By the time all the girls had finished their baths, it was already ten o'clock at night.
Though today's practice hadn't gone well, it was far too late to keep training.
"Everyone has to get up early tomorrow. That'll be our last rehearsal before the show!"
With arms crossed and brows furrowed, Shiina Taki stood with an air of solemn command. In contrast, Chihaya Anon looked thoroughly disappointed.
She even pulled out a handful of board games and playing cards from her travel bag and waved them around with desperate energy. "But I brought so many games for this training camp! Aren't we gonna play tonight? Let's all play Monopoly!"
Seeing Anon still grinning like a clueless goof, Taki's lips twitched as she snapped coldly, "We're not playing tomorrow either. This training camp isn't some vacation!"
"Why don't you try putting all that energy into your actual practice?! We're still off on the timing! What if we screw up on stage?"
The word screw up instantly shut Anon's mouth. But thick-skinned as ever, she quickly pivoted the conversation to her advantage, her voice turning pleading:
"I'll practice hard! I promise I won't screw up! So can't we just play a little bit?"
"At the very least, let's play a pillow fight! Right, Haru?!"
With tears brimming in her silver-gray eyes, Anon turned to Haru, her last hope, since Taki clearly wasn't budging.
Maybe if her beloved boyfriend said something, Taki would cave. Despite her tough exterior, she really did respect Haru's opinion.
But Haru, fully aware of what Anon was trying to do, simply rolled his eyes and said flatly, "This camp's running on Shiina's schedule, right? I'm about to head to bed myself."
"You guys should keep it quiet if you're gonna play. Don't stay up too late."
"Ugh… if everyone's going to bed, then… I guess I'll sleep too."
Seeing both Haru and Takamatsu Tomori "betray" her, Anon looked around, stunned to find herself all alone. "What?! Even you, Tomori?!"
"I'm going to sleep too. Staying up late isn't good for you."
Nagasaki Soyo added coolly as she toyed with her fingers.
Already dressed in a form-fitting, light sleepwear that showed off her figure, she yawned dramatically and slid under her blanket with practiced ease. One by one, the other girls followed suit and lay down.
With everyone against her, Anon had no choice but to give up, at least for now.
But her quest wasn't over yet!
Burrowed under the covers, Anon poked out her pink little head, her silver-gray eyes darting first to Soyo, then to Haru, who was shutting off the lights and heading upstairs.
Her heartbeat quickened wildly from the surge of anticipation.
Now, this was the main event.
Haru, of course, had no idea what that pink-haired rascal was scheming. Once back in his room, he closed his eyes and finally looked at the simulation interface he hadn't touched in a while.
Maybe because he'd been spending a lot of time with his girlfriends lately and kissing the little penguin daily, the available number of simulations in the Ultimate Romance Simulator had shot up to a record-breaking high.
"Still, not a single new target…"
He stared at the usual list of familiar names.
By now, he had run simulations with almost every available character. Only one remained untested, Togawa Sakiko. And after her, there had been no additions.
If he wanted to unlock more targets, did that mean he had to simulate Sakiko-sensei too?
"…If it's super-cute Sakiko, it might actually be the easiest one yet."
He always found himself accidentally getting pulled into the "Sakiko route" during other simulations. So if he started there from the beginning, wouldn't it be a breeze? In real life, Sakiko seemed to like him more than just platonically. If he could fully convert that affection…
Even so, Haru, having gone through more than a few simulations by now, wasn't arrogant enough to think Sakiko's route would be simple.
His real-life relationships were getting incredibly complicated, and he already had a good idea of how twisted this simulator could be.
Just as he was pondering whether to run a simulation now, his phone suddenly pinged. Snapping back to the present, Haru opened his inbox without hesitation.
It was an announcement: the Japan Young Artists Collective Exhibition would be held soon in the Shimokitazawa district.
Haru raised an eyebrow, murmuring in surprise, "I thought it wasn't until next month… It's starting this soon?"
If this exhibition went well, it would mark his official debut as an artist.
No matter what, he had to prove himself. If he was serious about building a life where he could juggle a harem like this, then he needed the strength and resolve to match.
If he could stand at the top of a field, then he'd finally have his own kind of authority.
With a deep breath, Haru lay back and shut his eyes. Slowly, his breathing calmed.
…
1:00 AM
Lying at the edge of the futon pile, Nagasaki Soyo suddenly opened her calm, dark eyes. Sitting up quietly, she glanced at the peacefully sleeping girls around her. A sly smile tugged at her lips.
Without hesitation, she rose silently from her bedding and slipped out of the living room with practiced grace, not disturbing a single soul.
…
Why go to such lengths?
The answer was simple.
As a "wife" who truly adored her husband, Soyo's desire to grow closer to Haru came from a place of pure instinct. But with that love came fierce possessiveness. She couldn't stand the idea of Haru's affection being divided.
She wanted, more than anything, to cement her place in his heart tonight.
Even if Haru occasionally "strayed," she could barely tolerate it. What she wanted was ninety percent of his love, his unwavering focus solely on her.
Tap, tap, tap…
Soft footsteps echoed on the wooden staircase. Clad in a sheer teal nightgown trimmed with lace, Soyo gently smoothed her bangs, cheeks glowing red just thinking about what she was about to "do."
Even with all her cunning, she still couldn't stop her nerves and embarrassment from creeping in.
But those feelings were nothing compared to her rising anticipation.
"Haru will be hurt."
Soyo froze on the steps, the memory of her elevator conversation with Wakaba Mutsumi flashing through her mind. Those emotionless eyes still made her heart tighten.
But she quickly shook her head, flinging the thought away.
She'd come this far. There was no turning back now.
Determined, she found herself standing in front of Haru's room. Normally so composed and aloof, Soyo now stood with tightly pressed lips, her face burning even without a mirror to confirm it.
Pulling a key from her pocket with practiced ease, she reached for the lock, only for her fingers to freeze.
The door… wasn't locked?
Clearly unprepared for that, she stood stunned for a second.
Swallowing nervously, she gently pushed the wooden door open and slipped inside, pressing herself against the back of it without a glance behind her. Her eyes locked on the bed.
Her movements were so fluid, it was as if she'd rehearsed this a hundred times. Face blazing, she crept closer, only to be abruptly stopped with her wrist caught in a firm grip.
Before she could react, she was pulled straight into a warm, familiar embrace.
"So," came Haru's calm voice, already sitting up and raising a brow, "what exactly are you planning to do?"
It was precisely because he knew Nagasaki Soyo so well that Kazami Haru never believed she'd be that well-behaved.
As expected, she hadn't done anything earlier because she'd planned a night-time "ambush." Haru had seen it coming from a mile away so, naturally, he hadn't bothered locking the door.
After all, this was Soyo's house. As the lady of the house, she obviously had a key to every room.
Locks meant nothing to her.
"I just wanted to check if you were asleep, that's all. But now that you've grabbed me like this… shouldn't I be asking you what you're planning to do to me?"
Blushing slightly, Soyo deflected the blame without missing a beat, her deliberately slowed voice dancing teasingly, clearly trying to provoke him.
She hadn't even had the chance to put her key away, yet she shamelessly played innocent right to his face.
Haru's lips twitched as he gave her a look. "I thought a thief broke in. But since it's just you 'innocently' checking on me, now that you've seen I'm not asleep, how about you head back to bed?"
Soyo narrowed her eyes at that. No longer bothering to pretend, she slipped her fingers between his, settling into his arms without the slightest intention of moving.
And with a soft, vaguely wounded tone, she murmured, "You're the one who didn't lock the door, you know? You can't blame me."
Haru rolled his eyes at the boneless softness curled up in his arms, taking a quick scan of her figure.
She'd clearly taken her time bathing earlier. Her fair, damp shoulders glowed a faint pink, and the sheer lace-edged nightgown she wore accentuated every curve. She made no effort to hide the stretch of porcelain skin beneath.
And she wants to say I can't blame her? She's a wolf in silk!
"So, Soyo-san, all dressed and ready in the dead of night, aren't you worried someone might catch you trying a head start?"
She'd clearly prepared more than just the outfit. He already had a good idea of the little "surprises" she'd stashed away, several boxes of them, no less.
"…If I were worried, I wouldn't be here."
Boldly admitting her intention, Soyo buried her face in his chest, inhaling deeply. Her hands began to wander, until Haru gently caught her wrists.
Too weak to resist, Soyo could only lift her soft, smoldering gaze.
"We're lovers, right? And these days, there are plenty of high schoolers getting married and having kids. I just want to take our relationship to the next level."
"No one would object… Besides, if you're worried about that, I already stocked the second drawer of your nightstand with—"
"Don't go dragging the conversation that way. And you already know how I'd answer that."
Haru's eyes drifted warily toward the nightstand. His tone turned drier.
He'd never actually checked what was in those drawers, but he was not expecting her to be this gutsy. She really stashed the safety gear in a place that obvious?
With someone like Raana, who was endlessly curious about everything, if she found it by accident...
Soyo, you really don't want your little secret to go public, do you?
"…Why? Is it because I'm not attractive enough?"
Reading his expression in an instant, Soyo's voice quivered with quiet sorrow. She rested her forehead against his chest like a puppy that had just been abandoned, and it looked like tears might spill from her eyes any second.
If Haru really shut her down cold, she'd probably cry for real.
"Not a chance."
Haru looked at her like she'd just told him a terrible western cowboy joke. Then, gently cupping her flushed face, he lifted it toward his.
When it came to pure sensual allure, Soyo was undeniably one of the pillars of MyGO. Her figure and seductiveness created a gap few others could cross.
In Haru's mind, her sultry factor was second only to the ice-cold beauty Taki at her peak.
And tonight, with her preparations complete, Soyo's charm had reached a whole new level. The scent of her body wash mingled with her natural perfume, thick in the air. Her body radiated heat, eyes like liquid velvet locked helplessly on him.
This gun's hard to keep holstered. The recoil on this AK's brutal.
"…!"
Soyo must have sensed it too. Her already burning emotions flared even hotter, and her whole body softened as the heat rose behind her ears.
Now silent, she seemed gentler than ever, relentlessly testing Haru's will.
If there were a contest for "suppressing the urge" right now, Haru was confident he'd be a top contender.
"I understand how you feel, Soyo. But no matter what, I won't cross that final line unless I'm prepared to take full responsibility. I haven't proven to your mom that I can take care of you yet. Until I can stand proudly and tell her I intend to marry you, I won't do anything I can't take back."
"When the day comes that I can shoulder that responsibility, when I do, you won't be able to run away, even if you try."
Because Haru truly wanted to be with the people he loved for life, he held this boundary sacred.
Soyo's mind blanked after he kissed her hard. Face flushed deep red, she glanced to the side, fidgeting where she sat.
Just a single mention of responsibility and marriage from Haru was enough to completely melt her. When it came to him, she could never say no.
But that didn't mean she was giving up.
Dizzy under the weight of his serious gaze, Soyo took a deep breath. The sadness and resentment in her eyes vanished, replaced with a soft smile. Her finger traced slow circles on his chest.
Moments later, she murmured in a quiet voice, "Haru… you said that just now."
"I did."
Haru nodded without hesitation. When it came to this, he would never lie to her.
But no sooner had he answered than Soyo's eyes narrowed.
That gentle smile held a sliver of mischief. Suddenly, she sat up and leaned close to his ear, whispering:
"In that case…"
"As long as we don't cross that final line… we can do anything else, right?"
Haru: ?
Wait, hold on.
First you eat half the jungle, and now you want a nibble of the ADC lane too?
Realizing he'd let her steer the pace again, Haru's mouth twitched and just as the eager sparkle lit up in Soyo's eyes and she was about to speak again...
Knock knock~
The door thudded softly.
The muffled sound was clearly held back, as though the person knocking didn't want to make noise. The moment it echoed through the room, Soyo's face froze.
Only then did she remember...
She hadn't locked the door.
Click!
The handle turned slightly.
Someone outside had realized it too.