"This isn't your…"
Beroba was about to complain when a single glance from Raven instantly shut her up. She immediately zipped her mouth, pulled down her slightly-too-low skirt, and flounced off in a huff.
Turning her back on Raven, she stuck out her tongue in a childish, mischievous gesture.
The only reason she dressed so provocatively was to cater to Raven's supposed tastes. Yet, she ended up being unfairly reprimanded.
"You should rest for a bit."
Raven said, already moving to pour a cup of hot water.
"Do you know about the belts?" Hiyori suddenly asked.
"What belts?"
"Kagami and Tendo, they're definitely hiding things from me. Do you know anything too?"
Raven held the cup, pausing for a moment in hesitation.
Finally, he sat down and asked her, "Are you sure you want to know?"
Hiyori nodded very seriously.
"How should I even start with this?" Raven began to struggle.
What he had to tell her was both complicated and cruel.
"If you don't want to say, then don't bother."
Seeing Raven's dilemma, Hiyori decided not to pressure him. She stood up to leave.
"Wait, Hiyori."
Seeing her move, Raven quickly took hold of her, but the sudden, rough pull caused her body to tumble directly into his arms.
At this moment, Hiyori Kusakabe's heart began to pound heavily. Still damp from the rain, she felt warmth radiating from Raven, along with an unprecedented sense of security.
"I can tell you everything I know about you, but you have to stay here tonight," Raven told her.
He was mainly worried that once she learned the truth, she wouldn't be able to handle it and might do something drastic. Keeping her with him would ensure he could look after her.
"Stay here..."
Hiyori looked up at Raven, her eyes filled with panic and tension.
She seemed to have completely misunderstood what he meant.
However, to find out the truth, she still nodded.
"In that case, go take a bath first. I'll have Beroba send you some clean clothes to change into later."
After saying this, Raven fully closed the café door.
The three of them then moved up to the living quarters on the second floor.
Hiyori entered the bathroom, feeling extremely awkward as she started to bathe. This was her first time taking a shower in someone else's home.
As she stepped out, looking for the change of clothes, Beroba seized the opportunity to play another prank, repeating her old trick.
This immediately led Hiyori to misunderstand that Raven was suggesting something. "That guy..."
Her cheeks began to flush.
Although she had feelings for Raven, being suddenly asked to do those things made her intensely nervous.
But due to her reserved personality, she didn't call out for help. After a long hesitation, she slowly stepped out of the bathroom, covering her chest with one hand, her bare, delicate feet padding across the floor.
Beroba, who was hiding, was giggling mischievously.
Finding amusement in anyone other than Raven was her only source of fun now. She never missed a chance to play a trick when a new woman showed up.
In Raven's room, he was lying on the tatami mat, reading a book, his head facing the door.
Hearing the soft footsteps, he glanced up.
He saw a pair of beautiful, fair legs still dripping with water.
"Huh?"
He quickly realized what was happening. Startled, he instantly scrambled up from the tatami mat.
"Why aren't you wearing any clothes?" he asked, bewildered.
Could it be that my charisma is so overwhelming that Hiyori couldn't resist? he thought. But that doesn't seem like her personality at all.
"There were no clothes left outside, and mine are gone," she said, gazing at Raven with a resentful look.
This is all your doing, she thought.
"You promised me… you have to tell me everything. You can't go back on your word," Hiyori stated earnestly.
Then, gritting her teeth, she lowered the arm she was using to shield herself.
Seeing this, Raven quickly retrieved a shirt from his closet and draped it over Hiyori.
"You misunderstood. I'm not that kind of person."
He rushed to explain, trying to salvage his image.
While Raven certainly had feelings for Hiyori and wanted to be close to her, it had to be based on her sincere willingness. This was his consistent principle, except, of course, for Beroba.
However, Hiyori didn't care about the details now. She had already exposed herself; what else was there to lose?
There was no turning back after drawing the bow.
Gathering all her courage, she stepped forward and sealed Raven's lips with a kiss.
"…"
A few minutes later, the two of them finally separated.
They eventually settled down together, and the lights in the room went out.
Under the covers, Raven told Hiyori everything, even details about himself.
This deeply shook her.
Just as Raven had predicted, Hiyori was somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. She cried for quite a while, her emotions raw and intense.
Finally, nestled in Raven's embrace, she gradually calmed down.
…
The next day.
Hiyori opened her eyes. She stared at the unfamiliar ceiling for a few seconds before the events of the previous night flooded back.
She had given herself to Raven in a daze, but that was far less shocking than the revelations about her own origins.
"Raven..."
She sat up and looked to the other side of the bed.
Raven, who had been sleeping beside her, was gone.
On the chair by the bedside, a clean set of clothes had been laid out.
She slipped off the bed barefoot and put on the entire outfit.
Seeing a pair of white stockings remaining, she hesitated for a moment but decided to put them on as well.
The beautiful dress paired with the white stockings completely transformed her appearance, making her look like a noble princess.
She went downstairs and saw Raven cooking in the kitchen.
Just then, Beroba appeared before Hiyori and said, "You're awake. All your toiletries are prepared for you in the restroom."
"Oh... thank you."
Hiyori nodded slightly and headed to the restroom to prepare.
Although her relationship with Raven had fundamentally changed, she still seemed a little nervous, retaining her usual socially anxious demeanor.
After breakfast, Hiyori didn't go to work at the restaurant. It was her parents' death anniversary, so she bought a bouquet of flowers and went to the graveyard.
Raven, uneasy about her being alone, insisted on accompanying her the entire way.
This greatly surprised Tendo, who was secretly tracking Hiyori.
Why do they look so much closer than before?
Little did Tendo know that in the span of a single night, he had already become Raven's Big Brother-in-Law.
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