The hug lasted… longer than I expected.
My arms were loosely wrapped around Kana Kobayakawa's waist, but before I realized it, my fingers had sunk just a little into the soft fabric of her blouse. She felt… light. Like holding onto sothing you didn't want to let go of, even though you couldn't explain why.
At first, her breathing was quick, uneven—like she was afraid the mont might end. But slowly, each inhale smoothed out, syncing with mine, until the two of us were sharing the sa quiet rhythm.
With every passing second, I could feel her shoulders drop just a little more, as if the knots inside her were untying themselves one by one.
…Sotis adults break more easily than they like to admit.
And sotis, all it takes to hold them together is… well, actually holding them.
I gave her back a gentle pat. Not the kind you'd give a friend, but sothing softer—more like the way you'd calm a girl who'd been carrying too much.
Eventually, she tilted her face up toward . Her skin caught the moonlight in a way that almost made forget how to breathe. But her expression… was tinged with guilt.
"…I'm sorry, Sousuke. Did I make you uncomfortable?"
I shook my head before she could even finish the thought. "Of course not. Feeling better now?"
Her gaze flickered, and the moonlight painted her profile like so kind of magazine cover.
…Seriously, how is a guy supposed to keep a straight face when she looks at like that?
"I feel… much better now," she said softly. "It's like all the stress from the past few days just… lted away. Thank you, Sousuke."
Then she let out a little sigh, stretching her arms above her head like a cat, before flashing a smile that—this ti—wasn't forced.
"Phew. You're like… my personal psychiatrist. That was ridiculously effective."
"Really?" I grinned. "Then I'll have to send you the bill, Kana."
"Oh? Then I'll make sure to reward Doctor Ginjo generously." Her smile curved into sothing warm and teasing.
She started asking about my week. I told her the usual, plus how I'd ended up helping out the water polo club.
"Water polo? That's still a thing?" she blinked.
"Haha, yeah. Rare as your pet reptiles though."
Her eyes widened. "Ah—I can't believe I told you that before… that's so embarrassing!"
"How could it be embarrassing? After you told , I actually looked up a few reptile channels myself. They're pretty interesting."
"You're not just saying that?"
"Promise."
She bit her lip, almost shy. "…Then maybe next ti, you could co with to the annual reptile exhibition. I've… never had the courage to go alone."
"Done. It's a date."
She smiled again—bright and genuine this ti. Completely different from the tense, tired woman who'd walked through my door earlier tonight.
We chatted a bit longer before she excused herself—early flight tomorrow.
"I really enjoy spending ti with you, Sousuke," she said at the door. "It's just… it's always over too soon. Maybe after this trip, I'll have more free ti."
And just like that, she was gone.
…
Back in my room, I pulled up the system panel.
[Beauty Favorability System Started…]
[Mission: Help Shiraishi Lisa complete water polo club training – Complete. Reward: 5,000 yen]
[Target: Shiraishi Lisa – Favorability 5 → Current 80]
[Target: Kobayakawa Kana – Favorability 7 → Current 85]
[Target: Matsumoto Tomoko – Favorability 100]
[Daily passive reward: 5,000 yen]
Yep. Big day for the "Helpful to Beautiful Girls" departnt.
Feels like that old saying: With great power cos… even greater responsibility.
Moonlight spilled across the floor. The night breeze through the open window was cool and steady, like it was humming a lullaby just for .
…
The week rolled by in its usual rhythm—school, apartnt, convenience store. Oh, and continuing "vigorous physical exercise" with Tomoko, of course.
Haruka Mochizuki and I went out twice more. Standard college-date stuff: amusent park, movie theater. She even kept the photo from our first date tucked inside her phone case, apparently pulling it out at work so often her coworkers caught her grinning like a kid.
Honestly… she's cute and a little childish in the best way.
Saturday night, fresh out of the shower, I was stretched out on my bed scrolling videos when my phone rang. Mochizuki's na lit up the screen.
"Hey, Mochizuki-san—"
"Ginjo-san's voice… is really charming."
The voice wasn't hers.
It was lower and calr. Just a little cold. Definitely not Mochizuki Haruka.
I blinked, checked the screen again—yep, her na was still there.
"…And you are?"
"Based on what I've heard, I thought you'd be a handso, gentle guy," the mystery voice continued. "I'm Ito Rieko. A friend of Haruka's."
Oh. That na I knew. The married friend she sotis went drinking with. The one whose old school uniform Haruka had… yeah, worn on our first date.
"…So why exactly are you calling from Haruka's phone, Miss Rieko?"
"I was going to explain that," she said, with a faint laugh that didn't match her tone. "Even if you didn't ask."
There was a pause, then—
"Ginjo-san. Can you co out right now? Mochizuki is… in big trouble."
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