As for why Katsura Kotonoha appeared behind the rooftop gate, it all started with a conversation between the Katsura mother and daughter before they left home that morning.
"Kotonoha, please invite Asakura to visit us again today. We were too rushed to express our sincere gratitude last time. This time, Mom will pull out all the stops to entertain him properly." Katsura Manami smiled charmingly and mysteriously, as if she was planning some delightful surprise. The mature lady knew that if she simply waited quietly, her own happiness might never arrive.
"Yeah, I understand. Oh, Mom, it's been a while since Asakura-kun last visited." Katsura Kotonoha happily agreed to her mother's request. Her little head was already trying to figure out how to bring it up to Asakura. Anticipation and shyness colored the girl's mood for the day.
After arriving at school, Katsura Kotonoha didn't find a good opportunity to invite Asakura to her home in person. The three of them always spent breaks together, and it wasn't convenient to mention it directly in front of Akane. She knew that Akane and Asakura had confirmed their feelings for each other. Torn between friendship and love, she felt hesitant and confused.
It wasn't until lunchtime that Kotonoha, after much deliberation, finally mustered the courage to invite Asakura in person. She knew that he usually had lunch with Akane on the rooftop at this time. It would be a lie to say she wasn't envious, but because of her own shyness, she never dared to ask to join them.
She walked up the stairs of the teaching building step by step to the rooftop. Just as she was about to push open the door, she heard sounds of intimacy that made her blush and her heart race. Kotonoha carefully pushed open a crack, stared wide-eyed at the man and woman who were closely intertwined, and for a moment forgot the purpose of her visit.
Her emotions were a tangled mess, and she couldn't quite sort them out. Seeing the boy she liked being so intimately involved with Akane, she felt a complex mix of sadness, excitement, and longing. She was like a child who had peeked into a new world, absorbing it all with intense curiosity. "I could do that too, and mine are obviously bigger than hers, so why doesn't Asakura come to me?"
Complex emotions overwhelmed her mind. Watching the scene before her, her hands involuntarily began to explore her own body for the first time in her life. Following the skilled and unspoken rhythm she witnessed, she understood more and more of its allure. The sensations she experienced gradually synchronized with what she saw, and finally, the three of them reached a simultaneous peak to this chaotic midday symphony.
When she returned to reality from the daze, Kotonoha stared at the glistening droplets on her hands. The unforgettable sensation of reaching the heights of pleasure and the beautiful flush of Nanao Akane's ecstasy were deeply imprinted in her mind. What exactly does it feel like to be united with the one she loves? This question lingered in her heart. The sound of approaching footsteps finally made her choose to flee.
...
In the afternoon class, Asakura noticed that Katsura Kotonoha kept glancing at him secretly. He took out his phone and, seeing nothing unusual on her face, sent her a Line message.
"Ms. Katsura, is there something on my face?"
After receiving the message, Kotonoha seemed flustered, as if her little secret had been exposed, and she replied in a panic.
"No, I just have something I want to talk to Asakura-kun in person... about the last time Asakura-kun helped me."
"Okay, let's wait until the club activities are over. We're friends, so don't make a big deal out of it."
She made a somewhat hesitant and hopeful request.
"Since we're friends... then Asakura-kun, can you just call me Kotonoha?"
"No problem, Kotonoha, I'll see you after school."
"Uh-huh."
Asakura's straightforwardness made her face flush with joy. Such a small thing was a significant step forward in the girl's world. Even after witnessing such an unforgettable scene, she would still be deeply moved just by his simple kindness. If there really is a god, please bless me so that I can be with Asakura forever.
...
Everything eventually falls apart, the key is to accept it calmly when it does. Katsura Kotonoha, who had already composed herself, watched Sekai Saionji intimately dragging Asakura to a deserted classroom with few people for so-called instruction and practice. The fragile peace in her heart cracked again. No, Asakura-kun isn't going to do anything bad, right?
She wanted to believe it, but a nagging reluctance urged her to follow, wanting to see what this so-called practice was like.
The classroom, which should have been silent and quiet, was now filled with the sounds of spring. Sekai, disheveled, sat astride him, panting and moving in sync with Asakura's waist movements with incredibly seductive motions. Their perfect compatibility clearly put them both in a good mood. Kotonoha, watching this scene from the window, felt a pang of heartache. "Hey, Asakura-kun, why can't that person be me? I like you so much, too."
The girl outside the door felt like a soldier standing guard, protecting the noble lord and his lady as they enjoyed their private time inside. Her only companions were the cold wind and loneliness.
...
At the entrance of Sobu High School, Asakura walked towards the cute and waiting Katsura Kotonoha and greeted her with a gentle smile.
"Sorry for the wait, Kotonoha. Is there anything you need my help with today?"
"I'm not trying to trouble you, Asakura-kun. It's just that today, Mom wants to invite you to our home again to express her gratitude. I also hope that Asakura-kun can come again."
Kotonoha looked at him with a beautiful smile, the boy's reflection shimmering in her eyes, as if her eternal and unchanging love had his name engraved within them.
"I see. Sorry to bother you again today."
Asakura looked at her persistent yet slightly sad expression and knew that a firm refusal might hurt Kotonoha, so he simply agreed to accompany this lonely girl.
On the way to the Katsura family's house, cherry blossom trees lined both sides of the street. Many petals fell when the wind blew, as if symbolizing the fleeting nature of beauty.
"Hey, Asakura-kun, I saw everything today. You, Akane, and Saionji-san did that kind of thing."
Asakura remained silent, unsure how to respond, so he could only look at the girl's slightly reddened eyes and wait for her to continue.
"I have always wondered if it was because I wasn't good enough or pretty enough that Asakura-kun never chose me."
"But I really, really like Asakura-kun."
"But why don't you want to look at me more?"
Kotonoha was still smiling gently, tears silently falling and dripping onto her chest before quietly rolling down. Her eyes were red and swollen, as if soaked in sadness and pain, and every tear was like the pain in her heart silently confessing.
She held Asakura's hands tightly and gently pressed them against her cheeks, as if she was seeking a trace of warmth and comfort. The air around her also felt heavy with sadness. Her quiet crying echoed in the air, a sorrowful melody that couldn't help but move him.
Taking a deep breath, Asakura gently cupped her delicate little face and said softly and seriously.
"Sorry, I have always been oblivious to your feelings, but I cannot reciprocate your exclusive affection."
"So, if you don't mind, please allow me to continue being a part of your life in the future."
Those who hold me in their hearts will treat me with care, and those who cherish me will offer their true feelings in return.
"I do, Asakura-kun. I belong to you forever."
Her eyes sparkled with bright light, tears of joy leaving glistening trails on her face. She wasn't greedy, as long as she could stay by his side, that was enough.
Holding Asakura's hand, she gently placed it over her breasts, a happy blush spreading across her pretty face.
"This place belongs to you, too, Asakura-kun."