"You're back."
With the sound of the door unlocking, Kaoru saw Horikita Suzune standing in the entryway.
She was wearing an apron, the hem of her skirt stopping just around her knees, revealing her fair and smooth calves.
On her feet were black ankle socks, both soles planted firmly on the floor.
A faint, elusive aroma wafted from the kitchen, making Kaorupause for a moment.
"What are you standing here for?"
"Waiting for you to come back."
Kaoru fell silent for a moment, then stretched out both hands toward Horikita Suzune, like a husband asking for his wife's embrace.
"I'm home, dear."
"Didn't she follow you today?"
Horikita Suzune remained unmoved, though she knew the role of wearing an apron and waiting for a man to return was typically that of a wife.
"Kaho only comes over occasionally. She doesn't cling to me every day."
In truth, Kaoru had just returned from the first-year dormitory, where he had been helping Komiya Kaho with her studies in her room.
However, the specifics of that process weren't something he could easily share.
Horikita Suzune had never met Komiya Kaho.
She had hardly visited Kaoru's dormitory this week, but Karuizawa Kei and Kushida Kikyo had told her about this person.
Another junior, and a childhood friend from the past—Horikita Suzune instinctively felt a bit irritated, as if something were stuck in her throat.
If she paid attention to it, it stung, if she ignored it, a vague discomfort lingered.
Perhaps because her mindset was different, Kushida Kikyo and Karuizawa Kei had already accepted the reality of the harem.
Even if another person appeared, they would only feel slightly uncomfortable at most.
However, Horikita Suzune's subconscious was warning her—Komiya Kaho's presence was dangerous!
But for now, she couldn't pinpoint where this sense of danger was coming from.
"Kei is with her friends and won't be back until evening."
Horikita Suzune turned and walked toward the kitchen.
"Sit for a while. I'll be done soon."
As she turned, the hem of her skirt lifted slightly, fully revealing her rounded and full hip line.
Her long, straight legs were even more captivating—smooth and glossy, like tender bamboo shoots, inviting endless imagination.
Moreover, she was wearing an apron, giving her a more domestic feel than usual.
Though she was still the same person, there was a seductive and alluring charm about her.
Kaoru looked at her hair. It was no longer the long, flowing hair he remembered but short, like Kushida Kikyo's.
This hairstyle seemed to bother Kushida Kikyo quite a bit—she had once asked Kaoru to touch her hair.
"This approach seems a bit perverted," Kaoru quickly interrupted his own recollection.
Kaoru walked to the kitchen and embraced Horikita Suzune from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist.
He found the Horikita Suzune in his arms exceptionally soft and comfortable to hold.
"If you come here too often, everyone will eventually notice you."
Currently, most people hadn't suspected their relationship.
After all, Horikita Suzune rarely interacted with Kaoru in public—without any contact, how could there be a special relationship?
However, if she were to visit as frequently as Karuizawa Kei, who practically lived here, their relationship would quickly become known throughout the entire school.
"Why bring this up suddenly?"
Horikita Suzune didn't seem to mind. "Everyone knows you're a lecher. What difference would one more make? Even if you were to 'devour' a few underclassmen now, I don't think anyone would be surprised."
Kaoru's expression turned peculiar, he felt there was an underlying meaning in her words, subtly criticizing him.
"But right now, I only want to 'devour' Suzune. What should I do?"
The warmth of the man's breath brushed against the girl's ear, spreading to her fair neck.
Her porcelain-like skin gradually flushed red, and her perky, youthful chest fluttered with a naive excitement, pounding like a startled deer.
Horikita Suzune braced her hands against the countertop, her gaze still fixed on the pressure cooker in front of her.
The intense steam seemed ready to explode at any moment, making her breathing somewhat erratic.
"W-wait, I'm busy right now."
Since she was facing away from Kaoru, Horikita Suzune couldn't even push him away and could only try to calm him down with words.
However, Kaoru turned her delicate face toward him and kissed her lips.
"Remember next time, this is how you should welcome me back."
Kaoru lifted his hand, cupping the girl's blushing face, feeling her embarrassment.
"Since you're wearing an apron, let me kiss you a little longer."
Horikita Suzune felt her ears burning hot.
Every place he touched made her shy and flushed. Seeing him about to kiss her again, she couldn't help but close her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.
She pressed her lips together tightly, her breathing somewhat hurried, and her full chest rising and falling.
Their lips gently met, a moist sensation carrying a tingling, electric current.
"Suzune, do you know what the most classic line is at a time like this?"
At first, Horikita Suzune didn't understand what he meant, but when she saw the look in his eyes, some embarrassing scenes suddenly flashed through her mind, making her feel even more ashamed.
What line could a wife in an apron possibly say?
Of course, it would be to ask affectionately, "Darling, what do you plan to eat tonight? Do you plan to eat me, or will you eat me later?"
"I-I don't know. How long are you going to keep messing around?"
Horikita Suzune lowered her voice, as if afraid she might make strange sounds otherwise.
"I'm not messing around. I'm just simply accompanying Suzune while she cooks."
Kaoru stroked the girl's thigh, the smooth and delicate skin making it impossible to resist.
"Who told you to be so adorable? I even want to marry you and make you my wife."
This guy was getting more and more outrageous.
Horikita Suzune bit her lip, feeling helpless, and she could already sense his presence intensely.
Though it was just cooking, with Kaoru's cooperation, Horikita Suzune gradually lost strength and could barely stand, supporting herself with both hands on the countertop.
"I... I'm safe today... it just passed..."
Horikita Suzune spoke intermittently, her cheeks burning crimson as if each word caused her immense shame.
Kaoru froze for a moment—her meaning was clearly implied.
However, this kind of intimacy seemed to be the first time.
"So that's why you haven't come over these past few days."
Kaoru held the girl in his arms, though he wouldn't just think of himself. "I'm actually really happy that Suzune can help me cook."
Horikita Suzune remained silent, her neck flushing red as well.
Then, Kaoru took her small hand to prevent her from accidentally hurting herself, since cooking could be dangerous.
The pressure cooker began to hiss with steam, releasing a rich soup aroma.
The flames under the frying pan burned vigorously, flickering against the girl's lovely face, illuminating it until it glowed crimson.
Her eyes looked dazed, and if not for Kaoru's assistance, they probably wouldn't have had dinner that night.
Even so, Horikita Suzune's cooking skills remained excellent—both in taste and in her presence. Kaoru found the flavor simply wonderful.
"Don't do this again next time."
After the meal, Horikita Suzune sat in Kaoru's lap, weakly glaring at this pervert.
"Your cooking is so good, I want to eat it for a lifetime."
Kaoru shamelessly declared that feasting on beauty was the highest form of enjoyment—once experienced, it was hard to forget.