Kaguya-sama Wants My Surrender!

"You, you, you…"

At the bathroom door, Sajuna, towel in hand, froze. Her wide eyes quickly filled with shock, and her face turned a deep shade of red.

"I'm back," Amamiya greeted casually. His gaze inevitably fell on Sajuna's petite figure, freshly out of the bath, but he felt no particular impulse or distraction.

No wonder she's often mistaken for an elementary school student. Barely chest-high, with hardly any curves—she's clearly underdeveloped.

"Ahhh!"

Sajuna snapped out of her daze, hastily wrapped herself in the towel, and glared at Amamiya with a mix of shame and fury. Without a word, she spun around and darted back toward the bathroom—only to slip on the still-wet floor.

"Thud!"

She landed hard on her knees.

Amamiya, who had just finished closing the front door, turned to witness the scene. His gaze instinctively dropped.

As expected. Sajuna's pink hair isn't her only pink feature.

"It hurts…" Sajuna whimpered, biting her lower lip as tears welled in her eyes. She turned her head, her expression a mix of pain and humiliation.

"If you know it hurts, maybe don't run around in a slippery bathroom," Amamiya said flatly, setting down his school bag and umbrella.

He took two steps forward, knelt beside her, and extended a hand to help her up.

"My knees hurt," Sajuna sniffled, instinctively seeking his support.

Amamiya glanced down and frowned slightly. Her knees were visibly bruised from the fall.

Without hesitation, he reached for the towel she was clutching.

"W-what are you doing?!" Sajuna's panic flared instantly. She tightened her grip on the towel, her face flushing an even deeper red.

"Drying you off," Amamiya replied matter-of-factly.

"I can do it myself!" Sajuna shouted, retreating slightly. "I don't need your help!"

"Don't move," he ordered firmly. "It's just the two of us here. If you don't want any more accidents, stay still and cooperate."

"You idiot!" Sajuna sputtered, glaring at him through her embarrassment.

Amamiya ignored her outburst and continued drying her off. "So, care to explain why you're sneaking around and taking a bath by yourself?"

"How dare you ask that!" Sajuna's frustration boiled over. She bit her lip in indignation. "You're the one who asked me to walk the dog in the park!"

"What does walking the dog have to do with taking a shower?" Amamiya asked, puzzled.

"It rained while I was out," Sajuna grumbled, her tone filled with resentment. "And just as I was about to head back, your dog decided to chase another dog. I was holding an umbrella, not paying attention, and tripped over him. My clothes were covered in mud! It was so annoying!"

"Got it." Amamiya turned his head to look at the dog lounging nearby, tongue lolling out. "Don't worry. We'll have dog meat tonight."

Sajuna balled her fists and lightly pounded his shoulder. "I don't eat stuff like that!"

"It tripped you. Justice must be served."

"Ugh, I'd rather eat you," Sajuna huffed, though her anger was already beginning to dissipate.

"You said you'd be back after five," Sajuna added, her tone softening. "It's only half past four. If I'd known you'd return early, I wouldn't have walked out like that…"

Amamiya shrugged. "Plans changed. Something came up, so I came back earlier than expected."

He helped Sajuna dry off her arms and shoulders. "Can you walk on your own?"

"Of course," Sajuna replied, holding onto the bathroom doorframe for support. But as soon as she took a step, her brows knitted in pain.

Still, she gritted her teeth and pushed forward stubbornly.

"Sajuna," Amamiya said, watching her. "May I carry you?"

"No."

"What's the worst that could happen if I did?"

"I'd call the police, obviously."

"Not much of a deterrent."

"Ugh, you—!"

Before she could finish her protest, Amamiya scooped her up effortlessly, his arm around her waist.

"Put me down!" Sajuna's cheeks flushed crimson as she squirmed.

"Stop struggling, or I might actually lose control."

"Idiot! Pervert!"

Carrying her to the living room, Amamiya gently set her down on the sofa. "Want to borrow one of my shirts?"

"No need," Sajuna replied, still blushing. "I've got sportswear in my bag. I'll wear that for now."

Amamiya handed her the schoolbag. "If you had clothes ready, why didn't you bring them into the bathroom in the first place?"

"I was soaked from the rain and didn't want to track water into the living room!" Sajuna pouted, her frustration returning. "If you'd just kept your promise and come back later, none of this would've happened!"

"You're right. My bad. Sajuna, please forgive me."

"It's your fault in the first place!"

"Got it. My fault entirely."

Still fuming, Sajuna pulled the sportswear out of her bag and shooed Amamiya away before quickly getting dressed.

The national standard for sports uniforms was consistent: white shirts paired with red shorts. On Sajuna, this seemingly ordinary combination transformed, accentuating her charm with an unexpectedly bright and adorable aura. Her petite snow-white legs, curled slightly as she sat, only added to the effect.

A cute girl will look cute no matter what she wears—even a sack.

"Take off your slippers," Amamiya instructed as he sat down beside her.

"Huh?" Sajuna blinked at him, puzzled.

"Let me check your knee."

"Oh…"

With a soft click, Sajuna kicked off her slippers. The motion tugged at her injury, and a small frown crept onto her face.

"Put your feet here," Amamiya said, patting his thigh.

"Hmm…"

Biting her pink lips, Sajuna shifted her legs hesitantly, resting them on his lap.

Amamiya's gaze dropped to her feet.

They were delicate, small enough to fit neatly in one hand. Her skin was flawless—crystal white with faint blue veins tracing under the surface, as if sculpted from the finest jade.

Sajuna shifted awkwardly, leaning back against the sofa with a pillow hugged tightly to her chest. Despite her self-consciousness, she allowed her legs to rest on his lap.

"Let me take a look," Amamiya murmured as he gently cradled her ankle and examined her knee. "Good news—it's not broken. Just some swelling."

"But the bruises look awful!" Sajuna puffed her cheeks indignantly. "If my mom sees this, she'll definitely suspect something."

"If that happens, you can just blame me," Amamiya said earnestly. "I'll take full responsibility."

"I don't need you to take responsibility!"

Unperturbed, Amamiya turned on the TV, stood up, and retrieved the family's medicine box. He found a bottle of bruise ointment, rubbed some onto his palm, and began applying it to her knee.

The initial application stung slightly, causing Sajuna to wince. But soon, the numbing effect of the ointment began to ease the pain, and her tense features gradually relaxed.

"That should do it," Amamiya said after finishing.

Then, without warning, he shifted his attention to Sajuna's feet, cradling one in his hands.

"What are you doing?!" Sajuna flinched, her voice rising in alarm as she instinctively tried to pull away.

"Don't move," Amamiya replied with a curious expression. "I just made an interesting discovery."

"What discovery?" Sajuna asked warily.

"Your feet meet the requirements for the copying skill," Amamiya said, musing aloud. "The description only specifies physical contact, not hand-holding. Feet count too."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Sajuna's voice trembled slightly. "It feels weird to use my feet. Let's just hold hands instead!"

Amamiya glanced up at her. "Didn't you wash your feet during your bath?"

"Of course, I did!"

"Then it's fine," he said nonchalantly. "The Touch of Destiny has already been activated. If we disconnect now, we'll have to restart. Let's use your feet today."

Sajuna bit her lower lip, clearly conflicted. She finally turned her attention to the TV, mumbling to herself, Just five minutes. It'll be over soon.

On the screen, a magical girl anime was playing—a genre Sajuna loved. Her interest was piqued as she became absorbed in the bright, colorful scenes.

Meanwhile, Amamiya's focus remained entirely on Sajuna's feet.

They were delicate and soft, tinged with a healthy pink hue. Her toes were slender and neatly aligned, occasionally twitching restlessly. Their appearance had an inexplicable charm, almost as if inviting attention.

Gently, he kneaded her feet, marveling at their texture and how different they felt from holding hands—softer and somehow more pleasing.

As he continued, Sajuna's toes began to curl slightly, and her breathing grew uneven.

Curious, Amamiya glanced up. Though she still faced the TV, her small face was now flushed red. Even her ears and neck were tinged with crimson.

Huh. I only touched her feet a little—why such a strong reaction?

His thoughts drifted to earlier in the bathroom. She didn't blush like this when I saw her naked… Strange.

Realizing something, Amamiya's actions grew bolder. He shifted from holding her feet to lightly playing with them.

Sajuna's breathing quickened further, and her face grew increasingly red. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she spun around and glared at him.

"Cut it out already!"

"What's wrong?" Amamiya feigned innocence, then lightly tickled the sole of her foot.

"Ah!" Sajuna gasped, a soft, involuntary sound escaping her lips.

Sajuna covered her rosy lips with the back of her hand, casting a shy glance at Amamiya. "Why are you asking me 'what's wrong?' That should be my line!"

Amamiya replied confidently, "I'm applying a skill to you."

"Stop it! Use my hands properly!" Sajuna swung her short leg toward him in frustration. "Let go of my foot!"

"Just two more minutes," Amamiya said without letting go. "Bear with it a little longer."

"I've had enough of this... ah!"

A seductive gasp escaped her lips once again.

Sajuna's face flushed with embarrassment as her chest heaved. She looked ready to bite someone. "You... you did it again?"

"Foot massages are a serious and professional service," Amamiya sighed. "I'm offering it for free, and yet you kick me. It's true—you don't appreciate what comes easily, do you?"

Sajuna huffed, "...You're insufferable!"

Two minutes later.

The skill application was complete.

Sajuna parted her lips slightly, breathing heavily. The moment Amamiya let go of her foot, she quickly knelt down, tucking her legs beneath her.

Amamiya dusted off his hands and stood up. "Are your clothes in the bathroom?"

"Mm..." Sajuna responded with a soft hum, but quickly added, "You don't need to wash them. I'll do it myself."

"I'll just toss them in the washing machine," Amamiya offered. "It's quick and easy."

"I said I'll do it myself!" Sajuna stood abruptly, but her legs wobbled, nearly giving out beneath her. "The underwear is still in there, anyway."

Amamiya raised an eyebrow. "Relax, I'm not the type to care about an elementary school student's underwear."

"You're impossible!"

In the end, Sajuna washed her own clothes.

"It's still raining outside, so they won't dry properly," Amamiya pointed out. "I'll take them to the laundromat and dry them there."

Sajuna hesitated briefly before murmuring, "I can go myself."

Laundromats are a common sight on Japanese streets. They're affordable and convenient, especially during the rainy season, thanks to their efficient dryers.

"You're just wearing a shirt," Amamiya countered. "What if you catch a cold?"

"I'm not that delicate," she retorted.

"That's not the point," Amamiya said, his gaze dropping to her crimson shorts. "Besides, you're not wearing underwear."

"..."

Sajuna's face turned bright red as she glared at him.

"Just stay home," Amamiya instructed, handing her a woven bag. "Put your clothes in here."

"Hmph."

Sajuna turned away, sulking as she silently packed her clothes.

Amamiya took the bag and prepared to leave. At the door, he reached out and ruffled Sajuna's hair. "Wait for me to come back."

"Mm."

Watching Amamiya leave with an umbrella, Sajuna exhaled softly, an inexplicable loneliness washing over her. She quickly shook off the feeling, settled onto the sofa, and resumed watching TV.

But after a while, her gaze kept drifting toward the entrance.

Twenty minutes passed in a flash.

When she still didn't hear any movement at the door, Sajuna couldn't hold back any longer. She grabbed her phone and sent a message:

"It's dark now. Why aren't you back yet?"

"There's a crowd at the laundromat," Amamiya replied promptly. "I just got my turn, but it'll take a few more minutes. Are you worried about me, Sajuna?"

"Of course not! It's just late, and I'm waiting to go home."

"Let's have dinner together. I'll pick up some ingredients at the convenience store afterward."

"No! My mom will worry if I'm too late."

"I recall you mentioning your Mom is an office worker. She doesn't usually get home before nine, right? There's still time."

"My little sister is home alone. I'm worried about her."

"Then call her over to join us."

"Absolutely not!"

"..."

After more back-and-forth, the laundry was finally dry. Amamiya folded the clothes, stopped by the convenience store, and returned home.

As he stepped inside, Sajuna hurried to greet him, almost like a puppy.

"I got you dessert," Amamiya said, handing her a package. "If you won't stay for dinner, at least take this as an apology."

"Hmph."

Sajuna grabbed the bag of clothes and turned on her heel. "I'll go change first," she declared, stomping off to her room.