COTE : Oh No, I've Become the Substitute

The August sun blazed unrestrained across the high skies. Over the Pacific, even the air flowed thick and sticky like melted toffee, warping into a blur where sea met sky.

But beneath the immense power of the luxury cruise ship's central air conditioning, the sunlight streaming in became little more than decoration upon the cabin interiors.

Fuyuji sank into the overly soft sofa, the back of his neck resting against the cool leather headrest. One hand stroked Morishita's small cheek, the other steadied her shoulder, keeping her from fidgeting and sliding off.

The cold air vents hummed steadily, like some ancient hypnotic chant. Mixed with the languid afternoon sunlight and the gentle rocking of the ship, it made his whole body drowsy, his eyelids heavy...

He didn't know how much time had passed.

In a haze, a tickling sensation came from the nape of his neck. Then a weight settled on his legs. A smooth, silky sensation traveled up his hand and into his brain. Something restless wrapped around his neck. A familiar scent lingered ceaselessly in his nostrils.

Fuyuji opened his heavy eyes and looked at the eccentric girl now straddling him, grinning at him with smug satisfaction. He felt nothing but helplessness.

"Great Morishita, could you perhaps show a little maidenly restraint?"

Having said this, he sighed and once again adjusted the hem of her skirt, which had ridden up from her fidgeting. The white pleated skirt, paired with the black stocking-clad thighs peeking out from beneath, created an intensely striking visual impact.

Morishita blinked her large eyes and puffed out her chest, brimming with confidence. "Rest assured. The great Morishita is very restrained in front of others."

"..."

True enough. Thinking about Morishita's usual cold, expressionless face—devoid of any emotional fluctuation—a normal person would probably assume she was the aloof, icy beauty type, like Horikita girl. In reality, she was a slightly unhinged girl brimming with chuunibyou.

Fuyuji wrapped an arm around Morishita's slender waist and pulled her a little closer against him. Feeling more and more of their bodies pressing together, his expression turned somewhat unnatural. "So, has the great Morishita slept well? If so, we should get going. Miki's been waiting a long time."

"Wait a little longer." Morishita refused, as expected. "I've already let Yamamura Miki know. We'll head back in a bit."

"Wait a little longer? To do what?"

"I don't know." Morishita lifted her chin and declared with righteous confidence.

"Then could the great Morishita get off me? My legs are going numb." He hadn't moved since earlier, and on top of that, Morishita's little head had been pillowed on his lap for who knew how long. Now she was sitting on him. Even iron wouldn't hold up.

And, more importantly...

"No. I want to sit a while longer." Morishita refused once more, unexpectedly. "Don't worry. While you were asleep, I massaged your legs for you. I specially looked up a tutorial online for this. It'll be fine."

"That only scares me more. A tutorial you found online—are you trying to cripple my legs?" Fuyuji suddenly began to struggle. "Anyway, get off first!"

"No!"

Morishita wrapped her arms tightly around Fuyuji's neck and sprawled across his chest. The scent of peach mingled with the girl's own subtle fragrance, continuously worming its way into his nostrils. Her black-stockinged thighs pressed against his sides. Her small, pert bottom, wrapped in the white pleated skirt, shifted and rubbed against him restlessly.

"Stingy Fuyuji Mikage. What's the harm in holding the great Morishita a little longer—"

Her voice vanished without a trace in an instant. The very next moment, Morishita slowly released the arms wrapped around Fuyuji's neck. A flush of pink—something even Fuyuji had never seen before—visibly spread across her cheeks. Then, her small hand trembled as it covered her little bottom.

Fuyuji narrowed his eyes and spoke without sorrow or joy. "I told you to get off earlier. The great Morishita is so cute. Having morning... afternoon wood isn't strange, right?"

The very next second.

"Super ultimate mega pervert Fuyuji Mikage!"

A voice—tinged with a girl's unique shyness, trembling, and a touch of fury—echoed through the small lounge.

As expected. Even the self-proclaimed invincible great Morishita wasn't immune to this kind of thing.

A short while later.

Morishita clenched her little fists, stomped along in her small leather shoes, her skirt fluttering, leading the way down the cruise ship corridor in a huff.

"Idiot Fuyuji Mikage. Are you trying to kill me?" Morishita muttered under her breath as she walked.

"Idiot Morishita Ai. Is that something I can control?" Fuyuji, following behind, said in exasperation.

"Then make it smaller." The great Morishita issued her unreasonable demand.

"..."

Fuyuji stared at Morishita in disbelief. "You're the one trying to kill me. How could anyone possibly do that?"

"Is it really impossible?"

"How could it possibly be possible?!"

Morishita suddenly fell silent. She lowered her head, as if deep in thought. Only after a long while did she force out a sentence. "Fuyuji Mikage, you evil being—you truly were sent by the heavens to stop me!"

"That's just how it is."

A hand quietly reached out and took hold of Morishita's swaying hand. "After all, I'm the only one who can stay by the great Morishita's side."

"Hmph!" Morishita turned her head away. "Fuyuji Mikage got off cheap."

"Thank you for the great Morishita's generous affection."

"Naturally."

"So..."

Fuyuji gently rubbed Morishita's soft, tender hand and gazed at that fair little face. He drew a deep breath. "Ai. Once we're back at school... let's go on a date!"

A draft swept through the corridor, lifting the strands of their hair, leaving behind the salt and brine of the ocean, the warmth of the sun beyond the ship.

"Mm..."

A voice like a mosquito's hum emerged from Morishita's lips. Yet it imprinted itself clearly upon Fuyuji's ear.

"Let's go."

Having received an affirmative answer, Fuyuji let out a breath and took Morishita's hand, heading toward the girls' cabins.

"Miki's probably tired of waiting. We've made her wait a long time."

"Fuyuji Mikage." Morishita beside him seemed to suddenly recall something.

"Hm?"

"How did you find me so quickly just now? It'd barely been ten minutes since you called me." Morishita spoke with great interest. "This ship is so huge. How did you know I was trapped in the machinery room?"

"Th-that, well..." Cold sweat streamed down Fuyuji's face. His gaze drifted evasively. "Because the great Morishita and I are connected heart to heart."

"Then what am I thinking right now?"

"..."

In that moment, the silence was deafening.

Fuyuji forced himself to stay calm and spoke coolly. "Although I don't know what you're thinking right now, I know what you'll be thinking in the next moment."

"Oh? You can predict the future too?" Morishita cast a sidelong glance at Fuyuji. "Let's hear it..."

"Fuyuji Mikage is a liar." Fuyuji smiled confidently and looked at Morishita's increasingly cold little face. "See? I was right, wasn't I?"

Morishita stomped on Fuyuji's toes. Having been played, she reverted right back to her huffy state and dragged him toward the girls' cabins.

"You cunning Fuyuji Mikage!"

"Is that really cunning?"

"If the great Morishita says it is, it is!"

"Fine."

...

"Morishita-san!"

The moment the door to the girls' cabin swung open, Yamamura Miki, tears welling in her eyes, threw herself onto Morishita.

"Where on earth did you go?! Next time, don't go alone. Take me with you!"

"There, there."

Morishita closed her eyes and, imitating the way Fuyuji had done earlier, gently stroked Yamamura's little head in comfort.

"Daijoubu. A minor problem like this is nothing to the great Morishita. I was merely trapped in the machinery room on the lowest deck and couldn't get out."

"How did you end up there?"

"I don't know. When I came to, I was just there." Morishita raised her head with considerable pride.

"And then you got trapped?"

"And then the great Morishita discovered that the machines there were very interesting. I went in to observe them and got trapped."

"..."

Yamamura suddenly felt that this was entirely Morishita's own doing.

"Why didn't you call me? I would have come to rescue you."

"Couldn't get through."

After checking the emotional state of the two and confirming there were no problems, Fuyuji's expression darkened. He quietly shifted his feet and soundlessly made his way toward the bathroom.

Having been far too deeply stimulated by the great Morishita's soft little bottom, he needed to cool down.

His bro had already accepted a critical mission and gone off to draw Sakayanagi's attention. There shouldn't be anyone else in the cabin right now.

He gently closed the bathroom door with a click—

A pale hand reached out and grabbed the bathroom door handle. A pair of violet eyes flickered through the gap in the door.

Fuyuji leaned against the cold wall, closed his eyes, and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

He had to admit, the great Morishita had stimulated him far too much.

A petite, adorable figure. Those explosively tactile black-stockinged beautiful legs. Paired with that cold, indifferent little face...

Fuyuji opened his eyes again, shook his head, and walked toward—

His footsteps came to an abrupt halt. His entire body froze in place.

"Why did you stop?"

A gentle voice brushed past Fuyuji's ear like a feather. A figure had soundlessly appeared behind him. Standing slightly on tiptoe, her breath like orchids, she spoke.

"Shiraishi Mama... what are you doing here?" Fuyuji forced out a strained smile.

"Because Fuyuji needs a little help."

A sly voice spilled from her throat. Both pale hands reached out and wrapped around Fuyuji's waist from behind. Her cheek buried into his back. She drew a deep breath.

"As I thought. It's not just Fuyuji's scent. There's Morishita-san's scent too."

"Just now... Morishita-san and Fuyuji came back holding hands, didn't they."

Her hand reached down and grasped Fuyuji's palm, their ten fingers interlocking. Then she began slowly, gently kneading it.

"Didn't Shiraishi Mama say before that she didn't mind that kind of thing?"

"I lied."

Shiraishi spoke lightly. "Even if I don't mind what happens between Fuyuji and Morishita-san... how much space I occupy in Fuyuji's heart—I still care about that very much."

A slightly hoarse voice rippled through the bathroom, stirring ripple after ripple.

"Bad woman..." Fuyuji revealed a smile uglier than a grimace.

"Fuyuji's heart... is racing right now, isn't it? It's very uncomfortable, isn't it?" The pale hand released his and pressed over his chest. Her pink nails glinted with a strange luster under the sunlight.

Her warm breath practically brushed against the side of his neck. Her voice lowered even further, carrying a bewitching, coaxing magic. "Actually... I'm the same. Ever since the deserted island... there's been no time to be close with Fuyuji..."

Her voice, usually as gentle as flowing water, now stretched like a taut thread, pulling at the heart until it ached with unease...

"So..."

She turned slightly to the side, her skirt swaying gently. A flash of pure white inadvertently flickered beneath the hem—the edge of the stockings wrapped around her slender calves.

"...Shall we help each other?"

"Because it's Fuyuji..." She added softly, her voice carrying a strange indulgence. "Anything is fine, you know. See..." She gave a slight shake of the foot wearing its small leather shoe. "They're the white stockings you like..."

Bang—!

In an instant, Shiraishi was pinned against the wall. Her pale golden hair fanned out across the pure white surface. Before she could even open her mouth, her pink lips were sealed.

"Mn..."

A suppressed moan spilled from the depths of Shiraishi's throat. Her slender neck arched back. Her delicate fingers subconsciously threaded into Fuyuji's thick black hair. Her small foot, wrapped in white stockings, scuffed lightly against the floor, the tips of her toes curling inward with an almost imperceptible force.

"Bad woman. This isn't the right place for this. But I'm collecting interest!"

"Fufu... that's fine~"

"Mn..."

Her slender neck arched back once more. The sound of conversation drifted clearly from the cabin.

"That door handle just came off somehow. What a shoddy piece of work."

"Was it dark in there? Were you scared, Morishita-san?"

"No. There were emergency lights and indicator lights on. But I'd only been sitting there a short while before Fuyuji Mikage showed up."

"That fast? Only a few minutes. The ship is so huge, and Morishita-san was in one of the rooms in the very lowest machinery deck. How did Fuyuji-kun find you?"

"I don't know. I asked him just now and he brushed me off. He's definitely hiding something from the great Morishita!"

"Is that so... I think so too..."

The crash of waves against the hull, mingled with the sounds of conversation and other faint noises, drifted together into the distance.

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