and–

"Ahem."

The deep, gruff voice made them pause. Even Naoto's intense desire, his face literally full of every guy's dream right now, couldn't stop his fear at the voice behind them. Sakura looked past Naoto, her face fully red as she smiled nervously.

"W-We're just heading home–"

As fast as he possibly could, Naoto stood up straight and tried to help Sakura right herself, before she could be seen by whoever was behind them. His hands shaky, he fumbled with helping her button up her shirt, and even brushed some of her hair that had loosely fallen over her face. She smiled at the gesture, and he smiled back, thougu he didn't dare to turn around.

"Well… Be safe out there," the man's voice said before he could be heard walking off. "Kids these days are so full of hormones…"

Glancing towards the man that was walking off, Naoto wiped some of the saliva from his mouth and sighed, before putting his hands together in an apologetic gesture towards Sakura.

"I-I'm sorry Sakura! I got out of control, I didn't mean to take advantage of you, I–"

She put a finger to his lips to stop him, her free hand adjusting her uniform a bit as she shook her head.

"Senpai, you helped a lot," Sakura said with a grin and a wink. "I think… I think I know what i want now."

Without telling him what exactly that was, Sakura moved past him and jogged off with a skip in her step. Naoto watched her go, immensely confused and faced with the lingering effects of his arousal.

I… gotta get under control…

Taking his time to head home, Naoto took his phone out and realized he'd missed a couple of messages from Nagatoro, one a picture of her and her brother out and about, and another of her in bed doing her best adorable face.

"I miss you so much Senpai!"

"HAH! I bet you smiled over that cutesy pic, you're so easy, Senpai~"

"XOXO"

Without responding, Naoto put his phone in his pocket again and walked on without thinking about much of anything, afraid that if he let any thoughts slip in, he might falter.

"I love Hayase… I love her," he affirmed to himself under his breath as he walked.

The entire way home, Naoto reassured himself over and over, til he finally changed out of his uniform and settled in for the night, finally returning a text to Nagatoro.

"Can we call? I don't think I've ever missed you this much…"

"Sorry if that's creepy."

"XOXO"

To Be Continued

Next Chapter: Strike A Pose, Naoto! (Machida I)