Two in the afternoon.
The hotel curtains weren't completely blackout; even when fully drawn, they only made the incoming light a little hazy.
Ding-dong—
A phone chimed with the sound of a new message.
The girl in the bed, who had been curled up in Fumiya Jin's arms, was hovering between sleep and wakefulness.
Hearing the sound, she instinctively turned over, reached for the phone on the nightstand, and took a look...
It was a message from the LINE group chat.
And it was from Yuki Suou: 'I'm here. Only Miss Shiina is around. Where are you two?'
Nijika's heart tightened slightly.
She then turned her head, looked at Fumiya Jin with a hint of grievance, and showed him the phone screen.
'See, it's all your fault, we're going to be late. I told you no, but you just had to at this time...'
Fumiya Jin looked at the girl's cheeks, which still held a faint flush. Although her expression held a touch of complaint, there was no real displeasure in it.
In fact, her eyes held a faint brightness and a flirtatious charm. It was clear that she was mostly happy inside.
Fumiya Jin smiled, tightened his hold on her smooth body, lowered his head to kiss her on the forehead, and said, 'It's fine if we're late. Our little angel is so cute, if I had to forcibly hold back from eating you up, I think I'd die from the pressure.'
'Don't be so dramatic!' Nijika tapped his chest with her small fist, and then said, 'So... what now?'
'Simple, I'll just send a message,' Fumiya Jin picked up his own phone from the nightstand, opened the group chat, and typed a message: 'Sorry, I ran into an unexpected situation while picking up Nijika. I need to sort it out. I think we can be there around 3 o'clock. You guys can have some tea first.'
As soon as he sent it, Yuki Suou immediately replied: 'An unexpected situation? Are you in trouble? You're not hurt, are you?'
Fumiya Jin: 'It's nothing serious, don't worry.'
Yuki Suou: 'Alright then, no need to rush... The instance isn't until tomorrow anyway.'
Fumiya Jin put his phone down and looked at Nijika in his arms with a smile. 'See? Problem solved.'
Nijika rolled her eyes. 'But you just lied.'
'It's a white lie, a lie told for Nijika's sake,' Fumiya Jin smiled. 'My little angel will forgive me, so it's fine.'
'What do you mean, for my sake? It was clearly for your own wicked desires!' Nijika pouted.
After a moment's thought, she added, 'But we don't need until three... From here to your place, it only takes about half an hour, right?'
'That's assuming we leave right now,' said Fumiya Jin.
'Uh... but aren't we leaving now?' Nijika paused, slightly taken aback.
'I think we can linger a while longer,' Fumiya Jin buried his face, gently nibbling the girl's smooth, delicate shoulder, then continued to burrow downwards, nuzzling softly.
Although she was nowhere near Yuki Suou's level.
But soft was still soft...
'What do you think, Nijika?'
Nijika shivered slightly, her little face flushing bright red again.
She bit her lip and mumbled, 'A grown man, how can you be so clingy...'
'I'm not being clingy, it's just that Nijika naturally exudes the gentle aura of a good wife and loving mother,' Fumiya Jin said. 'You really are an angel, aren't you, Nijika?'
Nijika grew a little shy, scratching her cheek. 'You... just to tease someone, you'll say any sweet thing, won't you...''
'It's the truth,' Fumiya Jin said, taking a deep breath.
'Don't inhale like that... it's weird.'
'It's because Nijika smells so good... I can't help it.'
'What kind of nonsense is that, honestly...''
...
(Strategy meeting omitted.)
...
That evening, at ten o'clock.
The door to Fumiya Jin's home opened.
Kei Shirogane stepped out.
Turning back, she looked at Fumiya Jin who was seeing her off, and past him to the light spilling from the living room, hearing the voices of the other girls...
Kei Shirogane suddenly felt a little lonely.
They were all part of the same Samsara team now. To make it easier to enter the instance together tomorrow, the other three girls were staying at Fumiya-san's house tonight.
But she alone had to trudge home by herself.
The reason was simple—her house was right next door, so it wouldn't cause any delays for meeting up tomorrow morning.
This made Kei Shirogane feel for the first time that living next door to the person you like wasn't always a good thing.
'What's wrong, Kei-chan?' Fumiya Jin asked, noticing the girl's slight hesitation.
'Uh... it's nothing...' Kei Shirogane immediately shook her head.
These little thoughts, of course, she was too embarrassed to let Fumiya Jin find out.
'If you have any worries or thoughts, just tell me directly,' Fumiya Jin said softly. 'This whole game business isn't something one can just casually accept. Nijika was a nervous wreck before her second instance, she couldn't even sleep properly. So there's no need to feel ashamed of your normal reactions and worries. Why don't you tell me about it? Maybe it'll help?'
Listening to Fumiya Jin's concerned words and feeling his gentle gaze, Kei Shirogane's heart warmed.
When people are feeling vulnerable and down, they always long for comfort. And if the person offering that comfort happens to be the one they like, the effect is naturally exceptional, as if it could melt three feet of ice in an instant...
'It's really nothing,' Kei Shirogane said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 'I'm just a little... a little... a little worried, and a little...''
'A little what?' Fumiya Jin asked gently.
'Um...' Kei Shirogane lowered her head. 'It feels like when the whole class goes on a spring trip, and everyone else eats, stays, and plays together, but you're the only one who has to go home just because your house is nearby... It's a feeling like that.'
After listening, Fumiya Jin smiled faintly. 'So you're feeling a little lonely?'
'Uh... I... I guess so...' Kei Shirogane was a bit embarrassed to admit it.
'Then why don't you stay over at my place too?' Fumiya Jin suggested. 'It's no big deal.'
Hearing this, Kei Shirogane's heart leaped with joy.
But she quickly shook her head again.
'No, I can't. I already said my goodbyes to everyone. It would be so embarrassing to suddenly go back in now,' Kei Shirogane said, scratching her cheek.
'Besides, when my dad messaged me just now, I told him I was coming home right away. If I suddenly said I was staying over at your place, he'd definitely think it was weird...''
'Alright,' Fumiya Jin thought for a moment and could understand the girl's concerns. 'Then you should head home and rest. Take a bath, get to sleep early... Who knows, I might come over to see you.''
'Wh... What do you mean?' Kei Shirogane froze, her eyes widening as she looked at Fumiya Jin.
'Our bedroom windows are only a few meters apart, aren't they...''
Fumiya Jin smiled faintly. 'If you want me to come over and chat, just open your window. Maybe I'll just pop over.''
'E-e-eh??'
___
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