After that, Akira kissed her even more deeply, her hand moving down to Naea's waist. She didn't stop there; she began to apply a firm, rhythmic pressure that sent Naea's senses into a whirlwind. Naea, who was already gripping Akira's shoulders, instinctively reached up to tangle her fingers in Akira's hair—holding on tight, yet careful not to cause her any pain. The sensation of Akira's touch on her waist was overwhelming, but Akira shifted her focus back to Naea's neck, raining down kisses and lingering suctions.
The suction wasn't aggressive; it was heavy and warm, intended to leave a "ghost" of a sensation that Naea would feel long after the kiss ended.As she moved her hand along Naea's waist, she pulled her even closer, angling her body perfectly to deepen her hold on Naea's neck while her hand began a slow, reverent exploration of Naea's body. At that moment, Naea placed her hand over Akira's, a silent signal to stop. Akira immediately complied, ceasing the movement and leaving one last, tender love bite near Naea's neck .
This final mark was her "Signature." It was firm enough to be a claim—a physical reminder of the night—but placed with such care that it felt like a caress rather than an injury. It served as a seal on the promise that Naea truly belongs to her now.
By pushing Naea toward her while gripping her waist, Akira created a "lock," ensuring Naea felt completely surrounded and secure before she even touched her neck after this , she lay down beside her, tucking Naea's head onto her shoulder so they were lying face-to-face. A beautiful, genuine smile spread across Akira's face—a sight so rare it left Naea breathless. In a soft, weary voice, Naea mentioned that she hadn't rested since the hospital incident and simply wanted to sleep in peace. Hearing this, Akira whispered, "Naea Sato," and after receiving a sleepy "hmm" in response, she pulled her closer. "Happy Birthday, Naea," she murmured. "Thank you for coming into this world, and for teaching me a lesson every single time. Now, you are mine—only mine." With this final claim, Akira pressed a soft, lingering kiss to Naea's forehead and then her lips. Naea blushed, her eyes fluttering open just enough to offer a smile that pierced straight through Akira's heart. "Now go to sleep... Goodnight, Akira," Naea whispered shyly. With a final smile, Akira pulled her into a warm embrace, and they both drifted off to sleep.
The next morning arrived with a soft, golden light filtering through the room, but this time, it was Naea whose eyes fluttered open first. As she stirred, she felt a comforting, steady presence beside her, and turning her head, she saw the fierce prosecutor, Akira, resting peacefully. A rare sense of profound calmness washed over Naea's face—a serenity born entirely from Akira's protective presence, which had successfully erased the lingering fatigue of the hospital and the shadows of their investigation. Moving with extreme caution to ensure Akira's much-needed sleep remained undisturbed, Naea slipped out of the covers and headed to the washroom to freshen up.
A short while later, Akira's eyes opened to find the space beside her empty. A sudden jolt of concern rushed through her, causing her to sit up abruptly as she whispered Naea's name into the quiet room. However, the tension in her shoulders instantly vanished when she caught the rhythmic pitter-patter of water droplets—the unmistakable sound of a running shower. Knowing Naea was safe and just starting her day, a look of pure relief and "surety" crossed Akira's face. Not wanting to waste a moment, Akira hurried to the guest room washroom to brush her teeth and wash her face, before heading straight to the kitchen to begin preparing Naea's favorite breakfast as a silent vow of care.
Just as Naea stepped out of the bathroom, the steam still clinging to her skin, she noticed the room was empty, but the rhythmic sound of music drifting from the kitchen caught her attention. Peeking out, she saw Akira lost in her own world, cooking with a wide, radiant smile while humming along to the melody; the sight warmed Naea's heart, prompting her to whisper "crazy girl" with an affectionate smirk before heading to her wardrobe. She chose a light blue frock that fell elegantly below her knees, a color that accentuated her natural beauty and made her look as lovely as ever.
However, earlier, while the shower was still running, Akira had spotted the birthday dress Kenji Takahashi had given Naea— Without a moment's hesitation, Akira had seized the dress and shredded it into tiny pieces with a pair of scissors, stuffing the remains into a polybag filled with kitchen garbage before tossing it deep into the dustbin—a silent act of "psychological reclamation" to erase Takahashi's presence from their lives.
When Naea finally entered the kitchen, Akira was momentarily breathless; the sight of Naea in the blue frock was so captivating that Akira could only stare in admiration. Breaking the silence, Akira stepped forward and softly said, "Good morning, Miss Sato," to which Naea replied with a gentle, "Morning, Akira". Closing the distance between them, Akira leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to Naea's forehead, whispering "Happy birthday once again". Naea, overcome with a sudden wave of shyness she desperately tried to hide by looking down, softly suggested that Akira should go take a shower now.
Akira simply smiled, saying "As you wish," before taking Naea's hand and guiding her to sit on the kitchen counter. Knowing Naea's deep love for authentic Japanese cuisine, Akira had meticulously prepared two traditional dishes and placed them before her, insisting that Miss Sato eat first while Akira planned to shower later at her own apartment. Naea, regaining her composure, teased Akira in a playful, taunting tone, "You should eat too, if you've actually brushed your teeth," a joke that brought a bright, genuine smile to Akira's face as she sat down to share the meal.
Suddenly, Naea's phone began to ring, prompting her to leave the kitchen and head inside to retrieve it. The screen displayed a name she knew all too well: Kenji. After a two-second hesitation, she answered, only to hear his voice on the other end saying, "Happy birthday, princess; I hope I didn't disturb you". Naea responded with a curt and serious "Thank you," but Kenji pressed on, asking if she was free to go to Disneyland today for some fun. Naea immediately declined, stating she already had plans, unaware that Akira was standing by the door, listening intently. Although Akira could only hear Naea's side of the conversation, the shift in her tone made it clear that the caller was someone unwelcome; Akira had followed her inside simply because Naea's sudden departure and prolonged absence had sparked an uneasy feeling in her gut.
The tension escalated when Kenji mentioned that his grandmother wanted to speak with her and handed over the phone. As soon as Akira heard Naea wish the grandmother a "Good morning," she instantly realized the call was coming from the Takahashi mansion—a place she loathed with every fiber of her being. Unable to stomach the connection to the family that stood at the heart of the city's corruption, Akira abandoned her half-eaten breakfast and stormed out, heading back to her own apartment. The sharp sound of the door slamming shut told Naea that Akira was gone, yet she remained composed, finishing her conversation with the grandmother gracefully.
When Naea finally returned to the kitchen counter, she found it deserted, save for their two plates—Akira's still holding the remnants of the meal she had lovingly prepared. After quickly finishing her own food and washing the dishes, Naea took Akira's leftover breakfast to her apartment, only to find the door locked; Akira had already left for the Prosecution Department. A wave of sadness washed over Naea at the sudden coldness and lack of a goodbye, but she pushed the feeling aside, returning to her home to talk with her own family.
On the other side of the city, Akira sat brooding in her office cabin when a team member entered to deliver the urgent news: Minato Takahashi was scheduled to arrive in Tokyo that very evening. Akira maintained a mask of cold indifference, but the news clearly added to the morning's simmering tension. Just then, her phone rang with a call from Macau, who announced that she had finally arrived in Tokyo. Macau explained that she had been waiting for a taxi for over an hour without success and had already tried calling Taki , but he was tied up in an important hospital management meeting. She pleaded with Akira to pick her up so they could finally close the Crimson Canvas case, especially with the news of Minato's imminent return.
Hearing the name that had already ruined her morning, Akira's voice turned dangerously serious as she muttered, "You know what, Macau? I hate the Takahashis". Without another word of explanation, she demandingly added, "Send me your location," and abruptly ended the call. Though Macau was left confused by Akira's sudden outburst, she quickly sent her coordinates as requested. Without wasting a second, Akira stood up, grabbed her keys, and headed straight to her car, driving off to pick up Macau and face the storm Minato was bringing to Tokyo.
Akira pulled up to the location, where Macau was standing with her luggage, a hopeful smile lighting up her face at the sight of the car. Macau expected Akira to step out and help with the bags, but the prosecutor remained behind the wheel, merely rolling down the window to coldly command her to put the luggage in the trunk herself. The tone was so icy and detached that Macau didn't dare hesitate; she quickly stowed her belongings and slipped into the passenger seat. The drive was heavy with a suffocating silence as Akira steered them toward the White Frost Empire apartments.
After parking, they took the lift to the 8th floor, heading toward Apartment 42, but as they approached, Macau noticed two figures standing outside Apartment 44. "Is that Dr. Naea? Who is she talking to? He looks quite handsome—is that her boyfriend?" Macau asked curiously. Akira didn't offer a verbal response, but her heart sank; she knew instantly that the man was Kenji Takahashi.
At that moment, Kenji was informing Naea about the grand party being held at the Takahashi mansion to celebrate Minato's return, insisting that she was personally invited by their grandmother. Naea looked conflicted, but Kenji, noting he had to leave to organize the event, told her to be ready by 7:00 PM so he could pick her up. Naea walked him toward the exit but firmly declined his offer to drive her, stating she would come on her own if she decided to attend. It was this exact exchange—a moment of lingering proximity between them—that Macau and a boiling-mad Akira witnessed from down the hall.
When Macau teased her about whether the man outside was Naea's boyfriend, Akira didn't even spare a glance back; she simply marched inside, her silhouette stiff with a cold, radiating fury. Once indoors, she dropped Macau's luggage in her room with a heavy thud and headed straight for the kitchen, asking in a hollow voice if Macau wanted something to eat. Macau immediately agreed, complaining that she hadn't eaten a thing since morning, to which Akira replied with a biting, icy sarcasm: "And who stopped you? You should have eaten before coming". Macau explained that while the grandmother had insisted she eat, her body never reacts well to food during flights, so she had been fasting. Akira, barely listening, offered cup noodles and a strong coffee, already setting the water to boil with mechanical, jerky movements.
The sudden chime of the doorbell broke the tension, and Macau returned from the door holding a formal invitation card. Akira ignored it, focusing solely on the coffee, until Macau spoke up: "Akira, dinner is at the Takahashi mansion tonight". Akira's response was a stare so predatory and cold it felt like a physical weight, forcing Macau to quickly pivot her tone. "I mean," Macau stammered sweetly, "it's a party for Minato's return, and the members of the White Empire have been invited, including you". Instead of the refusal Macau expected, Akira's voice turned dangerously sharp and serious as she commanded, "Go get ready. There's an hour left before it starts". She looked toward the wall separating her from Naea, her eyes narrowing as she added, "We should definitely see this grand welcome for Minato and taste the Takahashi dinner ourselves".