SWNOVELXO Chapter 9: 9
Ren's eyes fluttered open, the soft morning light filtering through the paper screens of his room. He blinked, disoriented for a moment, before the memories of Nonko's bone-crushing hug came flooding back. He pushed himself up, wincing slightly at a phantom ache in his ribs.
"Ren-kun, are you okay?" Yuuna's translucent form floated beside his futon, her expression filled with concern.
"Yeah, I'm good now," Ren replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "Where's Nonko-san?"
"She's in the shower," Yuuna explained. "Chitose-san took care of you after you fainted. Nonko-san wanted to help, but Chitose-san told her she needed to take a shower first, since she'd been in her room for more than two days. So, Nonko-san went to shower."
Just as Yuuna finished speaking, the sliding door to the room opened, and Nonko stepped in. She was now dressed in a fresh yukata, her hair still damp from the bath, but her eyes were clear and filled with remorse. Seeing Ren sitting up, she rushed forward, stopping just short of him.
"Ren-kun! I'm so, so sorry!" she exclaimed, bowing deeply. "I didn't mean to hug you so hard! I was just so surprised and happy to see you again after all these years!"
Ren waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine, Nonko-san. I'm okay now." He looked at her, his gaze lingering on the still-damp yukata that, despite being fresh, was tied loosely, hinting at the generous curves beneath. His mind, still reeling from the events of the morning and the lingering effects of the Reality Ticket, decided to act on impulse.
"Well," Ren began, a mischievous glint in his eye, "since you feel so guilty, how about some compensation?"
Nonko looked up, her expression confused. "Compensation? Anything, Ren-kun! Just tell me what you need!"
"Let me hold your breast," Ren said, his voice casual, as if asking for a glass of water.
Nonko froze. Her eyes widened, then narrowed slightly in utter bewilderment. Hold my breast? After all these years, after nearly crushing him, after her deep, unrequited love finally saw him again, that's all he wanted? Not a confession, not a hug, not even a kiss? Just… to hold her breast? She stared at him, a flush slowly creeping up her neck. How incredibly innocent is this boy? If he weren't young, if he were just a few years older, she wouldn't hesitate. She'd throw him onto the futon and ensure he was the father of her children by morning. But he was still a child in her eyes, despite the overwhelming depth of her feelings for him.
"How old are you, Ren-kun?" she asked, her voice surprisingly steady despite the turmoil in her mind.
"Seventeen," Ren replied, oblivious to her internal struggle.
Nonko sighed internally. Just one more year. She had to hold back. But his request, so simple, so direct, yet so innocent in its phrasing, touched a strange chord within her. It wasn't predatory; it was almost… curious. And her body, already primed by the rewritten history, yearned for his touch.
Without another word, Nonko took Ren's hands. Yuuna, who had been quietly floating nearby, gasped and immediately covered her eyes with her hands, though Ren could clearly see her peeking through the gaps in her fingers. Nonko then guided Ren's hands, not just to her yukata, but underneath it, directly onto the warm, soft flesh of her breasts.
Ren's breath hitched. The unexpected directness, the warmth, the incredible softness against his palms… his instincts took over. He gently, tentatively, began to grope.
A soft moan escaped Nonko's lips, a sound of pure, unadulterated pleasure. Her body, already hyper-sensitive from the profound, re-established connection to Ren, reacted instantly. A shiver ran through her, and her eyes fluttered shut as a wave of intense pleasure washed over her. She climaxed, right there, standing before him, from just the simple touch of his hands.
"Ah… Ren-kun…" she breathed, her voice husky, her body swaying slightly. The sensation was addictive, overwhelming. Ren could feel the smooth, silken texture of her skin beneath his fingers. Her nipples, already erect, hardened further under his touch. He instinctively brushed his thumb over one, then the other, like pressing a doorbell.
"Nngh!" Nonko cried out, her body arching slightly as another, even more potent climax seized her. Her knees buckled, and she would have fallen if Ren hadn't instinctively tightened his grip, steadying her.
Click.
The sliding door opened again.
"What in the world are you two doing?!" Sagiri's voice, sharp and laced with a furious blush, cut through the air. She had been politely asked by Chitose to check on Ren, as Chitose was reheating his food. But as she approached the room, she had heard the unmistakable sounds of… moaning. And now, the sight before her: Ren, hands clearly inside Nonko's yukata, Nonko herself flushed and panting, swaying in his grasp.
Sagiri's hand moved, swift as lightning, and a gleaming kunai materialized in her grip. She lunged, her face a mask of righteous fury. "Pervert!"
From Sagiri's perspective, Ren didn't even flinch. He simply raised two fingers, and the tip of her kunai, aimed directly at his throat, stopped dead. It hovered mere millimeters from his skin, unmoving, as if caught in an invisible vise. Sagiri strained, trying to push it forward, to pull it back, but the blade remained stubbornly fixed.
"Whoa, whoa, Sagiri-san! Misunderstanding!" Ren said, his voice calm, even as he released the kunai. It dropped to the futon with a soft thud.
Sagiri snatched it back, her face still burning. "Misunderstanding?! It's quite obvious what's happening here, Shigeno-kun! You're harassing Nonko-san!" Her tone was dripping with sarcasm.
Ren quickly explained, "No, no! Nonko-san felt guilty for accidentally making me faint earlier, and I just asked for some compensation. She agreed to let me hold her breast!"
Sagiri stared at him, then at Nonko, then back at Ren. Her eyes narrowed. "You... you asked to hold her breast as compensation? You truly are a pervert!" Her anger flared anew, and the kunai reappeared in her hand, ready for another strike. "I'll teach you not to abuse your position as owner!"
But before Sagiri could move, Nonko, still flushed but now with a desperate plea in her eyes, reached out. "Sagiri-chan, stop! Please, just stop!" She moved to intercept Sagiri's kunai, intending to let it pierce her own hand if it meant stopping the attack.
Sagiri's eyes widened in shock, seeing Nonko's desperate move. She immediately pulled back her attack, the kunai vanishing from her hand. "Nonko-san! Why?! I'm doing this for you!"
"Just… please, stop," Nonko pleaded again, her voice soft but firm.
Sagiri's jaw tightened. She looked from Nonko's pleading eyes to Ren's bewildered face. She couldn't understand Nonko's reaction, but she respected her friend's wishes. With a frustrated huff, she turned to leave.
At the doorway, she paused, turning back to Ren, her expression stern. "Listen, Shigeno-kun. You may be the owner of this place, but that doesn't give you the right to abuse your authority. If you try anything like this with any of the other residents, I will step in. And I will protect them." With that, Sagiri turned and exited the room, leaving behind a thick silence and the lingering scent of spiritual energy.