The athletic field at Sobu High School is quite large, large enough to house a two-story gymnasium. On the somewhat stuffy second floor of the gym, where the large windows are locked and cannot be opened, there are various sports apparatuses like high jump equipment, mats, and rarely-used items such as shot puts, ping-pong tables, and their accompanying gear.

From the railings on the second floor, one can peek down at the first floor. Most of the ground level consists of an indoor basketball court and volleyball court. However, since the recent PE classes didn’t involve basketball or volleyball—and with the nice weather—the entire gym was eerily quiet.

On the inside of the second-floor railing, there was a layer of pale green netting. Reportedly, this was installed years ago when the gym’s second floor served as the activity area for the ping-pong club. The netting was intended to prevent balls from falling to the first floor and potentially causing trouble for others.

Despite its intended purpose, the netting’s history has long been overshadowed by the fact that the ping-pong club eventually dissolved due to a lack of members. Without enough recruits to keep the club active, the second floor became an area occasionally used during PE classes for table tennis, although basketball and volleyball were much more popular.

As a result, the second floor of the gymnasium became somewhat of a forgotten area. While students might occasionally come up to fetch high jump equipment or mats, it rarely saw other use.

Of course, exceptions existed. For instance, Izumi Kotomi and Yui Yuigahama were in the gymnasium’s second floor for an entirely different purpose.

—To slack off.

Yes, even though it was late September and the weather had begun transitioning to autumn—where wearing long sleeves felt a bit warm, but short sleeves felt a bit chilly—today was bright and sunny without a cloud in sight. It wasn’t going to rain, making it clear that PE would be held outside on the athletic field.

And today’s class? Entirely free activity.

Seizing the opportunity, Kotomi brought Yui to what she had recently discovered to be a perfect slacking-off spot.

The second floor of the gymnasium had a side exit connected to the second floor of the main school building. The door wasn’t locked, so one could easily slip into the main building, grab some ice pops from the school store, and return undetected.

Moreover, the gymnasium’s second floor had soft high-jump mats that could be spread out flat, effectively turning them into a “lazy person’s bed.”

Lounging on a mat, nibbling on an ice pop in the tranquil space—it was the definition of indulgence.

“I had no idea there was such a nice spot in the gym,” Yui remarked, happily taking the last bite of her ice pop. Upon seeing the “Try Again!” written on her stick, a gleeful expression spread across her face.

“Not bad, right? And besides, it’s not like we’re sneaking in here. We’re just… making effective use of the space,” Kotomi quipped, leaning back against her hands, a smug grin spreading across her face.

Although the locked windows made the air stuffy, small, high windows could still be cracked open. This allowed enough breeze to creep in and make the atmosphere bearable without drawing attention to their hideout.

“But, um… isn’t it kind of bad for us to stay here while everyone else is on the field? Even if it’s free activity time,” Yui asked, a hint of hesitation in her tone.

Yui tended to be a more rule-abiding student compared to Kotomi. That said, whenever Kotomi took the lead, Yui was always the first to follow.

“What did the PE teacher say? ‘You can only stay within the field area.’ Well, isn’t the gym part of the field?” Kotomi replied confidently.

Upon hearing this, Yui’s remaining hesitation evaporated.

Oh yeah, the teacher only said not to leave the field. And the gym is technically within the field.

By that logic, they weren’t breaking any rules.

“Kotomi, we’re such good students!”

“Exactly.”

Kotomi flipped onto her back, her half-lidded eyes betraying just how relaxed she felt.

Although lying on the mats in the slightly warm air, cooled by a light breeze, was incredibly comfortable, Kotomi reminded herself not to doze off.

After all, at the end of the period, the PE teacher would call everyone together for attendance. If she accidentally fell asleep and missed it, their escapade would be discovered. And while she could argue that the gym was part of the field, sneaking in without informing the teacher was still a breach of conduct.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, falling asleep was not an option.

Yui, however, didn’t seem as sleepy. Sitting cross-legged on the mat, she peered through the railing at the empty gym below.

“Is it always this quiet in the gym?”

“Probably. Unless it’s raining, snowing, foggy, windy, or scorching hot, the gym doesn’t see much use. Honestly, if you’re daring enough, you could probably skip an entire day of classes hiding here.”

Kotomi smirked mischievously before continuing, “But spending a whole day alone in such a quiet gym… Who knows? Maybe something from the shadows is watching you~”

Her tone grew ominous, her grin widening.

Yui shuddered. “Th-there wouldn’t be ghosts in the daytime… right?”

“Oh, who can say? Have you seen Ju-On?” Kotomi’s smirk deepened as she leaned closer, her tone perfectly creepy.

“Wah! Stop, Kotomi! Don’t scare me!”

“Ehehe~” Kotomi chuckled gleefully, reveling in Yui’s reaction.

Just as Kotomi was gearing up to spin another spooky tale, her phone buzzed loudly, breaking the silence.

“Wahh! A ghost!” Kotomi yelped, instinctively ducking behind Yui.

Though Kotomi had just been playing the role of a mischievous storyteller, the sudden noise in the quiet gym startled her so much she began to tremble, her hands clamping over her head.

Yui, now remarkably calm compared to Kotomi, picked up the phone lying nearby.

“It’s a call… from Yukino,” she noted, glancing at the screen.

“Huh?” Kotomi peeked out cautiously.

Upon realizing the call was from Yukino Yukinoshita, Kotomi, who had been cowering behind Yui, finally poked her head out, grabbed the phone, and let out a long sigh of relief.

“Phew, that scared me. Turns out it’s not a ghost.”

She then answered the call, and when she heard Yukino’s voice on the other end, she finally relaxed completely.

“Yukino, you scared me to death! That sudden ringtone made me think it was some vengeful spirit calling,” Kotomi said, wiping the fine sweat off her forehead as though she had just escaped from a haunted house.

On the other end of the line, Yukino sounded confused but replied, “You’re the one who scared me and Megumi to death. One moment you’re there, and the next you’ve vanished. I almost thought you two had turned into one of those urban legend disappearances. We searched the entire field and couldn’t find you. If you hadn’t answered, I really would’ve reported this to the teacher.”

“Hehehe, sorry, sorry. Yui said she was tired, so I brought her to a nice spot to slack off.”

Kotomi spoke casually, but Yui, who was sitting beside her, tilted her head in confusion, her face practically sprouting a row of question marks.

Weren’t you the one who suggested this in the first place?!

“Somehow, I feel like it wasn’t Yui dragging you to slack off but the other way around. Sigh… Forget it. Where exactly are you two hiding? There’s still half an hour left before class ends. Megumi and I will come find you.”

“We’re at the gym. Second floor.”

“Huh?! You’re in the gym? No wonder we couldn’t find you anywhere. Still, that’s bold—just because it’s free time doesn’t mean you can be this brazen, right?” Yukino exclaimed, glancing toward the gym in the distance.

“Didn’t the PE teacher say we couldn’t leave the field area?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Isn’t the gym located within the field area?” Kotomi retorted with a smug tone.

Yukino was momentarily stunned. She opened her mouth to argue but couldn’t think of a rebuttal.

Kotomi… had a point.

“Stay where you are. Don’t wander off. We’re coming over.”

With that, Yukino hung up and turned to Megumi.

“Do you know where they are? They’re slacking off in the second floor of the gym. I can’t believe they found a spot like that. Let’s go check it out.”

“Okay.”

Megumi nodded and began walking toward the gym, silently committing Kotomi’s hiding spot to memory. It might come in handy later.

Meanwhile, at the gym’s second floor…

Kotomi put her phone down and stretched her arms above her head, the movement accentuating her graceful figure.

Yui’s gaze was immediately locked onto her, unable to tear her eyes away. Even if she wanted to keep her thoughts pure, Kotomi’s casual yet alluring posture was like a pair of hands dragging her thoughts into places they shouldn’t go.

Noticing Yui’s enraptured stare, Kotomi stopped stretching and smiled playfully.

“Do you like what you see?”

“Eh… I-I-I… um…”

Caught off guard, Yui’s face flushed red as she stammered, unable to come up with a coherent response.

“Don’t be so nervous. We’re both girls, right? If you think it’s nice, that makes me happy,” Kotomi said with a teasing grin.

For once, Kotomi, who was usually the one being teased by Megumi, saw an opportunity to turn the tables. With Yui right in front of her, how could she pass up such a rare chance?

“I think it’s beautiful! I really like looking at it! If possible, um…”

Yui’s face turned even redder as her gaze shyly drifted downward, landing on Kotomi’s smooth, shapely thighs.

It’s a shame she took off her stockings for PE earlier… Yui thought to herself, feeling a bit disappointed but determined not to waste this opportunity.

After a brief moment of hesitation, she spoke again, her voice serious as though discussing an important matter.

“Kotomi, can I rest my head on your lap? I’ve always wanted to lay my head on your lap. I want it so much! Even if it’s just for a few minutes!”

The desire to rest her head on Kotomi’s lap had been a fleeting thought that first crossed Yui’s mind when they met. Over time, however, the thought had refused to fade no matter how much she tried to suppress it.

Instead, it had grown stronger.

Night after night, the thought crept into her dreams, until she wasn’t just fantasizing about Kotomi’s thighs but about Kotomi herself.

By now, the idea was almost an obsession.

Kotomi, for her part, was surprised by Yui’s request but found it endearing.

Wow, this is rare! Yui never used to ask me for things like this. Is it my irresistible charm at work, or are we just getting closer? Either way—score!

Hiding her delight, Kotomi adjusted her position on the mat, straightened her legs, and patted her lap invitingly.

“Sure, go ahead. You can rest on my lap as long as you like. Come on, lie down slowly and make yourself comfortable.”

“Sorry for making such a weird request,” Yui murmured as she gently placed her head on Kotomi’s lap.

Though she had often hugged Kotomi in the past, resting her head on Kotomi’s lap felt far more intimate—a first for her.

“It’s no trouble at all. If you ever want to do this again, feel free. My lap is always open for you. At home, my little sister loves leaning on my lap to snuggle or have me comb her hair. Even though she’s normally so reliable and mature, she still has moments when she wants to be pampered by her big sister. It shows I must be doing a pretty good job as her sister, right?” Kotomi chuckled, instinctively stroking Yui’s hair.

“Having an older sister like you must be the best thing in the world,” Yui whispered, savoring the gentle caress.

“Who knows? My little sister is in her third year of middle school now. She doesn’t say ‘I love you, Onee-chan’ like she used to when she was younger. She’s not as honest about her feelings anymore…”

—Of course, when she did express her emotions, it was often overwhelming.

Kotomi kept that last thought to herself.

“I wonder if Yuka feels lucky to have me as a big sister,” Yui mused with a soft laugh.

“She definitely does,” Kotomi replied, her tone quiet but sincere.

“Kotomi, Yui, we’re he—”

From the staircase leading to the second floor, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed. Megumi arrived first, followed closely by Yukino.

The moment Megumi stepped onto the second floor and saw Kotomi with Yui’s head resting on her lap, her expression darkened instantly.

————————————————————————————————————–

40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:

Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep