Following the sound of the dispute, Hayashi Shuichi and Tomoko wove through a cluster of ancient pines until they reached a secluded corner.
Hidden far from the main path of the shrine, the area was so quiet that the only sound was the rhythmic rustle of wind through the needles.
There, they found Shizuka—the twin with the ponytail—locked in a tense struggle with Taisuke, the blonde youth.
Shizuka's ponytail had come loose, several stray locks of hair clinging to her sweat-dampened cheeks. Her eyes were wide, brimming with a mixture of raw terror and indignation.
"Oh, quit acting!"
Taisuke let out a mocking laugh. He gripped Shizuka's wrist with one hand while the other reached out, attempting to stroke her face.
"I've already seen through your little act. It's not like we haven't been in bed together before. Why not go for another round? We both know the drill."
"I have no idea what you're talking about! Get away from me, now!"
Shizuka hissed her fury, struggling with all her might. However, Taisuke was clearly much stronger; no matter how she twisted, she couldn't break his hold.
"Heh, you're a pretty good actress. But I'm guessing you wouldn't want me telling Satoshi what you've done…"
Taisuke leaned in close, whispering threateningly into her ear. His hot breath made the girl recoil in disgust.
Shizuka's body went rigid. The color drained from her face so fast it was as if a ghost had passed through her.
"Y-You wouldn't dare!"
Her voice trembled with fear, yet she forced her spine to remain straight.
"If you dare tell Satoshi, I'll—"
Before she could finish, Tomoko—standing just behind Hayashi Shuichi—accidentally kicked an empty soda can.
The sharp clatter of aluminum against stone was deafening in the silence of the corner.
Taisuke immediately released Shizuka and whipped his head toward the source of the noise. When he realized who it was, a malicious smirk curled his lips.
"Well, well. If it isn't our little Heiress Tomoko?"
Taisuke spread his arms wide in an exaggerated gesture, his eyes darting back and forth between Shuichi and Tomoko.
"What's the matter? Did the young lady find the Suzuki heir too boring, so she hooked up with this high school detective instead?"
As he spoke, he intentionally licked his lips, his expression turning lewd.
"Taisuke, what rubbish are you spewing?!"
Tomoko's face flushed a deep crimson instantly. Her chest heaved with the force of her anger.
"I only ran into him by chance!"
"Is that so?" Taisuke chuckled, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Don't worry, I couldn't care less about your relationship." He shot a meaningful look at Shizuka. "It's not like my head is the one wearing the green hat, anyway."
With that, the blonde youth tossed his hair back arrogantly and sauntered away, not forgetting to flash Shizuka a vulgar gesture before he disappeared.
"Shizuka, is he blackmailing you?"
Tomoko stepped forward quickly, placing her hands gently on the trembling girl's shoulders. She could feel Shizuka shaking, her palms ice-cold to the touch.
"…I-It's nothing," Shizuka stammered, forcing a smile that looked more painful than crying. "He was just… joking with me."
Her voice was so thin it was barely audible. Her eyes flickered away, unable to meet the gaze of either person standing before her.
"Shizuka, if he's threatening you, I can—"
Before Tomoko could finish, Shizuka suddenly jerked away as if she'd been electrocuted.
"I said I'm fine!"
The girl practically screamed the words. She gave Tomoko a hard shove and ran off without looking back.
"This…"
Tomoko stood frozen, her hand still reaching out into thin air. She stared at Shizuka's retreating figure in total confusion, her brow furrowing deeply.
"She clearly has some kind of skeleton in her closet, and that blonde guy knows what it is," Shuichi remarked casually.
Tomoko snapped out of her daze. She nodded thoughtfully at first, but then, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she tilted her chin up and let out an arrogant huff. "I know that! I don't need you to tell me!"
Hayashi Shuichi shrugged indifferently. He was here for a vacation, not to go looking for extra work. Since she was taking that attitude, he was more than happy to play blind and deaf. He turned around and walked away.
In the blink of an eye, Tomoko was the only one left standing there. She bit her lower lip, unconsciously twirling a lock of hair around her finger as she mulled over Shuichi's words. Leverage… what kind of secret could Shizuka have that Taisuke found out about?
After wandering aimlessly through the shrine for a while, Hayashi Shuichi decided he'd had enough and headed back to the bus parking area.
From a distance, however, he spotted Furuya Rei looking quite pitiful. His disciple was standing in front of the bus, tugging on his own ears like a child who had been caught red-handed.
He was surrounded by three very unhappy girls.
Eri Kisaki stood with her hands on her hips; Yukiko had her arms folded sternly; and Reiko was puffing out her cheeks like an angry little blowfish.
A short distance away, Chikage Tomizawa, Midori Orizasa, and Akane Koizumi were watching the drama unfold with great interest, while Narumi looked on at Rei with worry.
Chikage had even managed to find a bag of potato chips from somewhere, munching on them as she enjoyed the show.
"How dare you lie to us!" Eri gritted her teeth, the light reflecting off her glasses in a dangerous glint. "You've got some nerve, Rei!"
"I-I just wanted to help Master…" Rei explained with a nervous laugh, fine beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.
He tried to defend himself further, but Yukiko shot him a glare so fierce he immediately swallowed his words.
"Does he look like he needs your help?" Yukiko stomped her foot in irritation. "And to think you call me 'Mistress.' Is this how you treat your Mistress?"
"I know I was wrong…"
Rei hung his head, his blonde bangs drooping to cover his eyes. His voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
"I'll never do something like this again. I promise."
"Hmph! It's too late for apologies!" Reiko huffed. "The Goddess Benzaiten here is the most famous for love blessings! I was planning on going to pray with Onii-chan! Now you've ruined everything! How are you going to make it up to me?"
Rei's eyes darted around, and a sudden idea struck him. "What if… what if I go find Master and bring him back?"
The words had barely left his mouth when he spotted Hayashi Shuichi in the distance, clearly preparing to make a run for it.
Without a second thought, the traitorous disciple shouted at the top of his lungs: "Mistresses! Master is over there!"
Eri, Yukiko, and Reiko turned in unison. Sure enough, they caught Hayashi Shuichi mid-tiptoe, attempting to sneak away.
"Shuichi!"
"Shuichi!"
"Onii-chan!"
All three girls called out at once.
Ugh, I should have just stayed in the shrine for a few more minutes…
Hayashi Shuichi covered his face in exasperation. After smoothing out his expression, he turned around with a perfect, practiced smile. "Oh? You're all back? And you found Narumi too?"
The moment the words left his mouth, the spectators nearby couldn't hold back their laughter.
"Shuichi, your disciple already confessed everything," Chikage Tomizawa said, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye. "There's no use pretending anymore."
"Hmph! Teaching your disciple how to lie," Akane Koizumi added with a look of mock disdain. "Are you sure you're fit to be a Master?"
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