Tonight, Yukino stayed over again.
Neither she nor Haru found this unusual—it had become a common occurrence.
After all, she had already showered here and changed into her nightdress. There was no need to explicitly announce, "I'm not going home tonight."
At 10:30 PM, she lay down in the bedroom.
Naturally, the stockings had to come off.
She hadn't thought much about it, but the moment she started taking them off, a certain someone dashed to the doorway, hand raised high.
"Let me! I'm the best at taking off stockings!"
Unable to stand his foolish grin, Yukino gave up.
She had already taken off one stocking halfway, but she pulled it back on—then, with Haru watching expectantly, she kicked him right out of the bedroom.
Aikido master, kid!
At 11 PM, Haru noticed the bedroom lights were off, except for the soft glow of the bedside lamp.
So, he brushed his teeth, washed his face, and did a hundred push-ups to burn off some energy.
But in truth, that amount of exercise barely drained him.
If anything, it just gave him more experience points.
When he entered the bedroom, Yukino was lying on her side.
Only a corner of the blanket covered her chest, leaving her long, fair legs exposed, slightly bent—her curves accentuated beautifully under the dim light.
At first, Haru thought she was asleep. He moved cautiously, making no sound as he approached the bed.
But the moment he sat down, he heard her breathing hitch—just for an instant—before it returned to normal.
Alright, alright. I feel connected to you, and you're playing mind games with me.
Still keeping his movements gentle, Haru reached out—not to lie down, but to pinch Yukino's soft little foot.
Instantly, her breath hitched again.
Haru almost laughed.
He ran his fingers upward, tracing from her delicate ankle…
To her smooth, slender calf…
Then further, toward the thigh concealed beneath her nightdress.
"That's enough!"
Yukino finally broke character, eyes glaring—her cheeks flushed.
Haru feigned surprise. "Oh? You were awake?"
"Did it feel good?" she asked, flashing an enchanting smile like a magician revealing a trick.
Haru immediately recognized the "trouble's coming" signal. Without hesitation, he flopped down beside her and murmured, "The night sky looks nice tonight. I just checked—absolutely stunning."
Yukino scoffed and turned her back to him.
The bedside lamp flicked off.
Darkness enveloped the room.
She knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep anytime soon.
Neither would she.
After waiting for a bit, she listened to his breathing—slow and even, possibly lost in thought.
Then, with a small smirk in the dark, she lifted a leg and lightly nudged his waist.
His steady breathing faltered.
Then resumed.
Yukino chuckled and whispered in Chinese, "This is called an eye for an eye."
"Are you showing off your Chinese skills?" Haru, catching a whiff of her intoxicating scent, seamlessly switched to Chinese as well.
"I never need to show off something like that."
"True, you are top of the class."
"Jealous? You could always work harder on the upcoming exams and try to surpass me."
"I don't like the phrase try to surpass you."
"Then what do you like?"
"I like it better when you drop the word try."
The room fell silent.
Three seconds later, Yukino kicked him, annoyed. She ditched the Chinese. "Do you enjoy making dirty jokes?"
"Not really."
Haru knew better than to dig himself deeper. One point was enough—he wasn't about to push her too far.
"Oh? So now you know fear? Where'd all that confidence from before go?" she provoked.
But instead of a verbal reply, she heard rustling sounds beside her.
"What are you doing?"
She frowned, sensing that Haru had sat up.
She turned on the bedside lamp—only to see him pulling down his pants.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Yukino repeated, her face instantly heating up.
Haru, completely unashamed, declared, "Didn't you just ask where my confidence went? I'm showing you."
"Are you trying to prove that you're a pervert?! W-Wait—turn off the light! Turn it off!"
Late Night.
Yukino fell into an exhausted sleep.
A deep, peaceful sleep.
Meanwhile, Haru was still full of energy.
Tonight, he felt accomplished.
Because tonight, she had finally surrendered.
Seeing her red-faced, frustrated, and unwillingly admitting, "I lost," was an image far too satisfying to forget.
After savoring his moment of triumph, Haru carefully loosened his arms around Yukino and slipped out of bed.
He grabbed a hooded sweatshirt and a mask, picked up a bag, and quietly left the apartment.
A Certain Hospital Room
Hisada lay in his bed, his eyes lifeless.
His bodyguards should have been present, but he had driven them away in a fit of frustration.
Ever since his legs had been crippled, his life had turned upside down.
Every time he recalled what had happened that night in the villa, he felt nothing but despair.
"A monster like that… shouldn't exist outside of movies."
Dodging bullets, punching through walls with bare hands—
Everything he had witnessed defied his understanding of what it meant to be "human."
So when news reports of the "Hooded Hero" became more positive, he actually felt relieved.
In his mind, the only reason he had provoked such a being was because he had drawn too much attention to himself while investigating them.
And now that the reports were dying down, it meant he was safe.
For now.
Revenge would have to wait.
…Wait.
Why is there someone standing on the windowsill?
Hisada froze.
He blinked, focusing his gaze.
No mistake.
There was someone standing outside his fifth-floor window.
"Good evening," Haru greeted. Always be polite when visiting someone.
"You… You…!"
Terror twisted Hisada's face. The voice was unmistakable.
"Don't scream," Haru said casually, stepping inside. "It's late. You don't want to disturb the other patients, do you?"
Hisada gawked at the window behind him. Fifth floor…
"What… do you want?" he asked, his breath coming in shallow gasps.
Haru offered some friendly advice. "Deep breaths. Feeling dizzy is normal."
Hisada gritted his teeth. "What the hell are you planning?"
"Just giving your family something to do."
Haru picked up Hisada's phone from the bedside table.
After Hisada reluctantly gave up his passcode, Haru fiddled with it for a moment before turning the screen toward him.
Hisada stared in shock at the balance displayed on the screen. "Where did this money come from?"
"Your brother took out a loan for you," Haru said casually.
"???"
"Don't worry, I only sent a few messages to your family. As for what happens next…"
Haru met his eyes.
Hisada's expression shifted—from fear to blank emptiness.
"You probably forgot, didn't you?" Haru's voice was calm but firm. "Your family knew about the Hooded Hero. Your older brother, the one fighting you for inheritance… your mother… They've been working with him all along. Deep down, you've always known. You were just too afraid to face it."
As Haru spoke, his [Hypnosis] skill took effect.
Hisada's face darkened with rage.
"Yeah… yeah, I remember now! They were in contact with you all the time! No wonder you found me so easily that night—it was them! They didn't want me to inherit the family business!"
His fists clenched.
His expression twisted with fury.
"You knew the truth all along," Haru repeated. "You just didn't have the courage to face it."
As Hisada spiraled into rage and paranoia, Haru silently slipped away.
With his fragile mental state and extreme personality, the Hisada family was about to descend into chaos.
Haru had no interest in watching the fallout.
As long as they were too busy tearing each other apart to bother Yukino, his job was done.
One Week Later — Friday
The results of the entrance exams were announced.
Yukino and Utaha tied for first place in their grade.
Haru placed in the top three.
During lunch, Yukino smirked at him. "I thought you said you'd surpass me. Looks like you still couldn't do it."
Haru smiled back. "Why are you holding a grudge? That happened a week ago."
Yukino's face turned red.
She knew exactly what he was referring to—the moment she had given in to him that night.
I should've held out longer.
She regretted it.
But at the time, she hadn't been able to think straight. Her body had been overwhelmed, struggling against both pleasure and humiliation.
She took a deep breath.
From today onward, she was going to double her training.
Until she saw real progress, she decided—no more "duo matches" with Haru.
Of course, Haru had no idea.
Otherwise, knowing his personality, he would've grinned and said, "Give it up. You'll never win a fight against me."
That evening, Yukino stayed true to her decision.
Even though she went home with Haru, she ultimately chose to return to her own house.
Haru didn't overthink it.
He simply went home, started washing vegetables, and was just about to start cooking—
When his phone rang.
It was Utaha.
The call had barely connected when she got straight to the point.
"I want to come over for dinner. Am I welcome?"
"You are," Haru replied without hesitation. "You called at just the right time—I was just about to start cooking."
A little while later, Utaha arrived.
Haru glanced at the youthful, elegant figure at his doorstep, then at the bag she was carrying. "What did you bring?"
Utaha smiled and took out two cans of pineapple beer. "Drinks."
"This stuff has alcohol in it, doesn't it?"
Haru took one of the cans and examined it, quickly spotting the label that read "0.5% alcohol content."
"I asked a senior editor at the publishing house to help me buy it," Utaha explained as she stepped inside and changed into slippers.
She greeted the orange cat peeking in from around the corner.
"Meow~"
The cat had seen her a few times before, but since they weren't quite familiar yet, it simply let out a lazy meow before turning away and strutting off.
"I originally wanted to get actual beer," Utaha continued as she followed Haruka inside. "But then I heard some classmates who've tried it say that beer tastes awful. So I switched to something else."
"They're not wrong," Haru agreed. "Beer isn't great."
Then he gave her a sidelong glance. "But from what you're saying… were you planning to get me drunk tonight?"
To his surprise, Utaha's smile became even more radiant—almost seductive. "Or maybe you could be the one to get me drunk."
…That escalated quickly.
Haru had a feeling she was up to something.
But he didn't ask, at least for now.
As they ate, Utaha opened one of the pineapple beers, pouring herself a glass. She took a sip, then thoughtfully commented, "It tastes a bit like soda."
"It's basically just a carbonated drink with a hint of alcohol."
Haru drank with her, finishing a can between them.
"Later tonight, you're going to teach me again, aren't you, Haru-sensei?" she said with a dazzling smile.
"Teach you what?" he asked innocently.
"Screenwriting, of course."
"Just that?"
"…Hmm?"
Utaha blinked in surprise, then blushed. But she didn't back down. "What else do you want to teach me?"
Haru glanced at the bag she'd left beside the sofa. "Maybe you should explain why you brought a nightgown over. If I saw correctly, there's a purple lace set inside…"
"Stop talking!"
Utaha shot him an embarrassed yet amused glare. "Did you rummage through my bag?"
"I'd never do something so childish," Haru scoffed. "I just happened to catch a glimpse when I was setting the table."
"Should I be praising your observational skills?"
"If you'd like, feel free to shower me with compliments."
Utaha locked eyes with him, her deep red irises gleaming under the warm light—mysterious, almost dreamy.
After a few seconds, she lightly covered her cheeks with her hands and murmured, "I told my parents I'd be spending the night at Megumi's place."
Then, as if proud of her own cleverness, she added, "After school started, I made sure to take Megumi to my house a few times. My parents adore her."
Haru finally understood.
She had planned this out thoroughly. She was fully prepared to show him more of her expertise.
And this time, it would be more than just a preview.
"I have a feeling you won't be able to focus on studying tonight," Haru observed.
Utaha blushed but still smiled confidently. "That's not necessarily true. I'm pretty talented, you know."
Haru didn't ask what kind of talent she meant.
But the last girl who boasted about her endurance—Yukinoshita Yukino—ended up begging for mercy.
Sure enough, as the night went on, just as Haru had predicted, Utaha couldn't concentrate on studying at all.
Maybe it was nervousness about what was to come. Or maybe it was anticipation.
She kept stealing glances at him. And as she did, her legs—clad in black stockings—restlessly shifted under the table.
"I'm warning you," Haru said, giving her a pointed look. "If you keep rubbing your leg against mine, I won't hold back."
Utaha cupped her chin in her hands, eyes smoldering. "Then wait until I've showered first."
Haru sighed. "That's basically like hitting pause on a movie right at the best part."
She chuckled. "Either way, you're just gonna have to be patient for now."
And with that, she reached out again, trying to nudge his leg with her foot.
But this time, she didn't succeed.
Haru caught her by the ankle, his [Auto-Aim Lv6] instincts kicking in. He pressed his fingers into the delicate arch of her foot, kneading just the right spots.
Utaha trembled, blushing furiously as she nearly collapsed onto the table.
Meeting her misty, surprised gaze, Haru leaned back with a smirk. "Do you have any idea how valuable the title of 'Tokyo Massage King' is?"
Utaha bit her lip.
She might not have fully understood it yet.
But she was willing to find out.
After all, for a girl who stood at 168 centimeters, height didn't really matter—especially when she was kneeling.