As Kyouko walked ahead, Haruki's eyes drifted lower.
The gentle sway of her hips, the way her fitted skirt hugged her curves… Damn.
His fingers curled at his sides.
She was gorgeous.
And that sway…
It wasn't exaggerated. It wasn't intentional.
But that somehow made it worse.
His throat went dry. He quickly looked away, forcing himself to focus on anything other than how effortlessly his mother-in-law moved in front of him.
"Haruki-kun?"
His head snapped up.
Kyouko had stopped at the base of the stairs, glancing back at him with a small, curious tilt of her head.
Had she noticed?
"A-Ah, yeah?" he stammered, stepping forward quickly.
She smiled gently. "The room's just upstairs. Come on."
Haruki exhaled slowly, willing his thoughts back into place.
Kyouko stepped aside and gestured toward the room.
"This is Satomi's old room. You can use it now."
Haruki stepped inside and glanced around. The room was neat and simple, definitely better than their old apartment. His gaze landed on a door to the side.
"Wow... this room even has its own bathroom."
Kyouko nodded with a small smile. "Yes. Satomi used to love having her own space."
She paused for a moment. "By the way, when is the moving company coming?"
Haruki set his bag down by the bed and shook his head. "Ah… I don't think there's much to bring from our old place."
He patted his bag lightly. "My laptop and everything I need for work is in here."
"Oh… I see." Kyouko's voice was soft, almost thoughtful.
Haruki turned to her, offering a polite nod. "Thank you, Kyouko-san."
She smiled warmly. "You're welcome. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask, okay?"
"Okay, Kyouko-san."
With that, she turned toward the stairs, moving with fluid grace.
Haruki's eyes followed her before he could stop himself.
Her long hair swayed gently with each step.
His gaze drifted lower.
Those curves. Perfect curves.
Beautiful.
Young.
Captivating.
His fingers twitched at his sides.
Then she was gone, disappearing down the staircase.
Haruki exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Shit..."
He needed to get a grip.
Setting his bags down, Haruki stretched his shoulders and scanned the room. His eyes landed on a desk by the window—perfect for work.
He placed his laptop carefully, arranging his work files neatly beside it. Everything in its place. Just how he liked it.
Next, he moved to his suitcase, unzipping it and pulling out his clothes. When he opened the closet, his brows lifted slightly.
"Wow… they already prepared Satomi's clothes here."
Dresses, blouses, and neatly folded sweaters filled the space.
"I guess these are her old clothes…"
Now it made sense why Satomi told him to only bring his personal belongings. She'd probably arranged for the moving company to handle everything else.
He let out a small sigh before closing the closet and moving to the bed. A few quick adjustments to the sheets...done.
Finally, he checked out the bathroom.
The moment he stepped inside, his jaw nearly dropped.
"This thing is bigger than our old apartment's living room."
A large bathtub, a sleek glass shower, and a modern toilet—everything looked clean and expensive, like something out of a luxury hotel.
He whistled under his breath, running a hand through his hair.
"Living here is gonna be... different."
Haruki grabbed a fresh towel and draped it over his shoulder as he stepped into the shower. Warm water cascaded down his body, washing away the day's fatigue. He let out a deep sigh and ran a hand through his wet hair.
"Alright... fresh start."
After his shower, he wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out, heading toward the closet. Cool air swept over his damp skin, raising goosebumps along his arms.
At the same time...
Kyouko was making her way upstairs.
She hesitated at his door, then knocked lightly before pushing it open.
"Haruki-kun, if you're hungr—"
The words died in her throat.
Her eyes went wide.
Haruki stood half-naked, his toned body still glistening with water droplets. His broad shoulders, his defined chest, the way his wet hair clung to his forehead.
Kyouko's heart stuttered.
"Oh my God..."
Heat flooded her cheeks. She gripped the door handle tighter, as if that could somehow prevent further embarrassment.
"Ah... I'm sorry!" Her voice came out higher than she intended. She slowly closed the door, carefully, pretending nothing had happened.
From the other side, she cleared her throat. "A-Anyway, Haruki-kun... if you're hungry, come downstairs, okay?"
She didn't wait for a response.
She hurried downstairs before she could think any more about what she'd just seen.
Haruki didn't think much about what had just happened.
For him, being seen shirtless wasn't a big deal. Men didn't usually get shy about things like that. He simply grabbed a clean set of clothes from his bag and dressed without hesitation.
To avoid smelling like shampoo or sweat, he dabbed on a bit of light cologne. He wasn't trying to impress anyone. He just didn't want his mother-in-law to think he was unkempt.
Once he felt presentable, he headed downstairs, following the faint scent of something cooking.
Stepping into the kitchen, he glanced around before calling out.
"Umm… Kyouko-san?"
Kyouko, who had been focused on the stove, turned around quickly. "Ah, Haruki-kun! Take a seat. I'm almost done."
Haruki nodded and pulled out a chair, his gaze flickering toward her for a moment.
She was wearing a simple fitted sweater and casual house pants, but even in something so ordinary, she looked effortlessly elegant.
He shook off the thought and leaned back in his chair, watching her move around the kitchen.
There was something oddly peaceful about this.
Haruki settled deeper into his chair, arms folded as he watched Kyouko work. The sizzle of the pan and the rhythmic tap of her knife against the cutting board should have felt ordinary. Yet he couldn't look away.
She stood at the counter, rising onto her toes as she reached for a bottle of soy sauce on the top shelf. The movement pulled her sweater tighten around her chest, highlighting the fullness of her breasts. They weren't just big. They were perfectly shaped and firm, the kind that would make any man look twice. Haruki swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry..
His gaze trailed lower, following the curve of her waist down to her hips. Wide, smooth, and attractively feminine. The way they flared out from her slim waist was captivating, striking a perfect balance between softness and definition.
When she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, the snug fit of her house pants made every movement irresistibly enticing.
Then there was her butt. Round, perky, and undeniably attractive. The thin fabric of her pants hugged every contour. Every time she moved, whether reaching for an ingredient, stirring the pan, or even just swaying her hips as she stepped from one side of the kitchen to the other, Haruki felt like he was watching something forbidden. A temptation he shouldn't indulge.
She turned slightly, offering him a side view. Her breasts pressed gently against the counter as she leaned forward to taste the soup. Her tongue peeked out, touching the spoon lightly before she nodded in satisfaction.
"Haruki-kun?"
He snapped out of his daze, realizing he'd been staring far too long. Kyouko looked at him with a small smile, her head tilting to one side.
"Are you okay?" she asked, completely oblivious to the effect she was having on him.
Haruki cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "Y-Yeah. Just… spacing out."
Kyouko chuckled softly before turning back to the stove, her hips swaying once more as she continued cooking.
Haruki exhaled slowly. This was going to be dangerous.
( End of Chapter )