Listening to Su Yuzu's soft voice and feeling her slender breath.
Even though nothing overtly sensual or strange was directly done to her—just being teased by Yuzu, her fingertips mischievously tracing across Katora's palm, or gently grasping her fingers and blowing on them—Kujou Katora felt as if her entire being was about to unravel.
She wanted to raise her arms to cover her mouth, which yearned to scream frantically. Yet, with her wrists still held by Yuzu, Katora could only bite her lips tightly.
Everything Yuzu did seemed to grotesquely transform into something else in Katora's mind. The movie screen before her became a vast blur. Katora had no idea what the film was showing.
It was only when terrifying ghosts appeared in the movie, roaring frantically at the screen and causing the other girls in the cinema to shriek wildly, that Katora, who had been holding her chin slightly high and biting her lips tightly, could finally cover her mouth and gasp for a little air.
Being secretly pranked by Yuzu in public, Katora felt such overwhelming shame she wished she could disappear. Yet... looking at Yuzu's smiling face beside her...
Her thoughts evaporated. Her consciousness dissolved. Her brain felt utterly drained, becoming a blank slate.
Katora felt as if she had rediscovered the feeling she had back in the hospital, when she lost a bet and was forced to humiliatingly kneel before Yuzu, raising her paws like a little dog.
The more shame, the more pleasure. She trembled with it. The more pleasure, the more a sense of taboo, almost depraved, and a helpless confusion arose from her capacity to feel it.
This vicious cycle of pleasure continued, leaving Katora trembling so profoundly she almost forgot when the movie would reach its climax. Especially when she met Yuzu's gaze beside her—seemingly gentle, yet undeniably teasing.
Her whole body trembled. This last night before temporarily leaving Yuzu would surely be unforgettable for Katora.
As for Su Yuzu... she watched the movie with full enjoyment, and then... glanced at her own [Operator Development] interface.
As the intimacy between herself and Kujou Katora deepened, Katora's Q-version chibi had transformed into a steam princess. Her skin was dyed a deep, blood-like crimson, and steam hissed continuously from her head. Simultaneously, Yuzu also saw various strange scenes constantly flashing within the small bubble above the Q-version Katora's head.
What a pity—
Earlier in the day, Yuzu had already "squeezed" a "Primary Combat Records" from Katora once. Otherwise... Yuzu listened to the waves of screams in the cinema accompanying the movie's ghosts, interspersed with Katora's heavy breathing as she finally caught her breath.
Deploying Combat Records at this moment? The effect would undoubtedly be supremely pleasurable.
However... Yuzu's gaze slowly shifted from Katora's Q-version chibi to Soga Yura, sitting one row behind. Soga Yura's expression was truly... well... far more spectacular.
Yura tearfully watched her rest her head on Katora's shoulder, observing Katora's neck skin slowly being dyed a blood-like crimson.
Soga Yura's Q-version chibi directly pulled out a knife, delivering a series of thrusts at the seat in front. Then it rushed forward, grabbed Katora's Q-version chibi by the shoulders, and subjected her to a series of comedic manga-style throws and slams.
And then... the bubbles around the scene suddenly converged. Only then did Yuzu understand that all of this was Soga Yura's mental playhouse.
The Q-version Soga Yura could only bite and tug at her handkerchief, sitting behind Yuzu and Katora, tears streaming endlessly. Someone unaware might have thought they weren't watching a horror movie at all, but some deeply sorrowful romance drama.
Although... in a sense, one could indeed say that.
Yuzu did not turn around. Watching the Q-version Soga Yura cry so miserably was indeed interesting; Yuzu even found it cute.
But... if she truly watched Soga Yura cry so miserably, Yuzu would still feel a pang of heartache.
If Yura truly liked her that much, then she should just go for it. Yuzu wouldn't even resist. But thinking about Soga Yura's frail physique, even more barren than a steel plate...
Forget it... Yuzu would better bring her joy and pleasure herself.
Until the ghost in the movie appeared. Amidst the waves of screams, Yuzu even heard Soga Yura's faint shriek.
Yuzu suddenly recalled. Soga Yura's courage was quite meager. When they were little, during a thunderstorm at night, with thunder and rain outside, Soga Yura would run barefoot straight to her room.
Her eyes watery, truly washing her face with tears. Only by hugging Yuzu could Soga Yura fall asleep. The next day, when the housemaid woke her up, she found Soga Yura wrapped around Yuzu in bed like an octopus.
Not to mention ghost stories and horror movies. And... even though she was so afraid, Soga Yura loved to listen. After listening, she wouldn't dare sleep all night. After being called cowardly once by her strict father, she no longer dared to run to Yuzu's room. In the end, Yuzu, feeling uneasy, pushed open Soga Yura's door and found a 'blanket spirit' trembling in the corner of the bed. The girl even screamed out loud when she heard the door open. Luckily, Yuzu covered her mouth quickly.
Yuzu originally thought of coaxing her to sleep and then returning to her own room. But... at that time, Yuzu had underestimated her own stamina as a child, and also underestimated Soga Yura's strength when hugging her sister tightly. The next day, the housemaid successfully found the two girls entangled in Soga Yura's bed.
In the [Operator Development] screen, Soga Yura's tear-stained little face was etched with dark blue vertical lines. One moment she was weeping openly, watching Yuzu and Kujou Katora's backs, and the next she was staring at the movie screen, so scared that her soul seemed to be expelled from her mouth. Yuzu was momentarily at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
Yuzu really didn't intentionally bring Kujou Katora to watch a horror movie just to scare Soga Yura. After all... late-night movies, apart from "The Flowers of Evil" which was a bit inappropriate for children, were basically all horror movies.
However—
Yuzu looked at the time, nearing midnight. And the brightly lit [Develop] icon above the Q-version Soga Yura's head. After thinking it over... she decided against wasting the opportunity.
Primary Combat Records for Third Sequence Espers, unlike Basic Combat Records which were purely for enjoyment, could still nudge the experience bar forward a bit. To waste it would be shameful.
Yuzu lightly tapped [Develop].
[Ding—]
[Develop: Soga Yura Favorability +1.]
Favorability remained anchored at the maxed [99 (Doting)]. But Yuzu knew that no matter how much favorability was invested before breaking through the bottleneck, it would all be faithfully reflected afterwards. Yuzu didn't mind if it seemed like a loss.
Thump—
A dull thud suddenly came from behind, as if a head had hit the seat. Yuzu looked at the [Develop] icon, which had lit up again.
"Oh, dear."
"My dearest... sister—"
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