🌸Cherry Blossom Palette🎨

🌸Chapter 4: An Unexpected Houseguest🎨

Written by EmtenDew

Edited by P. serrulata

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Author's note:

I never expected my editor to give me so much help in this story. I appreciate his patience and understanding. I was afraid I weirded him out when he reached this point. When I asked him to help me with this story, I don't think he was expecting me to show him my "proclivities". That word is fancier than the one I would use. You will see what I mean once you read. He said it was okay though. He says some of the stuff he edited for people in other fandoms was pretty extreme and it was sometimes just part of being an editor. My stuff is wholesome in comparison and not gratuitous apparently.

I don't know how anyone could sit and edit some of those clop and snuff fics I used to see when My Little Pony was still big. Why even bother editing them? Yuck. But that's the pot calling the kettle black. This is embarrassing but parts of this chapter were so much fun to write. But it's completely SFW.

Please look at the Q&A section I set up at the end of the chapter. Ask us anything and we'll add another section in the next chapter. I would be happy if you ask questions.

Please enjoy what I wrote.

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June 21, 2018

It had been a strange night for Naoto Hachioji. Having left a video game session with his friends earlier, he'd begun making the journey home in a thunderstorm. On the way, Sakura Inori—a kohai and friend of his—literally almost ran into him, fleeing from her Friday night date, the son of a bitch not far behind her.

Naoto suspected the worst, Sakura appearing battered, and he was ready to get his ass kicked by a boy twice his size until Sakura begged he not fight and that he needed to trust her. Deciding to have faith in her, he resolved to bring her out of the cold and to the safety of his parents' house.

That's where he now found himself, and he gladly tromped up the sidewalk to the front door, still carrying the trembling Sakura on his back.

Not even stopping to let her down, he quickly unlocked the door and shoved it open. Hitting the nearby light switch, he automatically checked the time:

The clock in the entryway read 10:18 p.m.

He would've been home 20 to 25 minutes ago if he hadn't fallen into this unique position...

Now fully inside the door, Naoto shut and locked it behind him and turned his eyes as far as he could towards Sakura.

"Okay," he said. "I'll let you down."

She eased off of his back, straightening her legs.

The second her feet were levelly on the floor, Naoto spun around and grabbed her none too gently by the shoulders, knocking his jacket he'd given her off her back. He'd been waiting to get her behind closed doors, somewhere safe, to finally figure out just what the Hell was going on without her bolting on him.

"Sakura-san, what happened?" his eyes bore into hers, and he enunciated every word. "Did he hurt you?"

He didn't mean to shake her, and it rattled her. She yipped and pulled her hands to her chest, shutting her eyes and flinching at his coarseness.

Catching himself, Naoto relaxed his grip; he said more softly, "Sakura-san..."

This time she responded more positively, opening her eyes, "Senpai-kun...?"