NOVEL NEXT Chapter 185: On the Ferris Wheel with Chiba-san
"Searching for childhood innocence, shouldn't it be cool for high school students to ride the merry-go-round, Chiba-san?"
Searching for childhood innocence? Cool?
Chiba Shimizu lifted her head and glanced at the scene nearby, where every brilliantly graffitied wooden horse was occupied by a child,
and the few adults present were all holding a child in their arms.
Accompanied by the tender and relaxed music, the merry-go-round turned leisurely, and everyone's face brimmed with joyful smiles.
Indeed, childhood innocence... but Chiba Shimizu merely rolled her eyes at Haruka Yuzan, before slowly speaking,
"If Classmate Haruka... also wishes to search for childhood innocence, then I can wait on the side."
The cool voice rose to his ear, and the girl paused noticeably when calling his name, as if considering what title would be best to use.
Ah, so, Mr. Haruka is only a special case, and Classmate Haruka is the main theme, huh?
Haruka Yuzan sighed softly, then embraced the young lady's smooth shoulders and said with a smile,
"My childhood innocence was lost on a stormy night, so there's no need to search for it."
Childhood innocence? Lost? What does this mean? The boy's slick words clearly weren't within the knowledge domain of the young lady, but before Chiba Shimizu could react, she heard Haruka Yuzan continue,
"Since that's the case! Let's head towards the Ferris wheel!!!!"
The setting sun dipped low, casting the endless horizon in fantastical hues, and tufts of orange-red auspicious clouds drifted slowly in the sky as the day approached its curtain call, with crows already perched tiredly on the branches.
Who knows... if they managed to drink any water today.
The cheerful atmosphere in the amusement park gradually entered its conclusion as well, with guests who had been playing all day scattering sparsely in an orderly departure, ready to find a restaurant to reward their stomachs.
Of course, not all attractions faced off-season emptiness; the Ferris wheel at the center of the amusement park was still lined with couples waiting their turn, even at this time.
The Ferris wheel of Gigantic Dome City could be considered the landmark structure of all amusement parks; though not outstanding amidst city skyscrapers at fifty meters tall, it possessed its own unique charm within this vast amusement park.
Each individual gondola was the best place for lovers to enjoy the view and express their affection, especially for those couples seeking thrills.
Who could have imagined that when cleaning staff do their rounds each day, what's left behind by guests isn't drink bottles or cigarette butts, but... used umbrellas.
That's how Ferris wheels are nowadays,
Lovers on dates, partners seeking excitement, unlike the past when they catered to families of three, like when spacious cabins were redesigned for intimate two-person gondolas, reducing space to give couples plenty of reasons to be affectionate.
"There are still a lot of people..."
Looking at the long line ahead, Haruka Yuzan silently calculated in his mind and realized that if they paired off two by two, he and Chiba would just make it onto the tail end of this batch.
"Right, after riding the Ferris wheel, our trip to the amusement park can end."
Chiba Shimizu also glanced casually at the scene ahead, before adding,
"By the way, I've already told Sister Reiko that I won't be coming home for dinner tonight."
"No problem, you're in charge today, whatever you ask me to do, I can do it!!!!" Haruka Yuzan pulled the girl closer into his embrace, saying with a smile.
"Anything is fine?"
Chiba Shimizu seemed a bit more interested in what the boys had to say, lifting her head and sizing up the person in front of her with some seriousness.
As their eyes met,
the girl's clear eyes held a tinge of earnestness, as if she could only see herself reflected in them,
Being stared at so intently, Haruka Yuzan instinctively swallowed, wondering why he always felt as if he was about to be judged whenever facing the young lady.....
"Um... it should, perhaps, possibly, probably... about ninety-nine percent of things can?"
As expected, the next moment, her cool voice floated over again,
"Then... I want you to tell me the truth."
"About what?"
"Would you guys consider dating a girl with a cold personality? As a... girlfriend?"
Her cool voice sounded by his ear, its inherent purifying quality seeming to cleanse Haruka Yuzan's brain too, leaving him momentarily stunned in place,
What does Chiba-san mean by this? Would he consider dating a girl with a cold personality as a girlfriend?
Isn't that the same as saying.....
However, before he had the chance to reply, Chiba Shimizu quickly added, "Just kidding, don't take it seriously."
After speaking, the young lady quickly turned her head away, and for a moment, the girl seemed to revert to her usual calm and rational self, except,
the fleeting shyness and panic that passed through her eyes were unmistakable.
Although the two still maintained that sweet posture, Haruka Yuzan could clearly feel the slight trembling of the girl's body,
Would he consider dating a girl with a cold personality?
Chiba-san's behavior was a bit too adorably blatant—she was obviously asking him, wasn't she?
To tell the truth, his brief mental blank had occurred because he had never anticipated the girl would pose such a question; too bad, his response came a little too late...
"Actually, I care more about the fusion at the soul level and the vibes."
Even though the young lady had already made it clear that it was just a joke, Haruka Yuzan still replied with a smile.
This time, Chiba Shimizu didn't speak, and he didn't know what she was thinking.
But upon hearing Haruka's response, the emotions at the bottom of her eyes grew more complex.... adding a hint of confusion, a hint of regret, and a hint of sweetness.
The queue was long, but the progress was fast, and after about five minutes, it was Haruka Yuzan and Chiba Shimizu's turn.
The Ferris wheel started moving slowly,
as the visitors, one after another, stepped on,
The sound of the gears turning was very faint, almost silent.
Before they hardly realized, the carriage gently left the ground, instantly giving a sensation of suspension,
The design with only one row of seats allowed two people to sit close together, pressing even closer, not long after the ascent began.
Inside the carriage, couples were hugging each other impatiently, as if none of them had the slightest interest in the scenery outside...
The upper half of the Ferris wheel cabin was made of transparent glass, while the lower half was completely covered, blocking any view.
This design,
firstly, was to allow guests to better appreciate the distant landscapes and the city scenery;
secondly, it prevented guests from seeing the void beneath their feet, arguably reducing the fear in their hearts significantly.
When Chiba Shimizu stepped into the small compartment, the obvious swaying and the sensation of suspension made the girl feel somewhat uneasy for a moment,
"Be careful."
Following right behind, Haruka Yuzan gently supported the girl's shoulders, and they sat down side by side; looking up, the scenery outside the window was slowly rising,
All of Tokyo seemed to be gradually emerging before their eyes, only Haruka Yuzan wasn't really focusing on the scenery outside.
The girl's fair and delicate cheeks, her flawless profile, the long eyelashes trembling slightly in the air, and those clear eyes constantly gazing at the landscape outside; she looked as exquisitely fragile as a porcelain doll.
Perhaps it was her first time, or just her personality, but Chiba Shimizu started seriously taking in the view outside the window, not even glancing back at the boy again.
The compartment was quiet for a while, and the slowly ascending height provided plenty of time.
"Chiba..." Suddenly, Haruka Yuzan softly spoke.
"Hmm?"
Chiba Shimizu turned her head, looking at the person before her with some curiosity.
Haruka Yuzan didn't speak, but instead replied to the girl with his actions, leaning in and kissing those soft, supple lips.
For a moment, the tender touch coupled with a sweet fragrance reverberated in Haruka Yuzan's mouth — this was his third kiss with the young lady.
The unbearable taste he reminisced so much made him almost frantic! The arm that was holding her tightened unconsciously. Why was it that the bodies of young girls always smelled and felt so soft?
"Mmm mmm!!!"
The sudden move took Chiba Shimizu by surprise, her eyes wide open and her mind blank; by the time she came to her senses, her lips had already been conquered.
"Haru-Haruka Yuzan... mmm mmm!"
She tried to open her mouth to say something, but this gave the boy the perfect opportunity. Now, her cherry lips were overtaken both inside and out.
Gradually, even the girl stopped struggling.
Tokyo in the sunset was beautiful, but the beauty before him was even more indispensable.
The temperature inside the cabin slowly increased, and taking advantage of the moment they parted for breath, Haruka Yuzan became even more audacious, pulling the beautiful girl close into his embrace.
"Mmm mmm!"
Blushing, the girl struggled out of his grasp, looking at the person in her arms. Her eyes were tinged with a hint of disdainful aversion,
"Enough."
She said coldly and then stood up, leaving Haruka's side to sit down elsewhere, straightening her crumpled clothes and returning her gaze to the outside.
Hmm?
Was the pace too fast?
At this moment, their Ferris wheel had not reached the top yet. Haruka Yuzan drew closer to the young lady and began to earnestly study that perfect profile.
Chiba Shimizu was looking at the scenery outside, while Haruka Yuzan was inside, gazing at the young lady.
Time ticked by quietly like this.
Perhaps feeling somewhat shy from Haruka's gaze, the blush that had not faded on her face seemed even more moving under the sunset's light.
"Chiba..." Haruka Yuzan called out softly again.
The other party did not respond.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't control myself just now..."
This time, although Chiba Shimizu didn't turn her head, she still softly uttered,
"From a physiological standpoint, you can't be blamed."
???
Now it was Haruka Yuzan's turn to be baffled.
He listened as the girl continued to explain, "I'm so beautiful, and you're alone with me in a room. It would be concerning if you didn't have any thoughts. It's alright now. If there were no additional steps taken, like what 'Toward a Philosophy of The Intimate' suggests, people are essentially a collection of desires. You boys must be having a tough time now... burning with passion?
This... could be considered a punishment for you."
All her knowledge came from books, didn't it? Truly a classic young lady!!
"Then... Chiba-san, would you be willing to punish me a little more?" Haruka Yuzan asked tentatively.
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"Sometimes, I really admire your courage, Classmate Haruka,"
Even though Chiba Shimizu wasn't looking at him, Haruka Yuzan could still feel her disdainful gaze on him.
However, before he could say anything more,
suddenly, the young lady's fair hand shifted, falling from her thigh to the side...
The air grew still, and Haruka Yuzan gazed down at the hand in a daze. Was this... a hint? Flirtation?
No, that's not right, it wasn't for him to flirt, but for Chiba-san to lead!
Resolved, Haruka Yuzan tentatively seized the small hand, then placed it on his own thigh.
He looked up again to check the young lady's expression. Seeing no resistance, he relaxed.
To his surprise, the outwardly aloof Chiba-san was thinking of engaging in such a scene on a Ferris wheel. Was this some kind of—a midair...
With this thought, he hesitated no more and took the small hand...
Sensing something, Chiba Shimizu's eyes suddenly snapped open, her gaze filled with shock and disbelief!
What was this?! Why was it so hot???
Hadn't she merely allowed him to hold her hand? Why, then, was what he was gripping in his palm not a hand???