[You have triggered a Time-Limited Mission: Touka's Plea]
[Objective:: Accept her request and stay the night]
[Reward: Random Skill]
Hayashi had been a little flustered at first, but once he heard the system's voice, he immediately calmed down.After all, who was the system? His big bro! And would his big bro ever lie to him? No way!
Thinking that, Hayashi cleared his throat and declared with righteous sincerity:
"Cough… Touka, what you said makes perfect sense. Tokyo really is dangerous right now."
His eyes carried a clear trace of apology.
"Then I'll be troubling you tonight."
"Mm…" Hearing that, Touka gave a small nod, her expression tinged with shyness. For some reason, that sense of loss and regret inside her had begun to fade.
"Then I'll go tidy up a bit. My room's a little messy."
Perhaps feeling it awkward to stay sitting there, Touka bit her lip lightly and walked into her room.
Gulp—
Seeing this, Hayashi couldn't help but swallow hard. Alone, at night, a man and a woman under one roof… yeah, that didn't exactly give the best impression.
But before anything else, he needed to let Rize know about the situation. Otherwise, if she got hungry, she might head out and start a massacre.
With that in mind, Hayashi picked up his phone and dialed.
Meanwhile, back in her own apartment, Rize was enjoying a moonlit bath on her balcony. She had just gotten out of the shower, wrapped only in a towel, droplets of water still dripping from her hair. Reclined lazily in her chair, she crossed one slender leg over the other, swinging it lightly. Her delicate, pretty bare foot was dazzling, enough to make anyone unable to look away.
Just the sight of her, bathed in the pale glow of the moon, was alluring and mesmerizing. The moonlight reflected off her smooth white skin, giving her a divine, elegant aura.
"Hello?"
Rize picked up the phone, her voice soft, sultry, and melodious.
"Rize, I'm at Touka's place right now, helping her review for exams" Hayashi said directly as soon as the call connected.
He didn't hide anything, nor did he make excuses—his tone was sincere. Deceiving a woman? That wasn't something Hayashi could do.
"Oh?"nRize narrowed her eyes slightly, the corner of her lips curling into a smile.
"So?"
"I mean, it's gotten too late. I'll be staying at her place tonight, not coming back."
"That's fine. Just make sure you control yourself… don't let her drain you dry."
Rize said it casually, sipping her coffee.
"Yeah, I know." Hayashi nodded. He wasn't surprised by her reaction.
"But since you won't be back tonight, that means I don't get my meal."
Her laugh was soft and teasing, voice dripping with seduction.
"You promised me, you'd keep me satisfied."
"So tomorrow, when you come back, you'll owe me double."
Gulp—
Hayashi swallowed nervously. Just her normal "portion" already had him struggling. If it was double… he'd probably be limping at work the day after.
"Alright, then. Tomorrow it is. See you."
Even though he could already picture his tragic fate, Hayashi still agreed.
...
After hanging up, Rize took another slow sip of coffee on her balcony. She showed no hint of panic—only calm composure. For some reason, when it came to Hayashi, this human, she felt an odd sense of trust.
Maybe it was because he always knew how to please her.
Her lips curled into a faint smile as she licked them softly, her eyes flashing with hunger and desire.
"Tomorrow, I'll finally get to drain him completely."
...
Meanwhile, after hanging up, Hayashi heard Touka's voice call from the other room.
"Hayashi, the room's ready—you can come in."
Putting down his phone, he walked inside.
Touka's room was simple, not the sort filled with girlish decorations. He glanced around curiously, but found no pink, frilly touches at all. It left him a little disappointed — maybe Touka didn't actually like pink as much as he thought.
He let out a quiet sigh.
"I've tidied up. You can sleep here."
Catching his curious gaze, Touka breathed a sigh of relief. Good thing she'd hidden those pink things earlier. If Hayashi had seen them, she would've wanted to dig a hole and bury herself.
"I sleep here?" Hayashi blinked. "Shouldn't you be the one sleeping here?"
"You're the guest. You take the bed. I'll sleep on the sofa outside."
Touka handed him a pillow, her pale face carrying a faint blush.
"That doesn't feel right. I'll take the sofa instead." Hayashi shook his head, awkward. How could the host take the sofa while the guest took the master bed? Worst case, he'd sleep on the floor.
"It's fine. You just stay here. I'll head out now."
Touka shook her head lightly and walked out.
Hayashi watched her back as she left, pillow in his hand, unsure what to say. He knew with her tsundere personality, pushing against her would only backfire. Better to just go along.
So, he lay down on the bed. The mattress was soft, carrying a faint trace of her fragrance. Breathing it in, Hayashi soon drifted into sleep.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Touka sat cross-legged on the sofa, hugging her pillow.
"I'm just worried he might be in danger. That's all it is. If a ghoul attacked him, it could lead back to me." Her voice was a low whisper, as if trying to convince herself.
"That weak little human… any ghoul could tear him apart. This is about protecting myself, protecting Anteiku's safety. I-it's not because I like him!"
Muttering her excuses, Touka felt her eyelids grow heavier. Soon her breathing calmed, and she drifted off into sleep.
Moonlight spilled through the windows, landing on her pale legs and small, delicate feet, making them glow with a soft, inviting allure.
"Mmm…"
In her sleep, Touka turned over, then slowly sat up. Her eyes half-lidded, her body swayed slightly.
"Bathroom…"
Rubbing her eyes, she wobbled to the toilet.
A moment later, after the flush, she wandered back out—straight toward the bedroom.
"The bed's so soft… and it smells so nice."
Drawn by the scent, Touka sleepily pulled back the covers and slipped in beside Hayashi.
"Cold…"
Her body shivered, and instinctively she hugged him close. Feeling the warmth, a faint smile curved her lips in her sleep.
"Warm… so comfortable…"