Seeing the finished photo-booth sticker, Hayashi Maki decided to turn it into a necklace for Yukino.
A keepsake—and something she could wear as a good-luck charm.
Yukino felt a bit embarrassed, but when she looked at their intimate photo, the feelings in her heart only grew stronger.
"Alright—let's grab something to eat, and then how about we try the claw machines?"
Hayashi Maki smiled as he suggested it.
"Claw machines? Let's go."
Yukino nodded with a smile. "You've accompanied me everywhere I wanted to go—now I'll follow your lead."
"Great, let's go."
…
After eating a little and resting, Hayashi Maki brought Yukino to a bank of claw machines in the mall.
"Ah, Maki-kun, I… I want that one."
Inside the machine was a new panda plush she didn't have yet.
"No problem! Leave it to me!"
Using a few "questionable" techniques, Hayashi Maki managed to snag the one she wanted.
Yukino wanted to try as well, so Hayashi Maki bought 20 tokens and handed them to her.
"Was it necessary to buy that many?"
Yukino felt underestimated.
A short while later—having burned through 30 tokens without catching a single plush—Yukino looked utterly defeated.
"This is rigged! The claw is so weak there's no way to grab anything!"
"Haha, Yukino-chan—there's a trick to it."
"You've got to use the claw's swing and momentum to push the plush you want toward the exit. If you nudge it in, that's a win."
Hayashi Maki's "coaching," however, proved useless. Yukino understood the principle, but when she tried it herself, she still lost miserably.
"…"
Yukino wasn't satisfied—she wanted to keep going. Hayashi Maki took her hand.
"It's about time. The cat café will close if we don't go now."
"Mm… fine."
The lure of cats won out; Yukino reluctantly gave up her crusade against the claw machine. Honestly, if Hayashi Maki hadn't "cheated," he wouldn't have gotten one either—the owner had definitely loosened the claw tension on purpose!
At the cat café, several couples were already inside petting cats. Hayashi Maki bought tickets and led Yukino in.
Instantly, everyone else in the room felt a twinge—what a god-tier-looking couple.
The girls noticed their boyfriends' eyes popping, and at the same time snuck peeks at Hayashi Maki's face—their hearts fluttered. Hayashi Maki, however, only focused on Yukino and the cats; each of them picked up a plump kitty and began to gently stroke its fur.
Finally, Yukino experienced the joy of "cat therapy," and the corners of her lips lifted. With a face already "illegally" cute, that small smile bloomed like a hundred flowers, dimming everything around her.
Some boys in the café stared at her like they'd lost their souls—so much so that two couples even ended up quarrelling and leaving.
Hayashi Maki and Yukino were unbothered. Compared to the cats, Hayashi Maki treasured his "wife" Yukino-chan more; he took photo after photo with his phone, determined to capture that exquisite smile.
Happy times fly. Without realizing it, night had fallen. After dinner together, Hayashi Maki brought Yukino to a hotel entrance.
Yukino flushed and tugged his arm.
"Can't we go home? I feel uneasy here."
He thought it over—fair point. What if some shady place had hidden cameras? He shelved the hotel idea, picked her up, and headed back to her apartment.
"W-wait—let me shower first."
Seeing the heat in his eyes, Yukino quickly pushed him. Hayashi Maki's lips quirked.
"I'll wash too. We're already so close—how about we keep things honest?"
What could she say? She dropped her gaze, closed her eyes in embarrassment—accepting by implication.
Smiling in triumph, Hayashi Maki carried the Second Heiress into the bath.
A little later, he brought a towel-clad Yukino back to the room. He set her gently on the bed. Taking a deep breath, he cupped her face, eyes roaming over her adorable figure. The air itself seemed to heat up.
Yukino knew what he wanted. But he'd done well as a boyfriend today—she'd had a wonderful time. Blushing, she glanced at him and then closed her eyes shyly.
"Idiot—what are you waiting for? Do you not like me?"
Hayashi Maki lowered his head and kissed her. His hands, practiced and gentle, traced her fair skin; the white towel slipped away.
Thanks to his care over time, the Second Heiress had grown even lovelier—drawing closer to Mahiru and Haruno. The thought made his pulse race.
He released her lips briefly, stroked her hair, and asked seriously, "Yukino-chan—say it. You're mine."
"I… I won't… you're bullying me again!"
Yukino bit her lip, arms looped around his neck, cheeks flaming.
"Say it—be good, my Yukino-chan."
His urgent tone sent her heart hammering. His possessiveness made her once again feel how dearly he cherished her. Biting her lip, she relented.
"Maki-kun… I'm yours."
"So cute! Again."
"Uu… Yukino belongs to you—this lifetime, all yours!"
Her obedient words lit a fire in him. He drew her into his arms; two hearts leaned together. The passion they shared—well, we'll skip 30,000 words here.
…
Much later, Yukino lay boneless in his arms, cheeks still tinged with shyness—her rosy face irresistibly pretty. Hayashi Maki stroked her hair with a smile.
"Next time, I'll invite Mahiru, and we'll go to an amusement park. How about it?"
He kissed her forehead and made the suggestion. Yukino pouted. "Only Mahiru?"
"Ahem… for now, just Mahiru. Who else did you have in mind—Haruno?"
"No…"
She shook her head quickly. "If you bring Sis, I'll be overshadowed."
Though she and her sister had made up, she didn't want to go on a date with the sister who loved teasing her. Mahiru was fine.
Hayashi Maki grinned, scooped her up, and in a blink brought her to Mahiru's room. It was time for Yukino and Mahiru to spend some proper time together.
He was a demon, after all—delight is what matters most. And when it comes to creating a harmonious environment, angel Mahiru was the true expert.