When Yuki reappeared in the lavish presidential suite of the five-star hotel, he immediately glanced at the time.
Just past 8:20 PM—right on schedule. While he had been away handling the massive cosmic crisis in the Honkai: Star Rail universe, only a mere two hours had passed here in the Date A Live world.
He tidied himself up, seamlessly changing back into the stylish clothes he had worn for his date with Miku earlier that afternoon, then walked quietly into her darkened bedroom.
Even after two full hours of rest, Miku was still fast asleep.
Looking at the stunning beauty resting so peacefully in the plush bed, Yuki smiled fondly as he sat down gently on the edge of the mattress beside her.
He carefully brushed his fingers through her long violet hair, each soft strand shimmering with a delicate, elegant luster in the dim light. Even in her deep, exhausted slumber, the Spirit seemed to subconsciously sense the comforting warmth of her lover nearby. She shifted slightly under the covers, affectionately nuzzling her delicate cheek against his palm as if she couldn't possibly get enough of his touch.
Yuki chuckled softly at the incredibly endearing sight.
Though he genuinely wanted to let her rest a while longer—after all, she had expended quite a bit of physical and emotional energy with him earlier—it was getting late, and it was about time for dinner.
"Wake up, sleepyhead." He spoke softly, his voice incredibly tender.
The first gentle call didn't stir her much at all. Miku merely let out a soft, incoherent murmur, adorably scrunched her nose, and stubbornly continued sleeping.
Smiling in amusement, Yuki gently pressed his hand to her warm cheek and gave it a very light, playful pinch.
"Time to get up, sleepy cat. If you don't wake up right now, I'm going to mercilessly tickle your armpits."
That specific threat did the trick. Miku let out a soft sigh, her long, thick lashes fluttering rapidly before her striking eyes slowly fluttered open.
"Nyaa?!"
"Please don't tickle Miku's armpits~" She let out an adorably pathetic little mewl, sleepily rubbing her eyes as she looked up at him with a pitiful, pleading expression.
Yuki laughed heartily, wiggling his fingers mischievously in the air as he reached menacingly toward her sides.
"Come here, Miku. Let your hubby properly spoil you a little."
"Yada! Dame! Yamete!" Miku squeaked in genuine alarm and scrambled backward across the large bed, hopelessly tangled in the sheets.
What followed was a chaotic, playful chase across the expansive hotel room. But Miku was still somewhat physically worn out from their earlier activities, and she was very quickly caught.
In the end, she absolutely couldn't escape the dreaded tickle attack.
"Hahaha—!!!"
"Stop—! Please—!!!"
"It's so ticklish! Hahaha—!"
The suite echoed loudly with her breathless, musical laughter for a full two minutes before Yuki finally showed mercy and let her subside into a panting, giggling mess against his chest.
Afterward, Yuki patiently helped Miku get dressed in a fresh outfit, and they went out together for a late dinner.
He deliberately chose a high-end French bistro—quiet, private, and incredibly elegant, making it the perfect, romantic setting for a relaxing meal.
The only thing that left Yuki slightly, fondly exasperated was that he somehow ended up hand-feeding Miku all over again.
Playfully claiming she was still feeling far too "weak" from his earlier "bullying," she stubbornly insisted that he feed her every single bite himself.
Yuki had genuinely thought that returning to this peaceful world meant leaving the ridiculous, harem-esque feeding routines of the Astral Express behind—but apparently, that absolutely wasn't the case. Even back here on Earth, he still had to personally hand-feed this beautiful, demanding little foodie.
Under the highly curious, envious gazes of the nearby diners and the waitstaff, Yuki patiently saw the task through, making absolutely sure Miku was well-fed and happy.
After dinner, he finally took her home to his mansion.
It was Miku's very first time visiting Yuki's personal residence, and as they stood before the massive front doors, she was visibly nervous.
But with Yuki standing steadily by her side, gently holding her hand and reassuring her, she gathered her courage and stepped inside.
They passed through the incredibly spacious, opulent entryway, and with Yuki confidently leading the way, they soon arrived in the main living room.
In the center of the massive living room, three familiar, beautiful sisters sat comfortably on a luxurious, wrap-around sofa large enough to seat ten or more people, intently watching a massive, wall-sized virtual projection screen.
As it happened, the television program currently playing was actually one heavily featuring Miku—a massive, live-broadcast music show where the highly anticipated guest of honor was none other than Tsukino Yoimachi (Miku's famous public stage name).
"Are the three of you the only ones home?" Yuki glanced around the sprawling room but saw no one else besides the alien trio.
"Oh! Yuki, you're back!" Lala greeted him immediately with her usual boundless, sunshine-like energy and bright enthusiasm, bouncing up from the cushions.
Yuki gave a small, fond nod, then looked at the three Deviluke sisters.
Among them, Lala was by far the most natural and comfortable when it came to casually calling him by his name. With her incredibly cheerful, slightly scatterbrained personality, she adapted to new living situations and new people without missing a single beat.
Nana, by stark contrast, was far more of a classic tsundere—much less straightforward with her feelings, and far more prone to being prickly and easily embarrassed around him.
And then there was Momo. Her specific case was a bit more... complicated.
Ever since he had brought them home last night, there was a very distinct, calculating gleam in the way she constantly looked at him—like she was always plotting some grand, secret scheme behind those sweet pink eyes. Which, to be completely fair, suited her infamous, mischievous "little devil" personality just fine.
"Y-Yuki… you're back."
"Do… do you want to come sit with us?" Nana's voice noticeably faltered as she said his name, her expression highly hesitant and her cheeks dusting pink as she stammered out the simple invitation.
Momo, on the other hand, smiled incredibly sweetly and spoke in a perfectly gentle, welcoming tone:
"Big brother Yuki, you must be so tired from being out. Please, come sit down right here and rest for a while."
"Alright."
It was honestly no wonder that fans of their original universe had always praised Momo so highly—she really did have that gentle, highly capable, absolutely perfect "little sister-in-law" image down to a terrifying tee.
No sooner had Yuki sat down on the sofa than Momo's soft, skilled hands mysteriously found their way to his shoulders, kneading the muscles gently.
She leaned in incredibly close from behind, her soft, undeniable warmth pressing gently against his back. A very familiar, dangerous stir began to rapidly rise within him—the specific fire he'd barely managed to quench back in the shower with March 7th flickering dangerously back to life under Momo's deliberate touch.
Momo leaned in even closer to whisper right next to his ear, her voice incredibly soft, her natural, sweet floral scent drifting heavily over him like some kind of intoxicating siren's call.
"Big brother Yuki… is the pressure alright for you?"
"If there's anything else you need to relax, just say the word."
"Mm."
Forcefully fighting down the highly inappropriate thoughts actively stirring in his mind, Yuki kept his absolute composure and merely gave a small, polite nod.
"What are you girls watching?" He quickly and decisively changed the dangerous subject, nodding toward the massive screen.
"A popular music show featuring the top idols. Today's special episode has Tsukino Yoimachi." Nana answered quietly, her eyes glued to the performance.
"Yeah, yeah! Tsukino Yoimachi is super famous here on Earth! And her singing is absolutely amazing!" Lala piped up excitedly, clearly deeply eager to share her new hyper-fixation.
"Oh? Are all three of you big fans of Tsukino Yoimachi?" Yuki watched the genuine excitement lighting up Lala's cheeks and smiled gently as he asked.
"I kind of like her music a lot." Nana's voice was much quieter, as if a little embarrassed to admit she was a fangirl.
Lala, on the other hand, nodded vigorously without a single ounce of hesitation.
"Yes! I absolutely love Tsukino Yoimachi! Her singing voice is amazing!" With her incredibly cheerful, open personality, there was hardly anything in the universe Lala didn't like—or rather, if something actually managed to displease her, chances were it was genuinely evil and would displease just about anyone.
Yuki then glanced casually over at Momo, who was still massaging his shoulders.
She caught his eye, gave him a highly knowing, secretive smile, and nodded softly.
"I'm a very big fan too."
"Tsukino Yoimachi's voice is so incredibly lively and sweet—it's gentle, but it's also deeply empowering to listen to. I'd honestly say she's the absolute greatest diva on Earth right now." Momo's high praise for Miku's talent was completely genuine.
Yuki smiled widely at that glowing review and turned his gaze purposefully toward the darkened hallway.
"What if I told you girls that you could actually meet Tsukino Yoimachi in person right now?" He wore a highly mysterious, teasing smile.
"Really?! We could actually meet her in person?!" Lala's bright eyes lit up like supernovas with pure, unadulterated anticipation.
Momo, ever the highly perceptive one, seemed to instantly catch on to his tone. Her sharp pink gaze immediately followed the exact direction Yuki was looking.
There, stepping slowly and dramatically from the shadows of the hallway into the brightly lit living room, was a breathtakingly beautiful girl with long, flowing purple hair.
"Hello, everyone~ It's your Tsukino Yoimachi!"
Miku had already heard them enthusiastically praising her from the hallway, so as soon as she entered the room, she slipped effortlessly and flawlessly into her dazzling, charismatic idol persona, striking a picture-perfect pose.