Volume 1 Chapter 11 I Love You
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Hibiki-chan, I am so incredibly sorry!! Truly!” Koharu pleaded, her voice choked with guilt.
”Me too, honestly… I’m really sorry about this,” Hirose mumbled from beside her.
It was the next day, and they had called Hibiki up to the school rooftop during lunch break. Both Kushima Koharu and Hirose were pressing their foreheads to the concrete ground in a traditional dogeza apology.
”W-why are you apologizing to me for this? It’s not like… I’m even dating Hirose! You definitely don’t need to be groveling on the floor!” Hibiki stammered, surprised.
That was the undeniable truth. Rindou Hibiki and Hirose weren’t actually going out. And yet… there were situations where the explicit status didn’t matter.
Koharu knew exactly how Hibiki felt, and Hirose was aware of Hibiki’s affection for him. Plus, Hirose himself had feelings for Hibiki, too. Considering all that, the only proper first step, in their minds, was this sincere apology.
Hibiki’s expression was grim. She’d sensed this might happen ever since they called her up. This was her own fault; she’d considered that Koharu might get caught up in the Recoil too. She’d thought about it constantly, but seeing it become reality still stung her heart a little.
Yesterday, Koharu had been totally out of control. She wouldn’t let go of Hirose, aggressively unleashing her desire and making him climax over and over again. Thanks to her skill that nullified pain, Koharu—despite being a first-timer—had experienced the highest levels of pleasure. That’s why she hadn’t stopped until Hirose’s mother returned home from work.
Hirose, meanwhile, felt a deep sense of guilt, but he couldn’t deny how good it had felt. The worst part was when Koharu had demanded he “activate the skill,” forcing him to use ‘Skin Quality Improvement’ on his own body.
As the skill was active, Koharu guided his hand, making Hirose stroke his own chest. An unbelievable, intense wave of pleasure had completely seized his brain, driving him into a frenzy. Before that moment, he hadn’t been actively participating, but after the skill took effect, he started moving on his own. That was what fueled Hirose’s overwhelming guilt the most.
”…I knew this was going to happen eventually. But listen… you two aren’t really to blame. It was the Recoil from the skill, right?” Hibiki murmured softly.
”Hibiki-chan…” Koharu choked out.
”I seriously think if Koharu and I had been in reversed roles, Koharu would’ve gotten there first. That’s how completely overwhelming the Recoil is—you can’t fight it.”
While this ‘what if’ scenario was pointless to discuss now, the probability of it being true was extremely high.
And then, Hibiki found her resolve.
”I… I like you, Hirose. Honestly, at first, I just went along with my own desires when I approached you… but as we got closer…”
”Hibiki…” Hirose whispered.
With eyes that trembled, Hibiki slowly spoke the truth. She clenched both hands into tight fists and expressed her sincere affection, even with Koharu right there. Her legs were shaking, and Hirose understood she was putting all her effort into this confession.
”What about you, Hirose? How do you feel about me?” she questioned tentatively.
”I like you, of course I do!!” Hirose blurted out.
”Hirose?!” Hibiki gasped.
Hibiki had asked him timidly, but his answer had come back instantly, without a single pause. The surprise was so great that a few tears actually flew into the air as she recoiled.
Hirose pushed himself up from the ground, no longer apologizing. He walked over to Hibiki and took her hand.
”I love you, Hibiki,” he declared, his voice earnest.
”H-Hirose…” Hibiki whimpered.
As Hirose whispered the words of love, tears spilled from Hibiki’s shaking eyes. Behind them, Koharu watched, a look of immense relief and happiness washing over her face.
”Look, I’m basically invisible in class. Even now that I’m close to Hibiki, I haven’t really changed. But Hibiki always sparkles—everyone likes you. If I hadn’t gotten this Gift, you’d be someone up in the clouds, completely out of my reach.” Hirose confided.
”D-don’t say that…” Hibiki protested softly.
”It’s the truth. I’m not handsome, and my clothes are plain… if I was still the old me, I never would’ve dreamed of bringing a girl home.”
He truly had zero contact with girls before, living every day as the shadow guy in class. He used to fantasize that if he became an adventurer, he might finally get popular, but even that dream was crushed, leaving him feeling desperate.
”But you, Hibiki, you found me, and because of that, my own dark feelings have changed. Now, I’m actually glad I was given this Gift.” Hirose confessed, holding her hand tighter.
”Hirose…” Hibiki breathed.
”So, I love the Hibiki who made me the way I am now. Even if the beginning was just desire for a Beauty skill, now you truly love me, don’t you?”
”Yes… yes, I do… I love you.” Hibiki confirmed, tears still flowing.
”Then this love is real… though I’ve never felt this way before, so I don’t really know, haha,” Hirose finished, chuckling nervously.
”You idiot…” Hibiki whispered, a genuine smile replacing her dark expression.
Her feelings had been successfully conveyed, and the recipient had returned the same affection. Hibiki was now filled with an unparalleled sense of happiness.
Perhaps because of this. Perhaps because she understood she was Hirose’s number one.
Hibiki’s capacity for acceptance had broadened dramatically.
”Koharu?” she asked.
”Hm? What is it, Hibiki-chan?” Koharu replied.
Koharu still hadn’t stood up, remaining on the ground. She’d been crying happy tears, too, seeing her friend’s feelings reciprocated. But she didn’t know how to fully make up with Hibiki yet.
”Koharu, you don’t have to hold back anymore.” Hibiki stated.
”Huh… what do you mean by that?” Koharu questioned, confused.
”It’s okay for you to… sleep with Hirose now.”
”Wha— Hibiki?! What are you saying?!” Hirose exclaimed, his eyes wide.
”Hibiki-chan?!” Koharu cried out, completely thrown.
Hibiki’s unexpected announcement shocked Hirose and left Koharu visibly rattled. What could Hibiki possibly be thinking?
”I love you too, Koharu. I want to heal your bruises and make you even more beautiful. That’s because you’re my dear, longtime best friend.” Hibiki reasoned.
”B-but still…” Koharu stammered.
”I don’t know if you love Hirose or not… but it felt good, didn’t it?” Hibiki pressed, her voice knowing.
”Ah… well… y-yes, it really did…” Koharu admitted, her face flushing crimson, unable to meet Hibiki’s eyes. The embarrassment was overwhelming.
”You used the skill, didn’t you, Koharu?” Hibiki asked plainly.
”Ah…” Koharu whispered.
”It’s the perfect skill to use for your first time, after all…”
Hibiki had seen right through it. She easily imagined that if Hirose was going to sleep with anyone for the first time, they’d use the skill to mitigate the pain. There was no need to deliberately endure the discomfort. In that state—bodies hot and flowing purely on desire—it was easy to predict the action.
”I’m just happy I got to date Hirose… and besides, Hirose will likely have other opportunities to use his skill on people besides just me and Koharu. Recoil is inevitable… so I, as his girlfriend, need to be understanding.” Hibiki explained, her voice firm.
”But… are you really okay with this?” Koharu asked.
”As long as I’m Hirose’s number one, I’m fine with it. Plus, he becomes immobile after using the skill… and there’s no way I can stop a girl who’s turned into a wild beast. So, I just have to accept it.”
”Hibiki-chan… you’re too kind,” Koharu murmured gratefully.
Hibiki thought of everything. Giving up on her dream of being an adventurer, starting to use a Gift she never intended to, and how Hirose was slowly changing because of it. She knew he’d have more chances to use his power on others. And that, she felt, would help Hirose to truly be glad he was given his Gift.
Hirose’s Gift was an ability that every girl dreamed of. Every single high school girl knew how expensive professional beauty medical procedures were. They were too costly for teens to afford, and not something even an adult could easily pay for.
Eventually, many more people would need Hirose’s power. Therefore, she, the one closest to him, wouldn’t hinder his success; she would support it.
”I feel completely free after Hirose said he loved me… I’m fine now!” she chirped, her face bright.
Saying that, Hibiki took Koharu’s hand and helped her stand up. She then embraced her tightly, enveloping Koharu’s body in a warm hug.
”We weren’t really fighting, but… now we’ve made up, Koharu!”
”Hibiki-chan…” Koharu mumbled, clinging to Hibiki’s arm, trembling lightly. She felt deep in her heart how lucky she was to have such a kind friend.
”Okay, then! We’re meeting at my place after school today,” Hibiki announced.
”Huh?” Koharu and Hirose both questioned simultaneously.
”You did it yesterday, right, Koharu?” Hibiki prompted.
”Well… yes, but…” Koharu hesitated.
”Today, the three of us are going to do it!” Hibiki declared with a bright smile.
”Hah?!” Hirose yelped.
”Hoooe?!” Koharu squeaked.
Now completely unburdened, Hibiki uttered an idea beyond their comprehension. Hirose and Koharu both wore incredibly dumbfounded expressions.
”That doesn’t involve using the skill, does it?” Hirose asked, suddenly worried.
”Why not use the skill? It makes things feel good, after all…” Hibiki countered playfully.
”But using it like that is…” Hirose started.
”H-Hibiki-chan! Actually… mumble, mumble…” Koharu quickly whispered something into Hibiki’s ear.
Hirose’s brow furrowed, but the next thing he saw was Hibiki grinning.
”We should definitely make him use the skill, after all… Right, Hirose?” Hibiki cooed, her eyes mischievous.
”W-what is it?! What are you two planning?!” Hirose demanded, alarmed.
”You’ll see. You’ll just have to come to my place today, won’t you?” Hibiki teased.
”What the heck is going on with you two…” Hirose muttered, utterly confused.
Koharu had whispered about the secret of the previous night: making Hirose activate the skill, and then guiding his hand to his own body, which made him incredibly hot and sensitive. Hibiki had laughed when she heard it, curious to see the expression Hirose would make when they tried it again.
”Ah, I’m looking forward to today!” Hibiki chirped.
”Hey! Don’t you dare try anything weird!” Hirose warned.
”Fufufu.” Hibiki chuckled merrily.
Hibiki and Koharu walked off the rooftop, smiles on their faces, leaving a distressed Hirose to follow. He wasn’t smiling. Terrified of the two girls’ plot, he was forced to endure the rest of his afternoon classes in dread.
Notes:
• Kushima Koharu – A reserved, literature-loving girl (F, 156cm, G-cup, black braid) who struggles with family problems, including bruises and emotional stress. She experiences dramatic physical and emotional improvements after Hirose’s skill use, revealing a hidden wild side during explicit nighttime encounters.
• Rindou Hibiki – Hirose’s cheerful, bold classmate who is the first to request his Beauty skill. Hibiki (F, pink bob hair, 158cm, F-cup) is outgoing, expressive about her interests, and quickly becomes Hirose’s girlfriend after an explicitly intimate scene. Her reactions help set the adult tone of the story.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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