You Will Regret This Ichinose! [198]

The wind and snow howled outside, leaving a thin layer of frost on the balcony railing.

Inside, a girl sat gracefully on a cushion, light and composed, quietly taking small bites of her meal.

"……"

Horikita Suzune paused mid-chew.

She could feel the presence of a certain well-fed idiot resting on her lap, his head shifting restlessly.

Then, warm breath—his breath—brushed against her stomach.

The heat seeped through the fabric of her white knit sweater, leaving behind a faint, lingering warmth.

Horikita Suzune swallowed her food silently and glanced down.

Uesugi Gen was lifting the hem of her sweater slightly, blowing air upward, causing the fabric to rise and fall with each puff.

Did he… find this amusing?

"What… are you doing?"

Her voice turned cold as she lowered her gaze.

"Shh, Suzune, just a little more."

Uesugi Gen’s focus sharpened as he took a deep breath, preparing for a stronger gust.

Horikita Suzune furrowed her brows. "A little more for what?"

"A little more, and I’ll be able to see the color."

Uesugi Gen’s expression suddenly brightened with excitement.

"#!"

Horikita Suzune immediately sped up her eating pace.

Proper table manners. No physical altercations during meals.

Miss Horikita Suzune, a young lady with excellent upbringing, sternly reminded herself of this rule.

I’ll deal with him after I finish eating!

Uesugi Gen rested his head on her lap, even through her pants, he could feel the softness of her thighs.

Her white knit sweater lifted just slightly, revealing a small expanse of smooth, snow-pale skin.

It looked flat and cool—probably very comfortable to rest against.

That thought made Uesugi Gen nuzzle his head further against her stomach.

But he stopped abruptly.

The sound of her chewing had ceased.

"What’s wrong? Why aren’t you blowing anymore?"

Horikita Suzune set down her chopsticks with careful precision, then calmly pinched Uesugi Gen’s ear.

"Get up."

"Tsk—Suzune, go easy on me."

"You still want to see what color my underwear is?"

"Nah, just joking. Anyway, given your personality, it’s either white or black. Most likely white. I don’t even need to check."

Horikita Suzune’s cheeks tinged red.

This bastard had guessed right.

Annoyed at being seen through, she tightened her grip on his ear, her voice growing more forceful.

"Get. Up. Now!"

"Suzune, this isn’t fair. You’re just mad because I figured it out—this is straight-up abuse of power."

"What abuse of power? This is just personal retribution. Now, up."

"Not getting up. I haven’t laid here long enough."

"Get up!"

"Nope!"

"Alright, fine. You really won’t get up?"

Horikita Suzune’s voice turned eerily calm as she reached out her other hand, fully prepared to twist his other ear for symmetry.

"Aha! Knew you’d do that."

Uesugi Gen’s voice was filled with certainty.

Before she could act, he suddenly lunged forward, burying himself into her stomach.

Soft, smooth skin, as pristine as fresh snow, filled his vision.

Without hesitation, he extended his tongue and carefully tasted his "post-meal dessert."

"Chu~ chu~"

"Wha—?! You bastard—stop it right now!"

In an instant, Horikita Suzune’s pale cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson.

A strange, ticklish sensation—like someone lightly brushing a feather against the soles of her feet—surged through her body.

Endure it!

This guy… he always targets her weak spots!

"Alright then, Suzune, let’s see how you handle this next move!"

Uesugi Gen took advantage of her flustered state and reached for the sensitive sides of her stomach, hooking his fingers and giving a playful, cat-like scratch.

"Y-you bastard—s-stop it!"

The usually composed girl clenched her lips shut, her eyes glistening as she struggled against him.

She slapped at his hands in protest, but her body betrayed her—her shoulders trembled, her back arched, and she instinctively pulled him closer in an attempt to shield herself.

Finally, Uesugi Gen unleashed his finishing move—doubling the speed of his tickling.

"Pff—!"

Horikita Suzune immediately raised a hand to her mouth, desperately trying to stifle the laughter spilling out.

But it was no use.

"Hahaha! Uesugi Gen, you absolute bastard! Hahaha!"

The always stoic, cold, and untouchable Horikita Suzune—Class 1-D’s ice queen—finally broke into laughter under Uesugi Gen’s relentless assault.

"Ahahaha!"

In the small room, her laughter echoed—flustered, embarrassed, irritated, yet somehow… happy.

...

After a while, Uesugi Gen finally ceased his attack, fully satisfied.

He rested his head peacefully against Horikita Suzune’s stomach, eyes closing in contentment.

Horikita Suzune, still catching her breath, stared down at him in silence.

The room grew quiet.

"Hey… Uesugi Gen."

Horikita Suzune absentmindedly ran her fingers through his hair, strands slipping between her fingers as she spoke softly.

"Next year… can you have dinner with me like this again?"

"Hmph."

Uesugi Gen let out a self-satisfied hum, eyes still shut.

"What’s this, Suzune? You’re not falling for me, are you?"

"Yeah, I am."

Horikita Suzune looked at the boy in her lap and admitted it without hesitation.

She had never been a likable person.

Even her own family—her parents, her brother—disliked her personality.

She had always known that.

But this boy was different.

No matter how stubborn, how distant, how prickly she was, he never got tired of her. He’d let her hit him, scold him, yet he’d always come back, doing everything in his power to make her happy.

She had always been alone.

She had gotten used to being alone.

But one day, this infuriating person barged into her life.

And by the time she realized it, by the time she tried to go back to being alone—she found that she couldn’t.

Without him, she couldn’t walk forward anymore.

So… Horikita Suzune didn’t want to let him go.

No matter how troublesome, how irritating, how frustrating he was—she didn’t want to let him go.

Because she was troublesome, frustrating, and stubborn too.

"Then how about a kiss? I’m always the one taking the lead, after all."

Uesugi Gen teased.

"Alright."

To his surprise, Horikita Suzune didn’t object.

Lowering her head, she pressed a kiss against his cheek—clumsy, awkward, stubborn, yet sincere.

After a long moment, she lifted her head and whispered,

"Merry Christmas, Uesugi Gen."

"Merry Christmas, stubborn girl. And next year, you better kiss me like this again."

Uesugi Gen smirked, looking absolutely content.

"If you come…"

"Suzune, next year…"

Uesugi Gen’s expression turned oddly serious as he looked into her cool, piercing eyes.

"What?"

Horikita Suzune’s heart skipped a beat.

Was something going to happen next year?

"Make sure you wear thigh-high socks or stockings."

The next second, Uesugi Gen’s face twisted in frustration as he groaned.

"Do you know how painful it was when you kissed me just now, and I instinctively reached for your thigh—only to grab this stiff, awful straight-leg pants?!"

"#!"

The tender atmosphere shattered in an instant.

Horikita Suzune clenched her fists, her face flushing with anger.

"You pervert! Why are you always thinking about my legs?!"

"I’ll die without them!"

"Shut up, you degenerate!"

"Okay…"

...

[18:42]

"I'm heading out now, stubborn girl. Not even a goodbye hug?"

Uesugi Gen stood at the entrance, grinning as he spread his arms wide.

"……"

Horikita Suzune ignored him, her face slightly flushed as she focused on clearing the table.

"Suzune, you're so heartless! Weren’t you the one who said you liked me?"

Uesugi Gen feigned a wounded expression.

"Shut up. If you’re leaving, then leave. Quit dawdling."

"Alright, alright. See you, stubborn girl."

With a loud bang, Uesugi Gen shut the door and vanished at lightning speed.

Silence returned to the room.

Horikita Suzune glanced around the now-empty space, feeling a sudden hollowness in her chest.

Had they really just parted ways, and she was already missing him?

She slowly stood up, letting out a self-deprecating chuckle.

How pathetic, Horikita Suzune.

…Hm?

Her gaze landed on her desk.

A small, palm-sized gift box sat there quietly.

When did that idiot leave this here?

Curious, she walked over and picked it up.

The box was simple—white and square, tied with a rather messy blue ribbon.

This knot… looks terrible…

No doubt, it was tied by him.

With no one watching, a smile bloomed on her lips, as pure and fleeting as a snow lotus.

Carefully, she untied the ribbon, setting it aside neatly before opening the box to reveal its contents.

Inside was a tiny glass bottle filled with an amber-colored liquid. It had no label, and the amount was so little that she could probably finish it in one sip.

A folded note sat within the box.

[Stubborn girl, drink this, and you’ll be mine—no escaping, ever. 🥰]

"You idiot… who the hell is yours?"

Horikita Suzune muttered under her breath, cheeks growing even warmer.

She picked up the bottle, giving the liquid inside a wary glance.

That guy… he didn’t put anything weird in here, did he?

Still, she twisted off the cap and took a sip.

The taste was… strange. Hard to describe, yet oddly familiar.

Oh well, I’ll just ask him about it in a few days.

Placing the bottle back into the box, she tied it up again and tucked it safely into her drawer before returning to clear the dishes.

---

A staff member from the Keyaki Mall fried chicken shop stood idly at the entrance, waiting for his employer to arrive.

At this hour, the shop should have been at its busiest, and normally, they wouldn't offer delivery.

However, it seemed that this particular employer held a rather special status, as the manager had specifically assigned a worker to fulfill his order.

"Sorry, sorry! I’m late. Hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long."

A voice suddenly spoke up from behind.

"Oh, no, not at all! It’s only been a few minutes."

The employee quickly put on his best customer-service smile and handed over a thermal container.

"Everything is fresh, just as you requested. The strawberry cake is inside as well."

"Great."

Taking the container, the young man wasted no time and immediately rushed back toward the dormitory.

"Pass my thanks to your manager!"

"Of course…"

The employee watched in mild confusion as the boy hurried away.

Something felt… off.

Wait, wasn’t he coming from inside the dormitory?

Why the hell does he have snow all over him?

...

[18:43]

Obviously, because I jumped out of a window. Taking the stairs floor by floor would have wasted a whole twenty seconds.

Within the dormitory's emergency stairwell, Uesugi Gen flickered through the space, racing toward his own Room 404.

Though he was a few minutes behind schedule, the timing was still manageable.

With his speed, combined with the cold winter air outside, the lingering scent of sukiyaki on his clothes should have been mostly cleared away.

He just needed to eat something to mask any traces left in his mouth.

First date: Horikita Suzune—Success.

...

A soft click echoed as Uesugi Gen carefully pushed open his door, peeking inside to assess the situation.

"Mm!"

Ichinose was sitting at the table, resting her head against it like a sleepy duck.

Upon hearing the door, she perked up, her face lighting up with joy as she bolted toward him.

"Gen-kun!"

"Whoa, hold on!"

Uesugi Gen quickly set down the thermal container before reminding her, "Careful, it's hot."

"Mm-mm!"

Ichinose nodded rapidly, then gently helped him out of his coat, holding his hand as she guided him to the table.

Sitting snugly beside him, she beamed.

"Let’s eat!"

Unlike his meal with Horikita Suzune—where they demolished an entire pot of sukiyaki and rice—Ichinose had prepared a cozy spread of home-cooked dishes.

Red bean soup, salmon avocado salad, teriyaki chicken, grilled eel, and crispy tempura shrimp.

With the addition of fried chicken and strawberry shortcake that Uesugi Gen had brought, there was more than enough for the two of them.

"Did you really finish cooking so fast? I thought you'd still be busy when I got back."

"Hehe."

Ichinose shyly scratched her cheek.

"I actually prepped most of it in advance… because I wanted to spend more time with you, Gen-kun."

"Then let’s eat."

Uesugi Gen picked up his chopsticks, reaching for the grilled eel.

"Wait a moment."

Ichinose gently took his chopsticks, stood up, and retrieved a candle from the kitchen cabinet.

Lighting it, she placed it on the table.

The warm glow illuminated her fair complexion, casting a mesmerizing radiance over her delicate features.

Her eyes curved into crescents as she gracefully handed his chopsticks back, extending her hand toward him.

"Now… let’s eat."

"Alright!"

Uesugi Gen took a bite, savoring the flavors.

"Mm! This is…"

His eyes sparkled. "Absolutely delicious!"

"Eat lots, okay? I made plenty, so you can finish everything if you want."

Ichinose smiled sweetly, continuously piling food into his bowl.

"You should eat more too, Ichinose."

"Of course! I need to eat a lot to keep up with you!"

Ichinose clenched her fists with determination.

...

Gradually…

Uesugi Gen’s voice grew weaker.

His movements slowed.

"Why do I feel… kinda…"

His eyelids drooped as he spoke, his words sluggish and fragmented.

"Hm?"

Ichinose tilted her head cutely. "Gen-kun, are you tired?"

"I see…"

Ichinose gently took the chopsticks from his hands and guided his head onto her shoulder.

"Then… just sleep, Gen-kun. Leave everything else to your Ichinose."

At her words, Uesugi Gen went completely limp, collapsing into her embrace.

Stroking his face tenderly, Ichinose gazed down at him, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

"When you came back just now… there was a different scent on you."

Leaning closer, she inhaled deeply, as if imprinting the scent into her memory.

By candlelight, her cheeks flushed a soft pink.

"I remember every single one of your scents, Gen-kun. And that… was not yours."

Gently wrapping her arms around him, she pressed him closer, her softness molding against his body as she whispered into his ear.

"This won’t do, Gen-kun. Christmas Eve is supposed to be peaceful—for just the two of us."

"How can I let those other bad women interrupt our time together?"

---

T/N: HE GOT DRUGGED LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ALSO WHAT DID HE GIVE SUZUNE?

This is a fan translation of 人在实教，一之濑你会后悔的 by 作者：白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!