Takumi had always thought Kayoko was just an ordinary office worker. But tonight, he could feel something else entirely—ambition that could swallow the world, hidden beneath her gentle demeanor.
Clumsy as she was, she made up for it with sheer persistence.
Drip, drip.
When Takumi stood up, his elbow brushed the glass on the table—sending water spilling over the edge. He crouched to clean it, but it was already late into the night, and Kayoko panicked at the sound.
She bit her lip hard, gesturing frantically for him to stay quiet; the last thing she wanted was to wake Airi or Marina.
But fate clearly had a sense of humor.
Her foot slipped on the wet floor.
"Eeeek~~~!"
The muffled cry echoed through the living room. Even as Kayoko clasped her mouth shut, the noise had already escaped.
Thump, thump, thump!
Footsteps came from upstairs—either Airi or Marina had woken up.
Kayoko's expression froze; panic flooded her eyes. She twisted instinctively, searching for a place to hide.
Suppressing a sigh, Takumi swept her into his arms and dashed toward the kitchen, flicking the light switch off.
"Shhh~" He pressed a finger to her soft lips.
Kayoko nodded frantically—but their hiding spot was way too close. She could barely breathe, chest pressed tightly against him, the warmth of his body flooding her senses. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was sure even the dark could hear it.
"...Mom?" A soft, sleepy voice called down from upstairs—Marina.
Kayoko's whole body stiffened.
The girl descended the stairs in her pink pajamas, rubbing her eyes. Each lazy step made her loose collar sway just enough to expose pale skin, teasing the edges of Takumi's sanity.
"Mmph!"
Kayoko's face twisted as she held back a gasp, the situation making her feel like a drowning woman.
"...Nobody?"
Marina blinked, glancing around the quiet living room. She could've sworn she'd heard her mother's voice… but everything was still.
Yawning, she shrugged it off. Tomorrow was the start of a new semester—she must've imagined it. She turned to go back upstairs, but as her hand reached for the switch, her eyes caught something—two cups on the table.
Click.
The lights went out, and at that same moment—a faint, barely-there sound echoed through the darkness.
Kayoko felt like she had just finished delivering a graduation speech—her mind blank, lungs burning for air. Takumi's large hand covered her mouth, muffling every sound as her body trembled violently.
By the time she finally relaxed, she was drenched in sweat and utterly drained. Takumi carried her back to her bedroom and laid her down to rest, then quietly cleaned the floor again, making sure everything looked spotless.
Only when he was about to leave did he notice—his belt was undone.
"…Seriously?"
He fixed it, sighed, and stepped outside. Just as he was about to turn the corner, he paused and glanced back.
From the dark stairwell upstairs, a small head peeked out—then quickly vanished.
"Marina… whatever." He muttered and walked away into the night.
Meanwhile, behind that corner, Marina was covering her mouth, her face bright red. Her mind raced, one thought louder than all the rest—
"Mr. Takumi… so big~ Wait… no, that means Mom—ahh~~"
Her thoughts spiraled into chaos. The hazy image of what she'd almost seen flashed again in her mind—a huge shadow moving against her mother's silhouette.
"Haah~ Sis? What are you doing here?"
A voice startled her—Airi, standing in the hallway, one strap of her nightgown slipping from her shoulder, revealing her smooth white collarbone. She yawned and blinked sleepily.
"I thought I heard Mom's voice. Did she come home?"
Marina froze, torn between honesty and self-preservation. After a few seconds, she nodded stiffly.
"Y-Yeah… Mom came back. She's asleep now. Don't wake her!"
Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed Airi's hand and dragged her back toward their room.
"Eh? Why are you in such a rush? I just needed to use the bathroom!"
…
While chaos brewed at the Akitsuki household, Takumi's home was peaceful.
Hearing the front door open, Mio stirred awake instantly. Dressed in a thin nightgown, she hugged her chest, her breath soft and expectant. She knew what his return usually meant.
She waited.
And waited.
Minutes passed.
No footsteps.
"Where… is he?"
Her cheeks flushed red as she rolled over restlessly, the fabric of her nightwear tightening dangerously against her curves.
"He's not coming?!"
Sitting up abruptly, she pouted in frustration. Her body was burning, ready for him—and yet he was nowhere to be found.
"He fell asleep… didn't he?"
The faint sound of snoring from the next room confirmed it.
Her expression darkened.
"He actually fell asleep!? After fooling around outside, he dares—!" Then she hesitated, biting her lip.
"But… he's always full of energy. Could it be… he's bored of me?"
The thought made her go pale. She sat frozen for a long time, unable to sleep.
By dawn, Mio dragged herself out of bed, eyes ringed with exhaustion. Maria—already up and making breakfast—nearly dropped the pan.
"M-Mio-sama! What happened to you!? You look like you haven't slept at all!"
"…I didn't."
Mio mumbled softly, avoiding her gaze.
"Takumi came home last night… but he didn't come to me."
"WHAT!? He didn't!?" Maria's jaw dropped. To her, Takumi was more incubus than man—so ignoring a beauty like Mio? Impossible.
She frowned deeply. "Then… maybe your charm's fading?"
"W-What!? That can't be true, right!?" Mio grabbed her by the shoulders, eyes wide and panicked. She couldn't bear the thought of being disliked or abandoned.
Maria shook her head. "No way! You're still sexy as ever. Honestly, I think you just weren't active enough last night!"
"Active…?" Mio blinked in confusion.
Maria leaned close, whispering something into her ear. In an instant, Mio's face flared scarlet from cheek to neck, her breath hitching.
And right then—
"Morning, Mio, Maria."
Takumi yawned casually as he walked past, completely oblivious. Maria nudged Mio with a grin, whispering, "Go! Get him now! Show him what you've got!"
"W-Why would I do that!? No way!" Mio flailed, face blazing, refusing to move even an inch—but her heart was already racing wildly.
She couldn't deny it. Maria was absolutely trying to set her up… and deep down, Mio wasn't sure she wanted to refuse.
...
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