After a while, Hayashi Maki reluctantly released Yukinoshita Yukino's cherry-red lips.
He looked down at her face—so cute it felt illegal.
That shy blush only made her more enticing.
Yukino was breathing hard, her slender body rising and falling, a faint haze in her eyes.
Her pale arms were still looped around this scoundrel's neck, as if she couldn't bear to let him go.
Hayashi Maki drew a deep breath.
All he could smell was the faint fragrance of the second heiress—a girl's natural scent that made him dizzy.
His heated gaze skimmed over skin whiter and dewier than milk.
He inhaled again, and his broad hand, practiced, closed around her slender calf.
Everything about Yukinoshita Yukino lived up to her name—
snow beneath the snow.
Those long legs were perfection; her dainty toes adorable, crystal-clear.
Hayashi Maki was, without question, a leg man.
And her long, slender legs felt like they'd been drawn from a manga heroine's template—
every inch irresistibly cute and tempting.
His palm slid lightly, and he bent his head, lips naturally brushing her pale calf.
Blushing, Yukino instinctively pressed a hand to his head, biting her lip.
Watching him treat her like some precious treasure—
gently kissing her skin—
she felt something inside her begin to melt.
When he started to go too far, she covered her own lips, a shy, pleased expression flickering across her face.
After a long moment, Hayashi Maki lifted his head—reluctantly—then claimed the second heiress's lips again, possessive and sure.
He knew he wouldn't be letting her go tonight.
It was time.
He'd teased her until she'd softened.
Cradling her small face, he spared her mouth for the moment.
"Yukino-chan, where's your pepper spray and stun gun? And if you don't use that Aikido of yours… I'm going to be very bad."
Yukino's eyes shone wet; she clung to his neck, tense and tight.
"Perverted demon… even now you have to say things like that."
Hayashi Maki exhaled, his palm settling—sure and practiced—on the back of her knee at his waist.
"Sorry. It's just… you're too cute, Yukino-chan. I'm greedy—I want to see every side of you."
"So—ready? I'm going to start."
He did think himself a gentleman—waiting for her to be ready before going on.
"Mm… wait… I have a question."
She looked up at him stubbornly, arms tightening around his neck without thinking.
"What is it? Tell me, Yukino-chan—whatever it is, I'll answer you seriously."
Biting her lip, cheeks and ears burning, she whispered, "Hayashi Maki… do you like me?"
"I do! I like you so much!"
He answered without hesitation, gaze growing even more ardent.
"Does that answer satisfy you, Yukino-chan?"
Yukino seemed to exhale in relief.
She didn't want to give herself to someone who didn't like her.
And he… barely passed the bar.
Closing her blue eyes, she took a breath and tucked her face into his chest, shy.
"Maki-kun… do what you want… tonight, I'll go along with you."
Hearing that, how could Hayashi Maki hesitate?
He wrapped his big hands around her slender legs, pulled her close, and kissed her eager red lips again.
Yukino accepted her fate; a clear tear slid from the corner of her eye.
The air grew fevered.
As for the delight between Yukino and Hayashi Maki… let's omit ten thousand words.
…
Who knew how much time had passed.
Spent and out of strength, Yukino lay limply in Hayashi Maki's arms.
Her already lovely face was flushed a deep rose, even more alluring; her hair, damp and clinging to her cheeks, somehow made her look prettier still.
Hayashi Maki's mouth curved with a trace of satisfaction. Holding the beauty in his arms, his hand—incorrigible—rested on her smooth, slender, adorable calf.
Yukino rolled her eyes, mustered a little strength, and slapped away the wandering hand.
"Don't tease me… I'm exhausted."
"Heh, sorry… it's just that you're too cute. If I could, I'd go another—"
"No. You only know how to bully people. Let me rest."
Cheeks pink, she nuzzled his chest, shot him a coy glance, then ducked her head in embarrassment, unable to meet his eyes.
Having truly accepted him, she found it wasn't as hard as she'd imagined.
On the contrary, her heart felt warm.
His obvious infatuation with her left her just a little pleased.
She wasn't so much worse than her sister, was she?
Of course, her figure was still a weak point—but she'd work on it.
Hayashi Maki stroked the second heiress's hair gently and refrained from teasing her further. Still, he couldn't help asking:
"Yukino-chan, you really weren't… pushed into this? I'm happy—more than happy—that you're mine now, but I'm still a little worried."
"Idiot… I wasn't 'pushed.' I just figured things out."
Listening to his steady heartbeat, she grumbled, "You weren't going to let me go anyway—you're always thinking of bullying me."
"My new life was given by you, so handing myself over to you isn't impossible. Even if you are bad, thick-skinned, and a big lech…"
"I can't deny it… I've received your feelings for me. Clearly."
Warmth spread in Hayashi Maki's chest at that.
He didn't want to see the second heiress cold every time they met; to have her, to see her shy like this—nothing made him happier.
For Yukino, maybe she'd acted on impulse because of Raphiel's words today. But she didn't regret it. No one knew better than she how much this person liked her.
"Then, since you're mine now—please take care of me from here on, Yukino-chan."
"Mm. Please take care of me… Mr. Perverted Demon."
"Uh… maybe not that nickname at a moment like this? The one from just now was great…"
"Hmph. Am I wrong? Aren't you a pervert?"
"Er… how am I a pervert? I mean, I am enthusiastic about you…"
He sounded a little guilty.
Yukino glanced down—mortified—at the big hand on her calf.
"Perverted leg man. Move your claws! I hate it—don't tease me now."
Reluctantly, Hayashi Maki drew his hand back and simply held her slim waist.
"Yukino-chan, you've picked up bad habits—how do you even know the term 'leg man'? Where'd you learn that?"
His second heiress was a pure girl who hadn't even read a lewd manga—how did she suddenly know such, well, spicy vocabulary?
She didn't hide it.
"Hmph—because of you, pervert. Every time you see me you hold me, kiss me, touch my legs. I got curious and looked it up. Apparently it's called a 'leg fetish'—a perverted preference."
"Ahem—what are you saying? It's perfectly normal for a man to admire beauty and be devoted to it!"
"Yukino-chan, can you honestly say your calves aren't slender, long, and adorable?"
Hayashi Maki asked, dead serious.
Yukino grew a little self-conscious; she wasn't about to put herself down. In truth, aside from her chest, she was very confident in her figure.
"Anyway… you're a pervert."
At a loss for words, the second heiress slapped a label on him—no plans to change it. Probably a girl's modesty at work. After all, tonight hadn't been her initiative. He was the one who was too bad, too obsessed—she just couldn't fight him off.
"Fine, fine—I'm the biggest pervert… So please stay by my side, Yukino-chan. You're mine."
Claimed, the second heiress's face went scarlet. She didn't answer—she only hugged his neck tighter.
Everything else went without saying.