I Sealed Sukuna’s Finger#457+458: Sayaka: Partying Without Me? Trading Intensity for Sound

"Waiting for me?"

Bokue slowly raised a question mark.

He actually hadn't called ahead today to say he'd be coming. After all, he hadn't expected Hagoromo-Gitsune to move so quickly.

Last night before bed, he'd only heard five of the eight branch families had been eliminated. By the time he woke up, the remaining Big Three had all been wiped out too.

Calculating carefully, Hagoromo-Gitsune had speedrun through the Keikain branch families in just one night—hadn't even crossed midnight. She'd even returned to Yasaka Shrine midway for a late-night snack, then launched the rebirth ritual this morning, letting a certain thousand-year-old founder of Onmyōji go from birth to death in one smooth motion.

According to Bokue's own predictions, this should have taken at least two or three more days.

So how did La Folia and Sayaka know he'd be coming today?

"Surprising, isn't it?"

The silver-haired princess intimately looped both arms around the young man's neck, smiling as she leaned close to blow gently on his earlobe.

"Actually, we've been waiting for you to come these past days, Bokue-kun. Waiting every single day. Waiting and waiting and waiting, and today you really came~"

"Huh?"

La Folia's words left Bokue stunned for a moment.

Waiting for him every day? Like... sitting here without eating dinner just waiting?

Seriously?

"Not exactly..."

Seeing the young man's gaze fall on her, Sayaka Kirasaka's face flushed nearby.

"We've just been eating dinner later these past few days. So we'd wait to see if you'd show up, Bokue."

"Eating dinner later? Why?"

Bokue grew even more confused.

Surely they weren't really delaying dinner on purpose just to wait for him?

"Because..."

Sayaka hesitated, glancing at the certain silver-haired princess.

Not really a big deal—just that La Folia had been living too freely on Itogami Island lately. Her wake-up time got later and later each day, from initially waking at seven sharp to gradually pushing to eight, then nine.

Eventually reaching the point where even waking at nine in the morning, she wouldn't get up—had to lie in bed a while longer until almost ten.

Waking at ten, eating breakfast at ten-thirty, then the other two meals of the day delayed accordingly.

"Hehehe, some things are better left unquestioned~"

Raising an eyebrow slightly at the Sword Shaman girl, La Folia didn't release her arms from around Bokue's neck—instead tightening them further.

"More importantly, doesn't Bokue-kun plan to offer some compensation first?"

"Compensation?"

Bokue was a bit lost again.

How'd the topic fast-forward straight to compensation?

"Has Bokue-kun already forgotten?"

Seeing the young man's somewhat confused expression, La Folia's sea-blue eyes narrowed slightly as she pouted with slight displeasure.

"About how Bokue-kun agreed to have dinner together that evening but ran off to Kyoto alone, completely standing both me and Sayaka up... Though I did express forgiveness over the phone then, that doesn't mean compensation isn't required, you know?"

"So what do you want, La Folia..."

"Need you even ask?"

La Folia's wet, heated breath from between parted lips brushed the young man's ear.

"To ask such a question of a woman you've shared a bed with before—Bokue-kun really is rather cold. Or perhaps... in Bokue-kun's eyes, I'm the type of girl who'd let her guard down and be 'completely open' with anyone... mmph!"

Before she could finish, the silver-haired princess's body trembled sharply.

Looking down, Bokue's hand had somehow already circled behind the girl, unabashedly settling on her slender waist.

"Fufufu~ Just as I thought—Bokue-kun is the type who'd never miss anything offered right to his lips."

In just the blink of an eye, La Folia's sea-blue eyes had filled with thick mist.

But she showed absolutely no intention of backing down. Instead, she bravely advanced further, completely eliminating the distance between them. Just the tiniest bit closer and their lips would meet.

Meanwhile, Sayaka Kirasaka beside them had gone completely dumbfounded.

They were starting right in front of her?

This... forget that they hadn't even eaten dinner yet. Even if sleeping until naturally waking these past days had pushed their schedule back so they weren't hungry now, they wouldn't just start like this, right?

There should at least be some buildup!

Her cheeks heated rapidly. The Sword Shaman girl—who'd never witnessed such an explosive scene at such close range—instantly flushed bright red.

Was this the rhythm of diving straight into a team fight?!

Though she'd considered confessing to Bokue about what happened on that deserted island, not under circumstances like this!

Could it be they were planning to have both of them together with Bokue doing th-th-th-that tonight?!

As if already imagining the intense battle about to unfold, wisps of white steam began rising from above Sayaka's head with a hissing sound like boiling water.

"Ah, right."

As if suddenly remembering something, La Folia abruptly interrupted the proceedings. She glanced sideways at the Sword Shaman girl nearby, covering her mouth with slight embarrassment as she laughed.

"It's all because Bokue-kun's charm is just too great—I almost forgot Sayaka was still beside us. Hmm... come to think of it, I recall Sayaka has androphobia. It really wouldn't be good for us to do these things right in front of her..."

Hmm?

Yanked from imagination back to reality by the silver-haired princess's words, Sayaka stared somewhat blankly at her, not understanding what she meant by saying this now.

What did she mean by "not good to do these things in front of me"? But if not in front of her, then... wait, wasn't the plan to have her join in with Bokue...???

Having completely lost track of what La Folia was thinking, Sayaka just froze in place.

But simultaneously, La Folia had already placed both hands on the young man's chest before her, gently pushing him toward the inner bedroom.

"Alright, alright, some things really can't be done in front of Sayaka. So let's go into the bedroom first and talk slowly~"

"Huh? But..."

Bokue also seemed somewhat astonished.

Honestly, La Folia's boldness tonight had completely exceeded his expectations. His earlier hand movement had been instinctive—only realizing what he'd done after his hand was already there.

Based on La Folia's meaning, she wanted to head straight into the bedroom for the main event, but leaving Sayaka alone outside in the living room... was this appropriate?

"No buts. When a girl has already set aside all her pride to ask a boy to claim her, for the boy to refuse at a time like that would be like getting kicked by a donkey~"

La Folia said with a smile while looking up at Bokue with a "trust me" gaze.

Then she turned to give the Sword Shaman girl behind her an equally meaningful look, though her words said the complete opposite.

"Sorry, Sayaka. I have something I need to handle with Bokue-kun first. If you get hungry, feel free to eat dinner by yourself."

With that, she pushed Bokue into the bedroom and closed the door behind them.

Leaving only Sayaka Kirasaka standing there, staring blankly at the now-empty living room.

So... she'd been left behind?

<><><><><><><><>

While Sayaka Kirasaka questioned her existence outside facing the empty living room—

Inside the bedroom, La Folia had already pulled Bokue to sit on the bedside.

More accurately, he sat on the bed's edge while La Folia sat on his lap.

The two stacked like this, one above one below, facing each other. At zero distance, chest to chest, their breaths mingling together audibly.

"What's wrong, Bokue-kun?"

La Folia straightened her back to make herself appear taller than Bokue, tilting her face up slightly with a smile as she looped both arms around the young man's neck, looking down.

"You seem a bit distracted... I told you, right? When a girl has already set aside all her pride, if the boy still acts completely absent-minded, that's very rude~"

Bokue: "..."

To be fair, this wasn't about him being distracted—the whole process had just happened way too fast.

He'd only just arrived when the certain silver-haired princess had without warning thrown herself into his arms. Before saying anything, he'd been half-pushed, half-pulled into the bedroom.

Wasn't the plan to eat dinner? Plus, Sayaka was still left alone in the living room outside. No matter how you thought about it, this situation was hard to ignore!

"Hmph~"

Seeing the young man's gaze still intermittently glancing toward the door, La Folia suddenly smiled mysteriously.

"Alright, alright. Since Bokue-kun cares so much about Sayaka, I can relax now."

"?"

Bokue slowly raised another question mark.

Honestly, by now he'd completely lost track of what La Folia was trying to do. First leaving Sayaka outside, now saying she could relax.

What was going on??

"Well~ don't be impatient. I'll explain slowly."

La Folia's smile faded slightly here, becoming somewhat serious.

"First, answer me one question, Bokue-kun. What kind of feelings do you think Sayaka has toward you?"

"That? Pretty good, I'd say."

Bokue thought seriously before answering.

Not that he was narcissistic—just judging by the attitude shift from when they first met until now, Sayaka should have fairly positive feelings toward him.

After all, he wasn't some classic light novel's yasashii-type protagonist who could remain oblivious no matter how much the heroine hinted—practically spelled it out—still insisting they were just good ordinary friends.

Like when they first met, the certain Sword Shaman girl practically wanted to guard Yukina twenty-four hours a day, hissing at him on sight.

But later, after everything on that deserted island, she'd even become willing to call him by name and sleep in the same bed with him.

Bottom line—other things aside, at least the trust level had definitely been established.

But obviously La Folia wouldn't be satisfied with such an answer.

"Mou~ that won't do! What do you mean 'pretty good'? That's way too vague! Be specific! Do you think Sayaka likes you or doesn't like you?"

"...If I had to say, then she likes me."

Bokue thought briefly before responding.

"Yes yes, excellent answer."

La Folia nodded with satisfaction.

"So next question: do you think Sayaka is the type who'd show feelings called 'like' toward you in front of others?"

"That's... probably too difficult for her, right?"

Bokue hesitated over this question.

Though he hadn't really seen Sayaka Kirasaka being tsundere much himself, based on feeling and experience, she was undoubtedly a major tsundere.

"Exactly!"

Hearing the young man's answer, the silver-haired princess raised her index finger, waving it lightly with relief like teaching a promising student.

"So in conclusion, if I'm present, Sayaka absolutely won't proactively reveal her true feelings. I have to use this method..."

This method?

Bokue's gaze unconsciously swept across La Folia's long, voluptuous legs straddling him beneath her skirt. He thought—if this was just to create space for a good friend to speak her truth, wasn't this sacrifice a bit too great?

"If Bokue-kun thinks that, I'm going to get angry."

Reading his thoughts, the silver-haired princess's voice came from above once more.

When Bokue looked up again, La Folia's face was already right before him.

She'd timed the young man's upward glance perfectly, tightening her arms to completely eliminate the distance between their lips.

Mmm~

At the extremely close face-to-face distance, La Folia's slightly heated breath gently brushed the young man's cheek.

A bit ticklish.

One long kiss. They finally parted after quite a while.

When La Folia lifted her head again with slightly heavy breathing, the girl's pale cheeks were already covered in blush, even her bangs showing some disheveled disarray.

She licked her lips—moistened by saliva, glistening under the light as if wearing lip gloss.

"I told you, right? This is me as a girl setting aside all my pride to invite you to claim me, Bokue-kun. If it were just to create a private scene for you and Sayaka, I wouldn't need to go through this trouble."

"My feelings for you, Bokue-kun, are undoubtedly genuine. Of course... I believe Sayaka's are too."

"However—"

La Folia suddenly smiled slightly again.

"It's perfectly normal for a girl to be a bit selfish~ Since Sayaka's still too shy to say certain things, I'll strike first and give her a little 'pressure boost' while I'm at it."

"Otherwise she'll forever be that hesitant type, forever convincing herself you're just ordinary friends, telling herself she just doesn't dislike you like she does other men."

"So now you should understand, Bokue-kun, why I'm doing this."

The silver-haired princess leaned down slightly, bringing her lips to the young man's ear to send out shallow breaths.

"Oh right, back home, my maid once taught me a phrase. She said saying it would make the boy you like very happy. Though I've never said it before, I'll try it this time."

"She said this: 'Sincerity doesn't always get you sincerity, but intensity always gets you sound.' Are you willing to use intensity to make me produce sounds that belong only to you, Bokue-kun? Hehehe~♡"

"..."

Their conversation inside the room wasn't particularly loud. Plus, the luxury hotel suite's soundproofing was already excellent. So unless someone inside screamed at the top of their lungs, even pressing an ear against the door from outside would make it hard to hear what was being said inside.

At the same time, outside the bedroom in the living room, Sayaka Kirasaka—who'd been waiting at the door for ages without it opening—suddenly heard certain familiar sounds coming from inside.

'Ngh... Bokue-kun, sl-slower... don't keep going deeper... I'm going to break...!!!'