Ch.232232. A Wish in the Snowy Winter (6)

The senior’s worries were quickly resolved, and after passing along one request, it was finally time to enjoy ourselves.

I was about to head to our next destination, feeling the warmth from the senior’s side when…

“Oh my, you two! Please help us out!”

A man who appeared to be a parade staff member suddenly appeared and asked for our assistance.

Come to think of it, there was some commotion earlier.

Something about a nobleman disrupting the parade atmosphere.

They said a nobleman was using his status to commit illegal acts, trying to forcibly purchase Badelite and Elcherium at dirt-cheap prices.

When asked to help, I gladly nodded.

“Let’s go check it out, senior.”

This time, since I was by his side, I just needed to follow along.

We followed the staff member to a certain location.

Wondering what kind of commotion was happening, I climbed onto the platform and looked around, but strangely, there was nothing like that.

Rather…

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

We found ourselves standing on a stage that seemed ready for some kind of event.

—Now that we have ten couples gathered! Shall we begin?

That’s how it was just a few minutes ago.

I wanted to ask what was going on, but the game started without giving us any chance.

I desperately tried to say we wanted to quit, but… the pamphlet I was holding was snatched away.

—If you give up now, you won’t be able to participate in other events for a certain period. Do you still want to withdraw?

Ugh…! How could I not collect stickers during that time!

I had to endure. There was no choice but to persevere.

As I listened to the explanation, the rules themselves weren’t that difficult.

A male and female pair form a team, and they’re given a mat to stand on. They just need to stay on it without falling off.

Of course, that alone wouldn’t make for much of a game. That’s why there were lottery machines filled with balls.

One determined the area of the mat, and the other was for drawing various conditions for performing specific actions.

If you failed to perform properly or fell off the mat, you’d be eliminated.

It was essentially a competitive game where the last person standing would receive a sticker.

‘Since they’re giving out stickers, it might be worth seeing this through.’

It wasn’t part of our planned course, but there was no reason not to do it.

The fact that we were participating as a male-female pair meant teamwork was encouraged. Actually, I was quite confident in this, having done similar activities with my family member Ronelion before.

“Let’s do this, senior.”

I said confidently.

But… once we started…

I found myself inexplicably tense.

Why? The only thing that changed was that I was with my senior instead of Ronelion…

Why am I so nervous?

“Renias.”

“Ah? Yes, senior!”

“I can’t hold you properly when you’re so stiff. You need to bend your back more…”

“Y-yes…”

My concentration seemed completely scattered. There was a pose I needed to take, but I was just standing stiffly, which must have been troublesome for my senior.

I quickly checked the action drawn from the second lottery machine.

‘The pose I need to take is… huh?’

But why did it have to be this one?

‘A p-princess carry?!’

I felt like my hiccups, which had subsided, might return.

I’m still not used to that pose. No, it’s beyond not being used to it—my face would probably turn as red as a radish if I had to do it right now.

Wondering what to do, I glanced at my senior’s face, and it seemed he was thinking the same thing as me.

Senior Senia had told me to ask first in situations like this.

“S-senior. Will you be okay with this?”

“Well… I’m fine. I’m just worried you might be uncomfortable…”

“Th-there’s no way I’d be uncomfortable. Besides… I’m sorry. But since it’s for the sticker, could you… bear with it?”

However, we didn’t have time to talk.

—Now, the area has decreased again. Please take the designated pose with your partner within 5 seconds!

“We’ll be eliminated at this rate. Renias. Hurry.”

“Y-yes.”

The senior’s hand supported my waist. I flinched at that distinctive warmth, and flinched again at the pure magical power I felt within him.

Finally, when his calloused, muscular hands touched my thighs and calves, I instinctively held my breath for a moment.

But surprisingly, the hiccups didn’t return.

Being held like a princess in his arms, curled up, this time felt… completely different from before.

Rather than embarrassment, it was a comfortable feeling. With the senior’s scent and shampoo fragrance enveloping me, leaning against his firm muscles gave me a strange sensation.

There was a ticklish feeling inside my chest… what could it be?

I would soon become aware of what that feeling was.

‘I’m… actually enjoying this.’

When the host signaled the spectators to count down, and many voices began counting down the numbers one by one, making me realize that our time was running out.

Surprisingly, I felt a sense of regret. If this wasn’t satisfaction from physical contact with my senior, then what was it?

Maria, just as Senior Senia said, once I admitted to myself that I liked Senior Junon, my mindset completely changed.

I’m sorry, senior. I… I should be focusing, but I can’t.

The feeling of your hands on my bare skin, you holding my body, being this close to you.

I love it so much. Enough to make my heart pound.

—Alright! Time’s up. What’s our next draw~?

‘Ah, it’s over.’

As soon as the princess carry time ended, the senior gently put me down.

And before my disappointment could fade…

—Aha~ It’s the princess carry again! But this time, the mat area is smaller than before!

Upon confirming that the princess carry was drawn again, I couldn’t help but think:

‘This might not be so bad after all…?’

A pair of man and woman form a team to compete for stickers.

If inevitable physical contact occurs in the process… couldn’t I indulge my personal feelings and get a bit closer?

What did Senior Senia say? Make a move? That’s probably what she meant by “going for it.”

“Senior. We’re… going to win this sticker, right?”

“I suppose… we should. We’ve already committed to this.”

“I must be heavy for you…”

“You’re not heavy, don’t worry. If anything, you’re so light that I’m concerned whether you’re eating properly.”

Ah… what should I do?

Hearing those words makes me feel like I’m melting.

I’m sorry, senior.

This… is just my selfish desire. We could probably deliberately lose now and enjoy other games, but I like this.

The reason is obviously because I can get closer to you. Since I can’t bring myself to approach you directly yet, I want to use this external circumstance to get closer to you.

With that excuse, I subtly relax my body and rest my head against him.

“…”

Junon senior says nothing.

But I indulge in the slightly mischievous fantasy that his heartbeat, which I can feel against my skin, might be racing faster than usual, just like mine.

The princess carry time ends again.

The lottery machine repeatedly draws poses that are challenging for couples.

Dance moves or high-difficulty poses you might see in arts or sports.

Poses where our backs bend so much that our bare skin touches.

Poses that force us to look into each other’s faces.

Poses where if we move just a little at such close proximity, our lips might touch.

All these intense poses made me quite embarrassed, but embarrassment wasn’t all I felt. It was almost as if something was wrong with my head.

—Ah~ This one seems quite difficult!

By now, most teams had been eliminated. Only one team remained besides us.

And the last draw was the most difficult one.

“Kyaa!”

“Oh no… are you okay?”

“Hahaha… yes. I lost my strength and fell.”

Finally, even the team competing with us ended up collapsing on the mat.

‘That’s a shame.’

If they had held out longer, I could have tried more things with my senior.

Despite winning, I strangely found myself wishing this time could have been extended.

“Well done, everyone. The sticker has already been attached to your pamphlet.”

And the host, as if it wasn’t over yet, smiled contentedly and said,

“Young lady? Shouldn’t you give your partner a reward?”

“A… reward?”

“Yes. Your male partner worked hard. Don’t you think a simple reward would be appropriate?”

But a simple reward… I’m not sure what to do.

Is this what I should do?

“Hey, a handshake seems too formal, doesn’t it? You were game partners after all.”

“Eh…”

“You two had such good chemistry that you even earned a sticker. Aren’t you more comfortable with physical contact after playing such games?”

“S-surely… you’re not asking me to show skinship in front of everyone?”

“That’s what makes it a reward, isn’t it?”

The host affirmed with a gentle smile, even saying that since I was an incredibly beautiful person, the male partner must be very nervous.

‘A… reward…!’

My head is spinning.

Skinship…? Reward…? What am I supposed to do…?

Senior, please help me!

Y-yes! You’re coming over to say something, so you must know what to do, right?

“…Think simply.”

Think simply… huh?

And why are you shaking your head again! Didn’t you know what to do? You could just tell me…!!

Ahh… w-what should I do…!

—Hurry up!

—Woohoo~ A sweet couple is born!

—Miss Renias, the gentleman is really looking forward to it! Hurry~.

—If you don’t do it, we’ll take back the sticker.

“Hahaha. Everyone, please calm down. Come on, the lady needs to give her reward.”

As time passes, people start urging me on.

I rack my brain as much as possible, but this is probably what everyone wants…?

It’s really embarrassing to do this in front of everyone, but I have no choice!

*Chu*

And so, I went ahead and did it.

And a little while later…

“H-hueee…”

***

As with any team game, people always cheer for couples.

That’s why these male-female team games are actually called couple games.

The true purpose of couple games is to use physical contact through games to turn strangers into couples.

‘But to explicitly tell the woman to give a reward to the man.’

That’s just a ploy to ignite something and make them a couple.

So I approached Renias, who was desperately signaling for help, and told her:

“…Think simply.”

Why, even the teams that were falling one by one next to us did it.

A simple hug or handshake would be enough. They could even just greet each other and end it if they were too embarrassed.

So you don’t need to worry too much, Renias.

I shook my head, indicating that she didn’t need to do anything at all.

We didn’t do anything wrong, right? We won fair and square!

‘Oh, she’s finally moving.’

She seems to have roughly understood that she could just gloss over it. There’s no need to be swayed by those words. Mm-hmm.

But then…

*Chu*

“Huh?”

That sound stopped my thoughts, and a momentary silence fell over the area.

Soon after, everyone began to silently express their shock.

“Huh? Ahem. Hmm.”

Even the host, seeing this, suddenly cleared his throat and averted his gaze.

And the most bewildered person in this situation was me.

What just happened? Thinking back…

Renias, reluctantly moving due to people’s urging, approached me.

She slightly raised herself on her tiptoes.

And on my cheek… a soft membrane…

“Hey, you! Thief’s son!”

“Catch that bastard!! What? He got a kiss on the cheek from Miss Renias?”

“Junon, you lucky bastard!”

“No matter how good you were in the subjugation, this is too much, man!”

“Bring a sack. We need to dunk that guy today…!”

Damn.

No, seriously, damn.

Is this for real?

A kiss on the cheek? From Renias?

At first, my heart was pounding, but seeing the enraged men—no, academy students—I quickly felt a sense of crisis.

In their eyes, I’m now the guy who demanded a kiss on the cheek!

“Wait, this is a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!”

“Got you, you bastard! Cover him quickly!”

“Hey, hey! Wait, this is a misunderstanding… mmph! Mmph!”

Mr. Host, you say something. You were close by, so you must have heard!

“My goodness… Even if it was just on the cheek, it’s natural for everyone to be angry about Miss Renias’s kiss. You should have been satisfied with the game and let it go. You reap what you sow.”

What?????

No, you’re deliberately pretending not to know! Aren’t you?

At this point, I have no choice but to ask her to explain.

Renias!

“H-hueee…”

What?

I managed to turn my head slightly to give Renias an urgent look, but she already seems to have lost her soul.

…I’m screwed.

This is really screwed up.

“Stomp him!!!”