"Miss Kaguya, your bath is ready."
Within the opulent Shinomiya residence, the golden-haired maid Hayasaka approached her mistress standing pensively by a second-floor window.
"Yes... I know."
Kaguya's distant reply concerned Hayasaka. Having served the young lady for years, she recognized the signs of deep preoccupation—and knew exactly who caused it.
Takakai.
A ghost of a man with no discernible background beyond being a shut-in NEET.
That such a person could captivate not just Kaguya, but also the heiresses of the Fujiwara and Shijo families within weeks defied all logic. Hayasaka's investigations hit dead ends, while Kaguya explicitly forbade further probing—as if pursuing the matter invited catastrophe.
Complicating matters was Hayasaka's secret role as a spy for Kaguya's eldest brother. Recent orders demanded she establish direct contact with Takakai, a directive Kaguya had repeatedly warned against.
Why protect him? What aren't you telling me, Miss Kaguya?
Hayasaka's musings interrupted when she noticed Kaguya still hadn't moved.
"Miss Kaguya?"
The intensity of her mistress's distraction was unusual.
Startled from her reverie, Kaguya turned with uncharacteristic hesitation before blurting out:
"Hayasaka... I have a question."
The gravity in her tone put Hayasaka on immediate alert.
After all the secrets lately, is she finally—
"How does one... captivate a man's attention?"
Kaguya's flushed cheeks and fidgeting fingers betrayed her embarrassment.
Hayasaka's professional mask cracked.
Excuse me?!
Kaguya seized her maid's hands with desperate intensity.
"I mean it, Hayasaka. How does one enchant a man completely?"
"You're the only one who can help me!"
I'm a seventeen-year-old virgin! What would I know about seduction?!
Hayasaka's smile remained flawless even as her soul screamed internally.
Meanwhile, an entirely different scenario unfolded at Takakai's apartment...
"Ta-da~ All done!"
With a flourish, Chika set down a plate of steaming fried rice before sliding into the seat beside Takakai.
"Thanks... Kinda embarrassing having a guest cook in my own place."
Takakai rubbed his neck awkwardly. His original dinner plan—microwaved leftovers supplemented with takeout—had been thoroughly derailed by finding Fujiwara Chika waiting at his doorstep, who'd immediately taken over the kitchen upon learning he hadn't eaten.
"Don't be silly! I should be thanking you. Without you, I'd never have left that cave alive."
Chika shook her head vigorously, pigtails swaying as she kicked her feet playfully under the table.
"Compared to that, cooking is nothing! Now eat up while it's hot—and no complaining if it's not perfect!"
Takakai needed no encouragement. Enhanced metabolism from his blessings allowed him to demolish the generous portion in under three minutes, though it still left him slightly peckish.
At this rate, food expenses might become problematic...
As he set down his empty bowl, Chika was already handing him a napkin before whisking the dishes away to wash.
"You really don't have to go this far—"
Takakai followed her into the kitchen, uncomfortable with such attentive hospitality.
"Ehehe~ Just let me pamper you tonight, okay? You wouldn't hate me for being a little willful, right?"
Chika's apron-clad form blocked his path to the sink, her cheerful tone brooking no argument.
"Hate you? Of course not! It's just... unfamiliar."
Ultimately banished to the living room, Takakai fidgeted on the sofa while waiting.
What exactly is happening here?
This marked only the second time a girl had visited his home—the first being Maki. Yet where Maki had been awkwardly polite, Chika moved with the confidence of a hostess, reducing Takakai to feeling like a guest in his own house.
"Ne, Takakai~ Can I tour your place? No... secret rooms girls shouldn't see, right?"
Chika's sudden whisper in his ear startled him. She stood behind the sofa wearing an impish grin that promised mischief.
"Wha—of course not! Fine, let's do the tour."
Scratching his head, Takakai led the way—though he couldn't shake the feeling Chika was steering events.
The Grand Tour
"Guest room. Got three actually, though only this one has bedding."
Chika nodded sagely. "Mmm, could fit lots of people!"
Why is 'capacity' her metric?!
Takakai bit back the question as they proceeded.
"Bathroom. Never used the tub though."
"Oho~ Big enough for two or three!"
"Laundry room. Washer-dryer combo."
"Could handle everyone's clothes!"
"Backyard's just weeds now. Might landscape later."
"Perfect for group barbecues!"
Is she hinting at something?!
Takakai's suspicion grew with each stop.
"Study. Not many books—I'm not much of a reader."
"Ehehe~ No special magazines hidden anywhere?"
Finally a topic change—though not necessarily for the better.
"None. I'm a gentleman."
Takakai's poker face remained flawless.
"Game room. All my consoles and gear."
A wistful sigh escaped Chika. "My family won't let me play until I'm eighteen... Will you teach me then?"
"Anytime. Even now if you want."
Though visibly tempted, Chika shook her head—her family's rules evidently sacred.
The Main Event
"And this is... my bedroom. Sorry about the mess."
Takakai winced at the unmade bed as Chika bounded past him—
—and belly-flopped onto the mattress.
"Whoa! So soft!"
She rolled over, hugging his pillow with a giggle.
"Y-yeah..."
Takakai averted his gaze hastily.
Wardrobe malfunction!
The brief but unmistakable flash of thigh above stocking tops—plus a glimpse of pastel fabric—during her acrobatics left him reeling.
Even for a social butterfly, this is extreme.
I can't read this girl at all.
"Surprise attack!"
Chika launched off the bed, pillow raised.
Takakai's reflexive block transformed into an embrace mid-motion, catching her effortlessly as the pillow bonked his head.
"Eek! A-ambush?!"
Though her voice retained its usual cheer, the scarlet blooming across her cheeks betrayed her.