But just as he raised his fist, ready to strike, a hand suddenly grabbed his neck and lifted him up off the ground.
Feeling his feet leave the floor, hanging in midair, the sensation of slowly losing oxygen.
Ryusei Haruyoshi started to panic.
The hand choking him wasn't anyone else. It was Hikari's, right in front of him.
Ryusei Haruyoshi couldn't understand how this boy, who looked just like an ordinary high school student, could possibly have such strength that he could lift him with one hand.
He suspected he was dreaming, but the tight grip on his throat, the intense suffocation.
Everything was telling him this was real.
"You… Huh! Huh! Huh!"
Ryusei Haruyoshi wanted to spit out some harsh words, but suspended in midair with Hikari's hand tightly clamped on his neck, he couldn't force out a single sound.
He reached out and tried with all his strength to pry off Hikari's hand.
But that hand on his neck was like an iron vise, clamped on him without budging the slightest bit.
"Ryusei Haruyoshi, didn't you want me to give you and your son an explanation? Are you satisfied with this explanation?"
Hikari smiled as he asked Ryusei Haruyoshi, who was struggling nonstop, trying to hit him but not even coming close, stuck in midair with his neck locked tight.
Ryusei Haruyoshi wanted to speak, but couldn't make a sound. All he could do was flail around like a wild dog with its neck pinched, struggling crazily but helplessly.
Everyone in the izakaya was completely stunned by what they were seeing.
They originally thought the sturdy-looking Ryusei Haruyoshi would beat up that high school boy Hikari.
But what they were seeing now was this handsome high schooler choking Ryusei Haruyoshi half to death with one hand?
Sayako had been worried for Hikari before, but now she rubbed her eyes, completely disbelieving.
Natsuki Akito, who had just been pretending to be dead drunk and didn't dare interfere, stared wide-eyed, nearly sobered up on the spot.
And Ryusei Jun, who'd been rolling around on the floor crying in pain, was so shocked he forgot to roll.
Even though Hikari only laid hands on Ryusei Haruyoshi, the rest of the izakaya felt as if their own throats were being squeezed too, falling into dead silence.
Facing Ryusei Haruyoshi's nonstop struggles, Hikari's hand was solid as steel, gripping his neck steadily, without the slightest tremor.
Even when Ryusei Haruyoshi's eyes gradually showed pleading and the intent to admit fault, Hikari didn't react at all, simply giving him a slight smile.
Only after two or three minutes passed, when the previously struggling Ryusei Haruyoshi began to roll his eyes back and stopped struggling, hanging like a dead dog.
Only then did Hikari release him.
Thud!
Ryusei Haruyoshi's heavy body crashed to the ground, snapping everyone in the izakaya out of their daze.
Seeing Ryusei Haruyoshi lying motionless, Ryusei Jun forgot all about crying.
He scrambled over to Ryusei Haruyoshi and shouted, "Dad, are you okay? Dad!"
Sayako also snapped back to her senses, though she didn't spare the twitching Ryusei Haruyoshi even a glance.
She went straight to Hikari and asked with concern, "Hikari, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Just a little dirty," Hikari pulled out a tissue with distaste and wiped off the sweat from Ryusei Haruyoshi's neck that had gotten on his hand.
Hikari hadn't gone for the kill just now, since they were still inside Sayako's izakaya with several people present.
So after a short while of twitching on the floor, Ryusei Haruyoshi slowly got up again with Ryusei Jun's help.
"Dad… what do we do now?", Ryusei Jun looked at Hikari with a flash of hatred in his eyes, but he didn't dare go near. He clung to Ryusei Haruyoshi's leg as he asked.
Ryusei Haruyoshi, having gotten back up, had completely lost all his earlier arrogance.
Facing Hikari again, he clutched his still aching neck, fear flashing in his eyes.
"Let's… let's go back… talk later," Ryusei Haruyoshi forced out a painfully hoarse voice.
Hikari stood quietly watching him, but Ryusei Haruyoshi didn't dare meet his gaze again.
Maybe he'd been terrified by Hikari's strength.
He simply couldn't believe a high schooler who looked so refined could be stronger than him, a middle-aged man who worked manual labor all year round.
But the suffocating sensation from earlier, that feeling of nearly seeing the King of Hell, was still lingering vividly.
When Ryusei Haruyoshi noticed Hikari still watching him, his body trembled involuntarily.
He stumbled toward the exit with Ryusei Jun, leaving the izakaya in disgrace.
Seeing the father and son leave, Hikari didn't try to stop them.
Even though he would've preferred to end their lives now.
But since Aunt Sayako was present, he didn't want to make things too bloody.
Let them go back for now. He would visit them later tonight.
So they wouldn't see tomorrow's sunrise.
After the Ryusei father and son left, the only remaining customer, Natsuki Akito, for some reason also got up and hurried out of the izakaya.
Maybe what had just happened made him uneasy.
If it had been before, Sayako would have at least gone to check on him when she saw him leave in such a sorry state.
But after today, she'd seen through his cowardly nature and was completely disappointed in him.
So she didn't even look at him.
Instead, she quickly walked over to Hikari, grabbed his hand, examined it carefully, and asked worriedly, "Hikari-kun, are you hurt anywhere? If you are, tell me and I'll put medicine on it for you."
Seeing Aunt Sayako touching him while asking with concern, Hikari smiled, "Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine. Someone like Ryusei Haruyoshi can't hurt me."
Hearing that, Sayako let out a deep breath.
Ever since Hikari clashed with Ryusei Haruyoshi, she'd been worried he might get hurt.
After all, the whole thing started because he stood up for her. So even a small injury would fill her with guilt.
Hearing his reassurance now, she finally relaxed.
But seeing Hikari's confident smile, Sayako's eyes shifted slightly. She looked up at him and smiled, "Hikari-kun, you're really that amazing? You're really not hurt? I don't believe it unless you prove it to me."
Hikari blinked, "Huh? Prove it? How do I prove it?"
Seeing his confused expression, a mesmerizing smile curved across Sayako's beautiful face.
Sayako suddenly opened her graceful arms and said to Hikari, smiling, "If you still have the strength to lift me up, then I'll believe you're really fine."
Seeing the teasing look on her face, Hikari finally understood.
She was messing with him, flirting with him.
Hikari laughed, "So if I can lift you up, that proves I'm fine?"
"Alright then. I'll prove it to you."
He stepped forward, slipped both hands under her arms from her open embrace, and held her under the armpits, lifting her straight up.
If you ignored how her full chest bounced wildly as she rose.
He looked like an adult lifting a child.
Caught off guard, Sayako froze for a moment midair.
Then her face turned bright red in an instant.
"Hikari-kun! W-what kind of pose is this!"
"I told you to hold me, not lift me up!"
Red-faced, she flailed her hands, wanting to smack him on the head but afraid of hurting him, so she just patted lightly at his shoulders like she was playfully complaining, cheeks flushed pink.
She had only wanted to tease him a little, to get him to hold her around the waist.
Because after being protected by him several times today, a budding feeling of reliance had sprouted inside her.
Whenever she was close to him, she felt safe. So while she acted like she was teasing him, she secretly wanted to be held and feel that warmth for real.
But she didn't expect that while she tried to tease him, she'd be counter-teased instead.
Dangling in the air like this, she didn't look like an older woman or an aunt at all, but more like a little girl being lifted by her uncle.
Her nearly thirty-year-old cheeks burned without restraint.
Her long-silent heart pounded uncontrollably.
Hikari watched the bouncing motion in front of her chest for a moment before gently setting her down.
"Well, Aunt Sayako, do you believe I'm fine now?", he asked with a smile.
"I believe you, I believe you! You're a crafty one for your age!"
Sayako rolled her eyes at him, though there wasn't even a hint of anger in them, only playful scolding, like a couple fooling around.
"Alright, enough messing around. We made a mess of the izakaya while dealing with Ryusei Haruyoshi earlier. I'll help you clean up," Hikari said as he glanced around.
"Thanks, Hikari-kun. You really helped me so much today. You're so thoughtful," Sayako spoke with real gratitude.
The two of them busied around together, and eventually the izakaya was clean again.
Even though beating Ryusei Haruyoshi earlier hadn't made him sweat at all, Hikari actually broke a sweat while cleaning.
Honestly, chores were way more tiring.
Thankfully, there was the helpful and capable Aunt Sayako working with him.
Wiping sweat from his forehead, he said, "Aunt Sayako, is your bathroom upstairs? I'm covered in sweat. I want to shower before heading home."
Sayako, who was bent over wiping a table, her shapely hips raised high, nodded, "Yes, the bathroom is upstairs. Go ahead and wash up. And since it's already this late, you should just sleep here. I have two empty rooms upstairs."
Hikari nodded, "That works."
———
He went upstairs, into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and rinsed himself comfortably.
Just as he was about to reach for the body wash, a knock sounded at the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me," Sayako's mature and pleasant voice came through the door.
"Aunt Sayako? What is it?", he asked, confused.
He had no idea why she would look for him right when he was showering.
"You probably didn't bring a change of clothes, right? I checked my late husband's closet and found some new clothes he never wore. I brought a set for you to use for now, okay?", Sayako's voice came through the frosted glass.
He really hadn't brought clothes, since he'd decided to stay suddenly. So he planned to accept.
"Thank you, Auntie. You can just leave them outside—", Before he finished, the door creaked open.
He hadn't locked it, and Sayako walked in with a set of clothes, hanging them on the rack.
Startled, Hikari politely turned around, since he had just showered and was totally naked.
"Aunt Sayako, you can leave the clothes outside. I'll put them on after I finish. Bringing them in isn't really convenient," he said.
Sayako looked at him, turned away so politely he didn't even dare look her way, and chuckled, "Where outside am I supposed to put them? And if you walk out here naked to pick them up, you'll catch a cold."
"What? Are you shy because Auntie brought you clothes?"
Her tone was clearly teasing. In her eyes, Hikari was just a pure and innocent high school boy.
Besides, she'd been embarrassed earlier when he lifted her up, so now she was subconsciously trying to regain the upper hand, teasing him a little.
Hearing her teasing tone, Hikari immediately understood. He straightened slightly, "Shy? I was just afraid you'd feel awkward. If you don't mind, Aunt Sayako, I can turn around right now."
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