Chapter 192 - 192 – Hiratsuka Shizuka: Watch Me Hit You with a Frame-Zero Attack!

Words : 1572 Updated : Oct 14th, 2025

When Haru left Yukino and the others' room, it was already 11:55 PM. To be precise, there were only five minutes left of Christmas Eve. He had never been one to care much about holidays. But since he'd gone through the trouble of dressing up as Santa and handing out gifts, he might as well finish before Christmas officially ended. He quickly arrived at the back of the room where Shizuka and the other teachers were staying. Just like before, he vaulted through the window with a smooth, practiced motion. This room, too, was completely dark and silent. It seemed Hiratsuka and her colleagues had already gone to bed. Holding the gift sack in one hand and using the faint glow of his phone as a guide, Haru scanned the four futons laid out on the tatami mats. —Huh? The school nurse is here too? Besides Shizuka, he recognized two other female teachers among the sleeping figures. This time, Haru was even more cautious than before. His footsteps were completely silent—like a cat gliding across the floor. He felt like his muscle control had reached its absolute peak. He tiptoed to Shizuka's side, carefully set the gift box by her pillow, and just as he was about to retreat, his peripheral vision caught a surprising sight— The famously single, famously tough Hiratsuka-Sensei was rubbing her eyes and murmuring groggily, "Huh? What's this…?" Her elbow had brushed the gift box, and in her half-asleep state, the unfamiliar object must've stirred her curiosity. Haru's brain kicked into overdrive. If she turns her head right now, she'll see me— I need to cover her mouth immediately, before she wakes everyone else! After all, this wasn't Yukino and the others' room. If these single women woke up and saw some guy in a Santa costume breaking in through the window, they'd call the cops before he could say "ho ho ho." Holding his breath, he stood as still as a lion waiting for its prey to lower its guard. But to his surprise, Shizuka didn't turn her head. She mumbled, blinked a few more times—then flopped back down and continued sleeping like nothing had happened. Haru relaxed, letting out a silent breath. He quietly turned to make his escape. But then— Rustle. He heard the faintest noise—then caught a familiar scent on the air. A split second later, a pale wrist flashed into his field of view— It was aiming right for the joint of his wrist! The attacker—none other than Shizuka. In that moment, Haru put it all together. Wait a second. She was faking it?! That whole sleepy routine was a setup?! She baited me with a long windup and went straight for a frame-zero opening! In the blink of an eye, Haru shifted his body sideways, narrowly dodging her surprise grab. And in that moment, he saw it—the flash of shock in Shizuka's ice-cold eyes. Clearly, she'd mistaken him for some petty thief. But she hadn't expected him to dodge. Their reactions and reflexes had determined the winner in that split-second clash. He quickly grabbed Shizuka's wrist, applying just enough force to immobilize her arm. The astonishment in her eyes deepened. Still, she threw off her blanket in one swift motion, her entire body tensing as she prepared to unleash her full strength. "Shh. Don't make a sound," Haru whispered as he held her wrist. If he didn't say something soon, this was about to turn into a full-blown wrestling match. Shizuka froze at the sound of his voice. Her wary expression shifted into confusion."…Amamiya?" "It's me." Their voices were hushed—like undercover agents meeting in a dark alley. Haru slowly let go of her wrist and murmured, "I thought you were asleep." "I couldn't fall asleep. I was just resting with my eyes closed," she said, rubbing her now slightly red wrist, thinking to herself: This kid's strong. Not just fit—really strong. Haru, using his usual playful tone, teased, "That combo attack of yours was smooth as silk. I was this close to getting taken out." Shizuka chuckled sheepishly. "Didn't you dodge it, though?" Then it hit her. This really wasn't the time for small talk. She opened her mouth to ask what Haru was doing here dressed like this—but her gaze fell on the box by her pillow. Her expression froze, surprise blooming into a kind of quiet joy."…You came just to give me a Christmas present?" Haru pointed at the fake white beard on his face. "Isn't it obvious?" Shizuka stared at him blankly for a few seconds—then broke into a radiant smile."Thank you." She couldn't even remember the last time she'd received a Christmas present from a man. And this guy had even dressed up as Santa Claus. The thought behind it… She suddenly felt lost in a haze of warmth. Unaware of her thoughts, Haru quietly said, "I should get going." Just as he spoke, one of the futons rustled. Someone was stirring on the far-left mat—he recognized the figure immediately.The school nurse. She slowly sat up, still dazed from sleep. Lifting her blanket, it looked like she was about to head to the restroom. Shizuka stiffened in surprise—then, without hesitation, grabbed Haru and rolled him under her blanket. With practiced ease, she pulled the blanket up to hide everything. The large blanket quickly covered Haru's entire body. To avoid making noise, Shizuka held him tightly—along with the gift bag—against her chest. "…Did I hear something?" The nurse stood up, rubbing her eyes, and glanced around sleepily. Shizuka clutched the blanket tightly, eyes closed, feigning sleep. "Guess I imagined it…" Still half-asleep, the nurse shuffled out to the bathroom. As soon as the door closed behind her, Shizuka let out a heavy sigh of relief. She instinctively lifted the blanket—only to see Haru pressed directly against her chest. Her face flushed crimson and she immediately released him. "I was this close to suffocating. Good thing I evolved gill-breathing through my cheeks," Haru said, grinning to defuse her flustered state. Shizuka glared at him, cheeks still red. "Don't say weird stuff…" In the dim light, her eyes held a rare softness—almost a hint of flirtatious annoyance. At that moment, all she had to do was glance down, and she could see Haru nestled under her blanket. Their eyes met. He hadn't done anything inappropriate, but somehow she was the one who looked away, face glowing with confusion and embarrassment. This scene… it's like I'm secretly dating a younger boyfriend… Haru, catching the subtle scent of her bedding, quietly shifted closer to the edge of the futon—careful not to touch her, but also making sure he wasn't exposed. He even tucked away his phone. The room fell back into complete darkness, save for the faint light leaking from the bathroom. Shizuka's face glowed faintly red. She just… stared at him, unsure what to say. Fortunately, Haru sensed the growing awkwardness and quickly changed the subject."So earlier today, you were acting all secretive and made Yukino and Senpai promise not to say anything. What was that about?" To his surprise, her face grew even redder. "I already promised you three big meals. Why are you still asking?" she muttered, biting her lip in frustration. Haru feigned a yawn. "Fine, fine. I am curious though…" Shizuka hesitated, then mumbled, "If you really have to know… I just misunderstood them." "Misunderstood?" "Yeah, I thought their relationship was… really close. Like real sisters or something," she said quickly, her eyes darting away guiltily. Haru gave her a skeptical look. "Sisters? In what way?" "They're both smart, pretty, and like reading. That's… a lot in common," she replied weakly. "I have all of those traits too. So does that mean I'm Yukino's good sister now?" "Pfft—! You idiot," Shizuka stifled a laugh, pressing her hand over her mouth. "Can you not joke like that right now?" Her chest trembled with suppressed laughter. She raised her hand to thump him on the head—only for him to nimbly dodge. She blinked in surprise, ready to give chase—but then realized… His only space to move is within my blanket. If she kept swinging at him, he'd end up crawling on top of her. Her brain conjured up that exact image—and her face turned scarlet. Even her pale neck blushed to a deep rosy pink. Haru, oblivious to the spiraling thoughts in her head, noticed the atmosphere calming again and stopped trying to liven things up. After all, this kind of whispering in the dark came with its own risks. Time passed quietly. Finally, the bathroom door opened and closed. The school nurse returned to bed and lay down without a second thought. Only then did Shizuka lift the blanket slightly, letting Haru breathe again. It was past midnight now, and the only ones still awake were the two of them. Watching him huddle innocently at the edge of her futon, Shizuka suddenly remembered the time he'd stumbled into the hot springs she was in—and how he'd left right away without a word. He didn't make excuses. Didn't leer. Didn't even joke. And for some reason, that memory now made her heart soften.

Chapter 192 - 192 – Hiratsuka Shizuka: Watch Me Hit You with a Frame-Zero Attack!

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