Splash—
Shijou Maki closed her eyes, letting the hot water rush over her face.
Steam filled the bathroom, blurring the mirrors as the girl sat down and began washing her hair.
"Haaah…"
A sigh escaped her as water dripped from her hair.
Today had been a rollercoaster.
That woman—that Fujiwara Chika, that big-boobed, ribbon-wearing intruder.
Just thinking about her made Maki's chest tighten, fury boiling up inside her.
She was the one who'd gotten close to Akira first. So why had that woman barged in as the third wheel, deliberately setting traps until Maki didn't know what to do?
But then, at the last moment, Chika had backed off, leaving Akira to Maki for the rest of the day.
Why?
Maki didn't believe for a second that Chika would give up so easily. She must have had some ulterior motive.
I need to stay on guard.
Maybe… hire a private investigator to track her movements?
No, that was too risky. If she got caught, the fallout would be disastrous. Chika was still a Fujiwara, after all.
And no matter what, they had fought side by side in Nutty Putty Cave, risking their lives to escape that nightmare. That bond wasn't something to throw away lightly.
So… should she just let things play out?
Maki's thoughts drifted to the afternoon, when she'd buried herself in Takakai's chest and sobbed.
That bitterness still hadn't faded.
The moment she realized that, as a survival team, she couldn't leave Takakai—nor could she stop other women from approaching him—the frustration and heartache had taken root, only slightly soothed after her outburst earlier.
Why?
She'd wanted to scream it at him.
Why did this have to happen to me? Why do you have to entangle yourself with other women? Why do I have to be the one to compromise?
Those words had swirled inside her, but she'd swallowed them all.
Because she knew—asking Takakai would be pointless. She was the one who'd played hard-to-get at the start. She was the one who'd refused to give him a clear answer. And Chika… Chika had died for him, strapping explosives to herself and triggering the cave's murder rules to save him during those torturous months trapped in the crevice.
Of course that kind of devotion would move him. If it hadn't, he wouldn't be the Akira she loved.
But still.
It hurt.
"Haah…"
Maki sank deeper into the bathtub, exhaling heavily.
She glanced down at her own slender frame, then immediately scowled as she remembered Chika's ridiculous chest.
If I hadn't run away that day at Akira's place…
No. There was no point dwelling on it. And even if she had stayed, she wouldn't have been able to go through with it.
This sucks…
Love was so complicated.
All she'd done was fall for someone. Why did it have to be this hard?
Another sigh escaped her as she leaned against the tub, staring at the fogged-up bathroom mirror.
Tomorrow… I'll go on another date with Akira.
And in a few days, when he came to Shuchi'in Academy for his security guard interview, she'd show him around. He'd been wearing sunglasses when he carried her that time, so hopefully no one would recognize him.
…What is Akira doing right now?
For a moment, she considered using the blessing that linked them to teleport to his side.
But she quickly dismissed the idea. It was too late, and if she suddenly vanished from home, her family would panic.
Splash—
Stepping out of the tub, she dried herself off and slipped into her pajamas.
With one last sigh, Maki headed back to her bedroom.
Meanwhile, at Takakai's apartment…
"Wah—?!"
A startled yelp came from the bathroom.
"What's wrong?!"
Takakai, who'd been waiting outside, immediately called out.
"N-Nothing! The water's just a bit cold!"
Chika's muffled voice replied through the door, followed by the sound of running water.
"The water heater's old. You gotta let it run for a bit before it warms up."
Takakai patiently explained, and after a soft "Ohh" from Chika, only the sound of the shower remained.
She was the second girl to bathe at his place.
But unlike Maki, who'd only showered here after getting caught in the rain, Fujiwara Chika was staying the night.
He'd already prepared the guest room on the first floor.
As for the idea of sharing a bed—well, Takakai had considered it. But knowing Chika had been forcing herself earlier, the thought left a bad taste in his mouth. He wasn't about to push things.
Still… damn it.
Both Maki and Chika had stoked his flames, only to leave him hanging for different reasons. What was up with Japanese girls and their mixed signals?!
To cool off, Takakai booted up a brutally difficult roguelike dungeon crawler and set it to the highest difficulty. Within half an hour, his party of four was down to three—one had gone insane, and the others were dead. Staring at the game-over screen, his blood pressure finally stabilized.
Good. Now I'm calm.
"Akira, can you help me dry my hair?"
The sound of the door opening and Chika's voice snapped Takakai out of his thoughts.
"Oh, sure."
He turned around—and froze.
Standing in the doorway, the girl blinked at him with a sly smile.
She wasn't wearing the T-shirt and shorts he'd prepared for her.
The Fujiwara Chika standing before Takakai now was wrapped in nothing but a single bath towel.
Her pale shoulders and collarbone were fully exposed.
Her thighs, too, were almost entirely visible.
For Takakai, who had only just managed to calm down, the impact of this sight far surpassed any in-game boss monologue.
"Why are you—"
"Well, the clothes were kinda tight around the chest, so I figured this towel was big enough. And look, I even took precautions!"
With a smug grin, Chika let go of the towel—revealing a small clip fastened to it.
Using a clip to keep the towel from falling off?
Takakai nodded expressionlessly. Then Chika stepped forward and handed him the hair dryer.
"So, please help me, Akira~"
Tilting her head, she giggled.
Are you asking me to dry your hair or to help you ascend to adulthood?
Takakai wanted to retort, but considering the potential awkwardness, he silently took the dryer instead. He pulled up a chair for Chika to sit on, then stood behind her, carefully running his fingers through her damp pink hair as the dryer hummed.
Chika, eyes closed, hummed a tune, completely at ease as Takakai worked.
Long hair really was a pain to dry. It took Takakai a while to finish. Once done, Chika—still clad only in that towel—peeked over his shoulder as he returned to his game.
The faint floral scent of her hair drifted into his nose.
Her presence behind him made it impossible to focus on the screen.
[YOU DIED]
Before long, crimson letters flashed as his character collapsed in the snow, trampled by three black steeds.
"Hehe, Akira's pretty bad at games, huh?"
Chika giggled behind him.
"N-No, that was just bad luck."
Takakai refused to admit defeat and switched to another game.
But then her presence grew even more pronounced—her breath brushing against his neck, strands of hair tickling his skin as she leaned over his shoulder.
[死]
A red character for "Death" soon appeared on-screen.
"Ehehe, Akira's not very good at this~"
He didn't need to look to imagine her triumphant expression.
She's doing this on purpose.
This girl really likes playing with fire.
"There's one game I'm really good at. No way I'd lose this one."
Takakai's voice was eerily calm.
"Oh? What ga—Mmmpf?!"
Before she could finish, Takakai turned and captured her lips.
For a second, panic flashed across Chika's face.
But then she steadied herself, staring back at him defiantly—even with a hint of challenge in her eyes.
So Takakai, deadpan, slipped his tongue in.
"Mmm…! Mmmph…!"
Now she flustered, squirming.
But Takakai wasn't about to let her escape. He cupped the back of her head, holding her in place as he deepened the kiss, forcing her to engage.
Her breathing grew ragged.
When he finally pulled away, Chika nearly collapsed, gasping for air.
"W-What kind of game is that?!"
Her face burned as she protested.
"It counts. And I won."
Now it was Takakai's turn to smirk.
Night deepened.
As the clock neared midnight, Takakai shut off his console and headed to bed. Chika, who had stayed watching him play, yawned and made for the guest room downstairs.
"Hey, Akira, you're really making me sleep alone?"
At the staircase, she turned back, her gaze loaded with meaning.
"I said I wouldn't force you. I keep my word."
Takakai's reply was flat.
"I see. Well… goodnight, Akira."
With that, the towel-clad girl bounded downstairs.
Takakai watched her go, exhaled deeply, then retreated to his room.
Not sure if I'll sleep tonight.
Lights off. Bed.
Under the thin covers, Takakai idly scrolled through the player forums on his phone, found nothing noteworthy, then logged into a mobile game to burn stamina before finally settling in.
The screen read 23:59.
He set the phone aside, about to turn it off—
When a pink head popped out from under the blankets, blocking his view.
Her familiar floral scent filled his nose.
And her voice, laced with mischief, reached his ears.
"It's tomorrow now, Akira~"
Beside them, the phone's screen still glowed: 0:00.