Haruki didn't even try to look away.
Why should he?
This was a rare sight—something he never expected, something no man in his position could ignore. His heart hammered in his chest, but he remained still, pretending to focus on his laptop while his eyes drank in the view before him.
Kyouko, completely unaware, let out a soft sigh as she settled onto the long couch. She stretched her arms above her head, shifting into a more comfortable position. The thin fabric of her pajama top clung to her curves, dipping lower and exposing even more of her cleavage.
Haruki swallowed hard.
His hands tightened over his keyboard. It was impossible to look away now. Every slight movement...her slow, steady breaths, the way the fabric shifted with each rise and fall of her chest...was pure temptation.
She had no idea.
"Kyouko-san?" Haruki asked.
"Hmm?" Kyouko replied without looking up, her attention fixed on her smartphone.
She shifted slightly, adjusting her posture. The loose collar of her pajama top dipped lower, revealing more of her cleavage. He could see it clearly...smooth, flawless skin that matched the youthful appearance of her face and hands. He couldn't believe it. Not only did she look young, but her body did too.
Haruki swallowed hard.
"You always stay up this late?" he asked, forcing himself to look at her face.
"Hmm? Not really…" Kyouko murmured, still absorbed in her phone. "When I get too tired, I just head to my room and sleep."
"Oh," Haruki said, gripping his coffee cup a little tighter.
"What about you, Haruki?" Kyouko asked, finally sparing him a brief glance before her eyes drifted back to her screen.
"Me?"
"Yeah. Do you always stay up this late?"
Haruki hesitated. "Sometimes."
"Why?"
He exhaled through his nose, managing a wry smile. "Satomi often comes home late."
Kyouko finally looked up from her phone, her head tilting slightly. "I see… that must be tough."
Haruki shrugged. "I've gotten used to it."
She sighed softly and stretched her arms above her head. It was a casual motion, nothing intentional—but the way her top lifted slightly, revealing the soft outline of her curves beneath the fabric…
Haruki quickly looked away, taking a long sip of coffee to distract himself.
Kyouko let out a quiet sigh and shifted again, drawing one leg up onto the couch. "Honestly, I don't sleep early either." She paused, her voice softening. "It's… lonely sometimes."
Haruki blinked. "Lonely?"
She nodded, setting her phone down beside her. "My husband rarely comes home early. Some nights, he doesn't come home at all." A small, humorless laugh escaped her lips. "So, I just sit here… waiting."
"I see…"
Kyouko leaned back into the couch, her gaze drifting toward the ceiling. "It's funny, isn't it? When I was younger, I thought marriage meant never being lonely again." Her voice grew quieter. "But sometimes, it feels even lonelier than before."
Kyouko didn't notice anything strange. She had no idea Haruki had been stealing glances at her all this time. To her, he was just her son-in-law, someone she'd only met properly today. Of course she knew Haruki was too handsome... but still.
Yet somehow, she felt comfortable around him. No awkwardness, no tension. Just an easy, natural atmosphere that put her at ease.
"So... you're going to work tomorrow, right?" Kyouko asked, casually sipping her coffee. She leaned forward slightly, her loose pajama top slipping lower to slip lower and reveal more of her cleavage—completely unaware of the effect.
Haruki's eyes flickered down before he forced himself to focus on his cup. "Umm…"
"Huh?" Kyouko tilted her head. "What's wrong?"
"Satomi didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"My job is flexible. I can work from anywhere, so I usually work from home. I only go to the office when I need to submit completed projects."
"Oh…" Kyouko nodded, her smile widening. "That's nice. So you won't be as busy as them."
Haruki let out a small chuckle. "Yeah… kinda."
Kyouko took another sip of her coffee, settling back into the couch. "That's good. At least you won't be overworking yourself."
Haruki glanced at her, watching as she sank into the cushions, still completely unaware of how much she was showing. He swallowed hard, unable to look away.
"Yeah… I guess that's one good thing about my job."
Neither of them said anything for a moment. The night was quiet—just the occasional soft clink of Kyouko's cup against the table and the faint hum of the night air outside.
It was strange. Haruki never thought he'd feel this relaxed in someone else's home. Yet here he was, sitting across from his mother-in-law, having a casual late-night conversation, and feeling… at ease.
Kyouko, on the other hand, simply smiled to herself, completely unaware of the thoughts racing through Haruki's mind. She'd worried about having someone else in the house, but somehow, this didn't feel awkward at all.
If anything… it felt surprisingly nice.
"You know… Haruki-kun…"
"Yes?" Haruki responded, though his gaze stayed glued to her cleavage. No matter how many times he told himself to look away, his eyes kept drifting back. It was just… right there.
"I don't know why, but I feel comfortable around you," Kyouko said, completely oblivious to the chaos in his head. Her voice was soft and casual. "I don't really talk much with people."
Haruki forced himself to meet her eyes. "That's... nice to know," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was worried, I guess. That maybe being here would make you uncomfortable."
Kyouko shook her head gently, smiling. "Not at all. If anything, it's nice to have someone to talk to."
Inside her mind: He might not know... perhaps Satomi didn't tell him, but I was always nervous and shy around others.
They sat in comfortable silence. Kyouko focused on her smartphone, completely unaware, while Haruki's attention drifted to her.
His gaze traced every curve of her body with hungry fascination. Her pajama top hung just loose enough to reveal the swell of her breasts, the delicate shadow between them deepening with each breath. Her bare legs stretched along the couch, smooth skin catching the dim light, thighs pressed together in a way that made his pulse quicken.
Then his eyes flicked to the clock: 12:34 AM.
Past midnight already.
A video call lit up Kyouko's phone.
"Oh… Satomi's calling."
She answered.
"Hello~" Kyouko greeted her daughter, her voice soft and warm.
On the screen, Satomi sat beside her father, surrounded by stacks of documents. Behind them, several workers moved about, focused on their tasks.
"Ah, Mom! Is Haruki there yet? I tried calling him, but he didn't answer!"
Kyouko glanced at Haruki, then turned the phone toward him. He was still seated with his laptop open, fingers resting idly on the keyboard.
"He's right here."
Haruki blinked at the screen, caught off guard. "Oh... uh, hey."
Satomi frowned. "Good lord, Haruki! Why didn't you answer your phone?"
"Err... sorry," he said, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "I left it upstairs and forgot about it."
Satomi sighed. "Seriously... Anyway, how's everything? Did you settle in okay?"
Haruki stole a quick glance at Kyouko before nodding. "Yeah, your mom's been really helpful."
Kyouko smiled slightly, but Satomi barely noticed, too busy flipping through a document with her focus elsewhere.
"Good. Listen, I'll be home late, probably past two or three. Dad has me going through all these reports, and it's taking forever."
"That late?" Kyouko frowned. "You should at least eat something."
"I will, I will. Don't worry, Mom."
She turned back to Haruki. "And you—make sure you rest, okay? Don't just stay up working."
Haruki smirked. "You're the one who should be hearing that."
"Yeah, yeah... Anyway, I gotta go. Love you, Mom! Haruki, don't slack off!"
With that, the call ended.
Kyouko sighed softly, placing her phone on the table. "She really is just like her father..."
Haruki leaned back against the couch, stretching his arms. "Looks like it's just us for a while..."
Kyouko nodded, absently swirling her coffee. "Yeah… just us."
( End of Chapter )